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50 years a Blue
Comments (61) : This coming Saturday marks the 50th anniversary of my first visit to Goodison Park: 28th of February, 1959, Everton 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1... Bobby Collins got the winner. It was the reverse fixture to the 10-4 drubbing at White Hart Lane the previous October.
I was 7 years old. Being a blue was no foregone conclusion. My dad was a regular match-attending red,my granddad a blue. Most of my mates in the part of Wavertree I lived in (Plumer St, near Picton Rd railway bridge) seemed to be Liverpudlians (I shouldn?t think it?s like that now unless it?s just been invaded by vikings). But Liverpool had just been knocked out of the cup by Worcester City so how good were they?
As my dad explained it, Everton were a poor 1st Division team who couldn?t win away and always finished near the bottom whilst Liverpool were a good 2nd Division side who always just failed to make promotion; remember, dad was a red. I was sensible enough to realise that crap 1st Division was better than good 2nd Division, whatever my old man said... but would Everton win often enough to bring me joy?
I started pestering my dad to take me to a game. I?d seen Brazil and Pele win the World Cup the previous year on the tiny telly. I knew all the positions. I understood how the League worked. I was ready. My dad?s biggest concern was safety. He announced that he was going to take me Goodison because that was a modern safe facility suitable for a scrawny 7-year-old and Anfield... er, wasn?t.
Dad thought I?d be bored but of course I was captivated. Bullens Rd stand. 4s/6d to get in. No child concessions (of course the club provided the Boys Pen for a tanner, generous to a fault). Some bloke ran onto the pitch and presented Danny Blanchflower with a packet of Shredded Wheat (Blanchflower advertised this product on TV) and my dad said it was probably empty although at that time I didn?t get the joke.
At the end of the game, I was a dyed-in-the-wool Evertonian. One of the biggest mistakes in my dad?s life... although I did get out alive, which was to him the main point of the excercise. My little brother and my two sons ? all blue (as it turns out, my dad?s only Grandsons). Only last week, my 28-year-old son rang his granddad from London to take the piss re the Gosling game. I know he?s 82 but it has to be done.
The following season, on the 28th of November, we went to see the blues beat Man Utd 2-1. But this was an isolated performance. We weren?t very good, languishing near the bottom. Then, as 1959 became 1960, enter John Moores. My mum had met him once just after the war when she worked at Littlewoods Pools and she said he was a lovely man. That?s exactly what I thought...
We bought Micky Lill from Wolves and Tommy Ring from Clyde (Clyde, ffs... but he was bloody brilliant); Roy Vernon came from Blackburn and Jimmy Gabriel from Dundee Utd (great play was made about Gabriel only being 19 but, as a then 8-year-old, that seemed quite old to me). I couldn?t wait to read the Echo each night. I saw us beat Preston 4-0 (Finney at centre-forward for Preston) and put 6 past Chelsea. We still finished in the bottom half of the table but things were happening.
The following season, 60-61, I was now at Sefton Park Junior School (star player, Alan Whittle, 2 years my senior...) and going to more games. We beat Blackpool 4-1 away. Then my dad took me to my first away match at Bolton... Now this might not sound terribly exciting but when you regard New Brighton as exotic, trust me, I was beside myself. We won 4-3; abiding memory was Albert Dunlop in goal saving a penalty by trapping the ball between his legs.
More Echo reading: Billy Bingham signs in October and then the protacted transfer of Alex Young, which to my 9-year-old mind seemed to last forever. He arrived with George Thompson, a left back, but Young never seemed to be fit. He suffered from blistered feet... clearly he was finding the harsh dry tropical climate in Liverpool difficult to cope with! But when he was fit the next season ? what a player!!!
We finished 60-61 in 5th position. The London papers were beginning to call us the ?Mersey Millionaires?. The next season we didn?t start as well although I do remember us beating Forest 6-0 and Alex Young was sublime; the start of the love affair. Sometime around Christmas, John Moores took Johnny Carey for a taxi ride and sacked him, quickly installing Harry Catterick. In March 62, we signed Gordon West; at last, a goalie over 6ft tall and, fuck me, he could throw the ball further than Dunlop could kick it! We eventually finished 4th. Everything in place for 62-63....
