Bob Latchford

[Aberblue]

One memory I have of Big Bob is of a game V QPR in the mid 70s. It was 1 - 1, and Latchford had been marked out of the game right until the 90th minute, when he turned the QPR centre half and smashed the winning goal into the Street End to give us a 2 - 1 victory. Bedlam on the terraces!

 

[dave abrahams]

Great fella off the pitch, easy to talk to, could take him or leave him on the pitch. Apart from the 30 goals he
scored in one season, I don't think he was a prolific scorer for the Blues, never scored in a derby game. I remember
when he challenged, fairly, and Tommy Smith,or Ugly as he was known to a lot of Everton fans, grabbed Latch like he
Was a rag doll and he took it, never responded at all, maybe he was too even tempered, but to me he should have had
a go back. Liked Latch but he could never be called a legend for me.

 

[Super Kevin sheedy]

Great player, big Bob Latchford, that was when I was watching Everton home and away, he was'nt lazy at all, knew where the goal was, I ran on the pitch from the Gwladys street when he scored his 30th goal. Nice fella off the pitch as well, met him at an Everton night out.

 

[blue_aussie05]

Great fella off the pitch, easy to talk to, could take him or leave him on the pitch. Apart from the 30 goals he
scored in one season, I don't think he was a prolific scorer for the Blues, never scored in a derby game. I remember
when he challenged, fairly, and Tommy Smith,or Ugly as he was known to a lot of Everton fans, grabbed Latch like he
Was a rag doll and he took it, never responded at all, maybe he was too even tempered, but to me he should have had
a go back. Liked Latch but he could never be called a legend for me.

Do me a favour, Latchford made 286 appearances (plus 3 as a substitute) for Everton and scored 138 goals.

That's some record for someone who apparently wasn't prolific.

When he left us in 1981, it was only Dixie that had scored more than him. Even now he's our third highest all-time scorer!

 

[blue_aussie05]

Definite legend, due to that accolade alone

 

[blue_aussie05]

1973-74 - 13 apps, 7 goals
1974-75 - 41 apps, 19 goals
1975-76 - 38 apps, 13 goals
1976-77 - 50 apps, 25 goals
1977-78 - 46 apps, 32 goals
1978-79 - 44 apps, 20 goals
1979-80 - 35 apps (2 as sub), 13 goals
1980-81 - 22 apps (1 as sub), 9 goals

 

[dave abrahams]

1973-74 - 13 apps, 7 goals
1974-75 - 41 apps, 19 goals
1975-76 - 38 apps, 13 goals
1976-77 - 50 apps, 25 goals
1977-78 - 46 apps, 32 goals
1978-79 - 44 apps, 20 goals
1979-80 - 35 apps (2 sub), 13 goals
1980-81 - 22 apps (1 sub), 9 goals

Give us his apps and goals in the league only, I would appreciate that thanks.

 

[blue_aussie05]

I vividly remember as a kid, Latch going off the pitch injured against Sunderland at Goodison in his latter years. Sunderland scored while he was off the pitch, the Latch limped around the back of the goal with our trainer before he got substituted.

Just looking through some of his stats, I didn't realise that was his last ever game for us at Goodison (in November 1980). He only played for us once more, in May 1981 after a 6 month lay off

 

[blue_aussie05]

Give us his apps and goals in the league only, I would appreciate that thanks.

1973-74 - 13 apps, 7 goals
1974-75 - 36 apps, 17 goals
1975-76 - 31 apps, 12 goals
1976-77 - 36 apps, 17 goals
1977-78 - 39 apps, 30 goals
1978-79 - 36 apps, 11 goals
1979-80 - 26 apps, 6 goals
1980-81 - 19 apps (1 as sub), 6 goals

 

[blue_aussie05]

236 league apps (1 as sub), 106 goals.

Not up to Dixie's standards, obviously, but still around a 1 goal in every 2 game average

 

[1966efc]

Like him; loved his 30. BUT do recall one Anfield derby, last couple of minutes 0 - 0. One on one with Clemence and fluffed it. Then smiled at Clemence. Could cheerfully have kicked him. Unreasonable maybe but I prefer players who hate their mistakes.

 

[paultheblue]

Not a legend for me ,part of a team that went very close to winning things but I always thought we payed too big a price for him when Kendall went in the other direction.
Not knocking the fella but needed more fire in his belly to be the real deal and I always judge true greats for the blues were the ones who could score goals against the RS ,Bally ,Kingy and even Cahill.People always recall the "Bobby Latchford walks on water" but in his later years "One step at a time Bob Latchford thats all were asking of you" was being aired on the street.
I look back on those days in the seventies and the stand out player for me was Dobbo Im sure he use to walk onto the pitch wearing a smoking jacket and a cravat pure class.

 

[Blue Cheese]

A thread machine right here

 

[COYBL25]

I wonder how many times the legendary commentator John Motson said in that big season '...Thomas...crosses....Latchford....one-nil'

An almost telepathic understanding between Thomas and Latchford played a big part in Bobs goals. By rights Thomas should have been permanently slipping over as he only ever wore mouldees. He also should have been seriously hurt too as he never wore shin pads. What I find a bit strange about Latchford is that he quietly left us to go and play for the tiny Dutch team, Breda, where his wife is from . It just wouldn't happen today with the amount of money in the game .

 

[The Esk]

It just wouldn't happen today with the amount of money in the game .

Bob was the first Everton player to earn £1,000 a week....