CATTERICK ADVOCATES A SUMMER SEASON
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express- Tuesday January 1, 1963
By Leslie Edwards
Mr. Catterick says; “Run your season from March to November, let cricket followers desert you as they will.  In the period I name there would be little chance of any game being postponed or abandon.  Summer holidays would interfere with the gates but the weather would not.  Most matches, I suggest would start late in the evening so the clash with Cricket would not really be important. 
A WELSH VIEW
A group of Flintshire supporters headed by Mr. R. Whitley say their say “Far from being the best Christmas box for the fans, the signing of Tony Kay and the miserable way in which it is was done has filled us with dismay and apprehension, if Everton can treat Britain this shabby way when he has played and served the club faithfully, whole-heartedly and brilliantly, what will be the treatment of those who have a bad game.”  We wonder.  For so long we have been told that Everton have the best half-back line in football today.  We predict Everton will suffer for this latest move.  They won’t win the League or the Cup. 
Mr. George Roberts (152 Ford Lane, Litherland) says Everton have been unfair to Harris.  “Not one bad game has he played this season,” continues this correspondent, who adds “Mr. Catterick could make it up to the player by putting him on the right wing, where he did well before becoming a half-back.” 
Mr. J.A. Owen (27 Fernhill Road, Bootle, 20) is completely baffled by the signing.  He goes on “Everton are reputed to have the best half line in the country and already have ample cover for those positions, so what sense is there in spending a lot of money for Kay, who is certainly no better than the man who was occupying the position?  “The logical thing to do would have been to use his money to buy a forward I for one do not wish to see Kay in Everton’s line up.” 
J.R. Malarly (31 Maintress Crescent, Speke) comes up with the most unusual (and topical in the wintry conditions) suggestion for Goodison Park.  “The way to solve the frozen pitch problem would be to install an underground space for bar catering and toilet factilings.  Just imagine the warmth a couple of thousand keen Everton supporters would generate in the ground above.  “If underground excavations can be done by prisoners of war, survive is practicable at Everton.  “To conclude my sympathies to Brian Harris, a great player and a credit to the club.” 

WHAT PRICE 1906 ALL OVER AGAIN?
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express- Wednesday, January 2 1963
By Leslie Edwards
Coincidence-conscious fans will derive happiness from what happened after Liverpool were promoted from the Second Division in 1905.  A Walton old-timer recalls that the following season every football honour possible came to this city- League championship trophy, F.A Cup, Lancashire and Liverpool Cups and the Dewar Shield.  Everton and Liverpool met in an F.A Cup Semi-final in Birmingham, Everton winning 2-0.  There were playing in those days (as there are now) players named West, Dunlop, and Young.  My correspondent writes encouraging, all connected with our two clubs- management players, staff, and spectators –to go all out for a repeat performance in 1963. 
Non-Scoring Centres
A lot of what appears in the column cuts no ice with Mr. F Manley, (55 Langdale Road, Bebington), who possesses “it is the way your team plays in general which counts.  For instance there is a lot of talk about Young’s failure to get goals, yet St. John has scored two fewer and not a word is said.  “I am of the opinion that we have in this city the two best centre-forwards in the country- and that includes Clough.  They both have the knack of pulling a defence away from other inside men, thus making chances for them.  “Once again what does it matter who scores so long as there is balance between attack and defence?  This boils down to goal average and Everton have just about the best figures.  “You mark my words by the time Young and St. John are sound the 25-26 mark they will be the best pair of centre forwards this city has ever had at the same time.” 
From Mr. Ron Chambers (104 Ettington Road, Anfield) comes the following;-
“I have several seasons for again writing to you, the main one being to thank you for allowing me and severe other Everton followers to express their feeling over the recent Young episode.  The Echo and you deserve credit for catering in this soccer mad hamlet and I would add that I very much enjoy reading the views of those who stand and suffer alongside me each week.  “The signing of Tony Kay, however has puzzled my workmates and I a great deal for, although I feel that he will prove to be a big favourite, I strongly contend that Everton’s most urgent need is for a top-class outside right successor to Billy Bingham-and at least one adequate replacement is available for transfer at this moment!  (Perhaps this letter will cross with the long awaited news of such a signing).  “Surely everyone connected with the club is aware of the need for more wing thrust?   “Regarding Mr. Catterick’s quoted reference to availability of certain star players- Can we assume that the club has bigger irons in the fire than Alex Scott?  If so- what an exciting prospect!  I’m sorry to have to harp on one weakness so much but I insist that this one forward addition would bring about a decisive transformation to the present regular forward line.  Only when Everton have five top-class forwards can we be really optimistic about honours this season.  How much longer will it take for this to really sink in and be rectified?   “Here wishing you and all local sports (even the Reds) a happy and prosperous new year.” 
THEY HAVE WEAKNESSES, BUT...
J.C. Jellico (23 Tudor Avenue, Bebington) says;- May I express my bitterness of the latest injustice suffered by a member of Everton F.C.  “There’s no sentiment in business’ is an oft-used phrase whilst admitting that football is business this recent blunder stands parallel to the dismissal of Mr. Carey.  “A not unreasonable assumption is that the team at the top of Division 1 is the best team in the Football League. “Using this as a working hypothesis I could be said that this team included the best eleven footballers.  However this is not always the case for Everton, who top the League at the moment, definitely have weaknesses.  It is a fact that Everton have the best goals against record in Division 1 and it is generally accepted that the half-back line is the best in the League.  “And now to arrive at the bitter pill.  The club have ready money to spend and so that invest over £50,000 on a player to replace one of the most efficient members of the side while at least one inside-forward and one winger are less efficient.  ‘In Brian Harris Everton have one of the finest wing-halves in the game and just about the only first-class wing half the club have produced from the amateur stage since the War.  A wonderful attacking player with almost limitless energy and ability to recover.  Clean, sporting and a good club man- just about every quality save the seemingly important big price-tag.  “I wonder how thee other Everton players feel about this team spirit booster?  They must be uncomfortable.  Mr. Catterick in a national paper said he understood how Harris would feel since he (Catterick had experienced a similar situation when Everton brought Lawton to fill Dean’s position rather than preserve with himself.  What a comparison!  Dixie Dean, Tommy Lawton...Harry Catterick.  “Finally offer sympathy to Brian and hope that my words are representative of all ‘True Blues.” 
Mr. Eric Houghton (15 Whitecroff Road, Luton) writes;- “Being an exiled Evertonian and seeing Everton mostly in London though occasionally at Goodison Park, I would like to say that the Tony Kay move was something that needed doing for some time, also in my opinion a winger if not two of class and possibly a back wouldn’t go amiss and then we could take on anyone anywhere and stand at least a fifty-fifty chance.  “Buying Kay has not been popular in the Southern newspapers and Everton and Mr. Catterick have been hauled over the coals not excluding Mr. Moores.  The text of the article I enclose a pretty general about Everton.  We have for the last three days been brain-washed into believing that football begins and ends at White Hart lane.  Shortly even they will have to admit there is another side who are steadily becoming strong.
SCHOOLS GAME AT GOODISON
For those unable to travel to Barnsley and Wrexham on Saturday afternoon, Liverpool Boys will be providing their own brand of cup football at Goodison Park (3.15) when Coalville (Leicestershire) are visitors in the fifth round of the English Schools’ Trophy.  Finalists in this competition in the past two seasons, Liverpool will have to overcome a bad draw to reach this stage for the third successive time, but the side is playing well and officials are hopeful that the task is not beyond them. 

HOE ‘LOST’ WE ARE WITHOUT IT
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express- Thursday, January 3, 1963
By Leslie Edwards
Here’s a confession, I never appreciated until now what an important part sport played in the lives of millions in Britain who are “lost” without it.  The wholesale postponement or cancellation of football, including Rugby and racing, plus the covering in snow and ice of golf courses make the week-end an unending bore.  A friend who has no leaning towards sport says; But I’m never at a loss.  ‘I’ve always got something to do.” He does not miss, as we do, the excitement s of 90 minutes at the match or a game of golf or even a mild flutter on the horses.  Sports certainly gives our week-ends piquancy much missed when the weather causes hold-ups.  Indeed, as my non-sporting friend says; “There must be therapeutic value in sports people letting off steam on a Saturday afternoon.  “Too true.  Denied active or semi-active participation we fall back to talking of sport. Perhaps it is just as well Everton made last week one of the most contentious signings in their history.  Where all the initial letters were unfavourable to Everton most of them received later praise the club for their enterprise.  Listen to Alan Ostrin, 14 Alexandra, Drive, Liverpool 17.  “I am one Evertonian who wholeheartedly agrees with the Kay signing.  “Having read last Saturday’s Sports Echo I quite agree with Messrs Catterick and Moores.  “Football today is big business and Everton are a big club.  “It pays to be ruthless in business.  The Harris sympathisers will have forgotten him in a matter of weeks and will be roaring for Kay.”  Other correspondence on the issue is as follows;
“Much speculation, and disappointment, have been expressed on the wisdom of Mr. Catterick’s latest signing, but to many Everton supporters the choice was obvious.  Everton’s prime need was a captain, not since Peter Farrell graced the Royal Blue has Everton had captaincy and leadership on the field worthy of its tradition.  “It must be confessed not one of the Everton’s present team fills the bill.  The qualities of captaincy, leadership and top soccer skill are a rare combination.  In Tony Kay, this ninety minute demon of dynamic drive, Everton may well have found the answer, “A.E. Seatle, 498 Wood! Church Road, Birkenhead. 
WHERE LEAGUE WILL BE WON
“I read with interest the letters on the Harris-Kay topic, but I feel that your readers are basing their comments on the assumption that all remaining matches are at Goodison Park.  “Even with Sharples playing, let alone Brian Harris, Everton would probably obtain 17 or even 18 points from their remaining nine home fixtures.  “But it is at Villa Park, Highbury, Leicester, Anfield, etc., that the League will be lost or won. And it is in these matches that Tony Kay, acknowledged to be one of the very finest half-backs in Britain will be invaluable.  The two or three extra points that he could help to gain could win the League.  “The fact that there may be other places in the side in more need of strengthening is really, no argument against the signing of Kay.  The probability is the player or players Everton want are not yet available.  But that is no reason against strengthening over positions.  “Whilst appreciating the great improvement in Brian Harris, I have never felt Everton’s was the best half-back line in the country and I have seen nearly 75 per cent of their matches this season.  But Gabriel, Labone and Kay could be as soon as Kay settles in.  And more important it could be for years;- W.J. Heslop, 39 Woodville Avenue, Great Crosby.   “I see we are faced with the usual barrage of critical letters concerning the Kay transfer.  Just as we did with the Collins departure and the incoming of Stevens.  Now they are all full of praise for Stevens, and the same can happen with Kay.  True, Everton’s muddle line is the back-bone of the side, but that does not mean it cannot be improved.  Here’s wishing Kay and Harris luck and may the best man win. We all realise that Everton’s need is forwards but if they hope to win international honours then they must wait for the right class of players to become available.  And these don’t come to order.  “Surely we have enough confidence in the management now to make the right decisions.  “It is not so long ago since we were reading of other clubs at the top of Division 1 and Everton were also rans- May I wish them luck and remain them that we are with them all the way.  After all I turned up at Goodison on Boxing Day- Caradoo Jones, 3 Fountain Street, Bangor, North Wales.
“I am wondering if Roy Vernon realises that his days as captain may be numbered.  What other reason could the incoming of Kay mean?  But what a price to pay for a new skipper.  Surely this is the blunder of blunders, as it has been most obvious all this season, that the right wing and at centre forward have been the weak links. A centre half must be kept on the move all the time, and it oft times leads to them making mistakes under pressure but when marking Young they never seen to begin to perspire.  “Was it Mr. Cullis who said, ‘The players have the last say after an upheaval like this? –J.A Miriam, 32 Balliol Road, Bootle. 
LITTLE POWER HOUSE
Inevitably when you make some statement correspondents write in with divergent views.  You have stated that all correspondence concerning the Kay transfer was critical (and so it was –L.E but I wish to differ with you.  “Readers have been timorous in not mentioning the cause of half Everton’s trouble this season-the effectiveness at times of the right wing.  The club’s interest in Scott, of Rangers was predominant in the thoughts of all Everton fans.  “The unexpected acquisition of Kay, electrified the atmosphere.  No one can begrudge the sentimentalists their team nor the proverbial belly-archers their wails, but about a situation like this one has to be realistic.  My first comment when I heard the news of Kay’s transfer concerned all the feelings of the anti-Kay brigade into two words!  However, when my initial reaction had subsided I realised that Everton had brought someone superior even to Jimmy Gabriel whom none will dispute is Everton’s best defender.  “I spent two years working at Sheffield University and saw Kay on numerous occasions but at the time I was not too keen on him.  He appeared to me to characterise the unreasonably aggressive attitude of Hillsborough supporters in the 4-0 trouncing which Wednesday gave Burnley during last year’s pre-final match.  Kay put on the finest power-packed display it has ever been my pleasure to watch.  “A mystery to me is why they call him the; Little Red Fox.”  More apt would be ‘Little Power-house.  “Mr. Moores is quoted as questing for poise and says Tottenham have it but neglects to define exactly what sort of poise.  If by poise he means calmness, coolness and confidence (classic control@ then I would say very few of his team have poise.  Harris appears to me to have it but he is not punch in attack as he should be. 
DENIGRATION WILL CONTINUE
“Stevens will not now have to keep dashing over to the –often-denuded left flank.  As he sometimes played centre-forward quite successfully for Bolton (in the Byrne mould) would not Young be better suited at inside (away from those domineering centre halves) where the lightening reactions allied to a speedy direct winger would unsettle the steadiest of defences.” “Your interview with Mr. Moores was extremely revealing.  The part I found most satisfying concerned his exaltation of the supporters.  That such a brilliant, ambitious man should have no political (soccer) aspirations for himself I find exhilaratingly different in this age in which the tendency for personal positioning is the highest consideration.  The denigration of Everton and their policy will continue until they become an inter-Continental force bent on flattering everything in opposition, and succeeding!  “The green-eyed monsters will continue to beam until the very name of Everton will be enough to fill their terraces where hardly a boot had trodden for many a month!  The pride which is to be found at both Liverpool grounds seems rather mis-placed in present-day Britain where, it seems that the preference is for decrying one’s country and people- Thomas Askew, 16 Astbury Drive, Barton, Northwich. 

