Free Red or Dead by David Peace Page A

Football Club are in the First Division, then the potential is here for gates of fifty thousand or more. I know that and Mr Moores knows that. But first we have to get promoted. And to get promoted we will need to spend money on new players. So I am here to tell you that if you can find the players, the right players, then I will get you the money, Mr Shankly. I will get you the money.
    …
    In the house, in their kitchen. Bill and Ness cleared the table. Bill and Ness washed the Sunday pots. And then Ness made a cup of tea for her and Bill. Bill and Ness took their cups of tea into the other room. In the other room, in their chairs. Bill and Ness sat down with their cups of tea and the Sunday papers. Bill with the back pages and Ness with the crossword. Bill and Ness could hear the girls upstairs, listening to their records. Dancing and singing. And carrying on …
    Bill jumped up from his chair. And Bill shouted, Jesus Christ!
    Ness jumped, too. Ness looked up from her crossword. And Ness saw Bill. Bill dancing around the room, Bill waving the
Sunday Post
about, sheets of the newspaper falling onto the carpet, Bill clutching this one page and Bill saying, Where’s the telephone, love? Where is it? Where’s the phone, love?
    The phone’s in the hall, said Ness. Where it always is, love.
    Bill nodded. Bill grabbed his address book from the arm of his chair. Bill dashed out of the room, Bill sprinted into the hall. Bill flicked through the pages of his address book. Bill picked up the telephone. Bill read the number in his address book again. Bill dialled the number. And Bill waited. And Bill waited. And then Bill said, Mr Sawyer? Mr Sawyer. It’s Bill Shankly. You’ll never believe what I’ve just read in the paper. In the
Sunday Post
. The boy wants to go, the boy wants to leave. There’s not a moment to lose …
    Back in the other room, back in her chair. Ness put down her crossword. Ness stood up. Ness came out into the hall. Ness opened the cupboard door. Ness took out Bill’s coat, Ness took out Bill’s hat. Ness opened the front door. And Bill said, Thank you, love. Thank you.
    Outside their house on Bellefield Avenue, at their gate. Bill looked at his watch again, Bill looked up the street again. Bill looked at his watch again and Bill looked up the street again. Bill saw a Rolls-Royce turn into the street. And Bill ran halfway down the street to meet the Rolls, Bill waving his hat in his hand. The Rolls pulled up. Bill opened the door. And Bill said, Hello, Mr Williams. Hello, Mr Reakes. Now how fast will this thing go?
    What time do we have to be there, asked Tom Williams.
    Bill said, We’re already late. We’re already late.
    Bill had already tried to sign Ian St John once before. At Huddersfield. Bill and Eddie Boot had driven all the way fromHuddersfield up to Falkirk. The Scotland national team were playing a Scottish Second Division select. Bill and Eddie Boot had come to watch a player called Ron Yeats. Ron Yeats played for Dundee United in the Scottish Second Division. Ron Yeats was worth the trip. Ron was a huge man, but Ron was a quick man. But that night, Bill and Eddie Boot also saw Ian St John play. Ian St John played for Motherwell in the Scottish First Division. That night, Ian St John was playing for the Scotland national team. He was punchy and he was strong. He was a box of tricks. And he gave Ron Yeats a game. What a battle they had, St John and Yeats. Bill had seen enough, Bill had seen plenty. Bill and Eddie Boot had driven back down to Huddersfield. And Bill had asked the directors of Huddersfield Town Association Football Club for the money to sign Ron Yeats and Ian St John. But the directors of Huddersfield Town Association Football Club had said, No. We cannot afford to buy Yeats and St John, Shankly …
    And Bill had said, Christ! You can’t afford
not
to buy them.
    On the road to Scotland, in the Rolls-Royce. Again Bill said, We can’t afford
not
to buy St John, Mr Williams. We