Everton Independent Research Data
EVERTON CLUB LIKELY TO SHOW MASTER’S TOUCH HERE TONIGHT
June 2, 1956 American Newspaper
By Dent McSkimming
Whether the game is football or table tennis or billiards or hop-scotch sports fans like to see how the mastery do it. That’s the attractive feature about tonight’s soccer exhibition match at Public Schools Stadium. Eleven professionals from Liverpool, England, the Everton club will show how the masters do it. On the St. Louis side providing enough competition to bring out the best in the Englishmen will be selected players from the Catholic Youth Council leagues. Despite the fact that Everton’s expect figure to outscore the St. Louis amateurs by a wide margin, the show remains interesting to local fans, who are getting a bit giddy about the improvement in local soccer. The recent success of Kutis in the National Amateur and in international exhibitions, and the winning ways of St. Engelbert in the National Junior competition have tendered to raise hopes. Kutis it will be recalled, defeated touring Augsburg of Germany 3-0, and then Augsburg turned around and whipped Everton 1-0. The C.Y.C stars are not Kutis. They are a well-conditioned group of young men who expect a very hard game. Everton comes to America after a successful English League season in which it reached the quarterfinal round of the Cup competition. Only the ultimate winner, Manchester Ciy was able to outscore Everton 2-1. A youthful centre forward 22-years old Jim Harris, is one of the stars of the English team. He scored three goals in a recent game at New York and tallied again as his team won in New England. The important task of covering him will fall to tall Gene Guchi, who will be at the center half spot for the C.Y.C. in winning three of four games played on this tour; Everton has run up 15 goals, allowed two. Remaining are contests at Chicago, Sunday afternoon then three in Canada, at Vancouver, Edmonton and Toronto (all against touring Aberdeen of Scotland) and a final in New York against the same club. Tonight’s game will start at 8.15. probable starting line-ups; Everton; James O’Neill, goal; Eric Moore and James Tansey, fullbacks; Ken Birch, Don Donovan, and Ken Rea, half-backs; Tony McNamara, Peter Farrell, Jim Harris, Alex Farrell, and Tom Eglington, forwards. C.Y.C. All-Stars –Horman Valli, goal; Don Kettlekamp and Charley Calcaterra, fullbacks; Enill Brele, Gene Cucchi and Al Nazzoll, half-backs; Vern Knobble, Rich Pozzini, Hal Welgel, Ted Kirchhoefer, and Vasco Gasperoni, forwards. Referee; Harry Crawford, Linesmen –Bill Bertani and Larry Sucher.
• Thanks to George Orr
CYC STARS PRIMED FOR EVERTON TONIGHT
June 2, 1956 American Newspaper
By Charles Gould
The CYC All-Star team, in heavy training for past eight weeks, will show the effects of that conditioning tonight against Everton of England in an International Soccer match at Public Schools Stadium at 8.15 o’clock. The terms “All-Star team” is something of a misnomer, however, since the majority of the team is drawn from CYC Senior champion St. Ambrose. Seven regulars –Herman Valli, Charley Calcaterra; Rich Pozzini, A1 Nazzoli, Gene Cucchi, Vasco Gasperoni and Frankie Ferrara plus Open Cup members Don Kettlekamp, Don Roedner, Vern Knobbe and ‘Al Jarloimek –give the club a strong St. Ambrose flavor. Added to the above men is Emil Brcic an outstanding half-back who played for St. Ambrose in the recent District Soccer Tournament. Everton beaten only once on the current American tour-by Schwaben-Agusburg of Germany, Wednesday, 1-0 –is one of England’s best team.
Could Be An Upset
There isn’t much doubt that they will be favoured over the local team but one thing is certain, if Everton wins it as expected, the victory won’t come easily. Perhaps the CYC club will follow the examples set by the Simpkins and Kutis in their international games this year and come up with an upset. Coach Bob Guerlker has moved the versatile Pozzinki from his normal half-back position up to inside right with Brcic taking over at half. However, Guelker points out that Pozzini will see action at both spots. Up front Pozzini gives the CYC team a little more defensive strength and he can fire that ball if the occasion arises as witness his goal against Kutis in Open Cup play that threw the game into a 1-1 tie, broken by Cucchi’s penalty kick in the second half. The only game by the way, that Kutis’ Open Cup team has lost this season. According to reports the man to watch on the Everton club is center forward Jimmy Harris. A prolific scorer in regular league play, he is extremely fast and it will be up to Cucchi CYC center half-back, to stop him.
All Solid Senders
Guelker and his aids Lou Farotto and Larry King, haven’t concentrated on just defense during their eight weeks of training. All three coaches figure that in Center Forward Hal Weigel and his replacement Frankie (Fireball) Ferrara, the CYC team has potent goal-getters. And that isn’t forgetting the scoring prowess of Gasperoni and Knobbe in the outside positions. Valli goal for CYC is looked upon as one of the better goalles in the midweek and he will no doubt get a good chance to show what he can do. Front Valli at the full back spot are Calcaterra and Kettleam and of the full back perth for Everton is one of the slickest around and like Herm Wecke of Kuts is fast enough o go up on the forward line in attack. He is ready has a goal to his credit on the current tour.
• Thanks To George Orr
C.Y.C ALL-STARS BOW TO EVERTON CLUB, 5 TO 0
June 3, 1956. St. Louis Globe Democrat
3500 See Soccer Match
English Team Pours It On In Second Chapter
By Charles Gould
The CYC All-Stars gave famed Everton of England a battle last night but finally bowed to a vastly superior club, 5-0, in an international soccer game at Public School Stadium before a crowd estimated at more than 3500. Outside left Tom Eglington gave Everton its first goal after 8 minutes and 30 seconds, the only score in the first half. But the CYC defence sagged badly in the second half. Half-back Ken Birch gave England its second goal after 14 minutes of the second half and seven minutes later Peter Farrell headed in a shot off a pass from Jimmy Harris. Eglington scored again at the 23 minute mark and Farrell pumped in his second of the night at the 40 minute mark. It was a fine game until Birch made his shot, then it seemed to open the gates for the English and they poured it on.
Break Helps Score
The English ran into a stout defence in the first half scoring only once to leave the field with that one-goal edge. The scoring play was set up by Capt, Peter Farrell at inside right who whipped a neat pass to Eglington in a scramble in front of the CYC net. Eglington, who had a fight his way through a maze of red-shirted CYC defenders, drew a head on the goal and let fly with a recall scramer. And but for a break, it might not have gone in. The ball rebounded off a St. Louis player and got past Goalie Herman Valli. The British team exhibited an almost flawless passing game and moved the ball well. But the CYC Stars kept on top of the ball most of the time. Goalie Jim O’Neill gave an exhibition of goal-tending rarely seen here when he ranged far and wide, actually becoming a third full-back as he came far out of the net to grab CYC passes and blunt any scoring thrust in the initial half. Frankie Ferrara, at outside right, almost made one of his famed solo dashes as he trapped a ball near midfield and carried it in but his pass intended for Vasco Gasperoni, went awry.
Penalty Kick
In the preliminary game, Pep Seminary slipped past district high school champion St. Mary’s, 1-0 on the strength of Tim Barry’s goal in the second half. Barry was set up for the score off passes from Vic Graffigna and Bob Marquitz. At the six-minute mark in the second half, Everton was awarded a penalty kick when Gene Cucchi, of CYC was charged with handling the ball. Outside Right Tony McNamara came up for the penalty and let go with a sizzler that Valli stopped with a miraculous save. Valli, already rated one of the best young goalies in the middle west, didn’t hurt his reputation one bit with his performance. The CYC defense held Everton to its one-goal margin until 14 minutes of the second half when Birch grabbed a pass from McNamara and whipped it into the lower right corner that Valli just missed saving. CYC All-Stars;- Valli, goal; Calcattera and Kettlekamp, backs; Nazzoll, Cucchi and Brele, half-backs; Gasperoni, Kirchhoefer, Pozzini, Knobble, and Weigel, forwards. Everton; O’Neill, goal; Tansey and Moore, backs; Rea, Donovan and Birch, half-backs; McNamara, Farrell (captain), Harris, Farrell, and Eglington, forwards. Substutiions –CYC Stars, Ahrens, Bubin, Ferrara, Gronemeyer, Murphy, Reedner, Everton-Fielding. Referee; Mr. Harry Crawford, Linesman –Bill Beriant and Larry Sucher.
• Thanks To George Orr
C.Y.C ALL STARS LOSE TO ENGLISH TEAM, 5 TO 0
June 3, 1956 American Newspaper
By Dent McSkinning
Classy Everton soccer club of England’s first division rammed home four second-half goals in shutting out the C.Y.C All-Stars at Public Schools Stadium last night, 5 to 0. About 35000 persons watched the game. Everton’s fast accurate passing and clever team play had the young C.Y.C players groggy but still fighting gamely at the finish. It was Everton’s fourth victory in five games on its American tour. Going into a tight defensive shell, from the very outset, the local team held the Englishmen to a single goal in the first half. As far as scoring goes, the 45-minute period was surprisingly even. But the tourists had command of the play almost continuously. For example, Everton forced seven corner kicks in that interval while the St. Louis boys earned but one. For the greater part of the time, the local stars had only three and sometimes only two players in a forward position. All others were massed between the half-way line and the S. Louis penalty area.
Eglington Spectacular
England’s most forceful forward was elusive Tom Eglington the outside left who scored a goal in each half. Goalkeeper Herman Valli’s long and accurate throws to his wing forwards were a factor in keeping Everton away. He had the ball often, gathering in and stopping shots and he made excellent use of it. Goalie Jim O’Neill of Everton, taking numerous long back passes from his teammates punted the ball for spectator distances. Goalie Valli drew a great cheer from the crowd early in the second half when he performed the unusual feat of stopping a penalty kick. The free kick was awarded for illegal use of hands by Gene Cucchi and the disappointed kicker was Tony McNamara.
Birch Fires A Bullet
A few minutes later right half-back Ken Birch, moving up to the edge of the St. Louis penalty area, sent bullet drive into the lower neat corner of Valli’s goal for the second Everton score. Then it was target practice with Peter Farrell and Eglington scoring with shots that eluded Valli. The ground was fast and the weather ideal for soccer. The Everton team departed soon after the game for Chicago where it plays this afternoon. CYC All-Stars;- Valli, goal; Calcattera and Kettlekamp, backs; Nazzoll, Cucchi and Brele, half-backs; Gasperoni, Kirchhoefer, Pozzini, Knobble, and Weigel, forwards. Everton; O’Neill, goal; Tansey and Moore, backs; Rea, Donovan and Birch, half-backs; McNamara, Farrell (captain), Harris, Farrell, and Eglington, forwards. Substutiions –CYC Stars, Ahrens, Bubin, Ferrara, Gronemeyer, Murphy, Reedner, Everton-Fielding. Referee; Mr. Harry Crawford, Linesman –Bill Beriant and Larry Sucher.
• Thanks to George Orr
BOOTERS CLASH AT HANDSON PARK
June 3, 1956. The American Newspaper
By Sam Fralick
International soccer, featuring the Everton Club of England, will again entertain Chicagoans today. The touring English booters will battle a National Soccer League All-Star team in Hanson Park, starting at 3 p.m. It will e the third international soccer match for Chicago within four weeks. The Everton Club is by far the best team to visit Chicago off its recent triumphs. The Britons routed the American League Stars 7-0 and inflicted a 4-0 whitewash on the Newark All Stars. James O’Neill goal; Pete Farrell half-back and captain of the squad, and Thomas Eglington outside left, are standouts with Everton. The National League All-Stars managed by George Meyer, will have three Olympic kickers in the line-up. They are Ed Murphy center forward; Bill Conterio, half-backs and Zenon Snylik, inside right. Egen Beuchers, centre-half back; Gino Gardesnich, goal and Alex-Kinack, half-back are veteran booters who should give Chicgo a good chance against the invading Englishmen. Line up; All Stars; Gardesanich, goal; Pettamale and Segner, backs; Kinach, Beuchers, and Ruscheski, half-backs; Grzik, Srtlik, Murphy, Kohnerger, and Strachowsky, forwards. Everton; O’Neill, goal; Tansey and Moore, backs; Lello, Jones, Farrell, Fielding, Eglington, Harris, Wainwright, A. Farrell. Reserves All Stars; Benesch, Andrusko, Conterio, Tuveson.
