Old Everton Pictures

Mike Trebilcock of Portsmouth- what a sort gem of a signing he really was -


EEA8YkeXYAAFhTk.jpg
 


1750431409583.webp


Alan James Ball, born on the 12th May 1945, started his senior career at a team his father managed, called Ashton United, who interestingly enough were once called Hurst, and were the club another Everton legend, Dixie Dean, finished 'his' career at.

He left school with no qualifications, and after an unsuccessful trial with Wolverhampton Wanderers, and then Bolton Wanderers, who actually deemed him too small, he eventually signed as an apprentice with Blackpool, after his father pulled some strings with a former friend who was a coach there.

He turned professional in May 1962, and made his professional debut in a 2-1 victory over none other than Liverpool, at Anfield, becoming Blackpool's youngest debutant, at just 17 years and 98 days.

He was soon noticed by England manager Alf Ramsey, who gave him his international debut on 9th May 1965 in a 1–1 draw with Yugoslavia in Belgrade, three days before his twentieth birthday. Ball quickly became an ideal midfielder for Ramsey, who was preparing for the World Cup only a year later.

Ball, like several others, was relatively inexperienced at international level, and by the time England faced West Germany in the final, still hadn't reached his 10th cap, but what a player he was.

He was the youngest member of Alf Ramsey's World Cup team, at just 21 years of age. In fact at the time of writing, Ball's appearance in the final marked the last occasion in which a Blackpool player received a full England cap.

Alan Ball's 1966 World Cup winning performances with the England team attracted the attention of a number of clubs, but none more than Everton.

When Harry Catterick finally signed Ball in August 1966, it cost a whopping £110,000; a sum unheard of before, and a British record transfer fee was handed to Blackpool.

These were to be exciting times at Everton. They themselves had just won the 1966 FA Cup, and with Ball, would go on to be one of the most successful teams in Everton's history.

At Everton, Ball played in midfield alongside Colin Harvey and Howard Kendall, effectionately known as 'The Holy Trinity', who still to this day are regarded as one of Englands, and certainly Everton's finest midfields.

Everton at the time were referred to as 'The Mersey Millionaires' thanks to then Chairman John Moores, who had made a fortune as owner of Littlewoods Pools, and he was a man prepared to sign the very best players.
 


Welcome

Join Grand Old Team to get involved in the Everton discussion. Signing up is quick, easy, and completely free.

Register

Shop

Back
Top