EVERTON IN RACE FRO BRIAN PILKINGTON
Wednesday, March 1 1961. The Liverpool Daily Post
BLACKPOOL AND BOLTON AGREE TO PAY £20,000 FEE FOR WINGER
By Horace Yates
Everton last night were believed to have joined Blackpool and Bolton in a three-club race for the signature of Brian Pilkington, Burnley’s England international outside-left.  The announcement that Blackpool had agreed terms was the first indication that Burnley were willing to part with a player who was expected in some quarters to be a member of their Cup side on Saturday.  Following this Mr. John Carey, Everton manager, dashed over to Turf Moor, where Burnley Reserves were playing Liverpool Reserves, and it was not an interest in Pilkington that prompted the journey it is difficult to imagine an alternative, Mr. Carey had still not returned to his Southport home at 1 a.m today so that confirmation of the extent of the Everton interest could not be established.  I understand that both Blackpool and Bolton have agreed to pay the fee in excess of £20,000 which Burnley demanded and that he is to visit both towns to-day.  The duration of Mr. Carey’s activities suggest that it will be no fault of his if Goodison Park does not also figure on the list of calls to be made by Pilkington.  Everton’s search for a winger has ranged far and wide since injuries took toll of Lill, Ring and Bingham, but to each inquiry came the inevitable “not for sale.”  Pilkington undoubtedly has the sort of credentials Everton require in a player and a fee which would take Everton’s expenditure to the £270,000 mark since they embarked on a rebuilding policy with the signing of Alex parker and Eddie O’Hara in the summer of 1958.  Undoubtedly Everton would have revealed their hand before now if there had been any indication that Pilkington’s discontent would be translated into Burnley’s agreement to release him.  A Pilkington transfer at the present moment seemed scarcely likely in view of Burnley’s commitment between now and the end of the season, for in addition to League interests they are concerned in the F.A Cup, the European Cup and the Football League Cup.  When restored to the team in January, Pilkington’s two goals were instrumental in Burnley defeating Hamburg 3-1 in the first leg of the quarter final of the European Cup.  Pilkington has not been happy at Turf Moor since losing his place in the match against Everton at Goodison Park on Boxing Day after having assisted Burnley, also against Everton the previous day.  The man who has displaced him is twenty-years-old Gordon Harris.
INJURY POSITION
Mr. Carey may be excused if he permits himself the luxury of a smile to these hard times, for when he settles down to the task of nominating his team to receive Fulham on Saturday his injury position is likely to be quite a lot better.  Although Bobby Collins, Roy Vernon and Billy Bingham were receiving attention for groin trouble yesterday, the likelihood is that all will be available fir selection.  Collins has missed two of the last three matches, Bingham did not play against Bolton, Chelsea and Preston, while Vernon was reduced to half pace in the game at Deepdale last Saturday, if expectations are realised Everton would be in the position of being able to play four of their acknowledged forward line possibly enough to tilt the scale and end the depressing sequence of eight games without a victory which an aggregate of only four goals.  That is not the end of the glad innings, however, for Mickey Lill who has been inactive since his cartilage operation in October is out of hospital again, after a further operation.  I was told last night that already he has enough movement in the knee to give him a greater feeling of optimism than at any time since he became a casualty it may be quite a spell before he can lay claim to a first team place, but what a happy day it will be for club and player when he is fully fit.  When it is realised that his eight matches for the club this season he has scored a total of seven goals, it is easy to see what a surge of scoring power lies in his feet.  It is a fact that despite his long absence he still occupies third position in Everton’s list of scorers.  What a pleasant sight it was yesterday to see Tommy Ring wearing football boots again.  The Scottish outside left has waited patiently for the opportunity to get a feel of the game again for there has been almost complete inactivity since he broke his leg at Chelsea on October 1.  Although Everton continued their winning ways after that date, it is true to say that Ring has never been adequately replaced and the fear is that from existing staff no solution is at hand.  Ring, of necessity must make haste slowly and yesterday he was content to try a little dribbling with a light plastic ball, but the main thing is that he is on his feet again, as anxious to make progress as the crowd are keen to welcome him back.  There may not be much of the season left to run, if any, by the time a completely clean bill of health can be announced but after the season closes there is the trip to America which to look forward. 

BRAZILIAN TEAM TO VISIT GOODISON
Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 01 March 1961
WON N. YORK TOURNAMENT
By Leslie Edwards
Everton have arranged the most attractive friendly match ever staged in this city at Goodison Park on April 12.  That evening the Brazilian team, Bangu, who won last New York International Tourament will meet Everton who are due to play in the tournament this summer. No Brazilian team of comparable stature has ever appeared in the North before.  The game will take part in on a European tour. There is good news of Everton’s many casualties, Tommy Ring, who broke a leg at Stamford Bridge in the season, started training today; Micky Lill who is out of hoispital after a second cartilage operation is expected to train again next Monday.  Bobby Collins who has been suffering from a pulled muscle is much improved and, like Billy Bingham has good hopes of being fit for the match on Saturday against Fulham.  Vernon, who has had groin trouble, is also likely to be fit.

FIELDING IS THE NINTH
Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 01 March 1961
EX-EVERTON MEN AT HAIG AVENUE
By Michael Charters
With the signing last night of 20-years-old John Fielding, the Wigan Athletic inside forward, Southport now have nine former Everton players on their books.  Fielding whose transfer has cost Southport several hundred pounds, was with Everton four seasons as an amateur, joining them straight from school.  He moved to Wigan at the beginning of last season and several League clubs have shown interest in him, but he preferred to stay on Merseyside. 

ROY VERNON LAMENT
Friday, March 3, 1961 The Liverpool Daily Post
EVERTON ARE IN POSITION OF SUTTING DUCKS
Footballers I suppose must start by realising that as well as praise they will inevitably be the target for criticism, some of it stinging and not altogether pleasant, I don’t think I have ever quite appreciated just how closely we can resemble sitting ducks as I have during the last few nightmare weeks.  The trouble is we cannot just shrug our shoulders and shake off the criticism as we would raindrops after a storm for the simple reason that most of us admit that he brickbats are not entirely unworthy.  Yet, what can we do about it?  The only thing is to try try and try again to snap out of it, but whether it is imagination or fact I should not like to argue but the harder one tries to get back into a rhythm the more difficulty it appears to be.  You may lash the Everton players as much as you wish but you cannot, with any basis of justice, accuse them of not trying.  We are all pulling our hearts out, but the results will not come.  I make bold to say that if once we can get back to strength again there is nothing wrong that a handsome win will not put right.  We have tried to adapt our play to make the most of our strength, but never have I known opponents able to employ defence in depth against us so consistently and so dishearteningly. 
UNREWARDING LABOUR
In the happier days, which seem now to be so long ago full backs dared not desert their posts and carve up the midfield attack.  Now it appears that not only are the risks being taken but they paying dividends and for the men who are normally expected to get the goals there is sheer hard unrewarding labour.  Our scoring record tells a sorry story.  We have not enjoyed the luxury of scoring more than a single goal this year.  I have no fears for the future I am convinced that the team which looked so good against Sheffield Wednesday will look just as good again.  All I hope is that it does not take too long to see this prophecy fulfilled.  If we suffered a lean spell such as this, at the outset, when team rebuilding was under way, everybody would have taken a sympathetic view and suggested that it was merely the pangs of reconstruction that caused the breaking at the joints.  Instead we clicked like a machine almost from the word go and everybody, players included, promptly concluded that this was the pattern to be followed week in and week out.  Possibly because we have drunk so deeply of success, failure and continued failure is the more disturbing. 
INSTRUCTIONS REMAIN
In good times and bad, our instructions have remained the same.  Play football and keep on playing it” That is still our policy and of course, it is only correct one.  With talent such as we have we must win through again, but it is tiresome awaiting the day.  I wonder how many clubs there are in the League who could have sustained the injuries which have come our way, and still gone on winning all along the line.  Everton in the past have had good reason to realise just how important wingers are to a team, and if anyone ever doubted it there must have been opportunity for them to think again.  Some people are saying that our team spirit has disintegrated.  What rot! A bit of grit in the works is preventing the normal easy running, but we are not short of mechanics at Goodison Park.  Casting my mind back to the beginning of the season, I recall the words of the club chairman Mr. John Moores that he would be happy if we finished the season in the top half of the table.  We can still do that-with something to spare.  It has been galling week after week to read of our nearest competitors dropping points alongside our failures so that despite our bleak start to 1961 we still hold a highly respectable place in the table.  For all that, even an average haul from the last two months might still have seen us competing for second place.  We are not unmindful that we must call a halt to the slide now, if we are to participate in the talent money share-out but even with that incentive I cannot say that any one of us is capable of any greater effort than we have been putting in all along the line. 
AMERICAN INCENTIVE
We are all desperately keen to prove ourselves worthy of the confidence of those who chose us as the league’s representatives in America and to do that the best possible fillip would be a new surge of the early season power that kept Everton’s name in the headlines.  It seems to me that for the most part our football is still good but it has to be quicker.  At Blackpool last week we all seemed to be moving the ball beautifully and we really felt that we would put an end to our failures at Preston.  For a time it looked as though we might, but when we wanted a fair break in the luck it was not forthcoming.  We read with interest of the meeting of the managers of northern clubs at Manchester this week, in discuss the question of terms to be offered to players next season.  We are glad there has been no discussion on terms at Goodison the last few weeks, otherwise we might have found ourselves qualifying for reduction.  We have every confidence in Everton to do the right thing and the players and let us hope that when the team fighting action comes along we will be providing every encouragement for generous treatment. 

BINGHAM AND COLLINS ARE BACK
Liverpool Echo - Friday 03 March 1961
By Leslie Edwards
Strong Attack For Everton
Everton are better off for players than for months for the match to-morrow against Fulham at Goodison Park. Bingham returns on the right wing after recovering from a groin injury, Collins is back at inside right and Vernon, who had a knock at Preston, is fit.  Kavanagh, the new boy from Romford, retains his place at outside left against the club which gave him his baptism in professional football. Thus Everton's attack is composed of players none of whom hails from this city. Everton; Dunlop; Parker, Thomson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Bingham, Collins, Young, Vernon, Kavanagh.   Fulham will be without centre forward Mauirce Cook, who has pulled a calf muscle in training.  They name six forwards, with Kay and Watson added to four who played last week.  Fulham; Macedo; Cohen, Langley; Mullery, Lamps, Lowe; (from) Key, Watson, Hill, Jaynes, Johnson, Leggat.  Everton will play their F.A Youth Cup quarter-final at Sheffield Wednesday on Monday night. 

NOT PROMISING –ON THE FACE OF THINGS
Liverpool Echo - Friday 03 March 1961
Not a very promising match on the face of things, this tilt to-morrow at Goodison Park between Fulham and Everton. Fulham won their first League match this year a week ago—against Blackpool. Everton's point against Bolton Wanderers is the only one they have picked up since they won at Burnley last December. Fulham seem rated to be relegated. One who sees them week by week says they want at least three positions strengthening. They are minus Roy Bentley at centre-half back nowadays and Lampe is not proving a great successor in this position. Haynes continues to produce the spark for many of his side's attacks, but even he has gone back a bit and if my view of full-back Cohen at Middlesbrough on Wednesday is any criterion he, too, is not playing as well as a season or two ago. The great man in the defence is of course, the bullet-headed Langley, an uncompromising back whose use of the ball is as accurate as any inside forward's The return to fitness of Everton players like Vernon and Collins means that the attack, with Young settling down at long last, has a fair chance to regain its lost form. Kavanagh, the young man from Romford had, I am told, a good game at Preston so he could be the answer temporarily to the problem position of the line. Looking back over the past twelve months one marvels at the number who have occupied the position Tom Eglington held for so long. Off-hand I recall Bobby Laverick, Graham Williams, Brian Harris, Derek Temple, Billy Bingham, Tom Ring, Mickey Lill and Alan Tyrer tried there. And Ring was the only one who really filled the place adequately. The other wing position, too, has had a succession of different men. The lack of good wingers, since the injuries to Ring and Lill has cost the team a great deal. Billy Bingham's arrival only half-solved the Problem. In the circumstances it is hardly surprising that Vernon and Collins have seemed a little frustrated at the meagre return for their spade work in the centre of the park.

COSTLIEST ATTACK IN EVERTON’S HISTORY
Saturday, March 4, 1961. The Liverpool Daily Post
RETURN OF COLLINS AND BINGHAM HOISTS VALUE OF LINE’ TO £110,000
By Horace Yates
Is there anything wrong with Everton that the most expensive forward line they have ever fielded in their history cannot put right?  To-day will help to show.  This is the first time that Bingham, Collins, Young and Vernon have figured in the same attack and their signing fees add up to more than £110,000.  This is a frightening prospect for Fulham, who are near enough to the relegation zone to have genuine worries.  They have won only three games on opponents’ ground this season against twelve outright defeats, and their last away success was as long ago as October 22 when they won 3-0 at Bolton.  Admittedly Everton’s failure to score a win in eight successive matches is no testimonial to greatness, but all the way through the unproductive patch it has been considered that inability to be fully represented has played an important part in the failures.  Now, with only Lill or Ring out of the reckoning for the outside left spot, Everton must have their best chance of bringing to an end a sequence which has seemed almost endless.  It is a curious fact that whenever Young has played, Vernon, Collins, or Bingham has been absent.  The return of Bingham and Collins today gives a new and more potent appearance to the attack.  If this forward line doesn’t click then Everton will really have cause for concern, for there is no immediate prospect of either Lill or Ring being available to replace the inexperienced Kavanagh. 
GREAT OPPORTUNITY
This seems to be Everton’s great opportunity to break the spell and improve that depressing four-goals-in-eight games record, for if you look at Fulham’s performances on opponents grounds you will find their defence has conceded two goals for everyone their attack has scored.  Fulham have problems enough of their own heightened by the inability of their centre forward Maurice Cook to turn out.  He pulled a calf muscle in training and Fulham who have brought six forwards with them to Liverpool have still not decided who will wear the No.9 jersey.  Either Hill or their principal goal scorer Leggatt, is likely to be in the middle, although Fulham stated last night that the condition of the ground would be the deciding factor.  Everton supporters are still divided as to whether Young’s best position will turn out to be centre forward or inside forward.  Between Collins and Vernon he will have an excellent chance of proving that he has been under-rated in his role as leader.  I am looking to the return of Collins to revitalise the forward line.  Recovered from his leg injury, he will probably be all the better for the enforced rest he has taken and if he can strike anything like his best form it is hard to see how the whole attack will not be transformed.  Goals would do all of them a power of good especially sharpshooters like Vernon, who can point to only one score in nine outings and a first League goal for Young would also have tonic properties. 
SECOND DOUBLE?
The fact that Leicester City are engaged in the F.A Cup means than an Everton triumph will be reflected in the League table by their advancing into fifth place over Leicester.  Not only that but it will give them their second double of the season, the only one at present being scored over Blackpool.  Incidentally, it was in the game at Fulham in October, which was won 3-2 that Billy Bingham made his Everton debut.  Everton; Dunlop; Parker, Thomson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Bingham, Collins, Young, Vernon, Kavanagh.  Fulham (from); Macedo; Cohen, Langley; Mullery, Lamps, Lowe; Key, Watson, Hill, Haynes, Johnson, Leggatt. 

EVERTON SEEK THEIR SECOND DOUBLE
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 04 March 1961
STILL A CHANCE TO JOIN THE TALENT MONEY WINNERS
By Leslie Edwards

One of the oddest things about Everton's failure to win a League match this year is the fact that they still lie sixth in the table. That indicates, I think, the measure of their excellence before injuries put them on the slide. Had they not done so well they might well have been in trouble with the Prestons, Boltons, Blackpool: and Fulham: of this season.
Preston seemed certain to go down before they won three in a row, the last against Everton; Fulham, with only one victory last Saturday's -Blackpool since the New year and an ageing look about their side seem destined for another spell in the Second Division, but you can never tell and the match this afternoon will still want winning.  Fortunately for Everton they are better off for fit players than they have been for some time. With the ground firmer than for many weeks we may yet see the side repeating their excellent form of the games against Manchester United, Sheffield Wednesday, Wolves and others.  In which case Everton might conceivably get among the talent money. 
DOGGED HALF BACK
Fulham bring with them Macedo, the man from Gibraltar; Langley a great back and a perfect purveyor of passes; Haynes who can win a match off his own bat if in the mood and such well known players as Leggat, of Scotland. Cohen (who played alongside Brian Labone at Middlesbrough on Wednesday and the never, to-be-forgotten Jimmy Hill, players’ Association spokeman (and a very good one too). Eddie Lowe, the old Villa half- back, must be one of the oldest and one of the most dogged of half backs still active. I gather from one who sees Fulham week by week that Lampe is not the answer to the problem position at centre half back where Roy Bentley used to be such a fixture.
SPECIAL OCCASION
For Kavanagh, the young' Everton outside left, the occasion will be an extra special one. Fulham was the club which had him as a youngster and which let him to Romford, the Essex club from whom Everton signed here, three weeks ago. The corresponding fixture at Fulham was the debut day, for Everton, of Billy Bingham and match in which Micky Lill’s suspect cartilage asserted itself and led to his having two operations.  Fulham select their attack from six players. I don't see them comparing with Everton, much less beating them. It is possible that Leggat, not a big ‘un, will figure at centre forward, but a decision about the attack will be left until a few hours before the match.  Everton were 3-2 winners at Fulham and victory today will give them their second double of the season. 

GABRIEL SOUNDS VICTORY NOTE AT THE 87TH MINUTE
Liverpool Echo-March 04 1961
EVERTON 1 FULHAM 0
By Michael Charters
Everton; Dunlop; Parker, Thomson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Bingham, Collins, Young, Vernon, Kavavagh.  Fulham; Macedo; Cohen, Langley; Mullery, Lamps, Lowe; Watson, Hill, Legget, Haynes, Johnson.  Referee; Mr. K. Howley (Middlesbrough).   For the first time, Everton had their four big-money forwards playing together in Bingham, Collins, Young and Vernon.  There was a crowd of some 25,000 at the start to see if the combination could succeed in helping Everton to their first League win since December 27.  Fulham solved their forward problems by playing Scottish international winger Leggat at centre forward.  Everton were facing the sun, and it was quickly evident that it was going to prove troublesome as Labone misjudged a header from a long throw-in by Langley and put the ball out for a corner.  Langley started a fine Fulham move with a great Crossfield pass to Watson and Everton never property cleared the danger as Haynes pushed the ball back to Hill.  His shot from close range was well saved by Dunlop who lost the ball, but still managed to make a second save from the same player.  Fulham were playing well, with some superb passes from Haynes, being the highlight of their attacking play.  Fulham were playing far better than their lowly League position would indicate and apart from Bingham’s early shot Everton had made little headway.  Fulham, inspired by Haynes were dominating the play in midfield, moving the ball accurately but fortunately for Everton without any finish. 
FINE TACKLE
Bingham and Collins did link up well in a right wing attack and when the winger’s centre was headed out Vernon picked up the loose ball but was beaten by a fine tackle from Cohen.  Everton’s lack of snap in attack was disturbing and so far they hadn’t got going at all.  Best shot of the match came from leggat-a fierce right footer from Watson’s centre after Mullary had made the opening cleverly. 
CROWDED OUT
Young was showing touches of class on a par with anything from Haynes and he thrilled the crowd with a perfectly judged through ball for Vernon to chase but the Welshman was just held off at the last moment by the combined efforts of Lampe and Cohen.  Young and Thomson between them teed-up a chance for Vernon who miss-hit his shot wide.  The most encouraging feature from Everton’s viewpoint was the display of Young who was the one forward to cause the Fulham defence much concern.  Thomson had been having a rather unhappy game, but he produced now a superb pass for Kavanagh to race on unchallenged but the winger, trying a power drive, put the ball way beyond the far post.  Bingham and Langley were having a fascinating personal duel with the back having slightly the better of matters.  Everton were too prone to put the ball in the air where the tall Fulham defenders were in control.  Young again showed his art with a magnificent pass to Vernon who raced through only for Macedo to make a fine close range save, the ball running loose for Manley to complete the clearance. 
MOVING WELL
Everton were now moving very well as the wing-halves got a grip on the Fulham inside men and pushed through a good service to their forwards.  They were very unlucky not to go ahead when Young nodded the ball down expertly to Vernon’s feet but Lampe unwittingly got in the way of Vernon’s shot to turn the ball for a corner.  Everton were having matters all their own way now in the spell before half-time but their shooting was off.  Young and Bingham between them got the ball cross to Gabriel but his shot was high over.  Then Young and Collins lured Macedo out of goal, the ball coming back to Gabriel whose lob was heading for the net when Lampe ran back to clear.  Just on the interval Dunlop made a brave save at the feet of Johnson after a free kick but took a heavy knock in the small of the back in doing so.  He recovered after attention and when play resumed Young took advantage of a slip by Lampe to burst into the penalty area only to be obstructed by the centre half. From the indirect free-kick inside the area Collins took a short pass from Vernon but put his shot just over the top. 
Half-time- Everton nil, Fulham nil
Young received an ovation as he left the field for the interval.  He deserved it for he had been outstanding and indeed had out-shone Haynes with the ball distribution and clever touches.  Fulham started the second half with Lampe who had a leg injury at centre forward and Lowe at centre half.
SPARKLE LACKING
Langley twice caused some trouble to Everton which has long throw-ins from the region of the corner flag and Everton so far had not yet recaptured the sparkle they had shown in the last 20 minutes of the first half.  The crowd was now calling for Everton to “Get on with it.”  Certainly in this half they had not shown any drive at all so far, and Fulham, despite their re-arranged forward line, were having the better of things.  Dunlop was obviously still in some pain from the knock he had taken just before half time, and the full backs were taking the goal kicks. 
LIFELESS FORWARDS
Everton were lifeless in attack and none of the forwards seemed to be able to produce a shot of any worth-while calbre.  Everton’s fall away was remarkable.  They could hardly do anything right now, whereas before the interval they seemed to be well on top, Young lying deep, had hardly seen the ball, and there was a good deal of scrappy and indifferent play all round.  Macedo who had little to do, produced a good save as Collins shot struck Lowe in flight and was deflected away from the goalkeeper who turned and snatched it out of the air at the last second.   This had been Everton’s only worthwhile attack of this half, and at the other end Lampe was only just wide with a header.  The last Everton were putting a little more bite into their work and Macedo made a good save from Vernon after the shot had come through a crowd of players.  Everton had been most disappointing this half.  Their forwards and wing halves could not get moving with any rhythm and there was a lack of directness about their play which had the crowd groaning unhappily.  Three minutes from time Gabriel scored for Everton with a long lob from the left wing, which passed over Macedo’s head as Young challenged.  Fulham protested strongly that Young had impeded the goalkeeper but the referee stuck to his decision.  Final; Everton 1, Fulham Nil.