• Thanks to George Orr
5-0 VICTORY FOR EVERTON
June 4, 1956. The Liverpool Daily Post
St Louis, Sunday –Everton beat the St. Louis Catholic Youth Council All Stars here last night by 5-0 scoring four times in the second half. Eglington the first half scorer netted again afterwards when Farrell (2) and Birch also scored. A penalty taken by McNamara early in the second half was saved by the St. Louis goalkeeper.
Add 3-2
Chicago Sunday-Everton beat Chicago All Stars 3-2 after drawing 2-2 at half-time here today –Reuter.
TWO EVERTON VICTORIES
June 4, 1956. The Liverpool Echo
Hat-Trick By Farrell
Chicago, Monday. A brilliant hat-trick by Peter Farrell gave Everton a 3-2 win over Chicago All-Stars here yesterday. He snatched victory only five minutes from the end, leaving the goalkeeper helpless with a 15-yard shot. Everton were two down after 33 minutes but Farrell scored twice within five minutes to put them on level terms at half-time. Chicago included three players who are in the United States Olympic team, but Everton’s more careful planned football paid off. Birch missed a penalty early in the second half and the 4,500 crowd were becoming resigned to a draw when Farrell settled the issue.
Everton defeated St. Louis Catholic Youth Council 5-0 on Saturday. The St. Louis goalkeeper made a fine save off a penalty by McNamara early in the second half after Eglington had opened the scoring. Birch notched the first of four second half goals a few minutes after the penalty and Farrell (twice) and Eglington completed the total-Reuter.
FARRELL SCORES 3; ENGLISH BOOTERS DOWN STARS 3-2
June 4, 1956. American Newspaper
The Everton soccer club of Liverpool, England, Sunday remained unbeaten against American opposition by turning back the Chicago All-Stars 3-2 at Hanson Stadium. The margin of victory came in the final five minutes of the game on a 15-yard boot by Everton’s captain, Pete Farrell. Farrell also booted home the English club’s two other goals on drives of 20 and 5 yards in the last 10 minutes of the first half. Both All-Stars goals came midway through the opening period on a pair of 20-yard kicks by Joe Gryzik and Joe Kohlberger. Everton, a play for pay team has now whipped five U.S amateur outfits without losing.
• Thanks To George Orr
EVERTON BEATS CHICAGO SOCCER ALL-STARS, 3-2
June 4, 1956. American Newspaper
The Everton, England, soccer club beat the Chicago All-Stars, 3 to 2, before 4,800 yesterday in Hanson Park stadium. The victory was Everton’s fifth in six games on its American tour. Chicago took a 2 to 0 lead after 28 minutes of play on goals by Joe Gryzik from 15 yards out and by Joe Kohberger from 18 yards. Peter Farrell, who scored all of the Everton goals, tallied twice in the last three minutes of the first half to deadlouck the count. Farrell got the winning goal with only five minutes remaining in the game. All Stars; Gardesanich, goal; Pettamale and Bogner, backs; Kinach, Beuchers, and Ruscheski, half-backs; Grzik, Srtlik, Murphy, Kohnerger, and Strachowsky, forwards. Everton; O’Neill, goal; Tansey and Moore, backs; Birch, Donovan, and Rea, half-backs; , McNamara, Farrell, Harris, Lello , and B. Harris, forwards. Reserves; Everton; Fielding, Eglington. All-Stars; Conterio, Nevak, Tueson, Beneach, Andruskin.
• Thanks To George Orr
SOCCER, SAYS EVERTON, IS THE GAME WE PLAY
June 6, 1956. Canada Newspaper
By Roy Jukich
It’ll be nice to play soccer again. This was the feeling among the 17 Everton players who arrived here Tuesday night for Saturday night’s classic struggle with Aberdeen at Empire Stadium. They’ve had their fill playing against clubs employing roughhouse tactics. They have the injuries to back the complaint. Tom Jones and Matt Wood are still carrying scars of a game against the Schwaben F.C of Augsburg, Germany-Everton lost 1-0 by their only defeat of a tour that has taken them from Europe to the U.S and now to Canada. Charlie Leyfield, trainer-coach, hopes to have one of them fit by Saturday. The betting right now favors Wood. Other than that, the players are enjoying themselves. And little wonder, since the American public has bent over backwards in an endeavour to make this a memorable trip for the English League first division club. The highlight, to date, was a visit to Yankee Stadium where they saw Casey Strengel’s boys topple the Boston Red Sox. All were impressed by Mickey Mantle’s hitting and Whitey Ford’s pitching. They also saw New York Giants and, of course, the Brooklyn Dodgers. But neither compared with the Yankees. A visit to Belmont Park race track left some of them a little poorer, Leyfield and Eric Moore were the only ones to come out ahead. They hope to recover their losses Friday at Lansdowne Park when they’re guests of B.C. Turf and Country club. Main topic of conversation though was the appointment of Ian Buchan as coach, Buchan who once played for Queen’s Park of the Scottish League’s first division, takes over next season. He replaces Cliff Britton, who resigned the day prior to the Football Association cup-tie with Manchester City, Everton lost, 2-1 after holding a 1-0 half-time lead. Manchester went on to capture the trophy. John Sharpe and Ernest Green, club directors are in charge of selecting the side to face the Scots on Saturday; Leyfield and team captain Peter Farrell are also consulted. Farrell is the club’s Irish International right half and inside forward. He has represented Ireland in the “big game” no less than 27 times.
• Thanks To George Orr
EVERTON MOVES
June 7 1956. The Liverpool Echo
Everton followers can expect news of a Goodison Park signing in the next day or two. Mr. Harold Pickering has been in Scotland for the past two days making arrangements for the accusation of a Scotish junior international inside forward who has been sought by several English and Scottish clubs and hopes to finality to tie up the deal this week-end. Negotiations are also proceeding regarding some of the players Everton put on the transfer list at the end of last season, Wainwright, Grant, and Lewis are considering offers, and may come to a decision shortly.
EVERTON F.C.’S PROFIT LAST SEASON WAS £7,593
June 7, 1956. The Liverpool Echo
Mr. John Taylor Will Be New Club Director
Gross Income £148,768
By Ranger
Everton F.C’s accounts for last season show a gross profit on the year’s working of £7,593 compared with £14,982 the previous season. The balance carried forward to next year is £51,492. The shareholders annual meeting is fixed for Thursday June 28 at the Central Hall, Renshaw Street at 7 o’clock. Nomination has been lodged on behalf of Messrs R.N. Joynson, W.E Sawyer and J. Taylor for seats on the board but the two first-named have now withdrawn leaving Mr. John Taylor or Hightown to go forward unopposed for the vacancies caused by the death of Mr. A.N. Denaro. Messrs R.E. Searle and F Micklesfield the two retiring directors will automatically be returned. Mr. Taylor has been chairman of the Everton Shareholders Association for the past six years and a member since his formation before the war. He now becomes the fifth Everton director to reach the Goodison board via the Shareholders Association, joining former colleagues of that body in Messrs R.E. Searle. T.C. Nuttall, F. Micklesfield and C. E. Baimforth. The date Mr. A.N. Denaro was also a Shareholder’s Association nominee.
Well-Known Sportsman
An Everton supporter for 40 years Mr. Taylor has had a long association with Merseyside sport, particularly football and cricket. He was for many years a colleague of Mr. Fred Micklesfield on the committee of Marine F.C having a previously played for Bootle Albion, Pembroke and Old Bootleians. As a cricketer he captained Hightown’s first and second teams, and since the war has been a keen social worker for the Hightown club.
Gate Receipts
The following are the main items, of income with the corresponding figure for the previous season in brackets. Gross gate receipts at league matches £10,620 (£104, 208); receipts from cup-ties £21,619 (£21,897) sale of season tickets £13,534 (£13,690) percentage from away games £7,703; (£8,844). This makes a total gross income from all matches of £148,768 against £150,539 the previous winter. In addition there is an item of £14,575 for transfer fees represented by the departure of Dave Hickson to Aston Villa less outgoing payments.
How The Money Went
On the expenditure side the main item are players wages and bonuses £24,594 (£25,628) benefits £5,650 (£3,500) gate divisions to visiting clubs £13,985 (£13,983) percentage to Football League and Associations £7,847 (£8,997). Visitors share of gates in cup-ties £4,500 (£6,310) traveling and match expenses £19,882 (£24,954) ground expenses and maintences £23,568 (£8,500) entertainment tax £24,951 (£26,398) training expenses £5,403 (£5.136). The big increase in ground and maintence expenses is due to the expenditure of close on £12,000 last summer for the new entrance hall, offices and boardroom. The increase of £5,000 in travelling expenses is a non-recurring item caused by the club having had to pay approximately £5,000 in steamer and air fares in the tour of America prior to their departure. They will get this back in due course in dollars when the tour has been completed.
Reduced Balance
Last year a balance of £52,568 was brought forward in the profit and loss account. After adding the current profit of £7,593 plus income from properties and bank interest, but deducing £8,000 as provision for taxation and other small items there is a balance carried forward of £51,4999 to next year’s working. Dividends to shareholders is the full 7 ½ per cent allowed by the F.A, absorbs only the insignificant sum of £83.
The Club’s Assets
The club’s freehold land and house property figure in the balance sheet at £54,814 and all the Goodison Park stands which have regularly had depreciation written off- including another £10,341 this year –and at the nominal book value of £7,841. Provisions has also been made for deferred liabilities, comprising £12,000 for future taxation and £4,842 for impending repairs.
WAILING WELCOME CHILLS TOFFEES
June 7, 1956. Canada Newspaper
By Alison Hunt
We had the tea brewing nicely for the “Toffees,” as they call the Everton soccer team back in England. Out by the plane from Seattle, Mayor Hume and the Vancouver soccer commission were organizing an official welcoming party. The mayor wore red rose in his buttonhole. The officials wore bright smiles. But over the teapot in the airport coffee bar, waitress Dot Jackson and I blushed for shame over the ignorance of the Men Out Front. “Just look” cried Dot, who was an Everton fan back home. “They have sent four Highland pipers to welcome a North England team.”
Opposition Theme.
Sure enough, four city police and pipers in Stuart tartans were warming up for the welcome. Now Everton is a Liverpool team. And Liverpool is nowhere near Scotland. To make things worse, the lads from Everton have come here to play Aberdeen. It is not very friendly to walk down the steps from the aircraft to the theme song of the opposition. “Oh well” said Dot. “I’ll have some proper tea for them. That’ll be some comfort.” I tried to warn the welcoming committee that bagpipes are as foreign as guitars to the lads from Everton. “Wave a stick of toffee if you like –Everton is England’s toffee-making town. But they won’t like the pipers.”
Wailing Welcome
Too late. Just as Dot and I brewed up tea, the Everton team filed out of their plane and heard the wail of those pipes. I could see them pale, even beneath the sun tan. But they smiled bravely. “So you’re all Aberdeen fans here, are you? Fancy getting greeted by bagpipes,” said Kenny Rea, Everton’s wing-half. Apologizing hard, I led the team away for tea. “Proper tea? No tea bags?” they asked. I promised it would be proper tea, I even managed to get fish and chips for them, and not all the steak in America can taste so good to an Everton lad as fish and chips. Fish and chips saved the day. They hadn’t tasted it since they left home a month ago. “Oh we’ve lived grand. Big hotels and all that. Dinners and parties and everyone being real nice and friendly. But it seems as if we’ve been in and out of airports for years. And as for coffee bars, we don’t want to see another one,” they told me.
Give Us Tea
The Everton team have been doing all right, even without fish and chips; In their last match they defeated St. Louis 5-0. They look bronzed and fit and have plenty of time for practice before Saturday’s game. The Aberdeen soccer team arrives Friday by air. “They can have all the bagpipes they went then,” said the “Toffee.” “We’d rather have our cup of tea and fish and chips.”
