Everton's five greatest games

Everton are one of the biggest clubs in England and they have been involved in some huge games down the years.

Squarefootball's Steve Coulter has delved into the history books to highlight the five greatest games in the Toffees' history.

 

EVERTON 3 BAYERN  MUNICH 1 (EVERTON WON 3-2 ON AGGREGATE)

1985 EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS CUP  2nd LEG

 

Goodison Park has seen many great nights, but I doubt anything has topped the stirring comeback against German giants Bayern Munich.

 

Howard Kendall's men were bidding to make club history. The Toffees had never reached a major European final. A packed Goodison was in good spirits, a goalless first leg appeared to give The Blues a slight advantage. The initial Gwladys

Street optimism evaporated on 37 minutes. A Dieter Hoeness goal put Bayern one up. With a precious away goal in the bag Everton would now need to score twice without reply.

 

The home side started the second half in barnstorming fashion. The bombardment was rewarded when Graeme Sharp scored. Gary Steven's long throw in was

flicked on by Andy Gray. With razor sharp reactions Sharp stabbed the loose ball into the net.

Their vital second came in identical fashion. Another Stevens long throw was spilled by Bayern keeper Pfaff, the ball fell kindly for Gray who tapped home.

 

That great Toffees side played some wonderful free flowing football, so it was appropriate that a terrific move sealed their place in the European Cup Winners' Cup Final. Kevin Sheedy gained possession in his own half. The Irish midfield sprinted upfield before passing to Gray. The Scot played a terrific first time ball which sent Trevor Steven bearing down on goal. Steven maintained his composure and hammered the ball past Pfaff. That strike killed off the Bavarian challenge. 

 

Having disposed of Bayern, Kendall's troops faced Rapid Vienna in the final. On a historic night for the blue half of Merseyside, goals from Steven, Gray and Sheedy sealed a 3-1 victory for the Goodison Park club.

 

 

OXFORD UNITED 1 EVERTON 1

1984 LEAGUE CUP QUARTER FINAL

That European triumph was Howard Kendall's finest hour as Everton manager, but as he celebrated the Goodison gaffer must have reflected on an evening cup tie in

sleepy Oxfordshire.

 

It is December 1983 and Evertonians were not enjoying a merry Christmas. While neighbours Liverpool continued to sweep all before them, Everton were mired in the relegation zone. Fresh faced boss Howard Kendall was coming under increasing pressure. Every day rumours of Kendall's impending sacking circulated in the tabloids. Things come to a head when high flying Coventry City visited Merseyside.

With morale at an all time low only 13,000 Evertonians decided to give Christmas shopping a miss. They must have wondered why they had bothered when the game ended 0-0. Boos rung round Goodison at full time. The 13,000 punters must have sounded like 31,000 to the beleaguered Toffees manager.

 

Further protests continued after the game. Placards were held by disgruntled fans baying for the manager's head. The glory days when Kendall starred in Everton's 1970 League Championship winning side were a distant memory. In a gloomy season a promising run in the League Cup provided some relief. In the quarter finals Everton were handed a tricky trip to Oxford United.

 

Jim Smith's Third Division side were riding the crest of a wave. The U's were top of the league and had already beaten Newcastle and Manchester United in the cup. With another upset on the cards, television cameras were dispatched to The Manor Ground. The quint stadium was full to the rafters while millions of television viewers waited for the highlights to be shown on Sportsnight.

 

Oxford dominated from the off. For more than an hour the U's outplayed their illustrious visitors. The  strikeforce of Wayne Biggins and George Lawrence were a constant threat as Everton struggled. Only several fine stops from Neville Southall kept the First Division side on level terms. On 67 minutes the home side finally beat the big Welshman. Kevin Brocks free kick was stabbed in by Bobby MacDonald. Oxford were one up and Kendall appeared to be heading for the job centre.

