Saturday, 7 May 1994

On the final day of the 1993-94 Premier League season, Mike Walker’s Everton side simply had to secure all 3 points at home to a strong Wimbledon side.

Swindon Town had already claimed the first relegation place, meaning that the other two spots would be filled by either Oldham Athletic, Sheffield United, Ipswich Town, Southampton or Everton.

The Toffees sat third from bottom on 40 points heading into the final game of the season, and their start to the match couldn’t have been much worse. Swedish international Anders Limpar gave away a penalty in the 4th minute, and an already nervous Goodison Park held its breath as Wimbledon’s Dean Holdsworth ran up to take the spot kick.

The Dons’ striker scored, but only just, and Goodison Park fell silent but for the cheers from the travelling Wimbledon support. Walker’s men needed to refocus from this early setback; the next goal could prove crucial. However, in the 20th minute, Wimbledon had the ball in the Everton penalty area, and a shot from Andy Clarke was deflected into the back of his own net by Gary Abblett.

The Dons were now 2-0 up, and the Everton faithful started to accept that their team was going to be relegated, barring some kind of miracle. 

Step forward, Graham Stuart.

The Toffees were handed a lifeline in the 24th minute when Limpar was adjudged to have been brought down in the penalty area. Up stepped Stuart in front of the building site that was the Park End to coolly place the ball into the bottom left corner, game on!

With the fans willing them on, Everton were resurgent, and in the 67th minute, Goodison Park was treated to a spectacular equalising goal from an unexpected source. Welsh midfielder Barry Horne burst through the centre of the pitch, controlled a bouncing ball, and let rip with a powerful effort from 25 yards out, which flew into the top corner.

The Toffees continued to push, knowing that they simply had to score again or all their efforts so far would have been in vain. In the 81st minute, a long kick forward from Southall got Everton on the attack and Limpar cut inside from the left-hand side and played the ball in to the feet of Stuart.

Stuart, whose penalty gave the Evertonians hope, played a quick one-two with Tony Cottee on the edge of the Wimbledon box and, on receiving the ball back, took a quick shot from outside of the box which caught Hans Seger off guard and the ball bobbled over the hand of the diving goalkeeper.

Everton had completed the comeback of all comebacks, beating Wimbledon 3-2 and, thanks to Chelsea beating Sheffield Utd, secured their Premier League safety. This game has gone on to be dubbed the ‘Great Escape’ and Graham Stuart became an instant cult hero with the fans.

While no true Everton fan really wants to classify an escape from relegation as part of Goodison’s greatest games, it’s hard to deny this match as being so. There was so much emotion involved, and escaping relegation on the final day is always thrilling; to do so from two goals down is unforgettable.

Starting Lineups

Everton: Southall, Ablett, Unsworth, Watson, Snodin, Ebbrell, Horne, Limpar, Stuart, Cottee & Rideout.

Wimbledon: Segers, Barton, Elkins, Blackwell, Scales, Gayle, Earle, Fear, Jones, Clarke & Holdsworth.

Scorers:

Dean Holdsworth (4 Pen), Gary Ablett OG (20), Graham Stuart (24 Pen, 81), Barry Horne (67)

Attendance: 31,233

Reader Comments (11)

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Peter Mills
1 Posted 13/10/2025 at 13:22:32
It was a very unusual game, with dubious goals. I suspect we’ll never know the full truth about that day.
Jeff Spiers
2 Posted 13/10/2025 at 19:11:56
Couldn't make the game, nerves were a total wreck. Couldn't stay in the city, had to get away. Took the missus to Blackpool. Radio was playing up. Then, 2 nil down. On me Birthday.

Stood on the Pier, jump now. Missus just didn't get it. She hated football with a passion! It seemed like hours on the way home. Tried the radio again. It worked. The rest is history.

John Burns
3 Posted 13/10/2025 at 19:23:11
Even thinking about it still sends shivers down my spine. Even the Palace escape didn't seem as nerve wracking as the Wimbledon game.

Maybe it was because it was the first time in our lifetime we had been so near to losing our top flight status.

