The best game I ever saw at the Old Lady

Certainly my most memorable.

And a very fiery game with the right result.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

Everton 4 Sunderland 1.

We went 0-1 down early on.

We were a Lamborghini for 89 minutes after that.

Great passing and great goals

And a feeling of certainty / inevitability that something great was building.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

So I'm on the Bayern bandwagon.

I was in the Gwladys Street End that day at 14 years old. First time we had beaten them in 7 years.

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?

The Andy Gray headers, and quite frankly the whole team and squad. Fab day, sun shining and still a teenager!.

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

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.

I love how our announcers use the Scouse humour in this way.

Another good one, I think it was Billy Butler, was when we played Inter Milan in a UefaA Cup game and the Italians had a long flag that ran along the length of the main stand. After a short while, the Blues in front had had enough of it and ripped it down, causing uproar and much gesticulation from the Italian contingent.

Billy just said drily, "Come on, lads, give em their flag back, ey?"

And you always knew when Liverpool were losing at half-time as he'd give a little chuckle before reading their score out.
Is he still around?

I would be interested to know, Don, how you define a fabulous day weather wise. My recollection was it was raining heavily. Standing in the middle of the Gwladys Street terrace, we didn’t care. When you’re smiling, just bring on the rain! ☔️

Michael Charters, the excellent Echo journalist who reported on our games at the time, wrote in his book that “the day was bright with false sunshine”. I think the rain started before half-time.

No doubt you were standing in Gwladys Street “without your kecks on”!.