• Thanks To George Orr
GOLF, MORE OR LESS, OCCUPIES VISITORS
June 8, 1956 Canada Newspaper
By Austin Delany
The Everton soccer team to a mad did a fair job of ploughing up the Langara golf course Thursday – courtesy of Ben Colk, who supplied clubs, bags and balls for free and manager Frank Soutar who waved his good Scottish hand and said: “Green fees? I wouldna take the bawbees of a Sassenach.” Director Jack Sharp and Ernie Green were along at the first tee to count heads and then left. Golf in the eyes of these officials is a fine pastime for pro soccer players and keeps them reasonably limbered up between games and hard training sessions. It also jeeps them together where they can be watched. Tom Eglington an eight handicapper and Peter Farrell, a 16 are the links stars of the club. Both are Eire internationals. The Boys were completely relaxed and had a whale of a lot of fun. The big game against Scotland’s Aberdeen tomorrow evening at Empire Stadium might have been billed for next for next Christmas for all they seemed to care. It was rather intriguing to watch them perform with their waffle irons. I believe they shot some gaudy scorers ranging between 120 and 150, but they wouldn’t talk. Golf is definitely not a medium to which they are co-ordinated. They favour rather a unique approach to this game. When the flag was on the lift of the green they took careful aim to the right on the theory, no doubt that the ball was bound to go where it wasn’t aimed and would thus land near the pin.
Ben Colk Shuffered when he saw the styles, bent backs, feet four-feet apart, dropping shoulder and knees bent until near kneeling position, and collapsing arms. Some of them jump at the ball. It was Tony McNamara, I believe, who drove a ball into the mat on the first tee and then asked; “What in the name of goodness do you suppose I am doing?” and Colk answered; “You’re facing the wrong way for one thing. The hole’s down there.” Today the agenda is a mixture of pleasure and business. They trained this morning but hard at Empire Stadium which they love already. Several of them know they will not be tapped on the shoulder for this game and are sorry. Everyone without exception wants to play. They can then say they played where Bannister beat Landy. Let’s see, Bannister is English, of course! Like all British pro soccer prototypes Everton directors (and the same when manager, Cliff Britton, was with them) do not deign to inform players when or when not they are playing in a match –even on a soccer safari such as this. A notice will be placed somewhere (possibly in trainer Charlie Leyfield’s room) announcing the team on Saturday morning. There will be no appeal. The sphinxes will e “Out of lunch. Back tomorrow.” This afternoon players were taken out to the opening day of racing at Lansdowne. Later they were to be the dinner guests along with Aberdeen, of the B.C. Turf Club. If they can squeeze time they will catch the second half of the North Shore-Royals soccer game at Callister tonight. Then it’s counted heads and herded to bed for them and no nonsense. But as Peter Farrell, captain of the side says; “You don’t really have to herd these young fellows to bed. Our biggest problem is herding them out of their carts.”
• Thanks To George Orr
EVERTON
June 8, 1956. Canada Newspaper
By Al Best
Liverpool may become famous as the first professional soccer city in the world to go with the “noble experiment.” In a startling move, the famed English first division soccer club named an amateur to run the affairs of one of the richest clubs in the top league in England.
Britton Resigned
A former five-time Scottish amateur select, Ian Buchan, will take over the reins of the Everton club for the forthcoming season. This was part of the news that was divulged as the English League pros arrived in Vancouver Tuesday. Saturday night, Vancouver has the honor of kicking of the touring International soccer exhibitions when Aberdeen of the Scottish League, meet the Everton club at Empire Stadium. The Everton club lost their long time manager, Cliff Britton last year, when he suddenly resigned on the eve of their Football Association cup-tie game with Manchester City, eventual winners of the famed cup. Everton directors, Ernest Green and Jack Sharp, revealed that the team will employ a team coach this season, a move that will make them one of the first clubs to ever operate without a full-time ex-professional soccer player as manager.
Former Amateur
A former star centre forward with Queen’s Park amateurs, Buchan was a top instructor at the famed physical education school, Loughborough College in the English midlands. He graduated with top honors from the Football league Association coaching school. Taking the novel step in stalling an amateur as boss-man of England’s top crowd-drawing soccer club was a daring one, one that the Everton directors hope will pay off. With attendance for the Saturday night game ranging as high as 30,000 fans, a look at the average house for an Everton game is slightly depressing. Everton last year was one of the top attendance leaders in the England league. For 21-home games they hit a pace of 42,000 add three more FA cup-ties with the same house and it mounds up to over one million fans for the season.
Only One Loss
Some 16 players with the two directors, trainers and secretary plus the astute handling of Julius Alonso, the secretary of the American Soccer League, arrived an hour late Tuesday. The Everton club have lost one game in six starts on the tour. The lone upset came at the hands of the Schawben, German team last week, when they dropped a 1-0 decision in a rugged game. They have posted wins over Newark, American league, Ludlow, St Louis and Chicago All-star teams.
• Thanks To George Orr
A FAR, FAR CRY FROM THOSE OLDEN DAYS
June 8, 1956 Canada Newspaper
Our Pitch Is Perfect and It’s Nice To Hear
By Jim Kearney
“Your field is the best I’ve seen outside Wembley. The speaker was Peter Farrell, right half and captain of the touring English League Everton soccer team that will play Aberdeen here Saturday evening. He was referring, of course, to Empire Stadium, where the Everton eleven worked out Wednesday morning. They will work again Friday morning before spending an afternoon at the Landsdown races as guests of B.C Turf and Country Club president Jack Diamond. Although no one else on the club went so far as to rate the stadium pitch two to Wembley, the rest of the players thought it was one of the finest parks they had seen. And they were certain it’s by far the best they’ve encountered since they started their North American tour almost four weeks ago. “The turf is in beautiful shape,” said right winger Tony McNamara, at 26 the only Everton player to have a Football Association coaching certificate. “It should make for grand football Saturday night.” If Canadian Football Association president Jock Hendry has heard these sentiments, he should pass them on to the members of the Newcastle English International and Fulham teams who played here in 1949, 1950 and 1951. They might make them feel better. Remember those years? Remember Callister Park in the Year B.T (Before Turf).
We seem to remember the Callister surface of those years as mixture embracing two parts clay, one part clinkers and one part assorted foreign objects, with emphasis on broken glass.
• Thanks To George Orr
EVERTON SIGN ONE, SELL ONE
June 9, 1956. The Liverpool Echo
Everton signed one player and transferred another yesterday. Their new signing is William Haughley, twenty-three-years-old junior international inside forward from the Glasgow Club Larkhill Thistle. Leaving Goodison Park after five years is their reserve left back Bernard Molyneux. He joins Tranmere Rovers at a nominal fee.
IT ADDS UP THE SAME, THREE GOALS EACH
June 11, 1956. Canada Newspaper
By Alf Cottrell
It rained steadily. Water from wayward umbrellas spouted down necks. So on the sort of a Saturday night you wouldn’t put your mother-in-law out, the Aberdeen-Everton game drew 18,363. Conclusion –soccer must have some sort of a future. I though it good football though not as sparkling as the brand I saw between South American teams in the 100,000-seat stadium during the Pan-American Games at Mexico City last year. Saturday’s wasn’t perfect football, but you could sell it for good football anywhere and no questions asked. There was contrast between the Scottish and the English styles. Aberdeen, once they got under way, played push-and-run stuff, Everton did the entertaining. Or let’s put it this way, the Scots played the football and Everton played With the football. Yet it all added up to the same total –three goals apiece. The bright spark of genius glowed occasionally, especially when Everton outside left, Tommy Eglington, got the ball. The fans loved Brian Harris, Everton’s opposite winger, even more. In the first half, when he was seldom marked by his check, the kid displayed deft touches plus the early foot of a hummingbird. In the first half Aberdeen’s forwards, barring Graham Leggat and Bob Wishart, appeared fairly disinterested. Their touted centre, Paddy Buckley, seemed particularly reticent. That was the spell during which a local official said, “Now I know what’s wrong with St. Andrews. They have too many Scots.” Aberdeen’s manager must have blown his stack at half time, during by the way his men came out for the second half with flame shooting from their nostrils. Up to then there had been some dainty football, in the second half it was football plus bite, thanks to the teeth in the Aberdeen tackles. Then it became a rousing game. The Scottish forwards put all their eggs in one basket. They either score or they don’t. Little Buckley was a different man in the last half, passing, darting shooting and never above handing an opponent a solid bump just to keep him honest. Admittedly I would up with a weakness for Buckley and his flying wingers, Graham Leggat and Jackie Hather. After seeing them my guess is that a soccer forward in Aberdeen who doesn’t score goals is all right if he knows a good trade. In contrast Everton’s style seemed like a lot of tiddling and fading and you can always have a try for a goal if things get that desperate. But folks went there to enjoy it all and they did. Especially the exuberant Powell River visitors whose teeth had obviously got caught in some glassware, who yelled, fully 13 seconds after the opening kick-off, “Gee, what a swell game!”
• Thanks to George Orr
DENS’ CLOSED DOOR POLICY ALL INCLUSIVE
June 11, 1956. American Newspaper
By Eric Whitefield
Beware-Newsmen
And now the Iron Curtain has kills. We had been assigned to a post-game story of the Aberdeen dressing room at the stadium Saturday night. Having been forewarned that trying to enter the Dons’ Inner Sanctum would be like trying to crash the Kremlin, we went fully prepared, if necessary to enter cunningly disguised as a lump of cold porridge. Happily, we were spared this messy bit of mimicry. It was really ridiculously easy. As left-winger Jack Hather left the field near the end of the game with a pulled muscle we simply followed him and trainer Charlie McCaig into the dressing room, chattering away like a poor, harmless idiot who just wanted to come in out of the rain. Enroute, little Charles flashed a puzzled series of highly suspicious glances, but by the time the door swing shut it was too late, and we stood watching as he prodded gingerly at Jack’s injured thigh. Three questions, administered with admirable nonchalance produced three suspicious glances and a grunt that indicated only that Charlie was prodding too hard, then the door flew open and in streamed the rest of the Dons, dour and dripping. The door banged shot again, smack in the startled faces of a group of eager young Canadians with cameras and notebooks. After a few tentative knocks the door popped open and an eager young Canadian voice suggested; “Just some dressing room pictures, please?” “Not in Here” roared Charlic, “Not with us, you don’t?” Triumphant emphasis on the “us.” Having thus saved the Scots from extinction or at least a couple of flash bulbs, little Charlie strutted righteously hack to his tendon tweaking. Still unchallenged, we sidled over to where young Graham Leggatt sat on a bench tuggin at his shirt.
“Good Game, Graham?”
“A bit bloody rough,” said Graham. “A lot of bloody unnecessary shoving and pushing. “That so? You mean Everton were playing it a bit too hard? “I mean what I…” Graham paused and his eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Say, you’re not a newspaper bloke, are you?” At the dread word, teammates along the bench snapped shocked attention. Next to Graham a naked teammate unidentified but for a mole on unhip whispered hoarsely; “Here now, Graham, be careful. Watch what you’re sayin’ now lad, You never know, do you now?” It was a dangerous moment saved as the door opened and banged shut again, letting. The Brians, Manager Dave Shay and his Directors, faces buried deep in their trench coat collar as they strode singly file, across the room. Dum de dum dum. The Big Three shot us querulous look and we knew that we were now living on borrow time. Grinning cheerfully, we headed for the door, waving friendly farewell. “Here now,” yelled little Charlie as the Big Three plodded don’t let none of them newspaper people in?” We didn’t. But we wonder what kind of infantile brainwashing greeted old Country newspaper blokes during the league season if this was a sample what went on during a ni friendly exhibition tour with nothing at stake but fun.
• Thanks to George Orr
EVERTON THE LADS DESPERATE 3-3 DRAW
June 11, 1956. Canada Newspaper
From Our Tower
By Dick Deddoes
Aberdeen 3, Everton 3
Ordinarily, soccer football inspires no divine passion in this soul. Writing about it, your agent is often all ha-ha with gags. But this is an apology, a confession of mistakes a disorderly backtrack. For spirited entertainment the British pastime is several cuts above hop-scotch or girls’ grass hockey. Canadian football can’t beat it for speed and pep and action. Canadian football can’t even tie it. Played by professionals, the game contains an impacted passion that makes it a universal amusement, like love.
Best Since Bannister
Aberdeen Dons and Everton Toffees are professionals. Their conflict last Saturday was the elite diversion in Empire Stadium since Bannister fied from Landy. That is how it seemed to inexpert eyes. Expert eyes might agree. One pair, peering from the press box on behalf of Jock Webster, did agree. R said, straining his “Hoot, man” Mr. Webster said, straining his voice through a bowl of porridge. “If I c’d see a game like this ever-r-ry week, I’d never-r leave the par-r-k.” displaced Aberdonians shared Mr. Webster’s fevor. The match pierced their Frigidaire exteriors and warned the cocktails of their hearts.
