Tell me about the 1985-86 season

[jartyjones]

I remember us being what I considered a great team that year and I still cannot believe that our 'neighbours' won the double and not us... We had Lineker when he was at his best of his career, never better than that spell but IMO losing Southall was the one thing that cost us most... and I don't really think Mimms was that bad. We just never got the run of luck that is sometimes needed at that level, 9 seasons out of 10 we would have cleaned up everything, 1985/6 was that one time when it just wasn't "our turn"

If we'd have persuaded HK to give us a few more years and the board would have invested cash as Utd had done in building the inftastructure to give us the chance of taking advantage of the newly formed Premier League and the financial benefits brought by Sky Sport TV then we'd be on a different level now.
We missed the bus on that one !!!

 

[Khalekan]

The funny thing is that the '85/'86 team was the best we had in that golden era, IMO yet we ended up empty handed.

We won the Title with Andy Gray and Wayne Clarke leading the line either side of having a team with the deadliest marksman we have had in the post war era.

 

[electricblue]

Clarke's goal in the 87/88 derby was the one I'll always remember him by.

 

[chicoazul]

White panel top NEC all over the show.
Lineker.
2-0 Anfield.
Oxford.
Mimms you tw*t.
Empty handed.

 

[BigBlueConk]

I was at Goodison for that Southampton game when we smashed them. The atmosphere was electric. I remember Sheedy scored from the half way line, but the ref had blown his whistle and it never made the highlights on MOTD!
The crowd were buzzing as rumours kept going around that Chelsea were beating the RS. Was lies!
The RS never looked back that season after we had beaten them in February I think it was. They went on a long unbeaten run wilst we stumbled in important games. However, we were still the best team in the league IMO and Bobby Mimms? His time was to come!

 

[chicoazul]

That was the 6-1 lid right? Sharp scored three or four?

 

[BigBlueConk]

I took me lil sister that day! She used to fancy Adrian Heath. It was 6-1, Sharpy got just the one. Lineker hatrick. Trev and Derek with the others. Jimmy Case played for Saints that day, tried to break somebodies legs I recall with a tackle.

 

[BigBlueConk]

I took me lil sister that day! She used to fancy Adrian Heath. It was 6-1, Sharpy got just the one. Lineker hatrick. Trev and Derek with the others. Jimmy Case played for Saints that day, tried to break somebodies legs I recall with a tackle.

Tackle probs the wrong word.

 

[BigBlueConk]

One sub in those days!

 

[chicoazul]

Pah. Typical for Case though the bad sh*thouse.

I used to meet Heath a few times when I was a lid. His best mate was my second cousin. Used to be took to his bar in Stoke when visiting. Legends? Or something. Top lid. I was Everton obsessive and he used to give me loads of stuff.

* not Yewtree this

 

[BigBlueConk]

Best Everton years of my life Chico. Think I ve told you before, I could afford to go footy in those days, thanks to the tax payer and my student grant!
Not a loan lads, a grant!
I had the respect of all my mates for being an Everton fan. I wasn't a band-wagon jumper, the lads knew I had been a fan from early years and had to endure the Gordon Lee era! I used to be Imre Varadi in the playground at school. Everybody would say "who"?!
Growing up in Manchester was a nervous time. If I went to the Arndale, I would only wear my shirt if I was with my own manc mates. Boys looked out for me, too many idiots wanted to have a go because of the shirt you wore. Mainly jealousy I think because we were boss werent we. Totally Boss and they couldnt deal with it!

Everything was going so well until the RS/Juve game. The irony being that a game we were not involved in became the start of the team breaking up.

What a great side and a great time that was

 

[throughthewindandthedrain]

Remember loads of games thinking that Lineker had done nothing and then he popped up with a goal. Football wasn't as good as the year before or after. Sharp looked like the most complete forward in Europe at times and Bracewell was immense. Clearest memory was the rumours sweeping round while we took Southampton apart that Chelsea were winning. horrible.

 

[Sol]

1985/86 was when I first got in to football, still haunts me to this day that we didnt win anthing that season. Quite liked the jersey with the big white panel. lineker was my hero was heartbroken when he left for Barcelona. I am certain if Big Nev had not broken his ankle we would have won the title. Recall running into John Alridge in a nightclub in Dublin about 11/12 years ago half the punters in the club were licking his hole, start giving the prick loads of sticking for injuring Big Nev and costing us the double!!! Didnt look to impressed!!

 

[Merseyzig]

A good place to read about 85/86 is Peter Reid's diary of the season "Everton Winter, Mexican Summer". Journals his recuperation from injury though the winter to getting selected for the 86 World Cup. A very underrated read.

My own personal memory from that season is school on the Monday after the cup final. In your face. One day, one day, the sods will get it back in equal measure.