little curly alan ball
Player Valuation: £70m
May the Good Lord be with you all .
Welcome all to our little corner of the Sabbath .
Given our current collective euphoria in relation to the contemporary incumbants of the blue jersey , I would like to focus upon an Everton Legend whom though in times long past , himself wore the Azzuri with as much pride and passion as any . He has came back to assist his great love on 2 occasions , long after hanging his boots up . He did this , as , like each and every one of us , he is an Evertonian .
Ladies and Gentlemen , may I introduce , Jimmy “ The Angel “ Gabriel .
Born in Dundee on October 10 1940 , Jimmy was a player from an early age . He had caught the attention of the various Scouts sniffing about as he was chosen to represent the Scotland U-15 side in a game at his local Dens Park - equivalent , at the time to Mikel Arteta gaining a place in the current Spanish national side . The competition was THAT fierce . Willie Thornton , the Dundee Manager had seen enough , and fortunately for them , offered the lad a contract , just ahead of a few other , larger clubs . Jimmy accepted and thus became a Dundee player in 1957 . Given his relative immaturity , he was sent out - as was the custom in those days , to play for a local side , Dundee North End Boys .
However , Thornton would soon be super-ceded as Manager by one , Bob Shankly - eldest of the 5 League Football playing brothers ; whom brought him back to Dundee and established young Gabriel in the first team at Dens Park . Over the next two and a half seasons , Jimmy would play 55 games for the blues of Dundee .
Signed , in a final throw of the dice by Johnny Carey , his having sold the Darling of the Evertonians , Davie Hickson to the RS , the previous November ,Gabby becoming , at
£ 27,000, the most expensive player ever to leave Scotland .
Carey bought Roy Vernon and Gabby within a month of each other , in March 1960 . Indeed , and in fairness , results did improve on the run-in . Vernon , in particular settled in straight away , scoring in his first 3 games , and grabbing 9 in all by the end of the campaign . The highlights of which were , scoring 6 at home to Chelsea and away to W.B.A. in consecutive weeks . The nadir being a last day mauling by Man United , 5-0 .
Gabby made 8 league starts without scoring , as the team limped in to 15th position .
Jimmy Gabriel began his first full season at Goodison Park in and out of the side , and with the team typically stop-start . A loss at Spurs , and another caning off the Mancs , 4-0 , within the first month . However , with Gabby right half , and Brian Harris left-half , the side began to flourish . Goals flowed freely . Indeed , after a defeat - another , to United on August 31st and another at Aston Villa the following week, until Boxing Day , they scored 3 , 4 or 5 goals in a game on 15 occasions . Those whom witnessed it talk in revered tones of Collins , Vernon , Young , Bingham , and also , Labby , Brian Harris and ,
“ The Angel “ as he had now been Christened by the Goodison faithful . Jimmy scored his only goal of that campaign away to Fulham in the 1-0 win .Unfortunately , a poor second half of the season - the last 6 weeks aside , saw them fall away from a Title challenge . The late spurt was not enough to save Carey’s job , and Harry Catterick was appointed with 2 games left .
Jimmy played 40 games that year and was now fully established as a first team regular .
He made his Full debut for Scotland in 1960 and played his second and last game 3 years later . It must be said that he played in perhaps the most difficult time of all to gain a spot in the Scotland team . They reckon in another era , he’d have gotten 25 caps . In addition , and he did captain their U-23’s on 6 occasions .
The BIG news on his return to L4 , 4EL , was the signing of Alex(ander) Young , later to be termed , “ The Golden Vision “ , after his joint transfer - along with George Thompson , a winger , from Heart of Midlothian . Young , of course , scored on debut , as we beat Villa 2-0 . Nevertheless , we are Everton , and proceeded to 5 defeats in the next 7 games , thus bursting the balloons of hope which had been so gleefully inflated during the close-season . Indeed , this poor start eventually cost the team - another , shot at the Championship .
Gabby , however , was now fully bedded-in . In addition , The Catt’s insistance on ALL of his midfielders chipping in , saw Jimmy’s goal rate rise , as he bagged his 6th of the campaign in a 4-1 defeat of Arsenal , his ultimate total for the season . The team , despite the frustration of missing out was getting there . They played in front of an average of over 55,000 , and Evertonians were beginning to REALLY believe again .
