1966 - 50 years ago this summer

[monty]

Excellent post...not enough of this kind of stuff on here. I saw every game at Goodison apart from the Semi...well remember the excitement of seeing Pele and Eusebio...and thgose fantastic Koreans, who stayed at Loyolla Hall, by the Ship Inn in Rainhill. I remember Pele being hacked down, getting up, still with the ball, and getting hacked down again. Eusebio scoring against Korea into the Gwladys St end, picking the ball up and running back to the centre spot for the restart . Went to Austria on holiday, missed the Argentina game when Rattin was sent off, then three of us met a dozen German guys who said they had found the only bar in the village with a TV, and we finished up watching the final with them...'losers buy the beer'. Was regretting our crazy bet until the endof the game...three of us and twelve of them...we couldn't afford to lose! True to their word they bought the beer!. A day or so later, flying home (on Lufthansa!) and the german pilot announced congratulations to England on winning the World Cup, the whole plane cheered!! What a year ! Everton Cup Winners...watched on TV at my aunties and punched the air when the winner went in...smashed her chandelier to bits !, then out that night at the old Harlequin Dance Club in Lord Street, and met the girl who became, and still is, my second wife. My first words to her, way back then, were 'Isn't it great we've won the Cup'.....turned out she was a Liverpool supporter...not any more!!. She was also secretary of the football team at Old Swan Tech.,so 'knew' about football...tells some great stories about representing players at League disciplinary meetings!!

It was a fabulous year with a fantastic feel to it. The cup final must live in every Blues memory who was lucky enough to see it, lads getting in by flashing Woodies packets as press cards, climbing the unclimbable Wembley defences I would guess a good two or three thousand bunked in. I managed to see every game in the World Cup, from a hospital bed, burst appendix and peritonitis and a cancelled Cornish hippie styled holiday. The men's ward wasn't allowed to have any television although the ladies had one. I'd just come round from theatre with drips hanging from every orifice but a couple of fellow Blues managed to persuade the nursing staff to wheel me through to the women's ward to watch, much to my surprise I found that all the women were sleeping soundly, the staff had given them tranquilisers.

Alan Ball was simply a none stop engine on legs, he had in bucket loads what many of our present team lack, guts, passion and blue blood. Catterick's decision to get shut of him to Arsenal remains one of our state secrets, even he didn't really know why. Alan was always happy to talk Blue and did so with a passion, he was a great lad.

I was at a sportsman's dinner when a former Man City player recalled going to a function at Goodison to be attend by Alan and his dad, on the way there he broke down in the old tunnel. As luck would have it who came along close behind but Alan and his dad, without a second thought the hooked up a tow rope and dragged him out, his punchline was 'I'm the only bloke to be pulled out of the Birkenhead Tunnel by the balls'

 

[roydo]

Nearly died that Summer ffs.

Was 1 and a bit, on my dads lap when the winner went in in the FA Cup final! So I was told anyrate.

 

[Toffeelover]

This is a thread written for the indulgence of those Evertonians old enough to remember and for the younger readers perhaps to envy.

1966 - perhaps the happiest summer of my life. (Must make sure the wife and children don't read this.....)

My 11 plus was in the future (just). I had few cares other than Alex Young's fitness and whether Fred Pickering would get picked for Wembley.

After the greatest cup final I can ever recall, the summer settled to waiting for the World Cup. And just for a few weeks, the eyes of the world were on Goodison Park.

All because of one word - Pele.

Although a scouser, I grew up on the other side of Warrington (less of the wool jokes please....). Just as likely to meet a Man U or Man City fan at school as a kopite or a blue.

But it meant that my house was a few miles from the hotel where Brazil were staying in Lymm. My dad took me on various visits to try to meet the great man but we never succeeded. Instead I got the autographs of Alcindo, Edu and Denillson (still got them today). There was a lad who lived across the road from the hotel who'd actually kicked a ball around with Pele and had his autograph five times. But I don't recall being jealous.....just excited to be in the company of this revered team.

Dad took me to Goodison for Hungary v Brazil and we queued for cash entry but didn't get in. Dashed back home to catch the second half on TV. I never got to see him in the flesh

Followed all the subsequent games on TV - except the final. Somehow my parents had contrived that we'd be on holiday in Devon on the day of the final. So I listened to that on a dodgy radio connection on a beach called Woody Bay. Still enjoyed it as only a child can - didn't really know what I was missing.