TORINO WILL NOT RELEASE HITCHENS
Liverpool Daily Post- Wednesday January 3, 1963
EVERTON APPROACH FOR CENTRE FORWARD TURNED DOWN BY ITALIAN CLUB
Everton cannot have Gerry Hitchens, former England and Aston Villa centre-forward, now leading the attack of the Italian club, Torino.  This was made clear in a statement last night by an official of Torino, who said that an approach already made on behalf of Everton’s had been turned down, but it would be wrong to assume that Everton will take this refusal as the last word.  Their interest has been duly noted, and unless Everton turn their attentions more successfully elsewhere, Torino must know that should the time come when a break with Hitchens becomes inevitable, that the Goodison Park club are in a position to make a more determined bid for this player than any other club in this country.  The Torino official, Commendatory Lulgi Cillario stand that the approach by Everton had been made to him personally in the last two days.  He had replied that Hitchens was not for sale.  He added that Torino regarded the idea of transferring Hitchens in the middle of the Italian season as “absolutely unacceptable.” Torino signed Hitchens early in November from another Italian club, Milan Internarionale. 
NOTABLE AIM
This confirmation of the report of Everton’s interest in Hitchens which I indicated in the Daily Post on Monday, will really capture the imagination of the club’s followers for at one stroke I believe Everton would have sent their prospects soaring sky high as Hitchens in the obvious player to meet their requirements.  Even though his incoming would have meant Alex Young, current idol of the Goodison fans, being displaced the Scot is no versatile that he would undoubtedly have been accommodated in the line.  One day these followers may hail the signing of Tony Kay with such greater enthusiasm than they did when the news broke but had it been possible to being Hitchens into the team, there would have been no sort of reservation just a ready acknowledgement that manager Harry Catterick had really put his finger on the spot where treatment could produce sensational results.  Since the drive of chairman John Moore and Harry it has been obvious that they Catterick really got under way know quite well where they are going, exactly what is required and that “impossible” goals do not deter them Mira class take a little time even for such an enterprising and accomplished pair.  The fact that they must have known that had success met their inquiry for Hitchens they could not have hoped to land this desirable deal without parting with more than £100,000 clearly shows that the sort of obstacles which would deter any normal club management are just bridges to be crossed so far as Everton are concerned. 
BIG SPENDING
I am reminded that when high spending clubs in the Everton tradition are being mentioned, that Second Division Sunderland have actually expended more on forwards than the Goodison team’s attack has cost. 

EVERTON AND LIVERPOOL OFF
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express- Friday, January 4, 1963
POOLS OFF AGAIN IN WORST-EVER DAY FOR F.A. CUP-TIES
For the second week running there will be no major football pools.  The Pools Promoters Association said this afternoon that all pools on matches tomorrow had been cancelled.  This applied to Littlewoods Vernons-Copes, Empire Zetters and Soccer.  All stake monies would be credited to client accounts.  Everton’s game at Barnsley and Liverpool at Wrexham were both postponed today. 

ROY VERNON SAYS...
Liverpool Daily Post- Friday January 4 1963
FOOTBALL IS STILL IN NEED OF GLAMOUR
The introduction of Tony Kay into our ranks at Everton is just another remainder that only the best is good enough for the club, and none of us can tell when next our own position may be under fire.  Far from undermining effort this realisation can only increase it, for only the best can survive.  We know that as is humanly possible the club officials have resolved that our supporters long wait in the cold for honours to come round must be ended at the earliest moment and the build up towards that goal I have no doubt will continue.  Many clubs have said that when the right men come on to the market they will buy but Everton have proved that they mean what they say and have backed promises with action, I don’t see what there is in that for fans to complain about.  We think that Goodison spectators receive the best value in the country for their money, and the resolve is to keep it that way.  Some may think it unfortunate that such a great player as Brian Harris may have to fight his way back into the side, but imagine what would have happened had injury taken Gabriel or Harris from our ranks and there was no adequate replacement,.  Criticism would certainly have been levelled against the club.  Our manager, Mr. Harry Catterick sent for me the other day to explain to me the scheme the club have in mind to keep all players happy.  Without going into details it means that a panel of players will be labelled “first team” and they may number 17 or 18 players according to the strength of material on our regular at any one time.  Those who do not play will receive a part of the crowd bonus received by the men in the first eleven. 
FAIR PLAN
I admitted then, as I do now, that I thought such a plan wonderfully fair, for it ensured that those on the outside would have some compensation for standing by, without receiving quite as much as those actually in the League side.  It would have been wrong for the star reserves to be on exactly the same terms as the others, because obviously there must be some incentive to get into the side on merit.  This scheme will mean that those left out will give, of their best all the time in the reserves to try and catch the eye for future selection.  It is such things as this and the introduction of the crowd bonus scheme which makes it obvious to everybody that the management are being as fair to their players as possible.  I don’t think the postponement of the holiday games has done the slightest harm, to Everton’s championship cause.   On the contrary, I believe it will suit our book far better to have these games played under more normal conditions.  Icy grounds for a match or two can undo all the good that has been done for the greater part of the season.  What nonsense is written sometimes about Everton cornering the market and getting all the star players! Anybody would think this was something that had never been done anywhere else before.  Yet we all know that there are Everton’s in Brazil, Spain and Italy and no team can play more than eleven players.  To suggest there are only eleven star men in a country of footballers like Britain seems ridiculous to me. 
YEATS FUNNY NOTION
I may not be very old but within my recollection there has always been at least one glamour team in the First Division and I think this is essential to maintain interest.  They are a draw whenever they go and almost without exception they draw, the biggest attendance to all the grounds they visit.  It may be that outside our own particularly sphere of spectators everybody is waiting to see us beaten and join in the applause.  That is fair enough.  It does not worry us, and I know from some of my previous experience what a thrill there is playing against a team of all stars.  It brings out the best in players.  If every side was of level standard, surely the game would become just a bread-and-butter affair, lacking the thrills and excitement which team like Everton and Tottenham can provide.  If Everton and Liverpool supporters could have seen us on new Year’s Eve they would have wondered what was going on, for assembled at Alex Parker’s little party were Alex Young, Jimmy Gabriel, Bill Stevenson, Ian St. John, Ron Yeats- Scotsmen all- and one Welshman, Roy Vernon.  For all that I joined with the piper and the rest in welcoming the New Year.  Ron Yeats has some funny idea that Liverpool are going to win the Cup I don’t know who he thinks they are going to find to beat Everton for them.  Let’s put it down to the Hogmanay spirit.’

TRAINING STAFF KEEP US AT FULL STRETCH
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express- Saturday, January 5, 1963
By Alex Young
The weather has played havoc with football fixtures recently but it has meant no let-up in training for footballers-at least not for those at Goodison Park.  Last Saturday, instead of visiting Arsenal, we were training at Goodison and after a day’s rest on Sunday we have been hard at it every day since.  Wintry are difficult for club coaches, for even when it is not possible to indulge in ball practice they still have to provide at programme which is varied and interesting.  I can say with all honesty that Tom Eggleston and his staff have done just this.  Plenty of serious work has been done, but training sessions have almost inevitably ended with a light-hearted snow fight.  When it comes to shooting snowballs one or two of our defenders seem to be able to show the forwards a thing or two.  Happily, the snow has not restricted shooting practice with the football too much either and in fact on Tuesday we were able to stage practically a full scale match between the first and reserve teams at Goodison Park.  Track suits were worn, however, and for the records the first team won.  The Central League boys will complain that I only mention these things when the first team win but who can blame me? 
EVERTON COACH
The man who has the task of keeping our apprentice professionals and young players in trim during the cold spell is Ron Lewin, who came to Everton last September after Les Shannon had departed to Arsenal.  Rarely if ever have I seen a coach who can handle young players as well as Ron does and it was no surprise to learn that the club he left in Norway-Skeld, of Oslo- to come to Goodison, carried off the Norwegian Junior (under 18) championship last year.  The season in Norway is from May to October.  You may be surprised to learn, however, that Ron once played in the same team as our manager Mr. Catterick, it was during the war when Ron was stationed at Ringway and turned out as a guest for Stockport County.  Ron was a full back with Fulham from the end of the war until 1950 and played in their promotion winning side of 1949.  He moved to Gillingham in 1950 and stayed there with the Kent side until 1966 when he was appointed coach to the Norwegian international side. While he was there Norway won the annual international series in which Denmark, Sweden and Finland also take part, but in 1958 he returned to England as manager of Southern League team, Cheltenham Town.  Ron stayed with Cheltenham for two years, then had a short period with another Southern side.  Wellington, before going back to Norway to coach Skeld in 1960. 
TRAINING METHODS
With little to talk about in the football would this week apart from the debate on whether or not we should have a winter break from soccer, something about which I aired my view fully last year I hope you will, forgive me taking some space to deal with a question from L.P. nelson, of Liverpool 19, about how to achieve peak physical fitness and what training methods to use.  Let me say straight away that this is a tricky one to deal with here in the space permitted so I enlisted the help of Tom Eggleston to draw up a programme which can be given briefly and which Mr. Nelson can adapt to his own particular needs.  To carry out the programme properly it is necessary to make a start well before the season commences distance work to build up stamina being the first essential.  Then gradually the distance travelled can be shortened and the speed of running quickened.  The next stage is a change to some form of circuit training-running back and forth between two marks with short rest periods occasionally is a good idea- and don’t be afraid to go at it really hard and tire yourself out.  Body exercises are the next essential and Mr. Eggleston points out that special emphasis should be placed in the abdominal ones, if your stomach feels all right them naturally the rest of your body feels in good shape too, he says.  After this, change to exercises designed to speed up the reflexes. 
SHOOTING PRACTICE
Mr. Nelson also inquires now to put power into shooting and once again this is a little difficult to answer in print.  Shooting forms an essential part of our training routing at Everton and for Mr. Nelson I feel that an adaptation of one of the methods we use may be useful.  Start by kicking the ball against a marked section of a wall; use the right and left-feet alternately and hit the ball as hard as you can.  When you find that you are hitting the target regularly, gradually move further away from the wall and continue to hit the ball with the same power.   Eventually you will find yourself some distance away and able to hit the target almost as often and with nearly as much power as you did when much nearer to it. 

