In the summer of 1967. At the doors to Anfield. Ray Clemence shook Bill Shankly’s hand. Hard. With his right hand. Hard.
Follow me, said Bill Shankly. Follow me, son …
And Ray Clemence followed Bill Shankly into the dressing rooms, the Anfield dressing rooms. And Bill Shankly smiled –
These are the best dressing rooms in the world, son …
Ray Clemence followed Bill Shankly out onto the pitch, the Anfield pitch. Bill Shankly knelt down. Bill Shankly touched the grass, the Anfield grass. And Bill Shankly smiled again –
Feel that, son. Feel that grass. That is the best grass in the world, son. The finest playing surface in the world …
Ray Clemence followed Bill Shankly down to the Kop end. Bill Shankly looked up at the Kop, the empty Kop –
That is the Kop, son. The Spion Kop. That is where the finest supporters in the world stand, son. The greatest people in the world. Every game, every match. With those supporters behind you, with those people supporting you, you cannot lose, son. You cannot lose.
Ray Clemence followed Bill Shankly to his office. Ray Clemence sat down. Bill Shankly passed Ray Clemence a contract –
If you carry on improving the way you are doing, then you will be in our first team within a year, son. And you will be the best goalkeeper in the land, the best goalkeeper in the world. Playing for the best team in the land, the best team in the world, son. And you’ll be playing for England, too. I believe that, son. In fact, I know that.
Ray Clemence looked down at the contract in his hand. And then Ray Clemence looked back up at Bill Shankly. And Ray Clemence said, I want to sign, Mr Shankly. I want to play for Liverpool Football Club. But Tommy Lawrence is a great goalkeeper. Tommy Lawrence is the first-team goalkeeper. Now I am playing first-team football. If I sign, I’ll be playing in the reserves …
Yes, said Bill Shankly. Tommy Lawrence is a great goalkeeper. You are right, son. And yes, you will be playing in the reserves. You are right again, son. But Tommy Lawrence is almost thirty-one years old. Tommy Lawrence won’t be the first-team goalkeeper for very much longer. And you will be learning from Tommy. And you will be improving, son. And remember, Liverpool reserves are not just any team. Liverpool reserves are the second-best team in the land, son. The only team better than the Liverpool reserve team is the Liverpool first team. So you will be learning and you will be improving, son. And then you will be ready to play for the first team. Ready to play for the best team in the world, son. You will be ready …
Ray Clemence took the pen from Bill Shankly. And Ray Clemence signed the contract with Liverpool Football Club. Ray Clemence shook hands with Bill Shankly. Ray Clemence followed Bill Shankly out of his office. Down the corridor, in the corridor. Bill Shankly opened a door. The door to the toilets. Ray Clemence followed Bill Shankly into the toilets. The Anfield toilets. Bill Shankly opened a cubicle door. Ray Clemence followed Bill Shankly into the cubicle. Bill Shankly lifted the lid on the toilet. Bill Shankly flushed the toilet. Bill Shankly looked at his watch. Bill Shankly laughed –
Look at that, son. Look at the flush. Look at that toilet, son. That toilet refills in fifteen seconds. We have everything here, son. And everything we have is the best. Remember that, son. Everything we have here is the best. Only the very best, son.
…
On Saturday 19 August, 1967, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Maine Road, Manchester. Manchester City missed a penalty. And Liverpool Football Club drew nil — nil with Manchester City in the first game of the 1967–68 season. Three days afterwards, Arsenal Football Club came to Anfield, Liverpool. That evening, fifty-two thousand and thirty-three folk came, too. In the first fifteen minutes, Liverpool Football Club had seven headers or shots. In the twenty-third minute, Tommy Smith passed to Tony Hateley. Hateley passed to Roger Hunt. And Hunt scored. In the seventy-fifth minute, Liverpool Football Club won a corner. Ron Yeats shot. Furnell parried. And Hunt scored again. And Liverpool Football Club beat Arsenal Football Club two — nil. At home, at Anfield. The Spion Kop cheered and the Spion Kop clapped. The Spion Kop shouted and the Spion Kop sang, We are the Greatest, the Greatest …
On Saturday 26 August, 1967, Newcastle United came to Anfield, Liverpool. That afternoon, fifty-one thousand, eight hundred and twenty-nine folk came, too. In the eighth minute, Tony Hateley scored his first goal for Liverpool Football Club. In the thirtieth minute, Emlyn Hughes scored. In the forty-first minute, Roger Hunt scored. In the forty-seventh minute, Hateley scored his second goal for Liverpool Football Club. In the seventy-fifth minute, Hateley scored his third goal for Liverpool Football Club. And in the eighty-seventh minute, Hunt scored again. And Liverpool Football Club beat Newcastle United six — nil. At home, at Anfield. And the Spion Kop roared, We’re going to win the League. We’re going to win the League …
Two days later, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Highbury, London. Liverpool Football Club had not lost to Arsenal Football Club in the last thirteen matches they had played against Arsenal Football Club. That afternoon, Liverpool Football Club lost two — nil to Arsenal Football Club. Away from home, away from Anfield.
…
Geoff had no job. Geoff had just five pounds in his pocket. Geoff was planning to use that five pounds, his last five pounds, to travel to Liverpool. Geoff was planning to ask for a job at Ford’s in Halewood, Liverpool. That morning, just before Geoff left, the telephone rang. Geoff picked up the phone. And Geoff said, Hello?
Hello, said Bill Shankly. How are you, Geoff?
Geoff Twentyman had first met Bill Shankly in March, 1949. In March, 1949, Bill Shankly was appointed as the manager of Carlisle United. Geoff Twentyman was a player at Carlisle United. Bill Shankly liked Geoff. Geoff left Carlisle United for Liverpool Football Club. But Bill Shankly had kept in touch with Geoff. And Geoff had told Tom Williams, the chairman of Liverpool Football Club, many stories about Bill Shankly. In December, 1959, Bill Shankly had come to Liverpool Football Club. And Geoff had left Liverpool Football Club. But Bill Shankly had still kept in touch with Geoff. Geoff had gone into management. Geoff had managed Morecombe. Geoff had managed Hartlepools United. Hartlepools United had sacked Geoff. Hartlepools United appointed Brian Clough as their new manager. Hartlepools United gave Geoff and his family one month’s notice on the house they were living in. Hartlepools United owned the house they were living in. Hartlepools United needed the house for their new manager. For Brian Clough and his family. Geoff and his family moved back to Carlisle. Geoff tried to get a job in football. Geoff could not get a job in football. Bill Shankly thought that was a tragedy. A tragedy for the man. Bill Shankly thought that was a waste. A waste for football. But Bill Shankly had kept in touch with Geoff. And Geoff had kept in touch with football. Geoff still watched games. Geoff still watched players. And Geoff still called Bill Shankly. Geoff still talked to Bill Shankly about the games he had seen. The players he had seen. Players like Ray Clemence. But Geoff had had to get a job as a van driver. But then Geoff had lost his job as a van driver. Now Geoff had no job. That morning, the telephone rang –