Everton Goats

It really is fascinating to see how opinions differ:

Southall
Wright
Labone
Ratcliffe
Wilson
Kay
Ball
Harvey
Kanchelskis
Lineker
Rooney (Even in the short time we had him, he was a terrific player.)

I'll say this for you, sir -- you don't lack for courage. Putting Pickford ahead of Big Nev has positioned you at the bottom of a snow-covered mountainside. I think you should prepare for an avalanche.

That would be really hard to beat!!!!

Then I look at Vernon, Kendall, Young, Latchford, Harris, West

What a bloody bench!!!!!!!!!

Not fit to lace his boots. Our greatest player since the war.

And Jimmy Gabriel – captain scarlet indestructible.

Alex Young. We could go on and on.

Obviously Pejic was a joke.

Imagine Dixie Dean, Hickson, Vernon etc with modern training and protection by referees.

The older one gets, the more difficult it is to select an all-time favourite XI, but from a 'long list' of favourites I've managed to do so.

I have chosen them to play in a formation comprising of a keeper, two full-backs, three half-backs, two wingers, two inside-forwards, and a centre-forward.

Neville Southall
Alex Parker
Ray Wilson
Howard Kendall
Brian Labone
Colin Harvey
Trevor Steven
Alan Ball
Alex Young
Bobby Collins
Tommy Ring

As I've hinted, I could probably select many more players who I have fond memories of, players who will never be forgotten by those who were fortunate enough to see them.

Southall
Stevens
Labone
Ratcliffe
Wilson
Ball
Harvey
Kendall
Royle
Rooney
Steven

Southall
Stevens
Baines
Ratcliffe
Watson
Steven
Bracewell
Reid
Sheedy
Lineker
Sharp

Subs: Latchford, Distin, Thomas, Coleman,
Martyn, Gray, Arteta.

4-2-3-1-1

Southall. The best in his prime.

Stevens. Solid and had goals in him.

Baines. Takes the mantle from Pat van den Hauwe for me.
Ratcliffe. Pace and recovery powers.

Mountfield. Defensive strengths and goals. That black eye at Villa Park as he celebrated the semi-final winner.

Reid. A proper nark with our own players as much as with the opposition. But a great footballer.

Bracewell. Graceful. Such a shame we didn't see more of him.

Steven. Tricky Trev. An exciting traditional winger who scored goals.

Kanchelskis: Not necessarily a winger, more a wide attacking player who cut in, terrified defences and scored goals.

Sheedy. There can be only one. Despite being remembered as a wide left midfielder, his best position was in what we now call the Number 10 role. I think we still sometimes chant "Sheedy" when we get a free kick around the box.

Sharp. Forget the recent board shenanigans. Sharp the player was one of our most effective strikers.

Subs:

McKenzie
Latchford
Cahill
Martyn
Van den Hauwe
Harper
King for that goal. Now I'm getting nostalgic.
Materazzi. May not have been the best for us, but you could see there was a player in him.

Pat Jennings
Gary Stevens
Kenny Samson
Marco Materazzi
John Stones
Paul Gascogne
Trevor Steven
Andrei Kanchelskis
Norman Whiteside
Wayne Rooney
Samuel Eto'o

Subs:
Southall
Mark Hughes
Lineker
Sheedy
Watson

Although he was before my time, my late father would be pointing out on this thread that the first name on any post-war team sheet should be Tony Kay. In his view, the best player he ever saw in a blue shirt (and ahead of Alan Ball). Your thoughts?

Just spotted that Dave Williams has included him.

I'd find it hard to argue with your dad because Tony Kay was a terrific player and an extra captain on the field. I wouldn't leave Wayne Rooney out of any best eleven Everton teams I have seen, adding Bobby Collins to my eleven.

Stopping now because I'd find it hard to leave so many great players out… and Neville Southall would definitely have to be in goal.

From what I've read, he could have been up there with the best.

Can't believe I forgot Rooney. But too many to think about. You won't capture them all.

Everton have had many great players including quite a few who were playing long before many of us were born.

Some were greater after they left and some were great in the time (short or long) they were at Everton.

Obviously attacking players were more popular because they scored goals which won games and gave them the headlines ahead of defensive players.

Ball, Rooney, Lineker, Sharp, Young and Royle of the modern era (since the 1960s) stand out as forward players but one cannot omit Dixie Dean from an era before that.

We haven't had many centre-backs better than Labone but Ray Wilson was as good a left-back as anybody with Tommy Wright and Gary Stevens among the best right-backs.

Peter Reid was a tremendously gifted player as was Trevor Steven, Jimmy Gabriel, Kevin Sheedy, Colin Harvey and Howard Kendall.

Big Nev, Pickford, Gordon West rank as the top keepers but once again a certain Ted Sagar must get a mention from another era.

Surely they'd have at least had to play for Everton before getting selected – that would rule Pat Jennings out. And even if he had played, he would have a hard job getting picked before Southall!!