The side came a respectable 4th , and thus began the little known record of Everton being the first English club to qualify for European Competition five years running .
Moreover , Fortress Goodison was the side’s Ace in the hole . With the best defensive record in the league that season , they utilised The Old Lady , and were ultimately undefeated there from September 1961 to September 1963 .
1962/63 was , on many levels , a very , very fine year . It saw both Everton’s first trophy since the war , AND my birth , so God really did go mad that Annus Mirabilis .
The general progression was not only maintained but significantly increased . Moreover , so good was this side , that the first utterings of “ The School of Science “ , initially termed thus by a Journalist and ex-Pro from Derby , Steve Bloomer .- “ Everton always seek to serve at the Shrine of Craft and Science ,“ were applied to them .
Goals flowed , literally . Both Vernon - 25 , and Alex Young - .. , got over 20 . The Golden Vision reckons , “ If they had records for “ Assists “ then , he’d have got another 20 “. Roy ( Vernon ) would have got 1 . “ Still , they were a side . Undefeated at home again , and with Wilson , the England Left back , bought from Huddersfield Town , Gabriel , Stevens , Kay had arrived from The Catt’s old club Sheffield Wednesday , and was a latter day Roy Keane , they reckon , and Chico Scott from Ibrox .
1962/63 was famous for another act also , as it saw the first , First Division Merseyside Derby for 12 years . The initial game was played at Goodison Park and finished as a 2 - 2 draw , with goals from a Young and recently RS , Johnny Morrissey - the last player to make the move , pre- Kevin Sheedy ; and a Vernon penalty - the RS equalised in the last minute following a disputed Everton disallowed goal ; What else is new ? The return game finishing nil’s each . Thus , honours even , first time around
In truth , most of the real flowing football was seen in the first half of the campaign , as the worst winter in living memory set in , causing chaos to the fixture list . Some teams never played for 6 ,8 weeks , thus leading to end of season backlog . We , on the other hand , had our technologically kick-arse under soil heating and hardly missed a beat . Thus , we became Champions for the first time in 15 years , and our first post-war silverware . Oh , how they partied .
There is a picture , in the old Goodison Road Stand - someone will post it . I don’t do pictures . It’s Computery . Anyway , the Catt gets the whole team up after the final fixture against Fulham , each with a glass of bubbly . There stands Gabby , blond quiff tousled , tooth missing , grinning like a Feline from Cheshire .
Catterick , in the words of The Golden Vision , had ,..
” Transformed us from the Great Entertainers , into Winners . “
The following season , despite an opening day Charity Shield victory over Manchester United , 4-0 - The Angel Gabriel scoring the first goal both of the game and of Everton‘s season , was largely disappointing , as was manifested as normal service was resumed with a fortnight as we were mullah’d , 5 - 0 at Old Trafford .
Due to the criterion that the Champions of England and Italy were forced to enter the European Cup at the qualification stage , it was no surprise to Evertonians when the draw came out ; Internazionale di Milano versus F.C. Everton . Talk about bad luck ,…
As history will testify , Gabby was unfortunately injured and missed the game in Italy to be replaced by an 18 year old Colin Harvey , thus beginning another career of an Everton legend .
Little known fact alert , that the Guiseppe Miazza and Goodison Park are related . Brother and Sister even , given that they were both designed by Archibald Leitch .
A goal after half - time - following the nil all draw at home , saw us eliminated at the first hurdle . A defeat at the RS , 2-1 , in the first Derby of the campaign never helped the mood .
Another little mention aspect of the season as Title holders was our being crowned , “ Unofficial British Champions “ , upon beating Glasgow rangers , 4-2 over two games .
Fred Pickering was signed in March 1964 as the momentum for the Championship remained on track . Then came the bombshell . Tony Kay had been involved in a match - fixing scandal whilst at his previous club , and due to a Sunday People investigation , was ultimately charged by the F.A. and all 3 players - two of his ex-team mates , received life bans . It rocked the whole Club , but particularly the side , as , with Bobby Collins having been allowed - insanely , by Catterick to join rivals Leeds United , there was no ready made replacement . Once more , fortune kicking us in the bollox when we seemed to be cruising .
We had gained revenge for the Derby defeat , with a nice 3-1 win at home . Gabby grabbing a goal .
