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The gentlemen of the Liverpool press nodded. And the gentlemen of the Liverpool press asked, But what about the goals, Bill? The Liverpool goals?

Oh well, said Bill Shankly. They were good goals. Yes. They were great goals. I mean, I think Thompson’s header would have gone in. I believe Dalglish got the last touch. I believe he’ll get the credit. But Thompson deserves some of the credit, too. And then Heighway’s corner for the second was a brilliant corner. And he had a brilliant game. Yes. In many ways, I think Heighway was the difference. He was brilliant. Brilliant. Some of his runs, some of his crosses. It was like watching Tom Finney at his best. Tommy Finney in his prime …

The gentlemen of the Liverpool press nodded. The gentlemen of the Liverpool press smiled. And the gentlemen of the Liverpool press said, You make it sound like a cup final, Bill …

Oh yes, said Bill Shankly. Yes. You see, every game and every day for me is still a cup final day. It always was. And it always will be. And nobody, no matter what they try to do or say. Nobody will ever take that away from me. Nobody. Because everything I do, every single thing I do. If I’m signing an autograph or if I’m cleaning the car. I do it with enthusiasm. I do it with pride. And that means there is a certain amount of pressure behind it. Like for a cup final. A cup final every day. Behind everything I do. Every single thing I do. Because I have always driven myself. All along the line. All along the way. And I’m not going to stop now. In fact, I don’t think I could stop. Even if I wanted to. And I don’t want to. I never want to stop. I want to keep driving myself. And to keep pushing myself. Because that is called ambition. And that’s what keeps you going. Ambition keeps you going. And it’s ambition that has kept me going. All these years. I mean, if you don’t have ambition. If you have no ambition. Then you might as well get into your bloody coffin now!

The gentlemen of the Liverpool press nodded again. The gentlemen of the Liverpool press smiled again. And the gentlemen of the Liverpool press said, Well, it looks like it keeps you fit, Bill?

Oh yes, said Bill Shankly again. Yes. Keeping fit is the most important thing of all. If you are physically fit, then you are mentally fit. You are alert. And you are sharp. And so I am alert. And I am sharp. As alert as I ever was and as sharp as I ever was. I mean, I was always an athlete. And so fitness was always in my blood. Keeping me alert, keeping me sharp. In fact, I’m still only eleven stone thirteen pounds. That’s only three pound heavier than when I was bloody playing! When I was playing thirty year ago!

The gentlemen of the Liverpool press laughed. And the gentlemen of the Liverpool press said, So you are not tempted by any of these offers then, Bill? These offers we keep hearing about. These offers we keep reading about. Because you’re certainly fit enough, Bill. You are well enough. So you’re not tempted then, Bill?

Oh well, said Bill Shankly. It’s a difficult thing to say, boys. A very difficult thing to say. I mean, yes. I have had offers almost every single month since I packed in here. From chairmen and vice-chairmen of I-don’t-know-how-many different football clubs. Almost every single football club in the land! And of course, I have been very flattered. And yes, I have been very tempted. But I mean, for one reason or another. The jobs were not right. The offers were just not suitable. I mean, many of them meant travelling too far away from home. Away from Liverpool. And while I don’t mind travelling about. I don’t mind travelling around with a club. I don’t like to spend a night away from home. And so I don’t want full-time involvement. That’s not what I’d want. But I’d like to be involved with a football club. In an advisory capacity, you understand? Using my experience of the game, using my knowledge of the game. My experience of people, my knowledge of people. And to be one of the boys again. Yes. To be one of the boys again. I think it would take ten year off my age. Yes. It would take ten years off me.

74. THE MATCHES OF THE DAYS

In the house, in their front room. In the evening and in the silence. Bill got up from his chair. Bill walked over to the television. Bill switched off the television. Bill walked out of the front room. Bill walked into the hallway. Bill picked up the telephone. Bill dialled a number. In the house, in their hallway. Bill listened to the telephone ring. And ring. And then Bill heard Peter Robinson say, Hello?

And Bill said, Hello, Peter. Hello. It’s only me. It’s only Bill. Now did you just see the games? The games on Match of the Day?

Yes, said Peter Robinson. I saw them. I watched it.

And so what did you think, Peter? What did you think? I mean, I think that’s a good result. A very good result for Everton, don’t you think? I mean, I think many folk will have been surprised by that.

Yes, said Peter Robinson again. It’s a good result.

But I can’t say I’m surprised, Peter. I can’t say I’m very surprised. I mean, the way Gordon has set them up.

Yes, said Peter Robinson. They looked very efficient. Very well organised. But I was surprised he kept McKenzie on the bench …

Oh well. I can’t say that surprised me, Peter. Not really. Not the way Gordon is. Not the way he has got them playing as a team, Peter. You can see he believes in the importance of the team. In the importance of the individual knowing their place within the system. Within the team. Now McKenzie is skilful, I agree. Very skilful, I agree, Peter. But he has a tendency to show off. And to be that wee bit too greedy. And to not know his place, his place in the team. And so I can see why Gordon did not use him, why he kept him on the bench.

Yes, said Peter Robinson. He can be a little showy …

That’s it, Peter. Exactly. That’s it. He can be a little bit showy. And they were doing well enough without him. Without him and his bag of tricks. So Gordon had no call for him. He did not need him. Not when they were playing so well. I mean, I thought they took Chelsea for a walk in the park. To be honest with you, it was something of a stroll for Everton. I mean, they were happy enough to let Chelsea run. But only as far as the penalty area, mind you. Because they knew Chelsea would get no further. They could get no further. Not with Higgins, Jones and Pejic. Higgins, Jones and Pejic were very solid. Very strong, Peter. I mean, they even allowed Cooke a yard start.

He did have two good chances, said Peter Robinson.

He did, Peter. Yes, he did. You are right, Peter. You are right. But his shooting is never up to his passing. And they know that. They knew that. Their eyes were more on Wilkins, I think. Now he was a danger. He’s always a danger, is Wilkins. He does everything. He chases everything. He’s a terrier. A terrier, Peter. But I mean, Buckley, Dawson and King always had control of the midfield. They never relinquished control of the midfield. But still, as you say. As you say, Peter, Chelsea still had their chances. Two good chances. And it might have been a different game. A very different story. If they had taken one of those chances. If Everton had had to chase the game. It might have been a different story. But to be honest with you, Peter, I could not see it. I could never see it happening. Because Chelsea need a man like Latchford. A player like Latchford. A player who will always take his chance. I mean, Chelsea lack that kind of player. That kind of man.

Did you think it was a penalty, asked Peter Robinson.

No, no. I did not, Peter. No. I mean, the lad Pejic said it was not his hand. It was the hand of the keeper. The hand of Wood. And the way the players protested. The way the Everton players reacted. I am sure it was never a penalty. And it would have been harsh if the lad had then scored. So I think justice was done. Justice was served.