Subs:

West
Stevens
Baines
Reid
Bracewell
Lukaku
Rooney

Subs:
Pickford, Labone, Steven, Sheedy, Sharp, Beardsley, Bracewell.

Coleman
Watson
Ratcliffe
Baines

Carsley

Steven
Bracewell
Dobson
Thomas

Rooney

As I attempted to make clear in my post, it's obvious that there would be an avalanche of selections for favourite players. Having been attending games since 1948, I could take an age to mention players who have been my favourites, because in my early years anyone who donned the Everton jersey qualified for that distinction.

Regarding Tony Kay, your dad was right in his estimation of Kay's ability, and it's my opinion that, had Kay not been jailed and banned from football for life, he would have been the captain of the England team in 1966.

Hi Danny [21]

Yes, Gordon West had an amazing throw and no-one could believe their eyes when, in his debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Goodison, he demonstrated his talent.

Jimmy was a bit of an unfulfilled talent, but he was some talent at his peak.

I'd agree that Big Nev has to be goalie. Pickford is a great shot-stopper but he doesn't command his area like Nev used to. And while I have a lot of time for our mid 80's midfield, Steven and Sheedy especially, it would be hard to break up the golden 3 from the late '60s, they just worked so well as a unit. Maybe play those 2 in a 4-5-1

Agreed regarding big Nev, one fan even picked Pat Jennings who played 0 games for us while Nev played 750 games for us!

Larry 29,

Lineker was a world class goal scorer for Leicester, Everton, Barcelona, Spurs and England. Was a class act in both the World Cups in 1986 and 1990.

Regarding 1986, if big Nev had not broken his ankle we would have won at least one trophy, Lineker leaving was a result of the Heysel ban. We would've won the European Cup with him and Sharp up front as they were terrific together.

Southall
Coleman
Watson
Jagielka
Baines
Parkinson
Barry
Arteta
Barkley
Cahill
Lukaku

"Lineker leaving was a result of the Heysel ban. "

It wasn't.

Howard Kendall acknowledged it was his decision to move him on largely for the reason Larry #29 mentions and subsequently argued reclaiming the title in 86-87 justified his decision.

Also, Lineker did not want to leave Everton. He made a comment at the time along the lines that a move to Barcelona wasn't a bad consolation prize but it was pretty obvious he hadn't wanted to go.

I think you're all on your own with that one.

How does one person have that much talent, we had much to be thankful for when he signed on as a kid.

On top of everything else, the thing which was unusual with Howard too, was how well-mannered he was. When you think how much pressure managers are under and how raw football can be, I can't remember him ever being anything but unflappable.

I love Pickford but to pick him in front of the binman is heresy in my humble opinion.

To me the single most greatest ever keeper I've seen… better than Banks, Shilton, Schmeichel, Clemence, Jennings well anyone you can name.

Other than that great piece.

If we had played in the European Cup in 1986 no way would Kendall had let Lineker leave the club as he would have excelled playing in Europe.

Kendall would have never left the club a year later, he I believe would have wanted his best players to win the biggest prize.

I think our problems go back that far.

I received an autographed photo of him during the week the tournament started wearing a Barcelona kit. My dad who used to sit with his mate Brian Labone always said the deal was agreed the week after the FA Cup Final.

When I was younger, my dad always said that the other bloke he sat with, someone called Kenwright, was a bullshitter and "If he buys you a lemonade, check you still have the watch we got you for your birthday."

Couldn't argue with that. If we had been in Europe I agree Kendall may have kept Lineker but unfortunately we weren't and unfortunately he didn't.

Have to say though... Sharp & Heath are my GOAT centre-forward pairing.

Howard Kendall as a player was excellent. I'd play him with Tony Kay no problem except Colin Harvey and Peter Reid wouldn't get in my team.

Kendall was certainly unflappable as a player, a calming influence on the team with his all round displays, tackling, passing and scoring quite a few goals and another captain for the team.

I was serving in the army at that time, 1956 to 1959.
Tommy Ring was signed in January 1960, and I must confess that I only saw him in home games, in that season, he figured in 16 appearances scoring 2 goals.

The following season, he made 11 appearances scoring 4 times, and he suffered a broken leg in a collision with the Chelsea keeper Reg Matthews. He was a definite improvement and unfortunately his Everton career was over.

Difficult to know whether to judge players on their whole Everton career or them at their best for Everton.

Pickford

Coleman
Yobo (strange one but I loved him in his prime!)
Lescott
Baines

Arteta
Barry
Cahill

Rooney
Lukaku
Richarlison

You obviously came later to Everton than most. Why and why Everton?

Also please feel free to ignore BTW.

I put Jennings just to be mischievous lol although I have met him a few times and he's a lovely fellow

Southall
Coleman
Labone
Ratcliffe
Wilson
Reid
Ball
Sheedy
Steven
Sharp
Lukaku

I imagine on another day Stevens, Baines, Harvey, Kendall, Arteta, Royle and Dave Watson might all feature.

