Everton Independent Supporters Association
Ian MacDonald

Bobby Latchford Walks on Water
13 September 2004

Na na na na na na!  During the mid-seventies, we did not have one of our greatest teams but we did have the greatest centre-forward in the land at the time: Big Bad Bob.  Bobby Latchford (the ‘Latch ’to his teammates) came to Goodison in a record-breaking deal worth £350,000.  We were still the Mersey Millionaires at that time — although it seems an age away now with our present finances.

As I said, this deal broke a the transfer record but it also broke many Evertonians hearts because, to prise this special player away from Birmingham, we had to sacrifice the last part of our Holy Trinity, Howard Kendal (plus Archie Styles).  So there were mixed feelings about this deal with Birmingham City. 

Howard had just received the first Sports Personality of the Year award given by the Echo.  Howard was still revered by the Blue half of Merseyside and almost single-handed it seemed he steered our team away from the relegation zone for those past two seasons.  So no, kids; relegation being threatened to this fallen giant of ours is not a new thing of today. 

As a boy at the time, Bob was my hero.  We have always had heroes in our teams — especially the Number 9s — it's part of the football fans make up anywhere: favourite team, favourite players, and a desire to have a hero you can identify with. You just know, if that hero played, you had a chance to win —  and in those barren years we desperately needed a hero. 

Bob came from the Black country in Birmingham; he has two footballing brothers and both were goalkeepers.  David (a teammate at Brum) and Peter (who played for Celtic and West Brom).  But in David’s case there was no brotherly love as in one game Bob in an Everton shirt got sent off for fouling his elder brother.  Birmingham, in the top flight at the time, had an exiting forward line consisting of the likes of Bob Hatton, Gordon Taylor (yep, the same man who runs the PFA), Bobby Latch and a certain young Rooney of the time — Trevor ‘I’m not really boring’ Francis. 

Trevor went on to be sold to Nottingham Forest in the first million-pound deal in football and the start of financial madness.  A psychological barrier was broken and madness ensued to beat the deal with average players.  Steve Daly from Wolves to City comes to mind.  When we bought Bob, in hindsight we should have pushed the boat out and got the rest of his forward-line teammates but it was not to be. 

We did have a replacement for Gordon Taylor to supply the crosses for Bob in the name of England winger Dave Thomas from QPR.  A white-booted, fast-footed winger who placed many a cross on Bob's head for goals.  Bob's speciality was the diving header as in the equaliser at Hillsborough in the League Cup replay.  There was a Gillette razor advert at the time and it coined the phrase ‘one two’.  Well, Davey Tommo was the ‘one’ sending the ball in and ‘two’ was Bob putting the ball in the back of the net. 

Bob actually scored a magnificent 138 goals in 289 appearances making him at the time the greatest Everton post-war goal scorer until a certain Mr Sharp came along a few years later.  Incidentally, Bob is only one of four Everton players to have scored in both League Cup and FA Cup semi-final (Bolton 1977 and West Ham 1980 — both replays!) — the other three were Duncan McKenzie, Kevin Sheedy and Adrian Heath.  Bob is still the leading goalscorer in the League Cup for us, scoring 19 goals in 28 appearances.  Bob made 12 England International appearances (under Don Revie) scoring 5 goals between 1977 and 1979.

Bob's first game was a real ding-dong affair at Upton Park (16 Feb 1974), with Everton losing to West Ham in a seven-goal thriller, Big Bob having a hand in all three of our goals.  His home debut was a drab 1-0 affair against Coventry City (23 Feb 1974) with only a 30-yd rocket from the man to remember.  It took Bob three games, when away at Leicester, for his Everton scoring run to start, scoring past Peter Shilton in a 1-2 defeat (2 Mar 1974).

As a guest of Designer City (thanks Vinny), I was invited to a Former Players Foundation tribute to the Latch at Orry’s in County Road.  I’ve been to a few dinners upstairs at Orry’s and it’s a great intimate atmosphere.  Drinks flow, the food is great, and the staff really go out of their way to make functions like these a night to remember.  So thanks to Joe and the staff once again. 

