Column

Memory Lane – Match 32

Games against Birmingham, Southampton, Liverpool and Tottenham

Forty Years Ago – 1973-74

Birmingham City, Bob Latchford’s former employers would be hoping that their former star wouldn’t embarrass them as Dave Latchford – Bob’s brother – kept goal for the visitors. Howard Kendall must have found it a strange day as he returned to Goodison Park as a member of the away side, having spent the previous seven years at Everton FC.

The match-day magazine had a two-page article on Everton’s record signing and Bob Latchford said that it had been a crazy few weeks since he signed for the Blues. He described how moving clubs affected himself and his family and the 101 things that had to done after he signed on the dotted line, selling his old house, finding a new home on Merseyside, relocating his children and all the other bits and pieces that needed to be attended to, all in the full glare of the national media.

Bob explained that moving clubs wasn’t as simple as it appeared to the outside world. Adjusting to new teammates, new coaching methods and the need to be accepted by his colleagues at the club were all things that had to be negotiated in order for Bob to settle into his new surroundings. Commenting on his first experience of wearing the Royal Blue of Everton at Goodison Park, Bob described how the pace of the game against Coventry and the electric atmosphere, had sapped the energy of both teams and that is why the game faded in the second period. Bob had been disappointed that he had failed to open his goalscoring account during the encounter with Coventry, but he said

“…stepping out at Goodison Park for that home debut was a wonderful experience. I know the Everton fans wish me well and hope I can succeed…..I see that my Brother, Dave, has regained his place in the Birmingham City side…I have already scored against my other brother Peter when Albion were in the First Division. I am looking forward to making it a double should Dave turn out today.”

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Birmingham City had gained a point from their most recent trip to Goodison Park on Boxing Day 1972 in front of 39,363 fans. Joe Harper had scored for Everton, but a goal from Bob Latchford – his first goal at Goodison Park - prevented the Toffees from claiming the victory. Bob Latchford had also registered a goal against Everton in the earlier meeting at St Andrews. Everton: Lawson; Wright (Lyons), Styles Kendal, Kenyon: Hurst, Harper, Bernard; Belfitt, Buckley, Connolly.

On 14 November 1959, both Everton and Birmingham City found themselves in the lower reaches of the First Division table when they met at Goodison Park, Everton were in nineteenth place and Birmingham City were two places below them, so it was crucial for either side to earn the points to stave off the threat of relegation. Fortunately for the majority of the fans in the 19,172 crowd Alan Shackleton (5’) gave Everton the perfect start when he struck the first goal to give the Toffees the lead and just five minutes later Alan Shackleton (10’) scored his and Everton’s second to give the Blues a precious two goal half-time advantage. Jimmy Harris (55’) all but made the points safe for the hosts before Alan Shackleton (70’) completed his hat-trick which made it a special day for the player, the club and its fans as they celebrated a fine four goals to nil victory. Everton: Dunlop; Parker, Jones TE, King, Labone; Harris B, Thomas; Shackleton, Collins, Laverick.

On Easter Monday 1963, Everton entertained a Birmingham City team threatened by relegation and the majority of the 50,122 fans who were in attendance expected a handsome victory for the hosts who were vying to secure the First Division Title for the first time in twenty-four years. However, Birmingham City refused to accept their apparent fate and despite going behind to an Alex Young (27’) strike midway through the first-half, had the audacity to equalise with a goal from Jimmy Bloomfield (44’) on the stroke of half-time. Ken Leek (68’) gave the visitors a shock lead, but just nine minutes later Alex Scott (77’) netted an equaliser to earn Everton a valuable if somewhat disappointing point in their quest for the title and Birmingham City were left to fight for their First Division lives with the nagging feeling that despite leaving Goodison with a point they perhaps should have taken both back to the second city. Everton: West; Parker, Meagan, Harris, Gabriel; Kay, Scott, Stevens; Young, Vernon, Morrissey.

The following day Everton travelled to St Andrews and won both the points courtesy of a goal from Roy Vernon (80’) ten minutes from time to put Everton’s assault on the title back on track and perhaps just as importantly put the squad in the right frame of mind to take on fellow title contenders Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park the following Saturday. Everton: West; Parker, Meagan, Gabriel, Heslop; Kay, Scott, Stevens, Young, Vernon, Morrissey.

