When 'Legends' were thin on the ground — Part 6

Thanks for your efforts, and being a Gentleman Evertonian.

Jimmy O'Neill also played at Oldham that night and played in the semi final in 1953 versus Bolton, I used to see Jimmy in the old main stand after he finished his playing career, always easy to talk to and loved Everton.

John Willie was a very underrated football, was good with his head and set up many a goal with his flicks around the penalty area, leading goal scorer in our promotion year and in a few seasons before and after that, came from a footballing family from Birkenhead.

Pinchbeck, remember the name when I first started going to the match, don't think I saw any of his three games.

Harry Potts, £20,000 was a very large fee in those days, he might have been passed his best when we signed, maybe Kenwright was involved in that deal !!!!!, I remember seeing Harry in a friendly game v Notts County when he was involved in one of those old fashioned penalties, he took the penalty, just tapped it a few feet and another player ran forward and scored, not sure who, could have been Eddie Wainwright,

Aubrey Powell, was he a Welsh international?, he played in the record crowd versus Liverpool, the 3-3 game v Newcastle, if I'm not mistaken was one of eight draws in the first division that day and to my shame I wasn't at the game, don't know why but I was at Anfield watching Liverpool reserves beating Barnsley reserves 5-2, I told you last week John, I had a capacity for storing useless information in my hea

George Rankin was a decent left back who never really made a name for himself at the Blues but got a decent career out of football.

Regarding Joe Mercer, he was one of two England captains to have been born in Ellesmere Port – the other being Stan Cullis, of course. Ellesmere Port was, until the 1960s & 1970's I think, the only place in England outside of London to have provided the country with two captains and the town provided many professional footballers – Kevin Lewis, Ian Bowyer, Niel Whatmore, and many others too.

Hi Dave [2], I bumped into Jimmy O'Neill in Ormskirk a few years before he died, and I thanked him for the years of enjoyment he gave me. During the chat I had with him, I mentioned that I had an Everton book that had been signed by Joe Mercer, Ted Sagar and Tommy Lawton, he immediately said "Bring it along to the next home game, and I will add my signature," which he did outside of the Winslow, a true gentleman.

With regard to John Willie Parker, some used to say that your hero, Dave Hickson, did all the work and that John Willie was lazy, but they were an outstanding strike force.

Cliff Pinchbeck is a memory locked in the recesses of your mind, because he played in the Arsenal game that you referred to, a 2-0 home defeat in March 1948, the three games he played in all resulted in defeats, 3-1 Derby County (home) and 3-0 to Preston North End (away).

Everton played two friendlies against Notts County in January and February 1951, there's a good chance I would have seen them but I can't recall them. In the first game, Everton won 3-2, Harry Potts (2), Jimmy McIntosh scoring, and in the second game Tommy Eglington (2) and Oscar Hold scored in a 3-0 win.

The friendlies would have been arranged because Everton had lost 2-0 to Hull City in the FA Cup. I do however remember the friendly a fortnight after the second Notts County game, it was against Middlesbrough a 1-1 draw, the goal scorer Jimmy McIntosh, my stand out memory being the golden-haired Wilf Mannion.

Yes, Dave, Aubrey Powell was a Welsh International, and he actually scored in the 3-3 Newcastle game;like you I have a head stuffed with useless information, although I suspect that a leakage has occurred because I know there are games I have attended that I can't recall, but then, between us we have seen one or two, I'd be lost without my books.

Thanks for the memories, I also saw Moore play but have no vivid memory of him.

Thanks, again, John.

Hi Rick [5], that's one game I do remember, the other goals coming from Dave Hickson (2), Cyril Lello, and a Jock Lindsay penalty; we really must get together, Rick, when the circumstances are favourable.

Hi Andy [6], I really can't be doing with a player wearing 18 on his back being referred to as the 'Number 10' – and what's this 'false Number 9' all about? I even heard Brendan Rodgers saying that one of the Liverpool players was a 9½ — I thought he was talking about his shoe size!!

I recall Mercer as a manager more than a player but I was fascinated to read your response (post 4) with regards to John Willie Parker. I recall my late father telling me that JWP was "a goal hanger". You have alluded to it in your post and it is the first time I have ever read or heard mention of it other than my father's "moans". I think he was influenced by Dave Hickson, who he loved until he moved over the park and against whom I once played cricket.

Once again, John, many thanks.

Interested to see George Rankin is mentioned in this one.

