Everton History Fond Memories of Shirley Ahead a tribute evening dedicated to Derek Temple, Dr Everton recounts his most vivid recollections of Everton's hero of the 1966 FA Cup Final and vital part of the Toffees' 1960s side in general. David France 08/02/2016 47comments | Jump to last In aid of the local charity Health Through Sport, Ronny Goodlass – an old pal and lifelong Blue – is organizing a tribute evening for Derek Temple – another old pal and lifelong Blue – on Friday, 6 May at the Devonshire House Hotel, Liverpool. (Contact 0151 264 6600 for tickets). To prepare for this royal blue love-in, Ronny asked me to prepare a few words describing my favourite memories of our 1966 FA Cup winner. Here goes... My first glimpse of Derek Temple was 59 years ago and coincided with my own royal blue baptism. I remember entering the Paddock and feeling like the luckiest 8-year-old in the world. I can close my eyes and picture the floodlight pylons which pierced the heavens, the criss-crossed balconies which trapped the passion, the mixed aroma of Brylcreem, Higsons and Woodbines unique to football grounds in the Fifties, the noise from 72,000 like-minded worshippers, the emerald, olive, bottle and jade patchwork of the manicured turf and, of course, the royal blue shirts of my heroes – Wally Fielding, Dave Hickson and Derek Temple, then an exciting prospect who had netted the winner at Villa Park a few days earlier. The 3-3 draw with the Busby Babes was a cracker. The proceedings were dominated by Duncan Edwards – a United powerhouse who made other world-class players question their own abilities – and a raw 18-year-old nicknamed ‘Shirley’ who had yet to fulfill his National Service obligations. The Everton No 8 scored twice that evening. I recall that his late equalizer resulted in my father breaking into a happy dance. Another fond memory of Derek was during the 1963 run-in towards the title. By now I was a big fan of the home-grown winger and his all American crew cut. In addition to surviving the challenges of Obama’s grandfather and the other Mau Mau rebels in Kenya, he had fought off the might of John Moores’ cheque book and subsequent competition from Bingham, Fell, Kavanagh, Laverick, Lill, O’Hara, Ring and Veall to deputize for Johnny Morrissey in the final four games. He made no small contributions to all four victories and deserved his place in the thunderous lap of honour. Derek kept his place in the line-up for the next three or four campaigns alongside Alex Young, Roy Vernon and then Fred Pickering to average 15 goals per season. Not bad for a winger. Article continues below video content This leads me to the Anfield derby of 1964 when Harry Cattrick fielded a weakened defence – no Alex Parker or Ray Wilson as well as a weakened attack – no Young or Vernon. Surrounded by 30,000 loveable Reds in the Kop, my mate and I were fearful of the outcome. So much so that we searched the crowd for friendly Blues. Their locations became evident shortly after Derek scored in the very first minute. The Kop erupted and a third of the terraces, possibly more, turned blue and white. It was an unforgettable experience. Yes, that afternoon we reclaimed Anfield in the name of George Mahon and our founding fathers. Our celebrations continued throughout the first-half as Colin Harvey and Fred Pickering found the onion bag. And later, Johnny Morrissey reminded Bill Shankly of the rugged skills he had discarded. You may know that cynical tackles from behind were termed professional back in the Sixties and the game’s hard men like Morrissey were more likely to be dismissed for dissent than violent conduct. Therefore another enduring memory was of him being stretchered off during one of football’s most notorious confrontations. The 1964 Battle of Goodison with Leeds burst into flames after four minutes when Johnny Giles left stud marks on the chest of Sandy Brown. Our defender retaliated by pole-axing his opponent with a monster left hook of remarkable precision and worthy of Smokin’ Joe Frazier. Immediately, Goodison erupted. Any Leeds player daft enough to stray within throwing distance ran the risk of being struck by the missiles. Things came to a head after 35 minutes when Willie Bell launched a two-footed tackle at about shoulder height towards Derek. The crowd exploded into a seething mass of rage. As our hero was being carried off by the St John Ambulance Brigade, the ref ordered the other players to the dressing rooms