The Sunday Sermon ; (Sir) Neville Southall ,M.B.E. ...

[little curly alan ball]

My favourite Nev story was when he had just signed for us and HK told him to go to a certain restaurant in Liverpool and that they new he was coming, said he could have anything he wanted on the club as a welcome present.

Waiter comes over and congratulates him on joining Everton and speaks of the fantastic menu's with steaks, lobsters, all the expensive food you can imagine and now that he is an Everton player he can have any of it he wants.

Big Nev demands beans on toast.

As I said , Proletrian , to the bone .

Like , meself .

 

[Seamus Colemole]

He was my idol when i was growing up, always wished i could of been as good a keeper as him.

I think i actually cried when i went to see Norwich play at Stoke in about 99 i think it was and i didnt realise he was playing, then when i noticed him in goal for Stoke i couldn't believe my luck.

 

[Basil Fawlty]

Another great article lcab. What a fantastic player Nev was. Best keeper of his generation by miles. Probably kept us up single handedly in the dark days of the early '90's as well.

 

[little curly alan ball]

Another great article lcab. What a fantastic player Nev was. Best keeper of his generation by miles. Probably kept us up single handedly in the dark days of the early '90's as well.

Cheers , Baz , but you ALWAYS say that .

It's like Spike , don't know if I can count it anymore , lid .

 

[ToffeeDan]

Great stuff.

Couple of bits and bobs. First saw Big Nev in goal for Bury in a cup tie at Fulham (was living in London at the time) - awesome. Did I scout him for the Blues? Nope, but I probably should have been on the blower.
2nd I went to see the Ressies early 81-2 - Southall was immense - thought what is this lad doing in the Ressies? 3-0 win over Wednesday at The Old Lady. 4 days later he made his first team debut - 2-1 win over Ipswich (think we came from one down to win) - Shaggy Stevens got the winner - his first for the Blues.

The save against Spurs was immense. The best save I've ever seen live - against our title rivals - great days great player.

 

[little curly alan ball]

Great stuff.

Couple of bits and bobs. First saw Big Nev in goal for Bury in a cup tie at Fulham (was living in London at the time) - awesome. Did I scout him for the Blues? Nope, but I probably should have been on the blower.
2nd I went to see the Ressies early 81-2 - Southall was immense - thought what is this lad doing in the Ressies? 3-0 win over Wednesday at The Old Lady. 4 days later he made his first team debut - 2-1 win over Ipswich (think we came from one down to win) - Shaggy Stevens got the winner - his first for the Blues.

The save against Spurs was immense. The best save I've ever seen live - against our title rivals - great days great player.

Cheers , TD .

 

[Gwladys St. Glory]

Personally I'm kinda' glad that Nev's never had a position at the club because he can say what he wants, when he wants...not that he wouldn't if he was but at least if he's on the outside any comments, good or bad, can't be put down to him being at the club...

I think he does the supporters a bigger service by being himself outside the
clubs jurisdiction, IMHO.

[video=youtube;ZnZbxzGPHlc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnZbxzGPHlc[/video]

 

[spikeman]

Speachless. Never saw him play, but he was really good according to the video above.

 

[little curly alan ball]

Speachless. Never saw him play, but he was really good according to the video above.

Thank you , boy .

 

[spikeman]

Thank you , boy .

De nada, gallo.

 

[Jobby]

I only caught the last few years of his career... but he was a great keeper and is a legend in every sense of the word.

 

[jdeezy]

Love these, LCAB.

Very helpful, like a crash course in Evertonian history.

 

[little curly alan ball]

Love these, LCAB.

Very helpful, like a crash course in Evertonian history.

You're welcome , mate .

That WAS the general idea , tbh .

 

[little curly alan ball]

De nada, gallo.

Gracias , chico .

 

[Dublintoff]

As the Son of a Union Man , I'm a Socialist to the core of my being , an ' I recognized a kindred spirit , in the subject of today's Sermon , the Great , Neville - The Bin Man - Southall .

