little curly alan ball
Player Valuation: £70m
I am ASHAMED to say , that I needed St.DomingosGringo to remind me of this .
Anyway , for those too young , or abroad , to whom this is just a name ; Let me enlighten you , ...
Alan Ball Jnr , signed for Everton in August 1966 . Literally days after , basically , WINNING THE WORLD CUP , ON HIS OWN !!! - ASK Geoff Hurst , ... - .
He was 21 years of age .
His debut came at Fulham in the same month . He scored the winner .
The next week , we played the RS at home . He got his first after 6 minutes , and ended up with 2 . We won again .
An' so it went with Bally ...
He would become the fulcrum , of what most critics would agree , was the GREATEST ENGLISH MIDFIELD OF ALL TIME ,
an' to me , the best EVER in England . Full Fukn Stop !!!
In 6 Seasons with Everton - off the top of me head - I think , he was top scorer twice , an' NEVER out of the first 2 . He was a midfielder .
He was an England regular throughout his time here , playing in perhaps this Nation's Greatest Ever side - Mexico 1970 - .
He would later Captain his Country .
During his time at Goodison , we enjoyed our best ever consistent success - granted , the '63 side won the league , and some players made the transition , Labby , the Golden Vision - but The Holy Trinity side , was the REAL School of Science .
A League Championship . An F.A. Cup final - he joined the team that won the trophy in 1966 - , loads of semi's , an' ALWAYS in the Title race , in an era with Leeds' BEST EVER side , Liverpool's - THEN - BEST EVER side , Man. City's BEST EVER side , AND , BEST , LAW , AND CHARLTON at the Mancs .
They could play . ALL OF THEM , but OURS were as good as ANY .
The day he left Everton - Sold behind his back by the then Manager Harry Catterick - , HE CRIED .
NO [Poor language removed] .
As a Manager , it never really worked for Bally . Though he did enjoy Promotion to Division 1 with Pompey , and , I believe did well with Exeter . Saints fans have him all day , too . Ditto Arsenal .
I always thought HK shoulda given him a role . ANY ROLE . He'd have FUKN LOVED IT .
As a Media Pundit , he never missed an opportunity to BIG UP Everton .
I missed him at Labby's Funeral . Shook his hand , but swerved speaking . When I got home I was gutted . I told me Ma .
About a week later , she walked in with a piece of paper with his address on .
I wrote him a letter , an' basically , forgot all about it .
About 2 months later - he's been at the World Cup , an' to Australia - , the phone went one afternoon .
" Hello ??? "
" David ??? Alan Ball , ..."
NO [Poor language removed] !!!
THIS MAN . THIS WORLD CUP WINNER , AND GENERAL EVERTON GOD , CALLED OUR HOUSE !!!
Not just that . I was Caring for me Nan . She was 93 , but was a Mad-Arse Evertonian Season Ticket Holder FOR YEARS . Bally told me to put her on and spoke to her for 10 minutes .
When I passed the phone to me Nan , I said , " It's Bally , . "
Cue Vacant look .
" Alan Ball . "
She looked at me ,.. " Alan Ball ??? MY Alan Ball , .. "
As Bob Marley wrote , " ... Tears in my eyes , girl , .. "
Honest .
My hero then spoke to me for half an' hour or so , discussing ALL THINGS EVERTON . Then , me being me , when it came time to sign off , I asked if I could send him some stuff ???
I quote ,
" Son . Send a Van load if you want . ... " THEN , proceeded to give me his home address AND telephone number .
BALLY !!!
Anyway , suffice to say , I got to know him somewhat over the following year . I sent him Christmas and Birthday Cards , AND WAS PROUD - AND FUKN PERSONALLY BUZZING - TO DO SO .
The night of April 25 , 2007 , I was ill . I was not yet diagnosed and was at a loss as to why I felt like [Poor language removed] , ...
The news that night stopped me cold .
I managed to get a lift the 2 minutes it takes to get to Goodison to sign the condolence book , but could not make the United game on the Saturday , my first home game I'd missed since Kendall Mk#2 - AND why I'll NEVER forgive ASBO - .
I WAS DEVASTATED .
Therefore , I was DETERMINED , the following Thursday , to make my way to Winchester for his Funeral .
I'M SO GLAD , I did .
It WAS MAGNIFICENT . 10,000 people . AND I got brought in , right to the front , 'cause the Family had asked for
ANY EVERTONIANS to be PUT UP FRONT .
I'm nearly in tears writing this , honest .
Bally was a PLAYER , BUT MOST OF ALL HE WAS A LEGEND .
A Legend as a Player , as an Evertonian , and AS A MAN .
And I miss him dearly . I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE .
I'll sign off with my favourite Bally story .
He was coming back from an Away trip . Was in Lime Street , an' some kid comes up to him .
" Can I have your Autograph ??? "
" Yes . " Says the Great Man ., but when he looks the kid has no pen nor paper . Neither does he .
" Its O.K. , .. " Says the kid . He puts out his hand , ...
" Spit on me hand , ... "
Bally looks aghast , ..
" YOU'RE ALAN BALL !!! ,..."
Enough said , kid .