Nevertheless , with 5 games to go we were still in it . Defeats at W.B.A. , Chelsea and Stoke ultimately put paid to the Trophy remaining at Goodison . Three points from the last 5 games saw us slip to , a still highly creditable though no less disappointing , 3rd place .
Due to the shenanigans of the previous season - Kay , losing the league , 1964/65 began with optimism still the primary emotion , but nevertheless waiting for the roof to fall in . Pickering had been a success in terms of goals , but much like Lineker , 20 years later , we became one-dimensional in playing to him , thus negating our previous free scoring style . 2 defeats in the first 9 games , reinforced the good vibes , which went into orbit after the first Derby of the campaign finishing in a 4-0 victory at Castle Grey Skull . It remains our finest result there in the intervening period .
European football came in the form of the Inter-Cities-Fairs-Cup drawn against Valergrens , of Norway . Triumphing , eventually , 9-4 . We defeated Kilmarnock , before facing Manchester United in the 3rd round . A , 1-1 draw at O.T. and a close , 2-1 defeat saw us eliminated .
Gabby made 37 appearances , scoring 4 goals in the season , as we finished 4th , but well off the pace .
The next season began with Catterick having settled on a Pickering / Young axis up front . Indeed , in the first 10 games , Fred got 6 , Alex 5 . However , a Derby Day mauling , 5-0 soon brought the wrath of the crowd down upon the Manager . In truth , Catterick , despite his success was never really liked at Everton . He was respected , certainly , but his method of communicating and managing some of the greatest players in this club’s history , and some bizarre transfer dealings , never saw him gain the public affection of a Shankly or Busby , for example . The game after Liverpool , saw a one-man pitch invasion with a placard noting , “ Sack Cattrick . Keep Young . “
( He spelt Catterick wrong , but who is being picky ? )
Our league campaign was awful . Easily our worst in 5 years , we finished 11th , but in the F.A. Cup , we rocked . Pickering was the man , as we made our way to a Semi - Final showdown with our recent Nemesis , Manchester United . We were of course , triumphant , Colin Harvey grabbing the only goal at Burnden Park, and , Praise Be , we were off to Wembley for the first time in 33 years .
We met Sheffield Wednesday in what has largely become the forgotten Final - due to England’s success at the same venue 2 months later ., yet was one of the finest games to grace the old stadium . We went 2 goals down , early in the second half - in spite of a disallowed Young goal , from a Gabby headed pass ; only for Trebilcock , a relative unknown , drafted in , not for the Alex Young , whom had been out in the lead up through injury , but rather , Cup talisman Pickering whose goals had gotten us there . In the event , it was a masterstroke as the young lad from Devon made a name for himself , netting twice to bring the scores level . Derek Temple then breaks on Springett before firing a laser - beam shot into the far left corner . The ground went berserk .
The Iconic image of what was an Iconic day , indeed , I would suggest , as Iconic as any Everton Wembley image - Dixie lifting the Cup , aside , before or since , is Gabby , with time running down , playing keepy-up on the touchline . The reaction of both player and crowd , and no doubt , millions at home , said it all . His casual arm - raise at it’s completion , is pure , Everton - Sexy . “ Eee - Aye - Addio ,..”
We were , indeed , “ The Gear “ .
The summer was naturally taken up by the World Cup , and our Wembley triumph somewhat overlooked , though there was one common denominator for Evertonians as we swooped to sign Blackpool’s flame-haired winger and England Hero only a fortnight earlier , Alan Ball Jnr .
The first game was the Charity Shield , against the RS , which saw Ray Wilson and Roger Hunt - Bally should have been among them ; parade the Jules Rimet before kick-off at Goodison . We lost the game 1-0 , in front of 63,000 .
In a typically Everton start to the season , we won at Fulham on the opening day ,Bally on debut , 1-0 , before losing home and away to United , either side of a Derby victory as Bally announced himself to the Bealzebubs with 2 goals past the Flying Pig .
Indeed , we were to meet them 3 times that year , drawing at Grey Skull , 0-0, before beating them in the F.A. Cup , before a - then , record audience of over 100,000 , due to a beam-back facility at Anfield , as Bally again put them to the sword .The side was in transition . Morrissey had come in for Temple , Harris moved out as Harvey went left and Ball centre , and Howard Kendall came in from Preston in the new year .