RING GOES FOR A TROT
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 04 March 1961
AND BRIGHTER NEWS OF LILL SAYS ALEX PARKER
Last Tuesday was a happy day for the Everton players in general and Tommy Ring in particular, for he started training again after breaking a leg last October.  Tommy, who has been wearing an elastic bandage for a few weeks, saw the specialist last Monday and received the “go ahead” to take off the bandage and start light training.  So, on Tuesday he just walked about at Bellefield; on Wednesday he tried walking up and down the terraces at Goodison; on Thursday he did some trotting-all this designed to strengthen the leg.  Although nobody has said officially when he will be playing again, my own view is that he may see him taking part in a match in about five weeks.  Our other absentee, Mickey Lill, came out of hospital last Saturday after his second operation and although he was told he could bend his leg he had to use crutches until this week-end as a precautionary measure.  Next week he will start his exercise and light training and it’s only a personal opinion again, I reckon he should be playing in about a month.  It’s been a long time for both of them and they will be very welcome members of the “fit list.”  I see that we are playing a friendly against the Brazilian team, Bangu, next month.  Last summer they won the New York soccer tournament and, as they are in the same section as Everton this year, we should get a very good idea of the standard of the opposition we are likely to meet.  We are looking forward to playing them.  While rather sorry that Brian Labone should be on the losing side at Middlesbrough last Wednesday night I was pleased that the Scottish Under-23 team beat England.  It never happened when I was playing for them. 
OLD CONTRACT
Stan Bentham our trainer, told me that when he went to visit his mother recently she gave him a pile of old papers and documents for him to go through and, if necessary throw away.  Among them was a copy of the agreement he signed when he joined Everton as a player in February, 1934- 18 months before I was born.  In view of the talk about players’ contracts this season it makes interesting reading.  On the cover it is marked “Agreement for hire of players.”  It is laid out in typical stilted fashion and says “An agreement made the 12th day of February, 1934 between Thos H. McIntosh of Liverpool in the County of Lancashire on behalf of the Everton Football Club of Liverpool of the one part, and Stanley Joseph Bentham of 16 Beech Avenue, Lowton, near Warrington in the County of Lancashire.”  It then gives about two foolscap sheets of printed matter on the details of the agreement, which includes passages like; “The player hereby agrees to play in an efficient manner and to the best of his ability for the club.”  Another part reads; “The player shall do everything necessary to get and keep himself in the best possible condition so as to render the most efficient service to the club, and will carry out all the training and other instructions of the club through its representative officials.” 
NO CARS?
Agreement 7a states; “The player will at all times during the continuance of this agreement abstain from driving or riding upon a motor cycle or motor cycle combination and will not do perform, or be concerned in any act or conduct whatsoever calculated to render him incapable of performing his duties to or playing in any of the matches of the club. It's a good job it doesn't say anything to -day about driving cars. The part I found most interesting, and which will probably arouse most discussion, is part 8. It says; “In connection of the observance by the said player of the terms, provision and conditions of this agreement, the said Thos. H. McIntosh on behalf of the club agrees that the said club agrees that the said club shall pay to the said player the sum of £5 per week from February 12. 1934 to May 5, 1934.” The following has been added in ink: "With £1 extra when playing in first team."
I don't think anybody could ever accuse Stan of breaking anything in that contract. He has been with Everton now tor 27 years and is still fit enough to take part in practice matches and show us a thing or two Considering the lapse of 27 years the present contract is not a great deal different, although the wages have  gone up a little? 

EXPECT THE REAL EVERTON NEXT SEASON
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 04 March 1961
By Jimmy Armfield
Success in soccer con be very sweet. Apart from the jingle of money there are hosts of new friends and a lot of publicity. The room at the top is indeed a gaily decorated one. Failure is bitter at most times. It is even more bitter if people are so disinterested that they cease to care. Fortunately for my club, Blackpool, and that club of great traditions, Everton, our failures lately have not lost us the sympathetic understanding of the true fan. In a wav there is a great similarity between Blackpool and Everton, Injuries cost Blackpool a shocking start so the season and imposed on us a handicap that we have not been able to shake off. Injuries have hit Everton when they were riding high and now both clubs are experiencing that old bogy of nothing going right for the team that struggles.
Blackpool prayed one of their best games against Fulham last Saturday. yet we lost 4-3. In midfield we Everton must feel the same. Since they lost their wingers through injury they have struggled and shuffled a bid to keep going. But a losing sequence was on the cards. Fortunately for them the lose of points doesn't show so badly in the League table. They have no relegation struggle on their hands.
A REAL FORCE
Unkind folk have laughed about Everton and pointed to all the money that has been spent. They have talked about buying success and pointed out the clubs that have failed this way. Personally I have never reckoned that Everton would hit the top spots this season, even had there been no crippling injuries. I think next season will be Everton's. This has been a testing one. By next season they will have blended all those stars together. They will have the injured fit again and they will then be a real force.  The super Spurs weren't made in one season, you know. Last term they slipped up at the last hurdle and instead of getting the double of championship and Cup they got a double nothing. But look at them now. They have blended so well that they can pace their games like expert Continentals. And they can introduce reserves without causing an upheaval or showing a rough edge in that smooth machine.

GOAL-LESS YOUNG EVERTON’S BRIGHT SPOT
Monday, March 6, 1961. The Liverpool Daily Post
VICTORY AT ALST BUT WAY AHEAD STILL LIES DARKLY
EVERTON 1, FULHAM 0
By Horace Yates
Gabriel’s goal, four minutes from the end, brought Everton victory for the first time this year, but that was just about all.  It did little to hoist the “All’s well again” signal at Goodison Park and the lost touch, so completely mislaid, is disturbingly perverse in reappearing.  Even the most representative Everton forward line to play together so far, showed none of the scoring power required of a side so loftily placed.  High promise which manifested itself in the first half was not sustained and although the only goal came in the second period that sparkle had spent itself and Everton’s satisfaction stemmed only from two points and a heart-warming exhibition by Young.  The crowd took him to their hearts as the most accompanied footballer in the side.  Almost everything he did was well done and his masterly distribution showed that his inclusion in the top rank of ball-playing centre forward was no idle flattery.  He fought for possession and often won it, and even in the air where lack of inches might considered a handicap he was by no means helpless.  Cheers for astute combination flicks this way and that ideally suited to the situation, helped us to forget that Collins is still playing himself out of a rut although more successfully on Saturday, I thought. 
NOT SO TELLING
If this was all that might be expected of a centre forward Young impact on the Goodison scene would be tremendous but leaders of attacks have scoring responsibilities and it was failure in this department which so family underlined his limitations.  On one occasion in particular, he was ideally placed in front of goal.  Speedy reaction and a telling shot must have produced genuine joy in the Everton camp.  In this instance, as in others the shot wasn’t there for before he could bring himself to make the effort quicker thought by the defence left him hopelessly stranded.  Mainly Young can make goals for more ably than he can take them.  The obvious Everton plan was that Vernon should be employed as the striker and however starved Ray may have been in the past he could make no sort of similar excuse against Fulham.  While I credit him with one of the best shots of the match which helped Macedo to live up to his high reputation, Vernon was not hitting the ball as we know he can.  Had the Welshman collected four goals, from the sort of opportunity which has been good enough for scorers in the past, this could have been a celebration for Everton, but celebrations are deferred.  Everton’s teeth have been drawn and in their absence performances must suffer.  It was at least heartening to find that attention to others gave Vernon a freedom of movement which has so often been denied him.  Of course, the forward line was more representative largely in name only, for while the programme may have shown Bingham back on the right his return was mainly in name only, for his was not a display worthy of his qualifications.  Now disturbing to find Langley with speed enough to handle Bingham with the greatest comfort” Possibly Everton’s needs have resulted in the winger’s reappearance before he is able to do himself justice and undoubtedly he will be better for the game.  Kavanagh may not be the heaven-sent answer to the prayer for a successor to Ring, but that seemed to me no excuse for his being ignored so consistently by his colleagues.  So obvious was the neglect that ironic applause hardly seemed out of place when the ball found its way to him.  When he shattered everybody by taking the ball round the accomplished Cohen in the most impressive style, I think he helped to tear down the curtain of doubt most suggestively.  I do not believe it was only coincidence that took the ball over to the left more frequently after that.
HONOURS TO HAYNES
Before Fulham had to reorganise forces as a result of an injury to centre half Lampe which took Hill out of the attack, Everton’s wing halves were struggling to counter Haynes and Hill.  Haynes vied with Young for the forward honours because of his reading of the situations.  He was always placing the ball accurately and menacingly to positions where it could best be employed but whether it was the injury to Lampe which upset them, or a mistaken view that one point was as much as they could expect to earn, I don’t know, but they abandoned a flowing style which had believed their desperate League placing and appeared quite content to share a goalless draw.  In the event they lost their poise and with Everton unable to counter the defensive strategy, play turned sour and an entertaining beginning was almost forgiven in the disappointment of subsequent events.  Times there were when Everton bad every reason to be thankful for the accomplished tackling of Parker and the complete reliability of Dunlop for Thomson’s struggle to make himself at home in the harder school of English soccer, plainly is not yet over.  Leggat, in the emergency role of centre forward rarely caused Labone any serious concern and it must be a worrying thought to Everton that against a team which may yet have its work cut out to stay in the First Division their passing to victory could hardly have been more precarious.  Fulham disputed headedly the referee’s decision to award a goal to Gabriel from a long distance lob, which passed just under the bar claiming that Young had interfered with Macedo’s freedom of movement.  Everton; Dunlop; Parker, Thomson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Bingham, Collins, Young, Vernon, Kavanagh.  Fulham; Macedo; Cohen, Langley; Mullery, Lampe, Lowe; Watson, Hill, Leggat, Haynes, Johnson.  Referee; Mr. K. Howley (Middlesbrough).  Attendance 36,040. 

REFEREE HOWLEY WAS QUICK ON THE DRAW
Liverpool Echo - Monday 06 March 1961
By Leslie Edward
The goal which gave Everton their first League win this year and which caused Fulham to drop further into trouble come three minutes from the end. Gabriel put the ball into orbit almost haphazardly towards goal; Young moved in to try to reach it, and Macedo, embarrassed by the centre forward's close proximity, took his eye off it and to everyone's surprise (not least Gabriel’s) allowed it to pass over his head and into the net. Referee Howley signalled a score; Fulham seeing no linesman's flag raised, concentrated their protests on the referee and made them vehement. Just when the game seemed likely to be delayed and Hill of the Players' Association was getting a little aerated, Mr. Howley, quick on the draw, reached for his little black book. The effect was dramatic' Hill retrieved the ball, placed it on the centre spot and decided that scoring an equaliser was the only consolation his side would get. In the event Fulham went goalless, but I confess that they deserved a draw—despite the number of chances Everton missed in the first half—and that the freak goal was tainted. And that is putting it mildly. The great thing about the match was not so much that Everton won as that Alex Young blossomed in the spring sunshine for the first time since his arrival. It must have warmed his heart to hear those Evertonians roaring approval of his artistry—a contribution which might be lost on people less discerning of football finesse. Young got into the game full-bloodedly for the first time as an Everton player. His leanings against Lampe, a good head the taller, were remarkable. Two hooked passes, nearly overhead ones, opened the Fulham defence so completely the wonder was that Vernon did not score off both. Another great moment for the small, but eminently neat Scot, came when he retained possession when tackled and sped forward to clip a perfect forward pass for the Welshman, who must have had a hat-trick off these chances if he had finished as confidently as he did earlier in the season.
Worth every penny
THUS in the space of 45 minutes. Young demonstrated beyond doubt that he is going to be worth every penny the club paid for him. His sudden reversion to his best form worked to the advantage of Collins, some of whose passes in partnership with Bingham were laid to the last half-inch. But it happened that Vernon, usually a lethal finisher, could not find a way past Macedo, partly because he did not always hit the ball truly and partly because the Fulham defence covered well. The trusty Langley, an acrobatic back who won the hearts of many followers of Everton, kicked away once from the line and Lampe, before he was injured and went to hobble on the right wing, deflected the ball fortuitously for a corner in another instance. There was a somnolence about the match in the sunshine, but I don't agree that the football was typical of two sides out of form. Only punch in attack on the part of both was lacking. Everton were the more blameworthy because four or five times they made moves which satisfied us in every way—save one. This must have been their best show since victory at Burnley and with the attack functioning well at all points except, perhaps, at outside left (where Kavanagh was rarely serviced and did little when he was) the promise for the remainder of the season may not be as bleak as some of the sceptics would have us believe. But Kavanagh is obviously not sufficiently experienced and George Thomson, try as he will, just cannot get the pace he needs to enable him to succeed in his aim of careful provision of the ball. Dunlop took a sickening body-blow in collision with Johnson, a hard-working left winger, close on the interval, and it says something for his courage that he soldiered on uncomplaining, though obviously hurt. His most valuable work had been done earlier.
A word in season
ODDLY, Fulham did best in defence when Lampe was forced to allow "old man Lowe" to take over, Hill going to wing half back. The bearded Hill, a great club man, had a word to say to a section of the Everton crowd which baited him, and it was significant that that word seemed to quieten them! It must have been galling for Fulham, struggling at the foot of the table, to lose the match so late and by such a goal. They did not play like a relegation side; indeed; at times, they looked a better team than their opponents. Their supremacy came mostly in the second half, which got the crowd restive because of Everton's inability to take the initiative. Second to the pre-eminent Young was full back Langley. Here is one of the few personalities left in the game; a character in every way. He played hard and well; took defeat with good grace and was seen shaking hands with the referee and linesmen as he left the field. That is the Corinthian spirit we see too rarely. Bingham's play showed that he is fully fit again. He is adept at slipping a pass or slipping into position quickly to receive one. His work with the busy Collins, who ran himself into the ground in his effort to get the line functioning properly, was first-class, and may we see many more seasons of it. Vernon's positional sense is as well developed as Bingham's. The pity is that where he was taking all his chances he is now, through natural anxiety, losing many of them. Labone held the perky Leggat (best, I think, when he is on the wing) admirably: Gabriel got nearer to his real form: Brian Harris had spells when nothing would go right, Fulham's Haynes proved that his reputation is well based. He did very little wrong. The trouble was that the Fulham line had no penetration to complete attacks which looked full of promise. The firmer grounds may suit Everton. They turned the corner with this win. I think they will maintain their place or better it between now and the end of April. 
Everton’s Youth team for their rearranged Youth Cup match tonight at Sheffield Wednesday, is; Mailey; Parnell, Gannon; Jarvis, Gorrie, Sharples; Chesters, Tyrer, Webber, Morton, Edwards. 

EVERTON DRAW IN DULL GAME
Wednesday, March 7, 1961. The Liverpool Daily Post
YOUTH CUP
Sheffield Wednesday 0, Everton 0
It was a just result though Everton failed to take advantage of a ten minute second-half spell when Wednesday’s goalkeeper Jones was off the field.  He fell awkwardly and right back Hickton had to take over.  There was little to choose between the teams for both failed badly in front of goal and neither goalkeeper had to save a direct shot.   Morton did put the ball into the Wednesday net, but was well offside and ten minutes from the end Webber again put the ball past Jones and again was given offside.  The nearest to an Everton goal came just before half-time when Morton put in a left-foot effort from close range after Webber’s low drive had been deflected and Jones stuck out a foot to keep out Morton’s first time shot.  At the other end Gorrie stopped the ball on the goal-line with Malley out of position when Storf drove in at angle, but it was mostly pretty dull. 
SOME IMPROVEMENT
After the interval there was some improvement and Edwards showed skill in dribbling round Hickton only to trickle the ball gently to Jones.  At time Everton’s interception cut all contact between the Wednesday half-backs and the attack, but there was excitement in the Everton goal when Jack McAneraney, brother of Wednesday’s first team right half lobbed the ball over Mailey, but Parnell headed off the line.  The ball went to Lockwood whose return header hit the crossbar.  Generally Everton moved quicker than Wednesday and often showed more accurate ball distributions but with pivot Hennigan keeping a close watch on Webber, Everton lacked a speathead.  Sheffield Wed; Jones; Hickton, Lee; Radford, Hennighan, Eustace, Denton, McAnetney, Lockhead, Meechen, Storf.  Everton; Mailey; Parnall, Gannock; Jarvis, Gorrie, Sharples; Chester, Tyrer, Webber, Morton, Edwards. 
EVERTON –VILLA GAME ARRNAGED
Everton have arranged to play Aston Villa at Goodison Park on Wednesday, March 22 (7-30) In the First Division match postponed from January 14 because of fog. 

YOUR COLUMN
Liverpool Echo - Tuesday 07 March 1961
By Leslie Edwards
I have been reading sport in the Echo for the past 40 years, and this is my first letter to you.  Players I would buy would have to be good, big ones on and off the field, with the essential team spirit, I felt strongly about Jimmy Harris, because next to Cliff Jones he is one of the best outside rights in the country.  He took over the centre forward position to help out after Hickson went, and what do they do but buy two more outside rights, when the main need was for a centre forward and outside left.   I can’t see Vernon or Collins improving until we get another Harris to bustle the defences a bit.  Of the old regime we only have Tommy Jones and Brian Harris left.  How much longer will we have them?  I was on Everton’s books at 15 ½ after being captain of Bootle’s School-boys team for two years, so I did a bit in my days-W. Shaw, 13 Lorne Street, Chester. 
In my opinion if Dennis Law is valued at £53,000 by Manchester City, the £25,000 Everton paid for Bobby Collins must surely have been only a deposit.  And I am not biased.- R. Davies, Holmrook Road, West derby.
When I last wrote to the Echo it was to your father.  Since reading L.A Walton’s letter, I feel I must write to say I agree with every word he writes.  Jimmy Harris received no credit for the tremendous amount of work he used to get through.  No defence could take it easy while he was around.  There is no doubt that some strange things have been done in team selection.  Surely if the left winger is hurt the man holding the position in the reserves should be put in?  He may lack experience but the first team is the ideal place in which to get it.  It seems to me that playing a right-footed man out of position on the left pays no dividends.  You say in your reply to Mr. Walton that injuries are the reason for Everton’s decline.  May I point out that the vital injuries happened before Harris left the club and they were doing quite well until he did leave-Harry Jones, Hull’s Farm, Wood Plumpton, near Preston. 

TOMMY EGLINGTON RETIRES
Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 08 March 1961
With one winger likely to on Tranmere, there is news to-day of another winger leaving. He is Tommy Egiington, the former Ireland and Everton outside left, who has decided to retire at the end of the season and return to Dublin, where he has a butcher's shop. Eglington's decision is not unexpected, of course, for it was thought he might have retired a year ago. I understand that he was anxious about his young son's education as he was happy at a Birkenhead school, but now he feels that the time has come to end his playing days.  Eglington has been in English football for 15 years and joined Everton about the same time as Peter Farrell came over the Irish Sea. Their careers with Everton ran parallel and both gave great service to both Everton and Tranmere. Eglington, one of the fastest wingers in the game and a superb left foot shot, played games for his country and just missed by one match the honour of receiving the famous Silver Shamrock, which only three other players have been awarded—Everton chief John Carey, former Aston Villa star, Con Martin and Farrell. Tommy joined Tranmere from Everton in 1957 and immediately became a great favourite with the Prenton fans, who will join Everton supporters in wishing him all good wishes in his new business life.

