Chelsea Hit for Six: Fifty-Six Years Ago

The following week, I came out of Cammel Lairds, bought the half-time Echo, Everton were winning 2-0; "That will do me," I said to myself>

When I got home, we'd lost 6-2, I think Derek Kevin scored four or five for WBA in one of Jimmy Gabriel's earlier games for the Blues.

Went to the Hawthorns the next week.We
were 2-0 up, Derek Kevan the burly
England centre forward scored five goals
for the Baggies,in a 6-2 defeat.

I remember the Johnny Carey era, great football some great results, and I was shocked when he was sacked in the back of a taxi, very humiliating for a nice man and a good manager.

What did you do at Cammell Lairds, Dave? At about the same time I started my apprenticeship (wood machinist) at Cunard in Bootle. Optimistic days then, hopefully around the corner again.

We were in the same game Tony, I was in the Joiners yard at Lairds, a big cruise liner was being built at the time, The Windsor Castle. I didn't enjoy working at Lairds, but that's another tale.

We were the trailblazers with giant lighting pylons and under soil heating. We were the Mersey Millionaires, the School of Science.

I lived in Walton then and walked to the ground in a few minutes. If they were doing something on the pitch at night, the floodlights would light up my bedroom like daytime.

Bobby Collins was a class above anything I'd seen in a Blue shirt, until Roy Vernon who was a class above him and everyone else since for me.

Those names in the report, Parker, Gabriel, who used to pick players up after he'd flattened them, Tommy Ring, so unlucky (again against Chelsea) and so talented, Micky Lill, fast, direct and goal scorer , again unlucky with injuries. Labone, 20 years old and already impressive as a player and a man.

We always reckoned at the time Catterick won the league with Carey's team, probably unjustly, because Harry professionalised the whole set up.

But that team of Carey's in my minds eye was the most exciting I'd ever seen.

Same again Saturday. I wish.

I am a neighbour of a Burnley regular who won the league in 1960 and he rated Bobby Collins and Roy Vernon very highly indeed but he said it was frightening playing against Alex Young as "he could make a dick of you so sublime were his skills".

Vernon was magnificent, Young, magical , but it was Collins who began the process that led to the Championship in 1962-63 , though Catterick had mistakenly got rid of this great player and leader.

Couldn't believe it when we signed him. In my time up to then, we'd never signed a player as good as Bobby, so very good and so professional, he made the whole team play better and I bet they felt and played better just by having a player alongside them like Collins.

When they signed him, I don't think they had won in their first six games; they did that night 3-1 at Man City.

It was one of the headlines on the national news that morning, so amazing was it. To say I was gutted was an understatement.

At half-time, my Dad couldn't believe the scoreline and said to me "I'm going to have to take you here more often."

I live in Sydney now but will love my Blues for ever.

Brian (#12) I was in the Paddock that day in 78 to see my hero Bob Latchford notch up his 30th goal.

Great memories.

Tommy only played 34 times for the Blues but will always remain fresh in my memories. 㾸,000 from Clyde a bigger steal than the great train robbery.

As Rick has just said, he did seem to get rid of top players with a certain degree of haste. I could never take to Catterick really, even though he brought in Tony Kay. I just thought he was dour and introverted.

I just loved going to Goodison in the early Sixties, (a kid growing up on some wonderful football) I think for those few years it was absolutely magical. Rose tinted glasses maybe but it was brilliant. Collins, Vernon, Young, Gabriel, Parker, Ring, Brian and Jimmy Harris, Labby. great memories.

I think our generation were blessed to see an era were we had some great players and a great team. The youngsters now watching would die for what we watched, week-in and week-out.

I think the two things that upset and please me at the same time is the number of youngsters attending our games that pleases me and the fact that we are nowhere near the quality that I and fans of my age watched.

We used to have a few pints with Labone of a lunchtime in the centre of Liverpool in the few years before he died, and he told us about Harry's school reports after each game. These written reports about the performance of the team and each player. 'Alex Young, must try harder' and that sort of thing. He gave me a copy of one and I can't remember where I put it to keep it safe!

The pub was a Kopite pub, twinned with pubs in Norway, but they've got a picture of Brian on the wall in his Everton shirt now. What a gent. But he held Catterick in great respect, even if he was an arsehole,

I remember listening to an interview Merseyside had with Alex Young, Chris. He said that Bobby was a little General who wanted nothing less than all out effort on the pitch and woe betide you if you fell down on either effort or standard. I think we need someone like him, now.

A great little story about Brian Chris. What a great Captain of Everton and a true gentleman. We were indeed lucky.

