Loud and Proud – We Believe!

I'm sticking with you away supporters, the one constant this club has got, following the team everywhere, with little joy, filling the away end every time, taking 4,000 to Villa on Wednesday, all tickets bought as soon as they went on sale long before Saturday's fine result.

If the players, more so the guardians of the club, performed half as good as you fans, we'd never have to worry about the results. Carry on, Danny and Co, you deserved Saturday's performance a hundred times over.

Let's take it one game at a time, another good performance on Wednesday and let the result take care of itself.

This one caught my eye:

You show us that kind of spirit and we are with you. If you don't, you get both barrels.

Thinking back to last week – which is perhaps best forgotten but sadly never can be now that is part of our imperious record book – I wonder about the practicality of 'giving them both barrels' as fans at the game?

I mean, last Sunday, the crowd were firing silent blanks from both barrels and consequently getting nothing whatsoever from the players. Actually, it was the other way around: they were getting nothing from the players and could do nothing to inspire them. Either way, it's an impossible dynamic to change, don't you think?

Yes, if the players show some spirit and effort, then the fans have something to get behind and shout about. But when the opposite happens and… well, they give you nothing on the field, it is surely impossible to either rouse the crowd in their support – or to give them 'both barrels' by way of cajolement.

I only caught the last 35 minutes which doesn't feel right when I have spent most of my life being an obsessive Evertonian but I'm just glad that the real Evertonian die-hards got a genuine performance to go alongside that badly needed victory.

I love your description of that little kid, Danny, because as you say, the passion that those little scouse kids show towards Everton is genuinely heartwarming, and is always befitting of “our song”.

“We Shall Not Be Moved” – with a special mention for Ashley Young because I'm sure the linesman had originally flagged for a goal kick but it looked like Young didn't want to accept this appalling decision and a man who I have never had time for, Michael Oliver, seemed to overrule the linesman before a well-worked corner was gleefully headed home by Tarkowski!

I watched the game on Saturday and all the fans were superb. When the team puts in a shift, like they did against Brentford, the fans will always be onside, long may it continue.

Regarding the subject of added on time, 6 minutes seemed about right. A couple of goals, numerous substitutions, the usual time added for the ball going out of play etc, so 6 minutes was about right, considering what we have seen so far this season.

I think there was about 8 or 9 minutes added on in the North London derby, and about the same at Sheffield Utd. Yet last week against Arsenal, despite numerous “Fake head injuries" by one or two Arsenal players, and getting the game stopped as a result, plus the time-wasting for throw-ins and goal-kicks by them, we got a measly 4 minutes added on.

You can bet your bottom dollar had we been winning 1-0 there would have been at least 10 minutes added on. Referees favouring the so-called Big 6 teams even with the amount of time added on.

Purists get iffy about the long ball but it's great – defence becomes attack in an instant and athletic players bereft of natural ability become effective by running onto a ball without thinking of how to control and pass.

Doucouré was very effective a la Fellaini due to the amount of long balls chucked up to him and the whole team went up a few notches resultant of not fannying about.

Fair play to Dyche for sussing where our strength lies.

There is definitely a different dynamic with supporters at home and away in my opinion. And that isn't just restricted to Everton.

Goodison can rock like no other place on its day. But when it is flat, like last week, the energy is sapped if the performance isn't there.

When you are away, the atmosphere is rocking, even when we go behind and, on Saturday, when Brentford, equalised, it didn't stop.

But it all comes down to the performance and effort. The season before last, I was stood in the same away end and there was a very toxic atmosphere and many waved the players away as they attempted to come over.

Yesterday, the players responded to the supporters and the supporters responded to the players.

Massive thanks also to every blue there, you must have been a massive help to the team. I watched on tele and the support was immense all game. The lads did not let you down.

So many players seemed to find form in this match and claim a starting berth, in Garner's case.

May this be the start of a new birth where we are looking upwards again.

COYB

The away support is always vociferous and I often enjoy away games more than home. Our players stepped up and the support and team were well motivated by each other throughout the game. There was a real air of defiance throughout and only one outcome as a result.

Replicate that performance on and off the pitch and we will do okAY. Consistency is the key now and we really need to build on it against Luton and then onto the next game.

The cup game at Villa is less important of course but I agree with you that it would be very nice to lift that trophy sometime soon. I see that the Villa fans are objecting to the ticket pricing and have around 18,000 unsold. Seems like a great opportunity beckons to me with an estimated 6,500 passionate blues roaring the team on.