NO CONTACT LENSES IN THEIR DAY…
Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 08 March 1961
By Leslie Edwards
I know of no goalkeeper in current soccer, who plays in spectacles.  Yet between Wars there were two- J.F. Mitchell of Manchester City, and Gordon Menham of Everton.  Both were amateurs.  I suppose the explanation for the absence of bespectacled players is the invention of the contact lens which is moulded to fit over the eye-ball and is used frequently by players other than those between the sticks.  I should have thought that playing in spectacles in days when centre-forwards were rougher than they are now would have been an unwarrantable risk for goalkeepers.  But Gordon Menham assured me that his specs were never once broken and that the worst that happened was that they were sometimes flicked, by an opponent or the ball, into the back of the net.  He assured me also that he felt quite safe from injury when wearing glasses because his nose (like mine a quite prominent proboscis!) shielded his specs from the major part of the impact.  There was an occasion when he was playing for Everton when the ball dragged unexpectedly in the mud with the result that his dive at the feet of the oncoming forward fell a bit short.  The attacker hit the shot straight into his face, and Gordon swallowed in one go, the hard mint sweet he had been sucking!  His eye were tearful for the next ten minutes and no wonder. 
Fit as Ever
Gordon now divides his week-ends at Clady into Saturday golf and Sunday gardening.  He looks fit as ever.  There must be something about golf which keeps famous players of the past so young, so svelte.  Kenneth Cranston, who always played his sport for the sport of it, is another who takes solace and sunshine from an occasional round.  Like Dick Uren, the former English Rugby player and yachtsman, he could be very good indeed as it if he cared to take it more seriously.  Gordon Hurst, as faithful a servant as Charlton Athletic ever had among many faithful servants like Sam Bartram) Bert Shreeve and the rest is a Lancashire, born at Oldham.  Now he wants to come home again and, after three years’ experience with Turnbridge Wells United as player-manager in the First division of the Southern League, is looking for a similar post in Lancashire.  At Tunbridge Wells he was running three teams.  During the War, while still at School Gordon played for Oldham Athletic in the Northern Section of the War-time League before joining the Forces.  His registration pulsed and, when demobbed he was signed by Charlton.  That was in 1946.  “I have made many friends in the south,” says Gordon” but there is nowhere down here that has real friendless of Lancashire folk.  I believe I have a few seasons of good football left in me and I would like to end my playing days in my own county.  “I have often told them down here that they do not know half as much about the game as the people in the Midlands and the North.”  He has been coaching at schools in West Kent and has been team-building at Tunbridge Wells on a shoestring budget. 
Everton’s current team does not satisfy captious critic G. Duke, of 88, Railway Road, Rock Ferry.  He writes; “The more I see of the game the more I become inclined to think that the management has poor soccer sense.  The mistakes they are making are appalling, especially in buying mediocre players far above the player’s true worth.  The typical example was the buying of Alex Young, who was supposed to be the goal getter centre-forward the club needed.  Everyone, apart from the management knew at the time that he is not, and never was, a goal-getter.  The management got rid of Hickson, who is a goal-getter.  They also signed Thomson, one of the slowest tacklers I have ever seen.  When they signed Gabriel the signing was not immediately required because both Meagan and Brian Harris were playing well at the time.  In fact, Harris was the best player in the club, yet he was dropped to make way for the newcomer.  The club admitted the error when bringing him back into the side.  “Everton have not score more than a single goal in a League match since as far back as Boxing Day.  The victory against Fulham was a hollow one because Fulham must be the worst side in the Division, although the injury to centre-half Lampe made things difficult for them.  “While admitting that injuries to Lill and Ring have hit Everton’s performances to a certain degree, better use could still be made by the management of the material available.” 

LICENCE FOR “DIXIE"
Liverpool Echo - Thursday 09 March 1961
Former England and Everton footballer, William Ralph ("Dixie") Dean, was granted a music license in respect of his hotel, the Dublin Packet, in Chester Market Square, by Chester Licensing Magistrates to-day. Mr. Dean told the court that he intended to install a TV set which would be used mainly for sporting programmes.

EVERTON’S ROY VERNON SAYS-
Friday, March 10, 1961. The Liverpool Daily Post
ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN BUT DIVISION ONE CLUBS SUPREME
Soccer players generally, will be very pleased that the League are trying to put their Cup competition on its feet.  We would not like to see it fail, even though it adds to the number of matches in a programme which many consider is already too long.  It is a remunerative competition so far as we are concerned, but that is not the only factor which appeals.  As the Cup gathers glamour I think it could provide the spur in the first half of the season for great accomplishments to follow.  I will be candid.  So far as our experience went the games were nothing like as normal League fixtures and certainly not as tough as F.A Cup meetings can be.  The obvious reply is that tough or not we still went out of the competition to Shrewsbury Town.  Against that there is no arguing, by by that time Everton were well into the difficult patch, which has proved so lengthy and so disappointing.  You may point to Barnsley and their wonderful record in the Cup but I still contend that for all the occasional turn-ups the gulf between First Division football and that of the Third and Fourth has never been greater in my experience.  Accidents will happen, I know, and the chance of fame and fortune which the F.A Cup competition provides is the greatest incentive in football, but as a general rule I do not hesitate to say that a First Division side should beat a Third or Fourth Division team eight times out of ten.  Some of the leading clubs in the Second Division would undoubtedly give a good account of themselves in the higher sphere but their numbers are not great.  You will probably say that I should be the last to talk about footballing standards in view of the way Everton have performed this year. 
SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT
But, it is a passing phase.  Admittedly it is taking longer than we had hoped to clear itself, but I thought there were definite signs of improvement against Fulham and if I had scored three goals as I should have done most people would have gone away from Goodison Park saying that at last Everton were themselves again.  We will not always miss the goals and from my point of view I cannot remember receiving a better service if we go on playing like that with just a bit better finish the goals will flew again and everybody will be happy.  It is good to see both Tommy Ring and Mickey Lill back in training but I don’t think we can count on either of them making a bid for a team place just yet.  When we get a clean bill of health with competition for places as its height then it will be like old times again.  Unfortunately there will not be very much of the season left.  One can understand Preston’s anxiety to avoid the big drop into Division Two for records show us that relegation can have an unsetting effect on their ideas.  They went down in 1912 were promoted in 1913, relegated in 1914 and promoted in 1915.  Apparently they were the old time counterparts of “Yo-yo” Sheffield Wednesday.  I was reminded the other day of the instable appetite this game of football has for its employees when we fell to discussing the struggle Luton Town are having to face these days.  Only two years ago they were at Wembley to the Club final. 
SCORING ASHWORTH
Today they include only two members of the team in their side-Bob Moreton and John Groves –and we find our former colleague.  Alec Ashworth scoring goals regularly for them.  It is curious that Alec has already scored many more League goals for Luton than he did for Everton.  He is such a wonder who roams the field at will looking for opportunities that it is hardly surprising he has run into a goal stream.  I don’t know whether the same though has occurred to you, but he reminds me very forcibly in style of Sheffield United’s Billy Russell; an old schoolboy colleague of mine who has also hit the scoring lack-spot this season. Another ex-Evertonian who has found goals easier to come by since he changed clubs is Jimmy Harris.  His tally with Birmingham is already greater this season than his haul for us, although he has been helped by having the role of penalty-taker thrust upon him.  It often happens that way.  A change of club can bring about a change of luck. 
DOUBLE IN SIGHT
What a great side Spurs have proved themselves this season.  I admit I was not tremendously impressed with their possibilities when they struggled to victory over us at the opening of the season, but time has answered all criticism and now they must rank with the greatest teams of all time.  They are just the sort of club to prove wrong these who say that a Cup and League double is impossibility in these modern days, mainly because of the risk of failing between two stools. A team really has to be outstanding to withstand the fire of Cup and League competitions, but so far out in front are Spurs now that they can almost afford to stop worrying about the championship and puts all their eggs into the Cup basket. 

J.F. MITCHELL, BUSINESSMAN
Liverpool Echo - Friday 10 March 1961
By Leslie Edwards
When I wrote this week about the bespectacled goalkeeper, J.F. Mitchell I never dreamed his name would crop up again within twenty-four hours, but it did.  Mr. Jimmy Lloyd, one of the sports-loving sons of that wonderful Wallasey character, Mr. Harry Lloyd, came in yesterday to tell me that on Wednesday, at Blackpool, he had been listening to “JF” addressing-and very wittily –the convention of business men from the shoe industry, former schoolmaster J.F Mitchell won a full cap for England and played for Preston N.E, in the Cup Final of 1922- the one in which W.H. Smith, of Huddersfield was tripped by full-back Hamilton.  When next these teams met in the final, the penalty trip was reversed in extra-time.  This time it was by Alf Young, of Huddersfield, on George Mutch who was later to help Liverpool as a war-time guest. 
Everton whose Youth Cup replay against Sheffield Wednesday at Goodison Park next Thursday ( 7 p.m) is creating much interest, may well win at Maine Road tomorrow.  But they cannot afford to miss as many chances as they did against Fulham.  They were lucky to take both points then and we could do with a solid win to confirm the view that now Young is settling down to English football the side is likely to revert to its pre-Christmas form.  A good deal depends on who can shackle Law, a menace who can, like Liddell of old, win a match single-handed within a few minutes.  A basic tactic against City must always be care to see that Law does as little damage as possible, just as teams who play Everton appreciate that they must take special precautions against Collins and Vernon. 
EVERTON UNCHANGED AT MAINE ROAD
SEVEN CHANGES BY CITY
Everton make no change in the side which beat Fulham for the visit tomorrow, to Manchester City.  Brian Harris had a slight chill earlier in the week but is quite well again.  Alex Young returned today after playing a match for the Army.  Tom Ring and Mickey Lill are both in light training, but their complete recovery is of necessity a pretty long job.  Everton; Dunlop; Parker, Thomson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Bingham, Collins, Young, Vernon, Kavanagh.  Manchester City make seven changes, Trauntmann is in goal after missing two games with influenza to replace Fleet.  Barnes is at right half in place of Shawcross, who switches to left half for Oakes, and in the forwards Barlow moves to his normal right-wing position to allow for the return of Baker.  Law plays inside right with Hayes, recovered from injury, at inside left.  Manchester City; Trauntmann; Leivers, Betts; Barnes, Plenderleigh, Shawcross; Barlow, Law, Baker, Hayes, Wagstaff. 

MEMORIES OF COLLINS
Saturday, March 11 1961. The Liverpool Daily Post
By Horace Yates
Manager John Carey, I am told, was one of those who saw reason for optimism in Everton’s home win against Fulham last week, a belief which is confirmed by the announcement of an unchanged side to visit Manchester City.  Earlier in the season these two sides provided one of the finest exhibitions of football to have been seen at Goodison Park for many years.  Although in the end Everton won 4-2, City emerged with credit from the match.  If anyone at that stage, with Denis Law showing unmistakeable signs of class, had suggested that only a few months later the team would be struggling just three points better off than the bottom club, he would have been laughed to scorn.  Still that is the grim fact City have to face and although Everton are worried about their slide from bright beginnings, they are doing if from a position of security.  It was at Maine Road in 1958 that Bobby Collins made his Everton debut and a brilliant debut it was.  His display showed what treats were in store for Everton followers and it has been a promise amply fulfilled.  If Collins should choose today to slip back into that happy rhythm what a tonic it would be for his club, but simultaneously.  What a problem it would pose for City. 
FAITH IN THOMSON
MR. Carey Shows great faith in the ability of Thomson to measure up to requirement in spite of several disappointments, and while most people would agree that Tommy Jones might be a sounder choice at this moment, obviously the longer view is being taken.  Thomson, I feel, is trying to play too much football before he has mastered the defensive art, but it might be a good thing for him to remember that many full backs have long been respected members of team for their defensive qualities, but few hard survived for very long on an attacking reputation when tackling was below par.  In the present forward set-up it appears that Vernon is the man being looked to for the goals.  I hope he can show that confidence is not misplaced today.  City ring the chances in seven positions, but that is not as bad as it sounds.  Everton have not earned a point away from home since they took two from Burnley on December 26, and today they have the opportunity to begin the climb to rehabilitation.  Manchester City;- Trauntmann; Leivers, Betts; Barnes, Plenderleth, Shawcross; Barlow, Law, Baker, Hayes, Wagstaffe.  Everton; Dunlop; Parker, Thomson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Bingham, Collins, Young, Vernon, Kavanagh. 
Everton Reserves (v) Leeds United; Griffiths; Green, Gannon; Meagan, Jones, Sharples; Morton, Temple, Wignall, Tyrer, Edwards. 

BLUES SHOOTING LACKS STRENGTH AND DIRECTION
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 11 March 1961
MANCHESTER CITY 2, EVERTON 1
By Michael Charters
Manchester City; Trauntmann; Leivers, Betts; Barnes, Plenderleith, Shawcross; Barlow, Law, Baker, Hayes, Wagstaff.  Everton; Dunlop; Parker, Thomson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Bingham, Collins, Young, Vernon, Kavanagh.  Referee; Mr. A.W Sparling (Grimsby).  
There were plenty of Everton supporters among the crowd of approximately 30,000 at Maine Road. City made seven changes from last week's side, but Everton made no team changes. The ground was quite firm and the awkward bounce of the ball set an immediate problem.  But Everton made a sensational start with Young getting the ball in the city net from Vernon’s pass only to find the linesman flagging for offside.  It must only have been a decision of a couple of inches, Wagstaffe made a fine run of 50 yards to cut inside to lay on a chance for Law, whose shot rebounded off Labone to Baker who hit the ball wide. 
YOUNG’S MOVE
The players were having difficulty in judging the strength of their passes and one effort from Law, intended for Barlow, fairly whistled along and gave the winger no chance at all of collecting it.  Everton were playing quite well and Young gathered the ball brilliantly with Prenderleith and Leivers almost sandwiching him.  The centre forward slipped the ball between them and broke clear into the penalty area, but in trying to place his shot just inside the far post, saw the ball go inches wide.  Wagstaff was having a good game on City’s left wing, but Kavanagh was not having much success against Leivers. 
It was Wagstaffe who engineered City’s next raid, pushing the ball through well for Hayes but the inside man pushed it too far and the ball ran to Dunlop. 
PASS INSIDE BACK
Young was dropping back into his own half to pick up passes and distributing the ball beautifully, so that at the moment Everton held the upper hand without troubling Trauntmann.  It was City, however, who looked the more likely to score when Hayes got Barlow away with a pass inside Thomson, but the winger pushed the ball tamely straight at Dunlop.  Barnes was the brains behind City’s attacking moves and he had Everton in trouble once when he slipped into the outside right position and pushed the ball inside to Barlow, who moved it on but straight at Dunlop.  Leivers and Betts were on top of the Everton wingers, which accounted for many Everton moves breaking down as they neared the penalty area.  It was rather against the run of the play when City took the lead after 29 minutes through Shawcross.  Hesitancy by Everton’s defence allowed Baker to push the ball across to Shawcross on the edge on the penalty areas and the wing half was given time to pick his shot before hitting a fine shot into top corner of the net to leave Dunlop helpless.  Their best effort was a 25-yarder from Collins, which Trauntmann clutched, the pace of the shot turning the goalkeeper round as he held it.  Collins and Young were moving the ball well enough but there was that lack of finish which has been so evident in the last few weeks.
LINK UP
Everton’s best move for some time came when Gabriel linked up with Bingham who gave a perfect pass for the winger to chase. Ai Bingham turned the ball inside Plenderleith stuck out a foot to divert the ball for a corner with Young just waiting for a simple chance to come his way. The City were only dangerous in flashes, but with Parker giving Wagstaffe too much room in which to work it was the young outside left who had Everton in difficulties.  From one of his crosses, Dunlop punched the ball clear and it was returned promptly by Shawcross to Law, but Dunlop made a brilliant save from close range.  At the other end Young had wonderful chance of putting Everton on level terms. A mistake by Plenderleith let Young through but with Trautmann coming out to narrow the angle, Young shot rather tamely straight at the goalkeeper. Everton could get neither direction nor strength to their shots and Collins ballooned one over the bar as he tried a first- timer from Bingham's cross. Had they possessed one forward with a capable shot, I feel sure Everton would have been well in front this half instead of being a goal down.
Half-time; Manchester City 1, Everton 0.
Within seconds of the restart Everton were level From the kick-Off Collins pushed down to Young, who lobbed it forward to Vernon. Vernon dispossessed Barnes and lobbed the ball cleverly over Trautmann, head as the goalkeeper moved out.
OFF THE LINE
Everton deserved this equaliser and within a minute almost went in front.  From Collins long corner kick Kavanagh raced in and volleyed the ball to beat Trautmann, but Betts cleared off the line. This goal put Everton even more on top, territorially than they had been before. They were moving quite well in midfield, and City were pinned on defence for some minutes. When City did shake off this Everton pressure. Hayes took the ball on to lob it across goal for Law to make acacrobatic header which went wide of the post with Dunlop scrambling across for it.  Then Young had his third chance of a goal when Vernon got the ball across to him and beat Trautman with the centre but Young trying to place the ball instead of hitting it hard, gave Trautmann time to recover and make a save when could have got the ball at all.  It did not seem possible he was rather surprised that City did not give more of the ball to Wagstaffe who had Parker in trouble more than any other winger I have seen this season.  He once slipped through the Everton defence, but just as he was about to shoot Labone flicked the ball away for Parker to complete the clearances.
BETTS CARRIED OFF
Betts was hurt when he collided with Collin, but played on after attention, although very dazed. Shortly afterwards after heading the ball he collapsed and was carried off on a stretcher. When the game restarted Young had his fourth chance of a goal but again was too slow to hit Vernon's pass first time and the ball was scrambled away by the Cite defence. Shawcross moved to left back in the absence of Betts, with Law at wing half. It was all Everton now playing against ten men, and Bingham fired into the side netting after Collins and Vernon had worked the ball through between them.  Had Everton's shooting, and Young's in particular, been any good at all they have had this game well won by now. Vernon hit a free kick straight at the goalkeeper and then Plenderlelth turned away, a header from Bingham just before it reached Young.
FIGHT BACK
Betts returned after 12 minutes.  It may well have been that Everton had lost the chance of winning this match while Betts was away for immediately on his return City began to fight back.  Wagstaffe. again with plenty of room as Parker lay off, got the ball across and Gabriel misheaded the ball out of Dunlop's hands but Labone had dropped back on the goal line and headed clear.  Vernon scored for Everton after Gabriel had pushed the ball through, Trautmann making a full-length save to touch the ball on to the outside of the upright for a corner.  Five minutes frons the end Baker put City ahead after a right wing corner, Barlow headed the back into the middle and Baker had the simple job to divert it into the net.  Final;- Manchester City 2, Everton 1.  Official Attendance 29,751.

YOUNG SHOWED HIS CLASS
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 11 March 1961
HE DELIGHTED FANS, SAYS ALEX PARKER

IT was a very happy bunch of Everton footballers who walked off Goodison Park last week after beating Fulham. I know we did not play as well as we have done, but that victory did more for our confidence than it we had played brilliantly and lost. Many people said we were lucky to win, but I feel that if we had scored one or two in the first half, as we should have done, we could well have banged in four or five. When I saw that the ball did not appear likely to go in, I thought that if we were to win it would have to be a lucky goal to do the trick, and so it proved. Apart from the ending of our long run of non-success, I thought the best thing of the match from Everton's point of view was the brilliant first half show of Alex Young, who showed that there are very few better footballers to-day.
HIS OVATION
I thought some of his touches were magnificent, and obviously many of the crowd thought the same, judging by the ovation they gave Alex at halt-time. It was a very nice gesture and should give or centre forward a lot of confidence. When he has left the Army, we should see a great deal more of that class of football, for although the Army are good enough to let him off to play, the amount of travelling Alex has to do is not the best training for 90 minutes of First Division soccer. Still it doesn't seem to be having a great effect on his speed.  I’ll admit he is much faster than I thought.  Those of you who were at the match may remember a passing movement Alex and I were involved in which received a fair round of applause from the people in front of the main stand. Well, I’ll confess that Alex deserves 9o per cent, of the credit for it. 
HIS SPEED
I gathered the ball on the wing and started to move forward when Alex shouted for the ball. I slipped it inside to him, ran on and suddenly found the ball back at my feet. The amazing thing was that I didn't have to hold it and wait for Alex to take up position for the return.  As soon as I got it, he was alongside me waiting for the ball again. In other words, although he passed the ball he was level with me by the time I got it and, believe me, he must have been moving to do that. It happened three times in the same movement. I would like to leave soccer for a while and talk about something I confess don't know a great deal about—Rugby League. A 19 - years - old player named David Goddard broke his neck playing in a Liverpool City A v. Oldham A match, and the Liverpool City, Supporters' Club have launched an appeal for the player. As part of it, they arranged a darts match between a team of Liverpool City and Oldham papers against a side chosen from Everton and Liverpool footballers, and that is why, last Wednesday evening, Tommy Ring, Mickey Lill, Brian Labone., Roy Vernon, Tommy Jones, Albert Dunlop, Mick Meagan, Peter Kavanagh, Bert Slater, Dick White, Alan A’Court, Jimmy Harrower and I made our way up to the Rugby League Supporters' Club in Old Swan. We made Tommy Ring our captain and he set a really great example by losing, followed by Tommy Jones, Bert Slater and Alan A’Court. Fortunately Mickey Lill, Jimmy Harrower, Albert Dunlop (he scored the only ton of the night) and I won, so at 4-4 the stage was set for the decider.  It was decided to make this a doubles match between Brian Labone and Dick White and two Rugby players.  Our two reliable centre halves lost! You might think we are bad at soccer, but you should see us at darts. We're even worse. There were quite a number of Rugby League personalities including Gus Risman, father of Bev, the Rugby Union star who had turned professional for Leigh that same night.  I overheard one Rugby League fan say that if Bev is only half as good as his father he will be more than good enough.  Alan A’Court brought along Harry Grisedale, who told me he had been playing for Prescot Cables for 12 years.  Apparently Harry, a part-time pro, is one of the best known non-League footballers on Merseyside and I hear he has played in every position for Prescot except goal.  I don’t know any professional who can claim that distinction. 
A BLIND MAN
Another interesting personality we were talking to is 27-years-old Joe Farrell, who has been blind for 10 years, but never misses a home match at Everton.  He goes with his pal, Albert Tarleton, who describes the match to him.  Incidentally Joe is a more than useful singer, as he proved to us.  I don’t think anyone will argue when I say that Albert has proved himself a real friend to Joe who, despite his handicap, is a very cheery character.  Alan A’Court said to him: “So you manage to enjoy football matches.”  “Oh yes,” said Joe, “and I’m not biased.” “You go to both teams then,” said Alan.  Joe replied; “I certainly do,  Everton one week and Everton reserves the next.”  Even Alan saw the funny side of that one. 