The following season (63/64) the defending champions Everton, wasted no time in breaching lowly Birmingham’s defence at Goodison Park as Dennis Stevens (1’) opened the scoring after only 25 seconds, but the crowd of 36,252 had to wait for an hour for Everton to add to that strike, when Roy Vernon (60’) doubled the Toffees lead and Barry Rees (75’) ensured that Everton gained both points from their three goals to nil victory, which lifted them to fourth place in the table and left Birmingham a place above the relegation spots. Everton: West, Brown, Meagan, Gabriel, Labone; Kay, Scott, Stevens; Rees, Vernon, Temple.

The Match: Bob Latchford couldn’t match Alan Shackleton’s hat-trick but he did at least open his Everton account as the Blues ran out comfortable winners from this encounter with Birmingham City. Mike Lyons (46’) had made the breakthrough for Everton shortly after half-time but the moment that the Evertonians had anxiously awaited finally arrived with 25 minutes of the match remaining as Bob Latchford (65’) opened his Goodison account. Bob Hatton (69’) dampened the mood slightly as he pulled a goal back for the visitors but four minutes later Bob Latchford (73’) restored the Toffees two goal advantage before Mike Lyons (87’) added gloss to the victory by registering his second and Everton’s fourth goal of the day.

1973-74 – First Division; Saturday, 9 March 1974
Birmingham City @ Goodison Park, Score: 4-1 (Latchford 2, Lyons 2) Attendance: 33,944
Everton: Lawson; Darracott, Seargeant, Hurst, Kenyon; Clements, Bernard, Buckley; Latchford, Lyons, Connolly

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Thirty Years Ago 1983-84

Southampton’s visit to Goodison Park for this fixture would be a dress rehearsal for the upcoming FA Cup Semi-Final to be played at Highbury in a fortnight’s time. For Everton following their brave but ultimately fruitless League Cup Final encounter with their neighbours it represented an opportunity to pit their abilities against a team who had enjoyed a very good season. Howard Kendall, however, didn’t believe that the game would have any bearing on the Semi as he thought that league games bore no resemblance to the nervousness and uniqueness of one off cup matches and particularly Semi-Final matches.

Prior to Kick-Off the Everton players kicked 24 signed footballs into the crowd as a way of thanking the fans for their support in the Milk Cup final(s) against Liverpool. Kevin Ratcliffe explained

“We wanted to show our appreciation in some way and Adrian Heath came up with the idea. It was a bit of a rush job on the day before the game, but we autographed as many as we could….We only wish it had been possible to do it for everyone and not just the 24 people who caught the footballs.”

In last season’s encounter played at Goodison Park on Tuesday 15 March 1983, Everton had beaten Southampton (2-0) in front of 15,002 fans. Adrian Heath and Kevin Sheedy had been the marksmen for the Toffees. Everton: Arnold; Stevens, Bailey, Ratcliffe, Higgins; Richardson, Irvine, McMahon; Sharp, Heath, Sheedy.

Everton’s biggest win against Southampton (8-0) at Goodison Park had occurred on 20 November 1971. David Johnson (13’) opened the floodgates and just three minutes later Joe Royle (16’) doubled Everton’s lead. David Johnson (28’) made it three and Joe Royle (40’) matched his goalscoring partner with another goal before Alan Ball (44’) added a fifth on the stroke of half-time. A shell-shocked Southampton may have been forgiven for thinking that they could escape further punishment in the second period but on the hour mark Joe Royle (60’) completed his hat-trick and then scored his fourth (72’) and Everton’s seventh, and David Johnson also achieved his hat-trick which completed the rout and sent the majority of the 28,718 fans home very happy indeed. Everton; West, Wright, McLaughlin, Kendall, Kenyon; Scott, Johnson, Ball; Royle, Hurst, Whittle.

Everton Reserve team had slipped to defeat at Blackburn (2-1) and coach Graham Smith felt his side hadn’t played well, particularly in the first-half but felt that they could have sneaked a draw following their second-half performance. Everton: Arnold; Hughes, Higgins, Bateman, Macowat, Curran, King, Bishop, Higginbottom (Marshall), Rimmer S, Wakenshaw.

