Blast from the past - 9th November, 1985

[Dell Boy]

Last night I came across my first programme I ever bought. 50p Everton v Arsenal 9th November 1985. I was 9 at the time and had been many times before but this was the one that stood out as my first Goodison experience.

We won something like 6-0 and I remember Lineker, Sharp and Adrian Heath were unstoppable. That clearly helps enshrine the memory!

Just read through it over a coffee and a few things stand out:

- Kendall's programme notes making clear they think the squad is light in numbers but also being clear that such was the quality of the firsr XI that any new additions would be for back-up/future potential

- A comment piece on possible ground-sharing with the RS that sets out the possibility without ruling anything in or out

- Gary Lineker's hat-trick for England against Turkey at Wembley the previous month. First England hat-trick by a Blue in England

- Everton team for the day - Southall, Stevens, Van den Hauwe, Ratcliffe, Harper, Bracewell, Steven, Heath, Sheedy, Sharp and Lineker

- Everton Programme had just won an award as the best in England

- England youth international John Ebbrell shining for the A team

- Radcliffe saying Paul Wilkinson is the "one for the future"

- Interview with Bobby Mimms where he says "I've joined the best team in the country"

- Police reports of trouble at Chelsea away earlier in the season at an underground station but also at same game a congratulatory letter from the Met praising fans for their calm inside the ground

- Milk Cup tickets for a possible Chelsea or Fulham replay be priced "as for normal league fixtures":

Main Stand, Top Balcony, Upper Bullens - £5
Lower Bullens - £4.50
Gwladys St - £4
Ground, Paddock and Enclosure - £2.50

- A letter from a fan moaning about the poor crowds at Goodison that season. Response from the Editor was that "an average league attendance of around 30,000 is hardly something to be knocked. In the present climate for football we are pleased to be getting twice the support of half of the other first division clubs". The stats page makes interesting reading in terms of average attendances to date:

Man U - 51K
RS - 33K
Everton - 30K
Man City - 28K
Spurs - 25K
Newcastle - 24K
Chelsea - 24K
Arsenal - 23K
Sheff Weds - 22K
West Ham - 17K
Forest - 17K
Watford - 15K
Southampton - 15K
Aston Villa - 15K
West Brom - 15K
Ipswich - 15K
QPR - 15K
Birmingham - 13K
Luton - 11K
Leicester - 11K
Oxford - 10K

 

[Pabbers]

Good crowd I suppose. It does show that City do have a good support tbf.

 

[bflefc]

Wasnt it 6-1?

 

[alan ball]

Wasnt it 6-1?

Neil Poiton made his debut that day

 

[bflefc]

Neil Pointon!! Bad tache and perm that lad.

Forest were next at home, weren't they? Either 1-1 or 0-0. I remember ****ging off Nigel Clough at every opportunity from the front of the Street End.

 

[Eggs]

....look at Newcastle's average. I remember going there in the mid-80's and we battered them with Tricky Trev scoring a few. I swear there were more Evertonians yet the way they talk now would make you think they've always had 40k per game. Ah nostalgia.

 

[Pabbers]

....look at Newcastle's average. I remember going there in the mid-80's and we battered them with Tricky Trev scoring a few. I swear there were more Evertonians yet the way they talk now would make you think they've always had 40k per game. Ah nostalgia.

I agree with you, BUT their average above is only 6k less than ours, and that was one of our best teams EVER, we won the league.

 

[stanleypark]

....look at Newcastle's average. I remember going there in the mid-80's and we battered them with Tricky Trev scoring a few. I swear there were more Evertonians yet the way they talk now would make you think they've always had 40k per game. Ah nostalgia.

That the 4-0? Did you go the season before where Bracewell got done in? 85/86? It was a draw, 2-2 I think.

 

[Dell Boy]

Yep just checked the result and it was 6-1.

I think it's amazing how low all the crowds were save for Man U. Especially given the ticket prices. Actually wonder if anyone smart can work out whether, inflation included, they're as low as they actually seem?

 

[Fensta]

I was at that game, good times. Think me and mates spent most of the game shouting "Splinter dick" at Tony Woodcock.