PICTURES-AT-THE-FIRESIDE SATURDAY AGAIN...
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express- Monday, January 7, 1963
By Leslie Edwards I am afraid for many tomorrow will be yet one more day by the fireside.  And we can take it for granted that what we shall see on television will not be so rewarding as the no stale programme pull out this week of Cup ties over the past 50 years and more.  There remain in existence only a few “still pictures of the famous Everton v. Wolves game at Fallowfield before the turn of the century.  The overcrowding of the ground that day led to the introduction of crush barriers.  Seeing Dixie Dean and Matt Busby and others in action in the Wembley final in which Everton gained their last Cup victory brought back many happy memories.  Dixie’s headed goal was beauty sight of Cliff Britton, Willie Cook, Albert Geldard and Jock Thomson in action made the game seem only as distant as yesterday.  What long shorts they wore in the mid-twenties.  And what long shorts they wore as recently in 1953 when Matthews playing the game of his life, looked more like Alex James than himself.
“REMEMBER DUNFERMLINE?”
“I am writing to say how annoyed I am to read the letters of so-called Everton supporters on the subject of Tony Kay.  “As I see it Kay is one of the three best half-backs in the country and a far better all-round player than Harris and his inclusion in the Everton team can only better it.  “With the team as it stood, they could possibly have won the League but I for one wouldn’t fancy them against top class opposition from the Continent or anywhere else for that matter.  Remember Dunfermline?  Don’t these people want to see Everton as a force to be reckoned with in any class of Soccer?  “Are these the same people who moaned when Stevens was brought to replace Collins? And West to replace Dunlop.  Will they moan more when further replacements are brought for the forward line.  “I like Mr. Catterick and all true Evertonians want to see Everton at the top of the Soccer tree, and this can only be achieved with great players in every position.  To Mr. Catterick I say go ahead with your plans to bring us the best and make us the greatest. 
To Mr. D. Gaskell I say if you haven’t seen enough of professional soccer to appreciate that honours can’t be won if sentiment is allowed to fog judgement than stick to golf.  But I will bet you a pound to a penny that will be drawn back to Goodison when Mr. Catterick’s judgement is again proved to be superior to that of bar room experts – T. Carlisle, 82 Nimrod Street, Walton. 
“AMAZED ANGRY”
“I feel you have wrongly interpreted the attitude of Evertonians towards the signing of Kay.  You say that they are mildly critical of the club delighted that such a fine player as Kay has arrived but concerned at the effect on the career of Brian Harris.  I have not yet met a supporter even remotely pleased at the signing on the contract they are amazed and angry at the treatment of that popular and superb player and clubman Brian Harris (of course), I realised that I have spoken to only a tiny section of supporters but it is rare indeed to find even a small group so completely at once on such a controversial issue.  “When Everton win the League Leslie please do not point to the wisdom of the move; it would have been achieved without the disruption of the best half back line in the country perhaps easier if the money had been spent instead on strengthening other departments of the team- B. Culligan, 38 Copy Lane, Netherton. 
As a lifelong supporter of Everton and an advent reader of your column, I would like to defend most strongly the Everton management in their signing of Kay.  “Obviously Mr. Catterick thinks Kay will benefit Everton and after looking at the League table who can doubt his judgement.  “Since the war Everton have built up a reputation for being a “nice” team (e.g in Peter Farrell’s era they were voted the cleaned, most sporting team in the country.  Other team placing were not disclosed.  But if I remember rightly Manchester United, Wolves, Arsenal, Portsmouth were not quoted with Everton.  “Who at this time were winning all the honours?  Why Manchester United, Arsenal, Portsmouth, and Wolves.  “It is not for me to say who is the greater player, Harris or Kay, but I am sick to death of supporting a “nice” team.  “Honours are long overdue on the Goodison front and if heads must roll to enable Everton to win the European Cup then bring on the executioner.” –Brian Doyle, 95 Priory Road, Liverpool 4. 

EVERTON’S CUP-TIE VERY DOUBTFUL
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express – Monday, January 7, 1963
By Leslie Edwards
Little chance of the Everton tie at Barnsley tomorrow, a fair chance of the Wrexham ground being playable for the game against Liverpool on Wednesday-those are the prospects for the Cup games postponed from Saturday.  Worse than ever said Barnsley Manager Mr. J. Steele when asked about ground conditions this morning.  The snow –three inches of it- is too deep for play and too iced underneath for us to attempt to move it.  Weather forecast for this area is unpromising.  “We are getting a local referee Mr. Hackney, in to inspect the pitch first thing tomorrow morning.  If there were a slight thaw we might be able to get the pitch in order by putting a light roller over it, but at the moment the game is very doubtful.  In the faint chance that the match will be on, Everton named their team today with Morrissey returning to outside-left in place of Veall for the first senior game since his injury.  Harris is at left-half as new signing Kay is not yet eligible to play in the Cup.  Everton; West; Parker, Meagan; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Bingham, Stevens, Young, Vernon, Morrissey.  If the match tomorrow is called off it is almost certain to take place a week tomorrow.  The Barnsley board meet later today to decide whether they are going to refund money to people who have brought tickets and who cannot get away for a midweek evening game.  Of these there must be some hundreds in Liverpool.  My advice to them, pending decision is to scout round their friend with a view to re-selling them as the probability is that Barnsley are going to do the unforgiveable thing and no to and all refund requests. 

EVERTON GAME OFF
Liverpool Echo - Tuesday 08 January 1963
EVEN GOODISON’S SATURDAY GAME IS ONLY 50-50 CHANCE
By Leslie Edwards
Everton game at Barnsley, was today called off for the second time.  Yet at Barnsley, where Manager Johnny Steele expressed disappointment that the ground had been ruled dangerous, home players trained there an hour or two after the decision not to play.  Barnsley wanted the game called off last night, but the F.A insisted that the decision was left as late as possible. 
GOOD ATTEMPT
Said local referee, Mr. Harold Hackney, after inspecting the ground; “The club made a good attempt at getting the pitch playable, but the weather has beaten them.  The last straw was last night’s heavy frost.”  It is now hoped to play the match next v Tuesday (kick-off 7.15 p.m). 
BARNSLEY AGREE TO TICKET REFUND
Barnsley were finally persuaded to agree to a refund to all ticket-holders who cannot be present when the match finally comes off.  Everton will refund money up till 10 a.m on Thursday, but not afterwards.  Everton fans looking forward to their first game of the New Year at Goodison Park against Fulham on Saturday- will be disappointed to hear the club’s manager’s verdict.  Mr. Catterick’s opinion is that chances of play are only 50-50.  Snow is being left on the ground to help protect the turf from further frost. 

WHY KAY WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express- Wednesday, January 9 1963
By Leslie Edwards
Hopes that Everton’s new player Tony Kay would not be eligible for the twice-postponed Cup game at Barnsley to be played all going well next Tuesday were based on false premises I don’t mind confessing that I anticipated that Kay having been on Everton player for the statutory 14 days would be able to help his new club, but Mr. Catterick says that only players signed 14 days before the date fixed for the tie are eligible.  From anxiety about Cup-tie we move to anxiety about the further hold-up in the League programme.  The chances of play at Goodison Park on Saturday are not good at the moment, but there is so little snow on the pitch a marked thaw would not flood it so we must hope for the best.  What effect the long lay-off will have on players and teams as a whole is a matter of doubt.  They are all been training it is true but there’s nothing like match per week, if not two, to keep men at peak.  If the weather continues much longer to interfere with programmes, it could be that Everton and Liverpool will be on a two-match per-week schedule between now and the end of the season.  And one or other of preferably both have a good run in the Cup they’ll still be pushed to complete all their commitments.  One must not rule out the possibility of another cold snap later in the season.  It was a big hold-up in March1947 which wrecked many of the matches that month and caused Liverpool to have to win their First Division League championship at Wolverhampton in a heat-wave.  Manager harry Catterick sees no signs of many people agreeing his principle that a March to November season would solve all weather problems.  But I think he’s got a sound argument.  Floodlights would be unnecessary and the emphasis would be on artistry not on stamina necessary to stay 90 minutes on a morass of mud. 
EVERTON’S CLASS WINGERS
Eric Greenie of 12 Woodland Drive, Hoole, Chester writes;- The signing of Tony Kay recently is in my view part of Everton’s meagre consideration of their players.  Whereas I am a great admirer of Denis Steven, I do not think that he was the right type of player to buy at the time when Bobby Collins was about to make his departure.  Here was the golden opportunity to move Alex Young from centre-forward to inside right, a position in which he achieves far more.  What the club needed then (and still do far more than anything else) is a big goal-scoring centre forward of the Kevan or Smith type.  However before buying such players, I would like to see them give a run of at least three or four games to frank Wignall and or Keith Webber.  With Billy Bingham not at his best at the moment, Young’s ball artistry could well fit in at outside right making unnecessary to spend up to £70,000 for Scott.  Surely with Bingham, Morrissey, Veall, Young and Temple (when fully fit) Everton have the best supply of class wingers in the League. 
Writing from 38 Snaefell Avenue, Liverpool 13 A.E Jones says;-
It seems that no one at the moment has found a concrete solution to beat the weather conditions which causes such chaos to soccer.  Strange the main worry does not appear to be fog, snow or ice but the cluttering up of fixture by postponements I feel that the position could be eased by scrapping the present system of playing for the F.A Cup it always crazy to me that football’s greatest competition should commence in the worst month of the playing season. 
EVERTON FANS CLAIM REFUND
Hundreds of Everton fans unable to travel to Barnsley next Tuesday for the postponed third round F.A Cup tie, have been to Goodison Park to get a refund on their tickets.  Dead-line time for refunds for this match is 10 o’clock tomorrow morning. 

ROY VERNON SAYS...
Liverpool Daily Post- Friday, December 11 1963
FAVOURITIES –OF COURSE WE’RE FAVOURITIES!
What does it feel like to be favourites to win the F.A. Cup?  Well, of course, we have got used to the idea for according to our book Everton have always been favourites and even though the draws may be doing their best to make the going hard by taking us away two rounds in succession the time has gone when used to scared at the sight of a coach –I mean motor coach of course!  Although I am a forward and should not say anything that would help any other department of the side to get swollen-headed, I confess that in my view one of the main reasons why Everton have become so powerful and such a live contender for honours is the solidifying of the defence.  I think we have the best rearguard in the game and I can hardly tell you what it means to be able to play in front of such solid strength.  There is always the feeling that the defence will cope and that it is up to the forwards not to let them down.  We have not done badly in the little matter of getting goals but it has not developed such complacent that we do not realise that we are capable of still better things.  Moreover, I think we will pull it out all right.  The incentive of that Wembley trip may be just the ticket to make us that little bit keener that little bit more efficient.
OFF-SIDE TRAPS
It is becoming apparent how much faith the clubs in the lower divisions are placing in off-side traps, when they come up against top-flight opposition.  Barnsley used it as the main plank in their resistance and admittedly for a time it succeeded.  Wrexham I am told did just the same against Liverpool and in the end they too were let down by it.  This is one thing we have to be prepared for in increasing measure.  I admit Barnsley proved a very tough side to conquer until that first goal went in.  After that we won pulling up.  The referee said the pitch was playable, and I suppose it was seeing that the match was played to a finish, but honestly I cannot see the point of playing in conditions like these.  In my view if there is a fifty-fifty approach to the fitness of a pitch, then the match should be called off.  It is unwise that clubs who have expanded a lot of money on assembling a star, team should have their players exposed to undue and unnecessary risk on half-fill pitches. 
GLITTERING PROSPECTS
Moreover, it is no fun for spectators to sit or stand in freezing conditions to watch a match which is bound to be below standard.  Look at the attendances at the games which have been played and in most cases I think you will find the company badly with what might have been expected on a better day.  When the ball is always running away from you too fast to control adequately it is not natural football and while I applaud the glorious uncertainty of Cup fighting, I don’t believe in exaggerating it!  In one way of course it was nice to get back to football for it meant we were able to get away from the basic wage we have been drawing for the last week or two.  If ever we have had reason to applaud Everton’s crowd bonus scheme it has been during the freeze up –when we haven’t had it.  Still, look at the glittering prospect that lies ahead, when we got down to playing off the arrears.  I was very interested to read the comments football prospects which have been illustrated to the clubs by Blackpool F.C.  It is hardly surprising to find them speaking out to favour of this experiment, for it the plan were to be adopted they would promptly because one of the last supported teams to the League.  With Blackpool crowded a capacity during the summer, I doubt very much if Bloomfield Road would be big enough to hold all who would want to go providing of course, Blackpool were hitting the high spots.  I think it is a remarkable tribute to the groundsman at both Goodison Park and Bellefield that the Everton players are as fit as they are today, for despite their obvious difficulties with the ice and snow, they have always made it possible for us to go through with our training.  In an odd moment this week I broused over the names of the Everton scorers in last season’s F.A Cup competition and found the list went like this; Collins (2), Vernon (2), Bingham, Fell, and Lill.  Although it is not yet twelve months since we parted company with the competition at Burnley, it is a fact that only Billy Bingham and myself remain of these scorers.  It is only when we remember things like that we appreciate just how much the scenery is changing around us all the time.  If I remember alright, that goal at Burnley was the last that Bobby scored for Everton for he played in only two league games after that. 

TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK BLEAKER THAN EVER
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express- Friday, January 11, 1963
By Leslie Edwards
Shakespeare was not thinking of football when he wrote; “Now is the winter of our discontent “If he had been he would surely have written.  Now is the discontent of our winter.”  Rarely in big time Soccer has snow, ice and frost created such havoc.  Normally games postponed are in the frozen North the time the South is hit, took so the chance of anything like a programme of League games tomorrow is bleak.  Indeed, it could be that all the big Cup games held over until next week will need postponing again.  While one’s appetite for soccer is whetted by being denied it, postponement on postponement means that a good deal of interest dies.  The number of people who have had refunds for the Barnsley v. Everton Cup-tie trickery indicates that uncertainly takes some of the edge off people’s keenness.  Meantime Everton who have not played this year are getting more fun and value from their training by going to Formby sands.  Here ball work is possible, I do not doubt that Liverpool too, will help their players to get more interested in training by taking them to the seaside.  The break in League programmes is costing the Football League £10,000 per week the sum they receive from the Pools for the use of the fixtures.  This is a serious loss, but when one considers the number of seasons the League functioned successfully without such help sympathy would be misplaced. 
THOMPSON’S LOSS OF FORM
News that Thomson the Preston North End winger is likely to be available for transfer will interest Everton fan.  There is no doubt Everton were very keen on Thomson following his fine play in ties against Liverpool last season, but his unexpected loss of form recently makes it unlikely that anyone much less Everton, will pay the immense fee Preston would ask.  And Everton have so many good prospects on the left wing the need is not nearly so urgent as it was.  So, for the moment there are no big Everton moves on the horizon. 
KEEPING THE NAME IN THE NEWS
“If I were a professional footballer today I’d expect and welcome competition.  “I’m sure Mr. Moores thrives on all this controversy, for it keeps Everton’s name in the limelight.  We from the North should at least give him a handshake on those grounds.  Although he is playing with fire.  “Indiscriminate use of money has been the downfall of other Everton’s of the past- Sunderland, Aston Villa, a couple in mind- he is doing well.  “Now here is a little of my background, I’m an ex-Liverpool chap, emigrated to Detroit 1948, played for and managed the Detroit Bavarians since 48.  This side is the most successful team over that span.  Now I’m vice-president of Detroit Soccer League.  “Remember when Everton won the Cup in ’33?  With three other boys I walked to London to see them.  Your father, ‘Bee,’ gave us all 2s 6d each and later, when I left school, helped me to find a job, I have a picture of us lads taken alongside a Black Maria in London at the time of the incident.  And we didn’t see the Cup Final.” 

