…
On the bench, the bench at the Waldstadion, in Frankfurt, in West Germany. Bill was watching Liverpool Football Club play Eintracht Frankfurt in the second leg of the First Round of the UEFA Cup. But in the fifty-seventh minute, Bill took off Tommy Smith. Because he was hurt, because he was injured. And in the fifty-seventh minute, Bill sent on Trevor Storton. And Liverpool Football Club did not score. But Eintracht Frankfurt did not score either. And Liverpool Football Club beat Eintracht Frankfurt two — nil on aggregate in the First Round of the UEFA Cup. Away from home,
away from Anfield. On the bench, the bench at Elland Road. Bill was watching Liverpool Football Club play Leeds United. Last season, Leeds United had beaten Liverpool Football Club home and away in the Football League. And last season, Leeds United had knocked Liverpool Football Club out of the Cup, too. And on the bench, the bench at Elland Road, in the thirtieth minute, Bill watched Clarke back-head the ball to Jones. And Jones scored. But ten minutes later, Bill watched Liverpool Football Club win a corner. And Phil Boersma took the corner. And Larry Lloyd headed the corner. Into the net and into a goal. In the sixty-fifth minute, Bill watched Charlton cut out a pass for Lindsay. But Charlton lost his feet. And Charlton lost the ball. Phil Boersma found the ball. Boersma jumped over the tackle from Hunter. And Boersma shot. Into the net and into another goal. And now Charlton went up. Charlton now a forward. And Clarke scored. But the linesman raised his flag. For offside. And the referee disallowed the goal. For offside. And then Ray Clemence pushed a shot over the bar. Tipped it over the bar. And then Bremner shot. And Bremner’s shot clipped the post. The wrong side of the post. And Liverpool Football Club held on. They held on. And Liverpool Football Club beat Leeds United two — one. Away from home,
away from Anfield. On the bench, the bench at the Hawthorns. In the sixty-sixth minute, Bill watched Hartford score for West Bromwich Albion. And in the eighty-sixth minute, Bill watched Steve Heighway equalise for Liverpool Football Club. And Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with West Bromwich Albion in the Third Round of the Football League Cup. Away from home, away from Anfield. There would have to be a replay. Another replay –
On the bench, the Anfield bench. Bill and fifty-five thousand, nine hundred and seventy-five Merseyside folk were watching Liverpool Football Club play Everton Football Club. And in the opening minutes, they watched Clemence drop the ball in his own six-yard box. Clemence lost the ball. And Royle found the ball in the six-yard box. The Liverpool six-yard box. And Royle shot. But Larry Lloyd was on the line. The Liverpool goal line. And Lloyd cleared the ball off the line. The Liverpool goal line. But in the sixtieth minute, Johnson passed to Royle. Royle passed to Connolly. And Connolly passed to Kendall. Kendall in front of the goal. The Liverpool goal. The goal open, the goal yawning. Kendall shot. And Kendall missed. The open goal, the yawning goal. And in the seventy-seventh minute, Alec Lindsay passed to Steve Heighway. Heighway hoisted the ball. From the left, to the right. And the ball dropped. By the post, the Everton post. And there was Peter Cormack. Cormack headed. And Cormack scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Everton Football Club one — nil. At home, at Anfield. That evening, Everton Football Club had fifteen points. And Tottenham Hotspur had sixteen points and Arsenal Football Club had sixteen points, too. But that evening, Liverpool Football Club had eighteen points. And Liverpool Football Club were first in the First Division. Not on goal average. On points. Two points. First in the First Division by two points –
And with a game in hand.
…
In the kitchen, at the sink. In the night and in the silence. In his pyjamas and in his slippers. Bill filled another glass with water. Bill walked back over to the kitchen wall. And Bill switched off the light again. In the dark and in the silence. Bill walked back up the stairs. Bill went back into their bedroom. And Bill walked around their bed. Bill put down the glass of water on the table beside the bed. Beside his wife. And Ness looked up at Bill. And Ness smiled up at Bill –
Thank you, love. Thank you. But I’m sorry, love …
In the bedroom, by their bed. In the night and in the silence. Bill said, I wish you’d see the doctor, love. I really wish you’d go.
But it’s nothing, love. It’s just a cough. A little cough.
But it’s getting no better, love. It’s getting worse.
In the night and in the silence. Ness did not reply. Ness had closed her eyes again. In the night and in the silence. Bill walked back around their bed. Bill got back into their bed. In the dark and in the silence. Bill stared up the ceiling. Their bedroom ceiling. And in the dark, and in the silence. Bill said his prayers again.
41. THIS IS YOUR LIFE
Three days after Liverpool Football Club had beaten Everton Football Club one — nil. At home, at Anfield. West Bromwich Albion came to Anfield, Liverpool, to play Liverpool Football Club in the replay of the Third Round of the Football League Cup. That evening, twenty-six thousand, four hundred and sixty-one folk came, too. In the fifty-first minute, Robertson of West Bromwich Albion shot from the edge of the penalty area. And the shot glanced off Kevin Keegan. And the shot arced over Ray Clemence. Into the net and into a goal. In the sixty-second minute, Emlyn Hughes shot from the edge of the penalty area. And Latchford knocked the shot down. But the shot still bobbled over the line and into a goal. And the replay of the Third Round of the Football League Cup went into extra time. And in the last minute of extra time, in the one hundred and twentieth minute of the match, the two hundred and tenth minute of the tie, Alec Lindsay crossed into the penalty area. And there was Keegan. To meet the cross, to head the cross. Into the net and into a goal. And Liverpool Football Club beat West Bromwich Albion two — one in the last minute of extra time in the replay of the Third Round of the Football League Cup. At home, at Anfield. Four days later, Liverpool Football Club travelled to the Dell, Southampton, and Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with Southampton Football Club. Away from home, away from Anfield. But that evening, Liverpool Football Club were still first in the First Division. By one point, just one point. But still with a game in hand.