Everton Independent Research Data

 


AT SHEFFIELD
Liverpool Daily Post- Saturday, February 1, 1964
MNAY HAPPY RETURNS
By Horace Yates
A “Many happy returns” greeting to Everton manager Harry Catterick and Tony Kay to-day would have to connection with birthdays, but rather to their visit to their former club, Sheffield Wednesday. While this will be Kay’s first visit to Hillsborough as an Everton player, he helped to defeat them 3-2 at Goodison last September. Mr. Catterick on the other hand, has seen Wednesday beaten by Everton three times, with two defeats and a draw to make up the total since he exchanged clubs. There is no way of judging at present how seriously Mr. Catterick regards his experiment of playing Jimmy Gabriel at centre forward, for Alex Young is still unfit. My view is that so long as results are encouraging and Gabriel does not depth, Mr. Catterick will be in no hurry to heap non to himself the problem of finding places for three highly competent wing halves. With all fitness doubts removed there was never any possibility of Everton’s successful Cup side being disturbed which makes a pleasant enough change after the doubt and controversy over recent selections.
RIDING HIGH
Sheffield Wednesday are riding high in fourth place with a better home record than Everton can boast so that to-day’s will certainly be a greater test for the forward experiment than was the match with Leeds, tough though it undoubtedly was. Only Leicester have won at Hillsborough and Manchester United snatched a draw in the seasons’ opening game. Three times Everton have drawn in their last five games (including Cup-ties) and I don’t doubt they would be happy enough to increase the total to four to-day. Their task will be made easier by the return of former England international goalkeeper Ron Springett, who has missed seven matches because of a groin injury, for on his day he is still among the finest players in his position. The industrious McAnearney is back at right half and if Colin Dobson has recovered from blistered feet he will be at outside left. Otherwise, Eddie Holliday will play. Sheffield Wednesday; Springett; Hill, Megson; McAnearney, Swan, Young; Finney, Wilkinson, Layne, Pearson, Dobson. Everton; West; Brown, Meagan; Harris, Labone, Kay; Scott, Stevens, Gabriel, Vernon, Temple.

RAMSEY AT EVERTON GAME
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 01 February 1964
Sheffield Wednesday; Springett; Hill, Megson; McAnearney, Swan, Young, Finney, Wilkinson, Layne, Pearson, Dobing. Everton; West; Brown, Meagan; Harris, Labone, Kay; Scott, Stevens, Gabriel, Vernon, Temple. Referee; Mr. A.W. Snarling (Grimsby). England team manager Alf Ramsey was at Hillsborough to-day, but Everton manager Harry Catterick was missing, presumably at Sunderland, watching the Goodison Park club’s next Cup opponents. A foul against Stevens, well in his own half nearly brought Everton a goal for from Labone’s free kick, Gabriel made a fine header through the middle and Vernon actually beat Swan and Springett before McAnearney turned the ball to safely. A lovely through pass from Harris was collected by Gabriel but this time Swan made the winning tackle. Temple took the ball to by the by-line before turning it back, but Wilkinson intercepted as Vernon ran in. This lively opening was continued by Wednesday raiding down both wings. When Finney centred, Dobson put a volley just over. Gabriel got the ball in the net, but the linesman’s flag was up for an off-side decision which must have been close.

GABRIEL SCORES AGAIN IN EVERTON VICTORY
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 01 February 1964
SHEFFIELD WED. 0, EVERTON 3
By Jack Rowe


Sheffield Wednesday; Springett; Hill, Megson; McAnearney, Swan, Young, Finney, Wilkinson, Layne, Pearson, Dobing. Everton; West; Brown, Meagan; Harris, Labone, Kay; Scott, Stevens, Gabriel, Vernon, Temple. Referee; Mr. A.W. Snarling (Grimsby).
England team manager Alf Ramsey was at Hillsborough to-day, but Everton manager Harry Catterick was missing, presumably at Sunderland, watching the Goodison Park club’s next Cup opponents. A foul against Stevens, well in his own half nearly brought Everton a goal for from Labone’s free kick, Gabriel made a fine header through the middle and Vernon actually beat Swan and Springett before McAnearney turned the ball to safely. A lovely through pass from Harris was collected by Gabriel but this time Swan made the winning tackle. Temple took the ball to by the by-line before turning it back, but Wilkinson intercepted as Vernon ran in. This lively opening was continued by Wednesday raiding down both wings. When Finney centred, Dobson put a volley just over. Gabriel got the ball in the net, but the linesman’s flag was up for an off-side decision which must have been close.
GOOD CATCH
West made a good catch from Finney's cross and then pulled down Young's long- range drive, but the fact that Brown took a goal kick indicated that the Everton goalkeeper was still feeling the effect of his ankle injury. Wednesday were moving the ball well on the soggy turf and the Everton defence was finding it difficult to contain their wing attacks. Everton went ahead after 17 minutes through Vernon. Following a Gabriel headed pass Vernon's shot hit the post, but the ball came back to him and he had no difficulty in slamming it home. West made a good catch from Dobson's centre, but in the next Wednesday attack he could not keep a grip on Finney's corner and Harris had to kick away from near the line, as Layne swooped in for the kill. Gabriel was not getting a lot of opportunity to show his power against Swan, but he scarcely wasted a ball when he was able to make a pass. He laid on an opening for Harris to shoot just outsides from 20 yards or so, and another flick from him looked dangerous until Springett came charging out to punch away. Everton were desperately unlucky not to go further when Temple bamboozled the Wednesday defence with a lovely run and then saw Megson managing to hook the ball away after it had beaten Springett. At this point Everton were doing well, and Wednesday had another let off when Springett managed to retrieve the ball after he had dropped it almost at the feet of Vernon. There was escape for Everton when Dobson beat everybody with a swerving run. West could only just turn out his fast low cross, but Finney lost control completely with an open goal in front of him. The Dobson looked to have beaten Brown comfortably and was heading for goal when the full back recovered magnificently and actually got the ball away from the winger so that West was able to complete the clearance. Wednesday were not making the inroads into the Everton defence that they had earlier but they were playing against a strong wind. Near the interval Wednesday produced a spurt but in spite of some clever work by Dobson they were not able to produce a real threat. Half-time. Sheffield W. nil. Everton 1. Everton's test now was against the wind, and the second half started with a Wednesday attack down the right. There was an appealfor a penalty hen Labone appeared to handle, but I think the ref was correct in his view that it was ball to hand. Hesitancy by Swan almost let in Everton. Gabriel dispossessed him near the corner flag, and Springett did well to fall on the ball, because Vernon was ideally placed for the kill. At the Everton end, West was equally good in the way he dealt with a fiery low shot from Pearson.
PILING ON PRESSURE
Wednesday were certainly piling on the pressure and two free kicks for brought goalmouth excitement and each time the ball was scrambled away with difficulty. The referee had a word with Vernon after a tussle with McAnearney. Earlier the crowd had not been too kind in their reception of Kay, but the wing half was playing hard and well. The match was held up for a minute or two while Brown had attention after he had gone sprawling outside the touchline. Layne was there with a fine header from Dobson's long lob, and Everton were unable to make any attacking progress at all. Gabriel appeared to strain himself in trying to reach a Vernon pass. Several times he looked towards the trainer's box but did not go off. Gabriel, however, seemed all right when he chased after a Brown clearance, only to be beaten to the ball by Swan. Mr. Sparling incredibly allowed play to go on after Temple appeared to be the victim of a clear trip in the penalty area. In the next minute Wednesday were claiming a penalty against Labone, for hands, but once more the referee would have nothing of it. The 68th minute brought Everton a second goal- and a smasher it was-scored by Scott. The ball was headed out from a corner and Meagan promptly headed it to the far side of the goal where Scott struck it on the volley about 15 yards and the ball crashed into the top corner of the net gving Springett no chance. Wednesday hit back fiercely and after Dobson had struck the bar with a free kick, there was a hectic scramble in the Everton goalmouth which ended with West being knocked over his line as he went to gather a high ball. The goalkeeper had to have attention before resuming. When he did, he was on the spot to take a corner from Dobson. Everton’s defence was doing a fine job and in spite of all their pressure Wednesday were not making any clear-cut opening.
DOING GOOD JOB.
For most of the time Gabriel was the only forward up, but was doing a good job with his distribution when the opportunity came. On one occasion Temple could have made better use of a fine pass instead of holding on too long. Three minutes from the end, Gabriel made it 3-0 for Everton by cashing in on a mistake by Swan, who tried to get the ball back to Springett. Gabriel pounced on it, and with his left foot beat the goalkeeper with a shot to the far corner. In the last couple of minutes Young, the Wednesday left half, was injured and had to go off. Final; Sheffield Wednesday 0, Everton 3. Official attendance 30,722.

BOLTON A V EVERTON A
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 01 February 1964
Constant pressure on the Bolton defence yielded on the Bolton defence yielded a goal after ten minutes when Maher former English School-boy international, beat Lord. Phillips put Bolton level but more Everton attacks produced goals by Wright and Husband. Phillips missed a penalty for Bolton. Half-time; Bolton A 1, Everton A 3.

STRAIN OF PENALTY WAS TOO MUCH FOR ME
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 01 February 1964
By Alex Young
This is no doubt that it is Jimmy Gabriel who is top of the Everton fan’s popularity poll this week, and I would like to add my congratulations to the many others he received following his fine game at centre forward against Leeds United in the Cup replay at Goodison Park on Tuesday evening. Jimmy’s success, however, came as no surprise to those of us who train with him, for in the six-a-side games we play at Bellefield he can always be relied upon to keep the opposing goalkeeper busy. On a couple of previous occasions when it has been necessary to reshuffle the line-up during a match, Jimmy has found himself in the forward line, but this is vastly different from being able to get into the game right from the start. After 10 minutes or so in his new position, I thought that Jimmy looked as if he has been playing there all his life. Just on the half hour Jimmy got a goal- and what a cracker it was. I rated it as one of the best efforts seen at Goodison this season, and it was certainly something which Jimmy will remember all his life. Roy Vernon got the other goal which ended Leeds’ Cup hopes. He seems to me to be really getting back in the shooting groove again and I am willing to wager that sometimes in the very near future some poor goalkeeper is going to suffer.
THAT PENALTY
It was Roy who three days earlier had been the hero of our 1-1 drew at Leeds, and that penalty kick which gave us the equaliser will be a topic of discussion among fans for some time. I must confess, however, that when the much discussed second attempt from the penalty spot finished up in the back of the net I wasn’t even looking that way. After Alex Scott’s first kick had been saved by Gary Sprake, and the referee had ordered it to be retaken because the goalkeeper had moved, I recall Roy Vernon (looking a little paler than usual) picking up the ball and placing it on the spot. Then I saw Roy walk calmly back and take a deep breath…but the suspense was too much for me and I turned away. There is no doubt in my mind that the outstanding Leeds player in both matches was former Evertonian, Bobby Collins. Some of his midfield play in the Goodison match was of the highest class and I remember two superb passes from him just before half time in the game at Leeds which were so perfectly placed inside the full back that they could have knocked us well and truly out of the Cup had his colleagues been able to take advantage of them.
NOT LUCKY
Let’s be clear about one thing though, I certainly do not agree with those who say we were lucky to come away from Elland Road with a draw. Everton were very much on top in the first 30 minutes and might have had a couple of goals, but then Leeds came more into the game and snatched a very lucky goal indeed. Naturally, I would have very much liked to have been “in at the kill: against Leeds on Tuesday evening, but there was never a hope that I would be fit enough to play in the second match. An X-ray on Monday revealed that no bones were broken in the ankle I hurt just after half time at Leeds, but it was found I had badly strained the ligaments and there was also some bruising. I was strapped up and issued with a pair of crutches, but lucky was able to dispense with these on Thursday. However, I am told that it will be two or three weeks before I am able to play again. Incidentally, Andy Rankin and young Gerry Humphreys accompanied me on Monday’s hospital visit. Andy had his injured arm in a case and it was sticking out stiffly in front of him, while Gerry and I were both hobbling along like Marshall Dillion’s friend, Chester. We must have looked a comical trio.
IN TRAINING
Alex Parker and George Helsop are both progressing well and back in training this week, but it seems odds-on hat |I will be out of the “derby” match for the second time this season. Being a spectator is not too difficult, however, when the game is as enjoyable as that Cup-tie last Tuesday, and I have a hunch that the match with Liverpool, at Goodison next Saturday, is going to produce even more excitement. Tuesday was a unique occasion for me. It was the first time for 2 ½ years that I have been able to sit in the stand and watch the Everton senior side in action. They looked pretty good too, with Tony Kay giving a firm indication that he has recovered from his injury and is likely to be challenging for England honours again before long. Gordon West has probably made few more valuable saves than that cat-like effort he made to keep out a header from Johnny Giles during the second half when we were a goal in front. This seemed to knock all the fight out of the Leeds attack and after that I knew Everton were home and dry. So on we go to the next hurdle on the way to Wembley in the form of a fifth round trip to Sunderland. Despite the fact that with another draw away from home our luck appears to be out, I have a feeling that this will be Everton’s Cup year and I am confident we can account for the North Eastern Second Division side. My pals in that part of the country tell me Sunderland are a good footballing side and as that is the type of game we like to play this should be quite a match. Before this, however, there is the important League clash with Liverpool next week. It’s a game we must win, if only to even matters for that reverse at Anfield earlier in the seasons.

EVERTON CLIMB BACK BUT STILL NO DERBIES
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 01 February 1964
FOOTBALL ON MERSEYSIDE
By Percy M. Young
Everton were relegated at the end of the 1950-51 season, amid rumbles of discontent and a minor essay of a palace revolution. But, when the facts of life were accepted, loyalty re-established itself, and Cliff Britton, ably seconded by Peter Farrell, captain of the club from 1951 to 1957, continued to operate according to the principles on which he and his directors were agreed. Their principles derived from the policy of economy in the transfer market and the encouragement of home-bred players. For two years Everton made no remarkable impression on Division 11 (except that in 1953 they reached the semi-final of the Cup); but in 1954 fortunes revived and, after a spree two-thirds of the way through the season in which twenty goals were scored in three matches, promotion was ensured. Since both the Liverpool clubs carry rival sets of supporters whose fervour is unmatched elsewhere in England it is not surprising that the successful flow of events in 1954 showed its reflection in the balance sheet. The club rose again to Division 1 having built a profit of £21,374, which more than cancelled the overdraft then standing at the bank. Success is infectious. Thus the reserve team won the Championship of the Central League and the "C" team that of the West Cheshire League. Finally, during a summer outing in Denmark the first team creditably won all its four matches. The chairman of the club at that time was Ernest Green, a retired schoolmaster, who had joined the Board far back in 1913, and had served as vice-chairman to Cuff when he succeeded in the senior office in 1938. Green, moreover, was a director with a practical background in that he had played football not without success in his day. He had been outside right of the Liverpool University team. It was Green who had been primarily responsible for bringing Britton to Everton, and throughout Britton's managership had given him every support. At the Annual General Meeting of 1954. Green provided the reason for that year's resurrection. It was, he said, due to “team-work and team management. And the person responsible for that is Mr. Britton." He went on to remind his listeners that three years earlier he had said that the club would not go into the transfer market, “and adherence to that resolution had helped them to realise their ambition."
INTERGRITY
For his part Britton gratefully maintained that his directors had allowed their manager to manage, and that they had stood by their moral commitments in many troubled spells, “when it would have been easier to throw out their policy and the manager.” About this there is a ring of integrity latter-day football direction dispenses with at a cost to its reputation. While Everton were going up, so were Liverpool comingdown. In 1953 a desperate last-minute bid for safety succeeded. Winning the last match of the season against Chelsea by 2-0, they put off the evil day. But a year later, after a long spell after Christmas without victory, the team finished the season in bottom place, whereat the letters to the editor carried the usual series of pained exclamations of which one, at least, bore also a deserved tribute: " I am sorry for Liddell pulling his best out with four inferior forwards."
PHILOSOPHICAL
Thus Merseyside still had only one club in the First Division, and local derbies (in the League) were as far off as ever. Regarding Liverpool's imminent dismissal from the top table, the Daily Post was as philosophical as ever: Fifty years in the First Division is a long long spell. I suppose looking at the almost inevitable in the proper philosophy, one should say: 'At least they are not being relegated out of turn.'" Neither Everton in Division 1 nor Liverpool in Division II made headline news during the next two seasons and in 1956 changes took place both at Goodison Park and at Anfield. On February 24, after some consideration of the appointment of an acting manager during Britton's absence from headquarters while the team was abroad. Britton walked out of his office. A storm blew around the heads of the directors for some days and a division of opinion was evidenced by the retirement from the chairmanship of Green. Amid the welter of words spilled over this episode Britton (who then went to Preston North End after stating his determination to have no more to do with football, put the crux of the matter in a sentence: "I want all managers to have freedom to do the job for which they were appointed, which is to manage their clubs." If there was a final note of pride it lay in the fact that the current team contained eight players who had cost nothing in transfer fees. Two and a half months later Welsh resigned from the managership of Liverpool. This departure was less spectacular, but not less meaningful. Since Welsh had been manager there had been a complete changeover in the playing staff—as had been already indicated, this was inevitable. Of the older players only Hughes and Liddell now remained. Among the youngsters were Molyneux, Moran, Saunders, White, Twentyman, Melia, Arnell, Bimpson, A'Court, Byrne, as well as others, who, Welsh correctly prognosticated, would "provide a suitable backbone" for the future. In Welsh's place Phil Taylor, whose playing career had ended in 1954, was upgraded from being chief coach to the curiously titled post of "liaison officer." At Goodison Park, the directors also inclining to keep responsibility in their own hands, a chief coach was appointed in lieu of the manager. This was Ian C. Buchan, a former player with the famous Scottish amateur team, Queen's Park, and a physical-training lecturer at Loughborough College. In this way emphasis was laid on the "scientific" traditions of Everton and on the attitude rapidly developing in the higher flights of football. Liverpool's promotion to Division 1 looked as far away in 1959 as it had some four years earlier, and on November 18 it was reported that Taylor had resigned –“the first outward sign of disappointment at the lack of promotion success." After 23 years with Liverpool Taylor won this valediction: "His enemies were few and his friends many. But efficiency is the enemy to sentiment and Taylor went and Bill Shankly took over. Shankly, of the Preston team that reached Wembley in 1937 and again in 1938, was well tutored in management, having had control of Carlisle, Grimsby and Huddersfield in his time. Meanwhile Everton entrusted control of their fortunes to another great footballer; one of the greatest. This was John Carey, of Manchester United and Irish fame. On his appointment the Liverpool Post observed: "Followers of Everton from the days when Goodison Park was known as the School of Science have found a fresh champion. Let us," it exhorted,“have winning football if possible, but football worth watching always would seem to be Mr. Carey's dictum." When he arrived at Everton Carey found such players as Dunlop, Parker, Collins, Labone and Meagan on the staff. Among his signings were Roy Vernon, Jimmy Gabriel, Alex Young, Jimmy Fell, Billy Bingham, Tom Ring, Mick Lill, George Thomson: a handsome collection of talent. One other appointment was made under Carey's management, that of Les Shannon, who had left Liverpool in 1949 and had been with Burnley since, as chief coach.