The Blues huffed and puffed but rarely threatened Steve Hardwick's goal. With eight minutes remaining, Brock collected possession just outside his own penalty area. The midfielder was immediately closed down by Peter Reid and opted to pass the ball back to his goalkeeper. In his panic Brock failed to notice Adrian Heath. Inchy pounced on the under hit back pass and rounded Hardwick. With the goal at his mercy Heath side-footed home. The visitors were level and their under fire boss lived to fight another day.

That goal was a turning point for Everton Football Club. Having survived their Oxford graduation. Everton won the replay 4-1 and went on to reach the final. Despite losing to Liverpool in a replay, the reborn Blues booked their place in the 1984 FA Cup Final. Goals from Graeme Sharp and Andy Gray saw off Watford at Wembley. The cup runs triggered an unpturn in league form. The Blues shot up the table and finished seventh. Having won their first major trophy in 14 years, the Toffees embarked on one of the most successful periods in their glittering history. 

The following season they deposed Liverpool as Champions of England and capture the European Cup Winners' Cup. Another league title followed in 1987.

 

Howard Kendall is now regarded as the club's greatest manager, but I dare say many Evertonian still raise a glass to Kevin Brock's back pass.

 

 

EVERTON 3 LIVERPOOL 0 2006

FA PREMIER LEAGUE

In hindsight this was a career defining victory for David Moyes. Like Kendall, Moyes had a rocky introduction to the Goodison hot seat. The former Preston manager succeeded Walter Smith in February 2002 and was pitched straight into a relegation battle. Everton survived, but Moyes knew the Blues urgently needed new blood to prosper.

 

The flame haired Scot found the solution in South London. His capital shopping trip netted Tim Cahill from Millwall and Andy Johnson from Crystal Palace. Having added a youthful element to his side, Moyes recognised the need to add experience, old head Lee Carsley beefed up the Toffees engine room as the sleeping giant began to stir. Those shrewd purchases were rewarded in the 2004-5 season. The Blues finished fourth in the Premier League, one place above their Merseyside neighbours. In a marvellous campaign Everton also beat the Reds at Goodison. 

 

The Toffees had also given hope to the rest of the Premier League. In previous seasons the Champions League spots had gone to Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea. Having broken up the big four cartel, Everton were looking to build on their success.

 

Their credentials faced a stiff examination when the reigning European Champions came calling. The Gwladys Street were delirious when the Moyes boys took a 23rd minute lead. The move began when Mikel Arteta made tracks down the Liverpool right. The Spaniard's cross was flicked on by Carsley into the path of Tim Cahill. With the Reds' rearguard rooted to the spot, Cahill swept the ball past Pepe Reina.

The Blues doubled their advantage 10 minutes before the break. Carsley's through ball was totally misjudged by Jamie Carragher and Andy Johnson doesn't need a second invitation. The former Birmingham City striker raced clear before beating Reina at his near post.

 

Reina probably thought his day couldn't get any worse, he was wrong. With full time approaching the Liverpool keeper fumbled Carsley's hopeful pot shot. The ball looped up and hit the bar, with Reina in no-man's land, Johnson bundles the ball over the line.

The goals capped a memorable Merseyside derby for Evertonians.

 

 

EVERTON 1 MANCHESTER UNITED 0

1995 FA CUP FINAL

The Dogs of War sounds more like a Hollywood blockbuster than a description of a football team, but that was how Joe Royle's Everton were tagged in the national media. In fairness to Royle the nickname was born out of necessarily. Everton were struggling to avoid the drop when the former Toffees' favourite took over.  The new manager knew his side had to adopt a mean streak to maintain their Premier League status. 

The People's Club did not win a Premier League game until November. The ill fated reign of Mike Walker was terminated and the Blues turned to Royle. The new gaffer immediately changed track, only a rigorous work ethic could save Everton from second tier football. The tigerish midfield trio of Joe Parkinson, John Ebbrell and Barry Horne were the heartbeat of the new Royle family. The engine room denied the opposition time and space, as results improved the Everton manager dubbed his midfield 'The Dogs of War.'

