Richard Gough

What a good player. It hadnÂ’t occurred to me before but John Stones comes out of the same mould.

Great player and leader; I wish we had signed him earlier.

The kind of leader we have missed at times this year. But IÂ’ve always thought trying to take a ball around John Stones would be more like getting around Inspector Gadget, the lad seems all leg - youÂ’d expect him to play like a giraffe on ice, but heÂ’s undeniably effective.

I always felt Gough was underrated – had he been English he’d have got a lot more attention I reckon.

Best wishes to the Gough family.

One of my favourite players in his day. Came to Everton in the latter stages of his career and had no real stand-out attributes, but still somehow managed to be a solid, reliable presence at the back and a real leader when needed. Good to see he hasnÂ’t been forgotten by us, and IÂ’m heÂ’ll be a legend forever at Rangers.

Carthorse, IÂ’m afraid, maybe good for Spurs and Rangers but very much well on the way down when he played for Everton.

Peter, at his best Richard Gough was an outstanding centre back. He was past his best at Everton but did a good job. Your "carthorse" comment is foolish.

Gough was very effective for us. He formed a good partnership with David Weir, who were able to hold out many attacks. In fact, many people were surprised how well he could still perform, even at that late in his career.

I think the interesting thing is that he was not exactly a world beater even in his prime, which is a testament to how well he was able to maintain himself and his skills till a ripe old age.

To me, reminiscent of how players like Distin, Weir and Stubbs were able to keep going for a good while, ensuring that while their pace / legs start to go, they are still able to play at a high level for a sustained period of time.

Fact is, we hadnÂ’t really needed him when he was in his prime. His prime was the late 80s and early 90s, when we still have a good number of strong centre halves. So, IÂ’m not sure if we would have benefited from his presence then.

Part of a very good Rangers team when at his peak. Had he been playing now, he would have been in the Premier League for much more of his career and become much better known. Best British centre-back of his era.

Terence, we certainly could have used him once Radcliffe started to decline in the late 80s to partner Captain Fantastic, Dave Watson... but Gough was a better all-round player than Watson (good though he was).

I remember the dismay when Waldo signed 37-year-old Gough. He proved everyone wrong that first season, but the second was one too many. Despite their obvious limitations, 37-year-old Gough and 38-year-old Watson were a surprisingly rock-solid partnership. Remember Waldo used to play Davie Weir at right back and either Unsworth or Ball at left back.

I remember the worst game I ever saw, Everton versus Derby County on Boxing Day around this time (late 90s). It was 0-0 and neither side had a shot all game. Some of you should watch reruns of games from this time to see how far we have come. Dark, dark days. But Goughy more than did his job.

I remember being near the players' car park and him and Cadamarteri turned up around the same time. Gough spent an age chatting with kids and signing autographs and Cadamarteri (still 18 and driving a Porsche) was a rude little fuck that nearly got a few right-handers from some of the dads.

A class act who would have graced any Everton team from 1963 onwards.

Carthorse???????? That has to be a joke surely?

I was only thinking the other day that he was one of the best centre backs I’ve seen in an Everton shirt – very underrated player. He was very good in his first season, knew the game inside out. Him and Distin, when both at their peak, would have been a good partnership.

Gough did very well, considering he was nearly 38 when he signed.

After heÂ’d been playing in the MLS for a couple of years and had just had a short stint at Forest, to the uninformed, it just looked like we signed a player that wasnÂ’t good enough for Forest and was at the end of their career.

I was in the majority who were underwhelmed by the signing, but he was great. I couldnÂ’t believe that he still had some pace and he had a great reading of the game. If weÂ’d have only signed him 10 years earlier. For me, he was one of SmithÂ’s best signings along with Weir.

I think Gough was underrated by some because he played most of his career in Scotland, but it must be remembered he played for Rangers when they had a lot of clout and could buy pretty much who they wanted, as we should know – Stevens, Steven and McCall. I’m sure they paid a record British fee for a defender when they signed Gough from Spurs. Or it may have been when Spurs signed him from Dundee United. Whatever the case I know he was the most expensive defender at some point in his career.

He would have been the perfect CB partner for Waggy when Ratcliffe’s form dropped off; as it was, we had to wait another 10 years before we got to see it, but they did a good job and it made me wonder what could have been if weÂ’d have had him at the peak of career.

Gough was an absolute revelation for Everton. IÂ’d never paid any attention to his career and thought it made no sense signing a player that old, but he was absolutely brilliant.

Steve I swear Walter managed to cram five or six centre backs into a side at one point.

IÂ’m sure we played 5-3-2 in the odd game where Unsworth and Weir were the Â’wing-backsÂ’.

IÂ’m probably in agreement with most of the comments on here. I was very underwhelmed with this signing, but I was very happy to be proved wrong. I had him down as MotM the last time we won at Anfield. It was a very good team performance, but all the talk in work the next day (Blues and Reds) was how easy he made it look! For me, a very good centre half.

Richard Gough was pure class and professionalism personified. He came down South after playing for his beloved Rangers because he had a point to prove and wanted to test himself against the best of the Premier League before he hung up his boots.

37... well, our last Derby win at Anfield was when he had wonderkid Michael Owen in his back pocket. Owen never got a sniff, Gough totally dominated and out thought him. One of the finest British centre-halves of the modern era.

I wish we had a 37-year-old Gough now! Says it all!

Great player and seems like a good bloke. Should always be welcomed back warmly at GP.

Richard Gough had two seasons at Goodison, he was very, very good the first season but I think he missed quite a lot of the second year through injury.

Incidentally he said he was paid bigger wages at Everton than at any other club in his career.

Mike @17 I remember we once took on Man Utd with a back five of Stephen Hughes (LB), Unsworth (LCB), Weir (CB). Steve Watson (RCB). Dunne (RB). It was a disaster of a formation (we got battered 1-3) and summed Walter up playing players in alien positions... Stephen Hughes at left back with Michael Ball on the bench.

Anyhow... Richard Gough was an excellent player. A really good defender.

"Carthorse" Peter.

Very harsh, we did get him at the wrong end of his career, but even then he was still a decent centre-half.