BOTH EVERTON AND LIVERPOOL GAMES OFF
Liverpool Echo - Friday 11 January 1963
CRISP LAYER OF SNOW
Everton’s home game against Fulham are among the many Football League games off.  The Everton game was put off at 9.30 a.m, today by League referee Mr. Arthur Edge, of Liverpool.  A few minutes earlier he had pronounced the Anfield pitch, scarcely more than half a mile away, as fit for the Liverpool Reserves v Sheffield United Reserves Central League game.  This freakish difference of conditions at grounds so close to one another is almost inexplicable. 
SNOW FALLING
Everton’s ground, iced and hard, has been used occasionally for training during the cold snap.  The difference in elevation between the Everton and Liverpool grounds is considerable- about 70 to 100 feet. 

EVERTON’S STAR RESERVE CAN COLLECT A WEEKLY £10 CROWD BONUS
Liverpool Daily Post- Saturday, January 12 1963
By Horace Yates
Day by day the weather situation gets worse and the spark of comfort in the shape of a thraw forecast is still denied us.  Today the position is that forty-one of the English League games and four Scottish League matches have been called off.  There is no guarantee that even this record total may not be further swollen before kick-off time.  The previous highest total of postponements was 42 out of 63 games on December 20, 1961, figures equalled two Saturday ago.  Ice and pools may go together in some respect but not so far as football Pools are concerned and for the third Saturday in succession these have been cancelled.  The Everton v Fulham game at Goodison Park and the Sheffield United v. Liverpool match at Bramall Lane were among the early casual ties.  What might have happened had the home fixtures been due for Anfield provided interesting speculation. 
EFFORT WORTH WHILE
It was also Mr. Edge who decided that Goodison Park was unfit for play.  Last week I understand to prepare them for the possible ice perils that might have faced them in the F.A Cup game at Barnsley the players did some of their preparation on the Goodison Park pitch, and while this was undoubtedly valuable experience even though they had no opportunity to use it, the roughening up of the snow surface did not make it any easier for the groundsmen’s to beat another week of keen frost.  Actually with all the other games off, Everton and Liverpool lose nothing by having to fall into line, and I sometimes wonder, if in these conditions all the desperate and costly actions to get the odd pitch fit for play are really worthwhile.  Emergencies can be met with emergency measures later and I think with greater profit to the clubs and more satisfaction to their supporters.
EVERTON TERMS
When the Everton players get around to signing their revised contracts, I understand that what they will find is an agreement to pay a qualified number of players one-third of the crowd bonus enjoyed by those who figure in the League team.  To quality, players would have to have a given number of first team appearances in the current season to their credit.  On those lines then we would find among these to knock George Thomson, Brian Harris (suggesting he is superadded by Tony Kay) and Ray veal of H=John Morrissey.  According to who clinches the outside left position.  Working on averages the qualified would draw an additional £10 a match for so for Everton’s crowd average for the season is 39,000 although naturally some of the season is 50,000 although attendances particularly at this time of the year hardly match up to that.  For all that this plan is a generous attempt to bridge the gap in earnings potential for these regarded as someone more valuable than ordinary reserves.  Everton were among the first to hit on the crowd bonus plan and now when a new situation presents itself, they have shown an equally attractive way of dealing with it.  The fact that the qualification is comparatively low (about five or six games) will mean that other players too, will not feel that this in a reward impossible of acknowledge so far as they are concerned.  Actually of course this has been an uncommonly good season for Everton from a fitness point of view, and to date they have called on only 15 players and one of them (Sharples) has played only twice.  At this period of last season 20 players had figured in League fixtures. 
 
JUNIORS IN DUEL AT BELLEFIELD
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express- Saturday, January 12, 1963
By Alex Young
The F.A Cup draw last Monday was unkind to supporters of the two Liverpool teams, but looking at it from an Everton point of view I think it could have been much worse.  I am not trying to upset Liverpool fans by saying that the bright spots for me were the Tottenham or Burnley v Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion v Nottingham Forest or Wolves ties in these two pairings we have six First Division clubs –all in the top half of the table- and the great thing from an Everton viewpoint is that only two can reach round five.  This, of course, is a tremendous boost for us at Goodison Park, for we know that if we can beat Barnsley and then either Luton or Swindon by that time four of the clubs we most fear will have vanished from the competition and our task of reaching Wembley will have become slightly easier.  With the trip to Barnsley off the only game of football for the Everton first team last Saturday was a six-a-side encounter on the small Goodison practice pitch, but at Bellefield conditions were good enough for our “A” and “B” sides to engage in Derby battles with their opposite numbers from Anfield.  It was a good day for Everton, too for the “A” team won 4-0 and the “B” side were successful by 2-1.  John Hurst an apprentice professional from Blackpool who played for the England schoolboys team last season scored three times for our “A” team, the other goal coming from Tommy Wright a former Liverpool school’s player. 
TEMPLE PLANS
Marksmen for the Everton “B” team were Aidan Maher and Gerry Glover both of whom made names as members of the Liverpool Boys team last season, Aiden and Gerry too, won England school caps.  Playing on the right wing for the “A” team was Derek Temple and it is nice to see him making prospects again after such bad luck this season.  Many of the boys in these teams are apprentice professionals, who joined Everton at 15 and enjoy many advantages that members of the present first team did not have at that age.  When I signed provisional forms for Hearts on leaving school it means that the Edinburgh club took me under their wing and kept an eye on me, but there were many occasions on which I was left to fend for himself.  I certainly did not have the advantage of first-class coaching that the Everton youngsters have.  I am not complaining however for this chance is very much for the good of the game.  At Everton the youngsters often train alongside the professionals, enabling them to benefit from our experience and avoid man of the pitfalls which we have encountered.  At Goodison a young player’s life is, however, not all P.T and football for apart from attending school in a similar fashion to apprentices in other walks of life he us also get written examination papers by the club.  These contain questions not only on the laws of the game, but tactics training &c. 
YOUTH GAME
As I have told you before there are many players of promise among these youngsters and weather permitting you will be able to see some of them in action at Goodison Park in Monday evening when Everton entertain Sheffield United in an F.A Youth Cup Tie.  Due to the icy conditions most of the training at Goodison this week has been indoors but on Wednesday we were taken out to Formby for a morning by the sea.  Running about on the sandhills was followed by ball practice on the beach and I believe there was a sigh of relief when Tom Eggleston did not insist that we rounded off the proceedings with a dip in the sea.  The busiest Everton player during the cold spell has undoubtedly been Tony Kay who had to fit in house hunting expeditions between training sessions and visits to his family who are still in Sheffield.  Although as you know I am in favour of a short break in the football programme when the really bad weather hits us and the grounds become hard or unduly heavy, I nevertheless think that an extension to the season should be avoided if possible. 
SHORTER SEASON
In my opinion it is quite long enough already, and the best way to wipe off postponed fixtures is to play them in mid-week.  No professional should quibble about playing twice a week for a month or so to do this, but doing it for a month without a break is long enough.  If this cannot be done, then I think there are grounds for an extension.  A shorter season played in the best conditions is, in my view the way to put Britain back on the top of the football world.  Our all-round standard is as good as any country in the world, but our players are handicapped because they have to pay more attention to the task of varying their game to suit differing conditions than do these in other countries.  In a country like Brazil or Spain, a player knows that 90 per cent of his football will be played in the same conditions therefore giving him more opportunity to perfect his game.  Here we have bone hard pitches one week, thick mud the next and a howling gale a week later.  Britain may not produce his best footballers in the world at the moment but she certainly has the most versatile. 

EVERTON’S TIE STILL IN DOUBT
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express- Monday January 14, 1963
INSPECTION TOMORROW
NOON DECISION
By Leslie Edwards
Everton’s Cup tie at Barnsley, tomorrow- already called off twice –is still in doubt so is Tranmere’s replay on Wednesday against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.  There was a slight thaw this morning at Barnsley (where a League match on a snow-covered pitch was possible on Saturday but in London conditions were as Arctic as ever. 

BARNSLEY HOPEFUL ABOUT TONIGHT
Liverpool Daily Post –Tuesday January 15, 1963
Everton’s F.A. Cup third round game against Barnsley at Oakwell tonight is expected to be played.  Only freak weather, such as a heavy fall of snow, could bring about a third postponement.  There are two inches of snow, which has been rolled, on the pitch and this should give ample stud hold.  Mr. Joe Richards, the club chairman, who is also president of the Football League, said; “There has been no change in the ground conditions since Saturday, when the pitch played so well during the game against Notts County, I am quite hopeful that the match will go on.”  Club groundsman Ernest Steele, said; “It should be quite all right.  There was some sun on it during the day, but that has not made much difference.”  It is hoped that when match referee Bill Clements of West Bromwich, inspects the pitch at noon today, it will be pure formality.  Last night Ernest Steele was still working on the pitch under floodlights and the remaining snow on the terraces was being taken away by lorry. 
THE TEAMS
Although manager Johnny Steele will not announce his team until today, it will be that which defeated Notts County 3-1 on Saturday.  Barnsley; Hill; Hopper, Brookes; Nicol, Winstanley, Houghton, Hosle, Oliver, Leighton, Kerr, O’Hara.  Everton will field the team chosen for the original date on January 5.  This means the return to outside left of Morrissey for his first senior game since November 3.  Everton; West; Parker, Meagan; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Bingham, Stevens, Young, Vernon, Morrissey. 

SWINGING UNITED K.O. EVERTON
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express- Tuesday, January 15, 1963
By Paul O’Brien
Everton made a rather undistinguished exit from this season’s F.A Youth Cup competition when they were beaten 2-0 by Sheffield United on a snow-covered Goodison Park last night.  United thoroughly deserved their win for this Everton side was only a shadow of the one which had beaten Huddersfield so conclusively in the previous round.  The Sheffield boys did not enjoy as much of the game territorially at the home team, but they mastered the conditions better and rarely looked in danger of losing.  One big difference was that United kept moving the ball forward and waited for the opposition to make mistakes where’s Everton were continually making two passes where one would have been sufficient. 
MISTAKES
It was by these attics of swinging the ball about that United got both their goals and mistakes by Everton defenders helped them on each occasion.  Outside-right Alan Woodward scored the first after nine minutes when Coxon slipped in trying to intercept a pass from inside-right Mike B. Jones and left the winger in the clear.  The second goal came after 28 minutes when Frank Barlow last year’s England schoolboys captain, fastened onto a mistake by Everton centre half, Derek Smith rounded Smith and goal keeper Ken Mulhearn then slipped the ball into the middle for centre forward Sam Clarke, to make no mistake.  Everton had bad luck in the opening minutes when Sheffield’s youth international right back Len Badger turned the ball against his own upright and then in the second half when a cracking drive from right half Bernard Coupe crashed against the crossbar from 30 yards but these incidents apart they only had Ken Walton the United keeper in difficulties on two occasions. 
OUTSTANDING
The game’s honours went to the Sheffield defence in which Badger was outstanding.  For Everton none tried harder than Colin Harvey, who wore the No.7 jersey but mainly operated in the inside forward position.  Best in the Everton defence were centre half Smith, who atoned for his earlier mistake with some clever interception and well-timed tackles and right half Coupe, who continually kept trying to prod some life into his usually quiet forward colleagues. 

REFEREE DOES SOMERSAULT TO TEST PITCH
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express- Tuesday, January 15 1963
EVERTON CUP GAME ON
AT BARNSLEY
By Leslie Edwards
The twice-postponed third round Cup-tie between Barnsley and Everton tonight is ON.  Who says so official referee Mr. Bill Clements of West Bromwich.  And what did he do to test it?  Fell on his stomach on his back did a double somersault and then headed and kicked the ball.  Breathlessly he (old Barnsley manager Mr. J. Steele- “Perfectly playable this match is definitely on.  Some thousands of Everton fans anxiously waiting to know whether it was worth travelling for tonight’s long-awaited battle, can now put on their war paint and travel many in coaches which will make the trip across the Pennies.  The Barnsley pitch covered with two inches of snow was rolled this morning following an inspection at 9 a.m by local referee Mr. Holland. 
ONLY ONE
Of the eight postponed ties due to be played today Everton’s is the only one on.  The team with Morrissey playing at outside left again after a long absentee through injury left Goodison Park early in the afternoon. Barnsley will be unchanged from the side which beat Notts County in a League match on Saturday.  In the event of a replay this will be staged on Monday at 7.30 p.m. 