I knew Alan Ball was a bit special. Earlier that season, Blackpool had come to Goodison (can't recall the score but it may have been the game in which Derek Temple contrived to miss the sittingest of sitters and we lost 0-1?). But, sitting next to me in the GSE stand Dad pointed out this flame haired player and said, "Watch that number 8 lad. Great player" Thanks Dad.

So I wasn't surprised that he ran the game at Wembley that day. Even though I wasn't present at the most famous game in English football history, I still enjoyed it with a whole-heartedness born of my youth. Happy, sunny, carefree days.

I spent the rest of that summer biking with friends in the lanes near where I lived....each day apparently sunnier than the last. At least that's how I recall it!

Fast forward a few weeks. TV screen showing the 9 o'cock news. After Rhodesia and other political rubbish, a photograph of Alan Ball flashed up and I suddenly starting paying attention. The caption read £110,000. I heard the word Everton and Harry Catterick in there somewhere. Harry had done it again - done his transfer work quietly and then made a surprise announcement.

I gasped as the enormity of it sunk in. We'd signed the best player in England. The Liverpool fans in my family now say that they knew that this wasn't good news for them. And so it proved.

The sun was still shining when we played Liverpool in the league in Sept (I'll swerve the Charity Shield game, shall I?) and Alan Ball made himself properly at home. His true and only home. 3-1.

And I knew we were on the edge of greatness.

Despite the success of the 80's I've been waiting for a reprise ever since of those sun-blessed days.

Here's hoping for next season. We may not have Alan Ball anymore, sadly. But I can't stop the optimism rising in my chest.

50 years on, we may just be on our way back.

Oh God, man that takes me back, I was in there a bit older than you well actually a lot. You forgot to mention Eusebio now there was also a great player! I managed to get in for the WC games. Used to call early at Grandma's who lived off Luxmore Road.

AS for the FA cup, I went to every round but, you won't believe this try as I might I could not get a Wembley ticket. I did not in those days have enough money to buy a tout ticket.

As for Alan ball what can one say, there is not enough superlatives to describe his play. There was always that Rumour that Harry signed him up in the back of a car, don't think it really happened like that. But Harry was known for his transfer dealing. The other ginger top who was superb at that time but his career was cut short - Tony Kay.

Oh Lord, memories. Thanks Mate for bringing them back.

 

[Toffeelover]

It was a great year. WC Champions and an FA Cup in the days when GP was the best ground in England and Everton stood as a proud club at the top of the tree........

That is so right, the Old Lady was the tops.

 

[Toffeelover]

.

It was just after the drug taking allegations in the Sunday People, in those days of 11 recognised first teasers we had 8 reserves on the field, just before the teams came on one of those loveable kopites ran onto the pitch and planted a cardboard Purple Heart in the centre circle.

We feared the worst, but, within 30 seconds we were 1. O up and set about them with a savagery I have seldom seen from an Everton team at analfield. We gave them a terrible pasting.

I remember going to a Derby at Anfield, in the Anfield Road End, and Morrisey scaring the pants off Smith

 

[Steve Wigan]

It was a fabulous year with a fantastic feel to it. The cup final must live in every Blues memory who was lucky enough to see it, lads getting in by flashing Woodies packets as press cards, climbing the unclimbable Wembley defences I would guess a good two or three thousand bunked in. I managed to see every game in the World Cup, from a hospital bed, burst appendix and peritonitis and a cancelled Cornish hippie styled holiday. The men's ward wasn't allowed to have any television although the ladies had one. I'd just come round from theatre with drips hanging from every orifice but a couple of fellow Blues managed to persuade the nursing staff to wheel me through to the women's ward to watch, much to my surprise I found that all the women were sleeping soundly, the staff had given them tranquilisers.

Alan Ball was simply a none stop engine on legs, he had in bucket loads what many of our present team lack, guts, passion and blue blood. Catterick's decision to get shut of him to Arsenal remains one of our state secrets, even he didn't really know why. Alan was always happy to talk Blue and did so with a passion, he was a great lad.

I was at a sportsman's dinner when a former Man City player recalled going to a function at Goodison to be attend by Alan and his dad, on the way there he broke down in the old tunnel. As luck would have it who came along close behind but Alan and his dad, without a second thought the hooked up a tow rope and dragged him out, his punchline was 'I'm the only bloke to be pulled out of the Birkenhead Tunnel by the balls'

Alan Balls secret ingredient was..simple. He could do the simple things, like control and pass the ball, read the game, and keep his motor running.