Gabby made 40 appearances in total , as the side finished 6th ; scoring the last of his six goals that season , and his last ever for Everton in a 4-2 victory over Aston Villa . Meanwhile , we were eliminated from European competition over 2 legs by Real Zaragoza .
Kendall’s arrival was the final nail in Jimmy’s coffin as regards his first team place , and , after refusing a proposed move to Southampton in March , their manager Ted Bates came back in July with an improved offer of £42,500 . Amazing business for the Club , given they had nearly 7 years of consistent and excellent service and not far off doubled their money .
The Angel Gabriel played 256 times for Everton , scoring 33 goals , and was gutted to be leaving .
At Southampton , Gabby went backwards . Not in a career sense , on the contrary , he played for them for 6 years , also with distinction ., but this time primarily in a defensive role . In partnership with John McGrath and the wonderfully named , Denis Hollywood , helped the team avoid relegation more than once . He was also drafted in as emergency striker on occasion . He finished his Saints career , in 1974 , having made 191 games , scoring 25 goals , and is remembered as fondly at the Dell - as was , as he is at Goodison .
After Southampton , he had short spells with Brentford and Swindon - loan , before making the decision of his life and accepting an offer to play in the new National American Soccer League in America , with Seattle Sounders , as Player - Captain / Assistant Coach. . His first season he made , Second Team N.A.S.L. All - Star Status , (???) . In 1986 , Seattle relocated to the Kingdome , and Jimmy had the honour of scoring it's inaugral goal ; a great header versus Pele and the New York Cosmos . The following year , Gabby took over as full time Coach ... On his “ Player Roster “ , were names such as Bobby Moore , Geoff Hurst , Mike England . He took the side to the Championship Game in his first year against big rivals , New York Cosmos . Alas , he was unable to replicate his success and in 1980 was replaced . He moved on to San Jose Earthquakes , with George Best as a player , for one outdoor and 2 indoor seasons .
Disillusioned with the break up the U.S,. system , Gabriel returned to Britain in 1986 to take up a coaching role at Bournemouth . He remained there until , in 1990 , he received the call he had waited for as Colin Harvey offered him the chance to return to Goodison , which he duly did , as Coach . He served the role with distinction and honour at a time when the European ban hit us harder than anyone .
With the departure of “ The White Pele “ , Jimmy stepped in as Caretaker - Manager for one game a victory , before resuming his Coaching duties , as HK returned . Gabby then once again stepped into the breach once more , after Mike Walker left , but gained the ignominy of the title of worst ever statistical Everton Manager , when , in 7 games , losing all 7 . However , one must remember the state of the whole club , first team included was in chaos .
Moreover , Jimmy Gabriel would have walked across broken glass to serve Everton FC . Stil would , and he deserved better .
Jimmy Gabriel returned to Seattle in 1997 , becoming assistant to the Washington Huskies men’s and women’s teams , as both sides won the Pac-10 Championships in 2000 . Along with this role , he also coached at Lake Washington Youth Soccer Association , Washington State University , and resumed an assistant coaches role with the Sounders . In 2005 , Seattle defeated Richmond Kickers to clinch the U.S, Second Division Championship . Jimmy chose to retire from coaching in the MLS , on this high note .
In March , 2009 , Jimmy Gabriel was honoured by the Seattle Sounders with the presentation of the first ever , “ Golden Scarf “ , a Hall of Fame , type recognition . This speaks volumes to Gabby and also his standing in U.S. Soccer , and Seattle in particular .
On Everton’s recent - 2009 trip to America , Jimmy came along as we trained on an adjacent pitch to Seattle as they prepared for a game with Utah , ( U-U-U-Utah ,..) and we to face Chicago Fire . Gabby , after embracing warmly with Moysey , was quoted as saying , “ The sight of those blue jerseys lifted my heart , and made the memories come flooding back “ .
The man lives and breathes football . More to the point , his heart , from the day he walked through the door , was Everton Blue . It remains so to this day .
Therefore , this Domingo , thank the Good Lord for providing us with Jimmy “ The Angel “ Gabriel . Scotsman and Evertonian , and humble servant of this great club when directly employed or not , for over 40 years . He is undoubtedly a proper Toffee . They say of Jimmy Gabriel , that , “ He typified the spirit of the School of Science . “
Now there’s an epitaph .
I raise my hat to you , Sir .
Amen .
May the Good Lord be with you all .
Look after your peoples .
Peace out .