to give them and the crowd time to calm down. I was impressed when Derek reappeared after a 10-minute ceasefire which did little to soothe the fury of the players or the hostility of the fans. To his immense credit, my hero never shirked any of the subsequent two-footed challenges dispatched by Dirty Leeds. This leads me to memories of 1966. My run up to the FA Cup final had involved a big decision. As a devotee of Bob Dylan, I had queued for hours to buy a ticket for his Liverpool concert. Cruelly, the timing of his gig coincided with that of the final. Dylan live at the Odeon versus Young and Temple live at the Empire Stadium was no contest, even though I had a ticket for the former and not for the latter. I remember spending an hour pleading for one outside Wembley Underground Station before catching the Tube to Finchley Park where I squeezed onto a northbound train and pestered the passengers for a 'spare' until the carriages emptied. I repeated the round-trip before buying one for the equivalent of an apprentice's weekly wage. It was a small price to pay for one of the best afternoons of my life. A few years ago, I had the pleasure of watching video highlights of the clash with Wednesday alongside Derek. You’ll recall that Gerry Young had lost control of the ball near the half-way line and my hero sprinted some 40 yards with the ball at his feet. I asked him: ‘Could you hear the defenders behind you as you approached the box? What went through your mind as Ron Springett grew bigger and bigger? When did you decide to pull the trigger?’ He confessed: ‘If I had been Alex Young I would have dribbled up to the keeper before waltzing around him, nut-megging him and back-heeling the ball into the net. But my alternatives were to chip the keeper or to blast the ball past him. I noticed that Springett, a top-class keeper, had advanced from his line and decided to try my luck from the edge of the box. Fortunately the ball behaved itself.’ Later that summer, I returned to Wembley to attend the World Cup final but the FA Cup final was the highlight of my sporting calendar in 1966. For me, only one sight can compare with Brian Labone wiping his hands on his white shorts before lifting the trophy and that is the massive crowds – Blues and Reds together – gathered outside St George’s Hall to welcome Brian, Derek and their team-mates. The atmosphere was ecstatic, effervescent, exuberant and much more. Over the past couple of decades I’ve been proud to call Derek my friend – the type of kind, modest and loyal friend that everyone should have. While his support for our Former-Players’ Foundation is unwavering, his commitment to the royal blue cause compares with those of Labone, Harvey, Wright, Lyons and Royle. I can pay him no greater compliment. I trust that for as long as people talk about Everton Football Club, they will celebrate the immense contributions of Shirley. The golden jubilee of that final is less than 100 days away. In addition to the royal blue love-in planned by Ronny Goodlass, I do hope that someone at Goodison will arrange for a more formal get-together of all surviving members of our magnificent 1966 team, namely Tommy Wright, Ray Wilson, Jimmy Gabriel, Mike Trebilcock, Alex Young, Colin Harvey and Derek Temple as well as Fred Pickering whose goals got us to the semi-final. I’m well aware that Ray (now age 81) and Alex (age 79) are not in the best of health and that Gabby and Mike live in far-flung corners of the world but Blues of all ages deserve a chance to thank them for their breath-taking deeds at Wembley. I’m sure that other Blues have other fond memories of Shirley. Share article: Reader Comments (47) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer Peter Howard 1 Posted 08/02/2016 at 07:43:23 I remember watching the '66 Final on telly .When it was 2-2 Derek went down injured.I remember my Dad saying: 'this bastard (he used the word 'bastard' as a term of endearment) will get the winner'.Oh! the scenes of joy as his prophecy came true and my Dad and his mate Sid rolled about on the floor.........and my Mum had made salmon (yes,salmon!) butties! Eddie Dunn 2 Posted 08/02/2016 at 08:30:54 Thanks David, that is a lovely piece. Imagine the reaction to such scenes at Goodison (Dirty Leeds) these days! Eric Myles 3 Posted 08/02/2016 at 08:33:07 That '66 Cup Final was the first footy match I saw. I had been a Grand Prix fan until then (still am) but got caught up with the World Cup fever in England