The door to the office of Bill Shankly opened. And Chris Lawler stepped out of the office of Bill Shankly. Chris Lawler looked at Brian Hall, Chris Lawler smiled at Brian Hall. And Chris Lawler winked at Brian Hall. Chris Lawler held open the door to the office of Bill Shankly for Brian Hall. Brian Hall stepped into the office of Bill Shankly. And Brian Hall saw Bill Shankly –
Bill Shankly looked up from the pile of contracts on his desk. And Bill Shankly smiled –
Hello, Brian. How are you, son? Sit yourself down, son …
Brian Hall closed the door. And Brian Hall sat down.
Right, son. What do you think you’re worth?
Brian Hall looked across the desk at Bill Shankly. Brian Hall took a deep breath. And Brian Hall said, I think an eighty-quid-a-week rise, Boss. I think that’s what I’m worth …
Bill Shankly stared back across his desk at Brian Hall. Bill Shankly stuck out his chin. Bill Shankly stroked his chin. And then Bill Shankly stroked the sides of his face –
An eighty-pound-a-week rise, eh? That’s a lot of money, son. That’s a big rise. A very big rise, son.
Brian Hall shifted in his seat. And Brian Hall said, I know that, Boss. I know that. I know it is …
There won’t be many folk who pay to see you play who have ever had an eighty-pound-a-week rise in their pay. In fact, I doubt there’s one, son. Not one …
Brian Hall nodded. And Brian Hall said, I know that, Boss.
Well then, just as long as you do, son. As long as you remember that. Then OK, son. If that’s what you think you’re worth. Then that’s what I’ll give you, son. An eighty-pound-a-week rise. Now send in the next one, son …
Brian Hall stood up. And Brian Hall said, Thank you, Boss.
Bill Shankly looked back down at the pile of contracts on his desk. And Bill Shankly smiled –
After the parade, after John Smith had climbed down from the open-top bus, the new chairman of Liverpool Football Club had told Bill Shankly each player of Liverpool Football Club could have a one-hundred-pound-a-week rise as part of their new contract for the following season. The new season. Bill Shankly knew that was no way to run a football club. To run Liverpool Football Club. Bill Shankly knew no player of Liverpool Football Club would expect a one-hundred-pound-a-week pay rise. Bill Shankly knew no player of Liverpool Football Club would ever ask for a hundred-pound-a-week pay rise. And no player had asked him for a one-hundred-pound-a-week pay rise. Not one. Just as Bill Shankly knew no player would ever ask Matt Busby for a one-hundred-pound-a-week pay rise. Or ask Bill Nicholson, or ask Don Revie –
Not one player,
ever.
…
On Friday 24 August, 1973, the Friday before the first game of the 1973–74 season. The first match of the new season. At home, at Anfield. The players and the staff of Liverpool Football Club gathered around the table in the centre of the dressing room. The home dressing room. Around the green baize cloth on the table in the centre of the dressing room. The Liverpool dressing room. The eleven plastic men on the green baize cloth. The eleven red plastic men, each with a number on their back. Bill Shankly picked up the players one by one –
We need our keeper to get the ball out quick to the full-backs. To feed them fast. That’s the way. OK, Clem?
And Ray Clemence nodded.
Bill Shankly picked up the two plastic men with the numbers two and three on their backs –
And so we need numbers two and three to always be making themselves available. Always ready to push up. OK, Chris? OK, Alec?
And Chris Lawler nodded. And Alec Lindsay nodded.
Bill Shankly picked up the two plastic men with the numbers four and five on their backs –
Geoff Hurst will be up front for them tomorrow. You all know what he’s like. Big man, strong man. And good in the air. But he’ll be on his own. So numbers four and five, you should take it in turns to mark him. That way one of you gets a wee rest, but he never does. So talk to each other, work it out. OK, Larry?
And Larry Lloyd nodded. And Tommy Smith waited, waited for Bill Shankly to say his name. But Bill Shankly picked up the two plastic men with the numbers six and eight on their backs –
Six and eight. You need to be closing them down, cutting their supply lines. Starving them. And then feeding the ball out wide, fast as you can, out to the wings. To Cally and to Steve. OK, Emlyn? OK, Peter? You got that? You know what you’re doing?
And Emlyn Hughes nodded. Peter Cormack nodded. And Tommy Smith waited. And waited. And Tommy Smith looked across the room at Bob Paisley. Bob Paisley looking down at his feet. And Tommy Smith looked across the room at Joe Fagan. Joe Fagan looking down at his feet. And at the end of the meeting, Tommy Smith stood up. Tommy Smith walked over to Bill Shankly. And Tommy Smith said, Can I have a word please, Boss?
Sure, Tommy. Sure, son.
Bill Shankly and Tommy Smith stepped out of the dressing room. The home dressing room. Bill Shankly and Tommy Smith stood outside the dressing room in the corridor. The Anfield corridor. And Tommy Smith said, I never heard my name, Boss. I never heard you say my name. So I was just wondering if I’ll be playing, Boss?
I have no made my mind up, Tommy. No yet, son.
Tommy Smith nodded. And Tommy Smith said, OK, Boss.
…
The next day, Stoke City came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, fifty-two thousand, nine hundred and thirty-five folk came, too. Fifty-two thousand, nine hundred and thirty-five folk to watch the first game of the new season. At home, at Anfield. Bill Shankly walked into the dressing room. The home dressing room. Bill Shankly took out a piece of paper from his pocket. And Bill Shankly read out the names on the piece of paper –
Our team today will be Clemence, Lawler, Lindsay, Thompson, Lloyd, Hughes, Keegan, Cormack, Heighway, Boersma and Callaghan.
And Tommy Smith stared at Bill Shankly. Bill Shankly looking around the room. From player to player. From Clemence to Lawler, Lawler to Lindsay, Lindsay to Thompson, Thompson to Lloyd, Lloyd to Hughes, Hughes to Keegan, Keegan to Cormack, Cormack to Heighway, Heighway to Boersma and from Boersma to Callaghan. Bill Shankly not looking at Brian Hall, Bill Shankly not looking at John Toshack. And Bill Shankly not looking at Tommy Smith –
Tommy Smith got up from the bench in the dressing room. The home dressing room. Tommy Smith walked out of the dressing room. The Liverpool dressing room. Tommy Smith walked down the corridor. The Anfield corridor. And Tommy Smith heard the dressing-room door open behind him. Tommy Smith heard the boots in the corridor behind him. Tommy Smith heard the studs on the stairs in the tunnel. The Anfield tunnel. And then Tommy Smith heard the roar of the crowd. The Anfield crowd …
That afternoon, there was a bomb scare at Villa Park, Birmingham. There was a bomb scare at Belle Vue, Doncaster. That afternoon, there was fighting between some of the supporters of Derby County and Chelsea Football Club. Fighting between some of the supporters of Arsenal Football Club and Manchester United. That afternoon, there were stabbings at Euston Station, London. That afternoon, thirty-nine players were booked. And two sent off. That afternoon, there were forty thousand less people watching football matches than the year before. But not in Liverpool, not at Anfield –