EVERTON RES V SHEFFIELD WED RES
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 01 February 1964
Everton Reserves; Burnett; Parnell, Harcombe; Rees, Smith, Sharples; Shaw, Harvey, Hurst, Hill, Morrissey. Sheffield Wednesday Res; Reed; Johnson, Hicton; Eustace, Mobley, Smith; Wilkinson, H.Ford, Ellis, Fantham, Birks. Referee; Mr. N. H. Lakin (Stafford). The game was very tame for the first 15 minutes, neither side being able to get into their stride. Both goalkeepers were tested but not seriously. Then, as if out of the blue, Wednesday took the lead. Wilkinson got the ball on the right wing and tentatively put in a centre which was pulled fairly well back. Fantham saw an opportunity, ran in, and let fly, giving Barnett no chance. Ten minutes later, Everton equalised. A left wing pass from Morrissey went to Harvey and he drove the ball well clear of Reed. There was a see-saw movement about this game as 12 minutes later Sheffield Wednesday went back into the lead when Ellis’s header went into the net. Sheffield’s heavy defence was giving the lighter Everton attack considerable trouble, both Shaw and Morrissey being well held by Hicton and Johnson.
Half-time; Everton Res 1, Sheffield Wednesday Res 2.

JIMMY GABRIEL COULD NEVER BE IGNORED
Liverpool Daily Post- Monday, February 3, 1964
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 0, EVERTON 3
By Jack Rowe
Jimmy Gabriel will be the last to pretend he is the heaven-sent answer to a centre forward problem. Yet how impossible it is to ignore the tremendous part he played in this Everton victory on the wind-swept Hillsborough pitch. If a centre forward has to have spilt second dash, and speed, Gabriel does not quality, but we learned that a fine player with nature ability can do just as much damage and he is big a value in his side from centre forward even without these assets associated with an attack leader.
STRENGTH AND POWER
I shall remember Gabriel in this match as the player, capped for his country as a defender, doing so much for victory without doing any defending, because that was his rule. He has strength, power and a willingness to chase everything besides giving accurate passes in the second half, when Everton faced a terrific fight for survival, he served these causes simply by playing up field. Everton with the wind at their backs, were leading 1-0 at half-time with Vernon’s goal in seventeen minutes from a Gabriel-headed pass. Wednesday rarely came within sight of wiping out this goal so good was the Everton defence, helped immeasurably because Gabriel always had three Wednesday men hovering in his vicinity. This meant Everton were able to pull back the wingers and inside men to cope with the Wednesday rush and give them an advantage in numbers. This was the tribute paid to Gabriel by the Wednesday defence, and I believe it contributed hugely to an Everton win, which in the finish was deserved.
WORRYING TIME
For the first ten minutes it looked as though Wednesday would have winning power on the wings because Finney and Dobson gave Megson and Brown a worrying time, but gradually the backs got on top and by the interval had lessened considerably. In the second half against the wind Everton tactics of using the wingers to come back the wingers to come back and help snuff out the Wednesday wing menace paid off so well that the Hillsborough side were reduced to hanging the ball into the goalmouth in the hope that big Layne could cash in. once only did he look like doing it with a header which flashed outside because Labone played him so well and so confidently that England manager, Alf Ramsey who was at the match could hardly help getting this return to top form. With Labone we had Kay and Harris making a half back line which did its job so excellently that for most of the time the only way we knew Pearson and Wilkinson were playing was by reference to the programme. The Wednesday crowd gave Kay a bit of a roasting when the match started, but he rode it all and I thought like Harris, played outstandingly well. So did Meagan and Brown in the second half and West all through. The goalkeeper, still troubled by an ankle injury, dropped one centre in the first half, but otherwise did nothing wrong. His gathering of the high swirling balls was confident and competent, and one save from Pearson early in the second half was vital.
RUSH AND DASH
Apart from Gabriel the chief merit in the Everton attack lay in their willingness to fight and help the defence during Wednesday’s barrage and their success is illustrated by the fact that in spite of all their rash and dash never once did the home men make a clear opening. Vernon took his goal well, nipping in quickly to Gabriel’s pass, while Stevens had a game in which he could scarcely put a pass right and did other things which were wrong. Still, I find it difficult to condemn a player who is all heart and guts. Temple does a lot of brilliant movement and ruins it to trying to beat the extra man and this was again his main fault, but he did his bit in the defensive battle and is entitled to his share of credit. If Scott had done nothing except score there would have been few complaints because the goal in 66 minutes was a beauty and came at a time when Everton were on the collar. Rarely did Everton make a second half attack but the point is that they had two chances and snapped two goals, a chance from times when chances have been made and none taken. Scott, who did so much to help Brown contain Dobson, hit a volley from 15 yards out after a left-wing corner and it was in the net before Springett could do anything about it. Three minutes from the finish Gabriel did what a good centre forward should- take the half chance, Swan, who had a good outing, tried to pass back was much too short and in jumped Gabriel to beat Springett with a left foot shot. There was a lot of toughness and each side claimed they should have had a penalty, but for the most part it lacked excitement and had many quiet patches. Sheffield Wednesday; Springett; Hill, Megson, McAnearney; Swan, Young, Finney; Wilkinson, Layne, Pearson, Dobson. Everton; West; Brown, Megson; Harris, Labone, Kay; Scott, Stevens, Gabriel, Vernon, Temple. Referee; Mr. A.W. Soarling (Grimsby) Attendance 30,722

CENTRAL LEAGUE
Liverpool Daily Post- Monday, February 3, 1964
REES’ GOAL SAVED POINT FOR EVERTON
EVERTON RESERVES 2, SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY RESERVE 2
Everton Reserves lost a point in this Central League game at Goodison Park through poor finishing after the interval and it was only a last minute second attempt shot by half-back Rees that gave them a point against Sheffield Wednesday Reserves. Sheffield took the lead after 15 minutes through Fantham. The home side soon equalised with a lovely goal from Harvey at 25 minutes, but the visitors were back in the ascendancy 12 minutes later when Ellis headed in a Ford centre to give them a deserved interval lead. Everton were the better side in the second half and although a big, sound Wednesday defence backed by a capable goalkeeper in Read, gave little away, they had simple opportunity to won easily.

NOT CONSIDERED SERIOUS
Liverpool Daily Post -Monday, February 3, 1964
TREATMENT FOR A GABRIEL ANKLE INJURY TO-DAY
By Horace Yates
Everton and Liverpool never need gimmicks or boosts to send temperatures soaring for a “derby” game, but the deeds of the two teams on Saturday have made tickets more valuable than ever. Supporters will live impatiently during the next few days. Liverpool swear they will use the match as a further stepping-stone to the title. Everton reply: who says we are going to drop the title?” certainly, the new spirit which has been infused into Everton by the introduction of Jimmy Gabriel at centre forward and their stirring victories over Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday, have given added meaning to the resolve that Everton may yet make up lost ground. Arguments will rage fast and furious during the week, ruminating on Saturday with possibly one of the best “derby” games for years.
GABRIEL’S INJURY
In the Everton camp last night there was just a need of worry over an ankle injury received by Gabriel at Hillsborough. Apparently, he went over on the ankle, which caused him some discomfort and showed him down for the rest of the game. It did not prevent him leaping in to score a late third goal, however. Not until to-day when there has been an opportunity to examine the ankle will any positive opinion be drawn, but on the face of things no serious damage would appear to have been done. Before Gabriel settles to thoughts of Liverpool, he has a junior international match at Newcastle on Wednesday to consider. He is selected to lead the Scottish under-23 team against England and after the match on Saturday he was quite hopeful that he would be able to play. It will be for manager Harry Catterick to decide after he has received medical reports to-day.
GRAND FOOTBALL HOTEL
While his team were soundly beating Sheffield Wednesday, Mr. Catterick was watching Sharkey score three goals in Sunderland’s six-goal win.

ANOTHER GOOD DISPLAY AS LEADER BY JIMMY GABRIEL
The Liverpool Echo & Evening Express -Monday, February 3, 1964.
By Jack Rowe
The big interest in Everton’s match against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on Saturday was the second appearance at centre forward of Jimmy Gabriel. It was good second appearance because although he did not have a lot of opportunity against Peter Swan what he did do was effective and three minutes from the end scored the sort of goal one looks for from an attack leader when the chance comes. But the chief reason for Everton’s 3-0 victory was with the defence, for in the second half especially the early part when Wednesday were battling to retrieve a 1-0 half time deficit, there had to be composure determination and willingness to work to keen them out. With Wednesday having the aid of a wind which increased after half time the task was not easy but never once was there finishing and in the end the picture showed despite all the pressure, they put on the Yorkshire side were never allowed to make what one could described as a clear-cut opening. The command of the Everton defence was excellent, and they were helped quiet readily by the forwards especially Vernon and did a lot of ground covering.
VERNON’S GOAL
The lead came in the 17 minutes from Vernon when he took over a Gabriel headed flick and put the ball against the post however, taking the rebound gave Everton the lead. In the 68th minute Everton virtually made the game safe in one of their rare second half attacks. The score this time was Scott who struck such a powerful volley following a left-wing corner that even the wind had no effects on it, as it sped into the top corner of the net. Then came Gabriel’s goal- the snapping up of an opening presented by Swan who made a poor pass. It was in the taking which showed Gabriel’s aptitude as a football, because he was angled and had to be accurate with his left foot shot. This he was and even that fine goalkeeper Springett was helpless as the ball crashed in just inside the post.
ACCURATE PASSING
Apart from his goal however Gabriel’s strength was a vital asset in this game because he could never be left unattended. Although he appeared to strain himself in the second half, he chased every ball and even when he was the only forward up during that hectic spell of Wednesday pressure his ability to pass a ball accurately was always apparent. Other outstanding performances for Everton came from the half backs but if one or two members of the side were better than others, it does not mean that the team as a whole should lose any credit for this victory, as a hard and gruelling match. There was toughness as well as fitness but nothing which heralded real trouble and if Wednesday complained that they should have had a penalty in the second half they themselves were lucky to escape such an award when Temple was brought down. West, who is still feeling the effects of his ankle injury had a lot of work to do and there were two saves of special merit. But chiefly he had to deal with those high swirling balls which can be so menacing when carried by the win. He lost the grip a couple of times but for the most part he took them confidently. At the height of the Wednesday effort, it was a diving save from Pearson which kept Everton ahead. Stevens went through a lot of work, but this was not a match in which his distribution was a strong point. After Gabriel in the attack, I would put Vernon and Scott because Temple was prone, I thought to take the ball too far when a first-time pass could have bene a better tactic. For a time in the early part of the first half Brown had a tough time against the Wednesday left winger Dobson but eventually he mastered his man, and the fact that the Wednesday made forwards scarcely got in a telling shot at goal, tells just how good Harris, Labone and Kay were while Meagan’s determination enabled him to keep Finney in check. Apparently, Wednesday’s form was below that they have been producing lately. Certainly, the forwards were never really prominent. But they were against a good defence, and this was just as good a reason as any why they were not.

GABRIEL LIKELY TO PLAY AT NEWCASTLE
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express- February 4, 1964
UNDER-23 MATCH
FITNESS TEST
By Leslie Edwards
Jimmy Gabriel the Everton wing half back who has been chosen to captain the Scottish under-23 side against England at Newcastle to-morrow night had a fitness test at Goodison Park this morning and decided to travel to Newcastle. His twisted right ankle is still rather sore, but it seems likely that he will play. He had treatment this morning before the test. Afterwards Manager Harry Catterick said; “Jimmy feels he will be fit and has accordingly gone off to join the rest of the Scottish team which travelled this morning.” Snedden the Arsenal wing half back was also asked to travel to Newcastle in case Gabriel failed his test. Everton have a game against Liverpool at Goodison Park on Saturday if Gabriel’s injury were to give him further trouble after to-morrow night’s match he would have little time in which to recover for the Derby meeting.
SUNDERLAND TICKETS
Ground and paddock tickets for the tie at Sunderland will be one sale at Goodison Park and at the Stadium tomorrow from 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from Goodison Park at the same hours on Thursday and between 9.30 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday. Postal applications for stand tickets are being dealt with as quickly as possible. The club ask applicants for these not to telephone.

