On Saturday 21 October, 1972, Stoke City came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, forty-five thousand, six hundred and four folk came, too. Forty-five thousand, six hundred and four folk and Tommy Smith. Tommy Smith no longer hurt, Tommy Smith no longer injured. But in the thirty-fourth minute, Hurst hit the bar. The Liverpool bar. And Greenhoff met the rebound. Greenhoff headed the rebound into the net and into a goal. In the sixty-sixth minute, Banks carried the ball more than the permitted four steps. And from the free kick, the indirect free kick, Smith rolled the ball to Emlyn Hughes. And Hughes shot. And Hughes scored. And in the ninetieth minute, the last minute of the match, Ian Callaghan shot into the penalty area. And the shot deflected off Skeels’ face. Into the net and into a goal. And Liverpool Football Club beat Stoke City two — one. At home, at Anfield. In the last minute of the match, the very last minute.
Three days afterwards, Athletic Union of Constantinople Football Club of Greece came to Anfield, Liverpool. That evening, thirty-one thousand, nine hundred and six folk came, too. Thirty-one thousand, nine hundred and six folk to watch Liverpool Football Club of England play Athletic Union of Constantinople of Greece in the first leg of the Second Round of the UEFA Cup. In the ninth minute, Ian Callaghan won a corner. Emlyn Hughes passed to Steve Heighway. Heighway shot hard and low across the goalmouth. And Phil Boersma met the shot. Boersma touched the shot over the line and into a goal. Twenty minutes later, Kevin Keegan shot. And the shot rebounded back to Peter Cormack. Cormack shot. And Cormack scored. But in the fifty-ninth minute, Hughes was hurt. Hughes injured. And Phil Thompson came on for Hughes. And in the seventy-eighth minute, Tommy Smith scored a penalty. And Liverpool Football Club beat Athletic Union of Constantinople of Greece three — nil in the first leg of the Second Round of the UEFA Cup. At home, at Anfield.
On Saturday 28 October, 1972, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Carrow Road, Norwich. But Emlyn Hughes did not travel to Carrow Road. Hughes still hurt, Hughes still injured. Phil Thompson travelled to Carrow Road. In the eighteenth minute, Peter Cormack scored. But Norwich City scored, too. And Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with Norwich City. Away from home, away from Anfield. But that evening, Liverpool Football Club were still first in the First Division. And still with a game in hand.
Three days afterwards, Leeds United came to Anfield, Liverpool. That evening, forty-four thousand, six hundred and nine folk came, too. Forty-four thousand, six hundred and nine folk to watch Liverpool Football Club play Leeds United in the Fourth Round of the Football League Cup. And John Toshack headed wide. And Peter Cormack shot wide. And Harvey saved from Kevin Keegan. But Liverpool Football Club kept coming, Keegan kept coming. And in the thirty-first minute, Steve Heighway robbed Clarke. Heighway crossed for Keegan. Keegan jumped for the cross, Keegan headed the cross. And Keegan scored from the cross. But eight minutes later, Gray took a corner. Jones jumped for the corner. And Jones headed the corner. Into the net and into a goal. And in the second half, after thirteen minutes, Gray passed to Clarke. Clarke passed to Lorimer. Lorimer shot. And Lorimer scored. And Liverpool Football Club were losing to Leeds United. And again Harvey saved from Toshack. But again Liverpool Football Club kept coming, Toshack kept coming. And in the eightieth minute, Emlyn Hughes pushed the ball through to Toshack. Toshack shot. And Toshack scored. And Liverpool Football Club drew two-all with Leeds United in the Fourth Round of the Football League Cup. At home, at Anfield. There would have to be another replay. Another game, always another game –
On Saturday 4 November, 1972, Chelsea Football Club came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, forty-eight thousand, three hundred and ninety-two folk came, too. In the thirty-third minute, Emlyn Hughes beat Webb to the ball. Hughes faster, Hughes hungrier. And Hughes passed to Kevin Keegan. Keegan fast, Keegan hungry. But Keegan did not shoot. Keegan passed to Toshack. Toshack shot. And Toshack scored. And in the fiftieth minute, Keegan won the ball again. Keegan still fast, Keegan still hungry. Keegan passed to Toshack. But Keegan kept running. Fast and hungry. Toshack crossed. Keegan met the cross. Fast and hungry. Keegan headed the cross. Into the net and into a goal. And five minutes later, Steve Heighway found Toshack again. And Toshack scored again. And Liverpool Football Club beat Chelsea Football Club three — one. At home, at Anfield. That evening, Arsenal Football Club had twenty-one points and Leeds United had twenty-one points, too. But Liverpool Football Club had twenty-four points. Liverpool Football Club first in the First Division. Not by one point. Not by two points. Liverpool Football Club were first in the First Division by three points.
Three days afterwards, Liverpool Football Club came to the Nikos Goumas Stadium, in Athens, in Greece, to play Athletic Union of Constantinople in the second leg of the Second Round of the UEFA Cup. On a pleasant, sunny afternoon. Against a backdrop of mountains and white houses. In front of fanatical, hysterical supporters. Athletic Union of Constantinople attacked and attacked. And Emlyn Hughes headed off the line. The Liverpool goal line. And Ray Clemence saved. And Clemence saved again. And in the eighteenth minute, Tommy Smith rolled a free kick to Hughes. Hughes shot. The shot hit the inside of the post. The shot flew across the face of the goal. And into the net. But then Hughes fell on the ball in his own penalty area. Hughes touched the ball with his hand in his own penalty area. And Athletic Union of Constantinople won a penalty. And Nikolaidis scored the penalty. As afternoon turned to evening, as the mountains darkened. The houses black now. In front of fanatical, hysterical supporters. Again. Athletic Union of Constantinople attacked and attacked. But in the forty-fourth minute, Hughes won the ball in midfield. Hughes ran with the ball. Hughes passed to Kevin Keegan. Keegan passed back to Hughes. Hughes shot. And Hughes scored. But in the seventieth minute, Heighway was hurt. Heighway injured. And Phil Boersma came on for Heighway. And in the eighty-seventh minute, Smith passed to Keegan. Keegan crossed. And Boersma tapped the cross. Into a goal. And in the night. Before the silent mountains, in the muted stadium. Liverpool Football Club beat Athletic Union of Constantinople three — one in the second leg of the Second Round of the UEFA Cup. Away from home, away from Anfield.
On Saturday 11 November, 1972, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Old Trafford, Manchester. Liverpool Football Club were first in the First Division and Manchester United were last in the First Division. That afternoon, fifty-three thousand, nine hundred and forty-four folk came to Old Trafford, Manchester, to watch top versus bottom. Some of them in gangs, some of them in mobs. Inside the ground and outside the ground. There were policemen with dogs, there were policemen on horses. Supporters herded towards the turnstiles, supporters pushed through the turnstiles. And there were stampedes and there were crushes. Men flattened, children flattened. In the streets and on the terraces. Things fell apart, people fell apart. And on the pitch, the Old Trafford pitch, things fell apart, people fell apart. MacDougall handled the ball. But the referee waved play on. And MacDougall shot. Ray Clemence half stopped the shot. But Davies pounced. And Davies scored. And then O’Neil crossed the ball. And MacDougall beat Chris Lawler to the ball. And MacDougall scored. And Liverpool Football Club lost two — nil to Manchester United. Away from home, away from Anfield. That evening, there was fighting. Fighting in department stores, fighting at the stations. And fighting on the trains. But that evening, Liverpool Football Club were still top of the First Division. Manchester United still bottom.