Red or Dead by David Peace

Lewis, said the directors of Liverpool Football Club. And we gave you the money for Kevin Lewis. We gave you thirteen thousand pounds for Kevin Lewis. A club record. And just last week, you asked us for Gordon Milne. And we gave you the money for Gordon Milne. We gave you sixteen thousand pounds for Gordon Milne. Again, a club record. And you asked us for this lad Arrowsmith. And we gave you the money. And let’s not forget we also gave you the money for Sammy Reid. Eight thousand pounds for a man who never played for the first team. Eight thousand pounds for a man we have now sold to Falkirk. So we have given you the money, Mr Shankly. We have given you the best part of forty thousand pounds. So we have given you the money, Mr Shankly.
    Bill shook his head. And Bill said, But I was promised sixty thousand pounds. When I accepted the position as manager of Liverpool Football Club, I was promised sixty thousand pounds to spend on new players. Sixty thousand pounds to rebuild the team.
    That is not quite true, said Tom Williams. We told you money was available if the right players became available. And we have given you that money. We have given you forty thousand pounds, Mr Shankly. But it is not a bottomless pit. We do have our limits.
    Bill looked up the long table at the chairman of Liverpool Football Club. And Bill said, So you are saying there is no more money? Is that what you are saying, Mr Williams?
    No, said Tom Williams. That is not what we are saying. What we are saying is you have had money. But there are limits to that money, Mr Shankly. There have to be limits.
    Bill shook his head again. And Bill said, So what would you have me do? You’d have me make do, would you? Make do with the players we have? When I have already told you some of these players are not good enough. Not good enough to win us promotion.
    But can you be so sure of that, Mr Shankly, asked one of the directors of Liverpool Football Club. What makes you so certain? Players don’t become bad players overnight. Bill laughed. And Bill said, Who exactly are you talking about? Which players would these be?
    Liddell.
    Bill laughed again. And Bill said, Billy Liddell is thirty-eight years old. Thirty-eight years old!
    But he has been a fantastic servant to this club, said another of the directors of Liverpool Football Club. A great player.
    Bill said, I know Billy Liddell
was
a great player. He had a powerful shot with either foot. He could head the ball like the blast from a gun. He was as hard as granite. And he was fast. But not any more. Not now. Not these days. Not today!
    Maybe he just needs more games, said another director.
    Bill shook his head. And Bill said, More games? Billy Liddell has played over five hundred games for Liverpool Football Club. The man needs a testimonial. Not more bloody League games.
    Mr Shankly, said Tom Williams. Mr Shankly, please. All we are saying is perhaps we already have the players we need. Perhaps you should look again at the players we have.
    At Billy Liddell? Thirty-eight-year-old bloody Billy Liddell?
    Perhaps not Billy Liddell, said Tom Williams. But what aboutHarrower or Morrissey? They have not played this season ...
    Bill looked up the long table at the chairman and the directors of Liverpool Football Club. And Bill said, So now you’re telling me who to select? Who to pick? Is that it?
    No, said Tom Williams. We are not telling you who to pick, who to select. We are simply asking you to look again at the players we have, to think again ...
    Bill got up from the chair at the end of the long table. Bill looked from director to director. And Bill said, Fine then. I’ll think again, I will think again. I promise you that, gentlemen.
    ...
    In his car. Bill cursed. It had been the same at Carlisle. On the road to Manchester. Bill cursed again. The same at Grimsby, the same at Workington. In the car park at Old Trafford. Bill cursed again. The same at Huddersfield. And in the office at Old Trafford. Bill