A BRIAN HARRIS GOAL INSPIRES EVERTON
Liverpool Daily Post- Wednesday January 16, 1963
BARNSLEY COLLAPSE AFTER HOLDING OUT FOR 72 MINUTES
Barnsley 0 Everton 3
By Jack Rowe
For seventy-two minutes of this F.A Cup third round tie at Oakwell last night, Everton supporters had despaired of seeing their side get a goal against this battling Barnsley, whose defence, plus a well organised offside trap, and not a little fortune on this surface of snow, had kept the First Division leaders out.  It was the offside trap which finally cost Barnsley the glory of holding Everton and the prospect of a golden replay at Goodison Park next Monday night, and ironically, the man who did it was Brian Harris who may well lose his place on Saturday to new man Tony Kay.  Harris picked up the ball in the centre circle from a pass by Stevens.  He moved down and as the Barnsley defence prepared to move forward as it had done so often during the game.  Harris instead of passing, strode on and from the edge of the penalty area took his time before hitting a low right foot shot which evaded the diving young goalkeeper Hill, struck the inside of the post and bounded into the net. 
END OF BARNSLEY
This was the end of Barnsley and the end of a fine defensive battle, for Everton quickly emphasised their class by scoring twice more through Stevens and Vernon.  The referee was quite right to rule this pitch fit for play.  It was never dangerous, but by the same token was never easy to play on because the ball more often than not skidded forward like a stone on an ice-covered pond when it hit the ground.  This inevitably made ball control, difficult and it was because of this I think that Everton took so long to impress themselves as superior to the Third Division men.  They did nearly all the attacking and in fact only twice in this match did Barnsley ever look like getting a goal, but Everton could not get one themselves for those 72 minutes and while they were still level there was always a danger despite the fine play of Parker and Labone, that Barnsley might get away and sneak one.  Once, Brian Harris had shown the way to beat the offside trap there was never any danger of that and seven minutes after he had joyfully gone leaping back upfield, Hooper the Barnsley right back lost the ball to Morrissey, who switched it to Vernon and when Hill could not hold the Everton captain’s shot, Stevens was on the spot to whip the ball into the net.
VERNON’S DASH
Five minutes from the end it was Vernon, who collected a ball from the right, took it forward with that dash of speed which has brought him many goals, and this time Hill was powerless to prevent a shot to the corner of the net.  Everton had started in excellent vein with Young illustrating that the players who could control the ball were likely to do best and if Everton’s finishing had been deadly they must have wrapped the match up in the first ten minutes.  In quick succession Stevens shot outside when well placed, Vernon did not hit his drive properly so that Hill was able to save at the second attempt and the Barnsley goalkeeper hurried himself full length to clutch a rasping drive from Young.  It was 34 minutes before Barnsley could find any sort of goal threat and then West was troubled by Leighton’s shot, so that Meagan was happy to put it away for a corner and only once more did Barnsley ever look like disturbing the Everton defence.
EVERTON SCARE
Against this was nearly a story of Everton pressure with the ball skidding away tantalisingly from the feet of forwards poised to shoot and there were other occasions when it would have been better to have tried a first time shot because the attempt to get the ball under control inevitably meant that it bounced away and the chance was lost.  As long as Everton did not score, so were Barnsley encouraged to keep fighting.  They had an excellent centre half in Winstanley and their defence must take a lot of credit for the spirit with which they met a much classier Everton.  They probably deserved the luck which helped them to survive shortly after the interval, when Morrissey’s volleyed right foot shot struck Hill’s hand and came out a few minutes later there was a fantastic scrimmage in the Barnsley goal area, with first Brooks kicking away from the line and then inside right Oliver, of all people doing the same thing almost immediately when the ball was returned by Gabriel.  It was shortly after this that Everton had their next scare for Labone and Parker found their close passing attempts breaking down and when Kerr from the outside left position, slipped the ball across the face of the goal, O’Hara shot was blocked by Meagan and it was well it was because I fancy West might not have got to it.  Each of the Everton forwards did well in turn with Young good when the ball was on the ground but he was generally out-headed by Winstanley, while Vernon never really conquered the conditions until he got his goal.  Even though a pitch is playable it is not always helpful to good football and the way this Oakwell game went my feeling is that had the turf been anything like normal Barnsley would not have held on so long, in spite of their off-side trap, which operated so successfully if monotonously until Harris pierced it.  If Labone and Parker were the pick of the defence Gabriel and Harris always had that touch of merit, which helped to subdue the Barnsley attack and Meagan who started rather shakily was much more effective in the second half when right winger Hosie was never in the game.  Now Everton wait for the winners of the Luton Town-Swindon Town tie and one must say that it is difficult to see them troubled by either of these sides, particularly if the weather has relented by the time they play.  Barnsley; Hill; Hooper, Brookes; Nicol, Winstanley, Houghton; Hoise, Oliver, Leighton, Kerr, O’Hara.  Everton; West; Parker, Meagan; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Bingham, Stevens, Young, Vernon, Morrissey.  Referee; Mr. W. Clements (West Bromwich). 

HARRIS GOAL DROVE EVERTON TO CUP VICTORY
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express- Wednesday, January 16, 1963
By Paul O’Brien
Everton joined Anfield rivals in the fourth round of the F.A Cup when they scored a 3-0 victory over Barnsley, at Oakwell last night but it was not until 18 minutes from time when left-half Brian Harris scored the first goal that the many fans who travelled from Merseyside to support their favourities could afford to relax.  It was Ironic that it should be Harris who was able to relieve the strain for others, for with new £55,000 signing Tony Kay, looking on from the stands; he was obviously playing throughout under great tension himself.  Up to that time Barnsley had used the offside trap intelligently and well, but they made a bad mistake in trying these tactics as Harris collected a ball just inside his own half and headed straight up the middle of the field.  The Barnsley defenders anticipating a pass, moved out of their own penalty area, and Harris, seeing his chance went ahead unchallenged to half-hit a shot which never the less beat Hill, in the Barnsley goal, and went into the net off an upright.  That Everton scored twice more within 13 minutes did not really matter, for it was this goal which decided the course of the match. 
PRE-MATCH TRY-OUT
Everton, who came out for a five minutes kick around on the snow covered but in my opinion playable Barnsley pitch were quickly into their stride when the game started and could well have decided matters in the opening 15 minutes.  Hill saved well from Young and Vernon and then gathered a Gabriel effort successfully at the second attempt as Bingham raced in to challenge.  Seconds later he was in action again, cleverly taking a Young centre off Morrissey’s head in front of goal, but while all this was going on Stevens had missed a good opportunity to put Everton in front.  Morrissey back in the first team after three months absence was showing up well on the left wing at this stage and it took some determined tackling by left back Brooks (twice) and centre half Winstanley to stop him.  Barnsley were making occasional sorties into the Everton half but with Labone and Parker in great form, West was not unduly troubled.  Then Vernon’s cleverly took the ball through the Barnsley offside trap by himself, but became so badly angled that his shot finished up in the side-netting.  First real menace to the Everton goal came after 34 minutes when a pass from former Evertonian, Eddie O’Hara, saw centre forward Leighton send in a cracking drive from 25 yards which West in the Everton goal could only push out.  Luckily Meagan was able to win a race for them with Hoise and turn it into a corner.  A minute later Everton had another narrow escape this time a 20 yards drive from Kerr struck a defender and passed within inches of the upright.  The first half ended with play quickly switching from end to end, but no one producing a real shot but after the interval Everton got on top and it seemed only a matter of time before a goal came.  Parker, playing his attacking full-back role well, was the first to test Hill then Oliver kicked the ball literally off the Barnsley line after Hill had dropped an angled lob from Bingham. 
DELAYED SHOT
Minutes later it was Everton’s turn for a lucky escape, Kerr cleverly beat Parker on the left wing, drew West out of goal, then slipped the ball into the centre, when O’Hara however, delayed his shot long enough for Meagan to race across, fling himself in front of the ball, and gave the day for Everton.  Everton continued to plug away but with their forwards unable to find a telling shot there was always the danger that Barnsley might get a goal and hang on for a shock victory.  Harris, however ended these fears at the 72nd minute then six minutes later Stevens added a second.  Much of the credit, for the score must go to Morrissey and Vernon, for the Everton winger dispossessed full back Hopper before turning the ball to Vernon who sent a terrific drive through a ruck of players from 25 yards out.  Hill, unsighted until the last second, did well to stop the ball at all and could only push it out to Stevens who made no mistake from six yards range. 
NO CHANCE
Everton’s third came five minutes from the end when Parker, again in his attacking role, crossed the ball to the edge of the penalty area, where Vernon nipped in between three Barnsley defenders and advanced to gave Hill no chance from 10 yards.  Barnsley showed plenty of fight in the closing minutes when West had to move quickly to dive at Leighton’s feet, and Oliver saw his lobbed shot from the right beat West and hit the top off the crossbar.  The home team at times raised their game above Third Division standard and their younger players Hill (18) Brookes (8) Winstanley (17) and Kerr (19) all added to their reputations.  They will play worse than this and win many matches but last night they did not possess the same class as Everton, even though the Goodison boys were below their best. 
OUTSTANDING
Honours on the Everton side went to Parker and Labone who were outstanding in defence while in attack Young although coming off second best to Winstanley in the air was always his master on the ground.  Morrissey could be well satisfied with his return to the Everton left wing, while Bingham shared honours in his tussles with Brookes, who seems a young full back with a future.  Vernon did not appear to relish the slippery surface and was struggling until late on in the game while Stevens although as industrious as ever in midfield missed several good scoring opportunities. 

NO HOPE OF MATCH AT LECIESTER
Liverpool Echo - Thursday 17 January 1963
INSPECTION TOMORROW
By Leslie Edwards
There is no hope of Leicester City’s match with Everton being played on Saturday, but the official announcement to this effect will not be made until a local referee makes a formal inspection of the Filbert Street ground tomorrow.  Beneath an inch of snow is a sheet of ice of similar thickness, and tests have shown the ground to be frozen to a depth of fourteen inches.  This is topped by one and a half inches of ice and a two inch layer of snow.  An experiment with a heated polythene tent was carried out on a small section of the playing area yesterday. but was not intended as a serious attempt to get the ground playable.  This is impossible as long as freezing at night continues to be so severe. 
DERBY MATCH ALL-TICKET
ANFIELD LIMIT IS 57,000
Liverpool F.C., announced today that their League game against Everton at Anfield on Saturday February 9 will be all ticket (limit 57,000). 

ROY VERNON SAYS...
Liverpool Daily Post- Friday, January 18 1963
Call us beachcombers or go-any-where-for-a-game Everton!  We have wandered between Leasowe and Formby in the last week or so, but always we have had our game and I guarantee we are as fit as any team that has been subjected to similar weather conditions.  Whether on the beach or in the gym, our preparation has gone on and while there is nothing like a competitive counter to maintain the edge, I must admit I have never felt better.  Having trained in the morning we had Saturday afternoon free and so I took my family to Blackpool.  Call it force of habit, but we wandered down to the beach and there I saw several soccer matches being played.  I gathered they were Blackpool league teams, frozen out of their normal homes and I must confess that the sands were the best I have seen anywhere during this Arctic spell.  Those lads were certainly able to go full out.  I looked on for a while, but am afraid I am able to report the discovery of another Stanley Matthews.  Although Tony Kay has still not completed the transfer of his home from Sheffield to Liverpool, he is living here and training with us.  He was bemoaning his lot the other day about breaking records before he started considering that he must be establishing a new Goodison record for the time between transfer and debut. 
PARKER HOLDS RECORD
Even now, Tony cannot say with any degree of certainty whether he will eventually make his debut at home or away, in Cup or League.  What a baptism it would be, if he had to wait until the “derby,” game!  Of course, Tony was not allowed to claim any sort of record for Alex Parker recited his personal story of signing and waiting.  Alex, apparently signed in the close season and being in the Army, was shunted off to Cyprus.  It was not until November 8, 1958 that Alex turned out against Aston Villa.  On Monday, the Everton lads were invited to help open a new billiards room extension at St. Mary’s Club, Kirkby.  We started the proceedings with a series of snooker matches.  Fortunately they were non-competitive, I say fortunately, because our snooker champion George Thomson, was unable to join the party.  I am told the Liverpool players were there two or three weeks ago.  Goodison is a heartbreaking sight just now, covered with a thick coating of ice on top of the snow.  It almost looks as though it will be ages before we can use it again and yet I suppose a day or two of real thaw will transform the appearance.  There was a new experience for me the other day.  When I came to move off in my car on the way to the ground, I found the hand brake had frozen solid and while the engine was purring merrily there was nothing I could do to move these wheels.  I started to walk and fortunately was soon picked up.  The driver turned out to be a Burnley fan, a friend of Jimmy McIIroy. 
WHAT A STORM
I asked him what the feeling was in Burnley about their Cup clash with Liverpool and he said; “We are expecting a tough game, but we’ll be ready for you in the next round.  I find February 9 cropping up in a lot of conversations these days and my answer to a query as to why it was Liverpool had such a good record against the Blues brought a regular storm about my ears.  It is a hard life, for all I said wad that Liverpool knew we were a much better side than them, and so they had to pull out all the stops when they played us in order to approach anywhere near us.  A side with all the stops out often produces surprising results.  They way things are going the close season could be the shortest on record.  We will scarcely be able to get in a summer holiday before the bugle call sounds again.  Whether we like it or not, we shall almost certainly get a taste of summer football.  This could be a blessing in disguise for it could give a direct clue as to the soundness of the reasoning that goes into arguments suggesting a new period for playing the game. 

