What I failed to add in my opening drivel was that, being a ten year-old new Evertonian living in North London, and one of seven kids, the chances of me getting to visit Goodison Park were as rare as rocking-horse sh*t. When I watched the TV adaptation of Gordon Honeycombe's play,
The Golden Vision, I was both awestruck and sad at the same time. Sad because I had to make do with going to Hendon FC to see live football, when what I ached to do was to walk to Goodison Park every other Saturday.
In 1969, when I started working, I was at least able to go to Arsenal, West Ham and Chelsea to see my heroes. Long distance travel was out because my elder brother had joined the Army so, as then the oldest child still at home, and two brothers and three sisters still at school, I used to give a lot of my meagre income to my mum to help out (the London streets not being paved with gold as some might imagine).
In 1964, when still a fledgling Evertonian and wanting to see Everton play, I planned to go to see them at Highbury in October so, after saving up my paper round money, and wanting to visit the ground beforehand, I went to see Arsenal play Sunderland on my own. I hadn't told my mum I was going as I wouldn't have been allowed, but I wanted to experience getting on a bus on a Saturday afternoon to go to the match and also to make sure I knew how to get to the ground when October came. I had saved up my paper-round money, and pocket-money (half a crown, which was 2 shillings and sixpence, or twelve and a half pence in today's money) and seen Arsenal beat Sunderland 3-1. There was a name on the Sunderland team sheet that was to become legendary - the centre forward, Brian Clough.
Everton drew 1-1 at home to Sheffield United that day. My memory isn't that good, I had to Google the days results..
http://www.worldfootball.net/schedule/eng-premier-league-1964-1965-spieltag/7/