"Alan Ball - The Man In White Boots" by David Tossell

[Aberblue]

If you get a chance to read this book, do so by all means. Buy it, borrow from a library, but read it to see what Everton meant to Alan Ball, and what he meant to those who saw him play for us.

The greatest player I ever saw.

One quote from the book:

"Even when he finished playing, the real love of his career wasn't Arsenal or Southampton or even England. It was Everton."

 

[Eggs]

..don’t have to convince me. I know i’m not alone in saying he’s easily the best player I have seen playing for Everton.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Criminal how much he is overlooked. Other midfielders frankly not fit to lace his boots are absolutely revered whilst the greatest English midfielder of all time is barely spoken about in football circles outside of Everton.

The likes of Brooking, Hoddle, Gaza, Robson Gerrard etc. are feted as national treasures. Even Stiles and Charlton from the 66 team have legendary status. Yet the best player of the lot of them hardly gets mentioned.

 

[Dario Terracotta]

Strange Bally is more remembered for those white boots which to me is more synonymous of our decline as a club(he started wearing them in 1970-71 season!!)his greatest days for us were in good old black boots from 1966-1970!!

 

[roy vernon]

The day we sold Bally was the start of our decline
I know we had our purple patch in the 80s with Howie, but, we were not a truly massive club by that time.
Up until we sold Bally no player ever left Everton until we had had their best days, if a player was lucky enough to sign for Everton, they stayed for as long as they could.
Bally was by far and away the best player I saw in a royal blue jersey I wish we had him today. White boots, black boots or even barefoot.

 

[marcus]

Strange Bally is more remembered for those white boots which to me is more synonymous of our decline as a club(he started wearing them in 1970-71 season!!)his greatest days for us were in good old black boots from 1966-1970!!

Yes those white boots...
The reason : he was one of the first to wear the white boots which was a major change as everybody wore the traditional black boots...
As a player he was fantastic the best player I have ever seen to wear the blue shirt...
He was the difference between Everton winning or not when he played a true legend...

 

[macdog]

Sadly missed. He should still be around as an elder statesman of the game. Everyone's loss.

 

[bluelord49]

Its going to take a special player to take the place of the likes of Alan Ball.
People look at what is supposed to be a unit in running our midfield, at the present time, none of them come up to scratch.
So far as some opinions on here about certain players ,i,m afraid they dont even come into the equation.

 

[Joey66]

If you get a chance to read this book, do so by all means. Buy it, borrow from a library, but read it to see what Everton meant to Alan Ball, and what he meant to those who saw him play for us.

The greatest player I ever saw.

One quote from the book:

"Even when he finished playing, the real love of his career wasn't Arsenal or Southampton or even England. It was Everton."

A 1/4 of a way reading it got a bargain it cost me £6.00

 

[Thetigerblue]

My brother watched Everton in the 60s. I remember him telling me that Liverpool hated and feared Bally because he wasn't afraid of them, of Derbies.

 

[Jacob]

My brother watched Everton in the 60s. I remember him telling me that Liverpool hated and feared Bally because he wasn't afraid of them, of Derbies.

He absolutely revelled in playing them ever since he knocked them out of the cup. Pity none of our crop have even a thimble full of his bottle when we play them now. God bless him.

 

[peteblue]

I’m just privileged to have watched him all the time he was with us, absolutely loved the man, it was like having a death in the family when he was sold......

 

[banno]

Strange Bally is more remembered for those white boots which to me is more synonymous of our decline as a club(he started wearing them in 1970-71 season!!)his greatest days for us were in good old black boots from 1966-1970!!

Didn't Bally say the white boots were so uncomfortable that he couldn't wear them any more. He used normal black boots and painted them white but at the end of one match on a wet day the paint had washed away with the boot sponsors watching on in the stand. That was the end of the white boots as he was dropped by the sponsors.


I had a pair of those white boots as a kid.

 

[blueloon]

Definitely “ Who’s the greatest of them all... little curly Alan Ball”. I was lucky enough to see him in the 69/70 title winning side. Best memory I have though was the next season when we were poor, and he came back from injury against Newcastle. Another dull game , until he picked up the ball in the middle of the pitch and blasted an unstoppable drive into the Gwladys Street goal from about 30 yards. Magic.

I seem to remember two quotes when he left . Bally’s “ I cried when I left Everton” and Catterick’s “ One day the full story of his leaving will come out” , hinting at some dark secret.
A great great player.

 

[banno]

Definitely “ Who’s the greatest of them all... little curly Alan Ball”. I was lucky enough to see him in the 69/70 title winning side. Best memory I have though was the next season when we were poor, and he came back from injury against Newcastle. Another dull game , until he picked up the ball in the middle of the pitch and blasted an unstoppable drive into the Gwladys Street goal from about 30 yards. Magic.

I seem to remember two quotes when he left . Bally’s “ I cried when I left Everton” and Catterick’s “ One day the full story of his leaving will come out” , hinting at some dark secret.
A great great player.

I think the rumour at the time was something to do with gambling debts