EVERTON RES V LEEDS RES
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 11 March 1961
Everton Res- Griffiths; Green, Gannon; Meagan, Jones, Sharples; Morton, Temple, Wignall, Tyrer, Edwards.  Leeds Utd Res; - Carling; Caldwell, Hallett; Wood, Metalfe, Bell; Paton, Peyton, Smith A, Hawsby, Martin.  Referee; Mr. D.W. Goddard (Preston).  The game looked like developing into a defensive battle, for nine minutes elapsed before either goalkeeper had a direct shot to deal with. Then Leeds came near to scoring when Griffiths failed to hold a drive from Smith and the ball went over for a corner. Everton improved but had several shots charged down in their flight. In the 19th  minute Wignall put Everton ahead with a perfect header from a centre by Tyrer.  A few minutes later Everton almost increased their lead when Carling missed Temple's cross shot, but Caldwell cleared off the goalline. Everton for a time dominated the game and during this period their forwards were ever ready to shoot, although only Tyrer was on the mark with a good effort well saved by Carling. Towards the interval Leeds rallied for Martin to hit the iron support while Griffiths was perfectly positioned to save a first time drive by Smith. Half-time; —Everton Reserves 1. Leeds United Reserves nil.

YOUNG LACKS DEVIL NEEDED IN A LEADER
Monday, march 13, 1961 The Liverpool Daily Post
MANCHESTER CITY 2, EVERTON 1
BY Michael Charters
Everton’s old failing, poor shooting and lack of finish, were responsible for the loss of two points at Maine Road and the principal culprit was Scottish international centre forward Alex Young, who missed four chances in front of goal when an ability to shoot quickly must have produced goals.  Clever though Young, is in his distribution, and fetching and carrying there can be no doubt he lacks the devil with his shooting which a centre forward needs.  Everton had far more of the play and for long spells dominated the match, but with Young unable to find his shooting boots and the rest of the forward line equally shot-shy, the advantage was wasted.  The game on a firm pitch, with a bouncing ball, was never good.  Players had difficulty in judging the strength of passes and misplaced efforts were commonplace.  If I appear to concentrate on Young it is only because he was the chief offender in the way Everton lost their way.  In the first minute he had the ball in the net but was ruled offside and shortly afterwards he made the most brilliant interception and swerve between Plenderleith and Leivers to race into the penalty area and shoot wide with only Trauntmann to beat.
FATAL HESITANCY
Everton kept up their pressure with excellent service from Gabriel and Harris, both playing well, and it was a surprise when Shawcross gave City the lead after twenty-nine minutes.  Hesitancy on the part of the Everton defence gave him the chance for when Law pushed the ball across to Shawcross he was given ample time to control it move it to his liking, pick his spot, and thump the ball into the top corner of the net from eighteen yards to leave Dunlop helpless.  Apart from a good close-range save by Dunlop from Law, Everton maintained their midfield superiority and kept City pinned on defence, but attacking moves broke down on the edge of the penalty area as Everton lacked a forward with the necessary finish.  Just before half time a Plenderleith mistake let Vernon clean through with Collins alongside, but he shot straight at Trauntmann as the goalkeeper came out, when a goal must have come had he flicked the ball to Collins.  Within seconds of the restart Everton equalised through Vernon, who did very little apart from the goal.  It was a well-taken shot from a chance created by Young.  Vernon lobbed the ball over Plenderleith ran round him, and repeated the shot over the head of Trauntmann.  Kavanagh was unlucky with a volleyed shot which beat Trauntmann only for Betts to kick off the line and then came the miss of the match when Young delayed his shot in front of an open goal and Trauntmann was able to recover.  Shortly after this Betts was carried off with what looked like concussion after a collision with Collins and he was away for twelve minutes during which Everton did everything but score.  It was in this spell that they missed their chance of an away victory for when Betts returned it seemed to put fresh life into a poor looking City side.  Law, who had done very little began to move up field in the most menacing fashion he won a corner from Dunlop five minutes from the end, which resulted in City’s winning goal.  Law took the kick and put it across goal for Hayes to head back and Baker nodded into the net as Gabriel just missed the interception.  Everton played well enough in midfield to reveal they have the craft if they could only find someone who can shoot.  Collins and Bingham were the best of the forwards and the half-backs played particularly well.  Dunlop was safe, while Thomson had the best match so far.  Manchester City; Trauntmann; Leivers, Betts; Haynes, Plenderleith, Shawcross, Barlow, Law, Baker, Hayes, Wagstaff.  Everton; Dunlop; Parker, Thomson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Bingham, Collins, Young, Vernon, Kavanagh.  Referee Mr. AW Sparling Attendance 29,751

EVERTON RES SHOW UP WELL
Monday, March 13, 1961. The Liverpool Daily Post
EVERTON RES 2 LEEDS UNITED RES 0
Everton gave a lively display in winning a game which threatened to become a dull, defensive battle but blossomed out into a football feats.  The approach work of Leeds equalled Everton’s in neatness and method only to peter out against the competent home defence in which Sharples and Green were masterly.  Apart from a brief period after Wignall had headed them into a 19th minute lead, the Everton goal was seldom in danger.  Carling’s fine goalkeeping subsequently prevented Everton from adding to Morton’s 50th minute goal, he brilliant Tyrer who formed an enterprising left wing with Edwards being particularly unlucky not to score. 

EVERTON MADE CHANCES - AND THEN WASTED THEM
Liverpool Echo - Monday 13 March 1961
By Michael Charters
The story of Everton's 2-1 defeat at Manchester' City on Saturday is told in two words---poor shooting. They were the better team up to the penalty area and then were guilty of squandering chance after chance. Their shooting attempts made mockery of the word. This was a game which made the players pleas for more money seems absurd. The ground was firm the ball lively, and only a few players mastered the conditions to gauge the strength of a pass correctly. Despite this, Everton showed the superior craft and ideas in midfield and then broke down-as they have done so often recently when it came to finish. Trautmann had one difficult save to make, a finely Judged full length effort from Vernon, and yet Everton had so much of the play that he should have had backache picking the ball out of the net. It so happened that Alex Young must stand guilty as being particularly responsible for letting simple chances slip. Four times he should have beaten Trautman—four times he missed. Brilliant ball player though Young undoubtedly is, with his excellent distribution and clever touches, there can be no doubt after this game that he lacks the ability to fire in a quick shot, which must be the first attribute of a centre forward.
DELAYS HIS SHOT
He is inclined to delay his, shot whenever he gets in close range of the goalkeeper, and twice in the second half he allowed Trautmann to recover when it seemed impossible to miss an open goal gaping in front of him. Earlier, he had fired wide after beating Leivers and Plenderleith superbly, and also shot straight at Trautmann when he was clean through again.  As Vernon has also lost his power shooting--although he did score a well-taken goal just after the interval—Everton's forward line these days is flattering only to deceive. Only Collins on Saturday was consistently good and he worked tremendously hard to push the ball through to Vernon and Young and work openings. It was frustrating for Everton to lose to a poor-looking City side which only moved well in the final 20 minutes or so.  Up to that point Everton had dominated the play and made chances, but shooting like theirs must have been heart- breaking to their supporters.
HESITANT OEFENCE
City had taken the lead after 29 minutes through left half Shawcross who was given so much time by Everton's hesitant defence that I thought they had taken root. He was allowed to control a pass from Baker on the edge area, move the ball to his liking and then hammer a fine shot away from Dunlop. Within seconds of the restart, Everton were level as Vernon cleverly lobbed Young's pass, over Plenderleith ran round the centre half and, as the ball bounced, lobbed it over Trautmann into the net. Shortly afterwards, left back Betts was carried off with what looked like serious concussion, but some miraculous first aid work in the dressing room had him back in action after 12 minutes.  While he was away, I don't think City got out of their own half more than once and yet Everton still couldn't clinch the game. All the play but no shooting. When Betts returned, City suddenly woke up. Law had done little bar pass the ball to Everton players before then, but suddenly he burst into startling life and began to whittle Everton's previously confidence defence down to size. He won a corner off Dunlop who had wisely and courageously come out to the edge of the penalty area to turn the ball away. Law took the corner kick himself, sent it to the far side of the goal, where Hayes headed the ball back and Baker headed it into the net. This winner came five minutes from time and the result was a travesty if territorial advantage means anything. On the other hand, Everton didn’t deserve to win after squandering the chances they had.
WAGSTAFFS STARS
The defeat was all the more disappointing because City are not a good side. Plenderleith had an excellent game, as did the firm-tackling Leivers, but with the exception of 17-year-old Wagstaffe on the left wing. I thought little of the forwards. Wagstaffe is a bright star in the making. He was given too much freedom by Parker, who had one of his rare off days against the youngster, but even with the poor service be received, the City winger rarely wasted a ball. Otherwise, Everton were sound and effective in defence with Labone steady as a rock in the middle in front of a faultless Dunlop, Harris and Gabriel played excellently all through, and Thomson had his best game since he joined the club. But until some magician waves his wand over the Everton forwards, and some lethal powder into the shooting boots. I can visualise all their clever midfield work proving useless. They play skilful effective football up to the point of shooting and then, suddenly it seems as though no one wants the chore of trying to put the ball in the net.

EVERTON YOUUTH TEAM PEN PICTURES
Monday, March 13, 1961 The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express
HERE are pen pictures of members of Everton youth team which this season has reached the quarter-final of the F.A. Youth Cup. They drew 0-0 with Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough last week, and tomorrow (7.0) the tie will be replayed at Goodison Park.  If Everton are successful, they will meet either Stoke City or Manchester United in the semi-final.
WILLIE MAILEY (Goalkeeper): Born Duntocher, a suburb of Glasgow. Played for Scotland schoolboy team during 1957-58 season. Joined Everton ground staff on leaving school and signed professional on 17th birthday in June, 1960.  Has also played for Liverpool County youth team.  Height 5 feet 8 ½ Inches, weight 10 stone 8 lbs
ROY PARNELL (Right back) Birkenhead-born and played at outside right and centre forward for the town boys team.  Represented Cheshire and had several trials for England as a schoolboy.  Joined Everton ground staff on leaving school and quickly settled down as a full back. Signed professional in October, 1960, and has been a regular member of reserve team this season, making his First Division debut against Wolves at Molineux on January 21 1961 Height 5 feet 8 inches. weight 10 stone 12 Ibis MICHAEL GANNON (left back); A local boy who played for Liverpool and Lancashire schoolboys before joining Goodison ground staff during summer of 1958.  Played for Lancashire youth team in 1959-80 season. Signed professional in February 1960 Height 5 feet 8 ½ Inches, weight 10 stone 11lb
ALAN JARVIS (Right half): Born Wrexham and was an outstanding member of the Wrexham Boys team during the 1957-58 season. He had several trials for the Welsh schoolboys side.  Joined Everton during summer of 1958 and his consistent displays since have earned him Welsh youth and amateur international honours.  Has also represented the Liverpool County Youth F.A Aged 17 height 5 feet 8 ½ inches weight 11 stone. Still at Grove Park School Wrexham
DAVID CORRIE (Centre-half); another local boy. Played for Liverpool and Merseyside Grammar Schools teams before joining Everton on leaving school.  Has played for the Liverpool County youth team.  Signed professional in May 1960 and has appeared regularly in Central League side this season.  Height 5 feet 10 inches weight 11 stone 5 lbs
GEORGE SHARPLES (Left half);  An Ellesmere Port boy who had a very successful schoolboy career representing Ellesmere Port Cheshire and England in season 1958-59.  Joined Everton ground staff in June 1959 and has gained further honours as member of England youth team.  Signed professional in September 1960 and made his League debut against Preston at Goodison on October 3 1960.  Height 5 feet 11 inches, weight 12 stone 6 lbs
PETER MADDOCK (Outside right): Another Ellesmere Port boy who represented Ellesmere Port and Cheshire, schoolboys in 1958-69 season.  Joined Everton in July, 1959, and has represented England Boys Clubs during the last two seasons. Still only 16 Height 5 feet 8 inches, weight 11 stone 12 lbs
DAVID CHESTER (Outside Right): Comes from Horwich.  Signed by Everton as an amateur on leaving school: Aged 17 height 5 feet 10 inches, weight 11 stone
ALAN TYRER (Inside Right); Born Liverpool and played for Liverpool and Lancashire Boys during 1957-58 season.  Joined Goodison ground staff in July 1958.  Has represented Lancashire Youth F A and signed professional in December 1959.  Made League debut at Fulham in January 1960 and has appeared several times then in first team Height 5 feet 6 ½  inches weight 10 stone 2lbs.
KEITH WEBBER (Centre-forward); Born in Cardiff and, played for Barry Town as an amateur before joining Everton in September 1959.  Signed professional in February 1960, and made first team debut against Walsall in Football League Cup.  Played first Division! game against Chelsea at Goodison Park on February 18, 1961.
GEORGE MORTON (Inside Left); another local boy who represented Liverpool and Lancashire as a schoolboy.  He had trials for the England team during 1958-59.  Joined Everton ground staff on leaving school and signed professional in September 1960.  Has played for Liverpool County youth team.  Height 5 feet 8 inches weight 10 stone 8lbs
STANLEY EDWARDS (Outside left): Born West Bromwich but lived for a number of years in St Asaph. North Wales. Signed by Everton from Rhyl as an amateur in September, 1959, and turned professional in December that year.  Has represented Liverpool County Youth F.A. Almost regular choice at outside left in Central League side this season Height 5 feet 9 ½ inches weight 10 stone 8 lbs

JOHN HOULDING
Liverpool Echo - Monday 13 March 1961
YOUR LETTERS
In reply to W.J. Houlding Nicholas (Echo, February 22), John Houlding not only founded Liverpool F.C., but essentially Everton F.C. The nucleus of Everton originally played in Stanley Park, an open ground, and John Hounding, a shrewd and far-seeing man, saw the possibilities of professional football.  He organised the team to play on his enclosed pitch at Anfield Road, his home being opposite in Anfield Road, and dressing in his Sandon Hotel, then open from 6 a.m until 11 p.m.  Prior to the extension of the city boundary in 1895, Anfield was in Walton-on-the-Hill a spate township.  The team prospered with the formation of the League and John Houlding sought to recoup himself for earlier outgoings.  The committee opposing this, had to leave Anfield and developed Goodison Park, previously a piece of waste land.  Everton’s early Derby games were with Bootle, with a well-deserved reputation for toughness not only on the field, and fist fights on the terraces were commonplace.  Feet were definitely barred in those days.  A derisive taunt was “Tricky Bootle where the buys wear clogs and fly back-wards to keep the dust out of their eyes.”  John Houlding then recruited a team of Macs but the League ruled he could not use the name of Everton so he decided on Liverpool F.C., and our great team was born- Rol Fry, 90 Maidea Lane, and Liverpool 13. 

IN REPLY
Liverpool Echo - Tuesday 14 March 1961
Did Everton ever play in black shirts, and were they ever called the Black Watch?- T. Gaffeney, Willlow Avenue, Whiston
-Yes.  Their original colours (as St Domingo) were blue and white stripes, but when members of two other churches joined them, and had different coloured shirts, it was decided to have them all dyed black, to save the cost of new ones, and a loose scarlet sash was added to make the effect less funeral.  The “Black Watch” nickname arose from that.  Later the club’s colours were salon shirts and blue shorts, then ruby, and finally the present royal blue.

EVERTON YOUTH TEAM CHANGES
Liverpool Echo - Tuesday 14 March 1961
ALAN JARVIS OUT OF CUP REPLAY
By Paul O’Brien
Everton make three changes, one positional, for the FA. Youth Cup, quarter final, replay against Sheffield Wednesday at Goodman Park this evening (7.0) . Welsh amateur international right half, Alan Jarvis, the Grove Park, Wrexham, schoolooy is unfit, and Gannon moves from left back to take his place. J. Atherton, the 17-years-old former St. Helens and Lancashire schoolboys player, is brought in at left back.  Atherton has been on Everton's books as an amateur since leaving school.  The other change is at outside right, where amateur Peter Maddocks, the Ellesmere Port boy and England Boys Clubs representative, takes over from David Chester. Everton;  Malley; Parnell, J. Atherton; Gannon, Gorrie, Sharples; P. Maddocks, Tyrer, Webber, Morton, Edwards. To-night's winners meet either Manchester United or Stoke in the sem.-final.

YOUNG CUP REPLAY
Wednesday, March 15, 1961. The Liverpool Daily Post
TYRE HAT-TRICK FOR EVERTON
EVERTON 5, SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 0
By Paul O’Brien
Everton entered the semi-final of the F.A Youth Cup for the first time by virtue of a well-earned 5-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday in the fifth round replay at Goodison Park last night.  Sheffield were unfortunate in that their inside right McAnearney hurt his left leg in a tackle after 20 minutes and limped as a passenger on the left wing for the rest of the first half and not returning to the field after the interval.  But putting this apart Everton were superior all round and the display of their eleven from goal to outside left could not really be faulted.  Tyrer showed something of the form which earned such a high reputation about twelve months ago and was rewarded with a hat-trick.  He was helped in his first goal after thirty-one minutes, by a goalkeeping error on the part of Jones who dropped a long lob into the penalty area by Sharples.  But Tyrer took this quick chance well and his second after 60 minutes came from a fine centre by Maddocks who took the ball up to the goal-line before pulling it back. 
FINE HEADER
The Everton inside right completed his hat-trick in the dying seconds of the game after a fine header by Webber, the unluckiest of forwards with his shooting last night had put him through.  The two other Everton goals came from Sharples after 9 minutes and Edwards after 26, Sharples got his chance when goalkeeper Jones stepped out of the penalty area with the ball and the Everton left half blazed in a free kick which Jones got his hands to but could not stop entering the net.  Edwards goal was a just reward for the player for he spilt the defence with a sprint down the left wing, put the ball across and saw four shots cannon off the goalkeeper and defenders before he got his chance 15 yards out and made no mistake.  Sheffield were at their best for 10 minutes in the first half just before McAnearney was injured and Mailey in the Everton goal was in action four times saving shots from Hinsworth (twice) Bardsley and Storf.  With only ten fit men they were never really in with a chance afterwards.  Everton’s centre half Gorrie who gave a fine display and Sharples was the inspiration behind a lot of Everton’s attacks.  Everton now meet Manchester United or Stoke City in the semi-final.  Everton; Mailey; panel, Atherton; Gannon, Gorrie, Sharples; Maddock, Tyrer, Webber, Morton, Edwards.  Sheffield Wednesday; Jones; Hickton, Burke; Radford, Hennigan, Eustace, Bardsley, McAnearney, Hinsworth, Lockwood, Short.  Attendance 7,254. 

EVERTON YOUTH TEAM SHOW THEIR CLASS
Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 15 March 1961
By PAUL O'BRIEN f
Good football, plenty of goals and a clear - cut Everton victory. They are the things Goodlson fans have been longing for since the beginning of 1961, and 7,251 spectators warmly showed their appreciation when the Blues' youth team provided them e in the F.A. Youth Cup fifth round replay against Sheffield Wednesday at Goodison Park last night. It was unfortunate that Sheffield had to play for more than three quarters of the game with only 10 fit men, but this does not detract from Everton's win In any way, for they eased off noticeably after the interval and the way they played during the first half it would have taken a very good team indeed to stop them. McAnearney, Wednesday’s inside right, was injured in a tackle after 20 minutes and he hobbled on the left wing for the rest of the first half with his left leg practically useless.  Nevertheless, he cleared every ball within distance and never shirked a tackle.  He did not return to the field after the interval, but his great courage in fighting against the odds spread to the rest of the Sheffield side and it was their refusal to admit defeat which went a long way towards making this game such a good one. 
End-To-End Play
Play swung rapidly from end to end at the beginning of the first half and after Mailey had made a particularly good catch right under the crossbar from a centre by Shorf, he Wednesday outside left; Everton went ahead at the ninth minute. Sharples sent Edwards away down the Everton left with a perfectly-placed, a 30-yards pass and the Everton winger took the ball to the corner flag before centring to Webber.  The Everton centre forward nodded the ball backwards, bit no-one was in position to take it and goalkeeper Jones collected.  In making his clearance, however, Jones carried the ball just outside his area and from the resultant free kick Sharples crashed the ball home-Jones getting his fingers to the shot, but being powerless to stop it.  Sheffield then had their best period and Mailey made four competent saves in the space of two minutes.  Then McAnearney was hurt, and at the 25th minute left winger Edwards put Everton further ahead.  Four shots bounced off Jones and his co-defendere before Edwards gained possession 15 yards out and made no mistake with a right foot shot.
BRILLIANT NEARER
Just after this Wednesday right back Hickton brilliantly turned a goal-bound Morton shot over the bar with his head but at the 31st minute Tyrer notched the first goal of his hat –trick. Jones must take the blame for this, as he dropped the ball at Tyrer's feet, when trying to collect a Sharples pass which has just over carried the forwards.  Tyrer scored his second after 60 minutes, following a good right wing run and perfect centre by Ellesmere Port Amateur, Haddocks, and with only seconds of the game remaining Webber headed the ball through for him to get a third. Although it is hard to single out anyone particularly in this Everton side, centre half Gorrie was perhaps the brightest of the stars shining at Goodison last night. I saw him make just one error during the whole match, and this apart his display was as perfect as anyone could hope for. He had a particularly good understanding with his goalkeeper, Mailey, who in turn , gave his usual reliable display. Everton play Manchester United or Stoke In the semi-final, the winners then meeting either Chelsea, the holders, or Arsenal.

