My Greatest Everton, by Alex Young

I think I've heard of some of those players.

Where's Derek Temple? I guess a fit of pique from the Golden One because he scored in the 1966 FA Cup Final and Alex Young didn't.

Or did he have a goal disallowed in the first half?

I may have started Danny off with that…,

Oh, sorry, Danny, I was going to add a link to that story this morning but — you'll love this — I had to walk the big brown dawg, who was pestering me no end.

She's flaked out now, so let me see if I can find it…

Two of the 1970 side that are rarely mentioned are Tommy Wright and Johnny Morrisey, both key to the success of that team. Did either of them appear at the Goodison Farewell Legends Parade? As far as I know they are both still alive.

60 goals in one season. 377 goals in 431 appearances. No Brainer.

I think that's why he doesn't include Dixie; not because he thought he didn't merit inclusion.

Johnny Morrisey was one of the most underrated Everton players I’ve seen, a key part of the late 60s team. He was a great let-out ball for the Holy Trinity, an excellent crosser of the ball without having to beat a man, and someone who terrified defenders - nobody messed with him.

He did appear at the Legends Parade.

I know what you mean. Take them out early doors, feed them and your purpose is served. Sleep.

Until early evening feed. Then back to sleep.

If you check the online footage, the look Brian Labone gave Bonetti when the third goal went in was, like, OH FFS!

Westy was Number 2 after Gordon Banks but chose not to go to Mexico, probably thinking he wouldn't get a game. If only he'd turned up then the 2-3 probably wouldn't have happened!

He was the 60's version of Ndiaye but an even better dribbler and goalscorer.

Alan#11, yes, apparently Shankly threatened to resign over it. What a pity he didn’t.

Remember being a teenager standing on the Gwladys Street on the first day of the season, 1974 (I had to check that on google, to be honest). He'd resigned as LFC manager a few months earlier.

The chant went up: "Hey, rock and roll - Shankley's on the dole!"

Shanks was watching our match from the main stand and I remember him giving the Gwladys Street an acknowledging wave.

Like I say, he was alright.

Clive#14, Alex had a goal disallowed and a penalty ignored in the first half.

I don't know how true, but he apparently felt more welcome at Everton than at Liverpool after resining. I believe he did actually write that himself.

Alan @11, I also think it was the case when Howard Kendall chose us. He allegedly threatened to resign when Liverpool didn't do enough to get the deal done. I get the sense he didn't get on with their board.

As we're on subject, there is a nice picture of Kendall and Paisley both holding the FA Cup on the Everton coach after the 1984 cup final. Different times.

I had a very brief interaction with Shanks a year or two later. Me and a couple of mates, both Reds, were out for a lunchtime stroll around West Derby (we were all at Cardinal Allen, as it goes) and bumped into him near Melwood. In answer to our greeting, he said "Alright lads". The Kopites were well chuffed, but I wasn't too disappointed either. I liked the man. Respect.

Now, early warning, it will be predictable, but some choices may surprise a few. Again, only going off what I witnessed.

GK: Neville Southall. The flying welshman. He could stop a fast-moving bullet heading towards a barn door.

RB: Gary Stevens. Not just a right back, his marauding runs towards the opposition box frequently resulted in his unleashing that bullet like shot and a goal or three. Apologies Seamus.

CB: Kevin Ratcliffe. Pace to spend. Probably one of the only defenders who could outpace Ian Rush.

CB: Marco Materazzi. Maybe a surprise to many, and he didn't spend long with us, but I could tell straight away, he had class and was destined for better things. Wrong club, wrong time. World Cup Winner.

LB: Leighton Baines. I hope Psycho Pat isn't reading, as I wouldn't like to meet him after suggesting Baines was better than him!!

RM: Andrei Kanchelskis. Yes, I put him above Trevor Steven. Probably the last top draw signing we acquired. A dangerous attacking midfielder.

CM: Peter Reid. The General. He didn't need a captains armband. Tough as nails, but could play football. Did he mean that pass for Sharp's goal at Anfield? I still think it was a punt that came off his shin. I'll call it improvisation.

CM: Paul Bracewell. What a player. A real shame he got cut down by injury and we didn't see more of him.

LW: Kevin Sheedy. Need I say? The original magician. I won't bore everyone as I've done this enough, but just sheer class to watch.

CF: Graeme Sharp. The point man during our all too short glory years.

CF: Gary Lineker. I thought about Lukaku, but Lineker edges it. Both were not necessarily the best footballers, but they knew where the goal was.

He used to drink in a couple of the pubs on South Road, Waterloo. He would never accept a beer off any of the adoring Blues, as he couldn't afford to return it.

Different world players operated in then, in terms of medical support, and obviously the wages on offer.

How dare you put anyone over Trevor Steven!

My favourite ever Everton player. I was inconsolable when he went to Rangers.

On that point, Dave, I often think that Manchester United made a mistake with Sir Alex Ferguson. Every manager since has lived under his shadow, knowing he is watching from the stands.

I agree with all of the candidates put forward but, to be objective, I would need to name four players for each position – one is an insult to those great players who didn't make it.

Here's a few not necessarily included by Alex or Danny.

The best right-back for me was Tommy Wright who was in the best teams ever for both England and Everton.

I would reinforce Labone in central defence but don't forget the superb John Hurst who was only kept off the best in the UK position by Bobby Moore.

Ray Wilson is the best left-back ever, anywhere.

Ball (the best ever), Harvey (the white Pele), Kendall (unbelievably never capped for England), and Kay (cruelly robbed of his career by FA jobsworths) would be first on the team sheet in midfield but then there are many superb choices.

