The chairman of Leeds United said, Come!
Bill Shankly opened the door. Bill Shankly stepped into the dining room. Bill Shankly looked around the table. From director to director. And Bill Shankly waited.
The chairman of Leeds United said, Well then, Shankly? What do you have to say for yourself?
Our offer is eighteen thousand pounds, said Bill Shankly.
Close the door on your way out, Shankly.
…
On Saturday 30 January, 1960, Manchester United came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, fifty-six thousand, seven hundred and thirty-six folk came, too. In the rain and in the wind. Fifty-six thousand, seven hundred and thirty-six folk to watch Liverpool Football Club play Manchester United in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup. At home, at Anfield. In the dressing room, the home dressing room. The players of Liverpool Football Club looked up from the benches. The players of Liverpool Football Club looked at Bill Shankly. Bill Shankly in his best coat, Bill Shankly in his best hat. Bill Shankly looked around the dressing room. From player to player. From Slater to Molyneux, Molyneux to Moran, Moran to Wheeler, Wheeler to White, White to Leishman, Leishman to Melia, Melia to Hunt, Hunt to Hickson, Hickson to Harrower and Harrower to A’Court. Bill Shankly rubbed his hands together. And Bill Shankly smiled –
What a day this is, boys. What a great day! The crowd that are here, the people that are here. There must be sixty thousand. Sixty bloody thousand. And the team that is here, the manager who is here. Just across that corridor, in that dressing room. I mean, I know Matt well. Very well. He was a player I admired and he is a manager I admire. A man I admire. The things Matt has done at United. The teams he has built, the club he has built. The way United play, the way United work. It is an inspiration, boys. An inspiration to us all. I mean, I don’t need to tell any of you what he has been through, what that team have been through. I mean, I’ll never forget that day. I was in my office at Leeds Road when the telephone rang with the news. The news from Munich. And I drove straight back home. I put on the television and I waited for news. I waited and I prayed. But then I heard Harold Hardman, the chairman of Manchester United. I heard him say that Matt had died. That Matt was dead. And I could not believe it, boys. I refused to believe it. And I don’t mind telling you, I got down on my knees and I prayed. I prayed like I had never prayed for anything before. And my prayers were answered. Thank God. Matt survived. But Tommy Curry was one of the dead. One of those twenty-three dead. And I knew Tommy well, from my time at Carlisle. And Tommy was dead. And eight of those players. Men we knew. Men who died. But Matt survived. Against all the odds. He refused to give in, he refused to surrender. And he went back to work, he went back to United. He began again. He built them back up again. He resurrected them. And here they are. A new team, a new United. And so Matt is an inspiration to me, boys. An inspiration. And so let his team be an inspiration to you, boys. An inspiration. But don’t you forget to beat them, boys. And if you cannot beat them, then make sure you learn from them. And you enjoy every bloody minute of the lesson …
In the thirteenth minute, Charlton scored. In the thirty-sixth minute, Wheeler equalised. In the forty-fourth minute, Charlton scored again. In the sixty-ninth minute, Bradley scored. And Liverpool Football Club lost three — one to Manchester United in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup. At home, at Anfield –
After the match, after the final whistle. In the rain and in the wind. Matt Busby walked down the touchline. The Anfield touchline. Matt Busby smiled at Bill Shankly. Matt Busby put a hand on Bill Shankly’s shoulder. Matt Busby shook Bill Shankly’s hand. And Matt Busby said, You showed plenty of fight today, Bill. And plenty of spirit, too. So you’ll be all right, Bill. You’ll be all right.
4. AFTER THE SEASON, BEFORE THE SEASON
In the empty, semi-detached house on Bellefield Avenue, West Derby, Liverpool. Bill and Ness went through the rooms. Bill and Ness went up the stairs. Bill and Ness went into one of the bedrooms. Bill and Ness stood in the window. Through the glass, through the trees. Bill and Ness could see men kicking footballs on a pitch.
What team is that, asked Ness.
Bill said, Everton.
Is that where Everton train then, asked Ness.
Bill nodded. And Bill said, Yes. That’s Bellefield, love.
That’s handy then, said Ness. You’ll be able to keep your eye on them then, love, won’t you?
Bill smiled. And Bill said, Aye, I will. I certainly will, love.
So you like this house then, asked Ness.
Bill said, If you do.
I do, love.
…
In the office, at the desk. Bill opened up the newspaper. Again. Bill looked down at the final League table for the 1959–60 season. Aston Villa were Second Division Champions with fifty-nine points. Cardiff City were runners-up with fifty-eight points. Cardiff City had been promoted to the First Division with Aston Villa. Liverpool Football Club were third with fifty points. Liverpool Football Club had not been promoted. Huddersfield Town had not been promoted either. Huddersfield Town had finished sixth with forty-seven points. Since Bill had left Leeds Road, since Bill had come to Anfield, Liverpool Football Club had won eleven games, drawn five and lost five. In the office, at the desk. Bill opened a drawer. Bill took out a pair of scissors and a pot of glue. Bill cut out the final League table for the 1959–60 season from the newspaper. Bill opened his book. His book of names, his book of notes. Bill stuck the final League table in his book. His book of names, his book of notes. In the office, at the desk. Bill turned the pages of his book. The pages of names, the pages of notes. The names of players, the notes on players. Bill had moved on Doug Rudham, Fred Morris, Reg Blore and Barry Wilkinson. Bill had brought in Kevin Lewis from Sheffield United. Bill had brought in Alf Arrowsmith from Ashton United. Alf Arrowsmith was seventeen years old. Bill had wanted to bring in more players. More experienced players. Better players. Bill still wanted to bring in more players. In the office, at the desk. Bill closed his book. His book of names, his book of notes. Again.
…
In the car park at Anfield. In his tracksuit bottoms, in his sweater, Bill was standing in the car park at Anfield. Bill was looking for the bus to Melwood. The bus was not here. The players of Liverpool Football Club came out of the stadium. In their tracksuits, in their sweaters. Bill greeted every one of the players of Liverpool Football Club. Bill shook their hands, Bill patted their backs. Bill asked after their families, Bill asked after their holidays. Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert came out of the stadium. And Bill looked at his watch. Bill looked at Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert. And Bill said, Where’s the bloody bus? It’s the first day of pre-season training. And the bus is not here, the bus is late. What’s going on?
We don’t use the bus in the summer, said Albert. We never have, Boss. Not in the first week. The first week we always run out to Melwood, Boss. And then we run back here…
Bill said, You run to Melwood?
Yes, said Albert. We run to Melwood. It’s road-work. To build up their fitness, their strength…
Bill shook his head. Bill took Bob, Joe, Reuben, Arthur and Albert to one side. And Bill said, I don’t believe in road-work. I never have. The players do their playing on grass. So they should do their running on grass. Not on roads. Not on concrete. There’s no surer way for a player to pull a muscle or to injure himself than on a road. On the grass. That’s the way to build up their fitness, to build up their strength. That’s my way. On the grass. And with a ball. A bloody football!