with Plymouth Argyle. On the last day of March, 1961, Liverpool Football Club beat Bristol Rovers three–nil. At home, at Anfield. That evening, Liverpool Football Club were third in the Second Division. Sheffield United were second and Ipswich Town were first. But just one point separated Liverpool Football Club and Sheffield United. Just one point, one single point –
On Tuesday 4 April, 1961, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Bramall Lane, Sheffield. In the seventy-second minute, Johnny Morrissey scored for Liverpool Football Club. But Liverpool Football Club could only draw one-all with Sheffield United. That night, Liverpool Football Club had forty-seven points. Sheffield United had forty-eight points and Ipswich Town had fifty-two points. Three days later, Liverpool Football Club travelled to the Eastville Stadium, Bristol. Bristol Rovers were fighting for their lives, Liverpool Football Club were fighting for promotion. And Bristol Rovers beat Liverpool Football Club four–three. That day, Sheffield United won. Four days after that, Liverpool Football Club beat Charlton Athletic two–one. That same day, Sheffield United won again. On Saturday 15 April, 1961, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Carrow Road, Norwich. And Norwich City beat Liverpool Football Club two–one. That day, Sheffield United won again. That night, Liverpool Football Club had forty-nine points. Sheffield United had fifty-four points and Ipswich Town had fifty-five points. Four days later, Sheffield United beat Derby County. Sheffield United now had fifty-six points. That night, Sheffield United were promoted in second place and Ipswich Town were promoted as Champions. Liverpool Football Club were notpromoted. Liverpool Football Club finished third in the Second Division. Third again.
6. P.S. FIND PEOPLE WHO ARE TOUGHER
In the boardroom, in the chair at the end of the long table. Bill looked at the directors of Liverpool Football Club. And Bill waited.
It’s been a good season, said Tom Williams. Quite a good season, Mr Shankly. Yes, we have finished third again. Yes, we have missed out on promotion again. But we have two more points than we did at the end of last season. And so that is an improvement, Mr Shankly. A visible improvement. Unfortunately, our home gates are a little down on last season. But not by much, not so very much. And we all know Rome was not built in a day, we all know that. So keep up the good work, Mr Shankly. And better luck next season.
…
In the office, at the desk. Bill opened up the newspaper. Again. Bill looked down at the final League table for the 1960–61 season. Liverpool Football Club had played forty-two games in the Second Division in the 1960–61 season. They had won fourteen games at home, at Anfield. Lost five and drawn two. They had won seven games away, away from Anfield. Drawn five and lost nine. Liverpool Football Club had scored forty-nine goals at home and thirty-eight goals away. They had conceded twenty-one goals at home and thirty -seven away. In the office, at the desk. Bill opened a drawer. Bill took out a pair of scissors and a pot of glue. And Bill began to cut out the final League table for the 1960–61 season from the newspaper. Bill did not believe in luck. Bad luck or good. Bill knew it was never a matter of luck, never a question of luck. Bill knew luck was just another excuse for failure. Bill knew luck was what men like the directors of Liverpool Football Club told men like him when things did not work out, when things did not go the way men like him wanted them to go. Bill thought the word luck should be cut out of the dictionary, struck from the English language. Banished and forgotten. In the office, at the desk. Bill heard footsteps in the corridor. Slow and careful steps. And a knock upon the door. A slow and careful knock. Bill put down thescissors. Bill looked up from the desk. And Bill said, Yes?
The door opened. Slowly and carefully. A round-faced man in an
On Tuesday 4 April, 1961, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Bramall Lane, Sheffield. In the seventy-second minute, Johnny Morrissey scored for Liverpool Football Club. But Liverpool Football Club could only draw one-all with Sheffield United. That night, Liverpool Football Club had forty-seven points. Sheffield United had forty-eight points and Ipswich Town had fifty-two points. Three days later, Liverpool Football Club travelled to the Eastville Stadium, Bristol. Bristol Rovers were fighting for their lives, Liverpool Football Club were fighting for promotion. And Bristol Rovers beat Liverpool Football Club four–three. That day, Sheffield United won. Four days after that, Liverpool Football Club beat Charlton Athletic two–one. That same day, Sheffield United won again. On Saturday 15 April, 1961, Liverpool Football Club travelled to Carrow Road, Norwich. And Norwich City beat Liverpool Football Club two–one. That day, Sheffield United won again. That night, Liverpool Football Club had forty-nine points. Sheffield United had fifty-four points and Ipswich Town had fifty-five points. Four days later, Sheffield United beat Derby County. Sheffield United now had fifty-six points. That night, Sheffield United were promoted in second place and Ipswich Town were promoted as Champions. Liverpool Football Club were notpromoted. Liverpool Football Club finished third in the Second Division. Third again.
6. P.S. FIND PEOPLE WHO ARE TOUGHER
In the boardroom, in the chair at the end of the long table. Bill looked at the directors of Liverpool Football Club. And Bill waited.
It’s been a good season, said Tom Williams. Quite a good season, Mr Shankly. Yes, we have finished third again. Yes, we have missed out on promotion again. But we have two more points than we did at the end of last season. And so that is an improvement, Mr Shankly. A visible improvement. Unfortunately, our home gates are a little down on last season. But not by much, not so very much. And we all know Rome was not built in a day, we all know that. So keep up the good work, Mr Shankly. And better luck next season.
…
In the office, at the desk. Bill opened up the newspaper. Again. Bill looked down at the final League table for the 1960–61 season. Liverpool Football Club had played forty-two games in the Second Division in the 1960–61 season. They had won fourteen games at home, at Anfield. Lost five and drawn two. They had won seven games away, away from Anfield. Drawn five and lost nine. Liverpool Football Club had scored forty-nine goals at home and thirty-eight goals away. They had conceded twenty-one goals at home and thirty -seven away. In the office, at the desk. Bill opened a drawer. Bill took out a pair of scissors and a pot of glue. And Bill began to cut out the final League table for the 1960–61 season from the newspaper. Bill did not believe in luck. Bad luck or good. Bill knew it was never a matter of luck, never a question of luck. Bill knew luck was just another excuse for failure. Bill knew luck was what men like the directors of Liverpool Football Club told men like him when things did not work out, when things did not go the way men like him wanted them to go. Bill thought the word luck should be cut out of the dictionary, struck from the English language. Banished and forgotten. In the office, at the desk. Bill heard footsteps in the corridor. Slow and careful steps. And a knock upon the door. A slow and careful knock. Bill put down thescissors. Bill looked up from the desk. And Bill said, Yes?
The door opened. Slowly and carefully. A round-faced man in an
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