trebilcock66
Player Valuation: £8m
Oh Lordy....semi finals. Once described (by Shankly, I think) as the most compelling day in the english football calendar. A comment from another era. Back then, the FA Cup mattered. And matters again now. To us at least.
My first was in 1968 - 12 years old. I'd missed the semi in 66 as Dad couldn't get a ticket for me (cheers Da....notice you had one) so was really excited. Hot sunshine. Old Trafford. Leeds Utd. Jack Charlton, Peter Lorimer...Reaney all the big names. My memory is that Ball was injured and didn't play. We played well but had to rely on a mistake by Gary Sprake (one of many by him, most famous being when he threw into his own net at Anfield)when he miskicked the ball straight to Jimmy Husband who goalbound shot was saved by the hand of Charlton. Step forward Johnny Morrissey for your finest hour. The gummy git scored from the spot right in front of us in the Stretford End and we all went wild. Lovely day.
1969 was at Villa Park against Man City. Squashed in the Holt End in fear of my life as the crowd surged forward. A big guy standing next to me who had obviously come straight from his work on a building site put his booted foot on the barrier and pushed back the melee to protect me....no idea where me da was....Then in the dying seconds Tommy Booth sticks out a speculative boot and we're out....we hadn't played well so I could cope with that defeat
Then 1971. OT again. Standing on an open scoreboard end. Outplayed the RS in the first half, 1-0 up then calamity as Labone was carried off. In my youth, I hadn't realised just how reliant we were on Labone to keep the red hordes at bay so we duly capitulated. Bitter memory, that.
Next for me was Maine Road. 1977. Twice. Duncan Mackenzie's best match in a blue shirt. Not gonna go about it. Today's Guardian warns the uninitiated not get an Evertonian started about this match else he/she'll bore you to tears about Clive Thomas. Dead f*****g right I would. Of course...I knew we were out when we couldn't finish them on the Saturday. Still hurts today, that.
I couldn't get to the 1980 ones against west ham but remember Frank Snr's goal celebration at elland road quite well - reprised by jnr in 2009, sadly.
1984 means more to me than a brilliant and prescient novel by Orwell. It's Adrian Heath. Sunshine at Highbury. When that header went in I felt like a slave given his freedom. No wonder we all went absolutely wild. I turned to me da and just screamed "Wembley! Wembley!" What a day.
1985 and by now we'd acquired that 'never write them off' toughness. Although Luton outmuscled us for virtually the whole game, you just knew our chance would come. Besides, we had Sheedy...with him in the side you could always score. I remember Ratcliffe falling to his knees in the centre circle as it went in - get out jail indeed.
1986 is an unheralded match but featured two cracking goals. Harper (also unsung) lobbed one and Sharp's goal reminded me forcibly of Gerd Muller's winner against England in Mexico in 1970 - volley at an awkward angle. Great winner. Great day out.
When I think of 1989, I go quiet inside. The game at Villa Park was a nothing match really. Scrappy goal won it. As I went on a long walk back to my car, the West Midlands Constabulary guys kept updating the crowds about the emerging news from Sheffield. By the time I put the key in the ignition, I was numb. I recall almost nothing of the game. I had friends and family at Hillsborough that day, thankfully all unscathed.
And that was the last semi I attended. Somehow I acquired a family....hence no money and no life....(only kidding...about the life at least...)
So my score is: seen 9, won 5 lost 3, drawn 1.
Time for some revenge for 1977 I think. The fatalist in me says otherwise....
Whatever happens, I hope that we'll show the football world again (like in 2009) just how great this club is. Loud in our support (you guys sounded great on Tuesday night) and generous in defeat - even to that lot.
Bring it on.....
My first was in 1968 - 12 years old. I'd missed the semi in 66 as Dad couldn't get a ticket for me (cheers Da....notice you had one) so was really excited. Hot sunshine. Old Trafford. Leeds Utd. Jack Charlton, Peter Lorimer...Reaney all the big names. My memory is that Ball was injured and didn't play. We played well but had to rely on a mistake by Gary Sprake (one of many by him, most famous being when he threw into his own net at Anfield)when he miskicked the ball straight to Jimmy Husband who goalbound shot was saved by the hand of Charlton. Step forward Johnny Morrissey for your finest hour. The gummy git scored from the spot right in front of us in the Stretford End and we all went wild. Lovely day.
1969 was at Villa Park against Man City. Squashed in the Holt End in fear of my life as the crowd surged forward. A big guy standing next to me who had obviously come straight from his work on a building site put his booted foot on the barrier and pushed back the melee to protect me....no idea where me da was....Then in the dying seconds Tommy Booth sticks out a speculative boot and we're out....we hadn't played well so I could cope with that defeat
Then 1971. OT again. Standing on an open scoreboard end. Outplayed the RS in the first half, 1-0 up then calamity as Labone was carried off. In my youth, I hadn't realised just how reliant we were on Labone to keep the red hordes at bay so we duly capitulated. Bitter memory, that.
Next for me was Maine Road. 1977. Twice. Duncan Mackenzie's best match in a blue shirt. Not gonna go about it. Today's Guardian warns the uninitiated not get an Evertonian started about this match else he/she'll bore you to tears about Clive Thomas. Dead f*****g right I would. Of course...I knew we were out when we couldn't finish them on the Saturday. Still hurts today, that.
I couldn't get to the 1980 ones against west ham but remember Frank Snr's goal celebration at elland road quite well - reprised by jnr in 2009, sadly.
1984 means more to me than a brilliant and prescient novel by Orwell. It's Adrian Heath. Sunshine at Highbury. When that header went in I felt like a slave given his freedom. No wonder we all went absolutely wild. I turned to me da and just screamed "Wembley! Wembley!" What a day.
1985 and by now we'd acquired that 'never write them off' toughness. Although Luton outmuscled us for virtually the whole game, you just knew our chance would come. Besides, we had Sheedy...with him in the side you could always score. I remember Ratcliffe falling to his knees in the centre circle as it went in - get out jail indeed.
1986 is an unheralded match but featured two cracking goals. Harper (also unsung) lobbed one and Sharp's goal reminded me forcibly of Gerd Muller's winner against England in Mexico in 1970 - volley at an awkward angle. Great winner. Great day out.
When I think of 1989, I go quiet inside. The game at Villa Park was a nothing match really. Scrappy goal won it. As I went on a long walk back to my car, the West Midlands Constabulary guys kept updating the crowds about the emerging news from Sheffield. By the time I put the key in the ignition, I was numb. I recall almost nothing of the game. I had friends and family at Hillsborough that day, thankfully all unscathed.
And that was the last semi I attended. Somehow I acquired a family....hence no money and no life....(only kidding...about the life at least...)
So my score is: seen 9, won 5 lost 3, drawn 1.
Time for some revenge for 1977 I think. The fatalist in me says otherwise....
Whatever happens, I hope that we'll show the football world again (like in 2009) just how great this club is. Loud in our support (you guys sounded great on Tuesday night) and generous in defeat - even to that lot.
Bring it on.....