Eight days later the reserves travelled to another East Lancashire venue and lost to Burnley (1-0) which meant that the team only had two games in hand on Liverpool and were now five points adrift of the Central League leaders.

The Match: Andy Gray gave the Blues’ a morale-boosting victory when he scored the only goal of the game at Goodison to secure the points for the Toffees, which put them in a healthy position in the table and dented Southampton’s confidence in the process. Howard Kendall had been impressed with his sides’ reaction to the Milk Cup Final defeat at Maine Road. He was delighted in the way the team had gone about beating Southampton and he was pleased that his team had put plenty of pressure on the Saints defence and but for an outstanding display by Peter Shilton the win could have been more emphatic. Howard described Andy Gray’s goal as typical Andy and said that even Peter Shilton had no chance in stopping what was a great header by Andy.

1983-84 – First Division; Saturday, 31 March 1984
Southampton @ Goodison Park, Score: 1-0 (Gray), Attendance: 20,244
Everton: Southall; Stevens, Bailey, Ratcliffe, Mountfield; Reid, Harper (Steven), Heath; Sharp, Gray, Richardson

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Twenty Years Ago – 1993-94

Mike Walker’s Everton side travelled the short distance to Anfield to take on Roy Evans’ Liverpool team. In what would be Mike Walker’s first taste of the passion and commitment of a Merseyside derby encounter, he would have little in the way of experiencing the cauldron which is Anfield when Everton were the visitors, although he had managed a team who had gone to Munich and been successful and he had also faced Norwich’s fiercest rivals Ipswich at Portman Road but neither of those experiences were likely to have prepared him for the reception that he and his side would receive at Anfield.

Since the Second-World War Everton’s managers hadn’t fared too well in their Anfield derby baptisms. Theo Kelly had been the first to try his hand when his team travelled to Anfield on Saturday 21 September 1946 for a First Division encounter with George Kay’s Liverpool. An honourable draw was the result of the game but the home team would go on to finish as Champions of England in that campaign.

Everton: Burnett; Saunders, Greenhalgh, Mercer, Jones TG, Bentham, McIlhatton, Fielding, Higgins, Stevenson, Eglington.
Liverpool: Sidlow; Lambert, Ramsden, Taylor, Hughes, Paisley, Nieuwenhuys, Jones, Stubbins, Balmer, Liddell.

Three years later Cliff Britton was hoping to improve on Theo Kelly’s record when his side visited Anfield on 5 February 1949 but yet again the 50,132 fans in the crowd failed to see a goal as the outcome was another goalless draw.

Everton: Sagar; Saunders, Hedley, Farrell, Jones TG, Lello, Powell, Wainwright, Catterick, Fielding, Eglington.
Liverpool: Sidlow; Shepherd, Lambert, Taylor, Jones, Paisley, Payne, Balmer, Stubbins, Done, Liddell.

Following relegation for both sides during the 1950s, fourteen years would elapse until an Everton manager would take on the old enemy in a league encounter at Anfield. On Monday April 8 1963, champions elect Everton managed by Harry Catterick made the short journey across the park hoping to gain both the points to enhance their title credentials. Despite their best endeavours' Catterick’s Everton could not improve on their previous managers achievements and yet another goalless draw was played out in front of 56,070 fans. However, the Toffees would go on to win the First Division title.

Everton: West; Parker, Meagan, Gabriel, Labone, Kay, Scott, Stevens, Young, Vernon, Morrissey.
Liverpool: Lawrence; Byrne, Moran, Milne, Yeats, Stevenson, Callaghan, Hunt, Arrowsmith, Melia, Lewis.

Billy Bingham’s first taste of Anfield as Everton manager took place on Saturday20 April 1974 and he too continued the trend of the previous Everton managers by leaving Anfield with a point from a goalless encounter with Bill Shankly’s Liverpool team, much to the disappointment of the 55,848 people assembled in the stadium.