BARNSLEY A MOST SPORTING OUTFIT
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express – Saturday, January 19 1963
By Alex Young
One thing I shall remember about our Cup encounter with Barnsley last Tuesday was the sporting spirit of the Yorkshire side both in the tactics they used on the field and in the way they accepted defeat.  The friendliness of the Barnsley club did not end there, either, or when the game finished.  Mr. Joe Richards club chairman and president of the Football League came into our dressing room to say how much he had enjoyed the game and tell us how pleased he would be to see Everton reach Wembley this year.  Running out into the Oakwell pitch to play the game was a great relief and after groping about a little in the first five minutes it was pleasing to find that the longer he had not affected our form.  Shortly before the game was due to start we were taken, out onto the snow covered pitch in full kit to get the “feel” of the ground and I thought conditions were good, although I must admit that there were one or two colleagues who did not share this view.  Nevertheless all will join with the in expressing thanks to the Barnsley ground staff who must have worked tremendously hard to enable the game to be played.  
BEATING THE TRAP
One of the secrets of our success was in pre-match “spying” missions carried out by members of the Everton staff which enabled us to prepare tactics to meet many of the situations which presented themselves during the game- including the offside trap.  In fact, two of our goals –those scored by Brian Harris and Roy Vernon- came from counter measures to the Barnsley offside plain.  When Brian came up the middle of the field, the Barnsley defence positioned itself in readiness to move forward just before they thought he would part with the ball but as it happened Roy Vernon and myself were able to draw out respective “watchers” to the side, thus leaving Brian with a tap in which to shoot at goal.  One of the drawbacks of the offside game, is that it often leaves the defence standing in line and it was this fact that helped when Roy nipped in between three defenders to score out third goal which incidentally, if considered a very good one.  My congratulations to Barnsley however, for they did exceptionally well especially when one remembers there were four teenagers in their side. 
FOUR SCOTS
There were four Scots in the Barnsley team and one of them Tommy Nicol, who skippers the side.  I have known for many years.  We played in opposition to one another in Edinburgh Under-16 league soccer and later both made our first appearances in the Scotland Under-23 side at the same time.  This was a game against England at Sheffield Wednesday’s ground.  It is February 1956, but it is probably better remembered on Merseyside for the fact that Everton centre forward Jimmy Harris was called in as a last minute replacement as leader of the England attack.  Scotland too were forced to make a late change at centre half and the man they chosen to oppose Jimmy was none other than bobby Nicol, who at that time turned out regularly in this position for the Hibernian reserve side.  I played outside right for Scotland with the late Duncan Edwards and Maurice Norman of Spurs, opposing me as England’s left half and left back respectively England won 3-1.  Jimmy Harris scoring one of their goals.  A colleague in the Scottish team that day was a young Falkirk full back who was also a regular choice for the full Scotland side.  You probably know him.  The name is Parker.  Alex, incidentally had a great game at Barnsley and even found tome to nip up and show the forwards a thing or two about shooting.  On one occasion he even provided us with the unusual spectacle of a full back caught offside- and in the opposing penalty area too. 
OUT OF CUP
Last Monday our youngsters were knocked out of the F.A Youth Cup at Goodison Park by a very competent Sheffield United side which contained a number of players with Central League experience.  Colin Harvey the youth side captain seems to have set a Goodison fashion by turning out in white gloves for the following evening first team skipper Roy Vernon did the same thing at Barnsley.  A few weeks ago I gave the score in a match between the Everton first and reserve teams which the first team won, and because of this I have been under considerable pressure this week to reveal what happened when a similar practice game was played at Goodison Park last Saturday.  Truth is that this time the Reserves won 2-1 so perhaps it was as well that our League game with Fulham had been called off a day previously.  I must make it clear however, that although the Goodison pitch was all right for a reasonable light-hearted practice match, it was certainly not fit enough for a full-blooded league encounter. 

SOCCER COULD HAVE MUSCLED IN ON SKATING BOOM...
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express- Monday, January 21, 1963
By Leslie Edwards
Football’s fourth lost week-end-with a subsequent blizzard to promise another blank next Saturday –has produced gnashing of teeth and novelty.  The teeth-gnashing comes from clubs like Tranmere who have no fewer than ten extra games to arrange between now and the end of the season; the novelty comes from the Pools who threaten to get a panel of experts to “decide” the result of matches in which a ball isn’t kicked! One wonders what the public reaction to this will be.  And if they accept it what size the dividends are likely to be.  The certainty that the Football League will prolong the season by a few weeks seems to be generally accepted if this decision materialises the Cup Final Saturday the first in May, will also get its quota of League matches.  In that event would the Final be televised? Of would clubs be asked to play their games on Saturday evening.”  One or other course is inevitable.  Meanwhile League clubs everywhere would seem to have missed a boat which could have brought them hundreds of pounds of gate-money-and not from football.  Nearly all of them have floodlights nearly all of them have public address systems over which they could play records.  All they needed was the inspiration of the brainwave to flood their pitches, make them fit for skating and then have nightly sessions at 1s 2s time.  Thornton Hough may be too far out for the masses in Wirral a Tranmere ground treated in this way would have reaped a big financial windfall. 
WHY ALL-TICKET
Mr. W.G Old, 80 Eversley Street, Liverpool 8 writes; - “May I protest through your column at the ridiculous trend now in fashion of having all-ticket restrictions for local Derby matches?  “Surely at this time of the year it is year unfair to ask the most Spartan fans to queue for long hours twice, and I mean TWICE as even armed with a ticket the sensible fan will have to arrive early in order to have any hope of a comfortable place, and there will still be the added discomfort of the last-minute gate crashers both with and without tickets, barging about jostling, for a vintage point.  As neither of our local rich clubs bother to employ crowd marshals to assist sensible packing the only fair methods is to pay at the gate in which case all the genuine fans will be there early and when the ground comfortably fill the gates can be closed.  “The only reason I can think of for this match being all-ticket is to get the fans to buy tickets so that no matter what the weather the club will be sure of top gate receipts.  You only have to look at the gate of the recent Everton v. Burnley match to know what I mean.  “What it amounts to is that spectators, police and gatekeepers (wot no director?) attend for long hours twice and see only one match.  “I pray for good weather and that the thousands of loyal long-suffering fans (myself included) attending see a fine game and experience a quick return to satisfy in season 1963-64 with normal pay-at-the-gate facilities. I am all in favour of all-ticket matches for Cup-ties when a full house’s anticipated as it is the only far method for travelling spectators but for local Derby league games where on travelling is involve it is just making the genuine fans suckers for the ticket touts.” 

NO GAME FOR EVERTON ON SATURDAY
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express- Monday January 21, 1963
LUTON TIE OFF AGAIN
BURNLEY HOPE
By Leslie Edwards
All five F.A Cup games due to be played today are off.  They include the Luton Town v. Swindon Town match so there can be no Cup tie for Everton on Saturday.  Everton were to have met the winners away in a fourth-round pairing. 

HE SAID IT…
Liverpool Echo - Tuesday 22 January 1963
By Leslie Edwards
Doggie Livingstone, the former Newcastle United, Fulham and Chesterfield manager, denies reports that he has been invited to come out of retirement and take over the vacant managership of Mansfield Town.  Mr. Livingstone, a Scot, who played for Glasgow Celtic, Everton, Plymouth, Tranmere and Aberdeen, commented; “I wouldn’t return to football now for all the money in the world.  It’s hopeless.  Most clubs are trying to run without money and they can never succeed.  I am sticking to golf.  At least, at that game I can stand on my own two meet and not depend on somebody else’s for success!”
A patient, discharged recently from the Royal Southern Hospital, left by ambulance.  He was carried on a stretcher, switched in red blankets.  Doctors were on their rounds as he departed.  He shouted to them “What’s the idea?  Sending me, an Evertonian out in this colour?”   The doctors had the last word.  One come back; “You thank your lucky stars you are going out at all…” 
From another Liverpool hospital –Walton- comes news of the recovery of a man who has been engaged, in one capacity or another, at Goodison Park and Anfield since he was a boy in 1903.  He is Mr. H.W Richardson of Makin Street, Walton.  He started as a programme boy- the lad who wrote out the changes on a board and paraded them round the pitch.  Since then he’s worked on the turnstiles, and hopes to do so again.  He is the only gateman surviving who attended the club’s Jubilee. 

LETTERS
Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 23 January 1963
Talking of bouquets here is one for our respective football managers, Messrs Catterick and Shankly, and for the police who handled arrangements for the sale of Liverpool v Everton tickets at Anfield.  It comes from Mr. S. Baskin, 6 Chatham Street, Liverpool 7.  He says; “May I say thank you, perhaps belatedly, for your fearless, but honest, criticism in helping to jerk both Everton and Liverpool from the doldrums into the top class clubs we are proud to support.  “Thanks, also to the directors of both clubs for their initiative and to Messrs Catterick and Shankly for their shrews and painstaking management.  “Before closing, may I, as an Everton supporter, hand out another bouquet to the Liverpool Club and police for their excellent organiastion for the sale of tickets on Saturday.  I arrived at 3.30 p.m, and was able to get two tickets by 4.20 p.m., having been round the queue twice!  The crowd were in good humour, despite the arctic weather and the police were a great help.” 

NO MALTA TRIP FOR EVERTON
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express- Thursday January 24, 1963
TOO MANY SNAGS
By Leslie Edwards
Hope by Chelsea, who are touring Malta, that Everton would fly out to join them for a match early next week are without foundation.  Everton Manager Harry Catterick said today.  “You might just as well ask whether we are going out to China over the week-end.  There are too many snags about any hope of a trip.  We may have a Cup game on Tuesday or Wednesday, according to whether the Luton v. Swindon game is played on Saturday; they Valleth pitch, I know to be baked hard.  No there isn’t a hope of anything like it materialising.  “Last week on Tuesday we were asked by the Irish Club, Drumcondra, whether we would like to go and play them on the following day.  We turned the offer down.”  Chelsea are due to play Tranmere in the Cup at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.  The chances of that game not being played are emphasised by talk of Chelsea prolonging their stay in Malta and seeking to get another Football League team to complete against them.  There will be an inspection at Stamford Bridge tomorrow morning.  Everton say that Chelsea have made no effort of contact them regarding a possible match next week.
GROUND TICKETS
Everton announce that for the League match v. Liverpool at Anfield on February 9 there will be a limited number of ground tickets at 3s available to shareholders and season ticket holders only, one each as long as the supplies are available.  These will be available for either postal or personal application and personal applications will be dealt with only on Saturday, from 10 a.m to 4 p.m, from the officials entrance in Gwladys Street, Bullens Road end in exchange for spare coupon No 44.  All applications by post must contain spare coupon No 44, correct remittance and a stamped addressed envelops and the outside of the envelope containing the application must be marked “Liverpool” in the top left hand corner. As there will be sufficient tickets available for all season-tickets holders applications will be dealt with in stirred rotation. 