As we sat downstairs for a pre-function drink, in walks another record-breaking transfer at the time: Martin Dobson.  Martin came from Burnley for £300,000 and was a classy England midfielder with a terrific shot but not as hard as his teammate, Bruce Ricoh.  Next walks in Derek Mountfield, our Mick Lyons of the eighties, a great servant to the club and a local lad.  Derek came as an organiser of the Former Players Foundation; with Steve Milne they work tirelessly for this special charity.

When we sat down upstairs, I asked the lads around the table what their special memory of Bob was.  As you can all guess, the top answer was the last game of the season against Chelsea when Bob had to reach a figure of 30 goals in a season, but I’ll go into this later.  Other memories included Bob’s debut for England against Brazil at Wembley in 1978.  [Sorry Ian, his first England game was a World Cup Qualifier against Italy, 16 Nov 1977 — Ed]  His best goal, a headed goal, against Boro at home that Dixie would have been proud of.  Scoring four goals against QPR away (8 Oct 1977).  His curly perm!  Also high on the list his equalising goal at Elland Road in the FA Sup semi-final replay against West Ham in 1980, where he jumps on the fence like an agitated Gorilla screaming pure joy at the massed Evertonians with noise greeting that goal that will live long in fans' memories. 

Also at Elland Road again (1975) in a 0-0 draw, Bob nearly broke that long running winless hoodoo over 25 years ago but his shot in the box went agonizingly wide.  “Bob was a bright light in otherwise forgettable seventies” was a shout I’ve heard before.  Carl said his greatest memory of Bob was not a goalscoring feat but a different type of feet.  Whilst in hospital at 11, he was seriously ill, a relative brought in a pair of signed royal blue slippers.  The writing depicted ‘Get well soon from Bobby Latchford who walks on Water’! 

And who could forget Bob’s equaliser at Hillsborough, the second game in the League Cup Final trilogy against Aston Villa.  Again, the atmosphere was akin to the Bayern Munich night, well nearly.  Bob later on said he wished that goal was the winning goal, not the equaliser. 

All 60 or so diners were asked if they wanted to go into a special raffle for a gift guaranteed not to disappoint.  Nearly everyone donated £20 for the Foundation charity.  Mark Denny had brought some photographs to be signed by Bob depicting his scoring feats.  These photos will later be auctioned off for a charity night in aid of a great Evertonian who has passed away lately leaving his widow with very little.  Acts like these and what Evertonians did for the late Bernard Murphy’s family show what an extended family we really are. 

Bob entered the room to great applause and that song about impersonating Christ walking on water.  This song originally came from when Bob scored at a waterlogged pitch at the Baseball ground.  From the travelling Blues the chant went up “Bobby Latchford walks on water na na na na na na ”,  Scouse humour, eh!

Bob was born on 18 January 1951 so that makes him fifty-odd,  but believe me he looks younger now than when he had his black beard look in the seventies.  Later, when Bob stood up to answer questions, he revealed why he eventually shaved his beard off.  He was in hospital at the time having a cartilage operation which was major thing then.  He was bored and he opened a package from Wilkinson Sword with a razor and a few blades, it was designed to tempt him into endorsing their product. So Bob thought "Why not?"  The nurse who actually did the shave for Bob was in the audience.  How spooky is that? Then a shout from the crowd went up “was that the only area you shaved?” 

The guy is a hero in the same class as Bally and the Golden Vision to name a few, there is real affection for these great servants of the club.  But Bob can’t get over the adoration and is gob-smacked by it all.  You see Bob now lives in Salzburg in Austria and has married a German girl.  They have their first baby now, a nine-month-old son who can now play for Germany or England — or even Everton hopefully if he’s like his Dad — and leads a normal family life.

 But when Bob comes over, which is not often enough for many, he can’t get his head around the fact that, after over 25 years, he is still idolised.  It’s a pity there was not a home game for him to appear on the pitch for us en masse to show our appreciation of him, but he was at City to see us win, commentating on the radio.  Before our buffet meal we were all given our raffle prizes, which — wait for it — was a signed Everton jersey by the man of the moment himself.  Wow, every one got one.  The only downside was that mine was an XXL size and I had to swap it for a medium.  

As Sir Bob stood up to take questions, Derek Mountfield was asked about his memories of the man.  Derek said that at 15 he stood on the terraces with scarves around both wrists and around his neck, and idolised him.  He was a season-ticket holder and was at that game when Bob scored his 30th league goal.  He was with his mate and, as the celebrations began following the goal, he found himself on the hallowed turf during the mass pitch invasion.