at the time and decided to watch the FA Cup as a warm up to forthcoming events as it had a local team in it.By the end of the game I was a confirmed blue, much to the disgust of my red dad. Dave Abrahams 4 Posted 08/02/2016 at 09:14:33 David, Inremember that 3-3 game very well and the equaliser, Derek playing inside right that night. Derek was an outstanding goal scoring striker for Liverpool boys and continued as a centre forward in his early days at Goodison Park.I remember Everton youths playing the all conquering Man. Unt, in the FA youth cup with the brilliant Duncan Edwards playing for them, it finished 2-2, I know Derek scored Everton's two goals to keep us in the game, not sure but I think Edwards scored the two for Unt. We got hammered in the replay but Derek scored in that game as well.Derek is a gentleman who deserves this night, I hope he has a wonderful reception, a most unassuming man who has served Everton and the Liverpool football community Well over many, many years at at lots of football events. Peter Mills 5 Posted 08/02/2016 at 09:20:48 Great article David. Anyone who enjoys Goodison when it becomes a bear-pit these days would have loved that game against Leeds, the most hostile atmosphere I've ever known in a football ground. I am meeting up with my brother, Charlie, and old friends Dave, Mike and Terry White in the Freshy on Thursday. We all attended the '66 Final together, no doubt we will drink a toast to our dear departed Dads who took us, and to Derek.Very best wishes to you and Lady France. Brent Stephens 6 Posted 08/02/2016 at 10:04:25 "Things came to a head after 35 minutes when Willie Bell launched a two-footed tackle at about shoulder height towards Derek."Was that the challenge at the half-way line in front of the Bullens Road fans? John Keating 7 Posted 08/02/2016 at 10:04:43 DavidI remember the Leeds game and to be honest at the time couldn't work out why the ref took them off !Leeds were a dirty shower of bastards, not hard, but dirty.Cowards the lot of them, Costa of Chelsea would have fitted in well, another coward.Everton were a great team those days, Temple just one of so many stars. Alan McGuffog 9 Posted 08/02/2016 at 11:25:12 Great stuff, Mr France. I was 11 and sat on a barrier in Gwladys Street ... I remember the day so very well. There was, as I recall, such an awful atmosphere in the ground that day due to the way Leeds played. Yes, the tackle on Temple by Bell was over by the Bullens. There is an old story, maybe apochryphal, that the Leeds players got Bell to stay down and feign injury, as a result of the tackle, to try to diffuse the situation. One of the St John's guys gave him a right mouthful along the lines of "Don't expect us to feckin' carry you off!"Forgetting ones feelings towards the lot across the park that day has left me despising that club more than any other. I still look for their results and delight in their misfortune. Suppose I should grow up!Peter Mills... regards to Charlie! Eugene Ruane 10 Posted 08/02/2016 at 11:41:25 I was 6 when we won the cup in 66. Having Evertonians as parents, there was no doubt who (if I took an interest in football) I would be supporting, but the truth is, the bug hadn't really bitten then.My memory of the game is very blurred and I have a feeling if we'd have lost, it wouldn't have made much difference to me (in fact I'm pretty sure at 6 years old, I'd have sold the cup to Wednesday for an Aztec, 10 Black Jacks and a bottle of Full Swing).I do remember the next day all of us going to Queens Drive (by Christ The King) to give them a wave but again, all a bit hazy.But what I do know is that sometime between then and the 68 final, Everton became..um...an addiction I suppose.Because my memory of that final is very clear.At 8 years old, I sat on a coffee table about a foot from the telly and at the final whistle, I cried in an unselfconscious, noisy, physical manner that probably felt good (cleansing) afterwards.NOW it mattered and there's never been a day since when I've thought (or been capable of thinking) 'it doesn't really matter.'Not sure if that's a 'good thing' but...there it is.Up the Toffees! Jack Farrell 11 Posted 08/02/2016 at 11:58:19 Before that infamous Leeds game, free samples of a gentleman's hair product, I think it was called' score', were given away outside the ground, it was these that were thrown onto the pitch. Getting back to Derek Temple he was a thorough gentleman as well as a great player. I