In a Club , renowned for it's sartorial elegance , he was , without doubt , the scruffiest mufuka to EVER walk through the door . However , once we saw the goods , he transformed from the ugliest of ducklings into the most beautiful of swans , an' became one of the 6/7 or so GREATEST Everton Players , EVER to grace the jersey .

Born in Llandudno , North Wales , on September 16 , 1958 , he signed for Everton for £150,000 from Bury , in 1981 , one of Kendall Mk1's , Magnificent 7 - Now , THERE'S an Oxymoron , ..
His early career here , didn't really pull up any trees . Second to Jim Arnold in the pecking order - avain analogy maintained , btw - , he would go out on loan to Port Vale in 82/83 , playing 9 games for them , before being recalled , breaking into the first team , an' , well , staying there for 16 odd years .

By the time we , Got Boss Again , Big Fat Nev' / The Bin Man - he had done the job , pre - professionally playing , also Hod Carrying , Waiting On . Proletarian , as I said ; was
not only the foremost Goalkeeper IN THE FUKN WORLD , if you don't mind , but one of the Top PLAYERS on the Planet .

After a fukn good hiding at home by the RS , 5-0 , we , wanted to kill ourselves . HK , on the other hand , saw it differently . He bought Steven , Sheedy was bedded in , then Gray arrived , an' tah-dah , !!! We rule Europe .
However , THIS WOULD NEVER , EVER have happened without 1 person ; Big Fat Nev' .
Fact .

The year after the Goodison Derby Debacle , '83 , we began a campaign , in no particular great heart . However , by the end of it , we would appear in our second ever , League / Milk Cup Final , losing - after the First Ever All Merseyside Final ; What a day that was !!! ; in a reply to the only goal to Sourpuss , at Man City . However , in a reversal of our fortunes that last time we got to that competion's final game , we went back to Wembley in the F.A. Cup to triumph over Watford . Kendall and the Bin Man , would earn the club it's first Trophy and Winner's medals in 14 years . Oh , yes , we part-eh'd .

The following season , for any blue whom witnessed ANY of it , was one of those times in life when God , taps you on the shoulder , an' says ,
" See you ??? You're fukn sound , you , lad . "
We lost the first game at home 4-1 to Spurs , an' it seemed like , same ol' , same ol' . How wrong could we be ???
We would absolutely blister Man Utd at home , 5 Fukn Nil , then on the Monday night went to O.T. an' kicked them out the League Cup . Next came Castle Grey Skull . Now , remember ,we hadn't won there since the '60's , AND , Pinoccio had The Evil Eye , on us . Would do for another ten years , but today , big nose , WE had The Guv'nor .
Sharpy went on to score a wonder goal . PLEASE , if you haven't seen this , Google it , but I recall 2/3 one-on-one's , Rush Vs Nev' , an' the un-svelte one was Supreme . No [Poor language removed] . He ran off the pitch like Linford Fukn Christie , but not before a few Star - Jumps an Fist Pumps to the Anfield Road , first . Geezer , btw.

We went on the Title , with the whole Continent wanking over us . Cloughie called us The Next Team of The Decade . Cups ??? All day . Cup Winner's Cup in Rotterdam ( Though ,THAT night , I had a COB ON with him over the Red Jersey ,..) , gave the club it's First - an' sadly , only European Trophy to date . Only bein' , basically , out on our feet , saw us lose to Man Utd at Wembley - how that beats the Bin Man from there STILL AMAZES me , thus foregoing an unprecedented Treble .
However , WE WERE THE DOG'S BOLLOX , An' THE WORLD KNEW IT .
Neville would become P.W.A. Footballer of the Year - Reidy won the Player's award .
The following Wednesday , the RS would play at Heysel , ....

