Two days later, just two days later, Tottenham Hotspur came to Anfield, Liverpool. That evening, forty-eight thousand, six hundred and seventy-seven folk came, too. Forty-eight thousand, six hundred and seventy-seven folk to watch Liverpool Football Club play Tottenham Hotspur in the Fifth Round of the Football League Cup. In the fifty-fourth minute, Pearce sent a corner over the penalty area. To the far post. The Liverpool far post. And there was Peters. At the far post. The Liverpool far post. And Peters scored. But in the seventy-eighth minute, Emlyn Hughes cut in from the left. And with his left foot, from an impossible angle, Hughes shot. And Hughes scored. And Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with Tottenham Hotspur in the Fifth Round of the Football League Cup. At home, at Anfield. There would have to be yet another replay. Yet another game –
Two days later, just two days later, Liverpool Football Club travelled to White Hart Lane to play Tottenham Hotspur in the replay of the Fifth Round of the Football League Cup. And on a rain-lashed pitch, under a sky lit by lightning, a night deafened by thunder, Tottenham Hotspur scored three goals in the first fifteen minutes. And on a rain-lashed pitch, under a sky lit by lightning, a night deafened by thunder, in the eighty-fifth minute, Ian Callaghan scored. But it didn’t matter, it didn’t count. On a rain-lashed pitch, under a sky lit by lightning, a night deafened by thunder, Liverpool Football Club had lost three — one to Tottenham Hotspur in the replay of the Fifth Round of the Football League Cup. Away from home, away from Anfield. Liverpool Football Club drenched, Liverpool Football Club soaked. Drained
and exhausted –
Three days later, Liverpool Football Club travelled to the Hawthorns, Birmingham. But Tommy Smith did not travel. And Kevin Keegan did not travel. Phil Thompson travelled and Phil Boersma travelled. And in the twenty-first minute, Boersma scored. But West Bromwich Albion scored, too. And Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with West Bromwich Albion. Away from home, away from Anfield. Another draw, another draw.
Four days later, Berliner Fußball Club Dynamo of East Berlin came to Anfield, Liverpool. That evening, thirty-four thousand, one hundred and forty folk came, too. Thirty-four thousand, one hundred and forty folk to watch Liverpool Football Club play Berliner Fußball Club Dynamo of East Berlin in the second leg of the Third Round of the UEFA Cup. But again Tommy Smith did not come. And again Kevin Keegan did not come. Again Phil Thompson came and again Phil Boersma came. And in the first minute, Peter Cormack passed to Steve Heighway. And Heighway shot. The shot straight at Lihsa. Lihsa unable to hold the shot. The ball loose. And there was Boersma. Boersma racing in from the left. To gather up the loose ball. To shoot. And to score. But then a neat chip from Netz found Schulenberg. Schulenberg jumped the tackle from Alec Lindsay, Schulenberg passed back to Netz. Netz shot. And Netz scored. An away goal. A dangerous goal. But in the twenty-fifth minute, Heighway shot again. And the shot hit Brillat. The shot cannoned off Brillat. Into the net and into a goal. And in the fifty-sixth minute, Cormack took a free kick. And John Toshack met the free kick. And Toshack scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Berliner Fußball Club Dynamo of East Berlin three — one in the second leg of the Third Round of the UEFA Cup. At home, at Anfield.
On Saturday 16 December, 1972, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Portman Road, Ipswich. In the twenty-fourth minute, Steve Heighway scored. But Ipswich Town scored, too. And Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with Ipswich Town. Away from home, away from Anfield. Another draw.
One week afterwards, Coventry City came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, forty-one thousand, five hundred and fifty folk came, too. In the sixth minute, John Toshack scored. And in the twenty-second minute, Toshack scored again. And Liverpool Football Club beat Coventry City two — nil. At home, at Anfield.
On Boxing Day, 1972, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Bramall Lane, Sheffield. In the twenty-seventh minute, Phil Boersma scored. In the fiftieth minute, Chris Lawler scored. And in the eighty-first minute, Steve Heighway scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Sheffield United three — nil. Away from home, away from Anfield. And that evening, that Boxing Day evening, Leeds United had thirty-three points. Arsenal Football Club had thirty-four points. And Liverpool Football Club had thirty-six points. That evening, that Boxing Day evening, Liverpool Football Club were still first in the First Division. Still first, by two points.
On Saturday 30 December, 1972, Crystal Palace came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, that last Saturday afternoon of 1972, fifty thousand, eight hundred and sixty-two folk came, too. In the sixty-sixth minute, Peter Cormack scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Crystal Palace one — nil. At home, at Anfield. And that Saturday evening, that last Saturday evening of 1972, Leeds United were still third in the First Division. Arsenal Football Club still second in the First Division. And Liverpool Football Club were still first in the First Division. Still first,
by two points.
…
After their training. At Melwood. After their baths. At Anfield. Bill Shankly and the players and the staff of Liverpool Football Club went upstairs for their lunch. Bill Shankly and the players and the staff ate their steak and chips. Bill Shankly and the players and the staff ate their tinned fruit and cream. And then Bill Shankly and the players and the staff went back out into the car park. Bill Shankly and the players and the staff got back on the bus. Bill Shankly and the players and the staff went to Lime Street Station on the bus. Bill Shankly and the players and the staff got off their bus at Lime Street Station. And Bill Shankly and the players and the staff got onto the front coach of the Liverpool Pullman at Lime Street Station. Bill Shankly and the players and the staff sat on the train to London. Bill Shankly with his book. His book of names, his book of notes. The players with their cards. Their packs of cards, their schools of cards. All the way to London, all the way to Euston Station. And then Bill Shankly and the players and the staff stood up. Bill Shankly and the players and the staff put on their coats. Bill Shankly and the players and the staff picked up their bags. Bill Shankly and the players and the staff got off the Liverpool Pullman at Euston Station. Bill Shankly and the players and the staff stepped onto Platform Three at Euston Station. And now Bill Shankly saw the lights. The bright lights. Bill Shankly saw the cameras. The television cameras. Bill Shankly saw the microphone. The television microphone. And Bill Shankly saw the book. The red book –
Bill Shankly, said Eamonn Andrews –
This is your life …
42. WE KNOW NEITHER THE DAY, NOR THE HOUR
On the bench, the bench at Upton Park. In the seventy-fifth minute, Bill watched Emlyn Hughes pass to Steve Heighway. Heighway took the pass on his chest, Heighway killed the pass with his chest. Heighway wrong-footed McDowell and Heighway crossed for Kevin Keegan. Keegan jumped, Keegan leapt. On spring heels. Keegan headed the ball. Into the net and into the goal. The winning goal.
In the dressing room, the away dressing room at Upton Park. Bill pulled the brim of his trilby down low. Bill stepped into the corridor at Upton Park. And Bill grinned at the gentlemen of the London sporting press. And Bill said, What you gentlemen saw today, what you were lucky enough to watch, what you were privileged enough to witness, was total commitment. Total dedication. Total enthusiasm. Total self-belief. And total skill. And so that is what I call ‘Total Football’, gentlemen. Total Liverpool football.