grew up in Dovecot and Derek lived in the same road as the local primary school. As you can imagine we were always wanting to speak to him or get an autograph and I can never remember him being anything other than cheerful and friendly. Imagine an England international living in a corpy house in Dovey these days. The article was a great read and for me a lovely stroll down memory lane. Thanks for that. John Raftery 12 Posted 08/02/2016 at 12:00:31 David, a great piece. Derek was possibly the best one on one finisher I have seen in an Everton shirt. After his cup final heroics he had a great Autumn that year scoring eleven goals before Christmas, including two home and away against Sheffield Wednesday who must have been sick of the sight of him by that stage. His last goal for us was at Goodison in February 1967 in a great 4-0 win against West Ham, the game in which Alex Young scored with a fantastic lob. George McKane 13 Posted 08/02/2016 at 12:03:53 Great article. Wonderful memories. I was nearly 17 when we won the Cup that day and will never ever forget Derek's marvellous run and goal.I am helping Ronny and his Charity Health Through Sport with the Derek Temple Event on Friday 6th May - - if you are interested in attending the evening or getting involved in any other way please contact Ronny via his FB Page - - Health Through Sport - - have a look at website and the Poster for the Evening at - -Link - - or of course via myself on ToffeeWeb. Tony Hill 14 Posted 08/02/2016 at 12:05:43 Temple was one of our quickest players. Once their man made a mess of it in 66, you knew Shirley wasn't going to get caught. I met him, along with others including Davie Hickson, at a charity game in Woolton in the 70s and he was a complete gentleman. Dave Abrahams 15 Posted 08/02/2016 at 12:09:03 I maybe mistaken here but did Derek get only one England cap scoring the goal in a 1-0 win versus Germany.? Tony J Williams 16 Posted 08/02/2016 at 12:26:38 I'm not old enough to have seen him play but my dad talks about him a lot.Luckily we got to sit on a table with him in a Legends Dinner a few years ago for my dad's 70th birthday present.Lovely fellal with some brilliant stories to boot. Tony Hill 17 Posted 08/02/2016 at 12:30:03 Memory has failed me on that, Dave, but according to my in-depth researches on Wikipedia he did get his only cap against West Germany when England won 1-0. It doesn't look like he got the goal though. Alan McGuffog 18 Posted 08/02/2016 at 13:07:58 Jack...I remember those free samples of hair gel but I think it was a year or two later, against Newcastle. Alan Ball was sent off in a rough house of a game... cue thousands of little tubes hurled onto the sacred turf. John Raftery 19 Posted 08/02/2016 at 13:20:52 Dave, Tony. Yes Derek won his cap against West Germany in Nuremberg on 12th May 1965. 'England: The Complete Post War Record' published in 1993 noted that ....'England sustained their fine opening and in the 35th minute they went ahead. Temple, who had already shown great promise, beat his full back and ran to the by-line. He pulled the ball back accurately to Terry Paine, who made no mistake from seven yards out. It was a goal of superb quality and richly deserved.' W. Germany subsequently threw everything at England in front of a crowd of 67,000 but the team which included Ray Wilson and Blackpool's Alan Ball held out for a 1-0 win. Dave Abrahams 20 Posted 08/02/2016 at 13:35:41 Thanks John, fair enough Tony. David S Shaw 21 Posted 08/02/2016 at 13:58:01 That famous 1964 derby win for us, wasn't there a song about Morrissey for that to the Robin Hood tune, would anyone remember what it went like? Rick Tarleton 22 Posted 08/02/2016 at 14:13:42 I was there in 66, and went in Trafalgar Square fountains afterwards. At half time a fan near me got on his knees and said a prayer. We all budged up to allow him and his prayer was answered , proving God is an Evertonian. We were in G64 at Wembley and our ticket cost 7/6 (37and a1/2p) . From where we were standing we could see Tommy Eglington. One of my best days in over sixty years of being a blue. Derek Temple was a marvellous player , who if he'd had a little more confidence could have been a world-beater, he had three great seasons for us in the mid-sixties, but perhaps didn't live up to the promise he showed in the great Liverpool schoolboys' team of 1955 when his goal-scoring was phenomenal. Steve Carse 23 Posted 08/02/2016 at 14:26:30 Jack (11) I seem to