LELLO SURPRISE
Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 15 March 1961
Cyril Lello has not been retained as player-manager of Runcorn for the 1961-62 season. This surprise decision was taken at the club's meeting yesterday and will mean the end of a four years' relationship between the former Everton half back and the club. Mr. Les Turner (secretary) said it is the usual procedure to inform a player-manager in March whether or not he has been retained for the following season. He said the club had no one else in mind and the lob was going to be advertised. Meanwhile Mr. Lello remains at Runcorn until the end of the season. 

YOUR LETTERS
Liverpool Echo-Thursday 16 March 1961
By Leslie Edwards
Jon Owen who is 81, and who looks nearer 60, writing from 30 Darlington Road, Childwall, Liverpool 16, says; “Mr. Rol Fry states in reply to W.J. Houlding Nicholas that John Houlding not only founded Liverpool football club but also, essentially, Everton I beg to point out that Everton football club was formed and named by the members of the Methodist church, St. Domingo in 1879.  The orininal name of the club was St. Domingo football club formed in 1878, and changed to Everton (after the name of the district) in 1879, as the club’s supporters were mostly outsiders.  “There are other points in Mr. Fry’s letter relating to the Anfield Road ground which I think are incorrect, but more of these anon.”

 

ROY VERNON SAYS...
Friday, March 17, 1961. The Liverpool Daily Post
NO REASON WHY BURNLEY MUST SUFFER
Tottenham Hotspur have claimed a good share of the headlines this season as a result of their excellent and consistent form, but competing with them as newsmakers have been Burnley if not always for the same reason.  In eight days they will have fielded ten reserves in a League game played in the European Cup quarter-final and the F.A Cup semi-final.  What a week!  They have risked the displeasure of the Football league by breaking a regulation which insists on the playing of full strength skies whenever possible, and are still wondering whether or not this will be visited by a penalty of one sort or another.  If I were in Burnley’s position I would be worrying more about the outcome of tomorrow’s game with ‘Spurs than with possible penalties.  Did Burnley do wrong by selecting such a side to entertain Chelsea last week?   On the face of it, there seems no doubt that they certainly broke a regulation but whether they did wrong in the eyes of the sporting world is a very different proposition.  Justice is supposed to represent the views of the populace in general and I am certain that if Burnley’s “offence” is viewed in that light the verdict can only be one of “not guilty”  Rules are made to be broken not recklessly and unthinkably, but when they are found to be old fashioned and out of touch with the demands of the modern world then they should be amended and because there has been tardiness in giving attention to this particular rule there is no reason why Burnley should suffer by it. 
NATIONAL IMPORTANCE
Burnley’s mission in Hamburg was one of national importance.  They may have played under the name of Burnley but they were representing their country just as much as if they had been labelled England.  That is not all.  Following the match were faced with the flight back to this country, and a hurried preparation for a Cup semi-final against the team of the season.  There is a limit to what men can stand.  To have asked them to play three such important matches in the space of little more than a week, is I suggest treating them as machine.  They have not travelled so far and so successfully to be unfairly handicapped by a jingle of words in a rule book.  Somebody has to pioneer in the direction of drawing attention to out-dated regulations and that is all Burnley have done.  I feel sure that the club would be backed by their players in deciding that last Saturday should be a rest day.  Look at the position, Tottenham are high and dry at the top of the table with the title virtually in their pockets.   Nothing short of the greatest upset in recent football history, could deprive them of their legitimate goal.  Why then should Burnley flog themselves to death to pursue second place in the table, which will probably come to them in any case?  Burnley are blessed with one of the strongest reserve teams in the game and Chelsea can hardly be termed the most formidable opposition, I consider that Burnley took a calculated risk in playing their reserves.  Their ability was known and I think they were entitled to say that the reserves would be good enough for the task on hand.  In the event they were.  They shared the points with Chelsea and were desperately unlucky to lose outright victory in the dying seconds of the match.  I have spoken this week to several people who saw the game and they are full of praise for the way those lads played.  They told me that not only did they play well, but that they provided first class entertainment and the crowd at least showed no signs of having had anything less than their full value from the match.  I believe that clubs should be free to play teams of their own shooting without dictation I agree that had the match been playing at Chelsea instead of Burnley it might have been a slightly different proposition.  Then it might have been claimed that Chelsea’s gate would have suffered from the absence of top-line starts, but as it was, Burnley took all the risk.  If anybody suffered from their action it would be themselves. 
CAUSE TO WORRY
Can you imagine Barcelona or real Madrid or one of the top Continental terms being hauled over the coals for making sure that they did credit to their country on a foreign field?  Not on your life.  If Burnley had been beaten, Blackpool, Preston North End and other clubs in the danger area might have had cause to worry, especially if those two points helped to push one or both of them down into Division Two.  Is their any guarantee that a full strength Burnley team, playing with the knowledge of forthcoming commitments, would have put as much into their game against Chelsea as did reserves who were only, too keen to grasp the opportunity that was suddenly thrust their way.  Of course not.  Burnley should be rewarded for their feats not punished because they have taken rather unusual steps to achieve them.  If Tottenham had been faced with a game last Wednesday I wonder what would have happened then.  Might they not have been tempted to have done likewise?  It is no use pretending that footballers are other than human.  The championship is a very worthwhile target and every player would love to have a medal to show that he had helped his team to get there, but it is senseless attempting to disguise the fact, that as far as this county is concerned there is nothing remotely to compare with the F.A Cup.  That is the prize all the lads seek. It is my fervent hope and that of most sportsmen, I think, that when Burnley are called to account any transgression they may have committed will be dismissed with a caution and that prompt steps will be taken to make it easier for clubs in future to do justice to themselves and their country. 

TRANMERE SIGN LEYLAND FROM BLACKBURN
Liverpool Echo - Thursday 16 March 1961
EX-EVERTON GOALKEEPER
By Michael Charters
Tranmere Rovers made yet another swoop into the transfer market to-day and signed Harry Leyland, the Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper, formerly with Everton, for a fee of just over £1,000.  This is the seventh signing manager Walter Galbraith has made in the seven weeks he has been at Tranmere. He made an initial inquiry for Leyland more than a fortnight ago and last night was absent from the Supporters Association annual dinner, where he was due to make a speech, because he was at Blackburn agreeing terms. Leyland, now 31 played in last year's Cup Final against Wolves but has not been a regular in Blackburn's first team this season. Leyland was born In Liverpool and joined Everton as an amateur in August. 1947, turning professional three years later. He made only about 40 first team appearances before Everton released him is 1956. He joined Tonbridge, the Southern League club, during that close season but before he played for had them, Blackburn Rovers had a goalkeeping crisis on their hands and stepped in to sign him, paying Everton a fee of £600. Since that time up this season. Leyland was first choice for Blackburn. He makes his debut for Tranmere at Grimsby on Saturday.
EVERTON DOUBTS
Everton are not selecting until tomorrow their team for the match against Nottingham Forest at Goodison Park on Saturday.  Both Roy Vernon and Jimmy Gabriel are suffering strained muscles and must be considered doubtful starters. 

EVERTON NEWS
Saturday, March 18, 1961. The Liverpool Daily Post
By Horace Yates
With doubts over the fitness of Gabriel and Vernon satisfactorily resolved, Everton can field the strongest available side for the visit of Nottingham Forest but sooner rather than later they must decide whether this is strong enough.  The goal famine has lasted so long that it has out-run the bad luck stage and unless the forwards snap out of their shot-shyness pretty soon they can have no compliant if the conclusion is reached that a re-deployment of forces may be necessary.  Everton go in to-day’s match with the encouraging knowledge that they have already beaten Forest at Nottingham, but the team performance of both clubs are so different today.  Add to that a query over wingers a loss of form by Collins and a struggle against his natural style by Young to make good as a centre forward and it is not terribly difficult to fit the jigsaw pieces into pattern in explanation of Everton’s fall from grace.  Forest’s win at Goodison two years ago, the season in which they won the Cup, is the only one they can boast in six visits but as things stand it would be taking a major risk to forecast that Everton can prevent them improving that record.  Everton; Dunlop; Parker, Thomson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Bingham, Collins, Young, Vernon, Kavanagh.  Notts Forest; Grummitt; Gray, McDonald; Palmer, McKinlay, Burkitt; Barton, Booth, Abbison, Quigley, Le Flem. 

MORE SHOTS FROM BLUES BUT LITTLE DIRECTION
BINGHAM’S EARLY GOAL SETS UP THE TARGET
EVERTON 1, NOTTINGHAM FOREST 0
By Michael Charters
March 18th

Everton; Dunlop; Parker, Thomson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Bingham, Collins, Young, Vernon, Kavanagh.  Nottingham Forest;- Grummitt; Patrick, Gray; Palmer, McKinlay, Burkitt; Barton, Booth, Addison, Quigley, Le Flem.  Referee; Mr. H.P. Hackney (Barnsley). 
There was a crowd of about 20,000 at the start of this afternoon’s game at Goodison Park on a fine, but rather boisterous day.  Everton’s manager, Mr. Johnny Carey and his chairman, Mr. John Moores, watched Jimmy Fell, the Grimsby Town outside-left in the match with Tranmere today.  It was the third time this season they had watched him.  Fell is on the transfer list at his own request.  Forest made a late change as left back McDonald had a cold, Billy Gray, the former Chelsea and Burnley winger switched to left back and Patrick came in at right back.  Everton played with the wind and sun behind them in the first half.  Bingham opened the scoring for Everton after three minutes with an incredible goal.  He made the opening initially, pushing the ball across to Young, who was crowded out, and the ball ran out to the winger standing on the edge of the penalty area and about five yards in from the goal line.  He hit a strong ground shot which slipped between Grummitt and the near upright for one of the most finely angled goals seen on the ground in years. 
ANOTHER EFFORT
Everton kept up the pressure and Bingham tried for another goal in the next minute or so, but volleyed a left foot shot high over the bar from Kavanagh’s cross.  It was all Everton, and Grummitt went full length to touch a good shot by Vernon round the post.  Young delighted the crowd with a brilliant dribble around McKinlay before pushing the ball through to Collins, whose quick shot was again well saved by Grummitt-although it looked as though the ball would have run outside had the goalkeeper missed it.  Everton were moving with a great deal of fire and the only shot from Forest in the opening 10 minutes came from Addison who hit the ball just wide.  Everton broke away again with Vernon slipping the ball forward for Bingham to chase but the winger did not get sufficient power in his left foot shot and Grummitt saved easily. 
FINE TOUCHES
Bingham and Collins earned applause for a couple of beautiful touches, and Forest were rather fortunate that Gray intercepted Bingham’s centre with the body.  Bingham was having a particularly good game and one Everton move found him on the left-wing to take Thomson’s pass.  He squared the ball to Young who turned it towards goal, but straight at Grummitt.  The crowd had grown to 30,000 by now and they were seeing Everton in one of their more dominant moods, although a couple of good-looking attacks broke down against the Forest offside trap.  Everton’s defence were getting quite cheeky in their confidence and interpassed between each other in their own penalty area, and rather disturbed the crowd with their over-elaboration.  When they finally got the ball away it was Bingham again who led an Everton attack from which the ball bounced back to Collins whose shot hit the up-right, the ball bouncing back into the arms of Grummitt.  Then Kavavangh tried a first-time shot which flew wide of the far post and surprised everybody, most of all Grummitt by the power of it.
Forest’s Chance
The nearest Forest went to creating a clear-cut opening was when Thomson made a hash of an attempted header and put the ball at the feet of Barton, who pulled his shot wide with only Dunlop to beat.  This was Thomson’s first mistake for he had been playing much better up to now.  Gabriel broke the Forest off-side game by taking the ball through instead of passing and he pulled the ball back for Collins to try a shot on the run, the ball flying just over the bar.  The great thing in Everton’s favour was that they had done in half an hour more shooting than they managed in the whole 90 minutes at Maine Road last week- a very welcoming sign.  Everton were being held up by offside decisions but were still on top with the defence playing calmly and well, and the forwards displaying a good deal of drive and zest. 
GABRIEL INTERCEPTS
Linesman Hampson was the target for the crowd’s boos when he flagged again to stop an Everton attack in which Parker had moved forward to link up with Bingham.  Then Forest swept away with a fine Crossfield movement, and it was Gabriel who intercepted a dangerous looking pass. Parker, who had been playing brilliantly, took a heavy knock when he collided with Le Flem but played on without attention, and in the next few seconds Bingham was brought down by Gray as he was going through and as both was needed attention. Half-time.—Everton 1. Nottingham Forest nil.
Forest started the second half without Gray, Palmer switched to left back, and they played with four forwards. Harris had bad luck not to put Everton further ahead when he collected a header from the defence and burst through. His lobbed shot just missed the upright with Grummit beaten. Young at last showed his power of shot with an effort which went wide, but pleased the crowd in that it proved he could hit the ball when he wanted to. The crowd was disappointed that Everton did not get a penalty award when Vernon took a tumble, but to my mind the referee's decision to play on was correct as it looked as Vernon had fallen over McKinlay's leg. Dunlop's first moment of worry came from a Well flighted free kick by Patrick. The goalkeeper had to look lively to slip the ball round the post as it was headed for the top Corner. Everton were continuing to dominate the game in every way but most of their shooting was straight at Grummit.  Everton should have had this game sewn up long before this, particularly playing against ten men in the second half.  Final; Everton 1, Nottingham Forest 0

GOAL HOODOO HAUNTS ALEX YOUNG
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 18 March 1961
BRILLIANT IN MIDFIELD SAYS ALEX YOUNG
The big talking point among Everton players after last week's game at Manchester City is the hoodoo still hanging over Alex Young. He just does not seem to be able to get among the goals and it is certainly not for want of trying. We thought he had done it in last Saturday's match when he beat Trauntmann early on, but the referee disallowed it for offside.  He pushed another past the City keeper later on. But it hit the outside of the post, and then a great save stopped him scoring with another shot. His being out of luck with his shooting is all the more mysterious when one considers how well he le playing in midfield. It is not that he is off form, for his distribution is first class. I was talking about Alex the other day with Bert Slater, and we were both recalling how good a scorer Alex was in Scotland.  Bert reminded me (and I’m sure there was no need to) of the day we were both playing for Falkirk against heart, lost 8-3 Alex scored four.  Maybe if he could get one or two in a match it would change his luck.  Here’s hoping he has done it against First today. 
SCOTS GATHERING
It was quite a gathering of the Scots at Maine Road for, in addition to the Everton contingent, there was Denis Law. Gerry Baker and Jackie Plenderleith the City team.  I played with Plenderleith many times for the Army and I remember Baker making his debut for Motherwell against me in a Scottish League match. He was only 17 and played outside left. Little did we thank then that only a few years later we would be playing for two such famous clubs as Everton and Manchester City. Mention of 17-year-old outside lefts reminds me of David Wagstaffe, the City winger. I remember seeing him play a Youth Cup match against Everton last season, and he has certainly fulfilled the promise he showed then. He one of the best young wingers I have ever faced and looks if he will go far in the game. David Shawcross, their young wing half, banged the first goal past us and to prove it was no fluke. I see he did the same in the Under-23 international against Germany on Wednesday.  About the game itself, I thought we played much better than we did against Fulham the previous week when we won I still find it hard to believe that we lost after having so much of the second half.  Still, Gerry Baker scored one near the end that proved to be the winner. 
USUSUAL WINNER
Which reminds me of what is probably the most unusual winner I’ve ever seen.  The other morning we were having a six-a-side game on our small pitch at the training ground at Bellefield. 
After being 6-1 down, the side I was playing for had fought back to 6-6 when Mr. Carey, our manager, said that the game would end with the next goal. We were playing for the winner! A few second, later our goalkeeper, Albert Dunlop, had to dive to his left to save a shot and the ball ran to Derek Temple (playing for "them "). Albert cried that the ball had gone out for a corner, but nobody took much notice.  Derek squared it to Tommy Jones and he promptly put it over the bar. But we hadn't escaped. Tommy's team then claimed the corner which I'm sure they wouldn't have mentioned if they had scored. When the kick came across Keith Webber, playing for us, missed it, Tommy Jones tried another shot, sliced it and the ball bounced ever so slowly towards Albert.  As the goals are sanded I could see from where I was on the goal line that the ball was going to do all kinds of tricks and when Albert dived, slow as the ball was moving, he missed it.  Everybody laughed, especially me, as I could see the ball coming straight towards me, I put my foot out to stop it but it “broke” hit the outside of my ankle and rolled just over the line! What a way to lose a game.  It was a vital game, too.  The losers had to buy the winners a bottle of lemonade each!  Now we have to sort out who gets the money off the empties.
GOOD RECOVERY
Incidentally Mickey Lill is making much better progress than we anticipated and is expected to have a game with one of our teams a week to -day. Everybody was delighted when our youngsters reached the semi-final of the F.A. Youth Cup for the first time with 5-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday last Tuesday's replay. It reflects as much credit on their coach, Lee Shannon, as anybody ease and we now believe they have a great chance of winning the cup.  They play either Manchester United (who have something of a “bogey " side to our boys over the years) or Stoke City, Chelsea, the holders, are still in it. The only disappointment was the gate of about 7,000; I thought there would have been a lot more. I noticed that for the Sunderland- Manchester United youth game at Roker Park recently there were over 25.000.  Maybe they will get the gate they deserve in the semi-final, which is a two-legged affair. 

NEWCASTLE RES V EVERTON RES
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 18 March 1961
Newcastle-Hollins; Whitehead, Scott; Wright, Helsop, Hogg; Woods, McGuigan, Gibson, Harrower, Tuchy.  Everton; Mailey; Parnell, Gannon; Meagan, Jones, Sharples; Bently, Martin, Webber, Tyrer, Temple.  Referee; Mr. G Foley (Leeds).  Harrower, the ex-Liverpool inside forward, played in the Newcastle side.  Everton missed a chance of an early goal in the fourth minute when Webber slipped a well-judged pass through to Bently, but the outside right with only Hollins to beat, shot straight at the keeper.  Everton had most of the play but their forwards lacked finish.  In the 21st minute a free kick by Newcastle outside right Woods, from just outside the penalty area, was easily saved by Mailey.  A minute later Newcastle were awarded another free kick, which was again taken by Woods, but the ball trickled along the ground and was easily collected.  In the 25th minute Hollins tipped the bar, and Newcastle had another escape when Temple put a well-judged pass in front of the goalmouth.  Hollins was unable to stop the ball, but it just passed outside.  Mailey saved well from a shot by Gibson.  Half-time-Newcastle United Res nil, Everton Res nil. 
EVERTON B V BOLTON W B
A fairly even half developed into a midfield battle with both defences on top.  Everton had slightly more of the play, but were allowed few scoring chances.  Half-time; Everton B nil, Bolton B nil.
BOLTON A V EVERTON A
Everton were never really dangerous in attack, the Bolton half back line keeping control throughout.  Wanderers, but for finishing power, would have gained a comfortable interval lead.  Half-time-Bolton Wanderers A nil, Everton A nil

EVERTON SHOOT OFTEN BUT NOT EFFECTIVELY
Monday, March 20, 1961. The Liverpool Daily Post
EVERTON 1, NOTTINGHAM FOREST 0
By Michael Charters
Everton achieved their second victory this year by beating Nottingham Forest at Goodison Park and it was an oddly that this win came from a goal scored three minutes after the start and their previous 1961 win (against Fulham) came as a result of a goal three minutes from the end.  The score line gives a completely false impression of the run of play in that Everton dominated the match for 90 per cent of the time, but their shooting although commendably more frequent than previously, was either straight at an excellent goalkeeper in Grummitt, or lamentably wide.  Bingham put Everton ahead with an incredible goal so early in the game it looked as though Everton would run away with the match.  For the whole of the second half Forest were reduced to ten men as Gray, the former winger, now at full back did not resume after the interval, as he had suffered a broken collar-bone in a collision with Bingham on the stroke of half-time.
FOUR FORWARDS
Forest reshuffled their defence by bringing Palmer to left back and playing with four forwards, but Everton, despite this advantage lack the finishing power to round of their midfield dominance.  Everton’s defence could not be faulted although it must be said the opposition was one of the weakest they have faced this season.  Forest’s forward line even when at full strength, could not find any holes in a combination which starred Parker and Thomson.  Dunlop did not have one difficult save to make all through and with Labone completely effective in the middle and Gabriel and Harris playing excellently the Forest attacks were few and far between.  It was a different tale in the forward line, where once again it must be reported that the attack lacked that snap which would be the perfect finish to much of the clever work in building up and sustaining attack after attack.  Collins was easily Everton’s best forward playing strongly and well all through and Bingham had a particularly fine first half.  His goal came after he had made the initial opening himself and when Young’s attempt to shoot was crowded out, the ball ran out to there winger, who was standing on the edge of the penalty area about five yards in from the goal line.  He hit it instantly along the ground and the ball squeezed between Grummitt and the near upright for a finely angled chance, although possibly Grummitt made his only mistake of the match in not covering that vital gap.  For the rest of the first half Everton provided plenty of shooting, even if it was off target, although Collins had bad luck when a strong twenty yards drive hit the upright and rebounded to the fortunate Grummitt.  The same player hit one narrowly over the bar after Gabriel had pulled the ball back perfectly, but Everton foundered many times in the toils of Forest’s offside trap and this negative football annoyed the crowd greatly.  In the second half the only time Dunlop was extended was in the closing minutes when Forest were fighting bravely for the equaliser and he dived full length to cut out a centre from Le Flem.  Apart from that the Everton goalkeeper was merely a spectator as Everton almost camped out in the Forest half, trying plenty of shots without registering.  The best of their efforts were a fine header from Bingham well saved by Grummitt, and a cracking shot from Collins, which the goalkeeper saved at the second attempt.  I give full marks to an over-worked Forest defence in which McKinlay and Burkitt played splendidly but even allowing for their ability Everton should have won this game by three or four goals with the chances they created.  Everton; Dunlop; Parker, Thomson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Bingham, Collins, Young, Vernon, Kavanagh.  Nottingham Forest; Grummitt; Gray, McDonald; Palmer, McKinlay, Burkitt, Barton, Booth, Addison, Quigley, Le Flem.  Referee; Mr. H.P. Hackney (Barnsley).  Attendance 27,579. 

