And in the dressing room. The Liverpool dressing room. Bill looked from player to player. From Clemence to Lawler, Lawler to Lindsay, Lindsay to Smith, Smith to Lloyd, Lloyd to Hughes, Hughes to Callaghan, Callaghan to Evans, Evans to Heighway, Heighway to Toshack and from Toshack to Hall. And Bill said, Come on, boys. Come on. You’re playing too many high balls, boys. Keep the ball on the grass, the ball on the pitch. Where football is meant to be played, boys. Where God wants it played. On the grass and on the pitch, boys. You’d need a ladder to get to some of these balls. So come on, boys. Come on. Play to your strengths, boys. Play to your talents. On the grass and on the pitch, boys. And so keep the ball down. On the grass and on the pitch, boys. Where it belongs. Where God wants it played, boys. And where I want it played!
Back on the bench, the bench at Old Trafford. Five minutes into the second half of the semi-final of the FA Cup, Bill watched Brian Labone pull up. His hamstring tight, his game finished. And five minutes later, Bill watched Tommy Smith pass long down the left to Steve Heighway. On the ground. Heighway raced down the left, Heighway accelerated down the left. On the ground. Faster and faster. Turning past Brown, turning past Wright. On the ground. Heighway passed to Alun Evans. On the ground. Evans shot and Evans scored. And the supporters of Liverpool Football Club roared and roared. Louder, still louder. And the players of Liverpool Football Club came and came. Attacked and attacked. Harder, still harder. And fifteen minutes later, Evans crossed from the left. Rankin jumped and John Toshack jumped. Rankin partially touched the ball and Rankin partially cleared the ball. But the ball fell to Brian Hall. On the ground. Hall hooked the ball. Into the net and into a goal. And Liverpool Football Club beat Everton Football Club two — one in the semi-final of the FA Cup. Liverpool Football Club were in the final of the FA Cup. And on the Stretford End, awash with banners, in a sea of red, the supporters of Liverpool Football Club cheered. The supporters of Liverpool Football Club sang. And the supporters of Liverpool Football Club roared, We’re going to win the Cup! We’re going to win the Cup! Ee-aye-addio, we’re going to win the Cup! Again and again. They cheered and they cheered. Again and again. They sang and they sang. Again and again. They roared and they roared, WE’RE GOING TO WIN THE CUP! WE’RE GOING TO WIN THE CUP! EE-AYE-ADDIO, WE’RE GOING TO WIN THE CUP!
…
In the house, in their hall. The letters started coming again. The first post and the second post. The letters always coming. The letters asking for tickets. Cup Final tickets. And Bill answered them all. Bill apologised to them all. And in the house, at their door. The callers started knocking again. Early in morning, late in the evening. The callers always knocking. The callers begging for tickets. Cup Final tickets. And Bill answered them all. Bill apologised to them all. And in the house, in their hall. The telephone ringing. Early in the morning, late in the evening. The telephone always ringing. The calls pleading for tickets. Cup Final tickets. And Bill answered them all. Bill apologised to them all. In the house, in their hall. The telephone still ringing. Bill put on his coat. In the house, in their hall. The telephone still ringing. Bill opened the front door. In the house, in their hall. The telephone still ringing. Bill put on his hat. And Bill stepped outside. Bill closed the door. The telephone still ringing. Bill walked down the drive. In the street, children spotted him. The children called out to him. Bill waved at them. And the children asked him for tickets. Cup Final tickets. And Bill apologised to them. And Bill got into his car. Bill drove down the West Derby Road. On the pavements, people spotted him. People waved at him. And Bill waved back. People begged him for tickets. Cup Final tickets. And Bill apologised to them. Bill turned onto Belmont Road. Again. People waved at him. Again. Bill waved back. Again. People pleaded for tickets. Cup Final tickets. Again. Bill apologised to them. Bill turned into the car park at Anfield Road. There were crowds of people in the car park at Anfield Road. Among the builders, among the scaffolding. Bill parked his car. And Bill got out of his car. The crowds of people saw Bill. The crowds of people rushed to Bill. And the crowds of people asked Bill for tickets. Cup Final tickets. They begged and they pleaded. Bill pushed through the crowds of people. And Bill apologised. And he apologised and he apologised. And Bill went inside Anfield. The telephones ringing. Bill went up the stairs. The telephones ringing. Bill went down the corridor. The telephones ringing. Bill opened his office door. The telephones ringing. Bill went into his office. The telephone on his desk ringing. Bill took off his hat. The telephone ringing. Bill hung up his hat. The telephone ringing. Bill took off his coat. The telephone ringing. Bill hung up his coat. The telephone ringing. Bill walked around the bags of mail standing on the floor. The telephone ringing. The bags and bags of mail. The telephone ringing. The mountain of bags and bags of mail. The telephone ringing. Bill sat down at his desk. The telephone ringing. Bill picked up the telephone on his desk. And Bill said, Bill Shankly speaking. What can I do for you?
Hello, said Andy Beattie. It’s only me, Bill. And I am sorry to bother you. Because I know how busy you must be, Bill. I know it must be like Piccadilly bloody Circus. But I need to talk to you about this boy Keegan. This young lad at Scunthorpe. Now I know you’ve not seen him yet. I know you’ve probably been too busy. You’ve not had the time. But others have seen him now, Bill. And I’m hearing talk of offers from Preston. Whispers that Leeds might be in for him …
Bill stood up. The phone in his hand. And Bill said, You what? You’re joking, Andy? You’re kidding me? Not Leeds, Andy?
Yes, said Andy Beattie. Leeds. That’s what I’m hearing, Bill. The whisper I’m hearing. This lad is a talent, Bill. A real talent. You know me, Bill. I wouldn’t be bothering you. Not with everything you’ve got on, Bill. If I didn’t believe this boy was the one. The best I’ve seen, Bill. He’s better than Denis. The best I’ve ever seen, Bill …
Right then, Andy. Right then. Either me, Bob or Reuben will be over to see him. I promise you, Andy. I promise …
You won’t regret it, said Andy Beattie. I promise you that, Bill. Because this lad is the future. The future of Liverpool Football Club.
I believe you, Andy. I believe you. And thanks again, Andy. Thanks again. And you take care now, Andy. You take care.
Bill put down the telephone. Bill sat back down in his chair. Bill picked up his diary from the desk. His diary of dates, his diary of fixtures. The telephone started to ring again. Bill put down his diary. His diary of dates, his diary of fixtures. The telephone ringing. Bill picked up the FA Yearbook. The telephone ringing. Bill turned to the fixtures at the back of the yearbook. The telephone ringing. Bill put down the yearbook. The telephone ringing. Bill stood up. The telephone ringing. Bill walked round the bags of mail standing on the floor. The telephone ringing. The bags and bags of mail. The telephone ringing. The mountain of bags and bags of mail. The telephone ringing. Bill opened his office door. The telephone ringing. Bill walked out of his office. The telephone ringing. Bill walked down the corridor. The telephones ringing, all the telephones ringing. Bill tapped on the door to the boot room. Bill opened the door to the boot room. And Bill saw Bob, Joe, Reuben and Ronnie sat on the empty, upturned beer crates. Among the scrubbed and hanging boots. No telephones here. And Bill said, Right then, who fancies a wee trip to Scunthorpe?