Everton: Lawson; Bernard, Seargeant, Clements, Kenyon, Hurst, Harvey, Jones, Latchford, Lyons, Telfer.
Liverpool: Clemence; Smith, Lindsay, Thompson, Cormack, Hughes, Keegan, Hall, Heighway, Boersma, Callaghan.

The next Everton manager to visit Anfield for the first time was Gordon Lee when his team took on Bob Paisley’s Liverpool on 22 October 1977 and as you may have guessed by now the 51,668 witnessed an almost predictable scoreline as the teams failed to provide a goal for them as the two evenly matched teams occupied second and third place in the table.

Everton: Wood; Jones, Pejic, Lyons, Higgins, Rioch, King, Dobson, Latchford, Pearson, Thomas.
Liverpool: Clemence; Neal, Jones, Hansen, Kennedy, Hughes, Dalglish, Case, Heighway, Toshack, Callaghan.

Howard Kendall was the first manager to break the sequence of goalless draws in an Everton manager’s first time in charge of an Everton team in a league fixture at Anfield, unfortunately for him and the Evertonians it had been a defeat to Liverpool (3-1) in a match that took place on Saturday 7 November 1981. Kenny Dalglish (47’, 52’) scored twice within a period of five minutes and Ian Rush (75’) added a third before Eamonn O’Keefe (80’) had been dismissed. Mick Ferguson (83’) became the first Everton player since the war, to score at Anfield, in his managers’ debut encounter.

Everton: Arnold; Stevens, Bailey, Higgins, Lyons, Lodge, McMahon, O’Keefe, Ferguson, Ainscow (Biley), McBride.
Liverpool: Grobbelaar; Neal, Lawrenson, Thompson, Kennedy (Johnson), Hansen, Dalglish, Whelan, Rush, McDermott, Souness.

Colin Harvey became the sixth Everton manager to take his charges to Anfield to face Kenny Dalglish’s Liverpool but like his former teammate Howard Kendall he also made a losing start in his first league game there – although Colin did at least have the satisfaction of winning his first encounter in a League Cup third round tie a few days earlier. A goal just seven minutes from time scored by Gary Stevens (83’) helped the Toffees to progress to the fourth round of the League Cup but just four days later on Sunday 1 November, goals from a former and a future Everton player; Steve McMahon (35’) and Peter Beardsley (70’) had been enough to overcome Everton in front of the BBC cameras and a crowd of 44,170 inside the stadium. The Everton line-up for the League game at Anfield showed just one change from the victorious cup team as Wayne Clarke had taken Adrian Heath’s place, whilst the Liverpool team remained unchanged.

Everton: Southall; Stevens, Van Den Hauwe, Ratcliffe, Watson; Reid, Steven, Clarke (Mountfield); Sharp, Snodin, Wilson.
Liverpool: Grobbelaar; Gillespie, Lawrenson, Nicol, Whelan; Hansen, Beardsley, Aldridge; Johnston, Barnes, McMahon.

The Match: Mike Walker added to the ever growing list of Everton managers who had failed to win on their first visit to Anfield as the Blues suffered yet another defeat at the hands of the old enemy. Dave Watson (21’) had given Everton the lead but almost immediately that veteran of derby games and Everton nemesis Ian Rush (22’) had equalised almost before the Evertonians had had time to celebrate Dave Watson’s goal. Another thorn in the side of Everton, Liverpool’s Robbie Fowler (44’) had struck a minute before half-time to give Liverpool the lead which they held on to for the remainder of the match and struck a huge blow to Everton’s survival hopes. This Anfield derby would be the only occasion that Mike Walker would lead Everton out against the old rivals, which gives him a unique if unwanted place in the history of Everton managers as he failed to experience a Goodison derby – obviously Ian Buchan and Johnny Carey hadn’t experienced a Goodison League derby as Liverpool were in a lower division when those two had been in charge of the Blues.

Unfortunately Mike Walker’s successor Joe Royle would also see his Everton team fail to win on his Anfield managerial debut as he joined his illustrious predecessors by obtaining yet another goalless draw.

