Still first, by two points.
On the bench, the bench at Molineux. Bill watched Emlyn Hughes score an own goal. And in the seventeenth minute, Bill watched Kevin Keegan equalise. But then Bill watched Richards score for Wolverhampton Wanderers. And Liverpool Football Club lost two — one to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Away from home, away from Anfield. That evening, Liverpool Football Club were still first in the First Division. But by just one point –
Just one point.
On the bench, the Anfield bench. Bill and fifty-six thousand, two hundred and ninety-six folk were watching Liverpool Football Club play Manchester City in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup. But that afternoon, they did not see Liverpool Football Club score. And they did not see Manchester City score. And Liverpool Football Club drew nil — nil with Manchester City in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup. At home, at Anfield. Yet another draw. Yet another
replay. Yet another
game –
On the bench, the bench at Maine Road. Bill was watching the forty-sixth game Liverpool Football Club had played this season, their eighteenth cup tie of the season. And on a night of sweeping rain, on a sodden field, Bill watched Towers pass to Donachie. Donachie passed to Lee. Lee shot. And Ray Clemence pushed the shot away. But the ball fell to Bell. Bell shot. And Bell scored. And then on this night of sweeping rain, on this sodden field, Bill watched Summerbee float a free kick over the Liverpool defence. Bell touched the free kick on to Booth. Booth shot. And Booth scored. And on this night of sweeping rain, on this sodden pitch, Liverpool Football Club lost two — nil to Manchester City in the replay of the Fourth Round of the FA Cup. Away from home, away from Anfield. In their forty-sixth game of the season, their eighteenth cup tie of the season. Liverpool Football Club had been drenched again, Liverpool Football Club soaked again. Liverpool Football Club drained –
Drained and exhausted. On the bench, the Anfield bench. Bill and forty-nine thousand, eight hundred and ninety-eight folk were watching Liverpool Football Club play Arsenal Football Club. Arsenal Football Club were second in the First Division. Arsenal Football Club just one point behind Liverpool Football Club. Just one point. That was all there was between first and second. Between Liverpool Football Club and Arsenal Football Club. And in the first half, Bill and the forty-nine thousand, eight hundred and ninety-eight folk watched Liverpool Football Club attack and attack. And Kevin Keegan shot. And Keegan missed by inches. And now they watched Arsenal Football Club attack and attack. And Ray Clemence saved from Radford. And at half-time, there was nothing to choose between Liverpool Football Club and Arsenal Football Club. Nothing to choose but one point. And in the second half, Bill and forty-nine thousand, eight hundred and ninety-eight folk watched Liverpool Football Club attack and attack again. And Ian Callaghan shot. And Callaghan missed by inches. And Wilson saved from Brian Hall. And now they watched Arsenal Football Club attack and attack again. And Armstrong charged into the penalty area. Alec Lindsay hooked up Armstrong. The referee blew his whistle. The referee awarded a penalty to Arsenal Football Club. Ball took the penalty. And Ball scored the penalty. And seven minutes later, Radford charged towards the penalty area. Radford skipped past Clemence. Clemence out of his area. And Radford shot. Into the net, the empty net. And into a goal. And Liverpool Football Club lost two — nil to Arsenal Football Club. At home, at Anfield. That evening, Arsenal Football Club had forty-two points. And Liverpool Football Club had forty-one points. That evening, Arsenal Football Club were first in the First Division. And Liverpool Football Club were second in the First Division –
Second again. Second best again,
the bridesmaid again. Always
the bridesmaid, never
the bride.
…
In the house, in their hallway. In the night and in the silence. Bill took off his coat, Bill took off his hat. Bill hung up his coat and Bill hung up his hat. And in the dark and in the silence. Bill heard Ness cough. Not upstairs, downstairs. In the dark and in the silence. Bill went into the front room. Bill switched on the light. And Bill saw Ness. In her chair. And Bill said, What are you doing down here, love? Sat in the dark, love? Are you OK, love? Why are you not upstairs, love? Why are you not in your bed, love? Are you OK, love?
