Everton and the League Cup: My Head Explodes

Twenty-three clubs have won the League Cup, but never Everton. We have been knocked out 46 times under 10 different managers.

Yet we became English league champions at just the third time of asking, took only ten attempts to win a European trophy and won the FA Cup in the 19th season we entered. Why do we have such a dismal record in the League Cup which, for around 40 seasons, has offered a glory day at Wembley and a place in Europe?

Some might say: "It’s only the League Cup." But winning a trophy is becoming more and more important as we have not won one for almost 20 years. This is a big problem when you are in a two-club city and your rivals have in that time won seven, resulting in a situation where a bigger and bigger proportion of youngsters (the next generation of support) attach themselves to the more trophy-laden of the two.

I was that disgruntled after our exit at Leeds last September that I began to look back over the years. Below, I offer a summary of our League Cup efforts on a manager-by-manager basis.

Johnny Carey

When Everton first competed in the League Cup on 12 October 1960, The Beatles were unknowns, playing in Hamburg. Harold MacMillan was Prime Minister. Six of Liverpool’s nine MPs were Tories. It was that long ago.

Our first opponents were Accrington. We beat them 3-1 at Goodison Park. It was the only time we have appeared in the 1st Round.

Rounds 2 and 3 saw the same 3-1 scoreline at Goodison when we put out Walsall and Bury before a 4-0 win at Tranmere that put us into the quarter-finals. We were drawn to play at Shrewsbury. On the same night, the Beatles played Aintree Institute AND Hambleton Hall, Huyton. They did well. We didn’t; we lost 2-1. It followed five successive league defeats.

Later, in the two-legged final of the first League Cup, Rotherham lost to an Aston Villa team managed by Evertonian great Joe Mercer who included in his defence a young Gordon Lee. At the end of the 1960-61 season, Carey was sacked by John Moores, impatient to see Everton’s first post-war trophy.

Johnny Carey: One entry as Everton manager in the League Cup.

Played 5, Won 4, Drawn 0, Lost 1. Goals For 14, Against 5.

Win percentage 80%. Furthest: Quarter-finals.

Harry Catterick

Everton manager for 12 seasons but in only six of those did Everton enter the League Cup due to our sniffy attitude to it. We were not the only ones. Apparently, it was not until 1969-70 that the competition featured all 92 League clubs in the same season. The final of the League Cup was a two-legged affair until 1967 when it was held at Wembley and a 3rd Division QPR featuring Rodney Marsh beat top-flight West Brom 3-2.

It was in 1967-68 that we first entered the competition under Catterick. The Kinks had released that wonderful song, Waterloo Sunset. Apparently it was originally conceived as Goodison Sunset after their singer-songwriter Ray Davies had watched a game from the Paddock with the sun dipping over the Park End. Later, in London, he was told it wouldn’t sell if associated with football and so (hopefully you know the tune) he changed the lyrics to:

People so busy, makes me feel dizzy Taxi light shines so bright, But I don’t need no friends As long as I gaze on Waterloo Sunset I am in paradise

But it was not as good as his original:

The Golden Vision, makes me feel giddy, His light shines so bright And I don’t need brown over bitter As long as I gaze on Goodison Sunset I am in paradise

Davies might well have got away with that. The problem was the opening lines, which ended up:

Dirty old river, must you keep rolling Flowing into the night

In fact, what Davies originally wrote was:

Dirty old Leeds, always fouling They’re just a load of shite

An interesting tale... if it were true. Anyway, entering in Round 2, we beat Bristol City 5-0. In the next round we lost 3-2 at home to Sunderland.

The following season, we went one round further, knocking out Tranmere and Luton before losing to Derby in a replay. In the Championship winning season of 1969-70, we beat Darlington, then Arsenal in a replay before going to Maine Road on 14 October 1969. The Radha Krishna Temple were in the charts with the Hare Krishna Mantra... true, which soon led to a terrace cover version, Harry Catterick. But this spot of Bhuddism did us no good in the League Cup. We lost to Manchester City who went on to win the final.

