Red or Dead (53 page)

Ness shook her head. And Ness smiled –

But it’s what you do, love. It’s your work. So you have to go, love. And you have not to be worrying about me …

But I do worry. I worry I should be here. Here with you …

Ness shook her head again –

You have to go, love. It’s your job. The job that puts the food on our table, love. And keeps the roof over our head. It’s your work …

I know, love. I know it’s my job. I know it’s my work. But it keeps me from you. From taking care of you, from looking after you. And that’s not right, love. That cannot be right …

But the girls will take care of me, love. The girls will look after me. So there’s no need for you to be here, love. Under my feet.

Perhaps not this time. But what about the next time? There’s never a time when I’m here. Never a time when I’m not at work. I’ve never been here. Here when you needed me, here when I should have been. I know I have neglected you. I know I have, love …

Now you’re talking rubbish, laughed Ness. A load of old rubbish, love. I’ve never once felt neglected in my life. Believe me, love. Never once. But I do worry about
you
. I worry about the strain of it all on you. The long days and the long nights. The days away and the nights away. I do worry about that. Because I worry about you, love. Because I know you don’t do things by half. I know it’s not in your nature. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. Have you any other way, love. But that doesn’t stop me worrying. About the strain of it all on you. That’s what I worry about, love. I worry about you.

I know that, love. I know that. But the doctors don’t want you worrying. And I don’t want you worrying, love. Because that’s no good for you. No good for you at all, love. No good …

Well, a fine pair we are, laughed Ness. You worrying about me and me worrying about you. A fine pair of worriers we are, love.

I know that, love. I know that. But the day has surely got to come when we can stop all our worrying. The day has got to come when we can start enjoying ourselves, love …

Ness put her arms around Bill. And Ness smiled –

And what day would that be, love …

When will that day come?

…

On the bench, the bench at the Rudolf Harbig Stadium, in Dresden, in East Germany. Bill watched Liverpool Football Club play Sportgemeinschaft Dynamo Dresden in the second leg of the Fourth Round of the UEFA Cup. In the fifty-third minute, Bill watched Alec
Lindsay cross. And Kevin Keegan met the cross with his right foot. Keegan hammered the ball with his right foot. Into the net and into a goal. And Liverpool Football Club beat Sportgemeinschaft Dynamo Dresden one–nil in the second leg of the Fourth Round of the UEFA Cup. Away from home, away from Anfield.

On the bench, the Anfield bench. In the fiftieth minute, Bill and forty-two thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine folk watched Chris Lawler score. Five minutes later, they watched Emlyn Hughes score. And in the eighty-eighth minute, they watched Brian Hall score. And Liverpool Football Club beat Norwich City three–one. At home, at Anfield. That evening, Arsenal Football Club had fifty points and Liverpool Football Club had fifty-two points. And that evening, Liverpool Football Club were still first in the First Division –

On the bench, the Anfield bench. On Grand National Day, at lunchtime. Bill and forty-eight thousand, four hundred and
seventy-seven
folk were watching Liverpool Football Club play Tottenham Hotspur. Bill and forty-eight thousand, four hundred and
seventy-seven
folk watching Jennings save from Peter Cormack. Jennings save from Hall. Jennings save from Hughes. Jennings save a penalty from Keegan. And Jennings save a penalty from Smith. And Gilzean score for Tottenham Hotspur. But in the seventieth minute, they watched Kevin Keegan score for Liverpool Football Club. And Liverpool Football Club drew one-all with Tottenham Hotspur. At home, at Anfield. That evening, Liverpool Football Club were still first in the First Division. But by one point, just one point –

But with a game in hand.

On the bench, the bench at St Andrew’s. Bill watched Tommy Smith score. But Bill watched Birmingham City score. And score again. And Bill watched Emlyn Hughes get sent off. And Liverpool Football Club lost two–one to Birmingham City. Away from home, away from Anfield. That evening, Liverpool Football Club were still first in the First Division. Still by one point, by just one point –

But now with no game in hand.

On the bench, the Anfield bench. Again, Bill was watching Liverpool Football Club play Tottenham Hotspur. Bill and forty-eight thousand, six hundred and seventy-seven folk watching Liverpool Football Club play Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of the
semi-final
 
of the UEFA Cup. And in the seventeenth minute, they watched Tommy Smith take a free kick. And the free kick rebounded to Lindsay. Lindsay shot. And Lindsay scored. And Liverpool Football Club beat Tottenham Hotspur one–nil in the first leg of the semi-final of the UEFA Cup. At home, at Anfield.

