and the ice stayed –
The Big Freeze –
Everything frozen, everything stopped. Fixtures postponed, matches abandoned. The country battered by blizzards, the land blanketed in snow. Drifts reached twenty feet, gales reached one hundred and nineteen miles an hour. Mile-long sheets of ice stretched out across the sea. It was the coldest winter since 1740. And between 22 December, 1962, and 12 February, 1963, Liverpool Football Club could not play a single League game. But on Wednesday 9 January, 1963, after two postponements, Liverpool Football Club travelled to the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham. And in the nineteenth minute, Roger Hunt scored. In the seventy-second minute, Kevin Lewis scored. And in the eighty-ninth minute, Jimmy Melia scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Wrexham Football Club three — nil in the Third Round of the FA Cup.
On Saturday 26 January, 1963, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Turf Moor, Burnley, for a game that had been only fifty — fifty, had been only touch and go. And in the twenty-fifth minute, Kevin Lewis scored. But Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with Burnley Football Club in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup. The replay was scheduled for the following Wednesday. But the following Monday, the draw for the next round of the FA Cup was postponed. That Monday, the Football League season was extended until the nineteenth of May. And the following Wednesday, the replay between Liverpool Football Club and Burnley was postponed –
Indefinitely.
But Liverpool Football Club borrowed halls. Halls from schools. And Liverpool Football Club trained in the halls. The halls of schools. Liverpool Football Club organised friendly games. Friendly games overseas. Liverpool Football Club braved the seas. The Irish seas. And Liverpool Football Club travelled to Ireland. Liverpool Football Club trained in Dublin. Liverpool Football Club played in Dublin. And Liverpool Football Club beat Drumcondra Football Club five — one at Tolka Park, Dublin. And then Liverpool Football Club travelled back. Back to Merseyside, back to school. Again. In borrowed halls. Liverpool Football Club trained and Liverpool Football Club prepared. Prepared to play, ready to play –
Prepared and ready.
And every day, Arthur Riley and his staff cleared the snow from the ground, the snow from the pitch. Every day, bit by bit, patch by patch. Arthur Riley and his staff placed braziers on the ground, on the pitch. They lit the braziers to warm the ground, to thaw the pitch. They moved the braziers across the ground, across the pitch. Every day, bit by bit, patch by patch. Arthur Riley and his staff put sand upon the ground, sand upon the pitch. To protect the ground, to protect the pitch. Until the ground was prepared,
until the pitch was ready –
Prepared and ready.
On Wednesday 13 February, 1963, Aston Villa came to Anfield, Liverpool. In the snow and in the ice. That evening, forty-six thousand, three hundred and seventy-four folk came to Anfield, too. In the snow and in the ice. In the eighteenth minute, Roger Hunt scored. In the twenty-fifth minute, Ian St John scored. In the twenty-ninth minute, St John scored again. And in the sixty-sixth minute, Hunt scored again. And Liverpool Football Club beat Aston Villa four — nil. At home, at Anfield. In the snow and in the ice. Three days after that, Wolverhampton Wanderers came to Anfield, Liverpool. Again in the snow, again in the ice. That afternoon, fifty-three thousand, five hundred and seventeen folk came to Anfield, too. In the snow and in the ice. In the seventh minute, Kevin Lewis scored. In the forty-seventh minute, Ian St John scored. In the fifty-second minute, Lewis scored again. And in the eighty-seventh minute, St John scored again. And Liverpool Football Club beat Wolverhampton Wanderers four — one. At home, at Anfield. In the snow and in the ice. That evening, Liverpool Football Club had not lost in their last twelve games. Liverpool Football Club had won their last nine League games. Liverpool Football Club still fifth in the First Division. Liverpool Football Club still prepared. Liverpool Football Club still ready. Prepared for Burnley, ready for their replay –
On Wednesday 20 February, 1963, Burnley Football Club came to Anfield, Liverpool. That evening, fifty-seven thousand, nine hundred and six folk came to Anfield, too. Fifty-seven thousand, nine hundred and six folk to watch Liverpool Football Club play Burnley Football Club in the Fourth Round replay of the FA Cup. In the forty-fifth minute, Ian St John scored. But at half-time, the score was one-all. And at full time, the score was still one-all. And after twenty-nine minutes of extra time, the score was still one-all. But then in the Burnley goal, Blacklaw went to kick the ball upfield, upfield for the very last kick of the match. But when Blacklaw went to kick, Blacklaw delayed his kick. And when Blacklaw kicked the ball, the ball hit Ian St John. St John pounced on the ball, St John darted past Blacklaw. Blacklaw grabbed St John, Blacklaw stopped St John. And the referee blew his whistle. The referee pointed to the penalty spot. Moran placed the ball on the penalty spot. And Moran slammed the ball into the Burnley net. With the very last kick, in the very last second. Anfield erupted. In the very last second, with the very last kick, Liverpool Football Club were in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup –
Liverpool Football Club had been prepared. Liverpool Football Club had been ready. Prepared to play, ready to win –
Always prepared, always ready.
But then the snow came again. And then the ice came again. And so the snow stayed again, and the ice stayed
again. Again the Big Freeze,
still the Big Freeze –
On Saturday 23 February, 1963, Liverpool Football Club should have travelled to Burnden Park, Bolton. Liverpool Football Club should have played Bolton Wanderers. But the game was postponed. Two weeks later, there were still braziers on the Anfield ground, still sand upon the Anfield pitch. But Leicester City still came to Anfield, Liverpool. And that afternoon, fifty-four thousand, eight hundred and forty-two folk still came, too. Fifty-four thousand, eight hundred and forty-two folk surging, fifty-four thousand, eight hundred and forty-two folk singing LI–VER-POOL, LI–VER-POOL, LI–VER-POOL. LI–VER-POOL, LI–VER-POOL, LI–VER-POOL. LI–VER-POOL, LI–VER-POOL, LI–VER-POOL …
Liverpool Football Club were fith in the First Division. Leicester City were second in the First Division. Leicester City had won their last eight League games. Liverpool Football Club had won their last nine League games. But Leicester City beat Liverpool Football Club two — nil. At home, at Anfield. Leicester City silenced the fifty-four thousand, eight hundred and forty-two folk inside Anfield. No more surging, no more singing –
Now only silence,
only silence.
12. A DRESS REHEARSAL