Fred Pickering — A Tribute

RIP Fred, when I was nowt but a lad you were good to watch even if my owd man used to say Alex Young was way the better forward. Your goals per game ratio for us is AMAZING.

How we could do with your attitude and ability now.

Come listen to a story about a man named Fred
He could score a goal with his feet or his head
Then one day while playing against the 'Pool
He slipped past Yeats and he scored one cool
Well Ron Yeats said I do declare
It's about time I moved away from here
I think that Tranmere is the place that I should be
Then I'll have no Pickering to bother me

The song did go on but the lyrics escape me.

I remember waking up on FA Cup final day in 1966 to the news Fred Pickering was not playing, every Evertonian was gutted.

My personal memory of Fred is him and Johnny Morrissey have a play fight over an apple at the Bellfield training ground when we kids were waiting for autographs after training.

RIP Fred

These old timers played for a few bob each week and had fish and chips from the local chippy after the game before going the pub with the fans.

Enjoy the great game in the sky Fred, you've earned it.

Sad that players of Fred's generation had to seek a living as best they could, when their career was over, in stark contrast to today's game where even bog standard squad players are millionaires.

RIP Fred.

I can't remember the Footie Echo's reporter but still recall the comment: "Pickering... Complete-centre forward... Legs like young oak trees."

Like an earlier poster I think I still have the Bedford FA Cup goal photo in black and white from the echo. That was the start of our victorious 1966 FA Cup run. I remember him scoring a few for Blackpool on an early Match of the Day.

To really put things into perspective, when my uncle was in hospital in 1966, having a back operation, Fred was in the same ward having his knee op. That certainly wouldn't happen today.

All great memories and thanks for them Fred.

Fred would amble down of a Sunday lunch to the Guinness FC Social Club in his cardigan and slippers for a game of dominoes with the locals and had time for everyone. That's what you call real class and style! Such a far cry from the overpaid, aloof so-called 'stars' of today, who in reality would not be fit to lace the likes of Fred Pickering's boots.

A real gentleman and a very good footballer. Better than he was given credit for. Most Evertonians of a certain age, remember that Fred was switched from full back to a free-scoring centre forward by the time he joined us.

But around the time he left us for Birmingham, Bobby Charlton for United and Ian St John for Liverpool were being played deeper than their familiar centre forward roles. Birmingham experimented with Pickering in a similar way.

I recall watching him a couple of times on TV playing more of a central midfield role behind the strikers to great effect. He showed surprising skill, proving conclusively what a great all round footballer he really was. RIP Big Fred. As the song goes, 'Thanks for the Memory'.

Temple, Young and Pickering each scored in the first 3 rounds with Temple and Pickering getting the goals to beat Man. City, so each of them had scored in every round until the semi-final.

I used to love that chant: "Pick-er-ing, Pick-'em-Off"...

My condolences and "Pick 'Em Off" Fred.

One man's bad fortune led to another man's good, and it must have been quite hard for Fred on that historical day at Wembley in 1966.

As mentioned above, he is revered at Blackpool where not only did his hat trick at Deepdale send the tangerines up to the top flight, but it also relegated their arch enemies PNE to the third division. Still talked about to this day with relish and respect by elderly Seasiders fans.

RIP Fred

Wonderful memories of a true Everton great, the photo of Fred with another of our legends, Colin Harvey, brought back those days of yore when the name Everton meant something.

Fred Pickering, Gone But Not Forgotten. RIP, lad.

Thanks again for this wonderful tribute for Uncle Fred.

Just wanted to add thanks to all the wonderful fans for their lovely comments and memories shared.

Very heartwarming at a very sad time for our family.

Warmest wishes to you all.

Susan, Fred's niece.

Injury not only ruled him out of the 1966 FA Cup final, but also the England World Cup squad. He could have ended up Sir Fred!

I went up to him at a supporters' dinner 10 or 12 years ago and was delighted that he took time to talk to me. A real gent.

He was a great centre forward and it was a big loss when his career was cut short with us due to the knee injury.

Condolences to his family, his memory will live on with all Evertonians privileged to have seen him play.

Frank Wignall who had to leave us to get regular first-team football and went on to play for England.

Fred Pickering and Joe Royle, both also Englandinternationals in the days when caps were hard to come by. The great Colin Harvey only got one and Howard Kendall didn't even get one.

Pickering was a tremendous goal scorer, better than a goal every two games, his debut hat-trick was a marvellous statement of his ability and almost persuaded me that he could be considered in the same breath as Alex Young.

Like Royle after him, he suffered from the false comparisons with Young, but in modern terms this was a 㿨M striker. An excellent finisher, both as a snapper-up of unconsidered trifles in the 6-yard box and of 20-yard drives, good in the air and willing to chase and make runs.

In fact, compared to Lukaku I'll revise that 㿨M upwards. Like a few of Everton's stars of the sixties he wasn't always treated well by Harry Catterick, but he was a quality striker.

RIP Fred