NEWCASTLE UNITED RES 0, EVERTON RESERVES 0
Monday, March 20, 1961. The Liverpool Daily Post
The usual meagre attendance at Newcastle’s reserve games increased a bit for this one-to see home captures £18,000 inside right Jimmy harrower from Liverpool and £12,000 goalkeeper David Hollins from Brighton.  Harrower looked anything but a high figure player on his debut, but Hollins looked as if he might solve Newcastle’s goalkeeping problems.  In a match in which the defences were generally best Mailey stood out in the Everton side, while the left wing trio of Sharples, Tyrer and Temple moved very smoothly by contrast with the opposite wing.  It was however a generally poor game. 

ONE COLD, THE OTHER LUKEWARM
Liverpool Echo - Monday 20 March 1961
By Leslie Edwards
How nice it would be if we had in this city teams capable of taking is to Wembley or to league championships.  I fear that Everton’s kettle, which boiled so busily for the first half of the season, is now stone cold, and Liverpool’s chances of promotion, after damaging defeat at Swansea, are no more than lukewarm.  While Everton struggled to maintain their early goal lead against Nottingham Forest, at Goodison Park - and with Forest minus Gray for more than half the game - Mr. Carey was making up his mind at Grimsby about signing 25-years-old left winger Fell, of Grimsby Town. The fee was about £15,000.  It has been clear that young Kavanagh, all too green yet for First Division football, had been pitchforked into the senior team to fill the left wing gap until some more competent man could all the place. That is what made ironic treatment of Kavanagh, on Saturday, more than a little unfair. Considering his lack of experience, he could hardly have been expected to do more than he has. The Everton line, knowing his limitations, were careful not to bring him into their schemes unless they had to. He made one stunning, if luckless, shot and a few  good centres, but at other times he was rather out of his class.  Everton fans, so delighted with what they were getting three months ago, came away very dissatisfied with their club's win, and no wonder. Collins and Vernon had indifferent matches judged by their own high standards. The wind and dry ground made the ball capricious. The one man to tame it-and his opponents was the veteran Burkitt, one short of his 500th game for his club. Even after little Gray had suffered a broken pool collar bone in collision with Bingham (who appeared to have come off the worst)  Forest played some slick, but indecisive stuff of the sort which made one forget that Everton had 11 men and their opponents only 10. I am wondering, now Young has shown himself to be such a shy shooter, who is going to accept the onus of goal- getting
TOO MANY FEINTS; TOO FEW SHOTS
Young with his frequent feint to shoot, promises a goal often, but only rarely did he hit a shot solidly. Vernon and Collins and others did make the occasional strike, but the ball flew nearly always just outside the post or just over the bar. Bingham was easily his side's best forward. When Young did a war dance dribble in an endeavour to find an opening after four minutes and no opening appeared he slid the ball gently to the right to give Bingham (who had started the move) to get a goal through eye-of-a-needle space. Grumman plainly expected a centre: instead he got a low, swerving shot to pick out of the back of the net. That was the only goal. There must have been four others if Everton had used properly the fine prompting of Harris and Gabriel, both of whom touched their best form. Bingham, often in the wars, proved himself to be as tough as he is ready to indulge himself in a positional sense which just cannot be bettered. Gabriel beat the Forest's persistent offside trap by striding forward through the thin defence and dragging the ball back, but Collins could make nothing of the chance. The little man could not have been more unlucky than when his shot struck the inside of an upright and cannoned straight into the arms of the surprised goalkeeper. Forest were unsettled by the absence of Gray, a grand man to have on your side in any department, but they went perilous near to setting a point and any credit from the game went to them. Parker was an outstanding back; Thomson, after a shaky start, in which he blundered twice, did better and better, and at least showed that he is full of football ideas if he can only find the speed to allow him to uncork. Fell's possible appearance on Wednesday, when Villa are here, may make a big difference, but I don't see how the incoming of a winger can inject punch into three inside forward positions where goal engineering rather than goal scoring seems to be the aim at the moment.

EVERTON HOPE FELL CAN PLAY
Liverpool Echo - Monday 20 March 1961
League Will Make Decision
NEW WINGER
BY Leslie Edwards
Everton are awaiting decision from the Football League as to whether their new left-winger from Grimsby Town, Jimmy Fell, will be allowed to play against Aston Villa at Goodison Park on Wednesday. In the case of signings made after March 16, the League reserve the right to decide whether a new player may assist his team in matches affecting relegation, promotion and talent money. Fell will arrive in Liverpool this afternoon. He will be accompanied by his wife. Villa will be without centre forward Hitchens as he is playing for the Football League against the Scots in Glasgow.

VERNON IS LEFT OUT OF EVERTON TEAM
Liverpool Echo - Tuesday 21 March 1961
YOUNG NOT AVAILABLE
FELL’S DEBUT
By Leslie Edwards
Good news and bad for Everton fans to-day. Their new £15.000 left winder from Grimsby Town. Jimmy Fell, will make his debut to-morrow evening against Aston Villa at Goodison Park, but the team will NOT include Roy Vernon, Alex Young or Brian Harris. The surprise is that Vernon is left out, although fit. Brian Harris suffered a knock against Nottingham Forest and Young is required to play for the Army against the R.A.F. in the Imperial Services Cup at Wolverhampton to-morrow: also the Army have told the club that they require him for Saturday too, when Everton are !due to play at West Bromwich. Everton had to apply to the Football League for permission to play Fell. It is unlikely that he will be able to assist his new club in any matches which affect promotion or relegation.  To fill the vacancies caused by injury and other reasons. John Carey brings in George Sharpies at left half back: Tyrer at inside right (Collins is switched to the left) Wignal: at centre forward
PLAYING WELL
Tyrer scored a hat-trick Everton's Youth Cup win at Goodison Park a week ago. He has been playing exceptionally well. Vernon has been out of the Everton first team twice before this season -once through a period of suspension and just after Christmas through injury. He has not been playing to top form and has been missing the sort of chances he took so brilliantly in the first half of the season Everton; Dunlop; Parker, Thomson; Gabriel, Labone, Sharples; Bingham, Tryer, Wignall, Collins, Fell.  Aston Villa; Sidebottom; Neal, Lee; Crowe, Dugdale, Deakin; McEwan, O’Neill, Thomson, Wylie, McParland.
EVERTON SHIELD
The final for the Everton Shield for Merseyside Grammar schools takes place at Goodison Park on Thursday (2-30) The teams will be from Liverpool Collegiate and Prescot Grammar school. 

VERNON DROPPED
Wednesday, March 22, 1961.The Liverpool Daily Post
By Horace Yates
Omitted from the Everton team to receive Aston Villa in the postponed League match (kick-off 7.30 p.m.) Welsh International inside forward Roy Vernon, was almost disappointed player last night.  Into the position goes Bobby Collins with Alan Tyrer taking the vacant inside right berth.  New signing Jimmy Fell from Grimsby Town has been given permission by the Football League to play and he will appear for the first time at outside left.  Because Brian Harris is injured George Sharples is introduced at left half and Wignall returns to lead the attack in the absence of Alec Young who is needed for an Army game.  Vernon told me that the news was broken to him following a six a side practice game yesterday when manager John Carey said he thought the rest would do him good.  “I know I have not been playing in top form recently,” said Roy “but I don’t like to feel I am carrying the can for the lack of success by the team in general.  “Naturally I am upset at being left out and I have asked permission to see the chairman Mr. John Moores, tomorrow I find it hard to resist the idea that I must be the team’s goal scorer or else. I did not come to Everton as a super marksman and even though I had the luck to score quite freely earlier in the season, I still do not look upon myself primarily as a scorer.  “It is more than three years ago since I was left out when fit and then I was in the Army.  My demotion lasted only one game, I hope history repeats itself, but watching the match from the stand tomorrow, maybe I shall get a better idea of where things have been going wrong.  “I thought I was beginning to find my form again last Saturday and it is my belief, rightly or wrongly, that I would not have been left out if Mr. Carey had not seen the match.  Everton; Dunlop; parker, Thomson; Gabriel, Labone, Sharples; Bingham, Tyrer, Wignall, Collins, Fell.  Aston Villa; Sidebottom; Neal, Lee; Crowe, Dugdale, Deakin; McEwan, O’Neill, Thomson, Wylie, McParland. 

FELL WAS SIGNED AT FIRST SIGHT…
Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 22 March 1961
Jimmy Fell, Everton's new outside left from Grimsby Town, makes his bow to-night at Goodson Park against Aston Villa in the match fog prevented earlier in the season. I hear very good reports of this rangey Grimsby boy who has a fine shot and is always anxious to use it. It did not take Everton manager, John Carey, long to make up his mind to sign him “at first sight “in the match against Tranmere, whom the Everton chief considers most unlucky to be beaten so heavily. Everton can use, in their attack, all the height and weight they can get, especially as Young, Brian Harris and Roy Vernon will be missing for a variety of reasons. It would not surprise me if the Bingham, Tyrer, Wignall, Collins and Fell line worked well.  Vernon should derive benefit from a rest. His physique is negligible and it has been obvious for a few weeks that he has been lacking confidence. Like Collins, he has been a rather unlucky shooter in the past few matches. I think the attack should be better balanced now that the contribution from the left is likely to be so much stronger. Villa, who are virtually in the same position in the League as their rivals, will comprise a good test for an eleven which is markedly changed from the one which disappointed its followers on Saturday. Villa bring a number of newcomers, but the old left wing firm of Wylie and McFarland seems as menacing as ever. Everton. -Dunlop; Parker, Thomson; Gabriel, Labone, Sharpies; Bingham, Tyrer, Wignall, Collins, Fell. ASTON VILLA Sidebottom; Neal, Lee; Crowe, Dugdale, Deakin; McEwan, O'Neill, Thomson, Wylie, McParland.
Everton's 1893 “crime”
An old age pensioner. W. G. Davenport (24 Merton Grove, Bootle), says, and rightly." You appear to be up against Burnley for playing a weakened team against Chelsea. So will you please hark back to season 1893 (I can't, Mr. Davenport: I hadn't come up then!) when Everton played a complete reserve side against Wolverhampton Wanderers and won easily, and then, when they played their full first team against the same opponents at Fallowfield in the final of the F.A. Cup, were beaten and the band they had ordered to play them home with the Cup' had to disband. Everton were not fined then, so why should Burnley be?" Because. Mr. Davenport, those were not enlightened days and the League did not appreciate that the people always to be safeguarded were the spectators. I must add in passing that both Newcastle United and sight . . . Arsenal have been fined fur similar conduct in recent years and that in days of old when there was any criticism of Burnley in the Press it did not lead to wholesale banning of correspondents who are paid to report what they see and hear and not what Burnley F.C. think should be printed. The Press and football clubs should be complementary (if not complimentary), both working for the good of the game and of the spectator. Many clubs talk airily of “paper talk “when they wish to deny something which does not suit their book. I notice no hesitancy on their part when opportunity arises for them to get into the picture" in the columns of the Press, nationally or locally. Football clubs can take it, always so long as it is praise. And the more heavily it is laid on the better. If football clubs were industrial concerns seeking publicity they would have to pay thousands of pounds to advertise themselves. Some of them do not seem to realise how lucky they are. The chances are, I think, that this will be borne on them before they are much older.
WEST BROM, TEAM
For Everton's visit to The Hawthorns on Saturday. West Bromwich Albion field the same team as their last match two weeks ago, when they beat Cup semi-finalists. Leicester City . West Brom; Wallace: Howe, Williams (S ): Robson, Jones, Drury; Jackson, Burnside, Lovatt, Hope, Clark.

EVERTON SOLVE WING PROBLEM FOR £15,000
Thursday, March 23, 1961. The Liverpool Daily Post
JIMMY FELL IS BRIGHT SPOT IN ANOTHER LEAGUE REVERSE
EVERTON 1, ASTON VILLA 2
By Horace Yates
With so many clubs looking for first-class wingers Everton can congratulate themselves on having taken a £15,000 prize from Grimsby Town in the signing of Jimmy Fell.  Playing in his first game last night there can be no doubt that he was the man to capture the imagination, not because he was a newcomer but because of the composure and skilled way he went about his job.  We all know just how misleading first appearances can sometimes be, but Fell, has only to maintain the standard he set for himself against Villa for Everton to rest content so far as one of their greatest problem position is concerned.  Possibly Fell can improve on his showing as he becomes more acquainted with his colleagues, but what a winger he will be if that should prove to be true!  He did everything that was asked of him and did it well, showing an ability to beat his man on either side with football of real class.  His centres too, were models of accuracy and invitation and when he chose to help himself to a shot there was no deteriorated of standards.            
QUERIES REMAIN
If Fell was the highlight of what turned out to be a rather disappointing evening for Evertonians, for so long now looking for the signs that their team are on the way back to proficiency, it was only too obvious that all the queries have not been satisfactorily answered.  The first half held out great possibilities for Everton seemed to be more like themselves with Collins always on the brink of bursting into decisive action with passes of such accuracy and intent that used to be commonplace in his displays.  The forward line, assembled at a cost of rather less than £60,000, moved freely and attractively so much so that one began to wonder whether or not it is possible to be dazzled by £ s d.  For example, one could hardly resist the impression that Young, for all his £40,000 fee, will never lead the line as effectively as did the much less costly Wignall.  Even though he may not have the finesse of the Scot Wignall has dash and drive which Young has never shown and just as important he displayed an ability to snap a goal from half a chance, a feature which has not so far imposed itself on the Scot’s play.  No, Wignall had a first half with which to be well satisfied and with Bingham striving to keep pace with his new and more promising trend, there seemed little doubt that the dismal Everton record of not having scored more than one goal since December 24 would be terminated.
VILLA DICTATORS
In the end it was not to be, for Everton allowed Villa to become the dictators of second half play and given any amount of encouragement they showed that behind the fuss and froth of their early endeavours, there was a bite which Everton could not equal.  Much of the play was so fast that mistakes were numerous and no-one showed the ability to apply much needed braking action.  Wignall’s opening goal came in 26 minutes the result of a purposeful push by Tyrer, fastened onto by a determined leader.  He tapped the ball away from the outrushing Sidebottom and out it into the net with an assurance which suggested he could make an habit of such finishing excellence.  The encouragement came early enough to encourage further goals, especially as both Dugdale and Neal wobbled dangerously from time to time when the pressure was on, but Everton let go their grip and were lost.  Fell was seemingly forgotten fell was seemingly forgotten and neglected by his colleagues, so much so when Everton remembered that a new barb had been introduced to their attack the crowd cheered ironically.  It was not without justification for the newcomer had hardly put a foot wrong and to find Fell in possession almost invariably spelled progress.  The Everton forward improvement had been in spite of Tyrer rather than because of him for apart from his contribution to the goal he had little to show for his activities.  Certainly this was no improvement on the deposed Vernon and if Vernon is not to come back for Saturday it can only be because Young will be next in line for a trial in the inside forward position.  Dunlop was beaten by the first shot to reach him in earnest.  It came early after 56 minutes, during which time he had been brought into action only to collect back-passes from the colleagues in front of him.  The goal brought a gasp of astonishment for a corner kick had apparently been suitably dealt with when Deakin lashed the ball into the top corner of the net from something like 30 yards range to raise anew the old controversy as to whether or not any goalkeeper should be beaten from such range.  Dunlop quickly proved that whether or not there is substance in the argument he is still a great goalkeeper, for he got down magnificently to keep out a shot from O’Neill, which would have beaten a less agile and alert player.  Everton’s nearest approach to further goals was when Collins beat Dagnall with a high bouncing ball.  Bingham ran on to it, and as Sidebottom advanced shot for a position just inside the post.  A desperate last second thrust by Sidebottom put the ball on the wrong side of the post, at least from an Everton point of view, Fell invited Tyrer to make a scoring reputation for himself, but the inside forward lifted the ball yards too high.  Then the inevitable happened.  A mistake by Parker in a tussle with McParland and failure by Labone to cover Thomson adequately let in the centre forward who took the ball round Dunlop and shot into the empty net.  So Aston Villa who have proved such a tough proposition for Everton over the last six years ended a League spell of non-success which has lasted from December 17 by adding a further frown to the brow of the Everton manager.  Both Parker and Thomson earned attractive markings for their displays and Sharples did not seem in the least out of place in this company. 

MERCER’S INTERVAL PLAN DID THE TRICK…
Liverpool Echo - Thursday 23 March 1961
By Leslie Edwards
DESPITE being without their centre-forward Hitchens, one of England's ill-starred forwards in the inter-League match at Glasgow, Aston Villa wore down Everton, at Goodison Park, last night, and won deservedly, by two goals to one. The disturbing Everton record for nearly three months of effort this year is thus two League wins, both at home and both by a goal to nil and spectators who had been used, until Christmas, to so much fat are quite clearly very dis-satisfied with so much lean. Everton were a team for half a match—the first in which they punched the ball about joyously and took a goal at 27 minutes through Wignall. But all the second-half Villa, tough, quick and unrelenting in their tackling, were in command and won ultimately, by the goal presented to them as a result of a tragic blunder by Brian Labone. A pity this mistake sullied Labone's otherwise excellent performance, but there it was. Perhaps the night's most satisfying realisation was that Everton have, at last, a winger fit to replace Tom Ring. Fell, of Grimsby, with his sharply-delivered passes, some with the outside of the foot, captivated the crowd and caused them to want more and more of his neat, effective football. Instead, they got less and less, because once Villa really got a grip of the game and of their opponents just after the interval there was only one team in it. It was an extraordinary game for more than one reason. First, because its first 20 minutes was so full-blooded and satisfying; second, because Everton's new gambit—the big boot and the forward pass at all costs-after paying an early dividend, though rarely promising to —failed completely afterwards. Joe Mercer disliked his own side's attempt to match this neck-or -nothing policy so much he went into his team at the interval and said: “For heaven's sake, let's play some First Division football, even if we're going to get beat by 10!”
DEAKIN STRIKES GOAL
The effect was almost instantaneous.  Villa worked some good patterns, ball on the floor.  They looked the better side and were just that, though some of their work was pretty uncompromising. McEwan blossomed out as a tantalisingly good outside right; Deakin struck gold with a ball quickly brought down and slammed, like lightning, into the net from 25 yards for the equaliser at 57 minutes. When Labone, with 10 minutes to go, tried to find Thomson with a cross-field pass he mistimed his stroke, Thomson slipped and his Villa namesake. seizing a chance that seemed almost too good to be true went on to score at his leisure—a clever goal since, if he had tried to find the man alongside with a pass anything less than square, an offside decision must have spoiled the whole business. I have rarely seen Everton play a less Everton-style game. It was thump, bang. wallop for most of the way. and only a glorious move by Fell, Bingham and Wignall (who flashed the final shot just wide) and a magnificent left foot volley by Bingham which was worth a goal (and earned only a corner) relieved the tedium of battering-ram stuff came strangely to spectators used to school of science approach. Wignall started brilliantly and took his goal splendidly, slipping the ball past Sidebottom neatly after Tyrer had gone to great pains to maintain possession and slide through a telling pass. Tyrer does not get, in First Division matches, the time he needs to tee up his pass, but some he made were telling. His smallness and Collins's put them at a disadvantage against a big side which stood on no ceremony and started the game sharp as needles and obviously sensing that a good show would gain them the points. The worse Everton played the less was seen of Wignall. He just disappeared from public notice. The line, which had Collins at inside right and Tyrer in the other inside forward position, did less well when the positions were interchanged. Bingham did many brilliant things—not least out-head men half a head taller—but many of his tricks just failed to come off.
PRAISE FOR PARKER
Villa had the edge at half back, too, where Deakin did little wrong; Dugdale played inconspicuously but well as ever, and Crowe, a good captain, had the experience and power to dominate. The Everton middle line, minus Harris, was patchy. Sharpies roamed far and wide and was sometimes out of touch at the crucial moment; Labone's control of Thomson was marred by his fatal error, and Gabriel did not at any time touch the standard reached against Nottingham Forest. For the quietude of McParland, except for one typical instance when she shifted the ball from one foot to the other and produced a shot which might well have surprised Dunlop, we must thank Parker. Rarely can the Irishman have had such an innocuous match. The Everton Thomson got nearer to his real game, but when McEwan really got going he always seemed to have the beating of his man at close quarters. I liked Lee at left back in the Villa side and I liked Villa's certain, cheeky movement when they started to play a bit and began to appreciate that they were masters. Some of referee Hawcroft's decisions did not go down with the crowd, and I agree there was more than an element of doubt about one offside verdict against Wignall in the first half, but in other respects he came near to his famous predecessor, Hawcroft, as a man capable of taking a firm control and maintaining it. The truth was the Everton never, apart from the first 20 minutes, really hit their game. The effort was made: the ball was punched and in the right direction, but much more than this is required. There was, from this policy, no real penetration and no real chance of penetration. No one, except, perhaps, Bobby Collins, really got hold of the ball and made the move which prised a real opening in a defence which looked suspiciously like Arsenal’s in their most invulnerable seasons.

