Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

Goodison Park has a history second to none. "You talk about explosions and loud applause", an aging Thomas Keates (1849-1928) recalled. "We have heard many explosions and much applause in our loud pilgrimage, but, believe us, we have never heard before such a prolonged roar of congratulatory applause as that which ascended to heaven when Dixie broke his record. William Ralph Dean marked his sixtieth goal with a simple bow, but Goodison went wild".

I left Everton Football Club in 1968. But I can honestly say that Everton Football Club has never left me. Most professional footballers embrace some sort of superstitions. But I am the sort of person who can walk into a room and immediately sense vibes about a place – and when I first walked into Goodison Park in November 1960 I could feel something almost spiritual.

People may say that’s just so much mumbo jumbo, but I still get the feeling when I go back. Everton possesses a kind of magic – and it is a magic generated by the quality of players who have graced the stadium over the past 131 years – Alex Young.

“Everton always aim to serve at the shrine of craft and science,” he said. “They always try to serve up football of the highest scientific order.” Steve Bloomer, Derby County, Middlesbrough, England (1874-1938).

In the swinging sixties a midfield pendulum of a Holy Trinity nature began. A unique understanding had developed between Howard Kendall, Colin Harvey and Alan Ball.

“As three players we hardly needed any coaching,” recalled Ball (1945-2007). “We could find each other in the dark.”

The 1977/78 season belonged to Bob Latchford. Early in the season The Daily Express offered a £10000 prize for the first player to score 30 league goals that season, the local bookmakers had originally offered 100-1 for Latchford to reach the magical total.

After reaching 28 goals with three games remaining ‘Big Bob’ settled for a theatrical finish. Everton entertained Chelsea at Goodison Park on April 29th, the last match of the season, and Latchford still required two goals.

For Evertonians it provided a focal point, to which hopes and expectations could be channelled in the absence of a Cup Final or credible title assault.

Forty thousand people witnessed Everton take a quick commanding 3-0 lead but there was no Latchford goals to feed off. Big Bob didn’t disappoint the hordes though, he stood up to the plate scoring Everton’s fourth goal of the day. A fifth goal hit the back of the Chelsea net, not Bob Latchford, then, with ten minutes remaining, Everton were awarded a penalty.

Latchford made no mistake in finishing off a 6-0 drubbing which aptly coincided the week of the fiftieth anniversary of Dixie Dean’s 60-goal haul.
Half of the prize money went to the PFA Benevolent Fund while the rest was split among the other players and ground staff – Bobs’ own decisions. Latchford himself took home just £192, and four years later was still trying to convince the taxman that he did not owe anything!

In 1981 Goodison crowds were at their lowest in living memory, and the days when John Moores’s bountiful financial resources could be utilized in the transfer market were over. Gordon Lee was sacked and a prodigal returned.
On his first day as Everton manager Howard Kendall said, “Nothing has happened here since 1970, and it will take a bit of time to put it right.”

In 1984 Howard Kendall was close to dismissal – things hadn’t gone according to plan. On 6th of January Everton travelled to the Victoria Ground for a 3rd round FA Cup tie.

Eight thousand Evertonians made the journey and it was those Evertonians who inspired Howard Kendall to change the clubs’ fortunes. Kendall entered the Everton changing room, opened every window and said, “Just listen to that! Are you going to let them down?” Everton won 0-2.

In 1985, two weeks after Everton had won their first European trophy, there was Heysel. This was the real dagger in the heart that Everton Football Club has never really recovered from.

Kendall left Everton in 1987, frustrated by the ban from Europe of English clubs, to manage Athletic Bilbao in Spain. Kendall won the League (twice), the FA Cup, and the European Cup Wiunners Cup.

A full generation has now passed since those halcion days ended in tatters, with one solitary trophy success – Joe Royle’s managerial FA Cup win in 1995. In this same 22 year period Everton have become financially poorer and its grand old lady is rapidly declining with age. For the last seven years of this Evertonian epoch in time David Moyes has given body and soul to excel in the managerial hotseat, and Chairman/0wner (since 2004), Bill Kenwright, has fought tooth-and-nail to aid his manager.

On Wednesday 25th November 2009, Everton were hit with another historical footballing bombshell – a governmental decision declared that Everton Football Club (in tandem with Tesco Supermarket) cannot relocate its home to Kirkby.

Bill Kenwright gave a reaction to the Kirkby decision today saying, “We have had some of the best financial experts helping us with our search for investment for some considerable time now – and that will continue. Inevitably the search will throw up questions about where the club will play its football in years to come. And the response will be: We are happy to be at Goodison Park while we regroup, reassess and consider all options available to us there and possibly elsewhere.”

David Moyes, regarding the Kirkby rejection, today said, “It is disappointing for the club but I don’t think I’d have bought Everton when they were in the situation of will they get Kirkby, won’t they get Kirkby," said the Toffees boss. One way or another we needed this decision as it has been hanging over us for a couple of years. If there are any buyers out there - and Bill Kenwright has said if there is anyone he would be willing to speak to them and do business - this may well force them out of the woodwork. I also think Liverpool council have said to us many times there are sites for us in the city so I’m looking forward to hearing what they can come up with. But I love Goodison and if I thought it could be fixed and put in the condition we want that would give me the biggest thrill. But maybe in the world just now the viable cost of it can’t happen.”

So what now? It’s impossible to say as I don’t possess a crystal ball. Something I do possess is an affinity to Everton Football Club. The fact of the matter is: Everton are still Everton, and Goodison Park is still Goodison Park – the home of Legends.

Our biggest legend used many warm phrases and words, this is what William Ralph ‘Dixie’ Dean said in his later years: “I’ll never forget the Everton fans for the way they treated me, not only when I was playing but long after I left the club. I felt that these fans belonged to me and I belonged to them. I was born and bred an Evertonian and I knew I would never change.”


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