recall that the game where tubes of 'Score' were being hurled onto the pitch was against Newcastle Utd in 1967 or thereabouts. What a bearpit of an atmosphere that was that day. I can't remember why it all got so heated, but I think I remember Howard Kendall scoring the winner in the last minute. Bill Gall 24 Posted 08/02/2016 at 15:09:39 This time of my life brings back an era when football was played by men with no give or take that would have some of todays players quaking in their boots . Standing room and noise that really exploded into what was called the Goodison roar.I was going to the final with 4 friends by car and was given a ticket on the Thursday before. from someone with friends in the Merseyside Police Force. and remember pinning it on the inside of my shirt so it would not get stolen . We parked at Swiss Cottage and got the tube to Wembly. Got in the ground and found out my ticket was for the other teams supporters but hell there was no way I was moving as there were a lot of Everton supporters around me . When Temple scored that third goal. the place irrupted and after that everything became a blur .After getting home on the Sunday went downtown to St Georges hall for the teams homecoming and on Tuesday for a bonus went to my local the Broadway and Mike Trebilcock came in. Temple may have got the winner but the whole team were great just rolling their sleeves up after going 2 goals down and fighting back. Remember seeing a replay on the T.V. and after Wednesday scored their second goal P.Wolstenholme saying that's it, it is Wednesdays cup. Dave Abrahams 25 Posted 08/02/2016 at 15:14:53 Steve (23) if it is the game I'm thinking of, Alan Ball got sent off, after repeatedly arguing with the referee, Howard Kendall pulled him away from the ref.at least twice but Bally wouldn't give up, the referee had the last word in sending him off, Kendall then scored the winner with a screamer low down from about twenty yards, it was definitely versus Newcastle. John Raftery 26 Posted 08/02/2016 at 15:46:53 Dave, Steve. The game was indeed against Newcastle in March 1968. The referee, I think, was a Dr Brady who took exception to Bally's protests following a disallowed goal at the Street End. Howard's winner was late in the second half. The atmosphere was more heated than any game I can remember in the late sixties. Earlier in the season, Gordon West had been sent off at St James's Park for thumping someone so there was no love lost between the two sides. The following season in 68/69 both games were drawn 0-0 with Brian Labone picking up one of only two bookings during his career for bouncing the ball on the turf in protest at another official's decision to penalise him for a foul. Newcastle were a tough team to play against in those days. Derek Wadeson 27 Posted 08/02/2016 at 16:29:08 Steve Carse #23. You are correct the tubes of Score were given out against the barcodes. The reason for the bad atmosphere was Alan Ball was sent off and they all ended up on the pitch. Ray Roche 28 Posted 08/02/2016 at 18:00:46 Rick Tarleton #22 Rick, I thought the tickets were 10s. Somewhere amongst my Everton memorabilia I still have my G64 ticket.....Bill#24,Yes, apparently Wolstenholme also said "It looks like the Cup's going to Yorkshire" Not that year, it didn't! Darren Hind 29 Posted 08/02/2016 at 19:12:59 "The ball behaved itself" Typical modesty from the man - As we all know, he absolutely buried it.Thanks for this David. You have made my day.Coming out of Stamford bridge after we'd knock them out of the cup in a penalty shootout a few seasons back, I could see somebody about 5 yards ahead of me having a right fuss made of him, The place was bouncing, Chelsea fans had all gone home, but ecstatic Evertonians had stayed celebrating until well after Phil Neville's decider. As I got closer I could hear the comments . . "Oright Derek lad, did yer enjoy that ?" Then I got alongside . . it was him. My Hero. he was right next to me.I was dying to shake his hand (actually I was dying to hug him) but I was acutely aware of his situation and thought he must be exhausted and dying to get back to his car. I looked back when I got to the gates leading to the main road. The sight of all these arl fellas wanting to share the moment with him is still clear in my mind, "Shirley" took it all in his stride, he was greeting them like brothers .TW doesn't do "Better" blues, but if they did . . . Laurie Hartley 30 Posted 09/02/2016 at 08:05:09 