SOUTHERN GENNELAM
Liverpool Echo - Tuesday 04 February 1964
R.J. Kilbey, of 58 Bedford Drive, Rock Ferry, Birkenhead, says;
“I am writing to you as a London-born soccer fan with a genuine affection for Merseyside since I have lived here for nearly three years. With this in mind, I would ask you not to condemn my words as those of a Southerner who regards Liverpool as just another village outside London. “However, I have certain grievances, the first being the absurd enmity which exists between fans of Liverpool and those of Everton. I find this difficult to fathom, since one would logically expect that the football fans of a city which boasts two very useful sides would do their utmost to support the joint effort of the teams to bring sporting honour to the city itself. Instead, these so-called supporters resort to pretty bickering amongst themselves, and thus neither side gains the healthy type of support which it deserves. “I would not presume to suggest that fans in London are any more angelic in their ways, but it is true to say that one does not find any trace of what amounts to near-hatred between supporters of local teams. A fair example would be North London, which is home to two of the most successful teams in the League to-day, Tottenham and Arsenal. Nowadays at Anfield and Goodison Park the visitors are greeted with loud boos and gesticulations before a ball has been kicked- a rather unsporting attitude you will agree? Not only is the situation on the home front bleak- the reputation which Merseyside fans have built, almost painstakingly it seems, on their away excursions is not one to be envied. The senseless hooliganism is obviously the work of a small minority, but the fact is that this minority exists.” Wake up, Liverpool, for the sake of your city and your teams.”
TAKE A BOW, COMMENTATORS
H. Gibbens, 30 Edinburgh Road, Kensington, writes;- “I was a patient in the Royal Infirmary when the Everton v. Leeds United replay was broadcast to us from Goodison Park. He was a fine commentator. Please thank him on our behalf. What a joy to see patients whose pain was forgotten, even if only temporarily. As you had published my letter on the previous Friday suggesting Gabriel as centre forward, I was delighted to hear that he was playing so well. Like you, I think that if he is persevered with he will make a fine header of the attack. I agree with you, too, that there is a place for Young somewhere in the line. If Everton make a draw at Sunderland and win the replay it could be a classic like the famous 6-4 match. This was about the finest game I saw in my 60 years of watching football on Merseyside.
Ron Chambers (104 Ettington Road, Anfield) comments “As a keen Everton follower and a daily reader of your splendid column, I feel I must comment on your statement in the Leeds replay report in which you consider yourself as “One of the few people who maintain that there should be a place, always, for a player of genius like Alex Young. “I have always found your reporting fair, accurate and sometimes inspiring, but this statement infuriates me! Many statements by supporters have been made over the loss of form of Young and Vernon this season, but I’ve yet to meet an Everton fan who does not consider Young, Gabriel, Vernon to be the desired inside trio of the forward line. The terracing around me has simply ‘buzzed’ with this suggestion for over 12 months!
“I feel that with Everton’s potential power (potential because of injury trouble) at half-back, a grafting inside right should be less of a necessity. Don’t get me wrong, though – really admire wholehearted 90 minutes triers.
“In closing, here’s hoping for a great ‘Derby’ (will Lady Luck, ever, in these games, smile on Everton?) And a rip-roading tie at Roker Park in the best Sunderland- Everton tradition!”

RANGERS FAN KICKED EVERTON SUPPORTER, BROKE WRIST
Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 05 February 1964
BLOW WITH IRON BAR AFTER GOODISON GAME
CONDITIONAL DISCHARGE
COACH PARTY
A Glasgow joiner, in Liverpool for the Everton v. Rangers match on December 2, struck an Everton supporter on the hand with a bar and kicked him, breaking his wrist, said Mr. J.E. Briggs (prosecuting) at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday. James Wark, aged 21, of 19 Drakemire Avenue, Glasgow, admitted assaulting Kenneth Pallett, occasioning him actual bodily harm. Conditionally discharging him for 12 months, Judge Stephen Chapman told Wark; “I take the view that this was an occasion when people lost their heads in the excitement and aftermath of a football match, and were under the influence of drink to a considerable extent. You come before the court with an excellent character.” Mr. Briggs said Mr. Pallett and two friends had just left a public house in City Road, Liverpool, when a beer-bottle crashed at their feet. He saw Wark run towards him from a crowd of Rangers supporters near a private coach.
KICKED ARM
Wark hit him on the head with a bar and knocked him down, then kicked his arm, breaking the wrist. He was in hospital for a week. Mr. J. Edward Jones, defending, said Wark had bene in charge of the coach party of Rangers supporters, and was collecting them together to get them back into the coach. Unfortunately a number of Everton supporters had taken some of the Glasgow party into a public house. “This does not appear to have done them much good,” said Mr. Jones, “because it ended in this fracas, which Wark now very much regrets.”

HE WANTS THE SAINTS TO MARCH IN AT GOODISON!
The Liverpool Echo & Evening Express, Wednesday, February 5, 1964
By Leslie Edwards
A Liverpool fan, Mr. Ormsby, from Gloucester Road, Liverpool 6 requests Everton to put on his team’s theme song, “When The Saints Go Marching In” five minutes before kick-off time in the “derby” at Goodison Park on Saturday. He feels it would be a gesture much appreciated by the visiting contingent. As I see it, there’s nothing wrong indeed, everything right with this plea, but is there a “Saints” disc about the place at Goodison? I doubt it, just as I doubt whether they have a Z-cars theme song in the Anfield repertoire. What we are sure to get at Goodison Park before the game begins is music from the massed buglers of the Boys Brigade band and a trampoline display from boys of the Liverpool Battalion, B.B. The show will take place between 2.25 and 2.45 and should help the vast crowd while away waiting moments. I have long maintained that football crowds waiting for the teams to appear should be given better entertainment than they get canned music over the public address system. The live band on the pitch is one answer. Surely it should be possible to get the hands of local regiments or even the Police band, to perform week by week at Anfield or Goodison Park. At Highbury where Liverpool play a Cup-tie a week on Saturday the Metropolitan Police Band not only puts on a first class show but provides policemen vocalists -and very good ones. Liverpool and Everton players will take the field two-by-two-an innovation begun years ago by my father “Bee” in times when matches between neighbours and rivals were contentious, too rugged affairs. Happily, in recent seasons there has been much more brotherhood evident. After all, the teams are composed of football trade unionists, each getting a lovely living out of the game, so why should they risk maiming each other? When last they met at Anfield, Everton had just returned from a tiring unsuccessful trip to Milan. They’ll be in better shape on Saturday and will be seeking to narrow the gap between themselves and Liverpool to a solitary point.
NEW ZEALND’S SOUCE
The City ill-frame has spread to Australia and New Zealand. Here’s a saucy long-distance view from exiled J.L. Bailey, a Liverpool man, writing from Lower High Street, Marton, New Zealand.
“I have just read the most recent indictment against Everton football fans. In an article which has just been published in New Zealand the Press are heavily critical of their behaviour. Of course, to the regular football follower in England these criticisms have merely became an annual part of the soccer scene around Merseyside. However perhaps for supporters for want of a better word would be impressed if they knew that their reputation was worldwide. Once again, we are treated to the favourite line of the sports writers. It is merely a handful of irresponsible hooligans who are getting the majority a bad name. what a load of rot. The fans at Goodison and Anfield attend the match to see their team win and not to miss any of the incidents which are guaranteed to occur either before flouring, or (should the home team lose) after the match is it any wonder that the two Liverpool teams have the greatest following week after week. “Finally, as an adopted New Zealander, may I plead for a little restraint on the part of the fans if heaven forbid the Kiwi soccer team has to visit Goodison Park as part of their European tour. It has come to a dad thing when ex-Liverpudlians have to play Judas for fear of being classed with some of the rabble who attend the weekly matches on both sides of the Park. P.S I hope Liverpool win the League championship and Everton the Cup.”

YOUTH CUP-TIE DATE
Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 05 February 1964
LEEDS UNITED AT GOODISON PARK
Everton’s fourth round F.A Youth Cup game against Leeds United has been arranged for Goodison Park on Wednesday, February 12 (7-30). If the Cup game at Sunderland is not drawn Everton will meet Birmingham at Goodison Park in a rearranged League match on Tuesday, February 18 (7.30). Ground and paddock tickets for the tie at Sunderland will be available from the Stadium to-morrow and on Friday from 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from the Everton offices from 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. to-morrow and 9.30 a.m. o 7 p.m. on Friday.

HAT-TRICK PICKERING ON WAY TO FULL CAP
Liverpool Daily Post, Thursday, February 6, 1964
JIMMY GABRIEL GIVES SUPERB DISPLAY FOR SCOTLAND
ENGLAND UNDER 23 3 SCOTLAND U23 2
Take away the hat-trick of Fred Pickering which won this match for England and Scotland’s captain, Jimmy Gabriel of Everton, stole the honours in this very ordinary international. He sent a constant flow of superb passes to forwards who were hopelessly inept at making anything of them.

THE CHANGING FACE OF FOOTBALL FASHION
The Liverpool Echo & Evening Express, Thursday, February 6, 1964
By Leslie Edwards
The historic picture right, of the Everton players of season 1894-95 recalls the earliest days of “derby” matches in this city and shows how football fashions have changed. The picture is one of several in the possession of Mr. Edmund Williams, of Dewsbury Road, Anfield, whose father, Billy Williams who played at outside-right is shown in our photograph. Billy Williams was a Bebington man. How soccer apparent has charged in almost 70 years is shown by the unusual strip of those days. Some players wear shin-guards outside their stockings, nearly all sports moustaches and elastic “boy scout” belts, though McMillian on the front row, has a body belt, Fred Geary perhaps the most famous figure in the picture (extreme left) front row wore garters and the tops of his stockings came over his knee. The assistant trainer favours bracers, the trainer a cravat; the goalkeeper a cricketer’s cap. The second player the left in the middle row, H. Reay, has shorts which would have made Alex James’s resemble scanty panties. The Liverpool Cup, the trophy shown on the right front has clearly been brought to the photographing in a sack. I saw none of these men play, but I knew a few of them. Fred Geary, one explained how he “cracked” his goals with a sharp movement of the thigh; John Southworth, another front row man, I remember as a wind instrumentalist (a flautist?) on Llandudno pier; Jack Elliott was Everton trainer in my time. Alex Latta’s son is still around in Wirral and so is Fred Geary’s.

EVERTON’S ROY VERNON SAYS…
Liverpool Daily Post, Friday, February 7, 1964
DON’T TAKE IAN ST. JOHN TOO SERIOUSLY
Now what can we talk about this week? Oh yes. The “derby” game. Ian St. John has already told you what is going to happen. All I would say about that is- don’t take him too seriously. No doubt Liverpool were full of the joy of this premature spring as a result of their six-goal revel against Sheffield United, but how much better a performance would you rate that than our 3-0 win at Hillsborough? Liverpool may be able to boast eight goals against two in their last two outings, but against far more difficult opposition we can show five goals without reply. Nobody can look on a match with Liverpool these days as anything other than a tough afternoon’s work, I give them full credit for having improved tremendous, but surely that suits our book. “Derby” games have a nasty habit of producing surprises. While I have been at Goodison Park we have suffered a nasty shock or two in the hands of the Anfield boys. Results have often gone against appearances. While Liverpool on the face of things, have a better chance of winning the title than Everton, look at the position on Saturday night if Everton have won. The gap will have been closed appreciably. The only good turn we are likely to do for Liverpool is to win at White Hart Lane at the beginning of next month?
RECORD STILL STANDS
Our recent improvement has done the Everton players a world of good. It has boosted our confidence -and our ambitions. To take a point away from Goodison Liverpool will have to give their finest show of the season. They have quite a formidable away record with sixteen points from eleven games, but they have not beaten our record of last season yet by a long way, and we don’t intend to offer them any help. You may remember that we won eleven games on opponents’ grounds and drew four. They have some away to go yet. If, as is generally expected we have Jimmy Gabriel at centre forward again, what a tussle there will be against Ron Yeats! Jimmy will tell you that he has never missed scoring when playing at centre forward and that he doesn’t intend seeing his record be smirched against our friends. Liverpool boast they have the best half back line in the country Everton haven’t had bad one, you know! Gordon West had to wait a long time to regain his place from Andy Rankin, whose injury in progressing well, but Gordon has seized his opportunity wonderfully well. Some there are who maintain that West has never shown better form since coming to Goodison than he has in his last two games. All in all, I am convinced there are all the ingredients of a terrific “derby” battle. May the better team win- and may that team by Everton! I would also like to add my congratulations to Jimmy Gabriel and Alex Scott on the honours Scotland have bestowed on them. Both are worthy of them and it is my bet that both sail into the side to meet England at Hampden.
RECOGNITION AT LAST
It might be uncharitable if I didn’t also congratulate Ron Yeats on his inclusion in Scotland’s seventeen. Many there are who consider it is overdue recognition. If I were to be asked to name one player that Liverpool could not replace that man would be Yeats. A curious thing happened to me at Hillsborough when I went up to toss for choice of ends. The first time I called “heads” and the penny stuck upright in the ground. Next time I changed to “tails” and bounced over on the ground to finish “heads” up. Not always does the winning of the toss make a lot of difference, but I felt at Sheffield my losing the toss made our job a bit harder for in the first half that wind was very troublesome.

CRYSTAL CLEAR POINTS OF GOODISON ‘DERBY’
The Liverpool Echo & Evening Express, Friday, February 7, 1964
By Leslie Edwards
Let us look into the crystal ball and see what to-morrow holds for us and for Everton and Liverpool. I see a packed Goodison Park, but no 78,000 attendance; two teams more anxious than usual not to make mistakes, 22 footballers with one eye on the League Championship and the other on lucrative Cup games they must play at Sunderland and Highbury one week hence. I hear much chanting of Liv-er-pool Ev-er-ton! I see much swaying to the Beatles’ twisting and shouting the shrill piping of the “Z Car” Theme and a 3 p.m. kick-off which seems an eternity away to those who are on the terraces an hour before the start…
To make the waiting time seem less the answer’s obvious. Arm yourself with the Echo Soccer Special which contains a review of the match picture of historic “Derby” captains and a coloured front page covering all the head-line players who will be contesting the issue. Before dealing with vis-à-vis players and their personal duels lets look at what the crystal ball shows of the goalkeepers standing the length of the field apart, and probably the only men who will not come into bodily contact. LAWRENCE V WEST
Lawrence of Liverpool, a Scot, I see as likely to be busiest not from the shots and headers of Jimmy Gabriel and his immediate partners but having most of his work from weaving Temple and the wandering Scott, both of whom could put their imprint on the game and on the goal register.
West, I discern as anxious to maintain his old, and better form, perhaps taunted and tempted by the high balls coming from Callaghan and Thompson and more severely tested by the direct shooting of Hunt.
BROWN V THOMPSON
Now to the outfield. First, the duel between Sandy Brown and Peter Thompson. Both are big men. Thompson has speed, fine ball control, Brown will find the going tough, but once he wins possession watch out for those effortless, space-eating through passes which give Everton much directness when coming out of defence.
MEAGAN V CALLAGHAN
This will be a gentlemen’s agreement tussle. There isn’t a foul thought much less a foul, in either of them. Callaghan’s darting style, with a sharp burst of speed is the thing Meagan has to watch. He’s just the “heady” type of back to put the brakes on his opponent. But if Callaghan’s cannonade shot comes into play, look out Gordon West!
HARRIS V MELIA
Two grand club men; two veterans of the “derby” occasion. Two old heads, despite the fact that they are still young. Neither will get it all his own way. Melia will have to “move” some if he wants to stay clear of Harris’ constant attention, which includes tackles with bite.
LABONE V ST. JOHN
The Everton player will not treat seriously the St. John taunt “Now we shall get a game” Both are coming back to form after spells when they have been, for one reason or another sub- standard Labone should win the “air” battle St. John, roaming the field, will be as much a handful for other defenders as for Brian. This encounter will be tough and unyielding.
KAY V HUNT
The Liverpool player will be on the receiving end of one of the hardest tackles in the game. The sometimes too nonchalant Kay may find it does not pay to treat Hunt too lightly. He explodes into a shot magnificently on occasion -and this might be one of them. If Hunt gets away from his man, kay will find him difficult to catch.
SCOTT V MORAN
They’ve met only rarely so each is virtually a closed book to the other. Moran has size, weight, power, Scott craftiness, speed, and a meandering style which Moran may find disconcerting. This could be a point at which an Everton victory begins, alternatively if Moran puts the stopper on those fluent Scott runs one of Everton’s wing menace would be rubbed out.
STEVENS AND SON
Stevens v. Stevenson. The son my be the father of this one. In his quiet way the Liverpool Scot usually gets his way. He drifts about the field reading the game like the expect he is. His head saves his feet. He has a shot and likes to uncork it. Stevens the worrying, busy little man, the back-room boy of the Everton attack, is uncompromising in everything he does. Here again the going could be tough.
GABRIEL V YEATS
A fortnight ago they would have been poles apart now they are personal rivals. Gabriel, fit despite his game for the Scottish Under-23 side at Newcastle has his third and greatest chance to make good at centre-forward. Yeats is hard as the granite from his native Aberdeen. Gabriel’s theme song is “Up with the bonnets of bonny Dundee.” Can you imagine a more relenting battle than the one between these two?” I can’t. normally Yeats has things nearly all his own way in the air. But Gabriel gets up to a ball and sails into a header in almost Dean-like style. The way things go here might be the clue to the whole game.
VERNON V MILNE
Wales v England on an International scale. Milne’s distribution, once he gains possession, is superb. But will Vernon fail to “shield” the ball? I don’t think so. It depends on Milne whether Vernon has a good match. If he doesn’t a lot of sting of the Everton line is removed.
TEMPLE V BYRNE
Two Liverpool lads in close combat. If Temple flows round the rocky Byrne obstacle, Liverpool will be in trouble. If Byrne comes up with the answer to an Everton player at peak form, many, including myself will be surprised. But Gerry has surprised us before notably when winning a cap against Scotland and may do it again.
DEFENCE, DEFENCE, DEFENCE
Liverpool won at Anfield last September, their away record is so good, and their League chance so marked they could shock they rivals with a performance like the one which took them away from Goodison surprise winners in their Second Division days. In captaincy there is nothing in it. In my view neither Roy Vernon nor Ronnie Yeats is a dominating skipper on field. Tactically it could be a great battle. Manager Shankly has given no hint to me, or anyone else so far as I know, on what his gambit is likely to be. I would lay a Bentles ransom to a ground ticket that Liverpool will tackle the match as they will tackle the Cup game at Highbury next week; - defence, defence, defence, and if the attack can snatch a goal all the better. Liverpool’s away record has been built on these lines. They’re only 10 past them in all their away matches. They’ve learnt the Leicester lesson, even if they find themselves incapable of finding the answer to it when Leicester and other sides with the same defensive principles come to Anfield! Did not Everton win at Sheffield a week ago when outplayed for most of the match? As I see it Liverpool have most to fear from what comes down the wings Temple and Scott are players both a shade better in standard that the Liverpool backs and there is no disgrace for Anfield in that because these two blue streaks are two of the best in contemporary football. Thompson matches them it is true and Callaghan.Can be very good on his day, but in general Everton have the edge in that department. The score? Your guess is as good as mine and as I’m no football guesser, I wouldn’t attempt to name a score- not even if the match were fogged off. All I will say is this I think it will be tough, hard and close either way. If Everton’s wingers swung it their way, it would not surprise me.