The last time we did not enter was 1970-71, presumably due to wanting to do everything possible to maximise our chance of winning the European Cup. Our attempt at trophy rotation led to us ending up potless. So, come September 1971; we were entering the League Cup again, rather than planning to play South American champions Penarol in the Intercontinental Cup. We travelled to the Dell and went out at the first hurdle to Southampton.

August 1972 saw the release of Roxy Music’s debut single, Virginia Plain, a crackin’ song, which included the line Throw Me A Line, I’m Sinking Fast... Sadly, we were. The 1972-73 season saw us go out of the League Cup at our first hurdle – admittedly a tough one – Arsenal at Highbury. We languished in the bottom half of the table and Catterick was eased out of the hotseat in April 1973. A summer hit that year was Al Martino’s Spanish Eyes and born into this world was a boy called Roberto who was to become the first Everton manager to win the League Cup. Even then, he spoke well...

Harry Catterick: Five entries:

P 12: W 5, D 2, L 5; F 19, A 8.

Win percentage 42.5%. Furthest: Round 4

Billy Bingham

Only Everton manager to lose his job while still in the League Cup. He got us to the semi-finals in 1976-77 but was sacked in the New Year, shortly before we were due to face Bolton in the semis. I think it was one of the several times we tried to recruit Bobby Robson, but on this occasion we ended up hiring Newcastle manager Gordon Lee.

The dismissal ended Bingham’s fourth attempt to win the League Cup for the Blues. His first was in 1973-74. As often happened, we were out before Christmas. We beat 4th division Reading 1-0 then lost at home to Norwich, which was our 15th game in two months – September and October – that included not only 11 league games but also a two-legged encounter against Hearts in the short-lived Texaco Cup. A 1-0 win for Hearts at Goodison was followed by a goalless draw in Edinburgh.

In Bingham’s second campaign, we went out at the first hurdle, losing a replay at Goodison to Aston Villa who went on to win the competition. The 1975-76 season saw wins over Arsenal and Carlisle before losing a replay to 2nd Division Notts County.

Then Bingham took us to the semi’s in 76-77, not conceding a goal as we knocked out Cambridge, Stockport, Coventry and Manchester United. He had his critics among the Goodison faithful but it was a huge shock when he was dismissed.

Billy Bingham: 4 entries:

P 13; W 7, D 3, L 3; F 19, A 9

Win percentage 53%, Furthest: Semi-final*

(* Some might say he should be credited with Everton’s 1977 appearance in the Sinal)

Steve Burtenshaw

Caretaker manager for four games that included the first leg of our first ever League Cup semi-final. More than 54,000 were at Goodison to see us draw 1-1; our scorer being Duncan McKenzie.

Steve Burtenshaw: 1 entry:

P 1; W 0, D 1, L 0; F 1, A 1.

Win percentage: N/A; Furthest: Semi-Final.

Gordon Lee

His fourth game in charge was the League Cup semi-final 2nd leg at Bolton where 50,000 packed into Burnden Park to see Bob Latchford score the only goal. We were off to Wembley! If using just one word to describe our first League Cup Final against Aston Villa, I would use the word ’forgettable’, although I do retain two memories: One is shock at the state of the famous Wembley; what a dump. The second is of a Duncan McKenzie chip from the edge of the box hitting the bar. It remains the only League Cup final to have gone to two replays. If you don’t know the outcome, look it up. Suffice to say 1977 was the year Bonnie Tyler made the charts with our League Cup song, It’s A Heartache.

Lee had another four attempts at the League Cup as Goodison boss. The next, in 1977-78, saw wins over the two Sheffield clubs and Middlesbrough before a 4-1 defeat by Leeds. The 78-79 effort involved a 8-0 win over 4th Division Wimbledon and a 1-0 over Darlington before a 3-2 exit to Nottm Forest.