Derek went to the Villa League Cup Final Replay at Old Trafford when Mike Bernard went off injured and we ended up with ten men.  It did have an effect on the result as just before the end of extra time with a penalty shoot out beckoning, Little scored.  Bob added that in just one moment the defence lapsed through tiredness and it was not to be.  Bob didn’t win anything with Everton, which he regrets.  He said we were an attractive side though, we had the likes of Duncan McKenzie, Bruce Ricoh, Martin Dobson, Dave Thomas, Mick Lyons (who ran through brick walls for us), David Jones and Andy King amongst others.

Bob went on that, during this period, Liverpool were dominant, he regrets not scoring for us against the dark side in a Blue shirt.  He said he missed a sitter in the Andy King derby-winning game (28 Oct 1978 — remember the copper: “Get off the pitch, sir ”during a TV interview at the end of Andy’s most memorable game?).  But Bob scored against them for Birmingham and later Swansea.  He even gave his reason for joining Swansea as wanting to play in Europe!  Bob finished his career in Holland playing for FC Breda. 

He was embarrassed when asked about the altercation with Tommy Smith at Anfield which nearly caused a riot on and off the field.  Bob says that Tommy was a really nice guy off the pitch but on it, well...  The player who he admired as the best defender he played against was Alan Hansen, — boooooooo!  Bob told us there were a lot of good centre-halves around at the time: Roy McFarland, Kevin Beattie, Terry Butcher and Tommy Smith, but Hansen got his vote for fairness and technical ability.

When asked who he thought we should have bought during his stay at Everton, he said like a rocket “Peter Shilton” — he was world class.  Bob did add that he would have loved his strike partner Bob Hatton from his Birmingham forward line to have been at Everton.  Hatton was a great pro and a prolific goalscorer himself.  In fact, Brum were under pressure to sell either Trevor Francis or Bob himself to appease the banks.  Brum choose Bob as Trevor was the Rooney of the time. 

Bob described Francis as the best 16-year-old he had ever seen and is not as boring as he comes across.  Funny that when ever I see Trevor Francis I can’t help but think that the lad is the double of that only Brummie who is genuinely funny, Brum fan Jasper Carrot.  What player was his favourite partner up front at Everton?  Duncan McKenzie, mad but what a player, easy to play with and always funny.  Martin Dobbo told us that Duncan had a problem with Gordon Lee.  At one game during half time we were down 3-0 and the gaffer came in going ape shit.  Duncan put his fag out got up and went into the toilet and locked the door.  The manager banged on the door telling Duncan to get out now!  “Not now boss.  I can only deal with one shit at a time”!!!

Bob told us of the time he was in the treatment room for his knee.  Jimmy McGregor, our physio at the time, had all weird and wonderful devices to help quicken the healing process.  Latch had an electric-type blanket put on his knee and said to Jimmy, "That’s not going to work, Jim."  "Look, Latch you score the goals, I’ll get you fit, ok!" ...  "Jim, it’s on the wrong knee, mate".

When asked if he had a routine before the game, Bob said he would change in a certain way.  "First the shirt went on, then a massage 20 minutes before the game.  The shorts went on as I went through the door and a piece of gum in my mouth.  As I went on the pitch and I always had a ball with me.  I followed the goalie out then kicked the ball I carried into the net."  Asked, "Who would you back in a fight between Billy Bingham and Gordon Lee?" he answered, "Billy Bingham on points — for talking alone!"

How did Bob feel when Frank Lampard senior scored that winning goal late on at Elland Road?  "Gutted, Frank never got in the opponent’s box but for that night it's just one of those things — just like Chris Nichol who never scores as well at but he did at Old Trafford in the League Cup Final.  What about playing for Everton in the League Cup Final at Wembley?  "Well, it was a great honour, Wembley is such a historic place, a great occasion for any footballer — pity the game was such a dull affair." 

I remember going to that first game against Aston Villa in 1977; it was said that Everton took the biggest support ever for a home final — three-quarters of the crowd were desperate Evertonians baying to win this illusive cup. 

"Is Everton still in your heart?" he was asked.