We started like a train. A couple of hiccups away to Fulham and, would you believe, Leyton Orient ? managed by Carey ? and a dropped home point to Liverpool via a last minute Roger Hunt goal but otherwise plain sailing. Young and Vernon were running riot and Brian Labone was a rock but still Catterick wasn?t happy... He bought Alex Scott to replace Bingham and Tony Kay to play left half instead of Brian Harris (Tony Kay... now there was some player; crying bloody shame). Then the big freeze and hardly any footy for 2 months. We stuttered a bit on the restart but eventually got back into our stride. I went to most of the games but couldn?t get a ticket for the crucial Spurs game when Alex Young won it for us with a towering header.
And so to 11th of May, 1963: home to Fulham, final game of the season... a win would clinch the title. We now lived in Halewood and I went on my own. It took 3 buses to get to the ground but I didn?t mind. I was in the ground at 1 o?clock and got a spec in front of the Gladwys St terracing, a glorious hot sunny day. Vernon scored twice in the first 10 mins, or so it seemed, and we eventually coasted to a 4-1 win. What a day!
In just over 4 years since my first game, we?d gone from a crap 1st Division team to Champions of England! Of course, being an Evertonian, there is always downside; that came from our bastard offspring neighbours who were only one year behind us... but that?s another story.
Final anecdote; I left Liverpool in October 1970 to go to university and then lived all my adult life in the south of England. Whilst living in St Neots, Cambs, in the early 90s, I was part of a pub quiz team. One of my teammates was a guy named Dave who had no interest in football or any footballing affiliations (he came from Oxford). One night, we were discussing how old each of us was and Dave informed the team that he was born on 6th May of 1963. That was a Monday I told him.
The next week, having rang his mum, who indeed confirm he was born on a Monday; he said something like, ?How the fuck did you know that?? I explained about the Fulham game and that the hardest part was extrapolating back 5 days to the Monday. Dave was intrigued. Over the next year I regaled him over Dean, Lawton and Mercer. Young and Vernon. The Holy Trinity, Reid and Ratcliffe. I explained about the countless injustices. He came to a game with me and my sons and, although we lost and were awful, he was hooked. Now he?s a true blue.
I now live with my wife in western Crete but occasionally see the blues (last time, home v Middlesbrough 1-1, goal off Yakubu?s shoulder... should have won). I?ve access to the internet, thus Toffeeweb, Blue Kipper and even the OS when you can see the Gosling goal over and over again and of course live streams to the matches. However, my blue mate Dave still texts me up-to-date news, although sadly the last one related to Arteta?s injury prognosis.
.Still, let?s be positive. Next season, the Sky 4 will implode: Martin O?Neill will fidget himself to death and we?ll win the league and then the European Cup, which we would have done in 86. But before then, anyone reading this who lives in Crete ? please contact me; I want to watch us win the Cup in a room full of Evertonians.
Who?s the Greatest of them all? Little curly Alan Ball...
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum
COYB
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I picked Everton (I think my bro wanted to go to Manure but that's another story) so ever since then it's been in my blood. Yeah, ups and downs (mainly downs) but I take my lad now, he?s 10 and a fully fledged blue.
Great post.
You’ve also brought to mind some players who don’t get much of a mention these days - Tommy Ring and Mickey Lill in particular.
My speck was in the Boys Pen with a bunch of mates from school - dad was a red and I remember being with him and his two brothers in the paddock for the first derby game after the reds got promotion.
Thanks Bob.
I left Liverpool in 1970 just like you. I am still as mad about Everton now as I was as a young kid getting in for nothing at three-quarter time. Once a blue, always a blue!!!
I was interested to read fondness for Derek Temple, he rarely gets mentioned nowadays when people talk about our 60s teams.
Was he a popular player in the 60s?
I’m not aware of us ever having any chants for him unlike other players. Can anyone set me straight?
Thats my opinion with only very few of the players we have had since then that would be able to attain a short list spot !!
My own first game was the week before the ’68 FA Cup Final, against Stoke City. Roy Vernon was playing for the visitors,and got a rousing welcome. Mind you, the hospitality stopped with the first whistle, and Stoke were sent home on the wrong end of a 4-0 biffing. In the unlikely event that memory serves me correctly, Royle and Morrissey scored, and some little redhead got two (contradiction welcome).