The following season saw the start of two-legged ties for the second round. We were pitted against Cardiff and after a 2-0 win at Goodison we lost 1-0 at Ninian Park to go through 2-1 on aggregate. The reward was a tie at Villa Park where we drew 0-0 before winning the replay 4-1. Having overcome that hurdle, we then went and lost 2-1 to Grimsby. Lee’s last season saw a 2-1 exit to West Brom

Gordon Lee: 5* entries

P 21; W 9, D 7, L 5; F 41, A 24

Win percentage 47%. Furthest: Final*/Rd5

(* well, 4 if you only count full seasons and campaigns)

At this point, I shall explain the sources of my information: various websites, such as evertonresults.com and that excellent reference book Everton: A Complete Record 1878-1985, by Ian Ross and Gordon Smailes. I have not double-checked everything, but I cannot spend any more time on it, so I would be surprised if there are not at least one or two errors in here (hopefully no howlers) for which I apologise. I would be pleased if any mistakes are pointed out, because I don’t want the movie to be factually flawed.

Howard Kendall, Mk 1

In three spells as manager, Kendall was to manage us in 51 league cup ties, the first and last both being against Coventry.

His first season, 1981-82, saw the renaming of the competition after its sponsor, with it being known as the Milk Cup for five seasons. Everton were drawn against Coventry, drawing 1-1 before winning 1-0. Then came a 1-0 over Oxford before going out 3-2 to Ipswich. The Milk Cup was won by Liverpool. I stopped drinking it.

The following season saw us beat Newport over two legs before drawing 1-1 with Arsenal then losing the replay. There was solace in the release of Story of the Blues, a great song by Wah!, a Liverpool band led by Pete Wylie. He’s a red, but every genius is flawed. I’d have played Story of the Blues – a song full of passion – in the dressing room just minutes before the team went out for the 2012 FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. At half-time I’d have played it again followed by Story of the Blues Part II, which is a sort of rap, brimming with attitude and defiance. Instead, we rolled out the red carpet...

Back in the time machine: The 1983-84 season saw us play 11 games in the League Cup. After the two-legged affair, this time against Chesterfield, we beat Coventry 2-1 before taking replays to beat West Ham and Oxford to put us into a two-legged semi-final against Aston Villa that we won by one goal. We were in our second League Cup final at Wembley. What were the odds of another goalless draw? It would not have been but for Alan Handsen. I could see his goalline handball from the other end of the ground. I can still see it now. Some nights I see it when he’s on Match of the Day. I put out my hand just like he did, but pick up the remote and turn off.

Next was the season that Everton took the League Championship by the scruff of the neck, playing superb football. It was enthralling, exciting, an absolute joy. In the League Cup, we went out to 2nd Division Grimsby.

The hangover season of 1985-86, when we were denied entry to the European Cup, brought no consolation in the Milk Cup as, following wins over Bournemouth and Shrewsbury, we went out in a replay to Chelsea.

The 1986-87 season saw new sponsors for the League Cup … Littlewoods! With the John Moores link, and us having been almost run by that company for decades, I thought this must be an omen, if not a conspiracy… finally the season in which we would win the League Cup. We comfortably beat Newport 4-0 and 5-1, Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 and Norwich 4-1 to take us past Christmas before a 1-0 quarter-final defeat at the hands of the neighbours.

Howard Kendall, Mk I: 6 entries

P 33; W 17, D 9, L 7; F 63, A 33

Win percentage: 52%. Furthest: Final.

Colin Harvey

Harvey’s first season saw a 1-0 victory over Liverpool in the 3rd round, followed by wins over Oldham and Man City that put us into our third League Cup semi-final. The opponents were Arsenal. We lost both legs, 1-0 and 3-1. I’m sure I would have gone to one of these games, if not both, but cannot remember anything about them. Perhaps I drank to forget.

The 1988-89 campaign saw wins over Bury and Oldham, following a replay before a 3-1 defeat by 2nd Division Bradford City. The next season saw us scrape past Orient and Luton before losing 1-0 to the eventual winners, Nottingham Forest. In September 1990 we put 11 past Wrexham over two legs before losing 2-1 to Sheffield United. The next day, Harvey was dismissed.