I used to work with Tommy Jones (TE) and he was a lovely man. Still stayed in touch with Jimmy O' Neil who was poorly. He used to get the bus home, and he said he used to stand in the queue with his boots under his arm. If they'd played well everyone would be chatting away to him. If they'd played badly they all used to turn their backs and ignore him.

I met Jimmys son a few years ago and he was saying Jimmy was well looked after when he was ill. They put a stairlift in and converted things to make life a bit easier for him. Jimmy apparently was a great fan of Carey but not of Harry. He went to Stoke where he had a good career. People like Terry Conroy went to his funeral alongside some of his old Everton teammates. Mainly the old Irish contingent.

Another reason to feel good about supporting this club despite the on field and Management issues.

Some wonderful players mentioned. But in joining the praise for Bobby Collins I don't think anyone should downplay the positive effect Dennis Stevens had on the team when he came from Bolton. Much more of a grafter and defender than Collins, he provided the balance that enabled Young and Vernon to flourish.

I went to school in Crosby with Johnny Carey's son. My friend one day, gone the next!

Last year I had the pleasure of meeting Jimmy Harris along wih Derek Temple at the Dave Hickson book launch. A very pleasant man who feels, I think, that he sadly left the club just as greatness came upon the team. He did a fine job for the club at number 9 and number 7 through the late 50s and went on to Birmingham City where he won a Fair's Cup winner's medal, I believe.

He along with many of his fellow players must regret being born 50 years too soon and seeing mediocre and average players become millionaires, although he never moans about it when I've mentioned it to him.

Bobby Collins debut at Maine Road, 3-1 to us, was an afternoon Saturday match. I think we had lost about six on the trot, nabbed him from Celtic on the Friday.

Yes, Catterick was a bit of a tyrant. On a pre season tour to the USA, he sent Roy Vernon home after breaking a curfew. I knew Roy, I was working on the building in Maghull and had a few pints with him. Roy lived there, as quite a few players did also.

They took a corner which got headed in the air and was about to drop in the D, Alan Ball ran past us, we were standing at the front in the enclosure, screaming for the ball. John Hurst caught it on the volley and as its about to land on the half-way line in front of the dugout Bally volleys it with the outside of his foot. Jimmy Husband takes it on his chest as he moves into the area and volleys home as it drops.

The ball didn't touch the ground from the corner kick until it hit the back of the net. Aaaaaah!!

I'llhave you a penny bet and you can have two to one on it.!!!!!!!!

Was I in on the bet too?

Was at the game you refer to which was character building and quite probably why I am and remain an Evertonian, and why, in turn, my boys are.

My mate told me, not that I knew it, that Mr Moores kept two empty hangers and shirts in our dressing room. He told me that Moores had kept them, so that when we could sign foreign players, he was going to bring in Pushkas and Di Stefano.

Mind you, I was quite happy with Alex and Royston!

We have been so lucky two see two great, truly great, sides in the time that I've watched our equally great Football Club. I'd loved to have seen Dixie but me Dad told me about that great side, as he used to bike it down from Haydock to watch them.

I just hope, that this new shareholder of ours can bring about the step change we all want, so that the kids of today can grow up seeing a bit of what we've seen.

Roll on Saturday!

My mate and I went to visit him in hospital in the Fulham Road. He was in a ward with other guys and glad to see a couple of friendly faces – not exactly what today's players would endure!

I seem to recall another game against Chelsea, played in pouring rain, and I thought we scored 8 against them... or was that Southampton when Joe Royle & David Johnson grabbed a few?

Completely off thread but part of the memory stick – I remember the Hungary vs Brazil at Goodison '66, where Evertonians loved their number 9 and took to the Hungarian who played an absolute blinder with the crowd chanting his name, which escapes me at the moment.

Ah – where's me gin?

Yes, it was Southampton, 8-0 – Royle and Johnson shared seven goals between them and Alan Ball scored the other which was the best goal of the game; it was played in snow.

On the same day, Bournemouth beat Margate in the cup and one of their players scored TEN!!! He later went to Manchester United, I think he had been on Liverpool's books at one time... Mac something or other.

I know what you mean. I've been trying to close the loop on what I recall was one of the best goals I ever saw at Goodison.

I seem to think it was v Newcastle. John Hurst brought the ball out of defence, pushed it out to Colin Harvey on his right who hit a lovely diagonal ball forward and Jimmy Husband let it float over his right shoulder before volleying it into the net.

I seem to think it was around 1971-ish but been through our stats books and can't reconcile it.

Must have been another game!

Was it Florian Albert?

Yes that's the guy – I have been sitting here trying to recall the name – I can recall the chanting, just couldn't bring the name into focus. Thanks, Chris.

He didn't play centre-forward that night though, he played wide on the right. Bene was the centre-forward and he was great as well, must have been to push Albert to the wing.

