Billy Bingham passes away

I had the pleasure of seeing you play, what a player!

First game I went Bingham was manager… that's both Bingham and Lee now gone, in the space of 3 months.

Who knows what we would have achieved, had you stuck to your statement and signed Peter Shilton? So near… yet so far from glory.

That team never quite made it in that season Derby County won league, which has been covered loads of times on here. Typical Everton

God bless Billy, a true gent.

Agreed – Shilton and Trevor Francis (didn't Lee try to sign him) would have made a difference.

As a manager Billy focused first and foremost on solid defence at a club still coming to terms with the demise of the 1970 Championship-winning team, especially the loss of Alan Ball. Given the average talents available to him there was arguably no realistic alternative. His two big-money buys, Latchford and Dobson, added some quality but the team gained a reputation, not wholly undeserved, for a negative approach. The truth was we did not possess enough top-class players.

That era is described very comprehensively in the first half of Gavin Buckland's excellent book ‘Boys from the Blue Stuff'.

As John (12) states we were lacked style and charisma and set out not to lose but we we were only a good goalkeeper away from winning silverware and I think that applied to Gordon Lee when he took over from Billy.

Like many others of a certain age, I suspect, mention his name and thoughts turn to spring 1975.

The story goes that he wanted to sign Shilton and the board wouldn't give him the money.

Whatever, we were so close to the title that season, and who knows what that might have led to for Everton FC.

But he had a heck of a career in football. RIP.

Should have won the League as manager in 74-75, foiled by horrendous results against teams we should have beaten.

Sacked during the 76-77 season when we had just had a great win at Old Trafford in the League Cup quarter final.

He used to live in Sunnyside Avenue in Crosby, it was quite a thrill to be introduced to him when I was aged 6, he was very patient and friendly.

Condolences to the Bingham family.

I thought he was the manager the first time I went to Goodison but just checked it was Gordon Lee in 1978, we beat Ipswich 1-0, Bob Latchford scored a pen and it was Duncan MacKenzie’s last game for us. Bobby Robson was the manager of Ipswich.

A true gent, a true footballer and always a true Evertonian... RIP Billy

Hi Dave, old age is apparently catching up with you as well as me, George Cummins joined Luton Town in August 1953, he never scored a goal for Everton but scored for Luton in his return, thankfully Everton won 2-1.

The two players involved in the Bingham deal were John Bramwell and Alec Ashworth in 1960, if memory serves me right Ashworth scored in both the abandoned game in which Dennis Law scored six goals, and the replayed game which Luton 3-1.

As a manager, Billy came across as a decent bloke and it was a shame a lot of good work was undone in 74-75 dropping silly points against Carlisle etc.

I remember an Echo journalist writing, when Billy arrived as manager, that the team should prepare themselves for a tortuous pre-season as Billy was known for very intense training sessions. RIP Billy.

RIP Billy, gone but never forgotten.

Yes, you are correct: Alec Ashworth was the player who went with John Bramwell to Luton when we signed Billy Bingham.

I remember Alec scoring two very early goals for the Blues in the last home game of the season versus Man City but we lost 5-2, he later suffered with his mental health and I think he then finished with football.

RIP, Billy, a true Evertonian at heart.

I remember when we signed Latchford. Some were up in arms that we let Kendall and Styles go in the opposite direction. The deal was valued at £350,000 at the time. Latchford was the business in front of goal, so in that respect Billy was proved right, to do the deal. Dobson was a joy to watch. Such a classy left sided midfielder.

Then came McKenzie and Rioch. We loved Duncan. I remember on his debut, He had 4 players around him and with one sway of his hips they went right, whilst he went left and left them all for dead. Rioch was a brick outhouse in the midfield, who liked the opposition to know how hard he was from the off. That team should have won the title but those Carlisle results still haunt me to this day. I think they got relegated too. Oh for a decent keeper.

His management of Northern Ireland will always be remembered for the defeat of Spain, at their own World Cup Finals. One of the greatest upsets in a World Cup.

My condolences to Mr Binghams' Family.