NO CHANGE IN TEAMS FOR DERBY GAME
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express- Friday, February 7, 1964
GABRIEL LEEDS EVERTON
AT GOODISON
By Leslie Edwards
Everton and Liverpool each announce unchanged teams for the Derby match at Goodison Park to-morrow. This means that Jimmy Gabriel, defender promoted to leader of the attack has his third and greatest test in his new position. He came through Wednesday’s Under-23 game at Newcastle with his suspect ankle quite sound. A capacity attendance of some 68,000 people will see the game, which is all-ticket. To mark the occasion the Echo are printing a Soccer special features of which are an all-colour front page of the day’s players headliners all, a preview of the match and pages of pictures of previous Derby meetings. Manager Bill Shankly, of Liverpool said when making his team known; “It should be a typical “Derby” match and we hope a very good one to watch. As both clubs have very important Cup-ties a week to-morrow it is to be hoped that neither of us will suffer injuries.
EVERTON REQUEST
Everton ask ticketholders to be as early as possible into their places in order to avoid late crowding at the turnstiles. Some ground and paddock entrances will be open as early as 1 p.m. Everton; West; Brown, Meagan; Harris, Labone, Kay; Scott, Stevens, Gabriel, Vernon, Temple. Liverpool; Lawrence; Byrne, Moran; Milne, Yeats, Stevenson, Callaghan, Hunt, St. John, Melia, Thompson. Referee Mr. L. Callaghan. (Merthyr Tydfil)

15,000 EVERTON FANS FOR SUNDERLAND
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express- Friday, February 7, 1964
BIG TICKET DEMAND
CUP-TIE
By Leslie Edwards
Everton have had an unprecedented demand for tickets for the Sunderland Cup-tie a week tomorrow. Only ground tickets remain available and these are likely to be sold later to-day. It is estimated that the Everton supporters leaving Liverpool next Friday and Saturday for Roker Park will number 15,000. As football specials have been discontinued most of these fans will travel by coach late on Friday night or early on Saturday. So great has been the demand for charter air flights Liverpool Airport are unable to handle any further specials. Any further planes chartered must leave from Blackpool. Liverpool are also likely to take a big contingent with them to Highbury for the Cup match there the same day. As this is not an all-ticket occasion there are no reliable estimate of how many followers will travel, but it is likely that they will number some 5,000.

DERBY SHAKES ARE HIGH, REWARDS GREAT
Liverpool Daily Post- Saturday, February 8, 1964
PETER FARRELL’S TIP; A GOOD WIN FOR EVERTON
MOVE OF GABRIEL HAS MAGNFIED ATATCK THREAT
By Horace Yates
Because Everton fans are still on probation, so far as the retention of the barriers behind the goals are concerned, allied to increased seating which has helped to reduce the overall capacity, only 66,500 will see the ninetieth “derby” between Everton and Liverpool at Goodison Park to-day. This compares with 73,000 a year ago and the ground record figures of 78,299. Supporters were promised that when crowd conduct merited it, those goal barriers would be swept away. Although behaviour in recent games has been exemplary the barriers remain. I know the club will not lose sight of their undertaking, although it may have been considered imprudent to have put the reformation to the test in the heat and excitement of a “derby” clash. If, as we all hope there are no unsavoury incidents (from players or crowd), this item may find its way on to a board agenda in the not-too-distant future. Everton’s deeds in their last two outings have put new heart into their supporters and given them grounds for hope that their day to crow is at hand. Records may show that Everton have won 36 of these clashes to Liverpool’s 29, with 24 drawn but Liverpudlians will not allow their rivals to forget that not since 1946-47 have the Blues beaten the Reds at Goodison Park. On that occasion Wainwrights lone goal was the winner. Of to-day’s players only Vernon, Hunt, and Callaghan have known the thrill of scoring a “derby” goal. The goals aggregate is in Everton’s favour by 135 to 127. Eleven times these matches have ended in a goal-less draw, and while my fancy is that while to-day may see another draw it is more likely to be of a 2-2 variety. Among 500 Everton Irishmen making a special journey from Dublin to see the clash will be former Everton Skipper Peter Farrell.
LOYALTIES DIE HARD
Farrell’s tip, is. “A good win for Everton,” but loyalties die hard with Peter. The Liverpool players will lunch together and in contrast with previous seasons when players made their individual ways to Goodison Park they will travel in the club coach. Comments from either camp are scarce, but manager Bill Shankly says. “We look forward to every game and we are looking forward to this. “Whether one team is at the top and the other at the bottom, of whether they are rubbing shoulders in the League table, all “derby” games are hard. “So, will this be. The form team must be Liverpool, but form is hardly the most reliable guide when these sides get together. Let us hope that injury passes both sides by, for neither of us is without ambition and there is a strenuous programme ahead.” My view of the match is that fate has played into Everton’s hands by precipitating the moving of Jimmy Gabriel to centre forward. With their present forward formation Everton’s threat is magnified appreciably. Gabriel would be the last to claim for himself grifts of daintiness and artistry and while many people believe that the man-mountain Yeats will cut Gabriel to size. I still think that Gabriel will worry Liverpool more than they care to admit. Almost by common consent Temple and Scott, on the wings pose the greatest raiding threat. If the charge is well founded that Liverpool are more vulnerable at full back than anywhere else, here are the men to exploit the weakness, and Gabriel, in the middle, to meet their centres might well prove a regular cat among the pigeons. Gabriel is good, very good, with the use of his head, and his spirit is boundless.
PERSISTENT TYPE
For good measure there is the sharp-shooting Vernon to add to the defensive worries. By spot-lighting the possibilities of Temple and Scott I do not by any means belittle the merit of Thompson and Callaghan. I think they may worry brown and Meagan to distraction. They are the persistence type who have defences on rest. Beat them once and back they come like tiger’s intent on making up lost chances. There to receive their offering are Hunt possibly the greatest marksman in the match, and St. John. Hunt is always on the go. Here is the best example in football of a man who never allows failures to undermine his scoring intent. If St. John is in the shooting form, and so often he seems to get the better of that capable centre half Labone. West will have ample opportunity to prove that his recent improvement is no passing phase. Everton also have Stevens, a grafter extraordinary, who will hardly supply the clever touches expected from Melia, but it is when his side are thrown back on defence that Stevens’ aid will be most valuable. For Melia this has been a mixed season and he is still struggling for standards which have been his. Yet here is another player who curiously enough player who curiously enough thrives in the equatorial heat of “derby” days. Not many people will oppose the view that the six half backs of to-day’s meeting form two of the best club half back lines in football. Harris and Kay will revel in this needle atmosphere and progress against them will be earned only their hard way. My inclination is to the view that constructively Milne and Stevenson may have some slight advantage, but with marking likely to be as tight as in any Cup game, their opportunities for enterprise could be severely curtailed. With Lawrenson losing nothing by comparison with West, the scene is set for a ding doing tussle. The spectacle will be all the greater for goals, so let us hope this will be a day for the attacks. Opinion is hardening to the forecast that Spurs or Liverpool will be champions this season, and the Anfield team’s chances seem obvious but if Everton do manage a victory to-day only one point will separate the scarcely considered Everton. Admittedly, Liverpool have two games in hand, but both are away from home and can scarcely be counted automatic point providers. It would be a great comfort to Liverpool to be able to tackle Arsenal next week in the secure knowledge that League chances are buoyant. On the other hand, the fillip of an Everton win would rocket confidence sky high for their Cup trip to Sunderland. The stakes are high. The rewards are great. May the match live up to such an appealing billing. Everton; West; Brown, Megan; Harris, Labone, Kay; Scott, Stevens, Gabriel, Vernon (Captain), Temple. Liverpool; Lawrence; Byrne, Moran; Milne, Yeats (Captain), Stevenson; Callaghan, Hunt, St. John, Melia, Thompson. Referee; Mr. L. Callaghan (Merthyr Tydfil).

GABRIEL-YEATS DUEL A HIGHLIGHT OF TO-DAY’S ‘DERBY’ GAME
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 08 February 1964
NEVER HAS RIVALRY BEEN SO INTENSE
By Leslie Edwards
Rarely in the long history of "Derby” matches have the two teams had greater incentive to win. Both are challenging for the League; both are in the last 16 for the Cup; never before has rivalry been so intense. Interest in the match is white-hot. Not a solitary inch of space will be available at 3 p.m. when the teams—both, fortunately, at full strength-line up. Liverpool will be seeking confirmation of their victory at Anfield Last September and of their belief that this season, at least, they are the team of Merseyside. Everton will want to wipe out the indignity of that Anfield defeat and continue a fairly long unbeaten run. Their surprise win at Sheffield Wednesday last week has put them in good heart. The transformation of Jimmy Gabriel to the centre-forward position has not only given the line punch, but has put them well in the running in the Cup and maintained their outside chance of retaining their League trophy. Gabriel, a success in the Scottish Under-23 team at Newcastle on Wednesday, went into that match with fears that his ankle injury might let him down and thus prevent his appearing this afternoon against neighbours and rivals. What Manager Catterick would have done in those circumstances is anyone's guess: happily, the Everton player has had no reaction from the game. The duel between him and Ronnie Yeats, the Liverpool captain, should be one of the most Interesting of the personal encounters. Gabriel is lucky to have more height and weight and heading ability than many of the centres Yeats "snuffs out “when the ball is airborne. My own belief is that the issue may be decided by how successful the Liverpool backs are in coping with Temple and Scott, two match-winning wingers. True. Peter Thompson, of Liverpool, is in the same class as the Everton men, and Sandy Brown will also find it difficult to curb him, but no the flanks, at least. Everton would appear to have the edge.
SKILL NOT KILL
Everton's one-time capacity of 78,000 for a "Derby” match can never approached much less beaten now so much terracing has gone over to seating accommodation, but it will be a huge crowd, nevertheless. What we want to see is an exhibition of football skills-not of football –“kill." These are players earning their bread-and-butter (and cream cake) in the same city: they are fellow-tradesmen as it were, and as such should not get themselves involved in anything which can produce injury. Some “Derby” games have been models of what football should be; others have been bad advertisements for the city. It is up to two talented teams to demonstrate that they can take defeat or victory sportingly. After all, both have important Cup games seven days hence and both want to go into them with a full complement of fit players. Tactically the game promises to be of great interest. Liverpool have quietly slipped into a system of all-out defence for “difficult” away fixtures, and I do not doubt that this will be their method to-day, hoping to sweep easily from defence to a surprise scoring move. Everton’s answer might be to go all-out for goals or alternatively to play their rivals at their own game. In the latter event the game would lose much of its attractiveness. I wish the teams and Mr. Callaghan well in their joint efforts to make the game good in every way. The players can do a lot (by their own attitude) towards helping terrace fans maintain a sense of sportsmanship and a sense of proportion. It is likely to be a close fought match, and a hard one. My view is that Everton, fast getting back to their best, may come out on top, but Liverpool have administered more than one Goodison Park shock, and no one can say that they haven’t the potential to do it this season. Everton; West; Brown, Meagan; Harris, Labone, Kay; Scott, Stevens, Gabriel, Vernon, Temple. Liverpool; Lawrence; Byrne, Moran; Milne, Yeats, Stevenson; Callaghan, Hunt, St. John, Melia, Thompson. Referee; Mr. L. Callaghan (Merthyr Tydfil).

GABRIEL AND VERNON HIT DAZZLING FORM
Liverpool Echo & Evening Express, Saturday, February 8, 1964
SCORE AND MAKE GOALS BEFORE ST. JOHN NETS
EVERTON 3, LIVERPOOL 1
By Michael Charters