 

This particular Everton side had more strings to their bow. The Dogs of War provided a solid bounce for the Merseysiders flair players.  A promising FA Cup run saw Anders Limpar and Daniel Amokachi rediscovered their old sparkle. Amokachi enjoyed his finest hour in the FA Cup semi-final. The big Nigerian scored twice as Everton recorded a sensational 4-1 win over Tottenham.

 

The cup run supplemented a successful fight against relegation. The Goodison Park side finished 15th, five points above the drop zone. With the pressure off, Everton faced Manchester United in the 114th FA Cup Final. Predictably Sir Alex Ferguson's men made the early running at Wembley. The underdogs weathered the storm and stunned United on 23 minutes. Limpar intercepted a Reds' attack and embarked on a surging right win run. The Swede then slipped in the overlapping Matt Jackson. Jackson's low centre picked out the unmarked Graham Stuart.  With the goal at his mercy Stuart blasted his shot against the crossbar, fortunately, the rebound fell kindly for Paul Rideout who headed home.

 

The rest of the game was a back to the wall exercise for The Blues, but with seasoned campaigners like Neville Southall and Dave Watson on top form, the Blues clung on for a famous victory.

The Dogs of War showed their bite was as deadly as their bark.

 

 

EVERTON 3 SHEFFIELD  WEDNESDAY 2

1966 FA CUP FINAL

1966 was the year when Moore, Charlton and company became national heroes, but a few months earlier a little known Cornishman had carved his name in Wembley folklore.

 

Everton were hot favourites to win the 1966 FA Cup Final. Harry Catterick's side won a host of admirers with their attractive style earning them 'The School of Science' nickname. The Blues included Goodison giants Gordon West and Brian Labone. While the attack was led by the legendary Alex Young.

Idolised by the Goodison Park faithful, Young was christened 'The Golden Vision' by adoring Evertonians. The Scot's strike partner was the little known Mike Trebilock. Trebilock was a surprise selection for the final, most pundits expected England striker Fred Pickering to be twinned with Young. The Merseysiders also boasted a water tight defence.

Despite drawing both Manchester clubs the Toffees had not conceded a goal on their way to Wembley.

 

It was certainly a baptism of fire for 21-year-old Treblicock. Signed from Plymouth Argyle in December 1965 the wide man had made just eight first team appearances. Catterick's gamble looked to have backfired when Wednesday took control. Jim McCallidog's deflected drive gave the Owls a fouth minute lead. The South Yorkshire outfit went two up on 54 minutes. David Ford scored after West had parred a John Fantham shot.

The School of Science were being taught a lesson by Wedenesday.

 

Moments later the Blues gave themselves hope. Treblicock's low shot beat Ron Springett from 12 yards. Ater 64 minutes the favourites were on level terms. Alex Scott's free kick was cleared to the edge of the area. Treblicock seized on the clearance and hammered the ball home. In 10 second half minutes the young striker had turned the final on its head.

The excitement got too much for one fan. Evertonian Eddie Cavanagh invaded the pitch after his side had equalized. His moment in the spotlight was halted by a member of the local constabulary. The quick thinking bobby executing a well timed rugby tackle on the pitch invader.

 

Everton completed their remarkable comeback on 74 minutes. Wednesday defender Gerry Young  attempted to cut out a hopeful through ball, the unfortunate Young miscontrolled allowing Derek Temple a clear run on goal. The speedy winger kept his head and slotted home. Everton had come from two down to win a wonderful cup final.

 

But what of our unlikely hero? Despite his Wembley heroics Trebilock failed to nail down a first team spot. After making just three more appearance the forward was sold to Portsmouth in 1968. The Gunnislake-born player became a firm favourite at Fratton Park, but he will always be remember for that spring day in 1966.

 

So there are Steve's top five Everton games. Do you agree? Whatever your views, we'd love to hear from you.

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