ToffeeWeb - Season 2009-10

The Mail Bag

Past glory

I think the constant speculation about who will go and who will arrive is pointless and is becoming tedious.

This club has a magnificent history and I believe we have had some great players here. What is the best ever Everton team?

Southall Wright Labone Radcliffe Wilson Kanchelskis Ball Arteta Sheedy Lineker Dean

On the bench, West, Watson, Steven, Young and Lawton. What would that team be worth?
Andy Crooks, Belfast Posted 30/05/2010 at 00:36:20

back Return to the Mail Bag

Comments

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer

Brendan O'Doherty
1 Posted 30/05/2010 at 18:24:01

Report abuse

Sharpy not even on the bench Andy?

Mike McLean
2 Posted 30/05/2010 at 18:28:56

Report abuse

Watson?

Oh dear God.

Guy Hastings
3 Posted 30/05/2010 at 18:23:40

Report abuse

My dad died on Tuesday and in his 88 years he reckoned he didn't see anyone better than TG Jones, though Mercer, Ball (like Mercer, sold to the Gooners), Lawton and Big Nev were also up there with the great Welshman.

Steven Connor
4 Posted 30/05/2010 at 19:07:01

Report abuse

Andy, you forgot to put Seamus Coleman in...

Charlie Percival
5 Posted 30/05/2010 at 19:13:14

Report abuse

Mikael Madar doesn't even get a look in?

Christopher McCullough
6 Posted 30/05/2010 at 21:13:20

Report abuse

I would have Andy Hinchcliffe at left back, Andy. Arteta and Sheedy would be the first names on my fantasy teamsheet.

Christopher McCullough
7 Posted 30/05/2010 at 21:15:59

Report abuse

Oh by the way Guy Hastings, I wouldn't argue with anyone who was lucky enough to watch the Blues for 88 years. RIP.

Ciarán McGlone
8 Posted 30/05/2010 at 21:47:54

Report abuse

Condolences Guy...

Ian Smitham
9 Posted 31/05/2010 at 00:28:13

Report abuse

Guy, sympathy friend. On an otherwise pointless subject, take it transfer speculation has diminished.

Andy Crooks
10 Posted 31/05/2010 at 00:39:45

Report abuse

Sincere condolences Guy.

Andy Crooks
11 Posted 31/05/2010 at 00:41:25

Report abuse

Steven Connor, someone, in about ten years, will make a similar post. Coleman will be in the team and Duffy will be on the bench.

David Thomas
12 Posted 31/05/2010 at 00:29:59

Report abuse

Southall
Parker
Labone
Ratcliffe
Wilson
Ball
Collins
Steven
Harvey
Young
Dean

Subs

Kendall
Kay
Wright
West
Lawton
Latchford
Sheedy

Charlie Percival
13 Posted 31/05/2010 at 01:29:19

Report abuse

Source Wikipedia:

At the start of the 2003–04 season, as part of the club's official celebration of their 125th anniversary, supporters cast votes to determine the greatest ever Everton team.[78]

Neville Southall (1981–97)
Gary Stevens (1982–89)
Brian Labone (1958–71)
Kevin Ratcliffe (1980–91)
Ray Wilson (1964–69)
Trevor Steven (1983–90)
Alan Ball (1966–71)
Peter Reid (1982–89)
Kevin Sheedy (1982–92)
Dixie Dean (1925–37)
Graeme Sharp (1980–91)

Charlie Percival
14 Posted 31/05/2010 at 01:31:14

Report abuse

And sorry to hear of your loss, Guy. I'm sure your dad saw some true greats and great triumphs in his life!

Derek Thomas
15 Posted 31/05/2010 at 06:30:14

Report abuse

Except for Dean, I've seen all mentioned above.

So it's no contest for Southall, Labone, Ratcliffe, Ball (at his best in 66-67) and Dean. It then comes down to a) opinion, b) formation, c) balance within the formation.

RB: Stevens, better going forward then Parker, but not defending.

Wilson: Undoubted World Class, defending, in truth not so hot going forward... well, it was a different game in those days. Hinchcliffe and Baines going forward: AH better crosser but LB better close play. Also never underestimate the fear factor of Pat van den Hauwe.

Trevor Steven: sorry but at his brief peak, Jimmy Husband shades that one. The Ronaldo of his day and on his day unplayable, hence the Dave Mackay incident (Cloughie was no mug).

Peter Reid: Tony Kay was slightly better all-round.

Sharp: well fucked if I know actually, the only, to me, inponderable in the Fans 11, it comes down to the balance and the formation and how fluid it would be. Would he and Dean be competing for a lot of the same ball and would a more inside forward type ball player sniffer be in order, Vernon or maybe Lineker??? Buggered if I know.

Sheedy: magic left foot, but maybe not the out-and-out winger that Dean thrived on... and, as it is my fantasy, I will put in one of my personal favourites, Johnny Morrissey, if only for being one of the few on a list of one that Tommy Smith was frightened of.

Guy Hastings
16 Posted 31/05/2010 at 09:57:37

Report abuse

Thanks for the condolences — much appreciated.

My two penn'th would include 'Mad' Dave Thomas — great crosser of the ball, could find Latchford's head in the dark and played with his socks rolled down to his ankles. For out and out wingers, he just nicks it from Morrissey who was undoubtedly one of the hardest bastards we ever had. I loved Jimmy Husband, too, whose star shone brightly for too short a time. Tommy Wright was a cracking full-back and I had a lot of time for galloping Keith Newton — maybe one for an Unsung XI during the World Cup longeurs.

Andy Crooks
17 Posted 31/05/2010 at 17:37:24

Report abuse

Guy, my unsung eleven would include Mountfield, Rioch, Bryan Hamilton, Henry Newton, Ronnie Goodlass, Terry Darracott , Limpar and the unluckiest player ever to wear the blue shirt: Joe Parkinson.

Guy Hastings
18 Posted 31/05/2010 at 21:12:03

Report abuse

Andy, I'd certainly have Alan Harper, Paul Power, Wayne Clarke, Kevin Richardson, John Hurst and Tommy Jackson in the mix.

Add Your Comments

In order to post a comment to the MailBag, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.

Log in now

Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and MailBag submissions across the site.