The ( Catholic ) Reverand L.C.A.B.
Welcome all to our little corner of the Sabbath .
Given our current collective euphoria in relation to the contemporary incumbants of the blue jersey , I would like to focus upon an Everton Legend whom though in times long past , himself wore the Azzuri with as much pride and passion as any . He has came back to assist his great love on 2 occasions , long after hanging his boots up . He did this , as , like each and every one of us , he is an Evertonian .
Ladies and Gentlemen , may I introduce , Jimmy “ The Angel “ Gabriel .
Born in Dundee on October 10 1940 , Jimmy was a player from an early age . He had caught the attention of the various Scouts sniffing about as he was chosen to represent the Scotland U-15 side in a game at his local Dens Park - equivalent , at the time to Mikel Arteta gaining a place in the current Spanish national side . The competition was THAT fierce . Willie Thornton , the Dundee Manager had seen enough , and fortunately for them , offered the lad a contract , just ahead of a few other , larger clubs . Jimmy accepted and thus became a Dundee player in 1957 . Given his relative immaturity , he was sent out - as was the custom in those days , to play for a local side , Dundee North End Boys .
However , Thornton would soon be super-ceded as Manager by one , Bob Shankly - eldest of the 5 League Football playing brothers ; whom brought him back to Dundee and established young Gabriel in the first team at Dens Park . Over the next two and a half seasons , Jimmy would play 55 games for the blues of Dundee .
Signed , in a final throw of the dice by Johnny Carey , his having sold the Darling of the Evertonians , Davie Hickson to the RS , the previous November ,Gabby becoming , at
£ 27,000, the most expensive player ever to leave Scotland .
Carey bought Roy Vernon and Gabby within a month of each other , in March 1960 . Indeed , and in fairness , results did improve on the run-in . Vernon , in particular settled in straight away , scoring in his first 3 games , and grabbing 9 in all by the end of the campaign . The highlights of which were , scoring 6 at home to Chelsea and away to W.B.A. in consecutive weeks . The nadir being a last day mauling by Man United , 5-0 .
Gabby made 8 league starts without scoring , as the team limped in to 15th position .
Jimmy Gabriel began his first full season at Goodison Park in and out of the side , and with the team typically stop-start . A loss at Spurs , and another caning off the Mancs , 4-0 , within the first month . However , with Gabby right half , and Brian Harris left-half , the side began to flourish . Goals flowed freely . Indeed , after a defeat - another , to United on August 31st and another at Aston Villa the following week, until Boxing Day , they scored 3 , 4 or 5 goals in a game on 15 occasions . Those whom witnessed it talk in revered tones of Collins , Vernon , Young , Bingham , and also , Labby , Brian Harris and ,
“ The Angel “ as he had now been Christened by the Goodison faithful . Jimmy scored his only goal of that campaign away to Fulham in the 1-0 win .Unfortunately , a poor second half of the season - the last 6 weeks aside , saw them fall away from a Title challenge . The late spurt was not enough to save Carey’s job , and Harry Catterick was appointed with 2 games left .
Jimmy played 40 games that year and was now fully established as a first team regular .
He made his Full debut for Scotland in 1960 and played his second and last game 3 years later . It must be said that he played in perhaps the most difficult time of all to gain a spot in the Scotland team . They reckon in another era , he’d have gotten 25 caps . In addition , and he did captain their U-23’s on 6 occasions .
The BIG news on his return to L4 , 4EL , was the signing of Alex(ander) Young , later to be termed , “ The Golden Vision “ , after his joint transfer - along with George Thompson , a winger , from Heart of Midlothian . Young , of course , scored on debut , as we beat Villa 2-0 . Nevertheless , we are Everton , and proceeded to 5 defeats in the next 7 games , thus bursting the balloons of hope which had been so gleefully inflated during the close-season . Indeed , this poor start eventually cost the team - another , shot at the Championship .
Gabby , however , was now fully bedded-in . In addition , The Catt’s insistance on ALL of his midfielders chipping in , saw Jimmy’s goal rate rise , as he bagged his 6th of the campaign in a 4-1 defeat of Arsenal , his ultimate total for the season . The team , despite the frustration of missing out was getting there . They played in front of an average of over 55,000 , and Evertonians were beginning to REALLY believe again .
The side came a respectable 4th , and thus began the little known record of Everton being the first English club to qualify for European Competition five years running .