Everton; West; Brown, Meagan; Harris, Labone, Kay; Scott, Stevens, Gabriel, Vernon (Captain), Temple. Liverpool; Lawrence; Byrne, Moran; Milne, Yeats (Captain), Stevenson; Callaghan, Hunt, St. John, Melia, Thompson. Referee. - Mr. L. Callaghan, Merthyr Tydfil. There was the usual built up pre-match scenes for the great Derby game at Goodison Park to-day. The crowd with 66,500 tickets sold packed the ground and there was some considerable swaying on the terraces, particularly behind the Gwladys Street goal. Vernon won the toss and elected to play facing the strong sun. straight from the kick off Vernon won a free-kick as Gabriel coming through for the ball, tripped Hunt. Brown and West between them cleared. The first shot came from Harris as the ball spun off Milne. Harris took a first-time swing at it and sent it well wide. There was some obvious tension among the players. The referee spoke to St. John after an incident concerning events when the ball had left both of them.
LABONE PRECAUTION.
In another challenge for the ball, St. John flattened Harris and the Everton section of the crowd were booing him every time he touched the ball. Stevenson sent a long and accurate pass through for Hunt to chase, and Labone took the right precaution by lapping the ball out for a corner. Meagan playing very well-made Everton’s first real opening with a good run down the left, and when he centred Gabriel headed the ball down and Vernon was only inches away from connecting. But from a similar move after 9 minutes Vernon scored for Everton. This time it was Kay who lobbed the ball forward into the penalty area, Gabriel headed down past Moran and Vernon moved in quickly to hit it first-time past Lawrence.
EVERTON ATTACKS.
Vernon made a break when Stevens and Kay brought the ball out of defence. The Everton skipper tried a shot from 20 yards but sent it wide. Everton were doing most of the attacking and after Lawrence had made a good catch from a chipped centre by Scott, he saw a shot from the wing whistle just past the post after another good Everton move. Lawrence saved Liverpool with a wonderful drive after Yeats had completely miskicked and sent the ball slicing away into the centre where Vernon hit it first time, Lawrence flung himself full length to make one of his best saves. Liverpool’s first shot of the game came after 16 minutes play, a 20-yardeffort from Hunt which he pulled wide with his left foot. Harris initiated a fine attack with an accurate cross field pass to Temple and when the winger headed the ball in it was knocked out to Meagan who managed to get a hot shot through the crowd only to see Lawrence make another fine driving save. Everton were very much on top at this stage and Kay dropping back deep to mark Hunt was a major part of Everton defensive plan and doing his job exceptionally well. Yeats came up for two successive right-wing corners taken by Callaghan and from the second he made a downward header which hit West on the chest and bounced clear for Meagan to complete the clearance. This was the nearest Liverpool had come to scoring in some 25 minutes play.
VERNON MOVE
At this point 25 minutes Everton increased their lead through Gabriel, and few would deny that they were that much the better team. A great deal of the credit for the goal must go to Vernon who was in his finest form. Vernon took the ball through from his own half of the field, slipped it a few yards one-side to Gabriel, who beat Yeats to it and directed the ball from 15 yards, just inside the upright to beat Lawrence drive. From a free kick on the left taken by Melia, Labone cleared with a first-time kick and the ball went out to Stevenson who wisely hit it first time but sent it wide. Stevenson fouled Vernon and the referee spoke to the Liverpool half-back before the free kick was taken. The tempo on the pitch was getting hot now. In one incident the referee did not see Thompson handle so that the Everton crowd shouted and a second later the winger was fouled by Scott to give the Liverpool fans a chance of shouting.
YEATS TASK.
Yeats was having a difficult game against the twin threat of Vernon and Gabriel and he was completely out of position when Vernon centre and Gabriel made a firm header just over the bar. It was Byrne’s turn to get a lecture from the referee after an all-out tackle on Vernon had floored the Everton skipper heavy. In one all-out attack Gabriel cleverly backheeled the ball to Scott whose hard-hit shot struck Yeats and honoured away safely enough. Vernon accelerated past Yeats as though the Liverpool skipper was standing still and hit a great shot on the run to beat Lawrence only for the ball to hit an upright and bounce back for Moran to put it behind for a corner. With five minutes to go to half-time Liverpool produced only their second dangerous attack so far. Hunt cleverly worked the ball to the penalty area and chipped it across to St. John who put his header over the bar and on to the top netting. Liverpool have rarely been outplayed so much this season. Half-time; Everton 2, Liverpool nil.
Liverpool re-started on the attack but tended to use two man passes to make headway and the final result was s simple clearance by the goalkeeper. When brown cleared from St. John’s centre, he put it straight to Temple who beat Byrne beautifully and race on into the middle to try a shot himself which he sent wide as Yeats challenged. Liverpool were showing more menace now and for minutes at end kept Everton pined in their own half. Yeats was moving up for ever Liverpool corner and for the first time in the game the Everton defence took to have some cracks in it as Liverpool put on some pressure. The referee took Brown’s name after a foul on Thompson. Both Callaghan and Thompson had been the best of Liverpool attack, and both carried too much at times for the Everton backs. But in the middle Labone and Kay were playing splendidly with Harris moving up as the constructive half back.
TACTICS
In Everton’s first attack this half, Stevens side-stepped a lunging tackle by Byrne and out the ball through to Gabriel who gave it him back and from Stevens shot Stevenson managed to divert it for a corner. The referee spoke to both captains after an incident involving them before giving a bounded-up. Liverpool invariably did best when they gave the ball to Thompson. He beat brown once again with his speed and ball control and took Kay, who had a magnificent match, to save a dangerous situation. Liverpool forwards hardly had a shot between them, and West had a very comfortable game so far. We had seen little of Hunt this match but suddenly he burst into action with a fine run in which he fought off the combined tackles of Kay and Harris, in try a shot which he put well off target.
FINE CHANCE
Everton had only attacked on two or three occasions this half, but when Kay sent Scott away, the move could well have brought a goal, Scott pulled the ball back to temple, who had a fine chance but completely mishit the ball and it bounded tamely to Yeats who cleared. Callaghan found Thompson with an accurate Crossfield pass. Thompson moved well inside, but his shot was 15 yards wide. Stevenson and Moran got in a tangle which enabled Stevens and Scott to bring the ball away but Stevens fast cross from the goal line was well intercepted by Lawrence. One of the most remarkable features of the game had been how little trouble either goalkeeper had been with direct shots. Lawrence had the most to do in the first half. Hardly anything in the second and the positions were reversed in the second half. Ten minutes from the end a fine header goal by St. John brought some life back into the game. It was Byrne who made the cross and St. John beat Labone for the first time in the game and put a strong header just inside the upright to beat West easily. Tow minutes later Everton gained their two-goal lead through the effort of the two men who had been involved in their first two goals. A fine move up the right touchline saw Everton gain a free kick near the corner flag, when Moran cross, Gabriel beat Yeats in the air and headed it down to Vernon who could hardly miss from a couple of yards range. When Liverpool restarted the game, the ball was moved down to West who picked it up easily as St. John came in to challenge and when West fell it seemed to me there was an accident involving him and St. John. There was a commotion, and the referee took St. John over to the linesman, where they talked before Everton were given a free kick just inside their own penalty area. Brown had some object which he had picked up of the goalmouth to a police officer. Final; Everton 3, Liverpool 1. Attendance 66,515.

ROKER TIE COULD BE DAY’S BEST
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 08 February 1964
By Alex Young
As the fifth round of the F.A. Cup approaches only two of my original four Wembley possibles—Everton and Liverpool—are still in the running, and despite the fact that both have tough matches away from homenext Saturday, I still feel they have as good a chance of reaching the final as anyone. In fact, all along I have had the feeling that this could be Everton's Cup year and the fact that few people outside Merseyside seem to fancy our chances does not worry me. One glance at Sunderland's exceptionally fine home record in Division Two indicates just what Everton are up against at Roker Park and I think this could be the best match of the round. Sunderland's forward line is on the small side, but it makes up for lack of inches with football skill. George Herd, from Glasgow, is a player I have seen in action several times. He is a versatile chap when he has the ball at his feet and his talents do not finish there for he is a very accomplished gymnast. Outside left George Mulhall is another Scot in the Sunderland forward line who is full of tricks, and I remember one occasion in the dressing room before an Under-23 international when George gave a display of juggling with a football which would not have disgraced the stage of the London Palladium. The ball skill in Sunderland's attack does not stop at these two, either, for aninside-left is Irish international Johnny Crossan, a star who needs no introduction. Centre forward Dominic Sharkey, too, is an Under-23 international.
FORMIDABLE
Another Irishman, centre half Charlie Hurley, is the "big" reason why up to this morning Sunderland had conceded only 29 goals in 29 League matches, while their goalkeeper, Jimmy Montgomery, is playing so well that he gained England Under-23 honours this week. A Liverpool boy, Len Ashurst, is another prominent member of the Roker team’s defence. It’s a formidable task but one I consider by no means beyond Everton. After to-day’s match, Jimmy Gabriel and Alex Scott were off to Scotland, along with Liverpool’s Ron Yeats, where they are joining the international squad for a special training stint. As a Scot, I consider that international recognition for Ron is long overdue and I sincerely wish him well and hope that this session leads to a full cap. One has only to see how much Liverpool miss Ron when he is unable to play to realise just how good he is. Naturally I am no less delighted that Alex and Jimmy have bene chosen, and I hope that they too, impress, the Scottish officials favourably.
EVERTON RULE
I did hope to travel to Sheffield last Saturday to watch the first team play Wednesday but there is a rule at Everton that all injured players must report for treatment on Saturday afternoon, so this is what I did. This meant that I also missed a great part of the Central League game at Goodison, but what little I saw looked impressive. I have been doing a little bit of training this week, but by Monday I am hoping to be fit enough to start going at things more vigorously. The boys who played at Sheffield tell me it was a good match, with the defence playing, well throughout and the forwards scoring twice against a very strong wind during the second half. Those second half goals came from Alex Scott - they tell me this was a real beauty - and Jimmy Gabriel. Incidentally, congratulations to Jimmy on captaining the Scottish Under-23 side on Wednesday, even though they did lose, and also on scoring again from the centre forward position. Roy Vernon scored for Everton in the first half and you will remember I said last week that I thought our skipper was getting back into the scoring groove.
OPEN DAY
I notice that Portsmouth F.C. held an "open day" at Fratton Park this week and invited fans to come along and watch the team in training. It seems a good idea anything that improves relations between the supporters and the club surely is- but I shudder to think what would happen in Liverpool, where the fans are the keenest in the country, if it spread here. To-day it was impossible to fit all the people who wanted to watch the Derby match into Goodison Park, and I dread to think about what life would be like for the players if that much dreamed about Cup Final between Everton and Liverpool became a reality. This week I have found a ticket “application” waiting around almost every corner and like the rest of the players, I have been reluctantly forced to say “sorry, no” many, many times. Before an Everton-Liverpool Wembley meeting I reckon life would be a great deal quieter for the players if they donned black wigs and walked around with electric guitars. Incidentally, this week I bumped into one of Everton’s keenest fans- Ernie Horrigan. Ernie drove us to away matches for several seasons, but has now given up coach driving. One Liverpool player told me that on the occasions when Ernie drove the Anfielders to away games, he was more interested in our result than theirs.

ENTRY CAREY AND MOORES AT EVERTON
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 08 February 1964
FOOTBALL ON MERSEYSIDE
By Percy M. Young
Before John Carey had time to emancipate the genius at his disposal from the toils of passing disappointment a new influence appeared in the Board Room at Goodison Pork. On March 21, 1960, Mr. John Moores became a director. His interests outside business lay in art, the theatre, music, and (in sofar as he was once an unsuccessful candidate for Parliament) politics; football also occupied a place in his affections, and he was a shareholder of both Liverpool and Everton. Moores took over a place on the Everton Board that had temporarily been occupied by Mr. Colin Askham, also of the firm of Littlewoods (mail-order branch).
At the annual general meeting on June we, Mr. Fred Micklesfleid, chairman for the past year, explained that Moores had offered £56,000 to the club, free of interest, to "enable star players to be secured." Particular interest was shown in Joe Baker and Denis Law and more or less blank cheques were waved in the faces of their managers: but without result. However, Mr. Micklesfield looked optimistically forward and spoke of "visions of greatness for Everton next season. All I will say is that I am quietly confident that the task of rebuilding a great Everton is in progress." Mr. Micklefield did not fail to pay his tribute to and express his confidence in the manager. Mr. Carey. Micklesfield gracefully retired from his chairmanship and Moores was elected to take his place. On August 19 Dave Hickson encouraged Everton supporters with the following obiter dictum transmitted through a newspaper column: "I have never known a finer spirit or a more impressive quiet confidence. We are a very happy family and it isfrom such foundations that greatness springs."

DISMISSAL
Within three months the ebullient Hickson was no longer a member of this happy family, having been transferred to Liverpool. On April 14 Johnny Carey was dismissed, with two and a half years of his contract still to run. His mode of dismissal, according to the reports, was unconventional; that he was no longer required was conveyed to him in a taxi in London. That brought Harry Catterick, primed to managership in the deserts of Crewe and Rochdale, back to Merseyside, with arithmetical changes in the Goodison record that suggest a happy union. " Nil satis nisi optimum." Everton are in process of offering the strongest challenge to the Spurs in the realm of glamour.
It has long been a proud, not unsubstantial claim that Goodison Park is one of the best grounds in England. It is to the credit of the club that it has done so much to prepare proper amenities. In 1958 an expensive effort was made to defeat the northern winter when 20 miles of electrical heating wires were laid underneath the turf as an anti-frostmeasure. The cost was considerable —in the region of £16,000- and the results were only partially satisfactory. For while it was sometimes possible to play when other grounds were frost-bound, the drainage was affected. Thus waterlogging and sometimes Central League games had to be taken to the ground of Earle F.C. a Wavertree. In 1960 the wires were taken up and a new drainage system devised. Such are the measures that have been lately adopted for the benefit of the club's clients.
CHIEF ASSET
But the chief asset must be a team, and the aim to produce one that is second to none, in British if not European football, is the present compulsion. Fashion being what it is, current fashion must be followed. In the first decade after the Second World War Everton's team retained a consistent flow of neat, if unforceful footballers. Jimmy O'Neill (now of Stoke), Clinton, Donovan, Farrell, Eglington, were the cream of the Eirean recruits graceful alike for club and country. When T. G. Jones, the Welsh international, retired he was succeeded by another of the same name, but this time Liverpool-born. A long-serving worker at left half was Cyril Lello, a native of Shropshire and a former player with Shrewsbury Town. Such players, when they left Everton, went elsewhere to pass on the benefits of experience to more modest combinations. From time to time Tranmere leaps up out of the darkness. Once it tutored great centre forwards. Then it gave the valorous story of Harold Bell who, between 1946 and 1955, played in every League match. Since he also continued this unbroken record until the third match of the next season, he achieved a grand and probably total of 401 consecutive appearances. In March 1955 the Tranmere directors had the pleasant idea that Joe Mercer who, having broken a leg when playing for Arsenal against Liverpool in the previous season, had finished playing, shouldbecome one of their number. This, it was thought, would help to put the affairs of the club on a "sound basis." But before Mercer could be de-professionalised he had felt the urge to managership and had gone to Bramall Lane. Two years later Peter Farrell, although captain in name, could not now find a place in Everton's first team and accepted the prospects of longer security by going to Tranmere as player-manager. This was after he had played for Everton for more than 400 times. With him went Eglington. Somewhere in the middle of the 1962-63 season one heard of Dave Hickson scoring a hat-trick for Tranmere. This stirred earlier memories. Personalities are of all sorts. Hickson belonged to an earlier mould. Unpretentious, courageous, born with a will to demolish opposition, he thundered across the scene like some hero of Scandinavian mythology. He was not built for finesse, nor particularly did he try to cultivate it. He had fire in his nostrils and was no great respecter of the hieratic qualities of referees. He was not made for Everton—he was "not a traditional Everton player" they said, when they transferred him the first time—but he did them some service. Hickson signed professional forms for Everton on May 13,1948, his point of departure being Ellesmere Port. In August, 1951, he made his first appearance in Everton's first team against Leeds. Two years later a contretemps against Leicester City found him, after being sent off, under suspension. There were those, however, who admired his robust qualities, and Sheffield Wednesday were ready to offer up to £25,000 for his signature. Aston Villa also saw in him a means of quick salvation. On September 2, 1955, the football world was not really surprised when, for £25.000 Villa got their man. There was, however, a great deal more of genuine surprise when three months later he was allowed to go to Huddersfield Town. In the summer of 1957 Everton resigned Hickson, this time for about £6.500, his place having been kept warm in the interval by Jimmy Harris. When Hickson returned to Merseyside the flags were put out - metaphorically speaking and Hickson was allowed the following unlikely kind of soliloquy, "Well, Dave," he said to himself across a journalistic typewriter, " here's where you've always wanted to be at Everton ...I reckon Everton and Dave Hickson go together." They did until Hickson went to Anfield to replace Louis Bimpson, in the winter of 1959. Two years later Hickson left Liverpool.

EVERTON DAZZLE IN THE SUN
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 08 February 1964
15-SECS. GOAL AT ANFIELD
REE’S SHOT
Liverpool Reserves; - Roberts; Lowry, Thomson; Smith, Lawler, Molyneux; Graham, Wallace, Arrowsmith, Ferns, A’Court. Everton Reserves;- Barnett; Parker, Parnell; Clarke, Smith, Sharples; Shaw, Harvey, Rees, Hill, Morrissey. Referee; Mr. W.S. Castle (Dudley). There were about 4,000 spectators to see the junior Derby game at Anfield. Everton kicked off into the sun and within 15 seconds were a goal up. The ball was taken down the left wing and centred for Rees who shot first time with Roberts apparently unsighted. Liverpool were not to be outdone and within ten minutes had evened things up when Ferns scored a beautiful goal with his head from an A’Court centre. Both sides were going all out for goals and play was moving quickly from one end to the other. The Everton side were playing good football with smart inter-passing moves producing some very dangerous attacks. They eventually went back into the lead in the 22nd minute when Clarke hit a first time shot well clear of Roberts. The keenness of the game was showing in the number of stoppages for pretty fouls, there being nine in the first 10 minutes. The game was still moving at a fast pace with no quarter being given although there was little sign of bad tempter. Arrowsmith had the ball in the net on the half hour from an A’Court pass but Mr. Castle disallowed the point. A’Court was by far Liverpool’s most dangerous forward although Arrowsmith showed patches of brilliance with a half chance when he got out of the clutches of the Everton defence. The Blues were awarded an indirect free kick inside the penalty area following a pushing incident, but it was virtually useless against the wall of red-shirted players. Everton got a third goal, when, after a smart passing movement between all their forwards, the ball travelled to Shaw whose diagonal shot went into the corner of the net off a Liverpool player. Liverpool were trying hard, but could not get their timing right. Everton used excellent anticipation in defence. Half-time; Liverpool Res 1, Everton Res 3.

