Everton History The best game I ever saw at the Old Lady Don Alexander 01/04/2025 28comments | Jump to last Nostalgic as many of us are, and respectful as I am of so many fellow Toffees, I just want to cite the best ever game I ever saw at our beloved Goodison Park. I hope many others cite their most cherished memory too. Easter 1970 was the best experience for me: namely Everton 5-2 Chelsea. We were well on the way to wining the Football League Division 1 trophy but Chelsea were a very good team indeed and needed beating. They were 3rd at the season's end. It was a fabulous day weather-wise, and we went 5-0 up following a first-minute goal from Howard Kendall (and what a player he was, even if he was excelled by Colin Harvey and Alan Ball). That said, we conceded two before the end. So what! Goals aside, I watched Roger Kenyon closely due to the worries I had in losing Brian Labone to injury. He was fierce, putting it mildly. He crucified Osgood off the ball. Just a few years later, I became closely acquainted with a young midfielder, Mick McGuire, a Blackpool lad (like Gordon West, John Hurst and Alan Ball – and Hurst praises Roger and Brian to the heights) when he was playing for Norwich City. Given the careers in Mick's time of Norman Hunter, Tommy Smith, Chopper Harris, John Wile (West Brom – and he'd be delighted to be in that sort of company), I asked young Mick, at a family party, just who was the hardest player he'd ever played against. Without a blink, he said, "Roger Kenyon", and winced when he said it! That 1970 team was the best — full-stop. Reader Comments (28) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer () Brian Williams 1 Posted 01/04/2025 at 17:50:44 I think, for me, it was the Bayern Munich semi-final.Certainly my most memorable. Liam Mogan 2 Posted 01/04/2025 at 17:52:09 Yep, Bayern game for me. Ian Wilkins 3 Posted 01/04/2025 at 18:04:26 Bayern was best Goodison atmosphere for me…And a very fiery game with the right result. Danny O'Neill 4 Posted 01/04/2025 at 18:37:06 It will always be generational. I missed the '60s teams, so only go off stories from my dad's generation. For those who witnessed, was it 1963 or 1969-70?For me, it was the team of the mid-80s.In terms of Goodison, for most, it is going to be Bayern Munich and understandably. When we won that, you just knew we were going to win the trophy.For very different reasons, I put the 3-2 come back against Palace a couple of seasons ago up there. Unbelievable atmosphere in the build-up and in the ground.I always like to bring up a random one, and it's a personal choice that isn't often mentioned, but when we thumped Arsenal 6-1 at Goodison, with "champagne" Charlie Nicholas featuring for the Gunners. Jonathan Oppenheimer 5 Posted 01/04/2025 at 18:46:25 Easy one for me: 1-0 Burnley win last April. Why, you ask, would I cite a mostly boring, typical Dycheball match with a fluke goal that no one besides me will ever remember? Aside from it being our first league win in 3 months, setting us on a path forward away from another relegation scare, it was a beautiful afternoon in the Gwladys Street end, surrounded by thousands of fellow Blues desperate to will our team to victory. And it was my only match ever at the Grand Old Lady. One I'll treasure forever. Dave Abrahams 6 Posted 01/04/2025 at 19:01:45 Jonathon (5),You describe the game perfectly but I understand why you enjoyed that match coming all that way from America to see the team you had chosen to support and be with thousands of fellow Everton fans celebrating a vital win.I will remember that game because I enjoyed your company after the game in the Bramley Moore pub with a couple of more Americans who hadn't been nor were they interested in the game but they were good company as well.Do you think you will see Everton in England again, Jonathon? Tony Abrahams 7 Posted 01/04/2025 at 19:15:35 I played a few games with Mick McGuire, a nice fella who doid me a good favour when he was working for the PFA. I stupidly never took the time out to thank him, which is something I have always regretted. Please mention this for me if you still speak to him, please, Don!Most exciting game: Bayern Munich.The day I realised how great an Everton crowd could be: the Andy King derby.Most emotional game: Crystal Palace. Most nerve-wracking: Bournemouth.Best team performance I ever witnessed: Sunderland.Greatest individual performance: Wayne Rooney v Bolton, which for a 17-year-old boy was just absolutely incredible.I remember seeing Rooney's, mum and dad inside Goodison after the game and was tempted to go and tell them to get home and make some more babies, because