Dad is still a keen blue, but at 85 and a little frail, can’t make it these days. I now live in Ediburgh and make it when I can. It’s his birthday in a few days, so that has given me a double excuse to visit him and Goodison. I’m even drgaiing my (younger) brother, who goes once in a blue moon. It may only be West Brom and half our star players crocked - but win, lose or draw, I will count myself priviliged to be there.
I think Bally scored a header after 5 mins. Final score 5-2 to us and Osgood still scored the best goal of the game. Next week we were champs!
Now I have son and daughter proud season ticketholders, but I still remind them, there was only one Alan Ball!
Like your father, my dad was a red - in fact a season ticket holder when Liverpool were still in the then second division. So God knows how I became a Blue!
Anyway, I remember all the players and games that you mention from 1961 onwards but with one minor difference. I was at the match when Albert Dunlop saved the penalty by catching the ball between his legs - I was in the stands right behind the goal when he did it. Trouble is, I remember it being in a 3-0 win against West Ham and, not a 4-3 win against Bolton - perhaps my grey cells are in decline.
Like you. my support has not waned with age although living in Warrington (a bit nearer than Crete), I can still make all the matches - including most aways.
Anyway, best wishes and thanks for the memories! Why don’t you write to the programme editor by the way?
I could read articles like yours all day, so could a lot of other people judging by the responses.
Loved it
66 years of following Everton. Fantastic stuff. Out of interest do you remember any of the Everton chants and songs from the 40s or 50s?
The game was featured on the History of Everton video circa 1988. Motson was the narrator and Alan Weeks the commentator on the game. However 2 against 1 suggests you're both right. Maybe Albert did it twice in a week!!
For those who saw us in the 60s and 80s all i can say is you lot are all spoilt. As were those who were there when King scored, or when we beat Bayern Munich or even United when Big Dunc scored you dont realise how lucky you are. But as Evertonians you deserve them moments. I was at the Villa game the other week and that was fantastic but id have rather been the week previously when Super Dan put the ball in The Red Shite's net. Does it get any get any better than beating them?
Oh and I think Bob might be right about the West Ham game being when their keeper made a few mistakes. The original Everton history video was actually better than our dvd the other year i thought. and if anyone would be able to tell me the music in the background when they show footage of The Golden Vision Alex Young then id be chuffed. And im speechless as to what i can say about those who unvailed the banner at the 84 cup final.
SORRY ELTON BUT I GUESS THATS WHY THE CALL US THE BLUES. Marvellous.
And to take a line from the writer of this article: Who?s the greatest of them all ? Little Curly Alan Ball.
And finally thank you to Brian Labone for the 1 is worth 20.
COYB FTRS
COYB FTRS
I think your right with the scores but it was definetely at the Park end and I am pretty sure it was West Ham. I remember him diving the wrong way and catching it between his ankles..
It stuck.. like the memory!
My first game was Liverpool - Derby in 1932. The score 0 - 0. The previous week my Dad had taken my brother, now long gone, to Goodison where he saw Everton beat Sheffield Werdnesday 9 - 3 Dixie scored 5!
Until my Dad agreed to take me to Goodison to see this fabulous man, Dixie, I refused to give him any rest. Came the day, Everton v Aston Villa. Score 4 - 2 to the mighty Blues. Scorers were Jimmy Dunn, (inside right), and Johnstone (inside left) , one each and the incomparable Dixie 2. The date was the fifth of March 1932. My brother Gerard saw the game against Sheffield Wednesday the previous October. No. I’m not the memory man, its all in the History of our beloved club.
I cannot be certain of the team, but it may well have read
Coggins
Williams Cresswell(about the best left back I ever saw)
Clark, Gee, Thompson
Critchley, Dunn, Dean, Johnstone and Stein.
I had just turned 8 and have to say that I don’t remember the game at all. However, after 0 - 0 at Anfield, it was Royal Blue for me to this day.
Its sad that I never hear mention on any of the forums, of players like Tommy Lawton, Joe Mercer, T.G. Jones the finest Centre Half (now we call them centre backs) we have ever had. Davy Hickson, still at the club I believe and the bravest Centre forward we ever had.
God! Nostalgia is a fantastic thing!