ALL THE “DERBY” STARS WERE IN BLUE
Liverpool Daily Post- Monday, February 10, 1964
EVERTON LIKE CHAMPIONS AGAIN
ONLY LIVERPOOL COLOURS WAS IN THEIR JERSEYS
EVERTON 3, LIVERPOOL 1
By Horace Yates
For once in a way in a “derby” game I think there must have been unanimity over the result. Never did there seem any possibility other than an Everton victory and frankly anything less would have been a travesty of common justice. Everton were magnificent. With such a display I am confident they would have beaten any team in Britain and as Liverpool never approached normality the verdict was inevitable. For the champions it undoubtedly was a triumph of strategic for after going ahead they employed the blanket defence against which Liverpool have shown over and over again they have no adequate answer. Blanket defence alone do not win matches, however. To the twin thrust of Vernon and Gabriel prompted so patiently and calmly by Kay, the most commanding wing half in the country when he chooses to put temperament on one side and concentrate on the football arts in which he is so astoundingly gifted. Everton were deeply indebted. Who see in Gabriel only a stop gap centre forward must have forgot themselves wobbling badly from their precarious remark for this goal-a-game.
A STOP-GAP?
When I asked manager Harry Catterick if he still regards Gabriel as a stopgap he replied, He is a stop-gap until we can find something better.” What a masterly verdict statement. Short of persuading Blackburn of release Pickering, I don’t know where Mr. Catterick is going to begin his quest. Certainly, he has no one comparable for the task on his register at present. The understanding between Gabriel and Vernon, allied with their masterly snapping up of chances, pointed the moral to Liverpool. While Everton were buoyant and skilled in these two positions, there was no similar dual thrust in the Liverpool line. True St. John scored Liverpool’s goal, but this was the one and only occasion on which he beat centre half Labone, who is racing right back to the peak which put an England jersey on his back. Everton tore the heart out of Liverpool’s attack. Kay was supreme among the wing halves and it was Everton who were clearly superior in these vital positions. I felt some sympathy for Yeats who might have coped with Gabriel, but often left unsupported, he floundered between Vernon and Gabriel. With Tottenham defeated, Liverpool’s reverse still leaves them in a challenging position for the title and nothing that happened on Saturday has destroyed the impression that Merseyside can still corner the Cup and League double. White it has been difficult to pinpoint the two teams from the leading six or seven who will be principal contenders for the title, Everton’s form in the last three outings (since Gabriel became centre forward) clearly points to them as a team of immense possibilities.
ROARING BACK
The way in which Vernon has come roaring back to greatness from the moment Everton introduced sorely needed punch in the middle is no mere coincidence. Indeed, it makes one wonder whether Vernon would ever have been under a cloud at all if he had been given the support every inside stroker has the right to expect. Vernon was the supreme artist and with Gabriel combing expertly they fitted as smoothly as fingers in a glove. Not only did their combination produce all the Everton goals, it approached to hairsbreadth distance of others. Vernon hit a post, Gabriel headed narrowly over the bar and scored from a move ruined by a correct, but on so close offside decision. Almost all the credit in this at times tempestuous “derby” belonged to Everton. In fact, almost the only colour in Liverpool’s display was in the red splash of their jerseys. For the most part, it was not Everton who put temper into the game, and that Brown, for an admittedly unworthy tackle on Thompson, should be the one player to have his name entered in the referee’s book seemed rough justice, in view of other unrecorded indiscretions. It was hard to recognise this Liverpool side, which has previously conducted itself well and provided entertainment plus. Obviously, this was a day they will want to forget. How fortunate for example, was Ian St. John that referee Callaghan kept his head when the centre forward completely lost his! I do not believe the centre forward struck West in the incident near the close, when there seemed imminent danger that a three-cornered conference between the referee, Linesman and St. John might lead to the Scot’s dismissal. Whether the plea of Vernon the Everton skipper, to the referee carried any weight, I do not know, but it was a fine sporting gesture to plead clemency for a rival in an explosive situation.
AS I SAW IT
As I saw it, after St. John had fouled West, words were exchanged, and St. John’s reaction was more of a gesture than a punch of even a push and the goalkeeper’s collapse appeared more than a little theatrical. Confronted with the sternest test they have experienced this season. Liverpool’s response was entirely uncharacteristic. Instead of the controlled, measured movements which have served them so well, they rushed into action, became cripplingly inaccurate and a much more sober cool and clear-thinking opposition created a gulf in class which far believed could have existed. The effects of this defeat will be minimises. Ample opportunity remains for them to build on the firm foundations they have laid down instead of undermining it. The forward problems cannot be glossed over. It is very real and challenging. Everton solved theirs with just one move. Such a master stroke by manager Bill Shankly readily to hand. Those who expected Yeats to prick the bubble of Gabriel’s centre forward quality were chastened, for it was always. Yeats who was struggling, not Gabriel, and to his half back companions’ discredit he was left to struggle largely alone. Milne has seldom found more difficulty in getting to grips with an opponent as he did with Vernon and if there are to be good marks for Stevenson, they can only be for his sporadic attempts to introduce some combination into the side. Liverpool were alive on the wings and Everton showed a warranted appreciation of the problem by having Temple and Scott double back to help out Brown and Meagan. Byrne was often glad of the aid of Callaghan to keep Temple in subjection, and Scott was more of a menace on the day.
EFFICIENT LAWRENCE
Lawrence is entitled to look back on this “derby2 not as a match in which he was beaten three times, but for the highly efficient saves he made from Vernon and Meagan. West was hardly the busiest man on the field, yet his handling, so often a weakness in the past was completely efficient. His period in the reserves and the challenge of Rankin have produced a much more confident and reliable goalkeeper. Harris fulfilled his mission in destroying Melia completely, but Hunt strove more realistically, if little more rewarding, to break free of Kay. Nothing succeeds in heartening a side like an early goal, in nine minutes, when from kay’s lob, Gabriel beat Yeats in the air to nod forward. An unmarked Vernon swept on the ball and gave Lawrence no chance to save. Not until a Yeats header from a corner kick hit West on the chest, and was scrambled clear, did Liverpool make any kind of worthy retaliation, and by that time twenty-four minutes had gone. A minute later Vernon pushed the ball forward for Gabriel to score with a shot pulled nicely wide of the diving Lawrence. Vernon later struck the post and St. John headed over the bar. At half-time Everton lead’s 2-0 lead was an inadequate reflection of their superiority. Everton seemed content after the resumption to allow Liverpool to have the ball, certain of the ability of their defence to cope. Not until ten minutes from the end was their complacency jolted, for St. John headed home a cross by Byrne. Before Liverpool had the chance to make a barnstorming finish. Everton profited from a questionable free kick awarded against Moran for a foul on Scott. Scott put the ball to the head of Gabriel, an educated flick forward left Vernon with only Lawrence to beat and Liverpool’s ideas of a rally were pricked. It was almost a dying gesture when Hunt’s aggression finally earned promise of reward for, he was able to push the ball to Melia in front of goal. Before Melia could raise a foot, brown whipped the ball to safety. Everton have waited a long time to celebrate a League victory at Goodison Park over their rivals, but this was celebration with a vengeance. Everton; West; Brown, Meagan; Harris, Labone, Kay; Scott, Stevens, Gabriel, Vernon, Temple. Liverpool; Lawrence; Byrne, Moran; Milne, Yeats, Stevenson; Callaghan, Hunt, St. John, Melia, Thompson. Referee; Mr. L. Callaghan (Merthyr Tydfil). Attendance 66,515.

EVERTON’S CUP-TIE TICKETS
Liverpool Daily Post- Monday, February 10, 1964
Apart from a handful of ground tickets. Everton’s allocation of 15,500 for the F.A. Cup fifth round tie at Sunderland next Saturday have been sold. The balance has been retained for season ticket holders and secretary Bill Dickinson asks that they make application either personally at Goodison Park or by post as soon as possible. “There are very few remaining,” he said, and obviously it will be a case of first come, first served with the rest disappointed.”

CENTRAL LEAGUE
Liverpool Daily Post- Monday, February 10, 1964
CONFIDENT EVERTON THE BETTER SIDE
LIVERPOOL RESERVES 2, EVERTON RESERVES 4
In this Central League derby game at Anfield on Saturday. Everton Reserves kicked off into the sun, swept straight through the Liverpool Reserves defence, and were a goal up in less than 15 seconds when Rees beat Roberts, who was unsighted. Liverpool never really recovered from this early blow, and although they equalised through Ferns, 15 minutes later, Everton full of confidence, were always the better side. play was keen, and little quarter was given by either team. Incidents where plentiful, but referee Castle kept everybody even-tempered by his decisions an indirect Everton free kick from the spot for a technical foul in the penalty area being a typical example. Liverpool were slightly handicapped by an injury to full backs Lowrey- he spent the second half on the wing- but this made little difference to the result. With the exception of A ‘Court, whose wanderings kept the Everton defence on their toes, Arrowsmith and the rest of the home forwards were rarely dangerous. Everton scored twice more before the interval through Clarke (22 minutes) and the ever-alert Shaw (42 minutes) and although the home side improved when Wallace reduced the arrears at 50 minutes. Rees settled the issue with his second goal ten minutes later.

SPORTING REQUEST TO REFEREE
Liverpool Daily Post- Monday, February 10, 1964
DID ROY VERNON’S APPEAL SAVE IAN ST. JOHN FROM BEING SENT OFF?
By Jack Rowe
A dramatic appeal by Everton’s captain Roy Vernon, one of the heroes of the “derby” match may have saved Liverpool centre forward Ian St. John from being sent of by referee Leo Callaghan in an inflammatory incident a few minutes from the finish. Remember the scene…St. John had been involved in an incident with goalkeeper West and the argument was whether the Liverpool man had thrown a punch at West thousands thought he had, thousands thought it was only a gesture, thousands thought it was a push, but for a couple of minutes the fate of St. John was poised on a knife edge. Everton fans reared, “Send him off,” or merely, “Off, off, off…” and West came in for vocal attention from Liverpool supporters, unconvinced of his innocence.
CORNER CONFERENCE
Players clustered round the fallen goalkeeper, trainer Eggleston attended to him and the referee took St. John by the arm to the linesman near the corner flag. As they talked Milne went to them and was waved away. Liverpool trainer Bob Paisley could be seen trying to make a point and he too, was ordered away. Then over to the group ran Vernon and before the referee gestured him away the Everton captain said something. What it was he told me after the match and it could have had an effect because while thousands myself included believed St. John would be ordered off, he stayed and continued in the game to a storm of boos every time he touched the ball. This is what Vernon told me. “I thought he was going to send Ian off, and I asked him not to. I don’t know whether Mr. Callaghan took any notice of me, but I thought he might and that is why I asked him.” “It would have spoiled everything. We were happy enough to win” said the Everton captain.
“DERBY” INCIDENTS
Mr. Callaghan would not discuss it beyond saying “You get incidents in a derby match,” and manager Harry Catterick’s only comment was “We leave things like that to the referee, but Brown was booked for two fouls.” Vernon’s opinion of the match was that it was hard with Everton the sharper side, especially in the first half. “In the second half we decided they would have to go for goals and as they cannot play against a retreating defence we just retreated. Then St. John scored. He took his goal well, but when we got the third, they were finished. “It was easy to gloat now, but Liverpool are a good side and took some beating. I think the fans of this city are lucky to have two such fine teams. A tip from Fred Pickering the England Under-23 centre forward at Newcastle last Wednesday helped Jimmy Gabriel in his battle against Liverpool captain Ronnie Yeats. “Fred said Ronnie rarely leaves the middle and he is such a fine centre half that it is a waste of time trying to play him straight on, I tried to wander away a bit and it paid off with Vernon and myself doing a shuffle and dart act,” said Jimmy. “I did the shuffle, and he did the darting.” Mr. Catterick thought his players did well as a team and were almost back in the groove again after all the injuries. Mr. Catterick said that unless there were and injury developments the side which beat Liverpool was most likely to play at Sunderland in the Cup on Saturday.
“FORGET IT.”
The Liverpool players and especially their captain, Ronnie Yeats did not try to hide their disappointment. Yeats said, “I want to forget it,” while Peter Thompson commented, “I thought Everton had the first half and we the second. It was a great experience playing in my first ‘derby’ at Goodison Park.” Perhaps Vernon summed up how they felt when he said, “A defeat in a game like this leaves you stick at heart. After we lost at Anfield in September, I almost cried. “
The view of Jim Couton, the stage entertainer whose support for Liverpool F.C is never hidden, was “A month ago Vernon was on the floor. He lifted himself up. Only great players can do that.”

WELL DESERVED BUT NEVER ‘EASY, EAST!’
Liverpool Echo - Monday 10 February 1964
By Leslie Edwards
No argument about this „ Derby.” It was palpably Everton's from start to finish. They surprised their own fans and shocked Liverpool's by the ease with which they sailed through 90 exciting minutes of tough, but thrilling football. The game was resolved in less than half an hour, by which time Everton led 2-0. And if Vernon's right-foot shot soon afterwards had hit the back of the net instead of the foot of an upright there would have been the beginning of a rout. The second half was a different story, maybe because Mr. Catterick had told his team to coast home and risk no injury for the tie at Sunderland. Coasting in any game is dangerous. In a match between neighbours it is asking for trouble. When St. John's fine header—his best contribution among much that was tawdry—went in less than 10 minutes from the end the issue was open again. But as though demonstrating that they could score at will Everton went to 3-1 two minutes later. These late goals made most of the 66,000 crowd stay to the end. Then, when the final whistle went they erupted into the streets with the speed of a champagne cork from its bottle. I never saw a quicker exit. The Liverpudlians couldn't get away from the scene soon enough; the Evertonians seemed equally anxious to get out and tell the folks at home of their triumph. And It was a triumph, but never one rating the“Easah, Easah!" chants our fans here borrowed (wish they hadn’t) from the Glasgow Rangers followers who are vividly remembered for their one visit to our city. Why is it that "Derby” games so often bring out the worst in us? And in some players? Oh for 22 Meagans, Temples, Hunts or Milnes ..,
Dangerous “acting”
If, as I say, the game,as such, left no room for argument, the same cannot be said for some of its content. I want to start with an Incident which occurred within a minute or two of the end because this was the match's most explosive moment. Happily, it was not ignited. It was not the fault of one player it wasn't! St. John, having made the wrong kind of start, was rarely out of trouble. The crowd got on his track and only his headed goal can have given him any satisfaction. With West in possession St. John aimed a charge at the goalkeeper. West avoided it, bit immediately went down. After standing face to face with his adversary for a moment he went down a second time, holding his face. Whatever St. John did, I am sure, in my own mind, that there was no contact between the players in either case. St. John demanded that the referee should consult the linesman who had seen it all... Just as well he did because if there had been no official confirmation of St. John's." I never touched him! “Attitude the Liverpool player might well have been in the dressing room two minutes before the end. How dangerous play-acting can be on the football field. This nonsensical trouble should never have arisen —and by that don't imagine I hold any brief for a Liverpool player whose reputation in this game became badly tarnished. So one, I hope, will gather from my pin-pointing of this incident that the match was foul. Most of it was contested well, sportingly, and there was a lot of good sense from those players from whom we have come to expect it. It wasn't a great match. We have seen better at both grounds this season. But it was entertaining: instructive in its result and played against the "richest backcloth" any game can have to the North-West.
Question time
Did Liverpool let Everton take the initiative too early by concentrating, in the early stages, on defence! Are Everton running into the form which took them to the championship a season ago. What are the omens for the same sides in the Cup on Saturday? These are questions followers of the game in Liverpool will be answering to their own satisfaction (if not ours) throughout the week. It has not escaped Evertonians that only one point separates the clubs: that it anything their team has slightly the easier programme: that Arsenal are, after all, First Division opponents and that Sunderland are in the Second Division. What went wrong with Liverpool? The answer, in a word, might well be "Everything! But in view of the fact that they had the score at 1-2 so close to the end so that would be a cruel assessment of their lapse. They played as they did in the immediate pre- Arrowsmith era, when they found difficulty in winning home games. They moved laterally and, worse, frequently sent the ball backwards. Their wing halves never imposed command on the game or on the Everton attack. Yeats, despite Gabriel's quietude (yet he scored one and helped in the others), did not always master his immediate opponent in heading duels. And there was the start of the danger from Vernon, who got two goals and played well enough to suggest that his long, lean period of indecision is over. Oddly, the two players I had expected to menace Liverpool most—Temple and Scott—did not, in the event, bear that out. Byrne has not played better in seasons: except for his fine, but unlucky run which the referee's whistle ended for an earlier foul, Scott was not as outstanding as usual.
O.Kay Tony!
Vernon has been named man of the match by many, but for me the big man in the Everton side was Kay. He generalled the defence; he used the ball effortlessly, effectively, and best of all he did it without breaking out of a trot or having the slightest risk of his name being entered in Mr. Callaghan's notebook. With Labone getting nearer and nearer to the form which won him international recognition, and Harris and Meagan and company strolling through—and why not, the centre of the pitch seemed open enough for anyone to have time and opportunity?—Everton's defence looked good against forwards who tended to tie themselves in knots and who were never sufficiently direct to make any impression. If any goalkeeper in the long series of games ever had an easier time than West I wasn't present. Hunt fired two off-target shots in the second half, but that was the sum total of danger from the outfield until St. John headed in that fine centre from Byrne. Everton's first two goals must have shaken Liverpool to their roots. Vernon's first, from a nodded pass by Gabriel, was a beauty: Gabriel’s with the ball slightly deflected in flight by Moran, was not the result of a big shot, but it served. Then, when Yeats had gone away with the ball and a linesman had seen Moran foul Scott another headed pass by Gabriel gave Vernon his second chance—and again he took it splendidly. Yes, Everton were worth 3-1. It was left to Lawrence, with magnificent saves, first from Vernon then from Meagan, to prevent the margin from being heavier.