Thanks David for this article - it brought back memories of one of the happiest periods of my life. I watched the 66 cup final in my mate John Laings house. His dad was a red and was not impressed with John and I nearly wrecking the living room when Derek Temple scored the winner.I have lost touch with John but while posting this the thought occurred to me that Evertonians are indeed born not manufactured. My dad on the other hand was a one eyed blue - God rest his soul. He came back from the game completely hoarse.I remember Derek Temple struggling when he came into the team after his national service but when he hit his straps what a player he was. He was the best volleyer of a football I have ever seen. He would let a cross or corner drop and welly it into the net on the full from all sorts of angles. Reading through the posts of all the old fellas on here makes me feel proud of my heritage as a blue. Twelve thousand miles away in Australia and 55 years on from my first game my love for the club has never waned. Thanks again David for your article. John Codling 31 Posted 09/02/2016 at 11:37:35 I remember travelling back from a West Ham game, It was October 1963 and we had lost 4-2 (Peter Brabrook scoring two, he had turned us down to play for the Hammers). Me and my pals had as usual hitched to London on the Friday night and then bunked the 18:30 Euston express back to Lime Street. On the trip home this day we had the the extra pleasure of sitting with some of the players (between hiding from the ticket collector). During our talks with Alex Parker, Labby, Derek and Alex Scott, I referred to Derek as 'Shirley' and Brian Labone took me to task about it as he considered the nick name derogatory. Derek on the other hand told Labby to go easy as, in his words, "Brian, these boys only call me Shirley with admiration." That was the class of Derek Temple. I still reminisce on that journey home; to cap it off, Alex Parker, RIP, bought me a can of beer on the train. I kept hold of the empty can for years. As an aside, for some reason this train would stop at Edge Hill station where we were able to exit the train with no ticket collectors or police at the gate. I have met Derek on numerous occasions since and he is still the gentleman he was back then. Paul Ferry 34 Posted 09/02/2016 at 19:00:02 I think I'm right in saying that Derek ended up as a double-glazing salesman; I remember a mate saying that Temple turned up at his house in Thornton in the '70s to talk his (rabid red) 'arl fella into buying his glass, which he did. Dave Abrahams 35 Posted 09/02/2016 at 20:42:47 Ray (28) the tickets were all different prices, mine was 6/6d, got mine off the great Tom Finney, met him at Goodison the following season and got him to autograph the ticket, it's in the house somewhere. Ian Burns 36 Posted 09/02/2016 at 21:10:27 Hi David, what a terrific article - sincere thanks for taking the time to put this together. My first game was the Everton vs Charlton FA Cup replay in 1959 played in thick fog! I can't remember a thing about the game (not that I could have seen much of it in the fog) but I well remember the electric atmosphere of those far off days. I was also at the toxic Everton vs Leeds game you referred to, which was just as toxic after the referee called them back after a 5 or 10 minute cooling off period! I was also at the Cup Final with a great view of Shirley's winner after Gerry Young had inexplicably let the ball run under his foot. Well do I remember the hysteria when Shirley planted that one in!A lot of water has passed under the proverbial bridge since those memorable times and I can't get to Goodison these days as I live too far away but follow TW on a daily basis to keep up with the gossip, fun (and constant moaning about something or other!).May I take a moment to share one memory of my early days watching the Blues. Everton were playing Wolves with the great Billy Wright in the side. I think we won 3-1 but I can still remember Roy Vernon gliding past him to score, which was the first time I realised we might just have a good team on our hands and if memory serves me correctly a young Shirley Temple played on the left wing! I think this was early 1960 or 61 and I am also sure it was a regular attendance of over 50,000 during those days. Maybe time is playing tricks on me, age catches up!If you would pass on sincere thanks for the fantastic memories Shirley brought to my life as a young - mad! Evertonian, it