Does anyone remember Roy Vernon taking a pen against Gaskille of United in the charity sheild played at Goodison.Vernon ran up and as if to shoot and put his foot on top of the ball {cracked on he was tying his lace}as gaskille went full dive across the goal
But even more strangely I left Liverpool in ’74 to live in Southoe, just outside of St Neots where I stayed up till getting divorced 5 years ago. Pity I did’nt meet up with you and your mate - we could have shared the drive up to Goodison I’m sure.
Anyway thanks for the memories.
But its not just that- Having had World Cup winners in Wilson and Ball and World Cup Top Scorer in Gary Lineker we have deservedly had moments to be proud of not just domestically but worldwide. And the fact that Dixie Dean our icon presented himself marvellously is a credit to himself and what the club is about unlike whos Gobshites who’d sell their soul. And also i have to say having met Dave Hickson on out tour, youd find it hard to find a more humble human being. How about we name our greatest ever Everton side- only players you have seen in their prime though. That would be an interesting concept.
Lets hope that we do eventually reach our 86 destiny even if it is 20 odd years late. Now that would be fitting.
COYB FTRS
I had a very similar experience and timescale except that my dad, uncle and grandad were all blues.
I particularly remember that Fulham game which I think we won 3-1 and hundreds of us climbed over the fence at the Boys' Pen (I think it had gone up to a shilling by then) and ran on to the pitch.
I know it would be frowned upon now but what a feeling as a 10-year-old.
Out of interest I also lived in Caxton, Cambs and my brother lived in St Neots in the 80s.
Alan Ball who was the reason I supported Everton in 1970 had his first game in an Arsenal shirt at Goodison. Remember Kendall and Ball going for a ball in midfield and Howard coming away with it.
Couldnt understand why the Gladwys Street End was giving their former idol so much stick - alsmost as bad as Rooney now gets.
Some great posts on here I can always remember my father rating TG JONES as it is stated above T.G. Jones the finest Centre Half (now we call them centre backs.
He also loved Davy Hickson & also said Tony kay was the best wing half he had ever seen & would play a long time for England!
I also had an great Uncle who watched Dixie score his hattrick v Arsenal I was spellbound as a youngster listening to him relate the whole game to me.
What a history we have & this post has be a great read well done BOB for starting it!
COYB !
Am I the only Evertonian to have become a Blue through playing Subbuteo Table Soccer? In the 50’s my father bought a set with just 2 teams ? blue and white and red and white. In those days they were the colours of both Merseyside teams. My father, whose first love was New Brighton (a useful non-league outfit) always claimed that he liked to see all the local teams (that included Tranmere Rovers and Southport) do well. When it came down to it, he was more red than blue. So I was given the blue and white Subbuteo set when we played. The fact that each time we played it was Everton v the redshite (formerly known as Liverpool), built up my dislike of them from an early age.
Incidentally, whilst I am sure that all Evertonians nowadays hate the redshite, can anyone else remember older relatives/friends genuinely supporting both teams and watching both teams at home each saturday?
My first match still sticks in my memory. I was almost 9 and was taken by a colleague of my fathers who had a spare ticket. Unbelievably it was on the front row of the Upper Bullens ? what an initiation! To say that I was overwhelmed would be an understatement! We beat Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 (still have the programme). The Everton team was full of Irish players. However I think that our goal was scored by Jimmy Gauld, who may have been a Scot. I am still grateful that my first Everton game ended in a victory. I wish it could be like that for every Blue. Fortunately the 4 people that I have taken to their first game at Goodison since all saw home wins ? one being the notable 6-1 thrashing of Arsenal (I predicted a low scoring draw!!).
I did not become a regular at Goodison until the early 60’s. Just in time to see the League Champions. My favourites were Jimmy Gabriel, Roy ?Knitting Needles? Vernon and Tony Kay. Dennis Stevens, mentioned earlier in this thread, was a big signing from Bolton. He played inside forward and divided opinion amongst supporters ? rather like 3 or 4 players from the current squad - regarding his ability.
We moved out of the area just before the epic 1966 FA Cup Final ? also against Sheffield Wednesday ? when my disbelief turned to joy as we turned a 0-2 deficit round to win 3-2, courtesy of one of my most memorable Everton goals scored by Derek ?Shirley? Temple (Shirley Temple was an American child film star at that time).