I had never seen a better performance from an outfield player wearing Blue. Micky Norman 8 Posted 01/04/2025 at 19:35:52 A bit earlier in that same season, we beat Leeds 3-2. Leeds were a hell of a team and were our nearest rivals that season. They had a great defence but our front 3 of Jimmy, Mogsy and Joe ran them ragged. It was a fine bout between two teams at the top of their game. I think Joe Royle got the winner with a diving header at the Park end. That was my best game but the Chelsea game was probably the best dominating performance. Jonathan Oppenheimer 9 Posted 01/04/2025 at 19:38:18 Dave, what made it so special, of course, was the hospitality everyone showed me. It was a lovely time chatting with you and the rest of the crew in the Bramley Moore afterwards. And of course the other random Americans with no affinity for Everton, but great spirit and gregarious nonetheless.Absolutely I'll be back one day soon, with wife and kids in tow. I won't put a date on it, but likely 2-4 years out we'll be there. Next time I expect we'll be fighting for Europe, making the new stadium a cauldron the envy of the rest of the league, and you all will no doubt again be as warm and welcoming as ever. Kieran Kinsella 10 Posted 01/04/2025 at 19:54:19 Don,Nice conversation starter. You and those who saw Munich are luckier than me.My personal favorite was around 1997 when we beat Southampton 7-1. I missed half the goals due to restricted view when the ball was in the other half but my mate was a Soton fan and I'd foolishly agreed to a bet that I'd win if we won by six goals. Worked out nicely. It was also IMHO the best we saw of Speed, Kanchelskis and Barmby, all on song, all in full flow, playing dazzling football. Unfortunately, late-on, a freshly released prisoner came off the bench and the following game Royle ditched the fancy football, restored Duncan Ferguson to the 11, went back to Route One, and soon got sacked. Dave Abrahams 11 Posted 01/04/2025 at 19:59:50 Jonathon (9), I hope next time you and your family come over, it will be exactly as you expect it to be. Good luck, good health, and best wishes, Jonathon. Neil Copeland 12 Posted 01/04/2025 at 20:17:04 Jonathan, what Dave said! I can't decide between Bayern Munich or Crystal Palace. The atmosphere was fantastic at both games for very different reasons. To me, it always felt like we would beat Bayern even when 0-1 down at half-time. Against Palace, the mood was very different at 0-2. Both will live with me forever, scenes at both were unreal.I also have very special memories of the 2-0 win against Chelsea in the FA Cup 6th Round because it was my daughter's first game and my dad's last.Another special day was the 8-0 against Southampton in 1971. This was my second game and I had to beg my dad to take me, the weather was terrible but the football glorious and made even better with Alan Ball getting one of the goals. The game was also famous for the Park End scoreboard losing the plot! Ray Roche 13 Posted 01/04/2025 at 20:18:57 On balance, I suppose the Bayern game. I'd taken a couple of mates with me, one a Leeds fan, and the atmosphere blew them away. But the 1967 Cup derby against Liverpool when the game was shown on the big screens at Anfield and Ball scored the only goal also had a tremendous atmosphere. Goodison was indeed a bear pit on that occasion. Paul Tran 14 Posted 01/04/2025 at 21:10:43 The obvious one is Bayern. Just unforgettable and well worth the overnight train back to London, then onto Portsmouth. Close second is the 1981 FA Cup Derby 2-1. A wonderfully ugly win.Close third is my first Goodison game v Derby, October 1970. Mike Hughes 15 Posted 01/04/2025 at 21:17:43 1984-85Everton 4 Sunderland 1.We went 0-1 down early on.We were a Lamborghini for 89 minutes after that.Great passing and great goalsAnd a feeling of certainty / inevitability that something great was building. Mike Doyle 16 Posted 01/04/2025 at 21:45:40 The Bayern semi-final for me.The 1971 European Cup match v Borussia Moenchengladbach (which we won via the first ever penalty shootout in a European game) was a good one too. Ron Marr 17 Posted 01/04/2025 at 21:52:26 Everton vs Fulham, 1963 – Everton win the league.Everton vs West Brom, 1970 – Everton win the league.Brazil vs Hungary, 1966 World Cup – Farkas and Albert were brilliant for Hungary. Unfortunately no Pele, the Portugese had kicked the shit out of him in a previous game. Derek Thomas 18 Posted 01/04/2025 at 22:18:53 The best games footballwise, too many to count, all the usual suspects mentioned above and below — is it me, or did they all used to be good back then???Atmosphere?For pure bear-pit