Book Excerpt
Mike Owen

Back to his Roots
3 February 2006

Chapter 5
BACK TO HIS ROOTS
Manchester United; Inter Cities Fairs Cup 1964-65

....United came to Goodison on the day that The Righteous Brothers went to Number One with You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling. It's not something that could be said of the programme editor who, noting that Cologne were playing at Anfield the following night, told readers: "We want to wish Liverpool all success tomorrow, and may they become the first British club to win the European Cup. Let's get it on Merseyside. That's our primary wish." Hhmmm.

United started the game flying, playing with a panache and a passion that could only be admired. They took the lead in the sixth minute. Connelly picked the ball up on the halfway line and ran at the Everton defence then played a glorious one-two with Law before shooting home. The United fans danced in delight; the Evertonians just looked at each other. Busby's men had several opportunities to stretch their lead. Everton however continued to work at their game and began to push United on to the backfoot. Harvey fired into the side netting, Gabriel blasted over, Pickering went on a great run before sending in a shot that Dunne turned away for a corner. Vernon showed his verve and guile while Scott and Temple wasted opportunities. A Pickering free-kick was turned on to the post by Dunne. Everton had Goodison roaring in support.

Finally the breakthrough came. Nobby Stiles needlessly gave away a free kick, obstructing Vernon when there seemed to be little danger. It was indirect and Stevens gave the impression he was going to take it but ran over the ball. Pickering stepped forward and crashed a shot that ended in the back of the net. It had taken a deflection, but the Evertonians didn't care. It was 1-1 on the night and 2-2 on aggregate.

It was then all Everton, or so it seemed to the Blues in the crowd. Temple, Stevens and Harvey all had chances but United continued to hold out although it seemed only a matter of time before the Blues scored again. Pickering brought another save out of Dunne while Vernon hit the upright. If Everton needed a warning about their wastefulness in front of goal, it came when Best went on an electrifying run that nearly resulted in a wonder goal.

But it was with 15 minutes left that United carried out a smash and grab raid. Law had had a quiet game but played a neat pass into the path of Connelly. The winger hit a shot that West parried. The ball rolled sidewards in the most kindly manner possible for Herd who smashed it into the Everton net. "I remember David Herd scoring, that was at the Park End," said Labone. "I don't know where I was."

Out of the FA Cup and the Fairs Cup in the space of a week. We'd lost that winnin' feeling. Had our finishing let us down? Or was it more to do with United having so many matchwinners in their team? Law saw it as a tale of two goalkeepers, with one having a little more luck. He remarked in his book how United had been held in the first leg "thanks to a sparkling display from Everton's England goalkeeper Gordon West".

He said Everton had been favourites for the second leg but Dunne was their hero, "with several top-class saves including one which rolled along the goal-line, hit the post and bounced back into his arms". The path of that ball was yet another example of the thin line between success and failure. Der ball ist rund. In the FA Cup Leeds went on to Wembley, losing 2-1 as Liverpool won the FA Cup final for the first time in their history. Manchester United overcame Racing Strasbourg in the next round of the Fairs Cup but lost to Ferençvaros in a semi-final that went to a third game. United however won the championship, pipping Leeds on goal difference.

....Everton finished fourth in the title race, five points ahead of Liverpool. Another 40 years were to pass before we would finish ahead of Liverpool without us winning the league. Put another way: Apart from when we won the title in 1970, 1985 and 1987, we consistently finished below our neighbours over the following four decades. And yet so many of us have maintained over the years that we were always better than them. Of course we were. It's just that only us could see it.

Mike Owen

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