1993-94 – Premier League; Sunday, 13 March 1994
Liverpool @ Anfield, Score: 2-1 (Watson) Attendance: 44,281
Everton: Southall; Jackson, Snodin, Watson, Hinchcliffe; Radosavljevic (Horne), Stuart, Ebbrell, Beagrie: Angell (Rideout), Cottee.
Unused Sub: Kearton

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Ten Years Ago – 2003-04

A Good Friday game with Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park would surely provide Evertonians with an entertaining match as the two sides battled for the points in this Premier League encounter.

Last season’s meeting between the two sides played on Saturday, 17 August, 2002, saw an exciting if error ridden game as the BBC reported:

Everton's Tomasz Radzinski spared the embarrassment of new goalkeeper Richard Wright after the £3.5m new boy looked to have gifted Spurs an unlikely win. Wright's fumble saw substitute Les Ferdinand give Spurs a lead they barely deserved after Everton dominated much of an entertaining encounter. But Radzinski came to his, and Everton's, rescue to earn a point with a late equaliser. David Moyes' Merseysiders looked on course for victory when Mark Pembridge gave them a deserved first half lead. But Spurs turned the game upside down when Matthew Etherington and Ferdinand - helped by Wright - put Glenn Hoddle's men in front. Radzinski then took charge with an excellent 81st minute leveller to ensure matters ended all square.

The day was memorable for Everton celebrating 100 years of top-flight football, and for the debut of talented teenager Wayne Rooney. He lasted 66 minutes before he was substituted, but gave glimpses of the talent that has won rave reviews. Rooney - not 17 until October - became the second youngest first-team player in Everton history behind Joe Royle when boss Moyes handed him his debut. And he made an instant impact by troubling the Spurs defence and creating Pembridge's opener.

Spurs paraded summer signing Jamie Redknapp in midfield, while Everton had Wright and China international Li Tie on show The opening exchanges were predictably cautious, but Rooney demonstrated he was no respecter of reputations by clattering Teddy Sheringham at a corner. But Everton moved into the ascendancy, and it was no surprise when they took the lead eight minutes before half-time as Pembridge crowned a sweeping move.

Thomas Gravesen sent Radzinski away down the right, and when he found Rooney the youngster was aware enough to find Pembridge, who finished in style. Spurs suffered another blow in the dying seconds of the first half when defender Steve Carr, returning after a long injury absence, pulled a hamstring under persistent pressure from Rooney. He was replaced by Ben Thatcher at the start of the second half.

Rooney was a constant thorn in Spurs' side, and he forced a fine diving save out of Kasey Keller after 53 minutes with a powerful 20-yard drive. But this was to be the last bright moment for Everton in this period as Spurs turned the game on its head by scoring twice in 11 minutes to take the lead. Spurs were level on 63 minutes as they worked the ball down the right before Redknapp laid the ball into space for youngster Etherington to lash high inside the near post and over Wright's head. Everton boss Moyes then took off Rooney and opted for width in the shape of Swedish international Niclas Alexandersson.

But Hoddle's men were in front after 74 minutes when Ferdinand - a scourge of Everton throughout his career - beat Wright with a drive the goalkeeper should have saved. But just as Spurs thought they had snatched victory, Radzinski pounced after good work by Kevin Campbell to equalise.

Everton: Wright; Hibbert, Weir, Stubbs, Naysmith; Tie Li (Rodrigo), Gravesen, Pembridge, Radzinski (Unsworth), Campbell, Rooney (Alexandersson).
Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Linderoth.

As the featured game from 2004 had been played over the Easter period it provides us with an opportunity to look back on some previous matches played by Everton at Easter-time. In 1963 Everton were battling with Tottenham and Leicester City for the First Division Title. Evertonia (Arsenal) in the matchday programme reviews what happened during one of the most crucial periods of the season and reported –

“Over Easter we gained some ground on both Leicester and Spurs. Only this last team had a game on Good Friday and they were humiliated by Liverpool at Anfield. The next day Spurs drew at home against Fulham, Leicester City were beaten at West Ham, and Everton won at Blackpool. Alec Young put us in the lead at Blackpool after only six minutes, but Alex Scott shares much of the praise for his part in the goal. He took the ball off Gratrix, moved down the right nearly to the goal-line and then slipped the ball to the Centre-Forward who scored easily. Our second ball came just before half-time when Alec Young was brought down just outside the Blackpool penalty area. Roy Vernon slipped the free-kick to Alex Scott and the winger banged the ball right into the net. Pat Quinn scored for Blackpool just before the final whistle.