Colin Harvey: 4 entries,

P 19; W 10, D 4, L 5; F 25, A 17

Win percentage 52%. Furthest: Semi.

Howard Kendall, Mk 2

His second reign lasted three seasons. In every one, we went out at our third hurdle. The 1991-92 season saw a 3-1 aggregate defeat of Watford, a 4-1 win over Wolves before a 4-1 drubbing by Leeds.

In 1992-93, we saw off Rotherham over two legs. The reward was a home tie against Wimbledon. I can remember this game for the eeriness of Goodison Park that evening. Just 9,541 turned up. You could almost see the tumbleweed blowing through the stands. Our majority shareholder, Sir John Moores, was 96. It was a goalless draw. We won the replay 1-0. But in the next round we lost a replay to Chelsea.

The autumn of 1993 saw us knock out Lincoln, then Palace after a replay before losing 2-0 to Man Utd on November 30. A few days later, Kendall’s second reign came to an end. It was said to be a row over being stopped from signing Dion Dublin. I have no reason to doubt that, but what if we had beaten Man Utd?

Howard Kendall, Mk 2: 3 entries,

P 15; W 9, D 3, L 3; F 29, A 19

Win percentage: 60%. Furthest: Round 4.

Mike Walker

We went out at the first hurdle in a 2nd Round two-legged tie against 1st Division Portsmouth. I vaguely remember sitting in the new Park End stand as it all went horribly wrong and we lost the first leg 3-2. We could only draw in the second leg. A month later, Walker was dismissed.

Mike Walker: 1 entry

P 2; W 0, D 1, L 1; F 3, A 4

Win percentage 0%. Furthest: Round 2

Joe Royle

He guided us brilliantly to FA Cup success in 1995, but his touch deserted him a few months later in the League Cup when we went out over two legs to 1st Division Millwall. September 1996 was worse as we went out to 2nd Division York City over two legs.

Joe Royle: 2 entries

P 4; W 0, D 2, L 2; F 5, A 8

Win percentage: 0%. Furthest: Round 2

Howard Kendall, Mk 3

The solitary season of Howard’s third managerial stint saw a six-goal slaughter of Scunthorpe in Round 2 before a 4-1 exit at Coventry.

Howard Kendall Mk 3: 1 entry

P 3; W 2, D 0, L 1; F 7, A 4

Win percentage: 66%. Furthest: Round 3

Howard Kendall, Total: 10 entries

P 51; W 28, D 12, L 11; F 99, A 56

Win percentage 56%. Furthest: Final

Walter Smith

Smith brought consistency. In four League Cup campaigns, we went out every time to lower league opposition. In 1998-99, after scraping past Huddersfield over two legs, we had a 3-2 win over Middlesbrough. Hopes were raised of going all the way but the crowd that turned up at Goodison to see us play Sunderland in Round 4 saw a 1-1 draw that ended with us losing 5-4 on penalties.

The next three seasons saw us going out at the very first hurdle to lower league opposition. In September 1999, it was Oxford on a 1-2 aggregate. If anyone was hoping the 20th century would bring a change of fortune, that optimism was soon dashed by two 1-1 draws with Bristol Rovers who beat us on penalties.

For the next League Cup campaign the two-legged encounters in Round 2 were replaced by one-off games. We drew 1-1 against Crystal Palace before losing on penalties. Again. We’d have been better off if the ref had put his two hands out and asked us to guess which one had a coin in.

Walter Smith: 4 entries

P 9; W 2, D 6, L 1; F 11, A 10

Win percentage: 23%. Furthest: Rd4

David Moyes

Had more goes at winning the League Cup than any other Everton manager, 11, just pipping Kendall with 10.

Moyes’s best effort was 2007-08 when we were still in the competition at Christmas, facing a two-legged semi-final against Chelsea. We were seeing out a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge when Wright-Phillips headed a late winner for Chelsea. The second leg at Goodison saw Joe Cole score the only goal of the game.