"I still can’t get over the adulation after all these years.  Everton’s in my blood now as with most players that have played for this great club.  There is a special relationship with the fans here, I’m honoured that fans still want to see me and genuinely care for me.  It's overwhelming being back on Merseyside."

"How did you and your family feel when winning your first England cap?"

"Again, it was a great honour.  My mother died in 1970 but my father was delighted at that game at Wembley in 1977 for a friendly against Brazil.  [Err.. that really was against Italy — Ed]  It was a great moment in a sporting context, pulling on the white shirt with the three lions on, money was not important then.  I enjoyed playing the game, scoring goals.  Money came after that!" 

You can imagine the applause Bob got for that last statement in these days of apparent downright greed in the game.  Everton came fourth in the league during one campaign in the seventies, enough to get you in the Champions League these days. 

"How do you think Everton could have done in Europe then?" 

"Who knows, Porto won the European Cup this year, unfancied but workman-like."

There is a moment that defines and cements a player’s greatness at a Club.  For Big Bad Bob, that moment was in the last game of the season against Chelsea in 1978 at Goodison.  For the younger readers, I’ll tell the story leading up to that game and why it was so special in our barren years.  As his record shows, Bob was a goal machine for Everton — scoring every other game against hard robust defences with little protection that forwards enjoy now from referees.  It had been six years since any top flight forward had scored 30 league goals or more in a season.  Francis Lee of Man City was the last player scoring 33 but nearly half came from the penalty spot.

There were concerns that goalscoring feats had become stale and a thing of the past.  Addidas and the Daily Express threw down the gauntlet at the beginning of the season that a prize of £10,000 would be given to the player first to score 30 league goals.  Bob was stuck on 28 before the Chelsea game, it’s funny that 50 years earlier at the final game against Arsenal, the legendary Dixie Dean needed to score three to gain immortality and achieve that magical 60.  To add to the spice, it was also Everton’s 100th aniversary. 

Everton tore into the Southerners and went 3-0 up before Bob got onto the score sheet.  Then, just like at Dixie’s game, the minutes were ticking away towards the end of the game.  Everton were 5-0 up and a penalty was given.  Now Bob was not really our penalty taker but on this occasion who would deny his quest for a moment of glory?  Bob hit a powerful shot directly at the goalkeeper but such was the force he couldn’t keep the ball out.  Bedlam ensued and a pitch invasion by the crowd.  Bob was carried off as a real hero.  It was not a medal-winning goal but try telling that to the jubilant Everton crowd at the time.  Bob on that day became forever in our minds as a great centre-forward in the Everton tradition following the footsteps of Dixie, Lawton, Hickson, Royle and Young.  For six successive seasons, Bob was our leading goal scorer.

As you can imagine, the 30-goal haul and the £10,000 winnings were a main feature of the night.  When asked did he feel like keeping the prize money all to himself, a typical pro's answer came.  "It was a team game and a team effort to get to me scoring all those goals so I shared my winnings with the squad and the staff."  In fact Bob announced he only got £5,000 and all will be revealed in a forthcoming book jointly written by Bob and Steve Milne as to why.  Bob said the feeling of that goal was incredible and the joy it gave to the fans. 

The sharing of the money reminded me of the time when Bob's manager Gordon Lee won the Manager of the Month with a gallon of Bell’s whisky the sponsors of the award.  Gordon, a teetotaler, divided his prize into miniatures and gave the bottles out to the crowd.  I wonder if any fan still has that token gift?

Later on, many of us had photos taken with our idol.  It was gone past midnight but I was ringing friends up and passing the phone to Bob to talk to the gob-smacked fans.  One in Southern Ireland forgot to shut the shop up such was the state of shock he was in.  One or two never answered their phone and when I told them who I had at the other end of the phone, it was like telling them they forgot to put the winning lottery numbers on. 

My friend Eddy told me his brother, George, put two pounds on Bob to get to the 30-goal hall to win the newspaper's prize.  Two pounds at 100 to 1 was a hell of a win back in 1978.  Bob comes across as a genuinely nice man — he took time to talk to the fans and was shy of the hero status we adorn him with.  I look forward to his book and meeting him again. 

Bob was out in Town on Saturday night to have dinner with an old friend — imagine being in a restaurant and seeing Bob at the next table.  Disbelief comes to mind as this man was a God to us and walks on water.

Ian Macdonald
Independent Blues