Toffeeweb - Talking Points - Fellow Blues, can you help with my book?

Fellow Blues, can you help with my book?

Dear Toffeewebbers,

A few of you might know my name through my contributions to the Evertonian, and also from my sports columns and interviews over many years in The Independent, which had an EFC bias as often as I thought I could get away with it!

I also write books, and have now been commissioned by my publishers, Simon & Schuster, to write about the Everton team of 1977-78.

I was a 16-year-old fanatical Blue at that time, and the idea is that I will go in search of my heroes, comparing football then with football now. I've chosen that season because of Bob Latchford's 30 goals, and also because football, little though we knew it, was on the cusp of great change, with Ardiles and Villa about to nudge open the floodgates through which foreign players would eventually pour. Plus, of course, 1978 was the club's centenary year.

Anyway, if any of you think you can help, perhaps with particular memories of that season, or in any other way, I'd love to hear from you, either in message-board form or via email (viner635@btinternet.com).

Many thanks, and COYB

Brian Viner, Herefordshire Posted 20/02/2013 at 16:44:18

back Return to Talking Points index : Add your Comments

Reader 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

David Cornmell
137 Posted 21/02/2013 at 03:05:03

Miss your by-line in the Indy Brian...definitely one of the better writers going around.

Paul Ferry
139 Posted 21/02/2013 at 04:25:05

Brian mate, 1st of all, check the other thread: Thomas — Latchford — Goal!

David Ellis
141 Posted 21/02/2013 at 05:23:46

Well Brian - 1978 was the year I almost completed my collection of Scottish and English Division 1 Panini stickers - the Match Attax of their day.

You will see the thread on Thomas and Latchford will get you started.

My favourite player at the time was Martin Dobson. Elegant midfielder and by all accounts an all round gent. It was only when I realised that the newly acquired Paul Bracewell was probably a better player than Dobbo that I realised the 85 side might be something special.

Duncan McKenzie was considered a bit of a freak for having 10 O Levels - I suppose that would still be true today.

Andy Crooks
153 Posted 21/02/2013 at 08:59:32

Brian, if you can check the archives of the Daily Express. They offered a considerable amount of money then to a player who got 30 goals that season. As I recall Bob did it on the last day of the season with the rout of Chelsea. I believe he shared the money with his team mates.

The Express used their double centre pages to show a photo of every goal. I kept that for many years but like all such stuff it vanished. Good luck with the book, it sounds fascinating.

Mark Murphy
154 Posted 21/02/2013 at 09:12:59

Bob
Latchford
Appreciation
Society
Everton (or Express?)

or BLASE as the journalist (Lawson?) christened it?

Stephen Jones
230 Posted 21/02/2013 at 17:25:52

Andy Crooks you are right about the Daily Express offering a cash prize, it was £10,000. As you say Bob Latchford won it & shared it amongst the team, however the taxman wanted his share & tried to tax Bob on the full £10k. I read an article somewhere about it & apparently he battled with the taxman for years after before settling up.

Colin Glassar
307 Posted 21/02/2013 at 22:40:12

What do you need to know mate? I was an ever present at GP during the Cattrick, Bingham & Lee years. It really was the agony and the ecstasy supporting the Blues back then.

I've seen them all. The Golden Vision, The Holy Trinity, the great side of the mid-late 70's. Great teams, great times, shit clothes, bad hair.

Tom Bowers
310 Posted 21/02/2013 at 22:46:20

Colin, the shit clothes, bad hair are still in abundance today as well as shit music but the late seventies produced a lot of disappointments at Goodison for the most part.

The League Cup replay defeat by Villa at Old Trafford really stands out when Brian Little gave Darracott a roasting. Highlight of that era was undoubtedly Latchford's 30 and the skills of Duncan Mackenzie.

Another downer was RS and their talisman Clive Thomas at Maine Road.

Dave Charles
460 Posted 22/02/2013 at 17:36:24

7-1-1978 FA Cup against Aston Villa and guess who was the ref that day ....... Our friend Clive Thomas. He got the reception he deserved and put his hands over his ears thinking it was just a joke. We won 4-1 but watching that twat on the pitch spoilt the day because Maine Rd the previous season was still fresh in the memory. That was a stick out moment for me that season.

Add Your Comments

In order to post a comment, 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 Talking Points submissions across the site.