I returned to Wirral/Cheshire in the early 80’s, so was fortunate to watch the great team of the mid-80’s. I believe that the current team is the 4th best of my lifetime. Lets hope it rises up that particular league.
I eventually managed to open the website, shame your IT skills don?t match your memory or literary skills!!
Anyway a great read, I don?t think I knew the story about Dave?s birthday before?.but there again you know me, I?d probably have forgotten anyway?.unlike you!
The only disappointment is you couldn?t work something about us at Priestfield, don?t ask me the year, I guess about 1974. I?m sure you?ll know the score, day, date and attendance. All I remember is we (Gillingham) drew with you, a young Tony Cascarino missed a golden opportunity in a one on one (was it against a young Southall?) to win the game for the Gills. We were also presumably skippered by a similarly young Steve Bruce.
I?m sure you?ll put me right Bob.
Love to Dawn?..see you in the Summer in Crete.
Cheers Nick Forshew ? Gillingham supporter and ex house mate of Bobs through the early mid 70?s?.. and still close friends!
COYB (which ones?why not both!)
The Geordies hauled their flag down to half mast in disgust and I was hooked from that day on. Never looked back... still managing a home match now and again. My son treated me to a hospitality day against Middlesborough on my birthday and the hairs still stand up on the back of my neck and my spine still tingles to see the green grass of home and hear the Z-Cars tune.
When I was in my pram in 1947-8, my Mother and Grandmother would go shopping in County Road and leave me outside the ground to go in at three-quarter time! I don’t think that could happen now!
My Dad, who will be 92 in July, saw his first game in January 1924, a win over PNE in the Cup. He still has his Lower Bullens season ticket so has been going for 85 years! I wonder if anyone can beat that? He has brought up his three sons in the true faith and all his grandsons spread the word wherever they may be.
My first game was in 1953-4, the Second Division. My Dad put me on a box along the Goodison Road wall. I was in the paddock for the abysmal 4-0 drubbing by the Reds in the Cup the following year.
Davie was our hero then. The team itself was packed with ordinary players with no flair but who worked hard . Kenny Rae, Ken Birch, Cyril Lello, Don Donovan, etc. They did well not to get relegated again. It was T. E. Jones, not T. G. Jones who scored the two penalties against PNE mentioned before.
Then John Moores got involved. Every week it seemed like there was one signing, maybe more. Tommy Ring was a wonderful player. We struggled to replace him, also Davie when he went on his travels. We used to sign "never-weres" as well as "has beens" such as Alan Shackleton, Jimmy Glazzard, anyone remember Peter Harburn? On the wing after Ring’s injury, players such as Mickey Lill (who played both wings who I liked as he was flashy and scored goals!), Peter Kavanagh (!), Bobby Laverick, Ray Veall, Jimmy Fell, until the Temple/Morrisey duo settled there to wonderful effect.
Left back was always an issue until Wilson was signed. George Thomson was a neat player, John Bramwell played there and then Mick Meagan, a converted wing half typical of Everton at the time, small and lightweight, Derek Kevan ran over him one game.
I agree that Dunlop’s penalty save with the ball between his legs was against Bolton in the crucial league game in 1963 when Roy Vernon snatched a late winner. In midweek we tonked WBA (they keep coming up) 4-0 away in a match "tainted" by accusations of bribery (Mr. Dunlop, stand up), and then the wonderful 4-1 demolition of Fulham on the last day of the season.
Everybody agrees Tony Kay was a great player - when he played for Everton! He was hated when he played for Sheffield Wednesday. I used to love the young Jimmy Gabriel sweeping down the field with his fair hair blowing. Alex Parker was a class full back and was at least on a par with Tommy Wright and Gary Stevens as our best post-war right back. Amazing sliding tackles keeping the ball when the winger ended up off the field! Dennis Stevens was not liked because he replaced the immortal Bobby Collins, the catalyst for our improved performances under Carey’s direction at the end of the 50s and in the early 60s. But Stevens was Catterick’s style of player and worked hard for the team.
There were some great games in those days, we scored tons of goals and gave up our fair share too. We beat everybody at Goodison but could not win away! I recall scoring 8 against Cardiff at the end of a season, of course we shipped 3 but who cared!