Easter Monday saw Leicester held to a draw at Old Trafford, Spurs got their own back on Liverpool, and Everton made another home draw. As Brian Labone was injured at Blackpool, Everton had Jimmy Gabriel at Centre-half and Brian Harris at right-half. This was another game which should have meant two points for us, but things were so bad for a spell in the second half that a draw came as a relief. Once again it was Alec Young who opened the scoring – this one being a fine header from a centre by Alex Scott. Birmingham equalised just before the interval with a goal by Jimmy Bloomfield.

After half time it was Birmingham who made the running and after seventy minutes they took the lead with a headed goal by Ken Leek. The tempo of the game warmed as Everton went storming after the equaliser. Things looked poor enough for Championship as it was, without losing two home points to Birmingham. With just over ten minutes to go Alex Scott endeared himself to the crowd by hitting the equaliser after a typical run down the right wing.

In Birmingham the next day Everton had George Heslop at centre-half and a fine job he made of it too. Gabriel was in his usual position. Our midfield play was good but there was no bite in front of goal and many opportunities of scoring were lost. With ten minutes left for play Roy Vernon scored from a cross by Tony Kay. Meanwhile over at Leicester the home team were beating Manchester United 4-3, thus keeping themselves on top of the table
[The line-ups for the games with Birmingham can be seen in the 1974 section of this Article]

The Match: A fine victory for Everton against Spurs in this Good Friday encounter and the BBC reported
Everton moved above Spurs in the table after a brilliant first-half display….
….Everton set the tempo from the start and Steve Watson raced past Stephen Kelly and crossed for Tomasz Radzinski to slide the ball wide of Keller's left-hand post. Watson then sent the Canadian striker through on the right, but he chose to shoot instead of pull the ball back and Keller parried away from danger.

Although Everton were enjoying the lion's share of the possession Spurs did threaten on the break, with Robbie Keane causing problems by dropping deep. But with 17 minutes gone the hosts deservedly went ahead, Unsworth guiding the ball home after Watson had nodded on Gravesen's left-wing cross. Spurs replied with a Christian Ziege drive forcing Nigel Martyn to save, but soon after a rampant Everton side had doubled their advantage.
James McFadden went on a mazy dribble down the left and cut inside towards the Spurs box, only to be tripped on the edge of the area by Gary Doherty. From the resulting set-piece Naysmith beautifully curled the ball beyond Keller's reach into the top right-hand corner of the net.

A shell-shocked Spurs tried to retaliate as Defoe forced Martyn to save low down while McFadden asked the same of Keller as the game swung from end-to-end. Five minutes before the break Everton sealed the points. Doherty brought down Gravesen and the Dane's free-kick was parried by Keller into the path of Yobo, who slotted in the third.

Spurs replaced Ziege with Freddie Kanoute at the break but they had found no answer to Everton's attacking potency and McFadden crashed another fine left-foot effort just wide from 20 yards. McFadden and Naysmith were causing havoc down the left and another neat move led to Kelly heading away as Watson looked to get on the end of a probing cross.

Spurs slowly began to enjoy more possession and Keane set up Jamie Redknapp on the edge of the Everton box, but the Spurs skipper skied his shot way over the bar. They did manage to pull a goal back 15 minutes from time as Carr raced into the box, turned inside Unsworth and beat Martyn to score his first goal for three years. But the Irishman's joy was short-lived as two minutes later he tripped McFadden and was shown a second yellow card - the first dismissal of his career.

2003-04 – Premier League; Friday 9 April, 2004
Tottenham Hotspur @ Goodison Park 3-1 (Unsworth, Naysmith, Yobo) Att: 38,086
Everton: Martyn; Pistone, Yobo, Unsworth, Naysmith; Watson, Gravesen (Carsley), Linderoth, Kilbane, McFadden (Jeffers), Radzinski.
Unused Subs: Wright, Nyarko, Hibbert

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