Last ever FA Cup game at Goodison Park?

https://www.evertonresults.com/

It is always my GoTo place.

A goal down at half time and the ignominy of being knocked out by non-leaguers had Billy Butler on the PA raising the call to get behind the lads. The Toffees come out for the second half to the most thunderous reception I've ever heard. Despite having a man sent off, we equalised and beat them comfortably at their place in the replay.

1980: Everton 2 1 Ipswich Town is another for me.

A week previous, Ipswich had dished out one of the most comprehensive hidings ever to an Everton side winning 4-0 in front of 31k. The following Saturday, 45k rolled up, baying for revenge, and Ipswich just couldn't cope.

We had the most amazing support back then.

Probably not the best, but the 1-0 win over Newcastle in 1995 always sticks in the memory. They had a good team that season, but we dug in and got a great result. The atmosphere was fantastic as well.

My girlfriend's then later wife's first home game! 🤨

A cracking punch from Gary Jones, I think the Altrincham player took the full count after that smacker.

Dave Clemence took that penalty I think to save our bacon but was the replay 2-0 not 3-0?

For those who were not around at the time. Imagine how tense things were watching the closing stages of extra time, only for the TV station to cut to an ad break with the game in full flow. Then to return after the ad break to discover we had missed the only (winning) goal.

Everton were always a famous FA Cup team, then along came the riches of points having a lot more value than prizes, and never has the evidence of plucky little Everton, been on show at Goodison, right now.

I shut my eyes and remember Varadi, Kenny Sansom's own goal, Eamon O'Keefe's winner against Southampton, when it felt like there was over 50000 people in the ground, turning over Spurs, who had been in the previous two finals, without playing a game outside of London, Goslin's last minute winner, after waiting 35 years for one against the bastards, and Lukaku's wonderful brace against Chelsea.

I remember scoring two late goals against Swindon, a late City equaliser, in 1981, a year which produced some great cup-ties, and Watson's goal, setting up a semifinal at Elland Rd.

I despair at the last 30 years, especially Tranmere, which was definitely one of my lowest points, but we have had a lot of very bad low points in our most recent era, games like Wigan, which was a complete and utter disaster, and a feeling that was matched on Saturday night, because a lot of sensible Evertonians, were actually relieved that Everton, don't have no more FA Cup games left to play this season, even though it means that we are now going to be thirty years, without lifting a trophy.

I'm staying with 2-0, I know Mick Lyons got the second goal and I think Latchford got the first can't remember a third goal.

All-time favourite cup game has to be a Saturday evening, in a gale, in 1967. Now… who was it against? 🤔

My favourite FA Cup moments aren't at Goodison.

Despite the joy of watching Ratcliffe lift the cup at Wembley, the two semi-finals at Villa Park, ironically against Luton and then Sheffield Wednesday, they always stick in my mind.

Ref says he wasn't ready so disallowed and take it again.

Sheedy puts it over the wall and into the other corner.

Michel Platini — the poor man's Kevin Sheedy.

Away from Goodison, my all-time favourite game was the semi-final at Elland Road against Spurs in 1995.

According to all the media, Spurs were going to win the cup and mullet us along the way.

Well, we gave them a lesson in football, beating them 4-1 and of course going on to beat Man Utd in the cup final.

About that match in the gale, it was shown live at the opponents' ground on large screens. At the end of the game a young fan of the opposition was crying but his dad consoled him by saying “Don't cry, son, it's only a film”!

Goodison was full before they put the lights on, traffic was at a virtual standstill all over Walton, the atmosphere was unreal.

As Keegan ruefully commented, "The fans won it for them". I never went to the Bayern Munich game but, as bear pits go, this must have been near.

That only makes it worse for me. Not sure what region of ITV we had back in 2009 here in Ireland, but we were some of the unlucky ones to miss Gosling's winner!

Tranmere was the lowest point for me. I was straight across from them and their singing nearly made me leave a match before the final whistle for the first ever time ever.

The high point has to be the Gosling goal.

Away from the Old Lady? No question for me. It's not even close. Highbury. April 14 1984: 117th minute, Reidy free kick (chip), Deggsy nod on, INCHY!!!!!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlYeLDFiGrA

Special mention for January 7 1984. Stoke. We were at least half of that 16,500 crowd. I'm actually thinking of the singing before even a ball was kicked.

In the mid 80s and during the miners strikes there were a few proper old fashioned games, and electric atmospheres, in the ground.

The 4-4 draw v the RS, Dalglish, left after that game.

1985 v Ipswich, and 0-2 down, and some famous goals that day saw a great Everton team get the game to 2-2 and 1-0, win in the replay at Portman Road. The year that very nearly saw Everton do a treble.

Shandys, cross for Gosling, sent the RS on their way, in 2009.

There's loads but these come to mind.

The place, will never die, and will live on into eternity through Evertonians, across the world.

UTFTs!

Apart from them being the media darlings, they hadn't lost in the cup for 3 years. Once again with my Dad, this time in the Upper Bullens. Goodison was rocking and there was this sense that something good was brewing. Happy days...

A great day. Town full of us that night. I remember one of us lying on the pavement outside the old Rigby's on Dale Street, bobble hat perfectly in place, arms raised, just shouting "Varadi! Varadi!" over and over again. And his mate trying to lift him up, couldn't, and lay down next to him arms in the air singing "Varadi" and a copper saying "He's a Blue, I'm not nicking him" to cheers all round.

Brilliant memories.

I'd had a bet with a Red mate on that game for £5. On the Sunday after the game, he came over to pay me in The Goblin, my local pub.

I said “Just get me a Varadi and Coke, and keep the change!”

Just checked and you're right — it was indeed Clive Thomas. Amazed we won!

As for Varadi missing a sitter, I think you're right but I can't picture exactly what he did.

Didn’t we knock out Chelsea with a late Baines free kick? I remember the team in white shirts so maybe that was away.

Limpar was a genius under Big Joe that season. Great memories - can’t believe it’s coming up to 30 years with no success. Mismanagement on a chronic scale.

So 84 trophies, and 73 have gone to 6 clubs. We never had a billionaire in the 90s or 2000s or the global fan base either.

Your stats confirm that for most clubs there is no chance of winning the league and next to no chance of winning one of the domestic cups. The future may well be about following the West Ham model of qualifying for the lesser European competitions and having a realistic chance of winning one of them.