FELL CANNOT PLAY
Liverpool Echo - Thursday 23 March 1961
LEAGUE RULING ON WEST BROMWICH GAME
By Leslie Edwards
Jimmy Fell, the new Everton winger from Grimsby Town, who made a successful debut at Goodison Park last night against Aston Villa, will play for the Central League side on Saturday. Because West Bromwich. Everton's opponents at the Hawthorns that day, could be involved in relegation, the Football League have ruled that Fell (signed after the transfer dead-line last week) is ineligible. Everton will also be without their Scottish international centre-forward, Alex Young, who is required to play in an Army match. Everton's troubles do not come singly. Their reserve team at Derby last night was so cut-up from injury that at one stage only eight men were on the field. They lost 4-0. Mailey, the goalkeeper, was concussed, but came back after treatment: Parnell was taken to hospital for X-ray examination after being kicked in the leg (no serious damage was disclosed): Green, his full-back partner, collided with the wall round the ground and gashed a knee: and Tom Jones had to leave the field with a pulled muscle. No wonder manager Carey is wondering when the leprechauns are going to stop pestering him!

ROY VERNON SAYS
Friday, March 24, 1961. The Liverpool Daily Post
SEEDING HAS NO PLACE IN F.A. CUP
Seeding for the F.A Cup competition?  That is a suggestion made to me in a letter from an Anfield reader.  He maintains that it is all wrong for the best clubs to knock each other out of the tournament on the way to Wembley at least until the semi-final stages are reached and suggests that in order to give those clubs the opportunity if they are good enough to stay the course until at least the last but one fence, seeding is the obvious solution.  It is an intriguing thought, but I wonder if it could be worked! For example, can you remember who were the top four clubs at the end of last season, supposing of course, that seedings would be based on this guide?  Let me refresh your memory.  The clubs finished in this order-Burnley, Wolves, Tottenham and West Brom.  Well that runs pretty well to form for this season if we could substitute Sheffield Wednesday or on earlier displays.  Everton, for the struggling West Bromwich side.  If we take the last four in the Cup they were –Wolves, Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa and Sheffield Wednesday.  Form this season shows that suggestion to be slightly less reliable.  So the problem obviously is, which teams would be seeded?  There can be no argument against the idea on the grounds that lesser clubs would be deprived of star clashes, for all the teams would be available to be met, the only safe guard being that they would not meet each other unless they could quality for the last four, except that if some of the big guns were put out of action in clashes against teams of their own calbre there would at least be better prospects of one of the minnows getting to Wembley. 
TAKE THEIR LUCK
You may ask, but why should the big shots receive consideration in this way?  Let them take their luck with the rest and if fate decrees that one or more of them should go to the wall fighting against each other, what of it?  There have never been any vacant spaces at Wembley, by reason of the fact that fancied names have not got there.  Nor, I suggest will there ever be.  Some final clashes have looked more glamorous on paper than others, but the thrill of Wembley has remained just the same.  It is my contention that any club which fights off all opposition through the stern, testing grounds reaches Wembley as a right and I will not readily concede that any poor team gets to the stadium.  Even if the seeding were to be left until just before the draw for the third round there is no sort of guarantee that the most likely finalists would be grouped in the top four.  No, the present system of draw as you please has stood the test of time well enough to satisfy most people, and I for one see no reason at this stage to interfere with it. 
DROPPED!
I suppose I shall be expected to write something about being dropped from the Everton side on Wednesday for the first time since coming to Goodison Park.  It goes without saying that I don’t like it.  Few players ever do, but I am not so conceited not to realise that better players than I have been dropped and have stayed on to win back their place.  People have said that I have not been the same since I was dismissed in the match at Nottingham.  That may be so, but if it be true then it is purely coincidental.  If ever that worried me I have got it right out of my system and my only concern has been doing my best to help the club out of a rut.  I realise in these circumstances that changes are often inevitable in an effort to bring about a change of fortune, but our formation at Goodison had been left alone for so long that we rather thought we enjoyed the confidence of the board and manager in our eventual ability to come through and in my opinion the climb out of the slump had started.  It may not have been a spectacular beginning, but at least it was a start.  Every professional player realises that sooner or later the time will come when his position is under challenge and if he cannot fight it off then the alternative is clear cut.  But I had hardly thought I had reached that stage yet.  Naturally I still hope to win back my place in the very near future, for I have enjoyed my football at Goodison Park. 
NO POACHER
I was overjoyed earlier, in the season when goals were coming my way regularly and I had hoped that this could be my most fruitful campaign, but while every player is delighted when he finds the net it is not my ambition to be known as a goal-poacher.  When Everton signed me from Blackburn I feel certain it was not with the intention of burdening me with the task of being their leading scorer, and yet I feel that I am being judged mow on my failure to get goals as I was doing before the turn of the year.  It was largely because I wanted reassurance that I was not being left out simply because goals have eluded me recently that I sought an interview first with the manager and then with the chairman.  I know Everton’s fortunes will revive before much longer and I hope I shall have a part to play in that revival. 

EVERTON AT WEST BROM
Liverpool Echo - Friday 24 March 1961
By Leslie Edwards
Everton who had a host of injured in their reserve game at Derby in mid-week will be without their new winger, Fell, at West Bromwich. The League have ruled him ineligible because he was signed after the transfer dead-line for this season and West Bromwich are in the relegation zone. With centre-forward Alex Young also unavailable because he must play in an Army match Everton's hand is not strong. Their failure in so many matches is making them over-anxious. Were it not for the fact that they piled up so many points in the first half of the season they would be in serious trouble. Gordon Clark has decided to retain the same Albion team. This means that Kevan, the subject of some vicious unsigned letters recently, who returned to the game last week after a month's absence through mumps, is overlooked and plays at Goodison Park instead. Newcomer Stan Steele from Port Vale also plays in the reserves as Bobby hope and Clark. Albion's recent expensive capture from Queen's Park Rangers, continue their bright partnership. John Lovett, the 19-year-old centre-forward, who drinks a pit of milk a day to build up his frame, is preferred to Ronnie Allen. In defence, goalkeeper Jock Wallace has been persevered with following several shaky displays after considerable tightening up of the rear-guard following the inclusion of Welsh international Stuart Williams and young Stan Jones, at centre-half. Jones, a close season signing from nearby Walsall, is a fine stopper. Last season Everton slumped badly at the Hawthorns where they were hammered 6-2 with Kevan scoring five in a match for the first time in his career. West Bromwich Albion;- Wallace; Howe, Williams S; Robson, Jones, Drury; Jackson, Burnside, Lovatt, Hope, Clark. 

VERNON IS BACK FOR EVERTON GAME
Liverpool Echo - Friday 24 March 1961
BUT GABRIEL IS UNFIT
HARRIS PLAYS
By Leslie Edwards
Roy Vernon is restored to the Everton team for the match at West Bromwich tomorrow. Left out for one match -against Villa he comes back to partner the Romford boy, Kavanagh, who deputises on the left for the ineligible newcomer, Fell. Gabriel is unfit and Brian Harris, who missed the Villa game through injury, returns at right half. Sharpies remains on the other flank and Collins reverts to his customary position at inside right. Alex Young is, of course, required for an Army game. Everton; Dunlop; parker, Thomson; Harris, Labone, Sharples; Bingham, Collins, Wignall, Vernon, Kavanagh.
Everton Reserves v. West Bromwich Albion, at Goodison Park); Dunne; Green, Gannon; Peat, Gorrie, Meagan; Bentley, Temple, Webber, Tyrer, Fell. 

VERNON IN FOR WEST BROM GAME
Saturday, March 25, 1961. The Liverpool Daily Post
By Horace Yates
With a record away from home this year that bears an all too familiar resemblance to that of last season, when not a single match was won on opponents’ ground in the entire programme, victory today could provide a great boost to an Everton team which is surely in need of it.  It does nothing to add colour to the prospects to recall that only once in the last six years have Everton triumphed at the Hawthorns and last season came back with a 6-2 drubbing.  The return of Vernon to inside left after being dropped from the Aston Villa game, surprised no one, but with Young absent with Army duty the pattern for the future still appears a little hazy.  I think the time has come for Young to be considered as something other than a centre forward and has become a poser for manager John Carey to work out.  Because he is unwell Jimmy Gabriel drops out and in his place at right half comes Brian Harris now restored to fitness.  Tyrer is the forward to be omitted and Bobby Collins moves over to inside left to accommodate Vernon.  As the highly promising Fell is ineligible because of his late signing Kavanagh returns at outside left. 
KEVAN RESUMES
West Brom are still not so far removed from the danger zone that they can afford to be carefree but it must be an encouragement to Everton to know that the Albion have dropped more points at home than they have gained.  Injuries have hit West Brom Stuart Williams standing down through a damaged ankle, and at left back Graham Williams comes in to deputise.  Derek Kevan who helped himself to five goals in the corresponding game last year celebrated his recovery from illness by taking three goals with the reserves a week ago and as Bobby Hope is suffering from groin trouble, in comes Kevan at inside left.  West Bromwich Albion; Wallace; Howe; G. Williams, Robson, Jones, Drury; Jackson, Burnside, Lovatt, Kevan, Clark.  Everton; Dunlop; Parker, Thomson; Harris, Labone, Sharpless; Bingham, Collins, Wignall, Vernon, Kavanagh. 

EVERTON SHATTERED BY 15 SEC GOAL AT WEST BROMWICH
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 25 March 1961
WEST BROM 3, EVERTON 0
By Horace Yates
West Bromwich Albion; Wallace; Howe, G. Williams; Robson, Jones, Drury; Jackson, Burnside, Lovatt, Kevan, Clark.  Everton; Dunlop; Parker, Thomson; Harris, Labone, Sharples; Bingham, Collins, Wignall, Vernon, Kavanagh.  Referee; Mr. K.R. Tuck (Chesterfield).  Four passes were all that were needed to put West Brom into the lead to put West Brom into the lead and it all happened in a matter of 15 seconds.  When Clark sent the ball into the middle, Kevan playing for the first time for a month after recovering from mumps, shot wide of Dunlop while many of the spectators were still streaming into the ground.  Everton hit back with a clever Collins-Vernon link-up, and only when Kavanagh failed to clear Howe did the movement peter out.  Labone showed a spirited defence against West Bromwich forwards, who had been given the goal urge with their early encouragement, and Everton might have been on terms in three minutes when Vernon and Wallace raced for possession and the goalkeeper flicked Vernon’s shot just wide of the post. 
HITTING BACK
It was reassuring to find Everton showing West Brom that there were two attacks in this game, and when Bingham gave Vernon the chanty to advance against a retreating defence he took them by surprise by hitting a shot from 30 yards. It was beautifully directed but a yard or two high to be effective. Dunlop was playing with his left hand plastered as a protection against a dog bite received Yesterday, but it did not seem to handicap him in his work.  West Brom’s second goal in 16 minutes was in the natural of a fluke, Clark gave Robson the shooting chance and Robson muffed it completely.  The ball skidded off his foot straight to Jackson who unhesitatingly banged it into the net past a bewildered Dunlop.
MENACE OF CLARKE
Albion’s quick scoring revived painful memories of Everton's last visit to the ground, when they conceded six goats. With nearly all the home player, keen to join the shooting gallery from all sorts of range and angles, Everton's 'anxiety at times became acute. Clark was proving to be a real menace. His centres were a model of accuracy and Everton could afford few defensive errors. Play was held up for a few minutes while Kavanagh received treatment for a kick on the ankle, but he was able to stay in the game. Jackson invited Burnside to make the total three, but a last minute intervention saw the shot charged down
SPORADIC RAIDS
Despite their sporadic raiding, Everton had not been able to develop a smooth attacking rhythm, and although the West Brom defence was lying well upfield they did not hesitate to come back anything up to 30 yards to Wallace, immediately danger threatened . A shot on target was a cheering sight for Everton. It was Vernon who worked the ball through to Wignall and the centre forward found Collins handily placed but a splendid shot was beautifully saved by Wallace.  This was the prelude to another West Bromwich score and again it was the pin-pointing blonde head of Kevan, which skilfully directed the ball wide of Dunlop and just inside the far post at 26 minutes.  This was real tragedy for Everton, without an away win this year, to find themselves three goals down in 26 minutes and against forwards whose appetites seemed insatiable.  West Brom were evidently keen to chance their luck and shot at every opportunity while the going was good, and Burnside’s shot was heading for the touchline rather than the goal when Jackson intervened with another first time drive which had too much loft to count. 
GRIM OUTLOOK
Nothing was going wrong for, West Brom, although passes missed their objectives from time to time they invariably worked out to Albion's advantage. It could have been four in 33 minutes, when Kevan and Jackson laid on a chance for Burnside whose shot was narrowly off target. By now Kavanagh was a limping cripple at outside left, and the outlook for Everton could only be described as grim. When Bingham sought to find the willing head of Wignali, It' was centre-half Jones who leaped highest to win possession and frustrate another movement with which Everton sought encouragement. Thomson showed his willingness to spark an attack and helped Vernon in a run which took play to withal yards of the penalty area, but progress was so slow moving that when Collins received the ball in front of goal it was to find a solid wall of defenders ranged in front of him.
STYLISH PARKER
Parker beat three men in a style which would have done credit to any forward before opening a shooting position for Bingham who could do no better than find the side of the net.  There a let-off for Everton when Clark took the, ball to the bye-line and out the ball across the goal most invitingly and found only Everton players there to receive it.  Clark appeared to pull a thigh muscle in making the effort and nipped off the field for attention five minutes before halt-time. Wignall had not so far entered into the calculations at all.  It was not through lack of ability or effort but rather lack of opportunity that was responsible.  The mysterious something which has robbed this Everton side of its bite was still in evidence. Neither Collins nor, Vernon could find their touch, but it was a move between the two which built up promisingly and ended dismally with Vernon tapping the ball forward, expecting Bingham to move to it. Dismayed by the speed of the ball Bingham made no effort and it rolled harmlessly out of play Half-time.—West Bromwich 3, Everton nil. The hope that the change of ends might bring a change of fortune was not borne out in the opening minutes when Everton’s defence was again on the collar.  West Bromwich had resumed a full side although Clark was limping slightly.  Kavanagh on the other hand could make no sort of useful contribution and merely bobbled about the field.  It was more like old times to see Thomson bringing Vernon into action, and rather placing Bingham into position Vernon sent the opposition the wrong way by running towards the wing, and Bingham’s shot failed just wide of the post.  Ill luck continued to dog the footsteps of Vernon.  Moving in quickly to a centre from Bingham, he pushed the ball against the fingers of Wallace who had flung himself full length and only by the narrowest of margins was the ball deflected from its course.  When a Labone clearance rebounded Kevan was given the perfect opportunity to claim his third goal.  The position could scarcely have been easier, but he managed to send the ball out of play. 
FURTHER ESCAPES
The story of escape at the Everton end continue when Dunlop sent a goal kick to foot of Kevan, and as the ball rebounded towards goal, Dunlop chased back to catch it before any real mischief was done. Kevan had developed an urge to get that third goal, and the shot from 25 yards range came within a yard of achieving his ambition. 
LUCKLESS EVERTON
Deflections which helped West Bromwich were not so kind to Everton for when Vernon found himself with a shooting chance Jones succeeded in touching the ball wide of the goal. While good marks were scarce for Everton they could not be faulted for determination and with Albion falling to add to their tally Everton swept into the attack.  Three minutes from the end Jackson gave Kevan his third goal on a plate. Only three yards out, and Dunlop at the wrong end of the goal, Kevan mysteriously managed to clear bar—an infinitely harder feat than to score. Too late the gods were smiling on Everton, for Clark hit the inside of the Post and away went the ball to safety.  Final; West Bromwich Albion 3, Everton 0.  Official attendance 20,250. 

FELL IMPRESSED CROWD AND TEAM
Saturday –March 25 1961 The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express
THOMSON IS HITTING HIS BEST FORM NOW WRITES ALEX PARKER

Much as our supporters were surprised when they learned lost week-end that Everton had signed Jimmy Fell from Grimsby Town, they were no more surprised than I was, and, I should imagine, the rest of our players. I had no idea that our manager had signed him until I read it on Sunday. This may come as a shock to some people, but I think it is a good idea. The signing of players it such big business these day that secrecy is vital, for obvious reunions. I should imagine the fans have the same view as the players. As long as this secrecy enables the club to sign a good player it is a good thing. It's far better than reading about all the pIayers who might be arriving and don't. When we met for training on Monday, the players were naturally discussing our new signing, but none of us had ever seen him play. He arrived at the ground on Tuesday morning for training and Jimmy Gabriel promoted himself to Public Relations Officer by introducing Jimmy Fell to the rest of the team. Gabriel made a very fair job of it, too. So much so that the rest of the team were asking him how long he had been promoted to skipper.
IMPRESSES
Like the crowd, we were anxious to see how our new winger would shape against Aston Villa, and there's no denying that the players and fans were very impressed. When he has had a few more First Division games he will be even better. Let's hope he has long and successful career with us. It a pity he had to finish on the losing side, particularly as it had seemed we were going to win. I thought our first half display was better than that against Forest, when we won, but unfortunately for us the Villa boys came back in the second half to score twice. The Forest match last Saturday was marred by the broken collar bone suffered by Billy Gray.  When he was hurt tackling Billy Bingham I don’t think anybody realised just how serious the injury was going to be.  He played on for a couple of minutes before going off at half-time and it was a terrific shock for all of us when we were told before going out for the second half that he had been taken to hospital with a suspected fractured collar bone.  When Billy Bingham put us ahead in the third minute I thought we might do a repeat of last season’s 6-1 win over Forest, when Tommy Ring made his debut, but it was not to be.  Despite the pressure we put on, I though the disorganised Forest defence played exceptionally well, and with their late rally they might easily have grabbed a point but for Albert Dunlop being on his toes. Still, we would have been awfully unlucky not to have won. Afterward , Mr. Andy Beattie, Forest’ manager former manager of the Scotland team, came into our dressing room to have a word with George Thomson, Bobby Collins, Alex Young, Jimmy Gabriel, and I.  He asked us how we were getting on and gave us news of one or two Scottish boys at Nottingham.  In all the criticism that has been showered on we Everton players this year, it seems to have gone unnoticed just how well the defence has been playing and I’m not getting at our forwards when I say that.  They undoubtedly did their part earlier in the season.   Personality I think our defence is playing better now than it was when the team was getting better results.  Everybody is delighted with the reports George Thomson is getting lately. It looks as if he is really settling down in English football and is going to prove every bit as good we all expected he would. It was a treat to hear the rounds of applause be has received from the crowd in the last two home games. Talking about defences. I wonder how many noticed that not one of Everton's five teams conceded a goal last week. In addition to our 1-0 win, the A team won 2-0, the B team 1-0, the C team 1-0, and the reserves drew 0-0. Next week-end busy time for football teams, and over the Easter holiday we play Blackburn twice, with a home match against Birmingham City sandwiched in between. The visit of Birmingham means that we will probably be seeing the return of Jimmy Harris to Goodison.

EVERTON RES V W BROM RES
Saturday-March 25 1861 The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express
Everton Reserves; Dunne; Green, Gannon; peat, Gorrie, Meagan, Bentley, Temple, Webber, Tyrer, Fell.  West Bromwich Albion Res; Potter; Cram, Bradley; Billingham, Kennedy, Bannister; Foggo, Smith, Murray, Steele, Macready.  Referee; Mr. F. Smith (Breaston, Derbyshire).  Everton made a great start by establishing a 2-goal lead after only 7 minutes play.  In Everton’s very first attack, Tyrer beat two men before enabling Webber to score in the second minute.  Five minutes later Webber returned the compliment to Tyrer who netted with a neat flick.  In between these goals Foggo narrowly failed to equalise from Murray’s cross.  Territorially, the game was very even but Everton were much more dangerous in front of goal and Tryer twice brought the best out of goalkeeper Potter.  In the 31st minute Everton went further ahead when Tyrer netted an identical goal to his first one, this time from a pass by Fell.  The Albion should have equalised when Smith shot over from only six yards out.  On the other hand, temple had a drive saved at point blank range while Bentley lofted a shot on to the trop netting.  Everton were now the masters with their defence holding the clever Albion forwards so that goalkeeper Dunne was hardly troubled.  Half-time Everton Res 3, West Brom Res nil. 