I believe he was one of four of the Rankin family to play for Everton. I only saw Andy Rankin play "in the flesh" and in addition to him and George, the other two Rankins to play for Everton were Bruce and Billy.

What an amazing football/Everton family!

In the 1951-52 season, he scored 16 League and FA Cup goals in 38 appearances, Dave Hickson netted 14 goals in 33 appearances.

In the 1952-53 season, John Willie scored 17 goals in 36 League and Cup games, while Davie weighed in with 16 goals in 32 games.

In 1953-54, Everton's promotion season, John Willie scored 33 times in 41 League and FA Cup games, Davie scored 28 goals in 43 League and FA Cup games

The 1954-55 season saw John Willie score 19 times in 34 League and FA Cup matches, Davie notched 13 goals in 41 League and FA Cup starts.

The partnership was broken up in September 1955 when Dave Hickson was transferred to Aston Villa, John Willie Parker struggled that season without his mate, scoring only 4 goals in 20 League appearances and he was transferred to Bury in May 1956.

So Ian, you will see from the figures that their partnership was a fruitful one, 122 goals between them in three seasons.

Hi Steve [9], you are right when you say that George Rankin was from a sporting family, but I'm afraid that Billy Rankin never made it to the first team. I believe that George was the nephew of George 'Stonewall' Jackson who played at right-back for Everton in the 1940s, I'll try to get some more information on Billy Rankin.

He represented England at baseball, and later became a baseball referee. He was a back stop at baseball and was known as the man with the 'Iron Hands' as he didn't wear protective gloves.

If George Jackson was related in any way to the Rankin family, which I believe was, then he and Billy would have played together in that Amateur Cup Final.

Hi Lenny [12] I should have gone to the Forest v Everton FA Cup match, but we moved to Skelmersdale that weekend. I was told that Everton were in control until Joe Baker was injured and Ian Storey-Moore moved to centre-forward, grabbing a hat-trick in the process.

Hi Peter [13] and Len [14], I think you have hit the nail on the head, Joe Mercer and Bobby Robson, were not only gentlemen, they were also 'Gentle Men' not a trace of arrogance. My daughter when she was a little girl, received Joe's autograph, he wrote "To Vicky", a pity really because her name is Nicki.

The day that Everton beat Luton Town, I was at the ground early and Bobby Robson drove into Goodison Avenue looking for the car park. I directed him to the Bullens Road car park entrance and then took it upon myself to escort him and his wife to main entrance, He presented the League Championship Trophy Everton that day, happy memories.

I believe that if Westy had been in nets that day we would have prevailed. History repeated itself in my little blue book when another goalkeeping change in the FA Cup brought us down. That would be many years later when Mimms came in for Big Nev and well, you know the rest.

Can you remember the first game of the 1961-62 season when we beat Aston Villa 2-0, and Derek Dougan sported a 'Mohican style' haircut? It was reported that a couple of weeks later, Joe Mercer called Dougan into his office and said, "If you want to be different, score a few bloody goals".

The first game of the 1961/62 season,when Derek
Dougan had that mohican hairstyle.

Whenever DD touched the ball, 40,000 Evertonians
started whooping like red Indians. Derek Dougan
was a colourful character all the teams that he
played for.

He was a good centre forward especially playing
for Northern Ireland, who had a decent team then.

The Blues won against the Villa 2-0, a good start.

Some of the teams he played for, Aston Villa,
Blackburn, Porthsmouth,Wolves.

Did he have something to do with a takeover at
Wolves with other investors.?

Some of your comments regarding the Rankins are correct, but there was 8 in total to represent the club at all different levels.

Bruce Rankin and his brother George Rankin –1900s; Billy Rankin (George Rankin's Dad) Also played for Marine.

George Rankin – 1950's (George's dad wouldn't allow him to go full time, hence in and out of the team, also serving in the army. Billy Rankin (George Rankin's Brother) also played for Marine and Southport with George.

George Rankin (Andy Rankin's Dad)

Andy Rankin –1960s

Billy Wallace (George and Andy's Cousin, grandson of Bruce Rankin) also played for Bolton.

Plus others who played for other clubs, Wigan Athletic, Tranmere, Huddersfield.

Jeff, Bruce Rankin's Great Grandson.

If it's correct, that then can make 9, must be a record, over 4 generations, the club really in my opinion should give us some recognition for this.

Hi Alan [23] George Rankin was indeed the nephew of George "Stonewall" Jackson.