Although I did manage to come home on leave and saw a couple of games, the Boxing Day game against Bolton Wanderers stands out in my memory, because my sister gave birth to her daughter, and we worked out that it was when Dave Hickson scored the only goal of the game.

I quite often remember incidents and events that occurred in games I've attended, and very little of the games themselves, maybe I can relate some at the next ToffeeWeb gathering.

I would love to hear more of what became of Johnny Morrisey... what a player.

I went to Blackpool"s ground for a match, it was a night game. We won 1-0, Alec Ashworth scored the winner. It was about in 1958-59. I think he was a Southport lad.

Rest in peace, Billy Bingham.

Colin Green, Colin Harvey, John Hurst, Jimmy Husband, Tommy Jackson, Tony Kay, Roger Kenyon, Johnny Morrisey, Mick Meagan, Andy Rankin, Joe Royle, Derek Temple, and Tommy Wright.

As I've said, it was a quick check and I may have missed one or two, I've tried to select a team from the surviving players, so here goes.

Andy Rankin, Tommy Wright, Mick Meagan, Colin Harvey, Roger Kenyon, Tony Kay, Jimmy Husband, John Hurst, Joe Royle, Derek Temple, and Johnny Morrisey. I felt it was okay to play John Hurst up front, because he was a forward for Blackpool and England schoolboys, and Derek Temple was someone who could operate in any forward position.

I hope you can allow an old man the pleasure of revelling in the joys of yester-year. 'Your day will come'.

I was at the infamous Ireland match and it was a toxic event at a very dark time. Days to regret.

However, there were days to remember and cherish. Beating West Germany home and away, going to two World Cups, and creating a club atmosphere at international level. Something which England's two greatest managers did (Ramsey and Venables). Something that is rare and special.

If only he could have done that at Everton. He was remembered fondly today by Jimmy Nicholl and Gerry Armstrong who both spoke of the tough discipline he installed in his squads. It couldn't happen today which is unfortunate in many ways.

Also, I hope my memory isn't playing tricks, but did he sign Rioch and Mackenzie in the same week and give them their debuts that Saturday? An unlikely set of signings but astonishing if I didn't dream it.

There was also his amazing accent (posh Northern Ireland) epitomized by the notion that putting the word "for" before the word "till" was a sign of class.

More than any manager, Billy Bingham seemed to me like a proper grown-up boss, inspiring but intimidating. Brian Clough without the magic dust. For better or worse, there really was no-one like Billy Bingham. A complex man, RIP.

If you have 8 players who are prepared to play with, and for, each other then you have a side with a title- winning chance, he said. That was in the 60s; he understood the modern football mind and was something of a bridge between Old Great Everton and New Mediocre Everton (our 80s spasm notwithstanding).

May he rest in peace.

RIP, Billy Bingham

Bingham is the first name I remember as Everton manager. But I can't confess to remembering anything about the team at the time. I don't know if my first match was whilst Bingham was in charge. Home Farm at Goodison in a pre-season friendly. But then again, age is getting to me and I can't recall if it was that or another friendly against Braunschweig in Germany. Either way, I feel they might have been later.

Regardless, he served Everton as player and Manager. Rest in Peace.

Also trying to remember who brought Sheedy to Goodison as I remember him coming on as a sub under Billy Bangbang.

Yes, Ashworth was born in Southport and finished his career in nearby Preston North End.

Nice to hear from you, Ray, I hope you are keeping okay.

Tony Kay helps out at the Marine Lake Cafe in Southport most weekdays and always welcomes Evertonians to pop in and have a chat.

And you weren't the least bit suspicious that Billy let you sit up front during the taxi tour of Belfast whilst he was happy enough to ride in the back with your girlfriend… 😊

He wasn't my dad's favourite manager especially when he started taking elocution lessons and couldn't win a derby. We have had far worse, to be fair. RIP, Billy.

I was at that match also (sort of). Spent the whole day hitch-hiking down to Coventry. Got there for the last 5 minutes to see them score their fourth goal. Bunked on the floor of a coach on the way back and my Mum thought was I was still playing footie up the street.