I’m sorry, said Ness. I must have nodded off, love. I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m very sorry, love …
In the front room, in her chair. Ness tried to stand. To get to her feet. But Ness sat back down. Back down in her chair –
I’m sorry, love. I’m sorry …
Bill put his hand on Ness. Bill felt her forehead. And Bill said, Christ, love. You’re burning up, love. I’m calling the doctor, love. Stay still, love. Stay there, love …
Bill ran out into the hall. Bill picked up the telephone. Bill rang the doctor. Bill called the doctor out. And then Bill went back into the front room. Bill sat down beside Ness. Bill held her hand. And Bill waited for the doctor to come. The doctor came. The doctor looked at Ness. The doctor listened to her chest. The doctor took her temperature. And then the doctor went out into the hall. The doctor picked up the telephone. The doctor rang the hospital. The doctor asked for an ambulance. Bill stayed sat beside Ness. Bill held her hand. And Bill waited for the ambulance to come. The ambulance came. The ambulance staff looked at Ness. The ambulance staff carried Ness out to the ambulance. The ambulance staff put Ness into the back of the ambulance. Bill got into the back of the ambulance. Bill sat beside Ness in the back of the ambulance. Bill held her hand. Bill squeezed her hand. And the ambulance took Ness to the hospital. The ambulance staff carried Ness out of the ambulance. The ambulance staff took Ness into the hospital. The nurses helped Ness into a wheelchair. The nurses wheeled Ness upstairs into a ward. The nurses lifted Ness onto a bed. The nurses helped Ness undress. The nurses helped Ness settle into her bed. Her hospital bed. Ness lay in her bed. Her hospital bed. And Ness looked at Bill sat beside her bed. Her hospital bed –
I’m sorry, said Ness. I’m sorry about all this …
Please stop saying sorry, love. It’s me who should be saying sorry to you, love. Me who should have been home sooner …
Ness shook her head. And Ness smiled –
Did you win, asked Ness. Today?
No, love. We lost two — nil.
Ness shook her head again. And Ness closed her eyes –
I’m sorry, said Ness again. I’m sorry, love.
Bill stood up. Bill leant over the bed. Bill kissed Ness on her forehead. And Bill said, It doesn’t matter, love. It doesn’t matter. You just rest, love. You just sleep now, love …
Ness opened her eyes again. And Ness smiled at Bill.
Bill sat back down in the chair beside the bed. Beside his wife. Bill reached back over to the bed. Back over to Ness. And Bill took her hand. Bill held her hand. Bill squeezed her hand –
Bill would not let it go.
And Ness smiled again. And Ness closed her eyes again.
Beside the bed, the hospital bed. Beside his wife, beside his Ness. In the night and in the silence. The long night and the long silence. Bill knew nothing. Nothing but Ness. Ness and work.
That was all Bill knew. Ness and work.
That was all. All there was.
Ness and work.
…
In the corridor, the Anfield corridor. Outside the office, the office of Bill Shankly. On the Monday morning, the Monday morning after Liverpool Football Club had lost two — nil to Arsenal Football Club. The Monday morning after Phil Thompson had not played against Arsenal Football Club. Phil Thompson was standing in the corridor outside the door to the office of Bill Shankly. Phil Thompson was rehearsing the words he would say to Bill Shankly. Phil Thompson was getting things straight in his mind. Ronnie Moran had told Phil Thompson he thought Phil would be playing on Saturday against Arsenal Football Club. But Phil Thompson had not played on Saturday against Arsenal Football Club. Ronnie Moran had told Phil Thompson he thought Phil should have played on Saturday against Arsenal Football Club. Ronnie Moran had said, You should go and see the Boss, lad. You should go and ask him why you didn’t play on Saturday. Why he left you out. It’s important you see him, lad. It’s important you ask him. The Boss will think more of you if you go and see him. If you go and ask him, lad …