in a good way, an FA Cup Replay vs Leeds in 1964, which 9 months later led to...Bear-pit in a bad way, again against Leeds, at the so-called Battle of Goodison. Ted Roberts 19 Posted 01/04/2025 at 22:22:17 Sentimentally, my first one, March 1970, aged 13, Everton beating Chelsea 5-2, watching Harvey, Kendall, Ball in the flesh, magical.But, similar to other posters, the Bayern Munich semi-final 2nd leg would have to share top spot – what a night, what a game, what emotion, unbelievable. Les Callan 20 Posted 01/04/2025 at 23:48:30 Lets not forget the Wimbledon game. 3-2, from 2 down to stay up. Don Alexander 21 Posted 01/04/2025 at 00:06:09 On our 8-0 pasting of Southampton (see Neil @ 12) saw me at 15 watching a game at Preston North End in arctic weather, because I couldn't afford to get to Goodison that day. 5-0 at half-time I was ecstatic, but I've no idea how Preston went on.And Tony, (#7), as I'm sure you know Mick McGuire went on to a very remunerative career as second in command in the PFA under Gordon Taylor, for years.He's not well regarded by some of his close family these days so I have no more idea of how he's doing than to tell you that, after the very remunerative PFA years, he emigrated in some opulence to Florida.On the day he and I had our natter, the most memorable experience to me at the time, and since, was me climbing the stairs to the loo in his family's house only to see his topless g-stringed bloody gorgeous missus entertaining herself alone on a bed during the afternoon! I never thought Mick a cunt though. Ian Davis 22 Posted 02/04/2025 at 02:14:04 For me, it's has to be a night game. There is something feral and raw at Goodison under the lights.So I'm on the Bayern bandwagon. Andy Peers 23 Posted 02/04/2025 at 14:40:11 I will never forget Andy King goal against the shite 1978. I was in the Gwladys Street End that day at 14 years old. First time we had beaten them in 7 years. Mark Murphy 24 Posted 02/04/2025 at 15:03:20 Similar Andy, except I was 19. I was in Spain when we beat Bayern so missed out. The Andy King derby to this day remains my fondest memory of Goodison Park. Hopefully we can do something really special this Saturday on what will probably my last visit and it will surpass even that.I was directly behind King and his shot as it arrowed into the net. Cue bedlam and the second time I lost my specs in the Street End.The first time was also one of my greatest memories - 3-2 v Leeds United, I think in 1974? The one where Mike Lyons was nearly decapitated by Norman Hunters stylo matchmaker as he dove in to score. I had a photo of that goal signed by Mike himself, thanks to Becci Talentire.Both games seem so recent – where have the years gone? Danny Baily 25 Posted 02/04/2025 at 15:37:18 The 1-0 win over Man Utd in 2005 or Fiorentina a few years later for me. Joe McMahon 26 Posted 02/04/2025 at 15:52:43 4-1 v Sunderland in title-winning year. The Andy Gray headers, and quite frankly the whole team and squad. Fab day, sun shining and still a teenager!. Jay Harris 27 Posted 02/04/2025 at 16:15:22 Nothing can ever beat the Bayern game for atmosphere but some games stick in the mind:-Fulham in '63 when we won the league and the whole ground went onto the pitch at the end including me climbing over the railings in the boys pen to get there.And for atmosphere it would be hard to beat the '62 derby with a crowd of over 70,000 when you couldnt move to even go for a pee such was the "sardine" nature of the crowd. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcotBb9NsKQ&ab_channel=oldgit207 Peter Mills 28 Posted 02/04/2025 at 16:34:06 Don, that Chelsea game was, indeed, a wonderful day. We were on a fantastic run, having played on a Wednesday and Saturday for a number of weeks, winning every game including vital trips to Spurs and Anfield. As a 14-year-old boy, I had every permutation of points worked out, and it looked as though we would have to clinch the league away at Sheffield Wednesday, or worse, midweek at Sunderland. We battered Chelsea, then most of the crowd stayed behind to await the announcement of the score from our nearest rivals, Leeds United, virtually invincible at Elland Road.The Goodison announcer gave the score from every 1st division game then said “And now the one you've all been waiting for…………“Cambridge have won the boat race”. Rude words rang out. Then “Oh, by the way - Leeds Utd 1, Southampton 3”. Bedlam. Add Your Comments In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site. » Log in now Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site. How to get rid of these ads and support TW © Don Alexander. All rights reserved.