On the bench, the Anfield bench. In the fourteenth minute, Bill and forty-three thousand, eight hundred and fifty-three folk watched Steve Heighway get brought down in the penalty area. And the referee awarded a penalty. Kevin Keegan took the penalty. And Keegan scored the penalty. And Liverpool Football Club beat West Bromwich Albion one–nil. At home, at Anfield. That evening, Liverpool Football Club were still first in the First Division. But not by one point. By two points, by two points again.

On the bench, the bench at Highfield Road. In the thirty-sixth minute, Bill watched Phil Boersma score. And in the sixtieth minute, Bill watched Boersma score again. And Liverpool Football Club beat Coventry City two–one. Away from home,

away from Anfield. On the bench, the bench at St James’ Park. In the high wind and in the lashing rain, in the twenty-fourth minute, Bill watched Peter Cormack cross the ball. And Kevin Keegan hit the ball. Into the net and into a goal. But then Bill watched Tudor score for Newcastle United. And Tudor score again. And in the high wind and in the lashing rain, Liverpool Football Club lost two–one to Newcastle United. Away from home, away from Anfield.

On the bench, the Anfield bench. Two days later, just two days later. In driving rain and in howling wind. The gates closed one and a half hours before the kick-off. In driving rain and in howling wind, Bill and fifty-five thousand, seven hundred and thirty-eight folk were watching Liverpool Football Club play Leeds United. And in the driving rain and in the howling wind, in the forty-seventh minute, they watched Harvey touch a free kick from Tommy Smith over the bar. And in the driving rain, the howling wind, they watched Brian Hall take the corner. Chris Lawler went up for the ball. Larry Lloyd went up for the ball. Phil Thompson went up for the ball. But the ball fell to Peter Cormack. Cormack shot. And Cormack scored. And in the driving rain and in the howling wind, the Spion Kop sang,
We’re going to win the League! We’re going to win the League! Ee-aye-addio,
we’re going to win the League!
And in the driving rain and in the howling wind, in the eighty-fifth minute, Cormack dribbled to the left of the byline. And Cormack crossed. Harvey cut out the cross. But the ball ran loose. Loose to Kevin Keegan. Keegan wheeling in, Keegan wriggling free. Keegan shot. And Keegan scored. And in the driving rain and in the howling wind, Liverpool Football Club beat Leeds United two–nil. At home, at Anfield. In the driving rain, in the howling wind. The Spion Kop roared,
WE’RE GOING TO WIN THE LEAGUE! WE’RE GOING TO WIN THE LEAGUE! EE-AYE-ADDIO, WE’RE GOING TO WIN THE LEAGUE!
And in the driving rain and in the howling wind, the players of Leeds United formed an avenue to the tunnel. The Anfield tunnel. In the driving rain, in the howling wind, the players of Leeds United applauded the players of Liverpool Football Club from the pitch. The Anfield pitch. That evening, Arsenal Football Club had fifty-five points. And Liverpool Football Club had fifty-nine points. But Arsenal Football Club still had two more games to play. And Liverpool Football Club had just one more game to play. Just one last game. And Bill knew if Liverpool Football Club lost that one last game. And if Arsenal Football Club won their last two games. And scored seven goals in those last two games. Then Arsenal Football Club would be the Champions of England. But Bill knew if Liverpool Football Club did not lose their last game. If they won or if they drew. Their last game against Leicester City. At home, at Anfield. Then Bill knew Liverpool Football Club would be the Champions of England. The Champions again –

Champions at last.

On the bench, the bench at White Hart Lane. Two days later, just two days later. Bill watched Liverpool Football Club play Tottenham Hotspur in the second leg of the semi-final of the UEFA Cup. And in the forty-eighth minute, Bill watched Chivers take a throw-in. And Gilzean flicked on the throw-in to Peters. And Peters side-footed the ball past Ray Clemence. Into the net and into a goal. But seven minutes later, Bill watched Kevin Keegan pounce on a loose ball from England. And Keegan passed to Steve Heighway. Heighway shot. And Heighway scored. An away goal, a dangerous goal. And then Bill watched Peters ride three tackles. And Peters shot. The shot hit the bar. And Pratt headed wide the rebound. But then Bill watched
Coates cross. And Peters met the cross. Peters shot. And Peters scored. And Tottenham Hotspur had beaten Liverpool Football Club two–one in the second leg of the semi-final of the UEFA Cup. But Liverpool Football Club had won the tie. Liverpool Football Club had won the semi-final. On away goals. Away from home, away from Anfield. Liverpool Football Club were in the final of the UEFA Cup –

A European final.

