1997/98 Fa Youth Cup Winning team

[catcherintherye]

For my sins I have been looking back from some of the old Match Reports on Toffeeweb from the 97/98 season alongside some of the FA Youth Cup campaign.

I suppose my question, for those who watched us around that time, is should we have made a better fist of it given the players we had. I had always seemed the 90’s as a time of doom and gloom, but was surprising was the optimism that existed then, how match reports would talk about us being able to compete with Manchester United within 2/3 years with Kendall.

If you consider we had Jeffers, Cadamateri, Ball, Dunne, Hibbert and Osman all playing a part in the youth cup. John Oster who was another teenager who had potential. Also players such as McCleod, Milligan and Jevons who all had something about them.

Given that Kendall took a team of young players in the 80’s, and moulded them into one of the finest teams in Europe, was there not significant potential with the set of young players we had? In the following summer we spent 20 million on some experienced players. Could Kendall have made us a force again by moulding these players? What are people’s memories?

 

[blueblue]

I don't think Michael Ball played in that team.I think he was in the first team by then.
There were not enough really good players to build a team around and we were absolutely skint.
We signed Oster(never more than a modest player) ,Farrelly and O Kane because they fitted into our non existent budget rather than because they were good players.
The team that won the Youth Cup was a strong well balanced team with few stars.
A few years later we saw Rooney bring a very poor team to the final almost singlehandedly.

I have always felt that Howard Kendall performed miracles by keeping that squad in the top division in his last spell at Everton and has never received proper recognition.

 

[Eggs]

For my sins I have been looking back from some of the old Match Reports on Toffeeweb from the 97/98 season alongside some of the FA Youth Cup campaign.

I suppose my question, for those who watched us around that time, is should we have made a better fist of it given the players we had. I had always seemed the 90’s as a time of doom and gloom, but was surprising was the optimism that existed then, how match reports would talk about us being able to compete with Manchester United within 2/3 years with Kendall.

If you consider we had Jeffers, Cadamateri, Ball, Dunne, Hibbert and Osman all playing a part in the youth cup. John Oster who was another teenager who had potential. Also players such as McCleod, Milligan and Jevons who all had something about them.

Given that Kendall took a team of young players in the 80’s, and moulded them into one of the finest teams in Europe, was there not significant potential with the set of young players we had? In the following summer we spent 20 million on some experienced players. Could Kendall have made us a force again by moulding these players? What are people’s memories?

.....remember it very well, actually. Often FA Youth Cup winners have 1 very good player (Gascoigne won it etc), but that side produced a large amount of players who had long careers as professionals. The likes of Carl Regan, Sean O'Hanlon, Mick O'Brien, Jevons earned a good living out of the game. Osman and Hibbert still at the club is tremendous (Hibbert was a midfielder in that side).

Even the likes of Jamie Milligan helped Fleetwood into the League quite recently. Osman, Ball, Jeffers and Dunn became full internationals. Not a bad return from a single team. John Oster was a bit different, he wasn't in our youth set up (I don't think), recall we bought him from Grimsby.

I watched lots of that cup run, the away semi at Blackburn and Osman's goal are fresh in my mind.

 

[catcherintherye]

.....remember it very well, actually. Often FA Youth Cup winners have 1 very good player (Gascoigne won it etc), but that side produced a large amount of players who had long careers as professionals. The likes of Carl Regan, Sean O'Hanlon, Mick O'Brien, Jevons earned a good living out of the game. Osman and Hibbert still at the club is tremendous (Hibbert was a midfielder in that side).

Even the likes of Jamie Milligan helped Fleetwood into the League quite recently. Osman, Ball, Jeffers and Dunn became full internationals. Not a bad return from a single team. John Oster was a bit different, he wasn't in our youth set up (I don't think), recall we bought him from Grimsby.

I watched lots of that cup run, the away semi at Blackburn and Osman's goal are fresh in my mind.

Yes that's what I get from the match reports. I remember watching the game live on TV and O'Brien was the captain but got a bad injury. Also a defender called Eaton (I think) played very well.

Having read Kendalls book it became clear to me he thrived on having young players and developing them. I wonder if he could have developed the group who won the Youth Cup in 98 better than Walter did? While we look back on most of them now and think they were [Poor language removed], players like Cadamateri and Jeffers had enormous promise. I think Jevons could have been a decent striker too.

 

[catcherintherye]

I don't think Michael Ball played in that team.I think he was in the first team by then.
There were not enough really good players to build a team around and we were absolutely skint.
We signed Oster(never more than a modest player) ,Farrelly and O Kane because they fitted into our non existent budget rather than because they were good players.
The team that won the Youth Cup was a strong well balanced team with few stars.
A few years later we saw Rooney bring a very poor team to the final almost singlehandedly.

I have always felt that Howard Kendall performed miracles by keeping that squad in the top division in his last spell at Everton and has never received proper recognition.

Well yes I have to say it's a fantastic part of the Toffeeweb site, the old match reports, I hope they continue that as it's an invaluable historical resource.
You sort of relive the season again.

When you consider, our striking options consisted of Fergusan, Spencer/Madar, then teenagers Oster/Branch/Cadamateri/Jeffers it is a wonder we managed to stay up, especially considering how injury prone Fergusan was.

 

[Eggs]

Yes that's what I get from the match reports. I remember watching the game live on TV and O'Brien was the captain but got a bad injury. Also a defender called Eaton (I think) played very well.

