Season › 2013-14 › News Billy Bingham remembers derby restart Michael Kenrick , 16 November, 0comments | Jump to most recent It was 1962, and Liverpool had been slumming it in the old English Second Division for many seasons until Bill Shankly inspired them to promotion and a return to the English top-flight where league derby games on Merseyside restarted after a gap of 11 seasons. Billy Bingham remembers all too well how the city went into derby overdrive as it prepared for that long-awaited clash during what ultimately became a special season for the title-winning Toffees. He was speaking at an event to launch local playwright Mike Howl's play about The Class of 63 in conjunction with the Everton Former Players' Foundation. Bingham, now 82 years old, recalls how senior players in Harry Catterick's finely-balanced team were essential in helping the youngsters cope with the big-game atmosphere, as 72,488 expectant fans packed into Goodison Park. “There was a huge build-up,” he says. “If like me you were an international player you were used to it but it can be an ordeal for the younger players and you have to carry them through it. “In a city like Liverpool it's really intense. The older players need to rally around them and say ‘come on boys you can do it. Those matches aren't ones you like to lose. A draw is not so bad but you don't like to lose them." The Blues went close to making it a miserable weekend for the newly-promoted Kopites, leading 2-1 until the 89th minute when Roger Hunt levelled for Bill Shankly's men. But Everton responded to that frustration by going unbeaten throughout October, and ultimately celebrating the club's sixth league title. This Echo article includes some nice gallery photos of that momentous occasion. Quotes or other material sourced from Liverpool Echo About these ads © ToffeeWeb