Dons Timid In Early Play
But the Aberdeen Marching and Muttering Society had early cause to grumble in its haggis. After 10 minutes the Englishmen led 2 to 0. “The Dons ar-r-re too bloody gentlemanly,” Mr. Webster muttered. He shifted in his seat like a man whose nervous are knotted together with soccer laces. The Dons did, indeed, display a certain timidness in the first half. They refrained from tackling the Toffees and the Toffees responded by controlling the ball on passes cut to precise pattern. Ah, but the boy Leggat whittled the margin at 24 minutes. He has pale, immature features, this young man, but when he shoots it is an adult shot. He shoots heavy and hard. “Lovely, lovely goal!” Mr. Webster cried. The Dons expressed similar sentiments. They near forced Graham Leggatt to the most turf, ruffling his crisp haircut thumping him, cuddling him.
Cup-Tie Exhibition
Pipes jutted jauntier from the crags in Scottish expressions early in the second half. The Dons scored twice then, courtesy of the fleet left-winger Hather, and led 3 to 2. Jack Hather is the only Englishman on the Aberdeen side, but he is widely tolerated. He had the foresight to marry a Scottish lass. In the press pit Mr. Webster was expressing a typical Scottish view. I’M in a fr-r-ee pass,” he was saying. “And I’m getting my money’s wor-r-th after-r all.” It may have been a premature impression, Everton surged even on Jack Eglington’s goal and monopolized play everywhere except in the goal area. If the Toffees could finish better, they’d win oftener. “Finish,” in another sense was Jim Mitchell’s post game attitude. I’M about finished,” the Aberdeen captain said. He brushed his chest; “My tongue’s hangin’ oot to her-r-e. It was an exhibition of cup-tie soccer, Mitchell meant Fast, often flashing, seldom spasmodic. It ended in a draw. Considering that the crowd was half Highland and half England, that’s the way it should have ended.
• Thanks To George Orr
NO ROOM FOR ARGUMENT ‘TWAS WONDERFUL GAME
June 11, 1956. Canadian Newspaper
By Jimmy Lay
The Soccer was superlative and the fans loved every minute of it. They got what they paid for…intense, excitement, lots of goals, despite the vile weather. English, Scottish, Irish and Canadian, the fans were loud in their acclaim. “If Everton finished 15th, what must the other 14 teams be like?” queered one burly Scot as he plodded through the rain to the exit after the game. Everton won if everywhere except on the result sheet. They dominated the play throughout the first half and set the crowd alight with brilliant rounds of short passing. The Everton half-back line gave the team the edge in play, breaking up the Aberdeen attacks before they could develop. They kept their own forwards on the move with a stream of short crisp passes. Young Ken Rea, the surprise selection at left-half and playing his initial game with the first team, had a good game in facing the strong Aberdeen right-winger of Yorston and Leggat. For Aberdeen, Leggat, Paddy Buckley and Jack Hather were the dangerous men up front . All did well in a heavily worked defence, with goalkeeper Fred Martin the star. The Everton players were lavish in their praise of the turf at Empire Stadium, comparing it favourably with Wembley and much the best they have played on during their tour. Director Jack Sharp, Ernie Green and the players were also impressed with the lighting system at Yankee Stadium. They are about to start with the lights on their own Goodison Park but a replica of the Yankee lights at a cost of £600,000 is out of their reach. It was a good clean game, the ball was seldom allowed to go out of play and it was well controlled by referee Dan Kuiai.
• Thanks To George Orr
THIS WAS ARTISTRY IN PERSON
June 11, 1956. Canadian Newspaper
By Andy Lytle
It is always a delight to watch master craftsmen displaying their artistry and in soccer, that pleasure was shared by over 17,000 British Columbians, at Empire stadium –Saturday night in the rain. That Everton and Aberdeen drew 3-3 was incidental. What attracted so many was the extraordinary fact that two first class Old Country teams were matched, one Scottish, the other English. Such an event isn’t likely to happen here twice in the average life of any Vancouverite. Soccer’s appeal is universal. Few are the boys anywhere who have not played it, at least in school or on vacant pitches. I sat near an eight-year-old who plays inside left for his side. Nearby was his grand-daddy who played also in his day, I talked with a number of elders from various eastern points all of whom admitted they’d kicked the ball around. Now many of us know, if we didn’t hitherto, the supreme artistry, the excellent ball control that has made this game a standout spectacle in the British Isles before the young Pitt played his school.
Open Faced
Soccer’s Chief beauty to the spectator, especially those who follow rugby or Canadian football, is its beautifully open face. Every little movement is visible, if there is deception it too can be anticipated by the watcher a split second or two before the trick is accomplished. At no time during a soccer match is a watcher left in doubt as to where the ball is or what is being done with it. Thus it was a refreshing treat to see these two visiting clubs in motion that was continuous and without exception, other than to the super-captious, extremely entertaining. Possibly the lovely green pitch at the stadium, which glistened like milady’s tiara, slopes a bit to the south. At any rate, Everton’s two goals of the first half were matched by the Scots after the turn over. Where Everton showed superiority in the first 45, Aberdeen were more dour in the second. Hence the draw. I’ve never seen better unity than Everton showed. Their men get into position as though controlled by invisible strings. There were times, greatly to the crowd’s delight; when the ball changed feet six or seven times with the twinkle-toe touches that only real pros can execute.
Foozled Two
The liaison between the Aberdeen halves and the front line was not always clicking. They hurried clearances. Not infrequently their “stling bloke” and the pass dropped at, or was intercepted by, an Everton foot. Admitting this to be so, the fact remains that Aberdeen foozled two short putts that spelled goal in the second half. One might say that Everton looked prettier and more clever in action, yet the Scots second half driving could have paid off in a win! Seldom, except when the goalies cleared, was the ball skied. When pros shoot, they employ the instep, keep their shots low and true. It was agreed mutually that subs would be used if any player was hurt. This didn’t happen. The 22 original starters saw it through. Though play was robust enough it was never violent. If men fell it was from contact with hard pressed backs. That’s par on any soccer course.
• Thanks to George Orr
OC SOCCERMEN THRILL 18,363
June 11, 1956. Canadian Newspaper
By Austin Delany
Everton 3, Aberdeen 3
A Scottish sports writer recently sent word to a friend here that Vancouver soccer fans had a rare treat in store when Aberdeen played Everton. “They will see a brilliant Everton team more or less toy with Aberdeen,” he wrote, “but don’t be surprised if Aberdeen wins.” That in capsule form is a fair description of Saturday’s memorable game at Empire Stadium between those two distinguished British professional teams. Exactly 18,363 fans saw then draw 3-3 in what was without doubt the finest soccer game ever played here. Everton did indeed play great soccer. Furthermore, they did toy with Aberdeen, particularly in the first half. But they did come mighty close to losing nevertheless. The heavy rain, which never once got out of high gear for 36 hours, kept up its merry downpour throughout the full 90 minutes. It had no respect for honoured guests either, such as Lieutenant Govenor Frank Ross and Mayor Fred Hume, who attended to the pre-game formalities. But it didn’t make a particular of indifference to the players. They loved it. The Empire Stadium pitch was in magnificent shape. The grasses was a bit long, you understand (on orders of the Park Board doctor of grasses and such and it did tend to slow the ball a mite. On several occasions defenders would hesitate, thinking a loose ball was going out, only to see it brake to a stop. The expensive nylon covering had kept the surface dry until a few hours before the game and it actually wasn’t too wet at the end. One of the biggest surprises was that the record soccer crowd included about 9,000 people who came despite the rain and stayed out in the open, many with umbrellas, until the end.
Martin Digs In For Aberdeen
They were appreciative too. They knew good plays, and they let the players know about it. It must be said, however, that most of the praise was for Everton. The English team opened the scoring three minutes after the kick-off in a delightful interchange between right winger Brian Harris and his namesake (no kim) Jimmy Harris, center forward. Brian caught Don Donovan with a perfect short pass and Don blasted past the helpless Fred Martin. From then on it looked as if Everton was about to pile up a margin of goals. They moved with cohesion and timing that was thrilling to watch. The wing halves, veteran Peter Farrell and novice Ken Rea were always in on these attacking movements. The Aberdeen defence could do little or nothing to stop them and only the outstanding work of Martin in Aberdeen’s goal saved the day. He’s a one-man defence. Brian Harris was having a field day against unfortunate David Caldwell, Aberdeen’s left back. And Jimmy Harris, not once but dozens of times, roamed to the left or right wings halves where he was open to receive anything coming his way.
Leggel Escapes, Scores Goal
Everton’s second goal at 15 minutes was a Brian Harris production and of high calibre. Moving swiftly down the middle, he twice feinted to pass while advancing –and no defender moved to meet him. You just don’t do that with maters like this Harris. He merely closed in and blasted an unstoppable goal past Martin. The Aberdeen attack was disappointing. Paddy Buckley at center is rugged and he never quits, but there was little subtlety and no imagination in his play. True he was going it alone. Inside forwards he didn’t have. And his prize wingers Jack Hather and Graham Leggatt, were out for lunch so to speak. At 25 minutes the highly-touted Leggatt finally escaped from the prison that had been fashioned for him by Everton’s left back. Jimmy Tansey. He came at high speed in from his wing to accept a Paddy Buckley pass and scored with a left foot shot. It was the only thing he did all game. Tansey really barred the gate after that play. At half-time it can be taken for granted that dour (“No comment “) Aberdeen manager Davie Shaw, had lots of comments for his players. They were a different crew in the second half. Caldwell did a little better against Brian Harris, while Harry Yorston and Bel Wishart looked a little more like a couple of inside forwards who had been introduced to their teammates. Possibly Everton slowed a wee bit. Certainly Aberdeen came into the game more and the equalizing goal was not entirely unexpected.
Eglington’s Ball and He Scores
Jack Hather, the only Englishman on the Aberdeen team, got a gift goal 10 minutes after the breather. He came in from his left wing and, instead of crossing as the play indicated, he feinted goalkeeper Jimmy O’Neill out and then Blasted at the hole he had created. It worked because O’Neill couldn’t get back in time and only got a piece of the ball as it entered the net. Despite this, Hather pulled the same trick five minutes later and put Aberdeen ahead. It was all against the run of play but there it was. Twice O’Neill had blundered. It’s an old trick of Hather seemingly. The Everton boys really got out of second gear after that great Hather effort? They moved in as they had in the first half. Sure enough Tom Eglington screamed, “My ball, on a perfect cross from Brian Harris and headed the equalizer. Only the superb work of Aberdeen goalkeeper Martin saved the day for his club. He was bombarded with shots. He even stole a goal from Donovan when the latter was clear through. He advance cut the angle and ho a piece of the shot to put it over the bar. Even Tom Jones the quietly effective centre half, had a go and so did Farrell but it wasn’t to be. The many Scottish folks present were quite happy to settle for a draw but all agreed that; “That Everton is a grand team.”
ABERDEEN AND EVERTON DRAW
June 11, 1958. The Liverpool Echo
Great Game at Vancouver
Vancouver Sunday. In a game rated as the best exhibition ever staged here Everton fought an exciting 3-3 draw yesterday with Aberdeen in incessant rain that persisted throughout the match. Both teams the first British professionals ever to meet here gave a dazzling display in Vancouver Empire Stadium before a crowd of 18,382. Everton were leading 2-1 at half-time and with their forwards and halves moving with a pattern-like precision were only prevented from a higher-margin by the brilliant goalkeeping of Aberdeen’s Fred Martin. Don Donovan, Everton’s inside right opened the scoring in the third minute with a terrific shot from short range that gave Martin no chance. Right winger Brian Harris who made Everton’s first goal fastened on to the ball minutes later, and made a brilliant run to beat two defenders before scoring from close in.
Brilliant Goal
Graham Leggat came back on Aberdeen’s right wing in the 25th to put his side in the picture with a brilliant goal, that followed a fine through pass by centre forward Paddy Buckley. In the second half Everton did not have things all their own way and the Aberdeen forwards moved with more speed and understanding. Playing spirited football Aberdeen took the elad15 minutes after the interval when left winger Jack Hather scored two quick goals in five minute from acute angles. Everton were not finished and came back in a storming rally to equalizer when Brian Harris sent over a high ball for left winger Eglington to head in front close range. Aberdeen; Martin, goal; Mitchell and Caldwell, backs; Alistair, Young and Glen, half-backs; Leggat, Yorston, Buckley, Wishart and Hather, forwards. Everton; O’Neill, goal; Moore and Tansey, backs; Farrell (captain), Jones and Rea, half-backs; Harris (B), Donovan, Harris (J), Fielding, and Eglington, forwards.