would be hugely appreciated.Thanks again for the article, a great read. Jack Farrell 37 Posted 10/02/2016 at 10:51:48 Alan and Steve, you are right of course. The tubes of score where at,the Newcastle game. Funny how after 50 years or so the memory starts to play tricks on us.Just one further thing, with regards to the derby at Anfield, in which Derek scored in the first minute and we won 4-0, this was just after the 'purple hearts' allegations and a lad jumped out of the Kop before the game and planted a cardboard purple heart in the centre circle. I believe that for one reason or another 7 of our recognised first team where missing and we handed out a hammering like that. Happy days. Ken Finch 38 Posted 10/02/2016 at 12:34:56 My Dad knew Derek Temple away from football and my first big game of my life was the 66 cup final as an 11 year old. I was made up when my Dad later got Derek's autograph for me which is still kept in a small (red!) box of other memorabilia which my 32-year-old daughter is fascinated by. I was only showing her the contents last week when she came to visit. Charles Mills 39 Posted 10/02/2016 at 19:54:33 What a delightful piece! Very many thanks Dr France.I remember the Leeds game vividly and the referee was a certain Mr. Ken Stokes who bottled it!Many years after the game I was in charge of the Regional Remand Centre in West London and a certain Born Again Christian Minister called Willie Bell turned up offering his Christian services. He had gone to America and found God.Nothing came of it but I was able to ask him about that tackle on Shirley and he confessed it had been a grave sin. I told him it was the only time I had ever heard my Dad swear as he thought that Derek was dead and it was true that the Leeds Trainer told him to stay down.Anyway, here is to the 1966 reunion at the Freshy tomorrow and if my old mate (Alan McGuffog) and indeed any other Blues con join us then we look forward to reminiscences.Charles. John Griffiths 41 Posted 10/02/2016 at 20:20:26 Dave 21. I don't recall the song you mention but I do remember that one sang to the tunes of the Hillbilly Clamplets:Goner tell you a story about a man named Fred,A great centre forward who could score with his head,And one day gone while playing down the 'Pool,He ran round Rowdy Yates and scored a lovely goal.Goal that is, four-nil... Peter Mills 42 Posted 10/02/2016 at 22:12:58 I've just read that Derek is to be awarded a League Winner's medal for the 1962-63 season following an appeal by the outstanding Everton Heritage Society. David S Shaw 43 Posted 11/02/2016 at 08:43:11 Lovely stuff John Griffiths thank you! That's made me think on a bit that was there another that mentioned Pickering to When Johnny comes marching home? Dave Abrahams 44 Posted 11/02/2016 at 09:07:53 Charles (#39) thanks for your contribution about the referee; you are right, he absolutely lost control of the match. When he ordered the players off the pitch, he was the first man off the field, instead of staying on until every player had left the pitch.He had no real control of the players after about five minutes of the game. Did he become an MP after leaving football? Not sure about that myself, but it would make sense as they are mostly a pretty useless bunch of people. Ray Roche 45 Posted 11/02/2016 at 10:04:58 Dave Abrahams,Regarding Ken Stokes, the referee, read these extracts from the "Mighty Leeds. The Definitive History Of Leeds Utd".It's now common knowledge that Revie was as straight as a hairpin but this is worthy of discussion..."With three minutes left, and the prospect of extra time looming, Leeds were awarded a questionable penalty by referee Ken Stokes when he ruled that Jimmy Greenhoff was brought down by Sunderland defender Cec Irwin. The penalty decision was hotly disputed both at the time and afterwards, as Peter Lorimer recalled in his autobiography. "Don said out of the blue: 'If anybody gets anywhere near the box, get down.' Jimmy Greenhoff, who was quick when he was in full flight, set off on one of his jinking runs and was fully five yards outside the penalty area when he was brought down. By the time he had stumbled, fallen and rolled over a couple of times he was inside the box, and the referee, Ken Stokes, pointed to the spot so quickly that The Yorkshire Evening Post of 21 March 1967 carries the news of the previous evening's second replay win for Leeds at Hull with Giles scoring the winner from the spot it was almost