I would include Bobby Collins as close Sheedy? Yes but don't forget the brilliant Johnny Morrisey wide left.

Centre-forward? I would go for the young Joe Royle before he got injured and lost his salmon leap. Impossible not to include Lawton and Deane but this is opinion as I didn't see either.

Other forwards, depending on formation, would be Alex Young and Roy Vernon.

If they hadn't developed such a good relationship, would they have gone on together to build our team of the '80s?

And if my aunt had bollocks, would she be my uncle?

His house backed on to the Everton training ground at Bellfield and you could often see him, kicking a ball around on the playing fields opposite the entrance to the training ground.

Martin, yes we all forget how good Ray Wilson was. They talked about world-class players in the 1966 team: Banks, Moore, Bobby Charlton, and Ray Wilson. Bally was still growing into that status. You have to be in your 80s to remember. I saw him but too young to realise how good he was.

Andy, showing you age by not including the ginger-haired white-booted wizard. Promised my kids to write up my Goodison Memories (1962-2024) but Kleenex have not yet delivered the truckload of tissues to wipe away the tears of joy and sadness. Bally would make Everton all time 1878 to present day.

Bally was possibly the most underrated player who ever played in UK football and first pick for me in any best of Everton. He was the complete centre-midfield player or winger and could score with head and both feet.

For me, he was MotM in the 1966 World Cup Final too, running that wonderful funnel up and down the right side. To say that the twinkle toes and white boots were a great memory is so true, especially playing under the lights.

He lost form after the 1970 World Cup and was never the same and that was true of Everton who slid into mediocrity. For me, it started the first day of the 1971 season when Ball had obviously lost his sparkle.

I will never forget how Ray Wilson could bring the ball out of defence, sending opponents completely the wrong way with that "shrug" that many great defenders had. The way that he could then thread the ball down the left wing was astonishing. Too short a time at the club for me.

The following year we would have had 49 points. Robbed of a Cup Final by Clive Thomas - Lost to Panathinaikos thanks to a breakaway goal in the 1st leg and them defending for the other 179 minutes. Westy injured for a large part, Labby coming to the end of his career, Bally scoring just 2 goals. The spark had gone well before the end of the 70-71 season. Following year, Colin Harvey had an eye problem and missed many games, Bally got sold and it was downhill for the next 10 years.

Along with 'The Golden Vision' and Roy (40 a day) Vernon, he was one of our best players of that era!

When we have our pre-match all things Everton discussions on County Road, he is always cited and remembered fondly by those who watched him.

Not speaking for myself, but the general sentiment is the upset when he was transferred to Leeds.

I don't know if that was like Alan Ball to Arsenal. I'd have to leave that to the wise elders.

No way Alex Young picks Sheedy ahead of Reid, Harvey, Kendall or Bracewell. I also think Brian Harris was massively under-rated. I think you just slipped that in about Sheedy and we all know why.

Bobby Collins was a great player but Catterick didn't like anybody who talked back to him. For me, Kay and Collins just edged out our other great midfield players.

Shankly lived in Bellfield Avenue which was where our training ground used to be, and he asked could he go and train there. The reason was that, when he stopped being their manager, he still went to their training ground, and naturally all the players would congregate around him when he turned up.

So Paisley asked Shankly to train there in the afternoon as it wouldn't disrupt training and that's when Shankly asked Everton if he could train there in the morning.

Seeing some have mentioned how upset Shankly was at us signing Morrisey while Shankly was on holiday, I know from a very good source that he told the board that if they ever sold or bought a player without his say-so, he would resign.

Then, years later, John Smith, their then Chairman, signed Ray Kennedy from Arsenal without informing Shankly till the deal was practically done. On hearing this, Shankly let off a tirade of abuse at Smith and told him he would no longer be their manager, and told them he warned them what he would do after what happened to Morrisey.

And despite Smith saying he would cancel the deal and asking Paisley to get Shankly to change his mind, he didn't.

I loved Alan Ball but I think he would have to get back in the queue behind Wayne Rooney to be in any Everton team from 1878 ‘til now.

He was only at Everton for 2 years but, at 16 years of age he was still the best player at the club and our loss was Man Utd's considerable gain.

Dave, you know I can't deviate away from my idol, but Rooney was special and you could see it straight away.

We often talk about coaching, but the Croxteth boy didn't need coaching. Just put him on the pitch. The rest of the team had to catch up with him.

He should realise that, just because he hasn't been a successful manager, doesn't mean he can't be a very successful coach, and then go and ask David Moyes for a job, Danny!

As you've heard me say, different scale, but Leon Osman is wasted as a pundit. It would be great to have him on the training ground.

If he had done at Everton what he did at Man Utd, he could possibly be compared with Bally.

He did very little at Everton – except helping us financially and scoring a good goal against Arsenal.

We must have a meritocracy — not a welfare system.

But they can coach.

Probably the best example I can think of is Colin Harvey.

Great player, not for the top job, but second to none on the training ground.

It's just a matter of opinion, Rooney did great at Everton – a young boy who showed the rest of the squad how to play.
I'm comparing all of Rooney's career with Man Utd and England with Bally's career.

Alan had a great career but his very best years were with Everton – he was never as good with any other club as he was with Everton – while Wayne should never have come back to Everton, except for the fabulous wages he earned. His best days had gone during the last 2 years of his United career and well gone when he returned here.

At least it's a step up on the Calvert-Lewin v Beto debate.

(Rooney all day long, BTW)

He's a Man Utd great and that's it.

We're just arguing the player.

In his time... Rooney was the best.

Much as I love Alan Ball...in his time... the lad from Belfast... Best.