DERBY GAME INCIDENT STILL DEBATED
Liverpool Echo - Monday 10 February 1964
CROWDING SCENES AFTER GATE WERE OPENED
By Leslie Edwards
Football fans on Merseyside - and indeed the two clubs concerned—are still debating the rights and wrongs of the incident between Ian St. John the Liverpool centre-forward, and Gordon West, the Everton goalkeeper, in the “derby" match at Goodison Park on Saturday. A lot of people are hot under the collar about the incident, which occurred shortly before the end of the match and ended (after the referee, Mr. Leo Callaghan, had consulted a linesman) in Everton being awarded a free-kick.
SAW TWO GOALS
I understand that we may not have heard the last of this matter, but that evidence about it may take some days to filter into official channels. When gates were opened some twenty minutes before be the end of the match to allow early leavers of the 66.000 crowd to go, hundreds of ticketless fans who had waited outside the ground listening' to its progress rushed on to the terraces and created even greater crowding. They saw two of the fourgoals scored! St. John Ambulance men dealt with many casualties in the crowd and many youngsters who had been crushed were shepherded on to the running track and out of the stadium.
LARGER SCHEME
Everton's behind-goal barricades, set up two months ago, were taken down over the week-end, but in their places are to be permanent structures, of concrete! The section of semi-circle behind each goal will be incorporated into a larger scheme in which the pitch will be lengthened by four-and-a-half yards, with a running track, roughly oval in shape, running round the playing area. The first concrete barrier will be finished in time for Everton's game (Sunderland in the Cup, or Birmingham in the League) next Tuesday. The second one will be constructed between then and the following home game. Everton play a Youth Cup game (and hope to reach a quarter final place) against Leeds at Goodison Park on Wednesday (7.30).
All tickets for the Sunderland v Everton tie on Saturday have now been sold. Some 15,000 Everton fans are travelling by train, road or air.

NO OTHER INJURY SNAGS AT GOODISON
Liverpool Daily Post – Tuesday, February 11, 1964
Everton also have their first full training stint to-day after Saturday’s victory over Liverpool, as they prepare for the tie against Sunderland at Roker Park and the missing player there is Tony Kay, who is also at Matlock. Jimmy Gabriel and Alex Scott travelled back with Yeats last night and apart from the usual knocks and bruises after a hard match manager Harry Catterick does not anticipate any injury problems. Brian Harris, Gordon West and Dennis Stevens had treatment yesterday for minor cuts. He said on Saturday that, barring any late injuries or sickness, it was reasonable to assume that the team would be unchanged.

I LIFTED MY HANDS, BUT…
Liverpool Daily Post, Tuesday, February 11, 1964
AT THE LAST SPILT SECOND I DREW BACK
By Ian St. John
So, I am the new villain of Goodison Park! Lots of people have had their say as to what happened in what has been called the St. John incident. I don’t think it unreasonable to tell the other half of the story. It has been said I lost my head. Maybe I did, but only in face of great provocation. I chased a through ball, and as I made my challenge Gordon West, the Everton goalkeeper, scooped the ball up very narrowly ahead of me. The referee awarded a free kick for a foul. That seemed to eb the end of it so far as I was concerned. Then I saw West down on the ground apparently injured. That surprised me, for I did not see how he could have been hurt. West got up and came towards me shouting, I admit that momentarily I panicked and did a stupid thing. I lifted my hand and then, at the last split second came, came to my senses and drew back. The referee came up and I protested my innocence and invited him to go across to the linesman and get a report from him. This he did.
MY ADMIRATION
At this moment I would like to place on record my admiration and appreciation of the terrific sportsmanship in this moment of crisis by two Everton players -Roy Vernon and Tony Kay. Tony came up and took me by the arm to escort me to a place of quiet and safety and as the referee joined us, Roy Vernon said to him; “Don’t send him off ref.” Roy was ordered away, but I do believe that the action of two of my opponents must have helped the referee to form his own conclusion. The linesman reported that I had lifted my hand but had not touched West. That settled it. Mr. Callaghan merely remarked, “Calm down lad, and get on with the game.” Never was I more thankful than to do just that. When West went down a second time, I had visions of walking to the dressing room. I knew I was completely innocent, but what was a referee to think with a man lying apparently injured about the face and lying on the ground? Why Gordon West went down I don’t know. It certainly had nothing to do with me and I found myself thinking, “This could cost me a fortnight’s suspension-for nothing. What a dreadful moment. I don’t mind hard tackles I give them, and I can take them. It is all part of the game, but I hope I shall never be accused of exaggerating an incident. I admit quite frankly that I did not cover myself with glory in this match. I was all tensed up. I desperately wanted Liverpool to win and I suppose I became over anxious. There were one or two things I did which I would never have done in normal circumstances and the crowd baiting me only made matters worse. They always have a go at me at Goodison. I try to take this in good part, but they were very trying on Saturday.
I’LL SHOW “EM”
I know I should have taken no notice but instead I said to myself, “I’ll show em,” and I threw everything I had into the game. Only those who have played in “derby” games can tell you how difficult it sometimes is to keep a cool head at all times, especially once you have been involved in an incident. I have no quibble whatever about the result. Everton were far and away the better side, especially in the first half. They played extremely well. Frankly, I did not think they were capable of such football. I have never seen anything comparable from them before. We had intended to go out and show them how to play football, but we never got to grips at all. Only in the second half did we promise anything and even then, it was desperation stuff, rather than the skilled approaches we usually employ. Liverpool on Saturday and the Liverpool of previous weeks were like two different teams -divisions apart. I hope we never play like that again. We have got to shake ourselves right out of this before Saturday, for we will need all our skills to beat Arsenal but beat them we intend to do.

ONLY THE PENALTY RATES EXTRA TIME
Liverpool Echo - Tuesday 11 February 1964
By Leslie Edwards
I see someone complained that Everton's fourth goal "which came just after the final whistle had gone should have counted. That makes no allowance, of course, for the laws of the game which says that a match shall be of 90 minutes' duration. The only exception is when a penalty is awarded in the final minute and referees are empowered to allow sufficient extra time for the kick to be taken. We have vivid recollection of Billy Liddell's "equalising" goal for Liverpool in a Cup replay against Manchester City, at Anfield, in the snow. The whistle for the end of the match had gone (but thousands had not heard it) as Liverpool swept down field to score a second or two later. There was no talk at that time of referees allowing time for final moves to be taken to a conclusion and there is equally no case for arguing that Everton would have made it four if... I thought Referee Callaghan handled a difficult match with good sense. He knew he was taking charge of no lily pond when he came to Goodison Park for a "Derby" because he had already handled the corresponding game at Anfield last September. If certain players are determined to make the "going" tough there is little the referee can do about it. Considering what was at stake and the fact that the ground was filled with 66,000 enthusiastic fans the man from Merthyr Tydfil did a very good job. You cannot please everyone on these occasions: his reading of the incident about which there has been so much comment was, in my book, just and sensible. That was the only very serious blemish, though there had been minor skirmishes of the sort we get in almost any match at Goodison Park or Anfield. The sensible thing to do now is to forget animosities and get on with the urgent business of Cup ties which can put either or both of our sides in the last eight for the competition and give the second half of the season a flourishing finish...
Better arrangements, please
A plea for better arrangements for any night Cup replays in this city comes from J.H.B., of Park Road. Port Sunlight, who says: — “May we have your assistance in asking the authorities for better pre-match arrangements in the event of another evening Cup replay at Goodison? " One realizes that everybody arrives rather late for night matches, but for a ticket-holder to arrive 35 minutes before the kick-off and find himself on the ground 10 minutes after kick-off is hardly good organisation. "This is not an isolated case but applied recently to hundreds of spectators. "The chief faults appear to be bad lighting in Gwladys Street and Bullens Road: extended queues in Gwladys Street preventing people from getting into Bullens Road stand: spectators queueing for the centre stand and actually crossing the entrance to the season ticket paddock entrance: poor notices re price, tickets, &c. These were very poorly illuminated causing people to form in the wrong queues. Properly organised queues would have saved a lot of minor injuries and frayed tempers. "Is it possible to have more entrances for night matches, extended lighting from the floodlightsinto the street; and some modernisation of the actual turnstiles?”

FANS BOOK FOR REPLAY TRAIN
Liverpool Echo - Tuesday 11 February 1964
EXPECT EVERTON TO DRAW
Sunderland football fans are so certain that Sunderland will draw with Everton in the fifth round F.A. Cup tie at Roker Park on Saturday that 130 of them have already booked seats in a football special which will run on Tuesday of next week if a replay is necessary. A British Railways spokesman in Sunderland said to-day: "We plan to run at least one train of 500 supporters, leaving Sunderland at 11.30 a.m. on Tuesday. In contrast to what has happened to the football specials from Liverpool, we have never had a single case of vandalism or rowdyism on trains from Sunderland. We have a very friendly relationship with Sunderland's supporters." Sunderland police have printed maps showing the parking areas in the town. These are being sent to Merseyside coach proprietors who will be bringing parties to Wearside for the match.

EVERTON’S CUP RECEIPTS AND GATES SOARING TOWARDS RECORD HEIGHTS
Liverpool daily Post- Wednesday, February 12, 1964
270,814 SPECTATORS AT FIVE GAMES PAY £60,000
15 BOLTON LEAGUE GATES TOTAL NO MORE THAN 250,119
By Horace Yates
If Everton continue their lucrative habit at Sunderland on Saturday of drawing the first game of the F.A. Cup-tie and bringing their rivals to Goodison Park on Tuesday in another attempt to reach a verdict, both Cup receipts and attendance figures will be soaring towards record heights. Everton drew first at Hull and then at Leeds before winning the home replays. Just how true is the saying that one half of the world doesn’t know how the other lives is illustrated by a glance at the figures which tell the story of Everton at one extreme and Bolton Wanderers at the other. Disregard for a moment the fact that 713,120 people have watched Everton’s home League games and dwell instead on just five F.A. Cup-ties. With Saturday’s game at Roker a sell out these are the figures.
At Hull (F.A. Cup round three) 36,748
Replay at Goodison 56,613
At Leeds (F.A Cup round four) 48,286
Replay at Goodison 66,167
At Sunderland on Saturday 63,000
The produces a grand total of 270,814, with receipts of around £80,000.
Now, let us switch our attentions to Bolton Wanderers. Their aggregate attendances for 15 League games at Burnden Park are 250,119, or 20,695 fewer than Everton’s total for just five Cup games.
RECORD STANDS
Sunderland are another club who have only to produce results and standards to keep their ground full. Their average League gate is 38,976, and to provide a better idea of just how high a figure this is, I need only add that the Liverpool average s 43,372. Of course, they are a division apart, with Sunderland barred from the ground-filling tit-bits provided by league games with clubs like, Everton, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Arsenal, and so on. While the “house full” notices will be on view at Roker on Saturday, no records will be broken for receipts. Their biggest harvest was when Tottenham visited Sunderland in the F.A. Cup fifth round tie in March 1960 and a crowd of 61,236 paid £14,000. The simple explanation why 63,000 will not pay more than did 61,236 is that prices were especially inflated for the Spurs game. There is no such increase on Saturday when normal charges will produce about £10,000. Much of the pre-match thrill for a normal Cup game is in anticipating what club managers will do when they settle down to team selection.
SELECTION AUTOMATIC
There is not much excitement about this tie. With a clean bill of health in both camps selection is automatic. When manager Harry Catterick announces, “same again,” may be as late as Friday, it will mean that for the fourth successive game since Gabriel became centre forward, there has been no change. The three previous games have all been won, but prudence dictates caution. Over at Sunderland manager Alan brown is ready to announce an unchanged side for the twelfth time! Of those matches the last seven have ended in victory for Sunderland, and they of course include two Cup-ties. Only if anyone should be unfortunate enough to be injured in training will the teams differ from; Sunderland; Montgomery; Irwin, Ashurst; Harvey, Hurley, McNab; Usher, Herd, Starkey, Crossan, Mulhall. Everton; West; Brown, Meagan, Harris; Labone, Kay; Scott, Stevens, Gabriel, Vernon, Temple. What a battle of the giants there is likely to be!

PASS-OUT CHECK FOR THE ‘PASSED OUR’?
Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 12 February 1964
By Leslie Edwards
Can anything be done, one wonders, for the unfortunates—most of them children or youths—who find themselves so crushed by capacity or near-capacity crowds at Anfield and Goodison Park they must leave the game, sometimes before it has even begun? If the answer is that they should not be on the general terracing at all but the boys' pen, then it is manifestly wrong that they should be allowed to pay full price at the turnstiles. Occasionally, I supposed the boys pen is full: who is to blame them for taking their chance among adults, so long as they pay full fare? All of them, I am sure, enter the ground believing that they can stand the strain of the swaying and crowding inseparable from any big occasion at either ground. All of them. I am sure must be relieved to be taken from where the pressure hurts, but when this happens before the interval surely there is a case for the club issuing them with-tickets entitling them to see a future match at which the attendance is not likely to be near capacity? The treatment of these spectators of the future should be of great concern to the clubs—they are the stand and terrace season-ticket holders of the future. One can only imagine the feelings of youngsters who see only 15 minutes of a match before conditions, for them, become unbearable and they are escorted round the pitch and out in the street ... No boy or youth would leave an exciting game or his own volition, so the fear that they would come to half-a-dozen matches on one payment would never be valid. Here is a chance for the clubs to show generosity to, and compassion on, their young followers. A pass -out check for the passed-outs? .
View from the canal
"As I sit contemplating the murky waters of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal below me and ruminating on the events of the past hours I would like, as a Liverpool F.C. supporter of some 40 years' standing, to recall three highlights of the match I have just witnessed. Two of these I would like to take with me to the nether regions; the other I would like to forget quickly. " The first to the credit of Roy Vernon who in the excitement of the fray could sportingly and spontaneously applaud a brilliant save by goalkeeper Lawrence from a shot of his which had goal written all over it. "The second a superlative self-disciplined display of pure football from Tony Kay. The third which I must dwell on in more detail in fairness to Ian St. John, was a piece of deplorable sportsmanship on the part of West. "As I saw this incident from a most favourable position, West had the ball, legitimately with elbow tucked in. St. John prepared quite fairly to shoulder charge the goalkeeper. A split second before impact West dropped the ball and St. John was rightly penalised. Immediately we were treated to West's impression of a buckshot-riddled cowboy writhing in his last spasm in true TV Western style. "West was not touched and St. John merely raised his fist. Referee Callaghan took ample time to ascertain the full facts and did not even book St. John.—E.J. PUGH. 2 Olivetree Road. Liverpool.
"The people best entitled to comment on this incident were in the Goodison Road goal stand area. May I suggest that 90 per cent, of those persons witnessed the following: "St. John certainly did raise his first towards West, but he did not strike him. It is regrettable that Gordon resorted to one of the oldest methods in history, the old soldier. This was borne out by the fact that the referee made no effort whatever to view West's ' wounds,' and that is why he did not send St. John off." "In derby matches like these, it is natural that the players' nerves are on edge. It must be like being in the bull-ring. It is also conceivable that at times players lose control of themselves.—J. WILLIAMS. Eshe Road, Blundelsands.
“Nopunch”
"True, St. John raised his arm, but a punch was never thrown. West threw himself down when St. John was at least five yards away. He has been warned before about over-acting twill he bring his own camera next week?And I thought the referee should have taken his name, or should I say autograph? "—F. KITCHEN. 1 Old Barn Road, Anfield, Liverpool 4.
"Two impressions from Goodison: (1), if Liverpool are to win anything this season Melia must go. Enough of your mealy-mouthed special pleading on behalf of this Peter Pan who never quite made it. I have just witnessed the most feeble display of inside forward play I have ever seen from a Liverpool inside left. Bring back Arrowsmith by all means. “(2) Congratulations to Everton for a well-deserved victory but not to the gentlemen who barracked St. John from beginning to end and howled for his blood when West did his Henry Irving act."—D. Harrison. 102 Scarisbrick Drive. Liverpool 11.
"Away with ticket matches. At the ' derby' game I managed to get a ticket for the ground (3/ -) at 3.10 p.m. from a spiv at 20/- "Our clubs should do away with tickets altogether or build a super stadium in Liverpool so that they will be able to let the other 50,000 see the game instead of standing outside or not going at all. "How about it John Moores? "—A. Wake. 48 Middlesex Road, Bootle.