Anyway back to the game at Brentford, it was good to see you there as always. I haven't come down yet and looking forward to Villa and then Luton and meet up with Mike G plus the usual crowd.

UTFT!

Keep em coming regardless.

I thought there were only two Men of the Match. That was the team, and the supporters. Absolutely a joy to watch and to listen to.

I think it's a two-way firing up. When the team give the supporters and the supporters give to the opposition have got us all to try and outdo.

Michael, it wasn't us supporters were firing blanks. I think Arsenal last Sunday took every opportunity to quieten and frustrate us, the supporters. And it worked.

How long it took them to take their throw, collapse, as though they'd been poleaxed. or roll around as though in agony, then after a couple of minutes, limp away for two or three steps, then run as though nothing had happened. What do they call it? Professionalism; I call it cheating.

I know the away fans are up for it and are desperate to see a good performance. But let's face it, be honest… how often does that occur?

And those poor performances are then happening in spite of the supporters' efforts. So many games show that they are in fact powerless to change the way the team plays.

Jim says the Arsenal tactics silenced the Everton home fans. I think the way Everton played gave the home fans nothing to get behind. And sadly I think, when that happens, the game is lost and there is nothing the fans can do to change it.

I realise these hard truths go against the fondly held myth of the so-called 12th Man… so maybe it's better left unsaid?

It was great to see you before the game, and to meet your son and big Rob H, who didn't disappoint – what a guy! A great spot for a couple of pre-match pints on a balmy Saturday September afternoon.

My dad and I were a couple of blocks to the left of the blues support, you certainly rocked the stadium and were immense. A thoroughly deserved win, there was great unity between the players and fans. Onwards and upwards, UTFT!!

Our 12th Man is more of an emergency service – magnificently getting us out of the shit against Palace and Bournemouth – but refusing to attend the calls of non-life-threatening results such as Fulham, Wolves.

Great report as usual, Danny, couldn't be happier for our traveling support enjoying a day like that. Agree with the player ratings you pointed out, especially Mykolenko who catches some shit on here but defensively has been excellent. Given a run of games he and McNeil might even form a good partnership going forward down the left, let's see what happens.

I think you're right in that the performance of the team sets the tone of response of the crowd at Goodison and frankly that is where the teams tactics come into play.

I have mentioned "front-foot football" a few times over recent months and it does have an important part to play in every game. Oppositions often (used?) to comment on how difficult it was coming to the bear pit at Goodison, because of the intimidating crowd: in short, it puts them on the back foot, they make the mistakes.

Chicken and egg situation..

Great report, and it sounds like you didn't get Robbed of a good time!

I see what you've done there!

Safe travels.

On that occasion, we blamed the players but it was different a short time later at Norwich when it was Benitez who received the full force of our wrath.

I remember when Allardyce was our manager and playing his boring negative football with our only forward not really benefiting from the lack of creativity in midfield. I used to scratch my head and think – surely you have played against and managed enough teams in this stadium to know how important the crowd are to Everton? Get another up front and start playing the ball forward, surely you must know that this will get the crowd involved?

Arteta was full of beans after the game saying how much his team's performance quietened the crowd, and this made me think that, although he played for Everton for a few years, he doesn't quite understand what is happening to Everton, and how this can affect the fabric of the crowd.

The streets around Goodison seemed flat before the game and, although the defensive performance didn't help, the crowd was flat from the outset, with everyone seemingly having a major downer on the news that 777 Partners were about to take over our club.

The Evertonians have definitely helped keep their club up twice, (blue smoke seen as far away as Wales against Palace, the noise that greeted Doucouré's winner against Bournemouth, was actually heard on the other side of the River Mersey) but they seemed demoralized by this news about 777 Partners and this definitely affected the crowd.

I wrote about this after the game, thinking that if Everton struggle again, then I'm not sure the fans have the stomach for another fight, because that's how it felt at the Arsenal game, but hopefully Dyche realizes how absolutely massive an Everton victory would be tomorrow, because Goodison will be a fantastic place to be on Saturday afternoon…

I must confess I was talking more generally and hadn't considered the impact of so much doom-laden nonsense on the tender psyche of yer average Evertonian in the form of the hugely negative speculation about 777 Partners.

I thought it was just stupid click-bait nonsense and really pathetic tabloid journalism at its best but the possibility that it – through its effect on so many in the crowd (and maybe even the players coaches and manager despite Dyche's attempts to keep things 'normal') – may have been a root cause of our poor showing and ultimate loss to Arsenal is really sobering.