• Same report in Post
EVERTON REPORT ON JULY 6
June 12, 1956. The Liverpool Echo
Emphasis On Fitness
Believe it or not, the Everton players will report for training in just over one month’s time – it only seems a matter of days since I was scurrying round the country watching League football. How times flies. July 6 is the actual date and old and new will forgather all Goodison Park to undergo the grind of intensive training. Everton are putting their faith in physical fitness and with that object in view they have secured the services of Ian Buchan an expert on physical training. Most of the first teamers are still playing football in America so will have only a short holiday before they get down to vigorous training. Some people are not in agreement with these long tours, for they consider that the season is long enough. Everton will have been away for six weeks and while the football has not been a competitive as English League football they wanted to keep a clean sheet, and so emulate Liverpool in never being beaten on American soil. They have failed in their objective for they lost to the German side Schwaben last month. That has been their only defeat up to date. From all accounts American football has improved in the United States but it is still a long way behind baseball judging by the attendance figures at Everton’s games. An absentee for the first week will be their new Scottish inside left William Haughay who will be on holiday that week. He will arrive to meet his new colleagues the following week and will take over one of the club houses.
IT JUST ISN’T THAT WAY, SAYS JACK
June 12, 1956 Canada Newspaper
League, Not Cups Thing with Fans
By Austin Delany
Jack Sharp, Everton director, shook his head in disgust today when he read in an opposition paper that European teams adopt the “Kick-and-here-I-come” type of soccer and that the British teams play carpet style. “That, my friend,” said Sharp, and he was bristling, is exactly the opposite to what I actually said. It is ridiculous, I emphasized that the whole preoccupation of British League clubs is to keep their customers happy and the only known way is to keep winning as often as possible. “You must understand that these European teams, meaning Hungary, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Russia put their best soccer feet forward in International exhibitions. They concentrate on these matches. “With us and without players, of course we pay attention to nothing else only league and cup matches. The International games are the trimmings and of no real deep interest to the average soccer fan. “To quote me as saying the Europeans play a robust fast, go-a headed style of game makes me look rather stupid. Of course, I said no such thing. “Anyone who has watched television films, and I am assured many of you people have, will know that the pattern plays of Hungary’s teams are the absolute essence of brilliant soccer. “I did say, however, that I doubted whether those people could use that style of play in the long, grinding season of 40 odd games we play and fair better than any one of our teams do.” (So there). Gogie Stewart, an old Everton hand, met his former teammates at langara Thursday and confirmed the report that the little Canadian was tremendously popular with all of the players. Equipped with a ten-gallon black hat (one Tom Mix’s horse Trigger used to wear over his ears), and coloured windbreaker Gogie looked a many-splendored-horsey thing. “My my,” said Director Sharp, “that is the way he first came to us in Liverpool, bless him.” Gogie was the centre of back slapping and kidding. Captain Peter Farrell says that they were all really sorry when Gogie decided to return home and he personally thinks Gogie would have made the first team in short order had he stayed. He went on that Stewart created quite a stir with his colleagues coats which he acquired in great numbers from lacrosse, soccer, baseball and boxing. Anything lighter than dark grey on Lord or Bold Street, Liverpool, is enough to turn the heads of leashed dogs. With a striped Indian blanket for a coat partly covering a sky-blue-pink under sweater a guy would be under arrest for creating a public disturbance. Only Gogie’s Canadian accent saved him from being peremptorily hustled away by the bobbies to the cooler.
• Thanks to George Orr
EVERTON NOTED FOR ‘CLASS’ FOOTBALL
June 12, 1956. Canadian Newspaper
By Sid Sheard
Old Country fans will witness Saturday night a team noted for its “class” football –“not dash and bash” – when Everton meets Aberdeen (which plays a more forceful type of game) at Empire Stadium. The quotes belong to Jack Sharp, jr., 10 years a director with the Everton First Division team and an outspoken critic of the revolutionary Continental brand of football which has dulled somewhat England’s supremacy in world soccer. Everton is famed for its “team” game, a style some observers feel will provide all the football” Saturday, but Aberdeen “will get the goals,” Sharp, and every other member of the touring OC club, will dispute that observation, dentally. Officials and players of the team keep hammering at the fact Everton is a “unit” and plays as such.” “It has always been a tradition of the club,” said Sharp, “and the directors, naturally, have always selected a manager with the same ideas regarding ‘class’ football. We don’t go for size, but judge a man for his football ability, and his willingness to fit in with the unit.” The Continental brand, explained Sharp, is bent on speed-“rush and kick.” The fact European teams like Hungary and Germany have met with success with this style has not altered British thinking in regard to the “right and wrong way to play the game.” “I don’t think a Continental side could last through our season of 42 matches,” Sharp added. “Their actions are bent more on speed than finesse or ball play. Our style enables a player to pace himself over a long season and still bring out the best in him.” Sharp has seen a decline in attendance at OC games in recent years and believes this is due in some part “to the fact fans have seen this Continental brand.” He calls it more “attractive” because it wins games –“and that is what the people want.” The only reason more OC team do not adopt the style is simple; “The players wouldn’t last.” “Gates reached fantastic proportions after the war,” Sharp said, “but now the fans are more selective in the games they watch. But I haven’t seen any change or alteration of any great extent in our game since the Continental teams came on.” Everton- the “School” of football –is one of the richest clubs in England, having been formed in 1878. The club has been champion of the First Division five times, runners up on six occasions. It won the Football Association Challenge Cup twice -1906, 1933.
Goal Kicks…Ernest Green, a director for 43 years, said, “If there is one thing we’d like to take home it is Empire Stadium,” after Everton worked out on the turf Wednesday afternoon. The team thinks the ground will “lend itself to good football. Sharp feels the answer to some of football’s attendance problems can be solved by “providing more comfort for the fans –by that I mean more seats. We’ve got to look more and more to the comfort of the spectators”…Everton’s home grounds, Goodison Park, holds 80,000 fans, but only 15,000 can be seated…Everywhere we go on this side,” Sharp said, “People are amazed that we can get fans to stand for two hours to watch a match.” Rated fastest man on the team for 50 yards are center forward Jimmy Harris, playing his first season in top class football and outside right Brian Harris, also introduced to the Everton league side only this season….They are no relation…Youngest member of the touring team is Alex Farrell inside forward, who is 20 hopes to break into the First Division team lineup next season which opens August 27…He has spent the last two years in the army, feels he must spent a lot of time conditioning himself to regain his lost speed.
• Thanks to George Orr
HE KNEW OUR JIM
June 12, 1956. Canada Newspaper
Everton Director Has Good Memory
By Jimmy Lay
A good memory is a wonderful asset especially when you are a key man in an organization the size of the Everton Football Club. Ernie Green, retired schoolmaster and director of Everton, is top of the class in this respect. In 1912 this writer played for the Liverpool Schoolboys Football team. In charge of the team at that time was the same Ernie Green. That was 44 years ago, and we hadn’t seen each other since. Filing off the Seattle plane with the rest of the Everton party Tuesday night, Ernie broke away from the club, walked over to where I am standing and said; “You are Jimmy Lay.” He even remembered that I was born on the Isle of Man. It is this state of alertness in Mr. Green’s mind that has taken him to the top in Old Country soccer officialdom and made him respected by every club in Britain. Unlike some directors, he knows soccer. He is steeped in it. So I asked him some questions and he came up with some good answers. Green said he was surprised that Gogie Stewart came back to Vancouver after one season with Everton as he was very popular with the players and the Everton crowd. He is pleased with the skill shown by young Alec Farrell and thinks he will develop into an inside forward of the Wally Fielding class. Ernie thinks that the Everton team of 1906 that won the Football Association Cup was the best the club has been. I pointed out that in the past Everton was partial to Scottish players but that now there was none on the club. He explained that in Scotland most of the players were part-timers with jobs and that with their soccer wages added it was impossible for English clubs to entice them south for a maximum wage of £15. Mr. Green has been a director of the Everton Football Club for 43 years.
• Thanks To George Orr
EXPECT 10,000 FANS AT SOCCER CONTEST
June 12, 1956. The Albertan
By Ted Ferguson.
Edmonton –Officials Tuesday looked for a crowd of at least 10,000 for Wednesday night’s exhibition soccer clash between Everton of the English First Division and Aberdeen of Scottish Division “A” at Clarke Stadium. Alberta Football Association secretary Jimmy Baker revealed that roughly 3,000 advance tickets had been sold up until noon Tuesday. “This doesn’t include the Calgary fans who’ll be here,” Baker stated. “There’ll be approximately 300 coming up on buses and a few hundred more by automobiles. A brisk wind swept downtown Edmonton Tuesday but the weatherman held hopes of it disappearing by Wednesday and he forecast a warm evening for the game. Wednesday night’s contest will be the third meeting for the teams. They met in Vancouver over the week-end and battled to a 3-3 and 2-2 deadlocks. Everton secretary G. Dickenson said that following the game here the clubs will again do battle in Toronto and New York before returning overseas. A reception was held for the squad Tuesday night co-sponsored by the Overseas League, the Edmonton Scottish Society and the British Commonwealth Association. Wednesday noon hey will be guests of the provincial government and the city of Edmonston at a luncheon at the Macdonald Hotel.
• Thanks to George Orr
TOURING SOCCER TEAM HERE FOR EXHIBITION MATCH
June 12, 1956. The Edmonton Journal
Everton Arrives Ready To Take On Scots Foes
Eighteen Englishmen and one American climbed down from a TOA airliner here Tuesday morning. The American was also a soccer enthusiast. When Peter Farrell captain of the Everton Football Echo, trotted down the ramp he was carrying a lacrosse stick. One of his cohorts was wearing a back ten-gallon hat. These lads from t’ould country can pick up atmosphere and go western in a hurry. However, the amenities of western hospitably may be forgotten in a hurry when the English first division side tangles with a team of Highlanders from Aberdeen in what may well be a revival of the Battle of Killiercrankle –or, mayhap. Bannockburn?” The Everton club was accompanied by an interpreter and chef-de-tour named Julius Alonso of New York, representative of the American Soccer Association which arranged the English club’s North American tour. A number of delegates from the Edmonton branch of the Overseas League and the Edmonton and district Soccer Association were on hand (as well as feet) to greet the ruddy-cheeked visitors. Overseas League greeters included Mrs. Judy Rooke, the organization’s London representative, Mrs. Arnold Taylor, Mrs. Leslie Wiles, Miss Zeta Christie and George Hunt. Among those who welcomed the visitors on behalf of the local soccer colony were president Dr. Kurt Fuchs, Hugh and Jim Baker, Tom Green, Frank Alexander, Charlie Pinnell and Art Davis. The Everton players wore what John Ducey would call their “road uniforms” upon arrival here –grey flannel suits with club crests on the breast pockets. They looked a hardy, healthy lot, pon my soul. Bill Dickenson, lanky secretary of the club, reported that in seven games during the tour to date the Everton have won five, draw 1, lost 1.
• Thanks to George Orr
SOCCER HISTORY IS MADE TODAY
June 13, 1956 Canada Newspaper
History, of a sort is being made today in Edmonton with the arrival of two crack Old Country soccer teams, Everton and Aberdeen. The English First Division and Scottish Division “A” teams will clash in an exhibition game at Clarke Stadium tomorrow night at 8.p.m. This game marks the first time that two teams of such stature have met here. Everton was to have arrived by plane here this morning and Aberdeen this evening at 6.30. The teams will be feted at a reception put forth by the Overseas League and the Scottish Society at a private home this evening.
• Thanks to George Orr
LOVER’S MATCH
June 13, 1956 The Albertan
Viney’s Version
By Henry Viney
Every soccer fan in Alberta who has the time and the money to spare will be heading for Edmonton Wednesday to see Everton and Aberdeen in action at Clarke Stadium…soccer people consider that exhibition game under the lights at Clarke Stadium every bit as important as Canadian football fans in these parts would consider a game in the same stadium in which the Grey was at stake. Soccer fans have a somewhat different outlook as far as their game is concerned than do Canadian football fans…At least that’s what we think. There will be good Scotsmen at Wednesday’s game, who after seeing their favourite Aberdeen club, the Red Devils, win over Everton, and we think they will do just that, file out of the parses happy over the victory but commenting to the effect –Everton played a fine game and were unfortunate in not winning.
