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I can’t, Bill. I can’t. He’d kill me. My dad. He would. If he knew I took your badge, Bill. He’d kill me. He would. He’d kill me.

Bill took the hand of the little lad. Bill pressed the Liverpool Football Club badge into the palm of the little lad. Bill closed the palm of the little lad. And Bill said, He won’t, son. No, he won’t. Not if you tell him I gave it to you. I gave it to you to give to him. To thank him. To thank him for all the things that he has given me. And so you tell him that, son. You tell him that from me. From Bill …

77. WHAT CAN YOU SAY?

Liverpool Football Club had won their first five games of the 1978–79 season. Away from home, away from Anfield. Liverpool Football Club had beaten Ipswich Town, Manchester City and Birmingham City. At home, at Anfield. Liverpool Football Club had beaten Queens Park Rangers and Tottenham Hotspur. Liverpool Football Club had beaten Tottenham Hotspur seven — nil. This Tottenham side included Osvaldo Ardiles and Ricardo Villa. Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa had won the World Cup with Argentina that summer. But after this game, people said Liverpool Football Club would have won the World Cup. After this game, people said this Liverpool team was the greatest Liverpool team they had ever seen. This Liverpool team, one of the greatest teams they had ever seen. The greatest team they had ever seen. People said this game was one of the greatest games they had ever seen at Anfield. One of the greatest games they had ever seen. The greatest game they had ever seen. The last goal of the game, the seventh goal of the game, the greatest goal ever seen at Anfield. In the seventy-sixth minute, Ray Clemence passed the ball to Ray Kennedy. Kennedy passed the ball to Kenny Dalglish. Dalglish passed the ball to David Johnson. Johnson passed the ball to Steve Heighway. Heighway crossed the ball for Terry McDermott. And McDermott headed the ball into the goal. Five beautiful balls, five glorious passes. Into the net. One of the greatest goals ever seen. The greatest goal ever seen.

And after the game, Bob Paisley said, What can you say? That performance was frightening. That goal probably the finest ever seen on this ground. But we’ve got to keep our feet on the floor. Because this result won’t help us next week. In fact, I’d rather have brickbats than praise. We seem to thrive on the brickbats, not the praise.

And then the gentlemen of the press had asked Bob Paisley about the European Cup. About the draw for the European Cup. The draw that had brought Liverpool Football Club and Nottingham Forest together in the First Round of the European Cup. The European Champions against the English Champions. Bob Paisley had shaken his head. And Bob Paisley had said, Even before we left Wembley. Even before our celebrations in London. I warned the players that the biggest stumbling block to our ambitions of retaining the trophy could be Brian Clough and his team. Now whether UEFA and the rest of Europe wanted two English teams in the European Cup, I wouldn’t know. But the odds against us drawing Forest in the First Round were long, even though we were seeded and they were not. But that’s how the draw went. And so that’s who we must play …

In the First Round of the European Cup. At the City Ground, Nottingham. Bill Shankly had a pair of headphones on his ears. A microphone to his lips. Bill Shankly was commentating on the match for the radio. For Radio City, Liverpool. Analysing the game, dissecting the match. In the press box. On the edge of his seat. His body bent in his seat, his eyes fixed on the pitch. Bill Shankly watched the match, Bill Shankly transfixed by the game. The game Liverpool Football Club were losing. Away from home, away from Anfield. The match Liverpool Football Club lost. Two — nil.

His eyes strained, his voice hoarse. Bill Shankly put down his microphone. Bill Shankly took off his headphones. His ears sore, his body taut. Bill Shankly got up from his seat in the press box.

In the corridors of the City Ground. The gentlemen of the press saw Bill Shankly. Bill Shankly standing in the corridor, Bill Shankly standing in the shadows. And the gentlemen of the press asked Bill Shankly for his thoughts. They asked Bill Shankly if he could understand why Liverpool Football Club had lost two — nil to Nottingham Forest in the first leg of the First Round of the European Cup. If Bill Shankly knew the reason why Liverpool Football Club had lost two — nil to Nottingham Forest in the first leg of the First Round of the European Cup. And Bill Shankly shook his head –

Well, it’s difficult to say, said Bill Shankly. It’s a very difficult thing to say. But I mean, to be honest with you. To be very honest with you, I was concerned before the game. Very worried before the game. I was concerned and worried that our players might be tempted to treat it as a League game. As just another League match. And I mean, I think that’s what happened. I think that is what we saw. I don’t mean to say the players were complacent. Oh no. Not that. Not that at all. What I mean to say is, when we were a goal down, we were still chasing the game. Still looking for an equaliser. An equaliser and then perhaps another. Instead of accepting a one — nil defeat as a reasonable result in the first leg of the European Cup. In the away leg. And so we were still chasing the game, when we were one — nil down. In the second half, we were still looking for that equaliser. And then possibly more. And then that allowed Forest to catch us. To nip in by the back door, you understand? Because we left ourselves exposed. And so Forest could then nip in and get that second goal. Because we allowed Forest to disturb us, we allowed Forest to harass us. Their midfield were set up simply to mark us tightly. When we were in possession. And then when they had possession, they simply bypassed their own midfield. They were just hitting long balls up the middle to their front men, over their own midfield. And their front men had the measure of us, their front men mastered us. And so then they got their second goal. And that second goal, you see? That now gives us a mountain to climb. When we get back home. Back home to Anfield.

And the gentlemen of the press nodded. The gentlemen of the press thanked Bill Shankly for his thoughts. They thanked Bill Shankly for his time. And Bill Shankly glanced down at his watch. And then Bill Shankly looked back up. The gentlemen of the press had gone. The gentlemen of the press had left. Gone to pick up their phones, left to file their reports. In the corridors of the City Ground, under the Main Stand of the City Ground. Bill Shankly now alone, alone in the shadows. Bill Shankly started pacing. In a circle, a small circle. Under the stands, in the shadows. Pacing and pacing, round and around. In a circle, a very small circle. Under the stands, in the shadows. Bill Shankly stopped pacing. Bill Shankly looked at his watch again. Bill Shankly walked towards another corridor. The corridor to the dressing rooms. The home dressing room and the away dressing room. The Liverpool dressing room. Bill Shankly walked down the corridor towards the dressing room. The Liverpool dressing room. And Bill Shankly stopped before the door. The Liverpool dressing-room door. In the corridor. The corridor of the City Ground. Bill Shankly stood before the door. The Liverpool dressing-room door. And Bill Shankly looked at the door. Again. Bill Shankly stared at the door. The Liverpool dressing-room door. And Bill Shankly heard the voices on the other side of the door. Again. Bill Shankly listened to the voices on the other side of the door. The Liverpool dressing-room door. Again. Bill Shankly did not recognise these voices, these different voices. Again. These different voices, these raised voices. And in the corridor. The corridor of the City Ground. Bill Shankly shook his head. Bill Shankly closed his eyes. What would he say? What could he say? And in the corridor. The corridor of the City Ground. Outside the door. The Liverpool dressing-room door. Bill Shankly opened his eyes. Bill Shankly sighed. And again. Bill Shankly turned away from the door. The Liverpool dressing-room door. Again. Bill Shankly walked away. Down the corridor, the corridor of the City Ground. Towards the door, towards the exit. Bill Shankly opened the door. The exit. And Bill Shankly saw the stairs. In the shadows. The stairs down to the car park. And Bill Shankly walked down the stairs. The steep, concrete stairs. Slowly, carefully. One hand on the rail. The cold, metal handrail. Slowly, carefully. One foot on the steps –