When anyone does a reprise on the Bin Man , they generally show , Falco's header at Spurs ; the Sheff' Wed' wonder save ; Utd at Wembley , Mk 2 . I was present at all of these , an' they were indeed superb , but for me , it's Middlesboro , either the same year or the following year to that Sheff Wed' game . Cup game , night time , same sort of save as the Wednesday one . Striker puts bullet header in bottom corner . Our ragarse , 17 stone Goalie , flips the ball , a la Banks , off the line but back into play , where it gets another rebound , sending it towards the opposite corner . St . Neville of Southall , picks up that frame of an Ocean Liner , an' is at the other fukn corner waiting by the time it gets there !!! Truly breathtaking .
Another time , at Wembley . Charity Sheild versus the RS . It was him against Rush for about 60 minutes after we'd scored .
The fukn 5-0 Derby game , he was M.O.M. !!!

His tragic injury , received by an Aldridge tackle in an International in Dublin , many people - myself included , believe , cost us that year's Double . We lost the League by 2 points - after RUNNING WAY WITH IT , AN' WERE BEATING the RS - again , at Wembley , 1-0 at HALF TIME . we LOST 3-1 .
It CERTAINLY , cost us the Cup Final . The next time you see , Jimmy Fukn Durante hitting that camera in the Wembley goal , REMEMBER , Mimms was in goal . Big Fat Nev' would have saved that with a part of his anatomy , not fit for Sunday Sermon , but you take my point . Believe me . He WOULD'VE saved it . I was in THEIR end that day . Ho -Hum .
You'll never beat the fukn Reds , indeed , .... ( Shivers , ...)

Despite the 86/87 season seeing YET ANOTHER League Title , this was no longer Champagne Footie . We grafted our way to it the second time . No bad thing , that . However , due to our Murderin' Bretheren , the writing was on the wall . The side began to age , an' after ANOTHER RS F.A. Cup Final , in '89 - lost 3-2 in extra time , to break up .

However , through ALL THIS , Big Neville stood STAUNCH Blue .

Time went by , an' the Man's waistline grew in tandem with his rep' . However , once Beardo fukd off , he would be our ONLY World Class footballer , until Asbo - I don't count Tsar Andrei .
On his day , even then , he was STILL MUSTARD . See their goals in the 4-4 game . Look what it took to beat the Bin Man , to how we scored our goals , ...then onto the '95 Cup Win , when he had Fergie's Stars off , all on his own - Scholes STILL can't believe THAT save .

He left this great club , as THAT IS HOW HE FEELS about us , after 16 some years of TOP CLASS SERVICE , in 1997/8 .Was gutted to do so , an' all . He joined Stoke City after a loan period . He left , the LONGEST serving player of the modern era , playing over 500 League Games , and 750 odd games in all for his Beloved Everton F.C.
He could spit the Dummy , too , mind . DID NOT like Loser's Medals , an' the famous Half Time Sit In , was actualy , Hilarious . Least , I thought so . Defo Idiosyncratic to a fault , an' ALWAYS his own man , the I Love My Wife , T Shirt , was typical of him .
Like Bally , IT IS A TRAVESTY , that this Legend has not been given a role at Everton . Any role . he'd FUKN WALK HERE TO DO IT .
Another Bally comparison , to my mind they are the ONLY two players to have played for us - whom I have witnessed - to be HONEST TO GOD World Beater's . As good as ANYTHING , ANYWHERE . An' I love him like one of me own .

Evertonians are CHOSEN . WE DO NOT CHOOSE , an' The Bin Man , IS ONE OF OURS .

God bless , this Domingo , to a TRUE Everton Legend , Sir Neville of Southall .

Peace out .

( The Catholic ) Reverand L.C.A.B.

Great stuff L.C.A.B.

That was my first international game to attend, remember big nev getting stretchered off, a true legend, not only adored and admired by us blues but also regarded by every proper footie fan out there as one of the best netminders ever to grace a pair of gloves.

They say keepers have to be mad, and the big man certainly came into that category. Remember him sitting against the post during half time versus leeds i think. Love 'em.