1963-4, and 1964-5 were disappointing seasons. I remember going to a reserve game at Goodison (we did that in those days) and seeing us lose 5-3 to Burnley. West was in goal, Vernon missed a penalty and the Vision was also playing - I thought we would never see them again in the first team as they were jeered off!
The rest from 1966 will live in our memories. Here’s to many more years of watching our team. I do so from San Jose, south of San Francisco in California. Satellite coverage and the Internet are wonderful things!
Many times I have cursed uncle Bill as it was he who won the battle to introduce me to proper football.
Blackburn at home late 1963 was my first game. We were beaten 4-2 in a game which saw Tony Kay sent off.
It was the whole experience of getting a bus and boat return, the bus from Pier Head and then the sight of all those people around the ground, to an eleven year old it was hypnotising.
The following week when the shite were at home, uncle Jimmy came round to tell me when he would call for us, but he was a week too late.
Once a Blue, always a Blue.
I had only ever seen footy on monochrome telly so my first glimpse of the Goodison Park pitch took my breath away - I can still recall the sensation as we emerged onto the terracing in Goodison Road. It was all in magnificent technicolour.
Got a great speck by the players tunnel in a crowd of over 66.000.
By the time it was over - we battered then 3-1 - I was converted and the rest as they say is history. Roy Vernon is stll my favourite player - if anyone’s to blame it’s him.
About 48 years ago, I was transferred to Stockport, where I still live. I managed quite a few trips every year for the next 20/30 years, parking my car on one of those bombed patches and paying some little snotty nosed kid to ?guard? it for me!
Oddly, I saw the Golden Vision playing for Stockport County. He played virtually just a very few games. It was sad. He was light years ahead of the lads who played for County. He was always so far ahead in his thoughts. They never anticipated his clever touches and passes.
I have two sons. The younger, whilst fantastically keen on Cricket, is a died in the wool ?Blue. Must be around 30 years ago, he acquired two tickets for a ?Milk? Cup Final at Wembley between Everton and the so called Shite.
Relations between the two sets of supporters in those days were vastly different to those of today. The Londoners marvelled as supporters, some wearing blue and others red, walked down Wembley Way, arm in arm. I kid you not. During the game, the Blues shouted Ev-er-ton and the Reds shouted Liv-er-pool.
As many of you will remember, the game ended 0 - 0. The two bands of supporters left Wembley singing Mer-sey-side. I much preferred those days. Don?t know who or what is to blame but it's not very edifying today.
Too many games to mention but I started following the side during the mid 70’s when players like Rioch,McKenzie, Lyons, Latchford and King played in a fine side that just fell short of trophies.
Still wonder if we would have beaten Manchester Utd in the ’77 final if not for Clive Thomas, we certainly had the players capable to do it. Don;t remember the Catterick years with some regret, but that side of 1967-71 was without question one of the finest Everton sides you will ever see.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spl2yQDHThU
Billy
I remember a game that season v Sheffield United we were 0-2 down and got a penalty. Jimmy Gabriel scored and hit it so hard it came back out and a little lad ran on from the Gwladys Street and hit the ball past Hodgkinson again!!! Sadly we lost that 1-3 - my Dad had warned me that we might "go a bit easy" as there was an important Cup match the next week.
Derek Temple was my favourite player even back then before the Cup Final. My Dad told me that he could play left or right wing/centre forward or inside forward. I struggled to kick a football with my left foot - so I was totally in awe of him!!! I am the proud owner of a "replica" 1966 Cup Final shirt with of course a Number 11 on the back.
My real first hero was Tommy Wright, but lots of memories of the sixties, I remember the best save I ever saw was against Wolves away in the cup one-nil down and West made an incredible save with Ball ?diving? for a penalty. We got locked out in the replay.
I also remember being at Anfield two-nil up with 20 mins to go and saying to my dad, "Who is this bloody Heighway? He hasn?t touched the ball..." As always, should have kept my big gob shut. So many great games; I can recall the older games better than the more recent. I was at the final game 1963 to see the Blues beat Fulham for the title. Anyway we seem to be on the up, with the best manager possible.
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1 Posted 25/02/2009 at 15:49:49
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