Moreover , Fortress Goodison was the side’s Ace in the hole . With the best defensive record in the league that season , they utilised The Old Lady , and were ultimately undefeated there from September 1961 to September 1963 .
1962/63 was , on many levels , a very , very fine year . It saw both Everton’s first trophy since the war , AND my birth , so God really did go mad that Annus Mirabilis .
The general progression was not only maintained but significantly increased . Moreover , so good was this side , that the first utterings of “ The School of Science “ , initially termed thus by a Journalist and ex-Pro from Derby , Steve Bloomer .- “ Everton always seek to serve at the Shrine of Craft and Science ,“ were applied to them .
Goals flowed , literally . Both Vernon - 25 , and Alex Young - .. , got over 20 . The Golden Vision reckons , “ If they had records for “ Assists “ then , he’d have got another 20 “. Roy ( Vernon ) would have got 1 . “ Still , they were a side . Undefeated at home again , and with Wilson , the England Left back , bought from Huddersfield Town , Gabriel , Stevens , Kay had arrived from The Catt’s old club Sheffield Wednesday , and was a latter day Roy Keane , they reckon , and Chico Scott from Ibrox .
1962/63 was famous for another act also , as it saw the first , First Division Merseyside Derby for 12 years . The initial game was played at Goodison Park and finished as a 2 - 2 draw , with goals from a Young and recently RS , Johnny Morrissey - the last player to make the move , pre- Kevin Sheedy ; and a Vernon penalty - the RS equalised in the last minute following a disputed Everton disallowed goal ; What else is new ? The return game finishing nil’s each . Thus , honours even , first time around
In truth , most of the real flowing football was seen in the first half of the campaign , as the worst winter in living memory set in , causing chaos to the fixture list . Some teams never played for 6 ,8 weeks , thus leading to end of season backlog . We , on the other hand , had our technologically kick-arse under soil heating and hardly missed a beat . Thus , we became Champions for the first time in 15 years , and our first post-war silverware . Oh , how they partied .
There is a picture , in the old Goodison Road Stand - someone will post it . I don’t do pictures . It’s Computery . Anyway , the Catt gets the whole team up after the final fixture against Fulham , each with a glass of bubbly . There stands Gabby , blond quiff tousled , tooth missing , grinning like a Feline from Cheshire .
Catterick , in the words of The Golden Vision , had ,..
” Transformed us from the Great Entertainers , into Winners . “
The following season , despite an opening day Charity Shield victory over Manchester United , 4-0 - The Angel Gabriel scoring the first goal both of the game and of Everton‘s season , was largely disappointing , as was manifested as normal service was resumed with a fortnight as we were mullah’d , 5 - 0 at Old Trafford .
Due to the criterion that the Champions of England and Italy were forced to enter the European Cup at the qualification stage , it was no surprise to Evertonians when the draw came out ; Internazionale di Milano versus F.C. Everton . Talk about bad luck ,…
As history will testify , Gabby was unfortunately injured and missed the game in Italy to be replaced by an 18 year old Colin Harvey , thus beginning another career of an Everton legend .
Little known fact alert , that the Guiseppe Miazza and Goodison Park are related . Brother and Sister even , given that they were both designed by Archibald Leitch .
A goal after half - time - following the nil all draw at home , saw us eliminated at the first hurdle . A defeat at the RS , 2-1 , in the first Derby of the campaign never helped the mood .
Another little mention aspect of the season as Title holders was our being crowned , “ Unofficial British Champions “ , upon beating Glasgow rangers , 4-2 over two games .
Fred Pickering was signed in March 1964 as the momentum for the Championship remained on track . Then came the bombshell . Tony Kay had been involved in a match - fixing scandal whilst at his previous club , and due to a Sunday People investigation , was ultimately charged by the F.A. and all 3 players - two of his ex-team mates , received life bans . It rocked the whole Club , but particularly the side , as , with Bobby Collins having been allowed - insanely , by Catterick to join rivals Leeds United , there was no ready made replacement . Once more , fortune kicking us in the bollox when we seemed to be cruising .
We had gained revenge for the Derby defeat , with a nice 3-1 win at home . Gabby grabbing a goal .
Nevertheless , with 5 games to go we were still in it . Defeats at W.B.A. , Chelsea and Stoke ultimately put paid to the Trophy remaining at Goodison . Three points from the last 5 games saw us slip to , a still highly creditable though no less disappointing , 3rd place .