Michael, Tony,

I'd agree. It's been an emotional couple of years. We could say decades, but these past few seasons have tested us to the limit. Even the most optimistic of us can sometimes feel sapped. But come matchday, I always pick myself up.

It was flat around Goodison before the Arsenal match. You could feel the apprehension.

But Brentford was totally different. When the supporters and players connect like that, there is only one outcome.

I often hear a chant, mostly at the away matches, about the Tories.

Delete Tories and insert Geordies.

They have nothing on us.

I suspect age comes into it when compiling such a list. I tend to agree with yours (though West Ham might be pushing it a bit).

A couple of my colleagues, in their mid-30s (Ipswich & Palace fans), reckon the big clubs are.

Man Utd, Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool & Chelsea.

Essentially it boils down to clubs anyone of a certain age can remember winning things. We don't make their list, Spurs don't – Newcastle, Sunderland, Villa and Leeds – not a chance!

I lived just outside Newcastle for a little while and used to get the piss taken out of me unmercifully about the size of the Old Lady. I always pointed out that Newcastle was a larger city than Liverpool population wise and that if Liverpool was a one club city (God forbid), we would need a stadium larger than Wembley to accommodate everyone.

They wouldn't have it though. They absolutely hate us and I can never get to the bottom of why.

The other traditional big-hitters, such as Everton, Aston Villa, Newcastle, Sunderland et al remain big clubs but not on the scale of the others I mentioned above.

Everton, Newcastle and Aston Villa could become super clubs but it will take a very long time, and huge investment, for any of them to join that 'super' club bracket.

If any Skunks fans start getting gobby, ask them how many ‘Toon Army' (ha!) fans remember them being Champions? Answer. None. They'll all be dead.

Sure, there may be fossils still alive who were alive then, too, but any with any proper memory? No chance! Christ, George V was king!

I knew that they had unsuccessfully applied to build a new ground on the park next door but that local residents had defeated the plan as it is Common Land owned by the Freemen of Newcastle.

I will file that for future discussions.

You're right, that was the last trophy of note that they won. The last domestic trophy they won was the FA Cup in 1955 (I think), 68 years ago, and as Ray # 37 points out, the last time they won the league was 1927, a massive 96 years ago, so there won't be a person alive on this planet who will remember that.

Most deluded fans on this planet… Second load of gobshites after the RS gobshites.

I remember going to St James Park in the late 80s and being stood on crumbling terracing underneath one of those temporary scaffold like stands that you sometimes see at golf courses.

Open terracing to my right and an open terrace at the Galllowgate end. Since revisiting, the only recognisable stand was the only one they had which was to my left and is when we are up with the gods when we visit now after walking up those countless steps.

I'll be at Villa Park tomorrow night, one of my favourite grounds. What they have done is impressive. The renovation of the Trinity Road Stand the now Doug Ellis Stand that once resembled something akin to Leicester's Filbert Street. And the impressive Hotle End that used to be an uncovered terrace.

On to Bramley-Moore Dock.

Fair credit. Goodison still looks like the Goodison of my youth apart from the seats and the Park End.

I can't understand the love-in with Spurs who have won next to nothing since the '60s and were consistently below us when Moyes was in charge.

The only clubs that could arguably be called big clubs are Man City, Man Utd, Arsenal and them with us and Villa trailing behind.

Even Chelsea are recent newcomers to the elite and cannot yet be called a big club imo.

The only time Goodison was attended by more than 78,000 (78,299) was in the 1948 League game against Liverpool; there have only been four other occasions when the attendance was higher than 70,000.

I think the attendance figures from another century are dead and gone.

The game of the masses is now, for want of a better phrase, a game for the middle classes. The cost of a day out at a footy match is eye-watering once you chuck in travel, food and drink. Add in virtually every game is televised and the group actually attending has shrunk.

Yes, the tourist trade has increased but you can't depend on those ghouls, week-in & week-out. In addition, an entire generation has turned its back on Everton, either opting for the other side or just binning footy in toto.

I can see why the club swerved building a truly huge stadium as it's very likely we wouldn't consistently fill it.

Everton played Burnley at Turf Moor on Monday 26 December 1960 winning 3-1, and at Goodison on Tuesday 27 December, losing 3-0. I was present at both games, and I didn't know until after the Goodison game, that Jimmy McIlroy had left the field following a tackle by Billy Bingham, I was in the paddock some distance from the incident.