Jamie Sweet
4 Posted 13/10/2025 at 20:57:36
I was only young at the time, living in Sussex. My Dad (a Palace fan but one who appreciated how much it meant to me) asked me if I wanted to travel to Goodison for the game and try and get tickets.

I had never been to The Old Lady before, and ultimately decided I didn't want my first game to be potentially the worst day of my life if we didn't win, so I ended up just lying in bed, listening to the game on my radio.

It wasn't just the fact we went 2-0 down, but the manner in which it happened (penalty and own goal) that made me take a swipe at the radio and send it across my room. I just lay there in my bed, numb, tears filling my eyes.

It felt like I had been lying there for hours when something told me to go and retrieve the radio and plug it in again. By this point we had pulled one back and I suddenly got a sense of hope and a renewed optimism.

The rest, as they say, is history. Cue jumping around my room like a nutter, flying down the stairs, hugging my Mum, hugging my Sister, hugging the cat (none of whom appreciated how much it meant to me!)

I then remember watching on TV the scenes at full time. The pitch invasion. The pure emotion of it all. Incredible scenes.

There was one particular kid that the camera focused on, perched on his Dad's shoulders out there on the hallowed turf having the time of his life.

I briefly pondered how that could have been me.

But I didn't really care. We had done it, and that's all that really mattered.

Ian Bennett
5 Posted 13/10/2025 at 21:57:30
I went to Wimbledon, Coventry and Palace.

All dreadful occasions leading up to it, and all sheer release after it.

Palace wasn't technically the last day, but an extra 30+ years on the clock, definitely made it more real.

Youth naively ruled out going down years ago, but Palace I feared the worst. 2 nil down it was rock bottom. The chips were down, the fire was out.

Michael Kenrick
Editorial Team
6 Posted 13/10/2025 at 22:04:51
Back in the day, we had a section called Fans' Stories and a feature called THAT Game! attracted a lot of contributions.
Dave Abrahams
7 Posted 14/10/2025 at 12:58:23
No mention of the substitutions in that game.

I'm sure John Ebbrell went off, and he looked like he was glad to be taken out of that very emotional atmosphere, was it Stuart Barlow who came on to replace him? Seems a strange swop if it was!

Michael Kenrick
8 Posted 14/10/2025 at 13:27:19
What a memory, Dave!

Or had you already checked, you wind-up merchant?

Barlow subbed on for Ebbrell after 80 minutes.

James Hughes
9 Posted 14/10/2025 at 14:26:05
i sat in my spare room, playing golf on my PC.couldn't deal with it
Thankfully didn't own a moblile in those days but had a few phone calls in the morning from RS telling me to look forward to relegation

The sense of release when we survived has stayed with me and there was a picture of a young lad on his knees in the center circle, that feeling has has never left.

As Paisley said, football is not about life or death, it is more important than that. I am so proud our wonderful club gave him a home after his retirement.

Phil Roberts
10 Posted 14/10/2025 at 14:31:24
Trying not to listen but the kids, 8 and 6 said we had pulled a goal back - now 2-1
I DONT WANT TO KNOW. GO AWAY.
Shhh, says my wife. Daddy is very upset.
By 1pm I could stand it no longer and I went out to the garden. No idea what job I did but my eyes were teary.
Just before 2, my wife came out holding the cordless phone. Its West Ham, the nickname of our friend Dave.
"Congratulations on 41 years in the Premier League".
Cue a scream that may have been heard at Goodison (19 miles in a straight line - yeah probably!)

Just over 6 months later I took the eldest to his first game as we rolled over to Coventry. 3 points from 30 and 22nd. May 1995 was going to be even worse.
I persuaded a steward to let him walk on the pitch - so he did not see me cry. My beloved Everton. How?

Dave Abrahams
11 Posted 14/10/2025 at 17:57:40
Michael (8),

No wind-up Michael, I just didn't trust my own memory because you might have thought we would have brought a defender on to hold onto the lead although in my head I thought Barlow had come on.

By the way, Michael, check how many subs were allowed those days, it was 30 years ago! I definitely don't remember how many.

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