R.I.P. My Hero .
L.C.A.B. - Out .
Anyway , for those too young , or abroad , to whom this is just a name ; Let me enlighten you , ...
Alan Ball Jnr , signed for Everton in August 1966 . Literally days after , basically , WINNING THE WORLD CUP , ON HIS OWN !!! - ASK Geoff Hurst , ... - .
He was 21 years of age .
His debut came at Fulham in the same month . He scored the winner .
The next week , we played the RS at home . He got his first after 6 minutes , and ended up with 2 . We won again .
An' so it went with Bally ...
He would become the fulcrum , of what most critics would agree , was the GREATEST ENGLISH MIDFIELD OF ALL TIME ,
an' to me , the best EVER in England . Full Fukn Stop !!!
In 6 Seasons with Everton - off the top of me head - I think , he was top scorer twice , an' NEVER out of the first 2 . He was a midfielder .
He was an England regular throughout his time here , playing in perhaps this Nation's Greatest Ever side - Mexico 1970 - .
He would later Captain his Country .
During his time at Goodison , we enjoyed our best ever consistent success - granted , the '63 side won the league , and some players made the transition , Labby , the Golden Vision - but The Holy Trinity side , was the REAL School of Science .
A League Championship . An F.A. Cup final - he joined the team that won the trophy in 1966 - , loads of semi's , an' ALWAYS in the Title race , in an era with Leeds' BEST EVER side , Liverpool's - THEN - BEST EVER side , Man. City's BEST EVER side , AND , BEST , LAW , AND CHARLTON at the Mancs .
They could play . ALL OF THEM , but OURS were as good as ANY .
The day he left Everton - Sold behind his back by the then Manager Harry Catterick - , HE CRIED .
NO [Poor language removed] .
As a Manager , it never really worked for Bally . Though he did enjoy Promotion to Division 1 with Pompey , and , I believe did well with Exeter . Saints fans have him all day , too . Ditto Arsenal .
I always thought HK shoulda given him a role . ANY ROLE . He'd have FUKN LOVED IT .
As a Media Pundit , he never missed an opportunity to BIG UP Everton .
I missed him at Labby's Funeral . Shook his hand , but swerved speaking . When I got home I was gutted . I told me Ma .
About a week later , she walked in with a piece of paper with his address on .
I wrote him a letter , an' basically , forgot all about it .
About 2 months later - he's been at the World Cup , an' to Australia - , the phone went one afternoon .
" Hello ??? "
" David ??? Alan Ball , ..."
NO [Poor language removed] !!!
THIS MAN . THIS WORLD CUP WINNER , AND GENERAL EVERTON GOD , CALLED OUR HOUSE !!!
Not just that . I was Caring for me Nan . She was 93 , but was a Mad-Arse Evertonian Season Ticket Holder FOR YEARS . Bally told me to put her on and spoke to her for 10 minutes .
When I passed the phone to me Nan , I said , " It's Bally , . "
Cue Vacant look .
" Alan Ball . "
She looked at me ,.. " Alan Ball ??? MY Alan Ball , .. "
As Bob Marley wrote , " ... Tears in my eyes , girl , .. "
Honest .
My hero then spoke to me for half an' hour or so , discussing ALL THINGS EVERTON . Then , me being me , when it came time to sign off , I asked if I could send him some stuff ???
I quote ,
" Son . Send a Van load if you want . ... " THEN , proceeded to give me his home address AND telephone number .
BALLY !!!
Anyway , suffice to say , I got to know him somewhat over the following year . I sent him Christmas and Birthday Cards , AND WAS PROUD - AND FUKN PERSONALLY BUZZING - TO DO SO .
The night of April 25 , 2007 , I was ill . I was not yet diagnosed and was at a loss as to why I felt like [Poor language removed] , ...
The news that night stopped me cold .
I managed to get a lift the 2 minutes it takes to get to Goodison to sign the condolence book , but could not make the United game on the Saturday , my first home game I'd missed since Kendall Mk#2 - AND why I'll NEVER forgive ASBO - .
I WAS DEVASTATED .
Therefore , I was DETERMINED , the following Thursday , to make my way to Winchester for his Funeral .
I'M SO GLAD , I did .
It WAS MAGNIFICENT . 10,000 people . AND I got brought in , right to the front , 'cause the Family had asked for
ANY EVERTONIANS to be PUT UP FRONT .
I'm nearly in tears writing this , honest .
Bally was a PLAYER , BUT MOST OF ALL HE WAS A LEGEND .
A Legend as a Player , as an Evertonian , and AS A MAN .
And I miss him dearly . I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE .
I'll sign off with my favourite Bally story .
He was coming back from an Away trip . Was in Lime Street , an' some kid comes up to him .
" Can I have your Autograph ??? "
" Yes . " Says the Great Man ., but when he looks the kid has no pen nor paper . Neither does he .
" Its O.K. , .. " Says the kid . He puts out his hand , ...
" Spit on me hand , ... "
Bally looks aghast , ..
" YOU'RE ALAN BALL !!! ,..."
Enough said , kid .
R.I.P. My Hero .
L.C.A.B. - Out .
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