• Thanks To George Orr
EVERTON BEATS ABERDEEN IN SOCCER EXHIBITION GAME
June 14, 1956. The Edmonton Journal
Toffee-Makers Delight Crowd
Handling Scots “Red Devils”
By Hal Pawson
Given to hanging fancy handles on their favourities, the Liverpool dockers know their Everton First Division English league soccer club as “The Toffee Makers from Goodison Park.” That it is a sweet team was proven to 7,021 fans at Clarke Stadium last night as Everton edged Aberdeen Red Devils of the Scottish League, 2-1. If the crowd was disappointing in view of the fact that Albertans were being given their first opportunity to see two first class Old Country elevens in competition, the soccer wasn’t. Aberdeen had the defence and Everton had the footwork, with result that the old axiom about the best defence being a good offence was reaffirmed. Although Everton surprised by lacking goal mouth finish, the club’s better ball control, short, pattern passing and speedier superior ball control paid off in two late goals by Jimmy Harris, first year man from the Merseyside juniors. Harris and Everton’s fast flat passes plainly beat Fred Martin. Aberdeen’s outstanding goalie, on persistency alone. But for 77 minutes it appeared that all the fancy footwork in the book wasn’t going to prevail against martin, centre half Alex Young and the bigger, but sluggish Red Devils, who one season earlier were Scottish League champions and this past season were runners-up. Aberdeen wasn’t in on Jim O’Neill’s Everton nets often, but every time the Red Devils did move in they were dangerous. Their first good chance went for a goal when the game was 10 minutes old, and Jim Cluney’s marker looked big enough until all but 13 minutes of the 90-minutes session was past. As was to be expected, the old Country side fielded 22 men the likes of which aren’t known to soccer in Edmonston or Alberta today. For the uninitiated, the superb physical conditioning of the sides was something to behold. A far guess would be that they whipped up and down Clarke Stadium more times last night than the Canadian Football Eskimos will cover in the coming season. And while three players were heavily shaken up, none went out. One Everton speedster, Tommy Eglington outside left, was due for a stretcher trip but by the time they found the stretcher, Tom was back sparkling Everton’s swift drives.
Best Man
Best man for Everton, and best man on the field in this book was Wally Fielding, inside left, particularly in the first half when he had six fine opportunities but found Martin one of the toughest goalies he had met in some long time. Right half Pete Farrell also was one of Everton’s best, while Jim and Brian Harris showed well at centre forward and outside right, respectively. Inside right Don Donovan had trouble getting untracked as his passing was off, but when he did get going he was one of the fastest men in the game. Martin, the goalie, wasn’t the only defensive ace in a screaming red Aberdeen jersey. His centre half, Alex Young, played a splendid game, robbing Everton forwards time and time again before they could get shots away. Slower off the mark than Everton the Aberdeen forwards didn’t show too well, although centre forward Paddy Buckley had the misfortune to never receive a decent ball all night. Had he been fed payable balls, he might have made O’Neill’s life miserable, Jack Allister, Aberdeen’s right half, gave Young great support while inside right Harry Yorston solved Fielding’s phantom style in the late stages and cut down that Toffee Maker’s effectiveness by sticking to him like hair. The result sent the two clubs winging toward Toronto and their third Canadian meeting with Everton ahead in goals and games. The first match in Vancouver’s rain was tied 3-3. After Toronto, the two clubs meet again in New York and then sail for home and the opening of their new season in July. From the moment Hon Dr. J.J. Bowlen, Lieutenant-governor, officially put the boot to the ball that got the contest started, Everton had an edge in play. But between Martin, Young and about nine corner kicks that went wide at the worst and for nought at best it counted for little. For in their first serious sortie into Everton country, the Red Devils scored. Allister headed the ball free to inside left Bobby Wishart, who drove a ground pass to Cluney in the centre of the penalty area. Cluney stepped wide of the charging O’Neill and tapped the ball into the open corner. A minute later Martin took one away from Everton’s Donovan, and for the next few minutes the Aberdeen’s controlled the game as they were never to control it again. Hughie Hay missed two close in chances, four times before the half closed, Martin tipped Fielding drives over the Aberdeen bar, while as many times Young and Jim Mitchell, Aberdeen captain and right fullback, broke up scoring attempts by the Harris brothers. Meanwhile, O’Neill was asked to be good on only two occasions, on Wishart’s hot drive from close-in and Buckley’s rush from the side.
Misses Chance
Buckley missed a chance to put Aberdeen two up when early in the second half he dribbled one just past the post with O’Neill beaten. A penalty shot at about 15 minutes saw O’Neill handle the ball without too much trouble and for the rest of the game Aberdeen was given little choice but to defend as Everton’s superb ball control told. The equalizer came at 32 minutes when Farrell put the ball downfield to Donovan, who slipped it across to Harris, Martin had no chance to get clear across the goal for the boot. Five minutes later Martin was down on the ground from one Jim Harris shot when the next one came. An Aberdeen full-back almost got his hand on the ball as it zipped across the goal line but it was a case of too much Everton attack. Cluney gave Aberdeen fans hop in the final minute, but O’Neill was equal to the try. The game capped a busy day and a half in Edmonton for the tourists. Both clubs were guests at noon yesterday of the provincial government and the city at a luncheon in the Macdonald. Both clubs left by air today.
• Thanks To George Orr
EVERTON WINS IN EDMONTON
June 14, 1956 Canada Newspaper
Edmonton (CP) –Centre forward Jim Harris scored twice late in the second half to give Everton a 2-1 win over Aberdeen in an exhibition soccer game before approximately 6,500 fans Wednesday night. Everton, English first division team, had a slight edge over the Scottish league eleven in the first 45 minutes but trailed by one goal at half-time, due mainly to the good defensive work of centre half Alex Young of Aberdeen. John Allan, outside left, put the Scottish team ahead after 14 minutes of play in the first half under ideal weather conditions –approximately 60 degrees above with no wind –on the fine turf of Clarke Stadium. The teams, which tied 3-3 at Vancouver in the first exhibition encounter between the two on their North American tours, now fly to Toronto for the third game Saturday. Everton and Aberdeen complete their exhibition series with a game in New York Sunday. Allan scored from the eight-yards out after taking a pass from inside left Bob Wishart, Hugh Way, outside right had started the play, passing to Paddy Buckley who relived to Wishart. Allan out-manoecurved Jim Tansey to get into the clear and the Everton goalie, Jim O’Neill had no chance on the play.
• Thanks to George Orr
PATS AND PANS
June 14, 1956 Canada Newspapers
By Pete Nadeau
Everton Forever –Jimmy O’Neill, goalkeeper for the Everton side which edged Aberdeen 2-1 here last night must be called a diplomat for want of a better word. How else do you describe an Irishman who has played on an English team for seven years against teams from all nations and says he likes it? Makes you wonder if the guy’s ever heard of home rule. The fast-moving net minder lay in his bed at the King Edward Wednesday afternoon and rested while he talked English football. Jimmy although only 24 years old, has spent seven years with the club but has been a regular member of the team for five. He was born in Dublin, Ireland, and played schoolboy football in his native country until he was 17 when he received an offer to try out with Everton. The blond, soft-spoken goalie, who showed to good advantage in last night’s tussle is married and has a six month old daughter. Probably the most revealing thing he came out with was that all English soccer players are paid, within a few dollars, the same wage. The going rate at the present is the equivalent of $45 per week and he says “it’s good money over there. Of course though it can always be better.” The English First Division is comprised of 21 teams and they play each other twice during the regular season. However, Jim hastens to point out that there is very little difference between the first and fast places clubs in each division. Asked if he figured on staying with the game for another three or four years O’Neill was quick to spout “Three or four? It should be 10 or 12 if I’m fortunate.” One of the most interesting parts about the game in the old country is that although Everton has played before as many as 80,000 spectators only 15,000 are seated. That’s right-the rest stand for the full 90 minutes. One of the main reasons outside of the fact that soccer, when played properly is a thrilling game that possesses much fan appeal for its ruggedness is the price of admission to a game. The most expensive parks in the country charge approximately $1.50 for a seat and the Everton stadium admission is 50 to 60 cents for a seat and around 25 cents to stand. Jim took in a Dodger baseball game in the States and said he thought American’s national game was wonderful.” Asked how he thought baseball would draw in Brittain, he popped right back with “About the same as soccer would draw in the United States. “I’ll say one thing,” he concluded. “You have much superior soccer here to the States Yes; they play good football here in Canada.
• Thanks To George Orr
TOURS TOUGH, BUT A ‘MUST’—EVERTON
June 15, 1956. Toronto Daily Star
By Bill Entwistle
“Soccer tours of Canada and Us. Are long and tiring, but they’re a grand thing for British soccer players,” says Jack Sharp, director of Everton, who flew in with his team from Edmonton at midnight, for the Saturday game at Varsity with Aberdeen. “Every club in England is eager to make the trip, and rightly so, because it’s something the players would get in no other way.” The Goodison Parkites fly into New York last Saturday night and play Aberdeen at Randall’s Island on Sunday. Right after the Sunny match they fly to Montreal, where they catch an ocean airliner almost right away and are back in Liverpool on Monday morning. Both clubs were taking it easy today. “We enjoyed our trip. Everybody gave us a terrific time. it’s a great part of the world, but we’ll be glad to get home.” Those remarks made by one of the touring directors about describes the feeling of everybody on both teams. “We’ll be all out tomorrow,” say the players. The Aberdonians are keen to prove they can beat Everton, while the Toffeemen are just as determined that the Dons won’t win even one of the games. Players get their talent money when they win or draw just as they do in game’s at home. provided all of the players pass fitness tests –and one or two of them have injuries –the line-ups will be; Everton; O’Neill; Moore, Tansey; Farrell, Jones, Rea, Brian Harris, Donovan, Jimmy Harris, Fielding and Eglington. Aberdeen; Martin; Mitchell, Caldwell, Allister, Young and Glen, Leggat, Yorston, Buckley, Wishart, and Hay.
• Thanks to George Orr
ABERDEEN DETERMINED TO AVENGE 2-1 DEFEAT AT HANDS OF EVERTON
June 16th 1956. The Glode and Mail
By Ed Waring
Beaten 2-1 by Everton in Edmonton last Wednesday night the Aberdeen soccer team arrived in Toronto yesterday morning vowing they will wipe out their only defeat in seven starts on their Canadian tour. At yesterday’s noon-hour luncheon, sponsored by the T. Eaton Co., both teams looked in perfect condition. The heavy schedule set up for touring teams has caused some minor injuries but the managers of both teams claimed they would have all their regulars in action at Varsity Stadium this afternoon. Local officials, facing opposition from other local sporting events, claimed there would be 20,000 on hand to see the match. To add to the glamour of the occasion the 48th Highlanders Pipe Band will be in attendance to aid the enthusiasm of the Aberdeen supporters besides helping entertain the fans prior to kick-off time. Manager Dave Shaw of Aberdeen still insists that the primary purpose of making the tour was to win every game besides giving the Canadian fans a chance to see soccer at its best. Although he will not name his line up until this morning, Shaw said he would select the team he thought best, even as he does in regular Scottish League game. After the heavy schedule they have played officials of both teams gave the players a day off yesterday. The Everton players and officials took advantage of the time off to visit Niagara Falls but were bedded down by 10 o’clock in preparation for the match. Two forwards who have given the Aberdonians the most trouble in the games played in Vancouver and Edmonton will again see action today. They are Brian Harris and Jimmy Harris, who have accounted for most of the tour. Although officials lineups were not available last night, it is expected they will be as follows; Everton; Jim O’Neill; backs; Eddie Moore, Jimmy Tansey; halves; Peter Farrell, Tom Jones, and Ken Rea, forwards; Brian Harris, Donlad Donovan, Jimmy Harris, Walter Fielding, and Tom Eglington. Aberdeen, goal; Fred Martin; backs; Jimmy Mitchell, Dave Caldwell; Halves, Jack Allister, Alec Young, and Archie, Glen; forwards, Graham Leggat, Harry Yorston, Paddy Buckley, Bob Wishart, Hugh Hay. Immediately following the match both teams will be presented with mementos of their visit to Canada by C.O. Dalton president of Carling Breweries.