Having read Kendalls book it became clear to me he thrived on having young players and developing them. I wonder if he could have developed the group who won the Youth Cup in 98 better than Walter did? While we look back on most of them now and think they were [Poor language removed], players like Cadamateri and Jeffers had enormous promise. I think Jevons could have been a decent striker too.

......Adam Eaton was decent, think he might have played a game for the 1st team. He was playing for Marine (I think) last time I heard. O'Brien played for the likes of Torquay and came back as a coach but I recall he got in a bit of bother with comments to lady footballer. I always thought the return from that team was much higher than normal, although the Man Utd and West Ham winning teams produced a number of players.

I think Colin Harvey was the real inspirational coach of that side. Jevons was key as he dropped to help midfield as soon as the opposition had the ball. They were a really good, well balanced team rather than reliant on somebody like a Rooney who was a stand out in the side that reached the final some years later.

 

[Deggo]

For my sins I have been looking back from some of the old Match Reports on Toffeeweb from the 97/98 season alongside some of the FA Youth Cup campaign.

I suppose my question, for those who watched us around that time, is should we have made a better fist of it given the players we had. I had always seemed the 90’s as a time of doom and gloom, but was surprising was the optimism that existed then, how match reports would talk about us being able to compete with Manchester United within 2/3 years with Kendall.

If you consider we had Jeffers, Cadamateri, Ball, Dunne, Hibbert and Osman all playing a part in the youth cup. John Oster who was another teenager who had potential. Also players such as McCleod, Milligan and Jevons who all had something about them.

Given that Kendall took a team of young players in the 80’s, and moulded them into one of the finest teams in Europe, was there not significant potential with the set of young players we had? In the following summer we spent 20 million on some experienced players. Could Kendall have made us a force again by moulding these players? What are people’s memories?

You can't polish a turd as they say

Most of those players were and are not good enough for anything but the lower leagues

Jeffers may have done it if he'd have made better decisions,the rest no!!!

 

[CliveMastersToffee]

Wow some blasts from the past there!

 

[Eggs]

You can't polish a turd as they say

Most of those players were and are not good enough for anything but the lower leagues

Jeffers may have done it if he'd have made better decisions,the rest no!!!

....the fact that so many had lengthy careers as professionals is an achievement for any FA Youth Cup team regardless of the level. Osman, Hibbert and Dunne played a massive amount of top flight games. Ball and Jeffers became England internationals and played a fair number of games at the same level. Not too shabby at all.

Probably only a few who didn't make a living out the game.

 

[Deggo]

....the fact that so many had lengthy careers as professionals is an achievement for any FA Youth Cup team regardless of the level. Osman, Hibbert and Dunne played a massive amount of top flight games. Ball and Jeffers became England internationals and played a fair number of games at the same level. Not too shabby at all.

Probably only a few who didn't make a living out the game.

Yeah that's why I said most

Ball was a decent player,Hibbert capable,Osman(also capped by England)half decent,never rated Dunne above the level of yard dog or cart horse

Jeffers could have been a fantastic player,the rest?well a slow decend into the lower leagues about all the we're fit for,the OP suggested we could have challenged Man U with that pool of players which in my opinion is utter pie in the sky,they simply did not have it,even if we had 11 Hibberts or Osmans or Dunne's we'd have struggled like we did during that period

And John Oster????? don't get me started

 

[Eggs]

Yeah that's why I said most

Ball was a decent player,Hibbert capable,Osman(also capped by England)half decent,never rated Dunne above the level of yard dog or cart horse

Jeffers could have been a fantastic player,the rest?well a slow decend into the lower leagues about all the we're fit for,the OP suggested we could have challenged Man U with that pool of players which in my opinion is utter pie in the sky,they simply did not have it,even if we had 11 Hibberts or Osmans or Dunne's we'd have struggled like we did during that period

And John Oster????? don't get me started

.....think you are underrating Dunne, he had to be a top CB to play at that level for so long. 18 years since his Everton debut and still in Premier, that's not the record of a yard dog. I thought he was a really top quality player at one stage. Funny how opinions differ.

 

[Deggo]

.....think you are underrating Dunne, he had to be a top CB to play at that level for so long. 18 years since his Everton debut and still in Premier, that's not the record of a yard dog. I thought he was a really top quality player at one stage. Funny how opinions differ.

I think the reason he's lasted so long is because he's always been painfully slow and very rigid in his movement,obviously a lot of managers have seen something in him but I just don't see it,he has played for some rotten teams(not clubs) teams who struggle,man city,Aston vile and now QPR,no doubt if Bournemouth come up he'll be playing there next season and the merry go round continues......

 

[Eggs]

I think the reason he's lasted so long is because he's always been painfully slow and very rigid in his movement,obviously a lot of managers have seen something in him but I just don't see it,he has played for some rotten teams(not clubs) teams who struggle,man city,Aston vile and now QPR,no doubt if Bournemouth come up he'll be playing there next season and the merry go round continues......

.....wow, the last thing I'd call him is slow and rigid. Very pacey compared to most CBs, just shows how differently folk see players.

 

[Tubey]

.....wow, the last thing I'd call him is slow and rigid. Very pacey compared to most CBs, just shows how differently folk see players.

This is Richard Dunne we're talking about right?

 

[Deggo]

.....wow, the last thing I'd call him is slow and rigid. Very pacey compared to most CBs, just shows how differently folk see players.

Maybe it's just a perception but he's not someone I've ever considered pacy,Rio Ferdinand was pacy for me but saying that Jags is supposed to be the quickest player in the premier league so wtf do I know