BIG SCORES, AT LEAST IN OUR SAND GAMES
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express- Saturday, January 26, 1963
By Alex Young
Seaside outings are normally a signal to relax and take things easy, but when the Everton coach pulls up on a local promenade and the players troop off and make for the beach, you have my assurance that nothing is further from their minds than relaxation.  Marking out a football pitch on the sands may remind many of us of our early footballing days in the local parks, but we all realise that this business of keeping in peak conditions so as to be ready for the restart of football is a very serious one.  It is far too cold on the sea front these days to hang about, so although the Everton boys thoroughly enjoy the six-a-side games on the beach, they nevertheless put the maximum effort into them.  Scorers like 13-10 and 11-8 on the short sandy pitches indicate that the forwards tend to enjoy themselves more than defenders and goalkeepers and no one seems more at home than Johnny Morrissey, who racked in half a dozen goals from all angles at Formby last Tuesday.  The longer the bad weather lasts, the harder matters become for our trainer, Tom Eggleston, whose main task is to keep varying the training programme enough to maintain the interest of his players.  We have no complaints on this score, either for this week’s variations have included tends and an improved heading badminton game under the stands at Goodison Park, while cricket above all things has been introduced into the gymnasium routine. 
NOT NEW
Heading tennis, of course is not new to us, but badminton and cricket are.  At badminton the bigger players, particularly Gordon West and Jimmy Gabriel seem to do well, while when it comes to cricket- played with a soft ball, bowled under arm- the spin of Brian Harris is often unplayable.  Another change is routine this week was a visit to the Corporation Russian Baths, at Picton Road on Wednesday.  This is something, I thoroughly recommend for a frosty morning, but several of the boys were quick to advise Roy Vernon that they did not think he should visit the premises too often.  These outings make a pleasant change, but I don’t think there is a man at Goodison who is not itching for a return of the weekly League and Cup routine.  We are not terribly disturbed by the fact that Spurs knocked us off the top of the table by beating Blackpool but I support the theory that points in hand are better than games in hand, so would not like to see Everton dropping too far behind on this score.  The entire Everton first team had an outing on Monday evening but it was only a social visit to Kirkby, where along with several of our reserves, we opened an extension to the social club at St. Mary’s Church.  Led by their parish, priest Father Spain, the numbers gave us a rousing welcome and we were all very impressed by the hospitality shown us. 
IN NIGERIA
Did you know that there is a small colony of Everton supporters in Northern Nigeria? I certainly did not until a letter arrived recently from the man responsible for forming it, Mr. J. Evans.  Writing from Gusan, Stokoto Province, Northern Nigeria, Mr. Evans a rapid Everton fan for many years, say that his African employees now follow the fortunes of Everton as keenly as he does and adds that all are delighted with the success we have enjoyed so far this season.  Most impressed by the theme tunes of Glasgow Rangers and Tottenham which he heard when a commentary on the match between the two was broadcast in the Overseas Service of the B.B.C.  Mr. Evans says he is puzzled as to why Everton fans have not adopted some similar tune to sour on their favourites.  Mr. Evans has sent me his suggested lyric which is quite a good one but as space has forced me to leave out several similar contributions from Everton followers during the season I’m sure he will agree that it would be unfair to publish one contribution in full. 
COLLINS IN CUP
Queries are normally dealt with in the “In Reply To Your’ column, but as Signalman Lea of the Signal Train Troop, B.F. P.O 63, has asked that I answer his letter there I’ll make an exception.  Signalman Lea says; Did Bobby Collins ever play in an F.A Cup-tie for Everton?  Did he play in a Cup-tie against Sunderland between 1950 and 1960?  What was the date of this lie, and what was the score? 
The answer is that Bobby of course, played in several Cup-ties for Everton but did not take part in the game against Sunderland.  This tie was played in January 1958, but Bobby did not arrive at Goodison from Celtic until later that year.  The game was drawn 2-2 at Sunderland on January 4 with Everton winning the replay 3-1 at home on January 8. 

TONY KAY IS CHOSEN TO MAKE HIS EVERTON DEBUT AT SWINDON
Liverpool Daily Post- Monday, January 28 1963
By Horace Yates
After standing on the by-lines, with only one game played since December 22 the time has come for Everton to go into action again –F.A Cup Fourth round action-for they are due at Swindon tomorrow evening (kick-off 7.30) and my information from Swindon last night was;  “The game is certain to be played.”  It is an all-ticket game, with the limit fixed at 26,500.  The home club put their share of the tickets on sale yesterday and extra police had to be called in to marshal the confident crowds, who believe that this year will see them enthroned in the role of giant-killers and they welcome the opportunity to get to grips with Everton- the Cup favourities.  In little more than two hours all their tickets there will be good news for them today, however, for Everton have already sent back a number of the tickets which they offered for sale yesterday.  Secretary Bill Dickinson tells me that only two or three hundred were sold at Goodison Park.  He tried in vain to contact Swindon by telephone yesterday but will be speaking to the officials today and it may be the remainder of the tickets will be returned today or taken down by the directors on Tuesday.  The team are leaving for Swindon early today. 
KAY PLAYS
Everton announced their team last night, showing one change from that which won at Barnsley to round three- Tony Kay, £55,000 half back signing from Sheffield Wednesday and now eligible is preferred at left half to Brian Harris.  Everton; West; Parker, Meagan; Gabriel, Labone, Kay; Bingham, Stevens, Young, Vernon, Morrissey.  On arrival at their Oxford headquarters this afternoon the Everton team, who had a full training session on Saturday will visit the Oxford City ground, for a further work-out.  Manager Harry Catterick said; “I have seen Swindon three times and they are a very good side.  We shall treat them with the greatest respect.” 
FULL OF HOPE
The Swindon ground has been played on two or three times since the start of the great freeze.  The week-end thaw has moved much of the snow and the chances are that the ground condition will be reasonably good.  On the ground a fortnight ago Swindon beat Queen’s Park Rangers 5-0 and on Saturday the “A” team won be twenty- goals to nil.  These contenders for promotion from Division Three claim that their lighting system is among the best in the south.  Swindon are full of hope and confidence after their win at Luton and manager Bert Head commented last night.  “There will be no need to build up the Cup atmosphere all over again as might have been the case in a normal programme.  We are already right on the crest of the wave.  “We shall have had more immediate match practice than Everton.  Given a fair share of the breaks we must be in with a reasonable chance in what I am certain is going to be a mightily hard battle.  “There is no question of our’ being overawed by Everton and their reputation.”  By the time Everton have been encountered Swindon will have met teams from four different grades in the correct Cup competition.  They opened against Reading (Division Three) Yeovil (Southern League) and Luton Town (Division Two) so that variety is undoubtedly the spice of their Cup life.  Since the war, Stoke City have been to Swindon twice, winning 3-1 the first time and then drawing 1-1, and Stoke were beaten 1-0 in the replay.  Cardiff City were defeated 1-0 at Swindon, after being held to a draw on their own ground. 
ROGERS DOUBTFUL
Immediately after the Luton game it seemed certain that Swindon would be able to field an unchanged side, but yesterday Donald Rogers aged 17, complained of an ankle injury and the outside left was last night regarded as “a bit doubtful.”  It was only recently that Rogers ousted Darcy from the League side, so that if injury goes against the youngster Darcy will almost certainly come back.  Cliff Jackson, inside left who scored both goals at Luton, has scored in each of Town’s three Cup-ties.  Eight of the Swindon players are under twenty years of age, the “veterans” being Maurice Owen and Ken McPherson some time ago Owen was Swindon’s centre forward and keenly sought by Division One clubs.  As he slowed down slightly he became regular centre half and this season when the right back broke his leg Owen dropped back to that position and is giving valuable service.  McPherson also joined Swindon as a centre forward after playing with Newport County, Coventry City, Middlesbrough and others, but some say he is playing better than ever at centre half.  Swindon Town; Turner; Owen, Trollope; Morgan, Summerbee, Hunt, Smith, McPherson, Woodruff, Jackson, Rogers (Or Darcy). 

FOOTBALL SEASON EXTENDED BY FORTNIGHT
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express –Monday, January 28, 1963
LEAGUE REQUEST GRANTED BY F.A. COUNCIL
NO M.C.C COMPLIANT
The Football Association Council today extended the soccer season from May 4 until Sunday May 19.  The granting of the Football League’s request for an extension to the season will enable the League to regain most of their loss from the football pools which amounts to about £17,000 every Saturday.  Assuming clubs play during the evening of Cup Final day, May 4 the added three Saturdays for pools would leave a loss in income of about £5,000 on the season.  Mr. S. C. Griffiths, M.C.C secretary had no complaints about today’s decision.  He agreed entirely with the view expressed by Mr. D. B. Carr when he himself was in Australia, that the necessity of the extension of the football season this year was fully understood. 
200 MTACHES OFF
During the past five weeks some 200 League matches have been called off, but the League are confidence that the leeway can be caught up.  Mr. Bob Wall, secretary of Arsenal who are five League matches behind and hope to play their postponed third round F.A Cup tie against Oxford United on Wednesday said; “This is first class news.” 

SWINDON COULD PROVE HANDFUL FOR EVERTON
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express- Monday, January 28 1963
By A Special Correspondent
Even allowing for the fact that they beat what was admittedly a poor Luton team who looked nothing like the standard required to keep their Second Division status, Swindon Town could well be a handful for Everton in tomorrow’s fourth round F.A Cup-tie.  Especially will this be the case if conditions are anything approaching those which obtained at Kennilworth Road on Saturday where he heavily sanded surface quickness on the turn difficult.  Having had previous experience of going like this Swindon decided after no more than a cursory glance at the pitch that the footwear best suited for the job in hand was the rubber soled gym boots in which they thrashed Queen’s Park Rangers.  Against the advice of their chief scout former Everton inside forward George Martin who had seen Swindon in recent action, Luton with exception of their right wing pair, Clayton and Walden decided to wear the ordinary boots.  By the time they realised their mistake and changed of half time the match had been decided irrevocably. 
SURE-FOOTED
Compared with lumbering slithering Luton, Swindon were as sure-footed as mountain sheep and their first vital goal after seven minutes came by a route that Everton will do well to note.  Woodruff that much sought-after left half who could develop into another Joe Mercer, took a long throw-in which went unerringly to Hunt in the inside left position.  A deft first time flick by him left Jackson with quite a simple chance to head past the diving Baytham.  The goal was the essence of simplicity and indeed, there are no unnecessary frills about this young Swindon side.  Comparatively inexperienced they may be, but they have an immense faith in their own ability drilled into them by their shrewd manager Bert Head.  In Jackson who finally sank Luton with an opportunist goal after 25 minutes and Hunt they had two hard-working energetic inside men, each of whom had the ability to create openings. 
DEFENCE IN DEPTH
Of the two young wingers Summerbee target for so many clubs is the more assured and he have ex-Everton left back John Bramwell an uncomfortable time.  Centre forward Smith could never really be said to get the better of Kelly who however, could never afford to relax for Smith wandered far and wide in his attempts to find openings.  With two goals under their belts, Swindon could afford to have dealt in defence in the second half with wingers and inside forwards all funnelling back when necessary. Not that a sound rearguard really needed bolstering up and Luton’s few scoring attempts foundered mostly against McPherson a strong dominating centre half.  Luton expected to find a weakness at right-back where the 36 years-old Maurice Owen naturally has lost a good deal of his pace.  However, he is still a shrewd positional player and Jardine weakest of a poor Luton attack had not the ball control nor the ability to worry him.  A fast raiding left winger could well have this flank-of the Swindon defence in desperate trouble, but on this occasion Own was allowed to go serenely on with the result that Turner in goal had scarcely a worthwhile shot to save.  Swindon did not merely beat Luton.  They outplayed them showed a better appreciation of what was needed in the conditions and generally impressed as a very working like outfit indeed. 

EVERTON SWITCH TO COACH TRIP
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express- Monday, January 28, 1963
TEAMS FOR CUP-TIE
SWINDON GAME
By Leslie Edwards
Everton made a false start to their journey for tomorrow’s fourth round Cup game at Swindon.  They arrived at Lime Street this morning to take the 9.40 Pines Express to Oxford where they are making headquarters and found the trail a re-schedule casualty.  It is one not running because of the more urgent massage of freight and coal to the South West.  The Everton party returned to Goodison Park and left for Oxford by coach at 10-30 a.m.  Swindon reports were that the match would certainly be on (7-30 p.m) The “A” team played a match there on Saturday.  Show is being cleared from the terraces and a limit of 28,500 has been put on the attendance.  Swindon will have one change, Darcy signed from Wigan some seasons ago, will take the place of the injured 17-years-old Rogers at outside-left.  Everton; West; Parker, Meagan; Gabriel, Labone, Kay; Bingham, Stevens, Young, Vernon, Morrissey.  Swindon Town; Turner; Owen, Trollope; Morgan, McPherson, Woodruff; Summerbee, Hunt, Smith, Jackson, Darcy. 