Due to the shenanigans of the previous season - Kay , losing the league , 1964/65 began with optimism still the primary emotion , but nevertheless waiting for the roof to fall in . Pickering had been a success in terms of goals , but much like Lineker , 20 years later , we became one-dimensional in playing to him , thus negating our previous free scoring style . 2 defeats in the first 9 games , reinforced the good vibes , which went into orbit after the first Derby of the campaign finishing in a 4-0 victory at Castle Grey Skull . It remains our finest result there in the intervening period .
European football came in the form of the Inter-Cities-Fairs-Cup drawn against Valergrens , of Norway . Triumphing , eventually , 9-4 . We defeated Kilmarnock , before facing Manchester United in the 3rd round . A , 1-1 draw at O.T. and a close , 2-1 defeat saw us eliminated .
Gabby made 37 appearances , scoring 4 goals in the season , as we finished 4th , but well off the pace .
The next season began with Catterick having settled on a Pickering / Young axis up front . Indeed , in the first 10 games , Fred got 6 , Alex 5 . However , a Derby Day mauling , 5-0 soon brought the wrath of the crowd down upon the Manager . In truth , Catterick , despite his success was never really liked at Everton . He was respected , certainly , but his method of communicating and managing some of the greatest players in this club’s history , and some bizarre transfer dealings , never saw him gain the public affection of a Shankly or Busby , for example . The game after Liverpool , saw a one-man pitch invasion with a placard noting , “ Sack Cattrick . Keep Young . “
( He spelt Catterick wrong , but who is being picky ? )
Our league campaign was awful . Easily our worst in 5 years , we finished 11th , but in the F.A. Cup , we rocked . Pickering was the man , as we made our way to a Semi - Final showdown with our recent Nemesis , Manchester United . We were of course , triumphant , Colin Harvey grabbing the only goal at Burnden Park, and , Praise Be , we were off to Wembley for the first time in 33 years .
We met Sheffield Wednesday in what has largely become the forgotten Final - due to England’s success at the same venue 2 months later ., yet was one of the finest games to grace the old stadium . We went 2 goals down , early in the second half - in spite of a disallowed Young goal , from a Gabby headed pass ; only for Trebilcock , a relative unknown , drafted in , not for the Alex Young , whom had been out in the lead up through injury , but rather , Cup talisman Pickering whose goals had gotten us there . In the event , it was a masterstroke as the young lad from Devon made a name for himself , netting twice to bring the scores level . Derek Temple then breaks on Springett before firing a laser - beam shot into the far left corner . The ground went berserk .
The Iconic image of what was an Iconic day , indeed , I would suggest , as Iconic as any Everton Wembley image - Dixie lifting the Cup , aside , before or since , is Gabby , with time running down , playing keepy-up on the touchline . The reaction of both player and crowd , and no doubt , millions at home , said it all . His casual arm - raise at it’s completion , is pure , Everton - Sexy . “ Eee - Aye - Addio ,..”
We were , indeed , “ The Gear “ .
The summer was naturally taken up by the World Cup , and our Wembley triumph somewhat overlooked , though there was one common denominator for Evertonians as we swooped to sign Blackpool’s flame-haired winger and England Hero only a fortnight earlier , Alan Ball Jnr .
The first game was the Charity Shield , against the RS , which saw Ray Wilson and Roger Hunt - Bally should have been among them ; parade the Jules Rimet before kick-off at Goodison . We lost the game 1-0 , in front of 63,000 .
In a typically Everton start to the season , we won at Fulham on the opening day ,Bally on debut , 1-0 , before losing home and away to United , either side of a Derby victory as Bally announced himself to the Bealzebubs with 2 goals past the Flying Pig .
Indeed , we were to meet them 3 times that year , drawing at Grey Skull , 0-0, before beating them in the F.A. Cup , before a - then , record audience of over 100,000 , due to a beam-back facility at Anfield , as Bally again put them to the sword .The side was in transition . Morrissey had come in for Temple , Harris moved out as Harvey went left and Ball centre , and Howard Kendall came in from Preston in the new year .
Gabby made 40 appearances in total , as the side finished 6th ; scoring the last of his six goals that season , and his last ever for Everton in a 4-2 victory over Aston Villa . Meanwhile , we were eliminated from European competition over 2 legs by Real Zaragoza .