One of the best goals I saw scored for the Blues was by the little known Welsh winger, Gerry Humphreys, versus Sheffield Wednesday, a great shot on the run from the angle of the penalty area, caught it perfectly and the ball flew in, would have beat any Goallie in the world.

Gerry was the step son of Jack Humphreys a Welsh international centre-half who played for Everton in the forties and fifties. I think young Gerry went to Crewe after leaving Everton.

I went with my Uncle to that Man City match.

When we were in the ground before KO, he pointed to the base of the floodlight pylon, "That s were I was sitting at half-time against Bolton in the semi-final, losing 4-0 in 1953.

Dave, where shall we meet to get that tuppence?

If I'm not mistaken (again!!) Alf Bond refereed that game and the final, Bolton v Blackpool, Bond was the famous one-armed referee.

Where to meet for this tuppence? I'll have to stay in this weekend to help pay for it. I'm in the Upper Bullens for every home game but not tomorrow, in the Upper Gwladys. You'll have to catch me to get it and I can' t half run, especially when I owe money.

Just checked some old stats and it may well have been the Chelsea game on 16 January 1971. We beat Chelsea 3-0, with Jimmy Husband scoring first early on. Henry Newton and Joe Royle bagged the others.

As you say, we also beat Chelsea at home in the 1970 fixture. That was a 5-2 win. Husband didn't play so I'll settle for the 1971 game as it seems to meet most of my recollections.

By the way, some great players at Chelsea then but clearly no match for our brilliant team at that time.

Thanks for the input, I can now relax!

By Leslie Edwards – a tight squeeze but Everton are still there. The goal which took them into the last eight (and to the successfully of reaching the semi-finals for the third time since the war) came at fifteen minutes.

On a pitch so sanded that this might almost termed the battle of Seaforth sands, Brain Harris, in brightest mood, jinked and lived towards the centre of the pitch were Wainwright seem waiting like Mr. Micawber for something to turn up.

Something did turn up – a short internal pass by Harris, Wainwright had only time to pivot on a grain of sand. Then with admirable quick-thinking he tapped the ball a few feet for on-running Farrell.

Farrell hit his shot low and true. Some Chelsea foot stretch out to the ball, but only deflected it. It scarcely altered course as it zipped over the line to the consternation of a Chelsea who had fought five times against Burnley and now found themselves on the collar again. That goal was never rubbed out. In a good match – remembering how treacherous the over sanded portions of the pitch were – it stood good to an end as bitter for Chelsea as it was a triumphant for Everton.

But the final ten minutes in which Farrell issued the order 'All hands to defence' were carried and Chelsea piling on all the laboured pressure they could had the Everton defence at full stretch and sometimes dithering.

Many left the ground long before the end – possibly because the suspense was more than they could bear.

To See and Hear

The bulk of the great crowd stayed to hear Liverpool final which cheered many and to witness an after-the-match scene which looked and sounded ugly. The trouble arose when hundreds of excited youngsters dashed on to the pitch, whooping with joy and ready to mob Everton in general and Farrell in particular. Usually police disperse these dancing dervishes with no trouble, now one enthusiast wanted to escape a lawful arm and the manner of his checking was such that tens of thousands became incensed.

Abuse was not the only missile to fall about the heads of constables who stood facing terraces and irate men who would not go home until they said their say (with many a wagging fore-finger) and had heard news from Manchester. The trouble is that anyone is allowed on the pitch.

Farrell barely survived his mobbing and must have been glad to reach the dressing room and the well done handsake from his chief Manager Cliff Britton whose comment was 'We won deservedly. But we should have made more of our well-made openings'.

Mr. Britton confirmed my view when he said he had never seen Cyril Lello play better. It may have been that all Everton were shod in rubbers (Chelsea's foot-wear was a mixture of rubber and leather) but I have never seen Lello bound so high, nor cover so much ground so usefully.

This saying a great deal when one recalls what a fine club man he is.

I'm not sure we could stomach such a game tomorrow any better than the fans at the time, but if the end result is the same I'm sure we'd all take it.

Match report from Everton Independent research Data The Blue Correspondent.

Everton v Chelsea, FA Cup 1956

Thanks to you, Dave Abrahams and Peter Lee for helping me finally nail my fading recollections of that great goal. I'm now convinced that was the goal I remember with such awe.

As a young lad I was absolutely mesmerised watching that great move develop so quickly and the quality of the finish was just inevitable. It's always stuck in my memory.

At that moment, I honestly believe I must have felt much the same as Alan Ball did when he described his feeling for Everton after scoring against Liverpool... "I just love this place – I want this place forever."

How could anyone support any other team!

Just a win will do me today.