Some clubs specialised in knocking us out of the League Cup during Moyes’s reign. Chelsea also knocked us out in his first full season and in his penultimate campaign. (Chelsea is the club that has knocked us out the most times since 1960, five, followed by Arsenal, four.)

The autumns of 2003 and 2005 saw us exit to Middlesbrough. In autumn 2004 and 2006 we went out at Arsenal. The autumns of 2008, 2009 and 2010 saw exits at the hands of Blackburn, Spurs and Brentford. You know about Leeds, when we treated Elland Road as a training pitch.

David Moyes: 11 entries

P 27; W 13, D 4, L 10; F 46, A 30

Win percentage: 48%. Furthest: Semi-Final

Summary

So, what can we say about those 46 exits? Well, around one in three have been to lower division opposition. By my reckoning, that has happened on 16 occasions. A few too many, don’t you think? In fact, we went out to teams from lower divisions in seven out of eight seasons from 1994 to 2001, to Portsmouth, Millwall, York, Sunderland, Oxford, Bristol Rovers and Crystal Palace.

I wonder: Does this smack of a club repeatedly not taking the competition seriously enough? As I said, we were a bit sniffy about it in the Sixties. But, if memory serves me, so were Liverpool, who did not win it until 1981 but have gone on to lift the trophy eight times, including four successive years in the early Eighties. I wonder if some of us have denigrated this cup because of Liverpool’s success in it. I think I did in the 80s in an attempt to quieten red mates.

But, irrespective of that, it is now 30 seasons since we even made the final, which is far too long for a club of our stature and support.

Now we have embarked on our 47th attempt to win the League Cup. Roberto Martinez is the 11th manager we have had when entering the League Cup (He is the 12th person to manage an Everton team in the League Cup, once you include 1977 caretaker Steve Burtenshaw, who was in charge for one game.)

I am a big supporter of Martinez and confident he will do well in charge of Everton, although I am only expecting mid-table in the league this season. We are well capable though of winning a cup. But I winced at the number of changes we made for the Stevenage game. Yes, they were all good players that started the game, but not used to playing together as a team.

There is a dilemma here, or is it a Catch-22? Do you use the League Cup as a platform to give fringe players an opportunity to show what they can do? If so, the potential problem is, irrespective of their individual qualities, the 11 on the pitch do not know each other’s game sufficiently to function well enough as a team to progress in the competition.

All these factors make me wonder if club and fans have been complicit over the years in an institutionalised indifference to the League Cup… and whether successive managers have been comfortable with this because it has allowed them to rotate the squad to concentrate on the league, as managers are largely judged on final league position. Just a thought...

I want to see Everton play their strongest team in the League Cup. If we’re three up with half-an-hour to go in a game, yes, make two substitutions if you want to give fringe players a run-out, and a third substitution with ten minutes to go. Alternatively, just make one or two changes to the starting line-up, not six or seven, which leaves us at sixes and sevens. Because we need to win a trophy before we reach a point 10 or 20 years down the road where the blue half of Merseyside becomes the blue quarter.

And Finally...

Since we first entered the League Cup in 1960, there have been ten Prime Ministers in Downing Street and six Popes in the Vatican. One constant has been Queen Elizabeth II. Brought up by her mother on tales of derring-do by Dixie Dean (the future Queen Mother presented the FA Cup to Dean in 1933), Elizabeth has always had rather a soft spot for Everton. She is 87 now. Having been on the throne since 1953, she has in recent years often been asked by family and courtiers if she is thinking of standing down and taking things a little easier. It’s a delicate subject within the family. My mate’s a footman there; often takes the corgis for a walk. And only last week her eldest son, who has now served a 40-year apprenticeship, raised the issue again. My mate heard her voice rising in irritation: “Charles, if I’ve told you once, I’ve told you 1,000 times: I’m not abdicating until Everton win the League Cup.”

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