Kendall’s arrival was the final nail in Jimmy’s coffin as regards his first team place , and , after refusing a proposed move to Southampton in March , their manager Ted Bates came back in July with an improved offer of £42,500 . Amazing business for the Club , given they had nearly 7 years of consistent and excellent service and not far off doubled their money .
The Angel Gabriel played 256 times for Everton , scoring 33 goals , and was gutted to be leaving .
At Southampton , Gabby went backwards . Not in a career sense , on the contrary , he played for them for 6 years , also with distinction ., but this time primarily in a defensive role . In partnership with John McGrath and the wonderfully named , Denis Hollywood , helped the team avoid relegation more than once . He was also drafted in as emergency striker on occasion . He finished his Saints career , in 1974 , having made 191 games , scoring 25 goals , and is remembered as fondly at the Dell - as was , as he is at Goodison .
After Southampton , he had short spells with Brentford and Swindon - loan , before making the decision of his life and accepting an offer to play in the new National American Soccer League in America , with Seattle Sounders , as Player - Captain / Assistant Coach. . His first season he made , Second Team N.A.S.L. All - Star Status , (???) . In 1986 , Seattle relocated to the Kingdome , and Jimmy had the honour of scoring it's inaugral goal ; a great header versus Pele and the New York Cosmos . The following year , Gabby took over as full time Coach ... On his “ Player Roster “ , were names such as Bobby Moore , Geoff Hurst , Mike England . He took the side to the Championship Game in his first year against big rivals , New York Cosmos . Alas , he was unable to replicate his success and in 1980 was replaced . He moved on to San Jose Earthquakes , with George Best as a player , for one outdoor and 2 indoor seasons .
Disillusioned with the break up the U.S,. system , Gabriel returned to Britain in 1986 to take up a coaching role at Bournemouth . He remained there until , in 1990 , he received the call he had waited for as Colin Harvey offered him the chance to return to Goodison , which he duly did , as Coach . He served the role with distinction and honour at a time when the European ban hit us harder than anyone .
With the departure of “ The White Pele “ , Jimmy stepped in as Caretaker - Manager for one game a victory , before resuming his Coaching duties , as HK returned . Gabby then once again stepped into the breach once more , after Mike Walker left , but gained the ignominy of the title of worst ever statistical Everton Manager , when , in 7 games , losing all 7 . However , one must remember the state of the whole club , first team included was in chaos .
Moreover , Jimmy Gabriel would have walked across broken glass to serve Everton FC . Stil would , and he deserved better .
Jimmy Gabriel returned to Seattle in 1997 , becoming assistant to the Washington Huskies men’s and women’s teams , as both sides won the Pac-10 Championships in 2000 . Along with this role , he also coached at Lake Washington Youth Soccer Association , Washington State University , and resumed an assistant coaches role with the Sounders . In 2005 , Seattle defeated Richmond Kickers to clinch the U.S, Second Division Championship . Jimmy chose to retire from coaching in the MLS , on this high note .
In March , 2009 , Jimmy Gabriel was honoured by the Seattle Sounders with the presentation of the first ever , “ Golden Scarf “ , a Hall of Fame , type recognition . This speaks volumes to Gabby and also his standing in U.S. Soccer , and Seattle in particular .
On Everton’s recent - 2009 trip to America , Jimmy came along as we trained on an adjacent pitch to Seattle as they prepared for a game with Utah , ( U-U-U-Utah ,..) and we to face Chicago Fire . Gabby , after embracing warmly with Moysey , was quoted as saying , “ The sight of those blue jerseys lifted my heart , and made the memories come flooding back “ .
The man lives and breathes football . More to the point , his heart , from the day he walked through the door , was Everton Blue . It remains so to this day .
Therefore , this Domingo , thank the Good Lord for providing us with Jimmy “ The Angel “ Gabriel . Scotsman and Evertonian , and humble servant of this great club when directly employed or not , for over 40 years . He is undoubtedly a proper Toffee . They say of Jimmy Gabriel , that , “ He typified the spirit of the School of Science . “
Now there’s an epitaph .
I raise my hat to you , Sir .
Amen .
May the Good Lord be with you all .
Look after your peoples .
Peace out .
The ( Catholic ) Reverand L.C.A.B.