MIGHTY EVERTON SWEEP INTO NEXT ROUND
Liverpool Daily Post- Wednesday, January 30, 1963
SWINDON WERE NO MATCH FOR STARS FROM GOODISON
SWINDON TOWN 1, EVERTON 5
Mighty majestic Everton showed the trail they intend to blaze to Wembley when, at Swindon last night, they became the first team to win their way through to the fifth round the F.A Cup and in doing so they annihilated a side whose successes this season had allowed their supporters to dream dreams in which they saw their team in the role of giant killers.  Sixty scintillating seconds in which Everton scored twice gave them a rude awakening and their hopes lay shattered on the dandy waste which served as a pitch.  It is true that Everton were only beating a Third Division side and in the event it was very much the case of bringing out the road roller to crack a walnut.  Swindon played splendidly according to their own ability, but they could not hope to match a team of the illustrious stars which go to make Everton the fine side they are today.  No doubt Swindon will be most thankful that they do not have to meet Everton every week in the season.  The home supporters set the game going with a united chant “We went six.”  They almost got them too, but hardly in the way had they wanted for had not Vernon placed the ball inches wide of the post in the closing minutes Everton’s nap hand would have become six.  Chastened by the goal storm which humiliated their favourites the crowd changed their chant after Everton had hit five goals to “We want a goal,” which seemed a much reasonable assessment of Swindon’s capabilities. 
FLEETING SUCCESS
When it arrived the crowd haired the goal with the enthusiasm of match winner, and I doubt if there was anyone on the ground who begrudged Swindon this fleeting success, for had their defence measured up to the sometimes brilliant play of their forwards.  Swindon would have had more than one goal to show.  Everton can take heart from the display for the task ahead.  Seldom have I seen their forwards more devastating.  They took their chances like the experts we expect them to be and they prepared the target so accurately that the bull’s eye was almost shot completely away.  It was the speed, poise and ideas of Everton’s that whipped these youngsters to shreds, but Swindon came out of the game with a great deal of credit.  The shape of things to come was shown in fifteen minute, when Parker took a free kick from fifteen yards inside his own half and Young headed on to Vernon who hit first time into the net.  Within seconds Everton had scored again this time through Gabriel.  The half-back, who moved right up into the attack, assed to Vernon and sped forward like a grey hound for the return pass he know was coming.  Swindon were completely dumbfounded by such strategy and Gabriel went on to score a goal which virtually decided the outcome. 
PITCH GLUEPOT
Everton wisely came out ten minutes before the start to accustom themselves to this gluepot of a pitch and if only Swindon had followed suit they might have seen Everton practising over and over again just this move which produced the Gabriel goal.  True, it was Stevens and Vernon who tried it out, but Gabriel substituted for Stevens just as perfectly as the forward could have done when the moment arrived for it to be put into operation.  In 29 minutes Everton were three up with a Bingham goal. A cannoned clearance went through to Morrissey who crossed the ball right in front of goal where Bingham stooped low to head past Turner.  Morrissey joined the scorers in 36 minutes when Vernon pushed the ball in Young’s direction.  The centre forward caught it on the line and centred to Morrissey, who lobbed the ball into goal with the defence completely spread eagled.  As though four goals were not enough Everton resumed intent on getting more and we almost had a fabulous goal in fifty minutes.  A short pass from Morrissey saw Vernon hit the ball into the goal mouth.  It was deflected to Young who was completely covered.  Undaunted the quick thinking centre forward hammered the ball with a vicious back heel shot and the started goalkeeper recovered just in time to save on the line.  Never better was the understanding between the Everton players demonstrated than when they collected their fifth goal after 70 minutes, Gabriel brought the ball upfield and Vernon pointed to the spot where he wanted it to go.  Through it went with absolute precision and when Vernon brought Stevens into play his shot struck a defender and came back to Vernon who gave Turner no chance to save. 
HOLE IN NET
Right from the kick-off came Swindon’s one moment of real glory for Smith, celebrating one of his few moments of freedom from Labone’s attentions, scored with a fine opportunist shot.  There was some laughter ten minutes from the end when the game had to be held up for a moment or two while a hole in the net was repaired –the net into which five goals had been shot.  There was all the atmosphere of a Liverpool-Everton Derby as Swindon played in red shirts, but of course Liverpool would hate an ending such as this to their battle due for Saturday week.  It was not until just over an hour before the start that the game was officially declared on.  When I inspected the ground at 3 o’clock it seemed impossible to play a match on the pitch.  It was a sea of water with a thin coating of slimy mud on top of a bone hard surface.  Grounds men were at work brushing off the water which flowed away from the ground like some mountain stream.  Before the referee arrived seventy-five tons of sand had been deposited on the pitch and admittedly it was a transformation.  However, as one walked on it water seeped up and it was almost as though this was a beach from which the tide had just receded.  Fears that the ground would churn up into an unplayable morass did not materialise and although almost every player in turn found his feet shooting from under him at the most inconvenient moment in the end the referee’s verdict that it was the best ground he had seen during the present freeze-up seemed abundantly justified. 
ON THE BACK
Tony Kay making his debut for Everton, will remember it partly for the fact that he had hardly stepped more than four or five paces on the pitch before the game began when his feet shot from under him and down he went on his back.  Kay fitted into the side perfectly.  His defence was all that we have to come to expect of it from knowledge of his Sheffield Wednesday days but I should say that his most telling contributions were those in which he linked up with the forwards.  Kay had the happy knack of pushing the ball in front of the player and allowing him to run on to it and this was evidently just the sort of bit to what the appetite of the scoring machine.  As outstanding as anyone in a notable display was Morrissey.  He toyed with Owen beating him constantly getting his centres across menacingly and winding up with a well-taken goal.  It is a long time too since Vernon was so impressive in an away game and he skipped through the sand with a speed which was clearly upsetting to the home defence.  Bingham too was much livelier that he has been of late and Stevens with his customary grafting fully played his part.  Young did not get his name on the scorers list but that does not mean that he played no significant part in the story.  Actually he led McPherson a merry dance and drew him out of position so frequently and so completely that gaps were left in front of goal for which Stevens had to pay a heavy penalty.  Labone’s greatness was clearly apparent in all he did.  His opponents Smith was a lively leader, with an opportunist shot and yet he was so starved of opportunity by Labone’s complete dominance that he rarely registered as a menace.  Gabriel was in his element in the heavy going and obviously the practice that Everton have been having on the Merseyside beaches during the cold spell stood them in good stead when they had to do it in real earnest.  While Owen could never make anything of Morrissey, from start to finish, Meagan stayed on in his duel with Summerbee, Swindon’s liveliest raider, to salvage something of his reputation, and by comparison, Parker enjoyed a far more comfortable evening against Rogers.  The highly publicised seventeen-year-old Roger was seemingly out of his class unless it was, of course that the ankle injury which made his place in the team doubtful until the last minute, was still affecting him.  Swindon Town; Turner; Owen, Trollope; Morgan, McPherson, Woodruff, Summerbee, Hunt, Smith, Jackson, Rogers.  Everton; West; Parker, Meagan; Gabriel, Labone, Kay; Bingham, Stevens, Young, Vernon, Morrissey.  Referee; Mr. P.G. Brandwood (Wolverhampton).  Attendance 25,239

EVERTON HAPPY ON THE BEACH AT SWINDON
Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 30 January 1963
By Leslie Edwards
Everton won the race to be first in to the Cup's last 16 with as handsome a win as any club could expect at Swindon who had won 11 of their last 12 games.  They got home by 5-1 and it could have been 10. They sank their teeth deep into their task with two goals in two minutes after a quarter of an hour; three goals in 30 minutes and four before the interval.  It was never a match after those initial body blows, though Swindon were game to the last kick if only to console supporters who did not take their medicine with good grace.  Rarely does a meeting of First and Third Division  teams work out true to form as this; Everton's mastery of  conditions-75 tons of sand spread over inches-deep mud  which covered a layer of ice—and of their opponents, was  comprehensive. They played copybook stuff as far as that was possible and were penetrating, artistic, incisive and fast. The good young Swindon team was left perplexed by a defence which read their every intention and an attack which exploited every weak link in their: armour.  It became after those first 16 minutes almost an exhibition.  The impression I got from that stage was of Everton happy as sandboys on the beach at Formby, where they had trained. They called for the ball with the happy abandon of men competing against their own reserve side in a training gallop.  Yet at the outset manager Catterick was anything but happy about the prospect of football on a ground which seemed “impossible “to him when he inspected it before midday. The alternatives for Everton then seemed to be to lose a player through injury or lose the match. In the event they did neither, though Alex Parker got an unpleasant parting shot from the crowd in the final few minutes in the shape of a ball of ice—hard behind the ear.  That Swindon managed to get the ground playable was as surprising as the ease with which Everton won. Five feet high heaps of frozen snow lay between the crowd and the players; outside the ground itself mounds of piled snow were nearer 10 feet high. It was magnificent football by Everton on a surface treacherously hard in some parts and treacherously soft in others.
Old timer disappointed
The man most disappointed at Swindon's inability to match Everton's skill and drive was 78-years-old Jock Walker, sole survivor of the Swindon team which beat Everton in the Cup when last they met in 1910. What memories last night must have conjured for him.  Swindon opened promisingly with two wing half-backs who can make corner kicks out of nearly every throw-in, but once the Everton defence got to grips with them there was no question of them taking their movements much further.  The half-back line with Tony Kay, never quite as  dominant as he has been with Sheffield Wednesday—he is  still feeling his way in a new sphere—broke Swindon down  time and again and when they didn't Meagan and Parker  were there to step in.  Very little came from the vaunted Swindon wings.  Meagan used the ball brilliantly and was as outstanding as Gabriel and Morrissey, both of whom created their special brand of havoc amid the Swindon defence.  As a spectacle, it was all too easy for Everton to be really interesting after the interval, but Swindon were “divils for punishment." and while they batted on with enthusiasm Everton could never relax completely. They indulged themselves in some pattern-weaving which showed the crowd what a gulf can exist between standards in Division One and Division Three.  They made little effort to “rub it in," otherwise Swindon’s indignity would have been doubly hard to bear.  Everton's following was limited, but cheeky as ever.  One scouser voice from the crowd was heard demanding:  “What time does the tide come in?”—an oblique reference to the sea of sand on the pitch. 
Hole in the goal net 
It was an unusual match in many respects. There was an interval warning about pickpockets (some had had success before then) and slight delay late in the game when the ball found its way into the Everton goal through a hole in the side netting. Running repairs were done on the spot.  Kay's first kick for his new club in this, his belated,  debut left him sprawling on the turf, or where the turf  should have been. This was before the first whistle. He recovered his composure in time to add much drive to the left half position. He was knocked flat against the wall of snow in the second half and Summerbee, the man who did it, realising whom he had floored, was quick to pick him up!  The goals were remarkable. The first came from a free kick by Parker after Gabriel had thrown in not appreciating that a free kick had been given. Young flicked the ball across to Vernon with a back-header; the Welshman steered it to where Turner wasn't with a clever lobbed shot.  Straight from the restart Gabriel took the ball diagonally  across field to the left, and after an interchange of passes  with Vernon was at inside left when he angled the ball  sharply with the outside of his right foot to beat the goalkeeper  completely. Two goals in less than two minutes.  This, for Swindon, was the end. At the half-hour Bingham, with a characteristically dynamic header when travelling fast, steered the ball just inside the upright from Morrissey’s centre to make it 3-0. Morrissey hooked the ball home for the fourth goal after another Bingham header. This time from a left wing centre by Young, had been miraculously removed from the vicinity of the line.
Content with lead it was cat-and-mouse business from the interval, with Everton largely content to hold their lead and Swindon never showing the penetration they needed to bring off a recovery. Vernon picked up a rebound from McPherson, off a shot by Stevens, and made the score five. Straight away Smith got his side's only score after picking up a pass from Hunt and pivoting quickly to hit the ball wide of West on his right.  Morrissey. Young and others could have increased the margin more than once afterwards, and it wasn't always their fault that they did not. Swindon, whose outstanding performer was Hunt at inside right, had moments of good fortune when being hammered pretty mercilessly.  It was hard to fault Everton anywhere. This was one of their most satisfying performances remembering the conditions and the fact that Swindon had won at Luton.  Maybe it was that big effort on Saturday which made Swindon seem poor by comparison with a side which has had all too much rest.  Everton showed no sights of “rust." On the contrary.  They seem to have benefitted from their long holiday. Now they are ready for the draw for the fifth round and for whatever it brings—home or away. It is 30 years since they were last at Wembley. Rarely, if ever, during that long period, have they possessed a side which seemed to have such a cup-winning potential as the current one.

FLEW DOWN FOR CUP-TIE; NEVER SAW IT
Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 30 January 1963
SNOWDRIFT ON THE WAY
A group of 35 enthusiastic Everton supporters who flew from Liverpool Airport to see last night’s F.A. Cup-tie at Swindon arrived back today- without having seen the game.  Their coach from Bristol to Swindon became stuck in a snowdrift, then broke down.  When they arrived back at Bristol Airport to fly home, runaway conditions made it impossible for their Starways aircraft to take off.  Mr. Gordon Thomas, Highfield West. West Street, Prescot, who organised the trip for employees of Sensinwood Ltd., furniture manufacturers, of Kirkby, told the Echo; “We left Liverpool at 4.15 p.m., yesterday.  There was a coach to meet us at Bristol to take us to Swindon.  “The driver apparently didn’t know the way.  We took a wrong turning down an alley and got stuck in a snowdrift,” “We tried for half an hour to sift it, and local people lent us carpets and shovels.  In the end we had to give up and wait for a breakdown wagon to tow us out.  By this time it was too late to get to the match.  “On the way back to Bristol, the clutch went on the coach, and we pushed it for half an hour until catching an ordinary bus service into Bristol.”  Conditions were too bad for our aircraft to take off, said Mr. Thomas, so they rang up the coach company had complained. A coach was provided and they arrived in Liverpool at 10 o’clock this morning.  But he added; “We were overjoyed when we heard Everton had won-even if we weren’t there to see it.” 
GOODISON PROSPECTS
Everton are due to play Bolton at Goodison Park on Saturday and although no official comment was available on conditions from the club, my view is that the match must be very doubtful at the moment.  Before last night’s snowfall the pitch was still icy as all other grounds in the area.  Everton the first team to reach the fifth round of the Cup, were travelling back from Swindon today after their 5-1 win there last night. 
From Echo 31stJanuary 1963-
Central League
Bolton Res v Everton Res –Match off.
By George Harrison
I’ll give him one of Robb’s football stories that I’ve switched a bit to bring up to date.  It’s about he true-Blue soccer fan who proudly boasted to an Anfield pal; “If we’d only had this Everton team in 1939, we’d have won the war as well.”  To which his chum replied “I should think so.  They cost more.”