Stevens, Watson, Ratcliffe, Van den Hauwe

Steven, Kay, Ball, Sheedy

Young (but only in good boots!) Rooney

Great fun and, of course, just my shot at it. Enjoyed seeing all the other team selections too. All of them terrific & worthy of debate over a few jars.

Like John Rafferty (54), Big Nev & Bally are the first names on the team sheet, as they are the two truly world class players that I have seen in the shirt of Everton. I was lucky to see both in their prime and I've only seen a couple of players since that I can say have reached those standards whilst playing for Everton and all too briefly; Andre Kanchelskis & Wayne Rooney (the best teenager I have seen live).

The main position I struggled with was centre-half. I have no memory of seeing Brian Labone live (mostly injured in 1970-71) and I do not feel we have had any truly great centre-halves since, Ratcliffe was more a sweeper using his great pace to full effect. Therefore I've gone for a 3-5-1-1 formation as follows:

Southall,
Stevens, Ratcliffe, Baines
Steven, Ball, Reid, Bracewell, Sheedy
Kanchelskis,
Rooney

Subs:
Sharp, Gray, Harvey, Kendall, Dave Watson, Arteta & Pickford.

No team throughout Everton history could exclude Dean.

Southall
Wright
Labone
Ratcliffe
Wilson
Kendall
Harvey
Ball
Steven
Young
Royle

Bench:
Pickford
Stevens
Baines
Watson
Kay
Dobson
Reid
Sheedy
Latchford

I have excluded Lineker and Rooney due to their relatively short Everton careers.

Stevens
Ratcliffe
Wilson

Ball
Kendall
Harvey
Kay

McKenzie
Young
Vernon

Manager: first half, Mike Walker; second half, Rafa Benitez

What's your worst XI?

So the first game I ever saw was the 1966 FA Cup Final and supported Everton for 2 reasons; they were a local team and they were getting beat. I've followed them since including attending all the home games of the 1970 title-winning season, except the last as it was a night match.

I was in the sandpits of Saudi for much of the '80s so missed those glory years so for me the greatest are the 1970 team.

Hard to beat that but I think my strikers are worse:

Drew Brand
Mitch Ward
Earl Barrett
Per Krøldrup
Glenn Keeley
Alex Nyarko
Claus Thomsen
Ian Wilson
Brett Angell
Mick Ferguson
Salomon Rondon

Subs:
Joe Harper, Alcaraz, Stefan Rehn, Mike Milligan, Carl Tiler, Morgan Schneiderlin, Lie Tie

Manager Mike sunbed Walker! Chairman Bill Kenwright!

Southall
Parker
Labone
Mountfield
Wilson
Kendall
Kay
Ball
Latchford
Kanchelskis

Sager, Southall, West.
Parker, Wilson, Lescott, K Newton.
Labone, Hurst, Ratcliffe.
Kay.
Ball, Kendall, Harvey, Reid, Sheedy, Gabriel, Collins, Vernon,
Lineker, Rooney, Dean, Morrissey.

I'd take this squad to any World Cup and play any team –up to and including the Brazil of 1970 – and be pretty confident of winning it... and there are another dozen or so who can count themselves very unlucky indeed not to make the cut.

Manuel Neuer and Buffon.

But in his prime, Southall was up there.

My mum married a toffee around the time I started really getting into football in my teens. The Walter Smith reign was a bit drab but the Moyes era was when I started getting a bit more fanatic (though I still haven't been to Goodison nearly enough!)

A bit harsh on Koné. While he's never going to make the GOAT list, he did manage to score a cracking hat-trick against Sunderland.

Surely Salomon Rondon has that centre-forward spot nailed down in your team.

Neville Southall

Seamus Coleman
Dave Watson
Richard Gough
Ray Wilson

Howard Kendall
Alan Ball
Tim Cahill
Johnny Morrissey

Wayne Rooney
Bob Latchford

Subs: Nigel Martyn, Brian Labone, Jimmy Gabriel, Trevor Steven, Kevin Sheedy.

Also potentially Peter Lorimer and really sorry about this but, urrgghh, Greame Souness… (cough)

Pickford
Coleman
Baines
Stones
Lescott
Barry
Arteta
Speed
Rooney
Kanchelskis
Lukaku

Sad to point out that side might not even get into the current Top 4.

But really my GOATs are probably more like:

Neuer
Thuram
Maldini
Cannovaro
Ramos
Busquets
Iniesta
Zidane
Messi
Ronaldinho
Ronaldo (R9)

Southall
Gary Stevens
Watson
Ratcliffe
Baines
Ball
Cahill
Reid
Latchford
Kanchelskis
Steven

Bench:
Pickford, Coleman, Stones, Lescott, Labone, Harvey,Kendall, Dobson, Lukaku, McKenzie.

They were playing the World best eleven;

Banks
Maldini
Beckenbauer
Moore
C.Alberto
Platini
Matthaus
Messi
Pele
Maradona
Cruyff

Bench;
Zoff, Breitner, Koeman, Passarello, Souness, Rijkaard, R. Charlton, C. Ronaldo, Muller

We won 3-1!