I have just discovered a mistake in one of my books, it appears that the Burnley game was watched by 74,867 my post should now read, ''There have only been five other occasions when the attendance was higher than 70,000''.

You'd get extraordinary results over the Christmas period. Win away, get truly battered at home the next day. Games against Blackburn, Bolton, Burnley, even Blackpool, Wolves and Spurs were all-ticket affairs.

Me Dad would send me Mam to the Liverpool Stadium to queue for tickets when there was a big cup game, Lancashire derby or game against the other lot. The Stadium was a ticket ‘outlet' as was Jack Sharps sports shop in Whitechapel. How things, and life, have changed.

There is one FA Cup game, the victory over Manchester United in 1953, 77,920. I'm sure that you will have read my response to Bill [47].

If you're going to the Harlech on Saturday we'll no doubt have a memory or two to recall.

https://www.manchesterworld.uk/lifestyle/10-biggest-cities-in-england-by-population-manchester-birmingham-4073604

I suppose it depends on where the city boundaries are taken. Technically I don't live in Liverpool but if the house was on the other side of the road I would be in Liverpool.

I have loathing bordering on disgust for Newcastle FC and deep loathing for Spurs. I love one team, us, and I am very proud to be an Evertonian and of our lustrous history that can reduce me to streams of tears.

The “irony” in Dennis’s post is that in today’s world it is a huge own goal. Why are we – using the parlance of the way this thread has turned – “bigger” than Newcastle? Erm, because it was only a quarter-of-a-century ago that the capacity of their ground topped ours. On that score, we will reverse the pain of the last twenty-five years because at this point our new ground will open its doors to 583 more supporters than St. James on the hill (although the plans are to expand the home of the skunks).

We are “bigger” than Newcastle on the headcount score/numbers game because it was only twenty-five years ago that their ground became bigger than ours.

History?! I’m actually a professional historian by training/profession and I live it most minutes of my waking life. But if we continually use history as a marker of what makes a club “big” in 2023 then we are, quite frankly, at best well-intentioned and passionate or at worse, deluded. Kenwright – who I might loathe more than Newcastle or Spurs – lives in the past. It is all he has. He calls it the “good times”. His “vision” of Everton in the present and future is the past.

How about comparing the development of us and Newcastle since 1998 with historian Kenwright as the one common denominator in our decision-making circles for thirty-four years now?

Today, this minute, we are a long way behind Newcastle and it seems to be getting longer with each passing day. They have disappeared around the corner and left us behind from a position where we were without any shadow of a doubt more geared to success. What matters for “big” in the cold light of the Premier League day is not history. What matters for “big” today is a well-run and staffed boardroom, financial savvy administrators, deep deep pockets, well-costed and forward-looking strategies, top-drawer recruitment, proper reinvestment, size of support (yes but that’s not as important), commercial know-how, top-notch facilities, top-drawer marketing, cut-and-thrust economics, and so on and so on (I could go on).

We (historian Kenwright and company) have allowed ourselves to fall far behind Newcastle on most of these fronts. In a nutshell, Newcastle FC on 26 September 2023 are more geared and set up for success in the Premier League (and all the financial and commercial trappings that run hand-in-hand with that) than we are. So, by the way, are Chelsea, Spurs, them, Arsenal, both Manchester clubs, the faint shadows of a case are even slightly visible on the south coast at Brighton, and Villa look more likely than us right now to take a seat at the high table.

I fecking hate this with every bone and breath in my body. I know, instinctively that we are a greater club than any one of those shithouses because, well, I know and feel it, I’m lucky, I’m an Evertonian. But then the curtain starts to lift. That equal shithouse reality opens its fetid and mephitic gob and starts to speak and it seeps in like sewer water. We mock the Sky four, five, or six because we are not one of them.

History is not enough. Some Johnny-come-Lately mischievous iconoclast with pockets as cavernous as the challenger deep might even say that history does not matter one jot. I say this as someone who makes a living from doing history. History does not really matter for what it really means to be Premier League “big “today. I am a historian who does not deal only with the past, and that, respectfully, is one of the dangers on this thread.

I enjoy having a swipe at the laughing-stock that is Chelsea this week or the nervy balance sheets of some of the so-called “big” players. But we can’t have it both ways. History-loving Kenwright with his head in the past and/or the lightweight frivolous missing Monegasque are rightfully lambasted and lampooned and hung out to dry on here for running our club into the ground. We still have that astonishing support at Brentford but fuck me we are struggling, not quite drowning rather than waving, but struggling. We are in a state that some call “terminal” – not me – or in need of extensive surgery but we are still “big” today.