embarrassing. This was at a time when there was a lot of talk about referees being got at. I am not saying that Stokes was, but the issue begged close examination. Firstly, why did Revie issue that 'dive' instruction and, secondly, why did Stokes award a penalty that so clearly was not? Lots of things were happening in football that simply did not add up, and this was just another of those. I've added a link to a (Leeds, so therefore biased) report of the Leeds game written at the time for us older fans to get het up about half a century after the event.http://www.mightyleeds.co.uk/matches/19641107.htm Brian Foley 46 Posted 11/02/2016 at 19:15:10 Utterly fantastic post and comments... it's all so vivid. I was born and living in Cardiff and was 8 years old, watching my first ever football match that day, 14 May 1966, with me dad an, Irish merchant navy captain who took ships into Liverpool and only went to watch Everton. By chance, playing on a football tour in 1979 v Old Holts and someone else that weekend, I met my wife – we've been married 36 years this year. I remember me dad said 'We've had it now' at 2-0 down – not the first time he was wrong, though he'd never admit it. The rest, of course, is legend. We moved to Bootle and for nearly 10 years played for Sefton & D, A1, Brookvale etc... good days, anyone remember? oh and that night against Bayern, sardined in the Gwladys Street End... happy days. I just love my daily fixes on the ToffeeWeb, well done everyone. Tom Evans 47 Posted 12/02/2016 at 18:13:44 Yet another brilliant article on the players and of the team from the years that I first started watching the Blues. In particular the second paragraph with the recollections of a young lad entering Goodison for the first time described my feelings exactly. I was also at that Leeds game and remember one of the St Johns personnel who had stretchered Temple off turning the air blue with his contempt towards Leeds. Dave Kelly 48 Posted 12/02/2016 at 18:35:35 Absolutely brilliant article, David...and many superb responses too by fellow 'webbers'!I was at Wembley when Degsy (he hated the term "Shirley" I believe) hit that winner and I was almost crushed to death by a massive Irish bloke who had earlier berated me for being negative when Wednesday's second goal went in. I was thrown about like his personal rag doll and he grabbed my lapels and roared (this is the censored version), "Now you'd better believe, sunshine!" I can still smell his beery breath to this day... but what an experience that was to savour.Incidentally, did Ron Springett actually spit on his hands as Derek advanced on his goal?We had some great days out in that cup run, Bedford Town away was a vivid memory, Temple scoring twice; I was virtually on the pitch when his second went in, the Everton fans surging forward as The Blues built up the attack.I actually managed to have a nice chat with Derek on a Liverpool-Southport train maybe some 20 years later. He was a thorough gentleman, no 'Big Time Charlie' about him whatsoever. We chatted about Brian Labone, Colin Harvey and Tony Kay and I was devastated when my stop at Seaforth suddenly appeared, how I wanted to stay on that train for a few stops more!Great player, great bloke who should definitely have been awarded more England caps than the one he got! Barry McNally 49 Posted 12/02/2016 at 18:49:12 Fantastic read, thanks Doc! A must read for all Evertonians? both young and old. Charles Barrow 50 Posted 12/02/2016 at 18:58:48 Great memories eh - I was about 8 in 1966 and my Dad took me and my brothers to Wembley but we couldn't get tickets. We were staying with my auntie in Cricklewood. So there were about 12 of us surrounding a tiny black and white telly. Depression followed by euphoria! Reminds me of the World Cup final as well. I was on a school trip to St Mary's Bay in Kent with Christ the King primary, off Queens Drive, Broadgreen. There must have been over a hundred kids on benches trying to watch the game on a TV the size of a sheet of A4 paper! I got bored and with a few mates I left to re-play the Cup Final instead on the field. Andy Crooks 52 Posted 15/02/2016 at 00:00:55 A superb article. This is our history and is what unites us. That was the day I became an Evertonian, at 2-0 down. As someone who doesn't live in Liverpool, I have often answered the question: Why Everton? The answer is, "What other team could anyone, given a choice, pick?" 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