Andy Gray, 1983 - 1985

[The Esk]

He should always be remembered for his performance against Bayern Munich in the Cup winners Cup semi-final - scored a few great goals for us in his short time and galvanised a good team into a great one.

 

[Bluenose1995]

class player he was, agree Sky isnt the same without him the media would rather PC correct plod Garth Cooks over playboy Gray disgraceful

 

[dholliday]

He should always be remembered for his performance against Bayern Munich in the Cup winners Cup semi-final - scored a few great goals for us in his short time and galvanised a good team into a great one.

That is a good point, tho'...some players galvanise teams and this doesn't necessarily show up in any historical goal stats.

 

[electricblue]

He should always be remembered for his performance against Bayern Munich in the Cup winners Cup semi-final - scored a few great goals for us in his short time and galvanised a good team into a great one.

In fact he should be remembered for galvanising the team mid-way through the 83/84 season into challenging for honours that season and of course the following one.

Whatever about the Gray/Lineker argument, the greatest thing about the mid 80s team was that they went on to win the title in 86/87 without either.

 

[Allezfan]

It's a bit like how Graeme Sharp is much more revered than Tony Cottee, even tho' Cottee has a superior goal-ratio while at Everton.

Cos Cottee cared about his goal ratio and sharp cared about winning. Cottee could score the one in 6-1 loss and walk off the pitch happy.

 

[electricblue]

Cos Cottee cared about his goal ratio and sharp cared about winning. Cottee could score the one in 6-1 loss and walk off the pitch happy.

Bit harsh that mate.

 

[ricardobee]

It's tragic that he died at the tender age of 2, so much unfulfilled potential.

this is an obituary, right?

 

[dholliday]

Bit harsh that mate.

Harsh and utterly without basis. Cottee was never loved because he publicy always loved West Ham.

Both Cottee and Sharp were very good and consistent strikers for us, always bagging double-figures a season...we've missed their kind for a long time.

 

[Bilko]

Not so. He's a massive Glasgow Rangers man. We are his favourite English club. He never wanted to leave Everton. He tells a funny story of how he'd just bought a new house on Merseyside and him and his girlfriend were unpacking the boxes from the removals van when Kendall appeared in his car in his drive way, at which point he feared the worst and told his girl to stop unpacking. His fears were justified -- Kendall had come to tell him he was being sold.

you sure he wasn't a villa fan in the english leagues ??,

 

[Jamo Martinez]

you sure he wasn't a villa fan in the english leagues ??,

I remember him saying in on telly years ago that when he moved to Everton it was the best move of his career. Not sure that means we were his fave club like.

 

[edge]

the affect he had on that team was immence, they really did change from good team to great team when he came, him and reid and rats were leaders on the pitch something we have lacked in recent years, he was loved by the fans and rightly so at the time.

 

[degsy]

Bit harsh that mate.

nah spot on

it ain't what you do it's the way you do it

Sharp did it our way Cottee did it his way

 

[AndyGray]

I wanted to be Andy Gray back then...

 

[rochdaleblue]

Too much is made of the fact that we didnt win anything with Lineker. Him and Sharpy scored something like 65+ goals that season, so I think that vindicates Kendall's decision to sell Gray. Some of our football with Lineker and Sharp was fantastic, we were beating teams by 3 or 4 goals virtually every home game. The reason we didnt win anything was Southalls injury, not our style of football. We had just beaten Liverpool 2-0 ( Lineker scored) and he goes and does his ankle playing for Wales I think it was against the Republic of Ireland. We had an 8 point lead with something like 11 games to go and Bobby Mimms comes in. Enough said!!!!
The next season Southall is back in goal and we win the league again, albeit with a team that in my eyes wasn't as good as the season before.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

That goal he scores in the '84 FA Cup Final is fabulous. Practically assaults the Watford keeper!