NO SIGNS YET OF AN EVERTON RECEOVERY
Monday, March 27, 1961.  The Liverpool Daily Post
WEST BROMWICH ALBIOBN 3, EVERTON 0
By Horace Yates
What a dressing score line!  It might have been possible to squeeze some consolation from it had the margin misrepresented the game, but it did not, and if West Brom had accepted later chances with the same alacrity as they collected three goals in 26 minutes that 6-2 drubbing of last season might well have been repeated.  Of course, it knocks the stuffing out of a side to find itself a goal down from the kick-off, only four passes removed from the start, and that is what happened.  Add to that the fact that Kavanagh was virtually out of the match for three-quarters of the game with an ankle injury, which swelled to twice its normal size, and it becomes apparent that Everton needed to slip into the top form to have any hope of overcoming a hurdle, which was as formidable as the Grand National jumps must have appeared to the Russian party.  When every allowance is made, however, it still becomes impossibilities to admit other than that this was Everton at their lowest ebb, if anything more completely out of touch than ever.  West Brom, scoring their fourth successive triumph, were willing to accept the view that Everton were made to look so ordinary because their team did so well, but from a neutral point of view it was Everton’s failings that helped to create any gulf there may have been. 
Uphill Battle
Players will tell you that when the luck is going against you the harder you fight the more uphill seems to become the battle and conversely when the ball is running your way, cash in and be thankful.  That is just what West Brom did! For their first shattering goal it was an intercepted Collins’ pass that sent Albion away to their celebration score.  I talked with Derek Kevan, the scorer, after the match and he admitted what I had suspected, that he mis-kicked and instead of smashing the ball into the net, he merely stabbed it and was elated to find that power was of secondary importance when the direction was right.  Back for the first time for more than a month, due to an attack of mumps Kevan, grafeful though he was for fortune’s smile was completely honest for he also confessed that when he headed home goal No. 3 he thought he was offside and did not expect the goal to count.  On that statement, my impression was that Kevan was leaning over backwards to be fair for I thought there was nothing in it and that Thomson fad fractionally put him onside.  The second goal in 16 minutes was a travesty.  Again it was an intercepted Collins’ pass which produced the lead up, but that was only the start of it. 
GOAL FROM MIS-KICK
When Clark, a fine winger on this showing crossed the ball Robson went in to put his name among the scorers.  Timing was not his forte and when he completely mis-kicked the ball was moving much more towards touch than goal.  Jackson however, moved in, lashed the ball first time, and Everton were three down.  Don’t blame Dunlop for any of them, but it is not quite so easy to exonerate the men in front of him.  There was a disconcerting slackness all round and man for man marking in the most vulnerable positions simply did not exist for this crucial spell.  For all that some of Thomson’s play suggested that the improvement which became apparent in his display on Wednesday had been maintained, and there were times when both he and Parker made progress more powerfully than the attack.  Labone generally prevented Lovatt from joining in the revel, but it was a far from happy Everton who trooped off at the close.  They had played badly and knew it.  The link up with the forwards was always near breaking point and even before Kavanagh merely became a number there was not the flow, the ideas or the penetration that will have to reappear before Everton turn back the clock to some of those glorious exhibitions of earlier in the season. 
SUN..WITHOUT TRACE
If Everton were to score it appeared that the goal would have to come from Vernon or Bingham.  Both struggled mightily to retrieve something from the wreckage, but I am afraid the good ship Everton was sunk almost without trace.  Vernon has started relegation and did not like it any more than any established player does, but he came back determined that if it lay within his power to avoid a repetition he would not fall for lack of effort.  He was not the most disappointing member of the line for little appeared to go right for Collins and though Wignall might have every justification for claiming a frustrating lack of co-operation, he did not shine in this game as a player willing and able to help himself.  The encouragement and urge which Fell might have provided was not there and when Everton advanced it was with a jerky sort of action rather than a sweeping movement which is the more spectacular and effective.  If there was a time when we thought Everton had helped to confound the theory that success can be bought we know better now.  Injury can play havoc with the most carefully laid schemers and when it is accompanied by mysterious football blight football on the inside can indeed become an outsize in headaches.  The Everton handover could hardly have been more persistent.  West Bromwich Albion; Wallace; Howe, G, Williams; Robson, Jones, Drury; Jackson, Burnside, Lovatt, Kavan, Clark.  Everton; Dunlop; Parker, Thomson; Harris, Labone, Sharples; Bingham, Collins, Wignall, Vernon, Kavanagh.  Referee; Mr. K.R. Tuck (Chesterfield).  Attendance 20,250. 

EVERTON RES IN TOP GEAR
Monday, march 27, 1961. The Liverpool Daily Post
EVERTON RES 4, WEST BROMWICH ALBION RES
Everton gave an exhilarating display to win entertaining game decisively.  After Tyrer had presented Webber with a second minute goal, and scored himself five minutes later, Everton never looked back.  Before the interval the Albion goal was lucky to fall only once more to Tyrer who was the best forward afield.  As Albion tightened up in the second half, the game became more even, but Temple managed to score in the eighty-fifth minute.  Dunne, Green, and Gorrie played splendidly in a compact Everton defence which, however, was helped by the feeble finishing of the visitors. 

EVERTON CLOUD SHOWS NO SIGN OF A SILVER LINING
Liverpool Echo - Monday 27 March 1961
By Horace Yates
Every cloud, we are told, has a silver lining, but I regret to have to state that so far as Everton Is concerned, there was no sign of it at West Bromwich, where they were beaten 3-0 and could easily have gone down even more decisively. They must have had four or five scoring chances to everyone that came Everton’s way and only the fact that they forgot how to back in the warmth of fortune's smile prevented the total from soaring. Derek Kevan, playing himself back into favour after an uneasy interlude, scored in 15 seconds and headed his second and his side's third in 26 minutes. How he failed to increase his tally to three, four or five, only Kevan can say.  Small wonder, however, that Kevan subscribes most heartily to the "I like Everton'' Club for he told me that his last five meetings with them have produced 10 goals. He admitted that the first came when he mis-hit the ball, but still managed to push the ball past Dunlop and he though himself offside when he was credited with the third.  The second was also a sketch affair, with Robson completely miskicking but accidentally providing a pass which Jackson rocketed past Dunlop. 
COURAGEOUS KAVANAGH
It would be nice to say that at that stage, despite having lost Kavanagh with an ankle injury before the third goal came, Everton took a grip on the match and prevented further disaster, but it just wouldn't be true. West Brom, by their failing, contributed just as much to the lack of further scoring than anything Everton did to stop them. Kavanagh remained on the field, but he was simply making up numbers. Courageously though he tried to make his presence count. But he was completely helpless to the point at which Howe could ignore his presence. The youngster did not even constitute a nuisance value by staying the course and one felt that it might have been kinder to withdraw him from the cruel scene.  After the match his ankle was swollen to something like twice its normal size, and so the sorry story of Everton's misfortune with their wingers continues. Looking on, recovering from a stomach upset, Gabriel could not have reached the conclusion that his place was under threat either from the switch of Brian Harris to right half or by reason of anything Sharples could accomplish, agree that the promise of Sharpies is abundant but this was one of his les-impressive displays and who could blame him when his elders, and presumably his betters, were doing so little to point out the right road to him?
A TEAM FAILURE
There are times when Wignall appears to have most of the qualities necessary to make the grade as a No 9, the sort of merit that has caused half-a-dozen clubs to not his name as a lad of unusual interest. But, possibly tiring of waiting for others to give him a helping hand with his job, he seemed in danger of forgetting that a player who forages alone can cause no end of trouble on occasion. Still, with few exceptions, this was a team failure rather than a failure of individuals and it is not easy, even with the most generous touch of benevolence, to hand out bouquets of any greater size than buttonholes. If Dunlop did little spectacular to decrease the adverse margin, at least he could not be faulted as having made any sort of contribution towards the three match winners.  For opposing forwards to be able to take up lethal positions unattended about their opponents’ goal shows a disagreeable lack of appreciation of possibilities and so it was that a side with one of the poorest scoring records in the League was able to penetrate the Everton resistance three times.  I appreciate that the run of luck was with Albion in the scoring of each of their goals and it would have been easier to lay part of the blame on a cruel fate it only Everton defensively, had done all that could have been expected of them.
UNHAPPY COLLINS
Sad to relate, they did not.  That is not to say that men like Thomson, who appears to be finding his feet. Parker and Labone, were not always found wanting when the call was most urgent. Only a pen dipped deeply into a well of optimism could write very much in favour of the powder puff forward line. For Collins, it was an unhappy day. Two of his passes which failed to reach their target led directly to stores for West's Brom, and he was always fighting an unequal battle to play according to reputation. Vernon and Bingham were the two who showed any promise of giving Everton any tangible evidence of a fight back. Twice Vernon was thwarted by the narrowest of margins on a day on which he could not be accused of being the least effective member of the line, and the aide netting was as near as Bingham managed to get towards a goal. How long can this unhappy spell in which talented players are but a shadow of themselves continue? There is no easy answer. They appear deeply embedded in a rut and everybody seems agreed that if only they could achieve one resounding victory there could lie the key to a renewal of faith, confidence and achievement.  That happy day cannot come round too soon.

KAVANAGH MAY BE OUT FOR SEVERAL WEEKS
Liverpool Echo - Tuesday 28 March 1961
DECISION ON FELL AWAITED
EVERTON DOUBT
By Leslie Edwards
Kavanagh, the Everton left winger who was injured at West Bromwich, is likely to be out of the game for a week or two.  His ankle injury was a severe one and most players would not have played won with it.  Everton will not know until tomorrow whether their new signing Fell from Grimsby will be eligible to play in the match on Friday at Blackburn.  The Football League have promised to make a decision on the matter first thing tomorrow.  Peter Farrell, the former Everton and Tranmere Rovers player, has joined a Merseyside engineering firm with factories on both sides of the river.  He is doing clerical work but is expected to help the firm’s football team. 

EVERTON LEAVE OUT BRIAN HARRIS
Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 29 March 1961
MEAGAN PLAYS AT BLACKBURN
FELL DECISION
By Leslie Edwards
Everton have surprised the natives by leaving out half back Brian Harris for the match against Blackburn at Ewood, on Friday. His place will be taken by Irishman, Mick Meagan, who played the first few matches this season in the left half back position. Meagan has been playing exceptionally well in the reserves. The Football League have ruled that Fell, the club's new left winger, is eligible for both this match and the one at Goodison Park on Monday, also against Blackburn. But Fell will not be able to play against Birmingham, at Goodison Park, on Saturday. Fell takes the place of Kavanagh, whose ankle strain at West Bromwich was so severe he had to have a light plaster on it.  It is doubtful whether he will be fit to play again this season. Blackburn will be unchanged, having taken their star inside forward, Crowe, off the list at player's request. Everton; Dunlop; Parker, Thomson; Gabriel, Labone, Meagan; Bingham, Collins, Young, Vernon, Fell.  Blackburn Rovers; Reeves; Taylor, Bray; McEvoy, Woods, Clayton, Douglas, Dobing, Pickering,. Thomas, MacLeod.   Everton play Tranmere in the semi-final of the Liverpool Senior Cup at Goodison Park on Monday, April 17 (7.30). The second leg of tonight’s Youth Cup semi-final, against Stoke City, will be played at Everton on Wednesday, April 19 (7.30).
YOUTH CUP
Everton Youth team are without two of their regulars for the first leg of the Youth Cup semi-final at Stoke tonight.  Parnall and Jarvis are both unfit.  Everton Youth; Mailey; Burgan, Atherton; Gannon, Gorrie, Sharples; Maddocks, Tyrer, Webber, Morton, Edwards. 

BANGU (BRAZIL) WIN CUPS FOR FAIR PLAY…
Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 29 March 1961
By Leslie Edwards
Everton’s attractive opponents from South America, the Bangu Club which won the New York International tourney last summer, are due at Goodison Park a week next Wednesday.  Let us hope that Everton have found their pre-Christmas form before that day!  The match will give some indication of what Everton can expect to face when they go to New York, in June, for their first tilt at the New York tourney.  Bangu is one of the oldest clubs in Brazil.  It was founded in 1904 by employees at a textile factory.  Even today the factory and club are closely connected.  The factory has constructed a stadium with a capacity of 40,000 spectators.  The club’s first board of directors was constituted entirely by Englishmen and when the club played their first game there was only one Brazilian in the team.  The club once constituted, made rapid progress and became one of the best in Rio.  In 1933 the first professional league in Rio started and Bangu became champions.  The goalkeeper bore the name Euclides-he solved most of the problems!  Bangu last year were second in the Rio-Sao Paulo tournament.  In Rio there is a Discipline Cup, presented to the most sporting team.  Bangu have won it three times.  Like other Brazilian clubs Bangu have a modern sports stadium with tennis courts, swimming-pools, &tc.  They also have their own cinema. 
STAR TRAINER
The club has an expert trainer Thomas Suarez da Silva, better known as Zizinho.  About Zisinho all Brazilian experts agree-he is the best of all time.  He was the “motor” in the Brazilian team in the World Cup in 1950, a team considered the best Brazil ever had, although they lost the final to Uruguay.  Zizinho formed a famous inside-trio with Ademir and Jair.  He was a great star at 16 years old and played about 50 international matches for Brazil.  He broke a leg three times.  He represented Flamengo, Bangu, Sao Paulo F.C, and Bangu a second time.  The star of the Bangu side is Zozimo A. Calazaes, at right half.  As an amateur he played for Brazil during the Olympic Games in Helsinki in 1952.  He played both matches for Brazil versus Peru in the qualification to the World Cup of 1958 and was considered to be a corner-stone of the national team.  Unfortunately he was hurt before going to Sweden, but the Brazilian trainer let him accompany the party in hope that he would be fit.  Zozimo tried to play against Wales in the quarter final but was not completely recovered and could not play as usual.  He is now trying to win a place in the team that is going to Chile in 1962.  In the tournament in New York, last year, Bangu were selected to represented Brazil.  They performed brilliantly as their record shows;- Bangu-Samdoria 4-0; Bangu-Rapid 3-2; Bangu-Sporting 5-1; Bangu-Red Star 2-0; Bangu-Norrkoping 0-0; Bangu-Kilmarnock 2-0.  Time permitted them to play only two friendly games.  In the first they beat Red Star 5-2; the second game was played in Montreal, where Bangu defeated a combination by 2-0, the team will defend their New York title this summer. 

EVERTON’S SEMI-FINAL GOAL LEAD
Friday, March 30, 1961. The Liverpool Daily Post
STOKE CITY YOUTH 1, EVERTON YOUTH 2
GOALS; Matthews, stoke, Webber, Maddock, Everton.  Attendance 19,241. 
The Merseysiders second goal was a gem.  Webber and Maddock worked the ball through Stoke’s rear ranks, Maddock to switch swiftly into the centre and hammering the ball past Sherratt.  Everton were in luck when Mathews shot against their goal angle and when Atherton headed off the line from Bebbington.  The non-stop thrills however also included a goal bound shot by Webber which desperate Bloor cleared off the line.  Desperate Stoke hurled everything into a do or die second half.  Everton’s securely knit rearguard had to pull out all the way and even them it took some brilliant work by Mailey to hold the fort.  A tragic handling effort by Burgin a heroic Everton right back, presented City with a penalty goal three minutes from the end.  It was hammered into the roof of the net by Mathews.  The winners were not without being second half moments.  One Stoke let off was miraculous for after Webber had lashed the ball against the foot of the post, Edwards shot from the rebound struck the post and then the other before going out.  Everton were good right through; but wing half Gannon and Sharples were superb. 

ROY VERNON...
Friday, March 30, 1961. The Liverpool Daily Post
STRIKE IS UNLIKELY THIS SEASON
The F.A Cup final will be played as planned on May 6.  At least, that is my view.  No matter what may be the outcome of the meeting of the clubs on April 14 to discuss the agreement made between players and management, I don’t think for a moment the final is in danger.  I think it would be a retrograde step if the terms “negotiated were not approved.  To go back on the concessions now would undermine confidence to any future negotiations.  Surely if a delegation is appointed to represented a body it should have the authority to negotiate if they have not, then it is a waste of time.  I think the players are a reasonable body, but imagine their feelings now if what they have fought for over the years and conceded after long and spirited negotiation, were suddenly to be taken away! It would destroy confidence in officialdom, and that is the last thing anyone wants.  We know as well as anybody that there have to be bosses.  We acknowledge it and are willing to play out part as dutiful servants, so long as the labours is made worthy of his hire, and given a freedom similar to that possessed by the rest of the world. 
WE MAY DIFFER BUT...
So many scares and alarms have there been during the struggles that I refuse to become excited now when new snags are suggested.  I feel confident that a fair and lasting agreement can be made and that clubs can concede our wishes without endangering their own positions.  After all, there is such a thing as team spirit and club loyalties and if a player is happy with a club he is not going to consider leaving it without very good cause.  We may fifer, of course, as to what may be considered “good causes” but most managers enjoy me confidence of the lads who serve under them and I feel that the club interests generally are in a very good hands.  The mere fact that managers are almost invariably former players does not mean that they will automatically side with the players.  Their experience will help to guide them so that they are able to strike a happy medium.  I am not in the least surprised to find many of the leading clubs kicking against the proposals concerning the playing of the League Cup next season.  It is hardly the way to tempt those clubs which remained on the outside this season, to enter the second competition when it is suggested that not only should the season be opened with these fixtures, but that the first round should be played in two legs.  Everyone knows that the attendances on the season’s opening days are always among the best in the season.  The terraces can be filled without any Cup label to spur the crowds on. 
ROBIN HOOD TROPHY!
I can well sympathise with the view I have heard expressed that the idea will mean only a subsidy for the small clubs.  They will get a handsome cut out of playing on the big teams’ grounds, while the leading clubs could find themselves playing for a very meagre reward in the second leg.  If the League Cup is not to become known as the Robin Hood Trophy (robbing the rich to give to the poor) I think the sooner the idea is hit on the head the better it will be.  I thought of the idea behind a Cup competition was to create additional interest at a time when it may be in danger of flagging not to start off with it.  If there is no interest in the opening games what a plight we should find ourselves in. 
STRICT LIMITS NEEDED
I applaud the idea of laying down strict limits between which the various rounds must be played and the League would be right to enforce these dates except in the most impossible circumstances.  I do not generally believe in the use of compulsion, but if this is to be a League Cup competition then let us make it so in something more than name.  But that I mean that it should be made obligatory for all clubs to enter.  If the competition is going to impose an additional strain on players and clubs by causing the fixture list to be increased, at least the strain should be the same all round.  Those who assume that the Everton players are not unduly worried about the loss of form by the team as a whole could hardly be further from the truth.  It is wrong even to assume that there is nothing left now to spur the team forward.  In actual fact there remains a great deal.  Not only do we wish to finish the season in as good a position as possible (there is always the talent money as an additional incentive, but probably even more important the club wish to embark on their American games fully confident in the knowledge that the old touch has been regained and that we will enhance the honour of British football in the U.S.A. 

MEAGAN BACK
Friday, March 30, 1961. The Liverpool Daily Post
By Horace Yates
Everton ring the changes for their visit to Blackburn Rovers but the nearest approach is a surprise with the reintroduction of Mick Meagan at left half, Brian Harris at right half last and Alex Young back as centre forward.  With permission granted for Jimmy Fell to play in both holiday games with Blackburn (but not against Birmingham) his recall in place of the injured Kavanagh was automatic, and with Young free of Army duties he makes another attempt to make good as Everton’s leader.  Meagan began the season at left half but after four games was relegated and his name was not appeared in the team until yesterday’s announcement.  While Liverpool must win their game to maintain a promotion challenge, victory for Everton at Blackburn is important for a vastly different reason.  They have not won away from home since December 26 and the fillip which victory over a team above them in the table would bring needs.  Roy Vernon will be particularly anxious to break his lean-spell in his first match against his former colleagues.  The Everton side is truly international for in it there are players who have serve England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Eire. If we are allowed to accept Labone’s under-23 appearances in this category, Bingham is the Irishman, there is a Scottish quartet, while Vernon is the Welsh cap and Meagan Eire’s representative.  Only Dunlop and Fell have at represented their country, but who will say they are any less worthy for all that?  With much credentials, there appears to be no excuse for some of the sorry exhibition we have seen from them.  They can only improve on the West Bromwich display.  Chris Crowe’s application to have his name removed from the list of players available for transfer has been granted, but England’s under-23 inside left will play in the reserves tomorrow, former Evertonian Eddie Thomas holding his position for the match in which he would most like to do well.  Blackburn Rovers; Reeves; Taylor, Bray; McEvoy, Woods, Tayton, Douglas, Dobing, Pickering, Thomas, Macleod.  Everton; Dunlop; Parker, Thomson; Gabriel, Labone, Meagan; Bingham, Collins, Young, Vernon, Fell. 

RE-ENTER MICK MEAGAN
Liverpool Echo - Thursday 30 March 1961
By Leslie Edwards
Everton need points not for promotion, but to re-establish themselves in the eyes of supporters who just cannot fathom why a side which started so well is now playing so moderately. The return at left half-back of Mick Meagan is surprising to all except those who watch the Central League side.  He has been playing exceptionally well there.  Fell can play tomorrow at Blackburn and again against Blackburn, at Goodison Park on Monday but the League have ruled him ineligible for the match at Goodison Park on Saturday against Birmingham.  Many, when weighing Everton’s decline, link injuries with other contingencies as the cause.  It is just as well the team have won two home games this year (both by a single goal) otherwise further failure over Easter might have put them more than on the edge of the relegation zone.  That the club are safe will hardly weigh with Chairman John Moore who came into office to make a go of things and will not rest until he has done so.  Blackburn will field tomorrow, the former Everton players Matt Woods and Eddie Thomas.  It is ironic that Mr. Carey will be looking for points against his old club and that on Saturday against Birmingham his team will face yet another former team-mate, Jimmy Harris, whose rampaging at Goodison Park may well have been more valuable to Everton than many of us though, judged by the lack of blend since he departed.  Everton; Dunlop; Parker, Thomson; Gabriel, Labone, Meagan; Bingham, Collins, Young, Vernon, Fell.  Blackburn Rovers; Reeves; Taylor, Bray; McEvoy, Woods, Clayton; Douglas, Dobing, Pickering, Thomas, McLeod.