Let’s sit on both sides of the fence. That’s why, respectfully, I find Dennis’s 1998 point a tad embarrassing and why I find, respectfully, Jay mocking Chelsea for being “recent newcomers” also a tad embarrassing. Abramovich took over Chelsea more than two decades ago: that is 64.5% of the lifetime of the Premier League and 14.8% of the lifetime of the “first division”.

We have a great and “big” history. I love to bask in it. But we have not won anything since 1995: 20.7% of the lifetime of the “first division”. There can be no doubt, it’s obvious to anyone with a bluenose or open mind, we have greater histories than Newcastle, Spurs, Chelsea, and yes Manchester City (ish). I. laugh along with the best of them - and some of the best of them are on this thread – at the empty trophy cabinets and histories of some clubs who are, however, better placed than us on this particular day in time to succeed in the lofty sporting and commercial Valhallas of the Premier League today.

I’m sorry if I have offended anyone and for going on for so long (forgive me, I’m a pedantic so-called “academic”). Can we become “big”, “bigger”, and “biggest” in contemporary terms? Of course we fecking can if all the right cards fall into place. Are we “big” in historical terms? Of course we fecking are, why would you even ask!. It’s a given. Our tradition is second to none. But things historical and contemporary can be two quite different things. We are on the right side of history but on the wrong side of the here and now if by that we mean poised to succeed in becoming not a one-hit wonder like Leicester but a permanent principal Premier League force.

Personally, I don’t think that “big” is the right word because we are “big” in so many respects. Maybe we ought to use a mouthful of words like “established Premier League footy and commercial top-dogs”.

But I still believe deeply in what we can become and what we are and represent although we need to work on the “are” part of things a little. The most consistent thing in my life has been my life-long love for our wonderful inconsistent club.

And now I will stop tapping and fret about any responses that I might get to this post that comes from the right place.

Anyway I will trying to get to the Harlech on Saturday and we can air our views.

Paul ( 60) I wouldn’t fret too much about your post, I doubt if you will get many arguments about the the way you see the situation we are in now.

Any football club might be lucky & win a cup or two, or even have a remarkably good season & win the League - as Leicester City did fairly recently. However, I think we all know that any success won't be sustained if the club is badly run as a business.

Equally, I'm sure we all know that our Club has been badly run for a long, long time & it's no surprise that this should coincide with our longest trophy drought ever. Hence the jibes at the comparative length of time since other Clubs last won the League.

Newcastle United massively under-achieved for decades & were renowned for being somewhat of a basket case of a club. The irony won't be lost on Evertonians that our Club has been going in the opposite direction as a business.

The sad thing is that the opportunity to run the Club well has been squandered by the current owner, ably abetted by his Chairman, & we're now in a worse state than ever.

We have no idea what the future holds & we can do little more than watch from the sidelines with our fingers crossed.

1948-49 Sep 18 1948 Div 1 Liverpool D 1-1 78,299
1952-53 Feb 14 1953 FAC 5 Man Utd W 2-1 77,920
1954-55 Aug 28 1954 Div 1 Preston W 1-0 76,839
1957-58 Jan 29 1958 FAC 4 Blackburn L 1-2 75,818
1954-55 Dec 27 1954 Div 1 Wolves W 3-2 75,322
1960-61 Dec 27 1960 Div 1 Burnley L 0-3 74,867
1958-59 Jan 28 1959 FAC 4R Charlton W 4-1 74,782
1949-50 Feb 11 1950 FAC 5 Tottenham W 1-0 72,921
1947-48 Jan 31 1948 FAC 4R Wolves W 3-2 72,569
1962-63 Sep 22 1962 Div 1 Liverpool D 2-2 72,488
1954-55 Jan 29 1955 FAC 4 Liverpool L 0-4 72,000
1957-58 Sep 4 1957 Div 1 Man Utd D 3-3 71,868
1947-48 Feb 14 1948 FAC 5R Fulham L 0-1 71,587
1950-51 Sep 16 1950 Div 1 Liverpool L 1-3 71,150
1949-50 Apr 7 1950 Div 1 Blackpool W 3-0 71,088
1949-50 Aug 27 1949 Div 1 Liverpool D 0-0 70,812

I know we dwell on it far too much and our whole persona is based on history - Grand Old Team, Marching Down the Goodison Road, We hate Bill Shankly, Z Cars etc. I long to be able to take my Grandson to a game that is full of tension for positive reasons and not negative ones, games that will create a new history for a new generation.

