The Team of the Early and Mid 60s

When they went away, there was no chance of players staying out late because Catterick kept all the room keys and you had to ask him to let you back into your room at the end of the night, although I'm sure it didn't deter the likes of Vernon and Kay who were free spirits to say the least.

My earliest memories are associated with those times and it was the first great team for a generation. Sadly another generation would pass until we saw the next great team in the 80s. In fact, that has been the repeated pattern for us ? once a generation ? which means we're overdue. The other repeated pattern is the premature break up of great teams, caused by rash management action or by things outside our control like world wars, European bans etc etc.

Like you I remember those players fondly ? Vernon the genius (and my all time favourite); Harvey who I rate above Ball, Young, Ball ? great mates; Kay(who would have been a World Cup winner); Wilson; Parker (who often tumbled down the stairs on a Friday night at the Royal Tiger in Liverpool; Morrisey (known as 'Spread' or 'alehouse'), who put the fear of God into defenders all over the place; 'Angel' Gabriel, as hard as nails, who when he first came down from Scotland used to pick players up after he'd half killed them; Labone, the gentleman; Harris, the joker and very under-rated; Temple, who had a cannonball shot; Tommy Ring, who was past his best but for a season showed everybody what was meant by 'a tricky Scottish winger'' ? his debut was against Notts Forest and we were 6-0 up by half time mainly laid on by him; Pickering, who scored a hat trick on his debut, also against Notts Forest from memory, again 6 goals that day.

Both teams being 'sent off' against Leeds at Goodison; Fairs Cup against Dunfermiline on the night that the Cuba Missile Crisis was reaching its climax ? very scary, extremely dirty; first Derby for years in 1962 at Goodison; Vernon's typical penalty; Dennis Law playing for Manchester CITY and being outclassed by Vernon and Collins; Young soaring like an eagle against Spurs.

It's bloody endless! God how lucky were we?

Yes, John Carey produced a team that played great football and bought many of the great players, but it's Catterick who won the honours. I never understand how Catterick is quite so ignored.

Liverpool derby standouts were Liddel from bygone days who put the fear of God into me every time he got the ball... later on St John, Smith, Yeats and Hunt. If any Evertonian saw Billy Liddell play I'm sure he would agree with me that Liddell would be priceless today. He was strong, extremely fast, direct and with a bullet shot.

Despite gaining promotion in 1954, we struggled to make an impression in league or cup, and although Alex Parker and Bobby Collins weren't Carey signings, they were significant players in his era. What price now?

Players of the calibre of Tommy Ring, Roy Vernon, Mickey Lill, Jimmy Gabriel, and Billy Bingham.

Although Tommy Ring played only 26 games for Everton, I feel that most supporters of a certain age would consider him to be our best left winger, ahead of such fine players as Johnny Morrissey, and Dave Thomas.

David (#4), you are right in saying that it's easy to view the past through rose-tinted glasses, but I wonder how many of our players of the last decade will be remembered with such affection.

Chris (#2), I agree that we appear to be a club that epitomises the "Generation Game", and I also believe that today's generation deserve a taste of what we older supporters have enjoyed, and I must confess that I much prefer this kind of ToffeeWeb participation than the doom and gloom that is quite often the norm.

Thank you Richard for your article which has revived such pleasant memories.

All "ifs" and "buts" ? the story of being an Evertonian, eh?

Carey's emphasis on pure football was streets ahead of his counterparts. I was at Maine Rd when the tannoy graciously announced a warm welcome to Everton for one of Scotland's greats.
In days when football north of the border rarely got a mention on TV, I remember a comment that our mascot was a particularly solid little fellow. That was wee Bobby and what a pocket piece of brilliant dynamite he turned out to be.

Chris (#2); Sad news about Jimmy Fell passing away. Brings to mind those times travelling to away games on the old toiletless 'football specials' we would amuse ourselves with a quiz from from Charlie Buchan's Football Monthly. One question was: Name 5 Everton forwards each with four letters in his surname and at least two of those letters were an L.

Sob Sob... what happened since then? We still have some great players and youngsters to cheer but backroom shenanigans have cast a shadow over them.

On another thread, I spoke of seeing the early 60s team sometimes at Bootle Golf course in the clubhouse, more often than not, Roy Vernon would be chain smoking and the rest of the boys certainly enjoyed a drink or two, three ? no drink driving then...

Jimmy Husband? Wonderful player, he could dance around a defence all day, until I remember Dave McKay just about cutting him in half with one of the worst tackles I had ever seen in my life (still ranks up there). I think it was against Derby around 68 but not sure. I was probably 20 feet from it and it still makes my blood boil, I think it was the first day I swore... God help me.

As a kid I couldn't wait for Saturday. At times it was like watching poetry in motion and as, Chris #2 says "we were a lucky bunch.

Personally, I never liked Catterick. I never forgave him for breaking up the greatest team in England (I accept that's only my opinion), starting with the greatest general (including Alan Ball) that I've ever seen in a Royal Blue Shirt. Bobby Collins then went on to resurrect Leeds and, to me, it was the beginning of our downfall.

I remember listening to Alex Young being interviewed on Radio Merseyside. He recalled how Catterick would tel the Scottish FA that Alex was injured, so that he would be available for Everton. The greatest British player I've ever seen (I've had a couple of whiskies!) and if not that then he was the greatest artist ever to have graced a football field, in my time.

We also banned TV form our ground for years, therefore denying those great players a stage to show the rest of england, just how great they were.

Being a bitter and twisted Blue, it really galls me that the BBC went to Anfield, and that lot got associated with the "Liverpool Sound." That, to me, was the beginning of their rise, and our fall.

Still, I count myself a lucky man, to see the best team in England by a country mile.

Collins Young and Vernon were fantastic and Collins was a great long passer with a mean streak not unlike Scholes at his best.

Young was like the great Brazilian Tostao but he never liked physical games, he always played well at home especially against the London and Manchester clubs. Vernon was a wasp and the only player who reminded me of him was Rush... but Vernon was mean too and revelled in derby games.

Both of our city teams were great and the Manchester and London sides were also rans by comparison.

George Best actually said that we were their bogey team... those were the days!!

My Dad sent my Mam to queue up at the old Stadium for tickets for us both... poor dear was there for hours but we got our tickets and watched a 2-2 draw at Goodison. 72,000 fans watched the game in the season that we were Champions, playing some wonderful attacking football.

Vernon was pure utter class and as you say Catterick's fault was getting rid of players too soon.

My absolute hero ? and still is ? was Alex Young. That bugger jumped 10 minutes before the cross came in!! Hovered!! Bang!! In it went!! But, in hindsight, Vernon was THE MAN!

After the 11-Plus, I went to Cardinal Godfrey School and Tommy Smith had just left and gone to Liverpool. I remember he came back to give a talk. Not only did he get fucked off but I am positive his motor got trashed! Great days!!!