Andy Rankin

Not a bad goalkeeper. He would have played more games for Everton, had it not been for Gordon West. Had a goalkeeper of Andy Rankin's calibre be at Everton today, then Howard and Robles would be under pressure. Not just saying that to be nice; the goalkeepers back then had more about them. They were better. IMO.

I agree that Andy was a very good keeper, he had the lot: tall, agile, brave with a good pair of hands also in his make up he had what some considered in those days to be a fatal flaw yet today is an important attribute of good keepers.

That so-called flaw was Andy's speed and willingness to act as a keeper sweeper. Any long balls into our penalty area would see Andy race out to collect. In those days that was not expected from your keeper and it took just a couple of mistimed errors to bring down the crowd and pundits wrath.

Andy went public with words to the effect, "That's my style and I will not change it." That did not go down too well with The Catt who disliked his players making public statements about on-field matters made it known that Andy should not respond in that way.

A few more errors and the incoming of Westy brought the curtain down on Andy's Everton career. In some ways he was a fore runner of modern keeping. Andy stuck to his guns.

I was at Anfield in 1964 when we put 4 past them. Andy played a blinder. I seem to recall that there was a photograph of one of his saves in the echo that night – I think from St John – which was fantastic.

ps: Much fun was had in the Tarleton St Wine Lodge after that particular game.

If you wanted to compare him with a modern-day 'keeper, perhaps De Gea is the nearest I can think of.

A good keeper who might have got in most teams at the time - but not as good as Gordon West. I remember him mostly for the penalty save against Borussia Moenchengladbach at the Street End which saw us through to the European Cup Quarter Finals.

Laurie H (#3), I have such sweet memories of that Anfield game... Of all places to witness our 4-0 thrashing of the RS, I was in the middle of the Kop.

Before Kick-Off, two characters in mock medical attire raised a roar of laughter from Kop gobshites by planting a giant purple heart in the centre circle. The Purple Hearts is another story and related to a totally false beat up by the People newspaper which sought to denigrate our club.

On what was to be a brilliant day for Evertonians, those gobshites had their sniggering laughter shoved down their gobshite throats. My most enduring and enjoyable moment was when little Johnnie Morrissey chipped over their keeper for our fourth goal. That was a signal for the entire Kop to stampede away leaving this spectator all alone in seventh heaven.