Right now if we don't talk about the past we won't have a future.

John Snr. mentioned a Burnley game, my Christmas present that year were tickets for the 2 games, the one at Turf Moor was my first away game. 61 years ago this week I was at a Derby at Goodison in front of almost 73,000. A 2-2 draw and I can remember like it was yesterday the absolute despair when Roy Vernon had a goal disallowed after 30 seconds.

My Grandson doesn't think that 70,000 crowds are anything special because Man Utd have them every home game, he doesn't care who is first on match of the day because he has already watched all the highlights on his 'phone.

So I'm praying that the Old Lady doesn't let me down at the weekend and that the atmosphere is something he will never forget.

The 3-3 draw against Man.Unt. was a midweek night game, sadly the last time we would see the Busby Babes at Goodison, the Munich disaster happened later in that season. The 3-0 win v Blackpool was on a Good Friday and the 1-0 win over Preston was our first home game after promotion from Div. two followed by a win on the Wednesday night v Arsenal when the attendance was just short of 70,000, only 69,000 and a few hundred turned up for that game!!

I first took my 2 girls to Goodison when they were 5 and 6 and they haven't stopped nagging me to take them again! Just a shame that tickets are so hard to come by home or away.

They're a bit gutted that I'm not taking them with me to Villa Park tomorrow, but it'd be past their bedtime!!

One of the biggest crowds I have ever been in at Goodison was the midweek FA Cup replay versus Wolves when there were officially 62,000 plus in the stadium plus another several thousand who had entered the Gwladys Street end when the doors were broken down. Fans were cascading down the terraces and spilling over the arc cut out behind the goal.

Dave #72, Pickering scored a hat trick in the 4-2 win for Blackburn. I was at that one too.

In those days, I had moved to Ellesmere Port and used to buy my tickets from a shop /agency in Bromborough!

Sorry!

'Elf an' Safety was unknown – we all prayed for sufficient common-sense from the adults there.

Somehow I'm still alive!

See you at the next one mate and we can debate!! Hear is to the blues giving your Grandson a great day on his blue Christening.

As it entered the discussion, and I've mentioned this before, but the worst crush I witnessed was at Barnsley away in the FA Cup. Does anyone remember that one?

I think it was 1989. It was horrible. My middle brother and I were right up against the barrier and he was close to passing out. A few of us somehow made enough space and he was passed down over the crowd semi-conscious along with many others and lifted over the fencing.

Fortunately that day, the Police sensed the danger and opened the gates to relieve the pressure and I was able to get to him. There were supporters sat alongside the pitch having suffered a pretty horrific ordeal being treated by the Police and St Andrews. I'll always remember Neville Southall turning to look with concern.

Ironically, it was only a few weeks before Hillsborough and I don't exaggerate, but we came close that day. The parallels still make me reflect. We had the whole end but the majority congregated in the central pen, with it being more spread out to the left and right.

Another one was a Derby at Goodison in the mid 80s. In my usual spot just behind the ledge in the Gwladys Street behind the goal, there was no room to move or lift your hands. Packed in like Sardines.

Yes, I learned after a couple of experiences of leaning onto the crash barriers to always stand in front of them, they protected and saved me. Mind you, God help me if the crash barriers had given way, thankfully they never did.

Yes, that replay came after the draw at Molyneux where Gordon West saved us in the last few minutes with an astonishing save. We signed Roger “Ernie” Hunt not long after those two matches.

Brian (83) explains the huge crowds those days when they were pay at the gate and that made you go early to get in and get a good speck. That good speck decreased as the crowds increased, not too bad on the ledge at Gwladys Street but always uncomfortable on The Kop. As I got older, I always preferred the relative comfort of the stands.

The worst was at Burnden Park after the league cup semi-final second leg in 1977. The crush to get out was horrific at the end and I was pinned against a floodlight pylon (no pun intended). I thought I was a goner but several older guys formed a ring around me and pushed back. I lost at least two pairs of specs in the Gwladys Street in the '70s – and a shoe!

I was also at Villa Park the same day as Hillsboro and there but for the grace of God, as they say. We also stayed in the pub until just before kick off and there was also a massive crush to get into the ground. The difference, luckily for us, was the absence of those horrible pens that were at Hillsboro.