• Thanks To George Orr
EVERTON UPHEAVAL LEAVES NO SCARS
June 16, 1956 Canada Newspaper
By Matt Dodds
Everton the English First Division soccer club which almost inspired a walkout by players for discharging manager Cliff Britton after reaching the sixth round of F.A. Cup competition arrived in Toronto at midnight Thursday. The late season upheaval in the Everton camp caused the resignation of the club chairman and the appointment of three directors to manage the club until a successor to Britton could be found. The experts expressed doubts for future success and said the trouble was certain to make some difference to the team. It did. The walkout, ultimatums and bulletins were forgotten during the week preceding the sixth round tie with Manchester City. The players through skipper Peter Farrell assured the directors they would put 1000 % into their efforts.” That they were narrowly beaten by the eventual cup-winners proved that they meant it.
Everton Ahead
Now the team is nearing the end of a successful North American tour. They will be opposed at Varsity Stadium Saturday by Aberdeen of the Scottish A Division. It is the third meeting of the pair in a cross-Canada jaunt and on Saturday they again clash in New York. Everton has a win and a draw in the two previous games.
• Thanks To George Orr
EVERTON CLUB WINS OVER ABDERDEEN, 3-1
June 18, 1956. The Globe And Mail
By Ed Waring
Expatriated Scots who boast of the superiority of soccer as played in their native land wore faces redder than the jerseys of their own Aberdeen team after Saturday’s international soccer exhibition at Varsity Stadium. The grey overcast sky certainly wasn’t the reason, rather the 3-1 defeat handed the Aberdeenians by Everton of the English League, First Division. Paddy Buckley, centre-forward of Aberdeen expressed the opinion of many of the 15,549 fans who witnessed the contest when he said, “We can’t understand how Everton finished so far down in the First Division last season.” His own team was runners-up in the Scottish League Division A. For the first 25 minutes of the game the English team gave the Scotch lads a soccer lesson. Their perfect passing and brilliant defensive had the Aberdeen side baffled. It was no surprise when the Toffeemakers took the lead after seven minutes of play. The goal was one of the best seen here in years. Outside left Brian Harris outwitted Aberdeen’s right back Jimmy Mitchell and shot the ball across to right winger Tony McNamara who promptly returned it to the front of Aberdeen’s goal where Jimmy Harris blasted it home with a terrific shot. Everton’s ball control in the early stages was spectacular and drew rousing applause from the fans time and again. The Aberdeenians had trouble untracking themselves but did threaten several times when in particular Harry Yorston, their inside right was through for an apparent goal but full back Eddie Moore took the ball from his toe in the nick of time. Everton moved further ahead at the 32nd minute mark when Brian Harris completed a fine passing play originated by McNamara and Jimmy Harris when he hoisted the ball well out of goalie Fred Martin’s reach. The applause has barely subsided when Alex Farrell scored the English team’s third goal on a pass from Jimmy Harris. Goalie Martin and left back Ian Macfarlance were left sprawling on their backs as the ball whizzed into the net. As the second half got underway it was obvious that Aberdeen was determined to go out after goals. On the other hand Everton apparently exceed their 3-0 lead. By doing so the English team gave the fans an opportunity to witness some of the most brilliant net minding seen here. Everton’s Irish-born goalkeeper, Jimmy O’Neill, showed amazing agility as he stopped all types of shots from the boots of the Dons. One stop in particular toward the end of the game brought O’Neill a standing ovation. Jumping high in the air in the manner of a swimmer doing a double jackknife O’Neill caught a shot from Hugh Hay which was; labeled all the way. The Scottish goal came after 10 minutes of the final half when Buckley got his foot to a high cross by Yorston and sent the ball booming into the net behind O’Neill. While the second half lacked much of the excitement of the first the match generally was a good one considering that both teams were winding up a heavy two-week schedule. Biggest disappointment, of course was the play of Aberdeen. Although none stood out, credit must go to Mitchell, Jack Allister, Yorston and Buckley who fought hard in a losing cause. The Everton wings McNamara and Brian Harris never gave up trying while full-backs Moore and Jimmy Tansey gave valuable protection to the brilliant net minder O’Neill. Tommy Jones, at centre half was a tower of strength in breaking up the Aberdeen forward movements. Gross gates was $26,000, of which the Canadian Association received $14,000. This sum will put the Aberdeen tour over the top. Aberdeen; Martin, goal; MacFarlane, and Mitchell, backs; Allister, Young and Glen, halves; Leggat, Yorston, Buckley, Hay and Hather, forwards. Everton; O’Neill, goal; Moore and Tansey, backs; Birch, Jones and Lello, halves; McNamara, Farrell (captain), J. Harris, A. Farrell, and B. Harris, forwards. Referee; Mr. Ray Morgan, Toronto; linesmen. A. McDermott, Windsor and W. Logan, Toronto.
• Thanks to George Orr
EVERTON’S LATE SURGE DEFEATS ABERDEEN SOCCER TERAM BY 6-3
June 18, 1956. American Newspaper
Brian Harris Paces English Attack After Scots Knot Score in Game Here
By William J. Briordy
Brian Harris, outside right , paced his team’s second half attack as Everton of Liverpool halted Aberdeen of the Scottish League, 6 to 3 in a keen soccer match at Downing Stadium Randalls Island, yesterday. Everton a member of the first division of the English League scored three goals in a late outburst. A crowd of 7,183 saw Everton and Aberdeen complete their tours of this country and Canada. Outplayed, 3-0 in the first half, the Scottish booters evened matters by notching three goals within the first fourteen minutes of the second half. But the slick-passing Everton eleven was not to be denied as Harris showed the way during the late rally. Following a swift rush, Harry Yorston, Scottish inside right took a feed from Jack Allister and beat goalie Jim O’Neill one minute after the second half began. Then Bob Wishart, inside left, made the first of his two goals. After a pass from Paddy Buckley, Wilshart sent a hard southpaw boot past O’Neill at 6;00. Wishart then headed the ball into the net at 14;00 after O’Neill had made a lunging save seconds before. Then Everton regained its first half spark. Harris took a cross from Don Donovan and counted at 31;00 for a 4-3 lead. Brian made his third goal of the game at 37;00 following a breakaway play, Harris’ angled thrust hit the left upright and caromed into the nets. The match was beyond salvage for Aberdeen when Al Fielding tallied on a breakaway boot at 41;00. Donovan scored the first goal at 6.00 of the first half on a beauty. After Fred Martin, Aberdeen goalie had saved Donovan sent home the rebound. Everton had a 2-0 leeway at 26;00. Brian took Eglington’s cross and registered on a low thrust. At 29;00, Eglington feinted Martin out of the nets and booted the ball into the left corner. Aberdeen had a 7-2 edge in corner kicks. Everton; O’Neill, goal; Moore and Tansey, backs; Farrall (captain), Jones and Rea, half-backs; B. Harris, Donovan, J. Harris, Fielding and Eglington, forwards. Aberdeen; Martin, goal; Mitchell and Caldwell, backs; Allister, Clune, and Glen, half-backs; Leggat, Yorston, Buckley, Wishart, Brownie, forwards. Referee; Mr. James McLean. Linesmen –Emanuel Zammitt and Pat McBrearty.
• Thanks to George Orr
EVERTON CLEVER DISPLAY
June 18, 1956 Liverpool Echo
First Half Goals Beat Aberdeen
Toronto Saturday.
Everton beat Aberdeen 3-1 here tonight, all Everton’s goals coming in the first half. Playing a clever thoughtful type of game, Everton got right on top from the start. Jimmy Harris put them ahead within seven minutes and then laid on goals by Alex Farrell and Brian Harris. Buckley netted for Aberdeen in the 58th minute but it failed to touch off any revival and Everton always seemed to have the match well in hand.
Hesitant Aberdeen
A 15,000 crowd saw Jimmy Harris pounce on the ball after a goalmouth scramble and place the ball wide of goalkeeper Martin. Hesitation in the Aberdeen defence again proved costly in the 33rd minute, when Brian Harris cracked the ball home. Aberdeen had no sooner kicked off, than Everton were back on the attack and another goal up. Jimmy Harris ran straight through, and passed to Farrell who scored from twelve yards. Eventually –but for only a brief spell the Scots came into their own. Inside right Yorston put through centre forward Buckley who beat O’Neill from just inside the penalty area – Reuter
Aberdeen Rally
No Avail In Match in New York
Everton gained their third won over Aberdeen and their second within two days –when they won 6-3 in New York yesterday. Though 3-0 down at half-time Aberdeen scored three themselves in the second half in a spirited effort. It was the last match of the tour for both sides. Brain Harris (3), Donovan, Eglington and Fielding scored for Everton, who beat Aberdeen 3-1 on Saturday in Toronto. Wishart (2) and Yorston scored for Aberdeen. A 7,000 crowd saw Aberdeen pile in three goals in the first 14 minutes of the second half. Everton started off in the same confident way that they did at Toronto, Aberdeen goalkeeper Martin stumbled in trying to make a save and lost the ball –and on the spot was Donovan to smash it home. Worse followed for Aberdeen in the 26th minute, Harris trapped an Eglington pass, and placed the ball just inside the post. Three minutes later Eglington was put clean through by Donovan. It was a different Aberdeen in the second half and in 14 minutes Everton had lost their lead. In the first minute Yorston netted from an Allister pass. Buckley laid on Wishart’s first in the 6th minute, then up popped Wishart again to head in after a goalmouth scramble. This sparkled off great efforts by both sides, but once again Everton had more in hand than the Scots and their skilful attacking turned the scales. Donovan, always foraging, crossed for Harris to put Everton ahead in the 76th minute. In six minutes Harris had scored again –another sizzler, which went in off the post. Fielding broke away to get Everton’s sixth in the 86th minute and Aberdeen’s fate was quite certain, hard as they tried-Reuter.
EVERTON F.C. COME HOME, VIA LONDON
June 19, 1956 Liverpool Daily Post
The Everton football team, home after their successful tour of America, flew into London Airport last night, en route to Speke. Their aircraft was due to land them at Manchester but had to overfly because there had been low cloud which prevented an earlier landing at Prestwick in Scotland to pick up fuel for the last leg of the journey. Team manager Bill Dickinson said that the tour was “very , very successful.” Of the ten matches, eight were won, one drawn, and one lost – against the German Schwaben team. Said Mr. Dickinson “The United States standard of football is not very high, but the Canadian standard is a little better. Of the native teams we met, the Chicago side were the best of the bunch.” B.O.A.C held up the departure of their strtocruser service across the Atlantic because Everton had to play a match against Aberdeen in New York which had been postponed since May. Everton won 6-3. At London Airport the players rushed to change dollars so that they could phone their homes and tell wives and relatives that they would be late. Most excited member of the party was K. Birch whose baby was born while he was on tour.
EVERTON BACK
June 19, 1956 Liverpool Echo
Ranger’s Notes
Everton’s players arrived at Speke last night from America and now take a well-earned break until they report for training in a month. Peter Farrell caught the night boat to Dublin to join his family. Mr. Ernest Green the club’s senior director, told me that the trip was most successful in every way, and that the players received many congratulations on the excellence of their football and sportsmanship.
CANADIAN READERS PAY TRIBUTE TO EVERTON
June 21, 1956 Liverpool Echo
Ranger’s Notes
Although Everton’s tour of America and Canada is now a matter of history, a coup-le of letters which I received simultaneously yesterday from readers in Vancouver regarding the game there are of such general interest that I give them in full below. They come from former residents of Liverpool who have the “Echo” sent them regularly and each pays tribute to the fine game which Everton and Aberdeen served up in their 3-3 draw at Capalano Stadium. The first letter is from Mr. Ron Sudlow, of 550 West, 21st Street North Vancouver, who says he only left this country a year ago. But let him tell the story in his own words.
“When I sailed down the Mersey I never imagined I would see the present Everton players again. It was a great treat to watch their exhibition game against Aberdeen. “Vancouver is a beautiful place, but the Everton lads were unlucky for it rained all the time they were here. It was the first time a soccer game had been played at this stadium. Normally, Canadian rugger is played there. “The match was under floodlight and both teams gave a wonderful exhibition. Even the most ardent Scots agreed that Everton were the better team. Never had two first-class soccer sides played each other in Vancouver before, so there was much excitement. “It was like a local Liverpool derby to me, for Aberdeen played in red.