…

On the bench, the Anfield bench. Bill and fifty-six thousand, two hundred and two folk were watching the last home game of the season, the very last game of the season. Bill and fifty-six thousand, two hundred and two folk who knew Liverpool Football Club needed only one point to be crowned Champions of England. Just one point, one last point. And for ninety minutes, Bill and fifty-six thousand, two hundred and two folk watched Clemence, Lawler, Lindsay, Smith, Lloyd, Hughes, Keegan, Boersma, Thompson, Heighway, Callaghan and then Hall attack and attack. But Liverpool Football Club did not score. And for ninety minutes, Bill and fifty-six thousand, two hundred and two folk watched Clemence, Lawler, Lindsay, Smith, Lloyd, Hughes, Keegan, Boersma, Thompson, Heighway, Callaghan and then Hall defend and defend. But Leicester City did not score. And in the ninetieth minute, the referee looked at his watch. The referee put his whistle to his lips. And the referee blew his whistle. Liverpool Football Club had drawn nil–nil with Leicester City. And Liverpool Football Club had their point. Their one point, their one last point. And Liverpool Football Club were Champions of England. At home, at Anfield. Liverpool Football Club were crowned Champions again, Champions at last. And on this day, this coronation day. The supporters of Liverpool Football Club erupted, the supporters of Liverpool Football Club exploded. With joy and with relief. In applause and in song. In praise and in celebration. And the players of Liverpool Football Club paraded the Football League trophy around the ground. The Anfield ground. All four sides of the ground. The Anfield ground. And all four sides of the ground applauded and sang. In praise and in celebration. And on the bench, the Anfield bench. His jacket stuck to his shirt. His shirt stuck to his vest. His vest stuck to his skin. Bill stood up, Bill got to his feet. And Bill walked across the
pitch. The Anfield pitch. And Bill stood before the Kop. The Spion Kop. His jacket stuck to his shirt. His shirt stuck to his vest. His vest stuck to his skin. Bill put his hands together. Not in prayer, but in thanks. In thanks to the Kop. The Spion Kop –

And the Spion Kop threw their scarves down towards Bill. Their red scarves. Raining down on Bill. In thanks. All of their scarves. Their red scarves. And Bill picked up their scarves. All of their scarves. Their red scarves. And Bill tied one scarf around his neck. One red scarf. And Bill held up another scarf. Another red scarf. In his arms. A scarf. A red scarf. Aloft. His arms aloft,

in thanks.

…

Before the house, on their doorstep. In the evening and in the silence. Bill opened the door, Bill stepped into the house. Into the hall. And there was Ness. In the house, in their home –

Well done. Well done, love.

Thank you, love.

I’ve got the kettle on. It’s almost boiled. So sit yourself down, love. You must be exhausted …

Bill nodded. And Bill followed Ness into the kitchen. His jacket still stuck to his shirt. His shirt still stuck to his vest. His vest still stuck to his skin. Bill sat down at the table. The kitchen table. The scarf still around his neck –

The red scarf.

Ness waited for the kettle to boil. Ness poured the boiling water into the teapot. Ness waited for the tea to stand. Ness walked over to the refrigerator. Ness took out the jug of milk. Ness poured the milk into the two mugs. The two Liverpool mugs. Ness put the milk jug down. Ness picked up the teapot. Ness poured the tea into the two mugs. The two Liverpool mugs. And then Ness carried the two mugs over to the table. Ness put one mug down on the table in front of Bill. And Bill saw her hand. Her fingers and her nails. And Bill reached out to Ness. Bill took her hand, Bill held her hand. And Bill said, Look at your nails, love. What have you been doing, love?

I was a bit worried, laughed Ness.

Bill shook his head. And Bill said, I’m sorry, love. I’m sorry I make you so worried. Every day, every game …

Don’t be sorry, said Ness. Be happy, be pleased. Happy you’ve another game, love. A final …

…

In the dressing room, the Anfield dressing room. Bill looked from player to player. The sixteen players in the Liverpool dressing room. The sixteen players desperate to play for Liverpool Football Club in the first leg of the final of the UEFA Cup against Borussia VfL 1900 Mönchengladbach e.V. of West Germany. At home, at Anfield. Bill took out a piece of paper from the pocket of his coat. And Bill said, Our team will be Clemence, Lawler, Lindsay, Smith, Lloyd, Hughes, Keegan, Cormack, Hall, Heighway and Callaghan. And our substitutes will be Lane, Thompson, Storton, Boersma and Toshack.