Lucky Winner
“There was a raffle afterwards for a football autographed by both teams, and it was my lucky day, because I won it. Nobody in all Vancouver could have appreciated winning that ball more than I, for not only are Everton my local team, but as an amateur in Liverpool I played against some of the Goodison boys before they graduated from the “A” team. “I went into the dressing room to see the lads it was good to hear the Merseyside accent again. What a player Jimmy Harris is. He was not in the first team when I left. One of these days he may be capped. “All the folk here are amazed at the poor pay English players receive. I earn as a carpenter more than twice as much for a 40-hour week. “May I add a personal line to let all my friends in Liverpool know I am very happy and doping extremely well out here. I still read your notes regularly as the good old Echo is sent me by my brother. It is a bit belated but always very welcome.” Along with his letter Mr. Sudlow sends a cutting from a Vancouver paper together with a photograph showing Peter Farrell and Jimmy Mitchell, Aberdeen’s captain sheltering under hugh umbrellas as they look out over the ground. Incidentally it is interesting to note that the Vancouver Stadium protects its pitch during heavy rain with special tarpaulins, which cost about £6,000. Maybe there is a hint there for British clubs. I have often felt it should be possible to devise some method of pitch-covering with plastic, possibly on light, portable frames, which would prevent our grounds being reduced to little more than mud-heaps during the worst of the winter.
A Good Memory
The other letter comes from Mr. John Wilson, of 635 Granville Street, Vancouver, who though normally a Sunderland supporter, spent years in Liverpool and still has the Echo sent to him regularly. He tells me he first saw Everton play away back in 1897 in the Cup final against Aston Villa when Villa won 3-2. He was then 16, which puts his age today at 75, but there is nothing wrong with his memory, for he quotas the Everton team of that day, and on checking it up with my records I find he is right in every particular. Mr. Wilson writes;-
“By general consent of those qualified to judge the game between Everton and Aberdeen here was the finest ever played in Canada. Over 19,000 people saw it, and but for the incessant rain, which fell for four successive days the ground record for a Soccer game in Canada – 24,800 for a match in Tornoto –would have easily been beaten. –The outstanding player Everton’s great hearted skipper Peter Farrell. It is easy to understand why he has played for Eire 27 times and has captained Everton for the past eight seasons, it is not so easy to understand why Everton only finished in the 16th position in the league last season. “I hope the Blues will win either the Cup or the League next season. These two teams proved the best ambassadors of good will the old county has seen here in ages. They did more to cement friendship in six short weeks than some statesman accomplish in a life time. They made many friends here and Merseyside can well be proud of the Everton boys. Good luck to them and to the Echo in the future.
One From Alberta
In addition to these two letters from Vancouver I have also had one from Mr. Eric Sutcliffe of 9434 67th Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta on similar lines. Mr. Sutcliffe formerly resided in West Kirby, has been in Canada three years and tells of the thrill which it gave him and other “exiles” from this country to see Everton again. “I also want to let you know what a wonderful crowd the Everton boys were,” he says. “From the moment they stepped off the plane to the moment they left two days later they were a grand and friendly bunch of lads. Some of us went along meaning to entertain them, but it was they who entertained us. They were wonderful, ambassadors for Britain and I hope we shall see them again. They were the next best thing to a trip back home.”
GOODISON PARK IS HIVE OF INDUSTRY
June 25, 1956. The Liverpool Echo
Ranger’s Notes
At this time of the year the majority of football grounds are almost as quiet as the grave but that is far from the case of Everton, where a small army of over 100 workmen are busily engaged on a variety of tasks. In addition to the £38,000 floodlighting scheme upon which a start has already been made, Everton are spending £20,000 this summer on essential maintenance and repair work and Goodison Park echoes to the sound of mechanical drills, cement mixers, and all the other impedimenta involved in the difference schemes. A few months ago a new Eastes and Maintenance Committee was appointed by the board, consisting of Messrs C. Askham (chairman), F. Micklesfield and J.C. Sharp with the chairman of the club Mr. R.E. Searle, an ex-officio member. These directors along with Mr. Searle, wasted no time getting down to their task. The result can be seen in the veritable hive of industry now in being at the clubs headquarters. The biggest single item of expenditure is one of around £6,500 for the renovation and painting of the 4,750 seats in the Bullens Road stand which houses shareholders and members, and of the stand itself. When this is completed in readiness for the new season, Bullen’s Road “regulars” will am major improvement. Another big job is the pointing of the outside brickwork of the Goodison Road stand. This will cost around £3,500. Approximately the same sum is being spent on completing the scheme for the board room and offices. Part of this was done a year ago, but the office section had to be left over. There will also be a new room for ladies, a new office for Mr. W. Dickinson the secretary, one for Mr. Harold Pickering and a general office.
New Gymnasium.
A new gymnasium is being erected under the Gwlady’s Street grand; at a cost of about £2,500. When completed it will be the most up-to-date of any football club in the country. The new P.T. coach Mr. Ian Buchan will find that everything he wants for the ideas he has in mind has been incorporated. The gym will have special air conditioning, fluorescent lighting and a Danish beech wood floor which will give it the appearance of a first-class dancing floor. That of course is not its purpose! Danish beech has been chosen because it is non-splinterable. The room itself will be very strictly utilitarian. In addition to these major scheme the remainder of the money is being spent on essential items as re-cementing a lot of the terrace steps, re-seeding the ground –which has already been done-various painting jobs of lesser magnitude than the Bullens Road one, and a variety of other matters which the club feel must be tackled right again n order to maintain their properly in a first class condition. The summer’s expenditure however will not cover all that needs to be done sooner or later. Other matters are being left ave until next close season as they are not of the same urgency but these also will have to be undertaken in due course.
Big Responsibility
One drawback of having such a tremendous estate as Everton posses is that maintence is a very big problem and naturally involves far greater expenditure than clubs with smaller grounds. One would think that it would not be a particularly expensure job, for instance renewing panes of glass. Actually the estimate for this is in the region of £600, involving in some cases replacing metal frames which have corroded over the years. Another improvement which spectators will notice next season is a new box for visiting directors. The old one was rather decrepit. The new erection will not only house visiting officials, but also a small number of other folk and 36 new tip-up seats are being installed. Mr. Searle and the members of the committee have been visiting Goodison Park several times each week and will continue to do so until the work is completed and ready for the new season. Members of the floodlighting committee have been similarly busy on their side of the close season work. All the excavation work has how been completed involving digging to a depth of 13 feet in the sandstone rock, and making four holes 22 feet by 16 feet into each of these will go 280 tons of cement and other materials to carry the four towers each 160 feet high upon the top which will be four large frames, 24 feet high, carrying the lights. Unfortunately owing to a nine-months time lag in deliveries of steel, it will be impossible to complete the floodlighting scheme before the summer of 1957. Already, however, news of Everton’s intentions has been noised abroad and the club has been tentatively approached by several Continental teams who would like to come to Goodison for an evening match when the lights are switched on. The floodlighting committee consists of Messrs F. Micklesfield (chairman) T.C. Nuttall, J.C. Sharp and C. Askham Mr. Searle as with the other schemes, has been taking a keen and constant interest in the developments, and altogether the members of the board charged with responsibility for all this close-season activity have been putting in a great deal of work and valuable time. At the moment well over 100 workmen are engaged on the various jobs including 30 painters, 24 bricklayers and plasterers, 20 joiners, and over 30 other craftsmen and labourers. On top of that the 15 members of the club’s own ground staff are doing their normal close-season jobs of renovation, repair and so on. A new appointment has been made to the permanent staff in one person of a maintenance foremen whose task will be to keep the board in touch with all that is going on and generally supervise in fixture the wellbeing of the club’s property. It is obvious from all this that when Everton supporters get their first view of Goodison Park at the public practice match in mid-August they will find much to strike the eye. In due course, when other pending schemes have been completed over the next two or three years, Everton’s ground will have greater claim than ever to be regarded as the best in the country.
EVERTON LOOK TO THE FUTURE WITH CONFIDENCE
June 29, 1956. The Liverpool Echo
The future of Everton from the playing angle, which is a problem that will shortly be exercising the minds of followers of the club, was one of several topics discussed at the annual meeting of shareholders last evening. This aspect of the club’s affairs was dealt with by Mr. T.C. Nuttall, the chairman of the sub-committee appointed to supervise playing matters after Mr. Cliff Brittan’s resignation. He expressed the belief that Everton could look to the future with a high degree of optimism. After detailing how the subcommittee came to take over Mr. Nuttall said that he and his colleagues –Messer’s C. Balmforth and F. Micklesfield – decided to introduce some of the younger players to League football. They were not disappointed with the results and they also felt that the play and behavoiur of the young professionals who went on the American tour had further justified their confidence in them. He then spoke in optimistic terms of the outstanding promise of many of the under 18 players who took part in a tournament in Holland recently again. Continental sides. “It is possible you will be seeing some of them in the not far distant future in one or other of our senior teams” he added. Referring to next season Mr. Nuttall said that Mr. Ian Buchan who has been appointed chief coach would have complete control of that side of affairs and his advice would be sought on all matters affecting playing resources. Mr. Buchan was fully qualified to discharge his duties to the satisfaction of all with Everton’s interest at heart. “In addition” he continued “Mr. Harold Pickering has been appointed administration Officer and with these two officials –not forgetting the secretary Mr. W. Dickinson –we have a team of officers second to none in their respective spheres.
“High Optimism”
“With their combined efforts plus the wholehearted support of every member of the Board we can look to the future with a high degree of optimism. Mr. Nuttall said that the policy would be to give every encouragement to younger players, all of whom would be looked upon as potential members of the first team. All the club’s resources and every modern method of training and coaching would be at the disposal of these and other members of the playing staff. The emphasis in future would be on fitness and playing merit. The new gymnasium would afford every facility for fitness and there was an enthusiasm spirit abroad throughout the club, from the chairman sown to the most junior player and he was not apprehensive about the future. Mr. Nuttall added that at the moment the club had 26 full time professionals, 14 part timers, and nine professionals in the Forces. Since March they had signed as full time player Payne from Liverpool, Loader from Barry, Haughey from Larkhill Thistle and J.D Williams a former amateur also G. Williams (Bradford City) and Ian Smith (Chorley) as part-timer. Five players from the existing junior staff had also signed as part-time professionals. These were T. Gannon, B. Griffiths, J. W. Gregory, H.A Llewellyn, and J.A. King.
Floodlighting
An exhaustive survey of the new floodlighting scheme was given by Mr. F. Micklesfield, chairman of the committee which has the matter in hand. The details which he gave appeared in this column a month or so ago. Mr. Micklesfield dealt with the subject in a most lucid and informative fashion and made it clear that Everton’s floodlights when complete will be the best in the country, giving light one-third brighter than at Sheffield Wednesday which at the moment is the best in the country. Indeed to impressed one other which been with Everton plans that several intend to follow their example including Manchester United and Bolton Wanderers. He explained the steps being taken by the club to guard against any possibility of mishaps if it failed and connected by stating that he would be glad to show any interested shareholders over the ground and explain the nature of the work.
Mr. Ernest Green spoke briefly of the recent tour of America and Canada and told shareholders of the praise showered on the club for the standard of play and behavior of the players. Mr. Green also paid a tribute to the informative speeches of his colleagues and said in his long experience it was one of the best meetings of shareholders he had known.
A Loyal Board
Mr. R.E. Searle, the chairman agreeing with Mr. Green’s remarks said that he had a hard-working and loyal board behind him, and was proud to be associated with such colleagues. Answering a question as to the distribution of tickets for the directors box, Mr. Searle said that the Board were already considering a scheme by which they hoped that shareholders would, on a rota basis be able to sit in the directors’ box. It was also proposed to improve the club’s programme though that might mean the price would go up to sixpence. Answering another question he said that only five teams would be run next season. The two retiring directors Messrs R.E. Searle and F. Micklesfield were automatically re-elected and Mr. John Taylor, chairman of Everton Shareholders Association for the past six years was chosen to fill the vacancy which arose through the death of Mr. Albert N. Denaro. Originally there were three nominations for this, but Messrs R.A. Joynson and W.H. Sawyer withdrew their names sometime ago in order that Mr. Taylor could go forward unopposed. The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman and board, with which was counted an expression of appreciation to Mr. Ernest Green, the former chairman for his work for the club while in that position.
June 1956