JUST A STRANGER AT GOODISON…
Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 12 February 1964
CAUGHT IN THE CRUSH –OUT OUTSIDE
I WENT to see the Everton versus Liverpool football match on Saturday. My friends brought me the ticket after considerable difficulties. We were in the football ground an hour before the kick-off. As soon as the match started, we were completely swayed by the crowd on to the wall and we found ourselves unable even to breathe. The policeman helped us on to the track from the big mess. We were immediately led from the ground, and to our surprise, and that of many others, we were left there. We protested and tried to complain about the whole thing but nobody would listen. We left completely disgusted. As a visitor to this country, I was keen to see the Everton versus Liverpool football match, of which I have heard much. You can imagine my disappointment and my anger with the Everton Football Club. Surely they have an obligation to provide sufficient barriers to prevent recurrence of such incidents. When we attempted to register our legitimate complaint, the Everton official behaved discourteously and closed the door in our faces. I have seen sports in different countries but have never come across anything like this before. M. HALEEM KHAN, Department of Metallurgy, the University of Liverpool.
An Everton director to whom this complaint was put said: In a capacity crowd of 66,000 there must be some swaying and discomfort for some. But this is less likely at Goodison Park than most othergrounds. We do our best to see thot spectators are properly 'packed ' but there is inevitably congestion if everyone wants to get behind the goals. I can't answer the complaint about discourtesy. There may have been provocation -I don't know. Once people are brought from the terraces to the pitch they obviously cannot be kept there.
THIS ONE
ENJOYED HIS VISIT
Having travelled through from Scotland, via Manchester to see the - Derby" game. I wish to thank your fine police force for a very generous gesture on their part due to a parking incident near Leta Street, alongside the ground. May I say how much I enjoyed my visit to Merseyside—the cheery and obliging citizens; Everton's lovely stadium. Needling seems to be prominent when neighbours clash. Otherwise, it was a fine day's stay, with good soccer abundant, in such a fascinating city. - C. W., Sale, Cheshire.

EVERTON CHANGES FOR YOUTH CUP-TIE
Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 12 February 1964
ROBERTS AND ROONEY PLAY
LEEDS’ DOUBTS
By Paul O’Brien
Former Liverpool Schools F.A. winger Tommy Roberts will play at inside right for Everton against Leeds United in the F.A. Youth Cup, Goodison Park this evening (7.30). The only other change from the side which beat Wigan Athletic 12-1 in the last round is at left back, where another former Liverpool schoolboy, George Rooney, takes over from Eric Curwen. Two of Leeds' youth players, full back Barrie Wright and wing half Jimmy Greenoff, are among the party of 18 named to-day to tour Spain and the Canary Islands with the England Youth team later this month.
CHOICE DELAYED
Injuries to Greenoff, Nigel Davey and Mike Bates prevent Manager Don Revie naming his side for to-night's (game until just before the kick-off. If Greenoff is fit, Leeds will field three youngsters who have played in their Second Division side. The others are Wright and inside forward Peter Lorimer. Leeds' three successes in previous rounds have all been away from home—at Billingham, Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday—with inside left Rodney Belfitt, who has had extensive Central League experience, making quite a name for himself as a goal scorer. Everton; Barnett; Harcombe, Rooney; Clarke, Smith, Phillips; Wallace, Roberts, Hurst, Husband, Maher.

TREMENDOUS DEMAND FOR CUP-TIE COACH TRIPS
Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 12 February 1964
25,000 FANS EXPRESS TO LEAVE CITY ON SATURDAY
Liverpool coach firms to-day demand for seats on excursion coaches going to Sunderland and London for Saturday’s cup-ties. About 25,000 city soccer fans are expected to make the trip by road and rail to see Everton at Sunderland and the Liverpool-Arsenal game at Highbury. But British Railways said last night they would run no extra trains from Liverpool to cater for fans. City coach operators say the recent decision to withdraw football rail specials has brought hundreds of extra bookings.
BUSIEST-EVER
It looks as if it is going to be one of the busiest-ever Saturdays," said a spokesman for one firm. "There has been a tremendous demand for seats. We will have every available coach on the road, but there should be plenty of room for everybody." he added. A senior spokesman for another firm said that the North-West Traffic Commissioner had given permission to Liverpool licensed coach excursion operators to put extra buses on the road in view of the ban on railway football specials.A British Railways spokesman in Liverpool said normal security arrangements would be in operation on all service trains between Liverpool and London, and Liverpool and Sunderland
CHOICE OF TWO
Fan s travelling to Sunderland by rail would have the choice of two trains—neither direct. These are the 9 a.m. from Lime Street to Newcastle with fans having to make a change at Durham and arriving at Sunderland at 1.42 p.m. The other is the 10.5 a.m. from Lime Street to Leeds, where supporters will have to catch the 12.10 for Sunderland, which arrives at 246 p m.—only a few minutes before the kick-off.
CHANGE AT YORK
They would have to return by the 6.37 p.m from Sunderland, changing at York and, arriving at Lime Street at 3.02 a.m. on Sunday. Liverpool fans travelling to Highbury will have a better choice of trains. These are the 12.30 a.m., overnight sleeper, which arrives at Marylebone at 6.37 a.m. on Saturday; the 8.30 a.m., arriving Euston at 12.40 p.m., the 9.5 a.m. (change at Crewe) arriving Euston 1.35 p.m.: and the 10.10 a.m. Merseyside Express, arriving Euston 2.10 p.m.—sixty-five minutes before the kick-off time. All are from Lime Street.
EXCURSIONS
Fans will be able to return by the 6.5 p.m., arriving Lime Street at 10.15 p.m., the 6.45 p.m. (change at Crewe), 'arriving 11.13 p.m.; the 8.55 (change at Crewe), arriving 1.33 a.m. on Sunday: and the 12.30 am, overnight sleeper, arriving 4.55 a.m. on Sunday. There had been a limited number of excursion return tickets at 49s return on the 12.30 a.m. Liverpool-London train said the spokesman, but these had all been booked in advance. Otherwise fans would have to pay the full second class return fares of 97s for the London trip and 82s to Sunderland.


F.A. CUP YOUTH CUP, FOURTH ROUND
Liverpool Daily Post- Thursday, February 13, 1964
EVERTON’S HOPES SHATTERED BY LEEDS
EVERTON YOUTH 1, LEEDS UNITED YOUTH 2
By Paul O’Brien
Everton’s hopes of adding the F.A Youth Cup to their list of successes were shattered against a wall of Leeds United defenders in this fourth-round game at Goodison Park last night. The pattern was set almost from the start for after Leeds had snatched a goal in the third minute, they retreated to their penalty area and invited Everton to hammer away. This they did, without much luck of success, until the 32nd minute, when left winger Maher ran on to a lobbed pass from left half Phillips, and floated the ball past Harvey, the Leeds goalkeeper, as he advanced. Three minutes before half-time, there seemed no threat as the ball lobbed about inside the Everton half, but inside right Greenhoff unleashed a surprised shot from 35 yards, which bounced in front of Burnett and beat him.
SUPERB HEADER
Leeds first goal followed a free kick by left back Ryder, just inside the Everton half. The ball bounced from one player to another, before inside left Belfitt tried an overhead shot which gave Burnett no chance. Harvey, in the Leeds goal, was full of confidence and made one of his best saves at the 57th minute when he bent backwards to take a swerving shot from Phillips. Hurst, a lively Everton forward deserved better fate with a superb gliding header which went just outside the post, and in the closing minutes another header -this time from inside right Roberts -went narrowly over the bar with Harvey beaten. Outstanding in Leeds defence were centre half Graham Smith, right back Barry Wright and Jimmy Greenhoff. For Everton who missed the scheming of inside forward Gerald Humphreys (injured). Harcombe and Clarke did well, whilst Hurst worked tirelessly in attack. Leeds have now on all their four Youth ties away from home. Attendance 6,766.

LEEDS DEFENSIVE PLAN BEATS EVERTON
Liverpool Echo - Thursday 13 February 1964
By Paul O’Brien
Leeds United avenged this season's F.A. Cup defeat when their Under 18 seam visited Goodison Park last night and knocked a much fancied Everton side out of the F.A. Youth Cup by 2-1, United gained their success in this fourth round tie by means of a clever, but unattractive, defensive plan, in which four players were stationed almost permanentlyin the penalty area and onlytwo forwards roamed aboutin the Everton half of the pitch. Whether introducing thesetactics into Youth football, which usually attracts spectators because it has few of the less desirable aspects of the senior professional game, is questionable, but last night they were an unqualified success. To play this type of game Leeds needed an early goal, and they got it in the third minute when, followed a rather harsh free kick for a tackle by Everton's right back, Harcombe, the ball bounced about in the penalty area before United's inside left, Belfitt, scored with a beautiful overhead kick.
CONFIDENT GOALKEEPER
Everton, moving the ball well, fought back but never really managed to extend Leeds' confident goalkeeper, Harvey. Centre forward Hurst and outside left Maher both missed reasonable chances before the 32nd minute, when Maher got the equaliser. Right half Ambrose started the move which led to the goal, with left half Phillips providing a cleverly lobbed final pass for Maher to run on to. All the hard work Everton put in to draw level was wasted three minutes before half time when Leeds inside right Greenoff, who spent nearly the whole of the matchin his own half, moved forward to collect a loose ball 40 yards from goal and hit a bouncing shot which caught Barnett, in the Everton goal, off guard. Everton continued to plug away against the Leeds defensive wall, in which centre half Graham Smith, right back. Barrie Wright and Jimmy Greenoff were outstanding, but the best chance of the second half fell to United's Scottish centre for ward Peter Lorrimer, in a breakaway. Lorrimer found himself 15 yards out of goal with only,Barnett to beat, but hit the ball hard and straight at the advancing 'keeper. As Everton became more anxious, their play lost much of its polish, but wingers Maher and Wallace provided enough centres to produce an equaliser. Unfortunately, the nearest Everton got was when a superb header from Hurst missed the upright by inches.
HUMPHREYS MISSED
Everton missed the skill of inside forward Gerald Humphreys (injured), for hard though Husband and Roberts played they did not have the experience to tackle this kind of defensive problem, Hurst tried hard to bustle his way through, and in the first half looked like succeeding, but he faded in the later stages. On the wings, neither Maher nor Wallace were at their best, being too inclined to bring the ball inside when the situationcalled for a run around the outside of the full back and a quick centre. In the Everton defence, Harcombe gave an outstanding display at right back, while Ambrose, because he realised that the game could be won on the wings and kept pushing the ball out there, was the most effective Everton half back.

DERBY MATCH PEAKS IN DECIBELS
Liverpool Echo - Thursday 13 February 1964
By Leslie Edwards
The Echo presents to-day, exclusively, the sound picture of the "Derby" game between Everton and Liverpool at Goodison Park, last Saturday. It was produced by acoustic engineers from the sound track they made during the game. Never before has a picture of the crowd’s roar been put in graphic form in this way; never before has the Mersey, indeed any other soccer sound been put on paper. The two graphs, each representing 45 minutes’ play, shown above, will go into football history like many other Liverpool innovations-including goal-nets, behind-the-goal barricades and big-occasion teams coming out side-by-side. The engineers who took the recording of the match and then played it back graphically said they were very surprised indeed at the volume of sound which greeted the four goals. These measured up to 110 decibels –the equivalent sound made by a Boeing 707 at a range of 200 feet! What strikes the lay man most forcibly about the graphs is that the beginning of the peaks go up almost vertically in all cases-so that it is fair to assume that from almost complete quiet to the roar of approval of a goal comes almost instantaneously as the ball reaches the net. Another feature is thatmajor sounds dying away give a rise-and-fall line on the graph.
The sound track was taken by engineers seated in the front row of the Press box immediately above the terraces under the main stand. Here is the key to the highlight roars:-
1. The cheer at the start.
2. Callaghan centre intercepted by Brown.
3. Harris shoots wide.
4. St. John fouls Stevens.
5. St. John fouls
6. Hunt wins corner off Labone.
7. Harris in the wars again. Injury attended.
8. Meagan centre; Everton nearly score.
9. Vernon opens the score (110 decibels)
10. Scott shoots narrowly wide
11. Lawrence drives to save brilliantly from Vernon
12. Meagan shoots again Lawrence saves splendidly
13. Yeats’ header almost defeats West
14. Another goal for Everton- this time from Gabriel
15. 15 Stevenson shoots wide following free-kick
16. 16 Byrne fouls Vernon
17. Scott fouls Thompson
18. 18. Gabriel heads over bar from Vernon’s centre
19. Stevenson fouls Vernon
20. Gabriel back heels ball to Scott, whose shot hits Yeats and went for corner
21. Vernon beats Yeats but shot hits post
22. St. John heads over bat from Hunts centre
SECOND HALF
23. Temple shoots wide
24. Brown’s name taken after foul on Thompson
25. 25 Stevens’s shot diverted by Stevenson
26. Referee speaks to Vernon and Yeats after incident
27. Hunt shoots hard but wide
28. Temple misses good chance from Scott’s pass
29. St. John heads a goal from centre by Byrne (110 decibels)
30. Vernon makes it 3-1
31. St John and West incident and sequel
32. Brown tackles Melia
33. Build up to Gabriel’s just-after-time-goal, and the final whistle.

SUNDERLAND’S CUP TEAM
Liverpool Echo - Thursday 13 February 1964
UNCHANGED FOR EVERTON VISIT
By Leslie Edwards
Sunderland, who have scored 23 goals against two in their six League and Cup games this year, will be unchanged for the 12th successive match when they take on Everton in the F.A. Cup fifth round at Roker Park on Saturday. There were five minor injuries at Cardiff but these have cleared up. Sunderland; Montgomery; Irwin, Ashurst, Harvey, Hurley, McNab, Usher, Herd, Sharkey, Crossan, Mulhall.

Z-CAR “COLLISIN” A ROKER PARK
Liverpool Echo - Thursday 13 February 1964
EVERTON’S ATHEM IS ALSO SUNDERLAND’S
Sunderland have a king-sized problem for their fifth round cup tie against Everton, at Roker Park on Saturday. Their £250,000 team will be at full strength; a full house of 63,000 is assured for the all ticket game; and Sunderland, who have won more matches this season than any other club in the Football League, are confident they can progress to the last eight in the Cup competition. But all the bother is being caused by a 6s gramophone record. Sunderland and Everton share the same theme tune just before the kick-off. The Z Car music has inspired Sunderland to 11 League and two Cup-tie victories this season. And while the Roker club are noted for their hospitality, the officials aren't keen to play the regular theme tune in case it inspires Everton, not Sunderland, to victory. The Roker club are givingit all a great deal of serious thought, and one of the alternative records being considered is the Blaydon Races, the anthem of nearby Tyneside. This would seem to be a wise choice. It's certainly inspired many noted Cup success for Sunderland's near neighbours Newcastle United in the past. Everton fans say they have the answer to the Z-car collision. Just give us the Yeah, Yeah. Yeah of the Beatles, they demand.

EVERTON’S ROY VERNON SAYS…
Liverpool Daily Post- Friday, February 14, 1964
DERBY VICTORY COMFIRMED OUR CUP HOPES
Before the “derby” game with Liverpool it appeared that the fixtures planners had been a little unkind in pushing in this match immediately before the F.A. fifth round tie. Now, I am inclined to think it was a masterly move. No other victory could possibly have boosted our confidence to the extent that this one did and for the first time I think everyone at Goodison is now convinced this is to be our Cup year. For any team to feel that way immediately before a visit to Sunderland speaks for itself, for it would not be easy to name a more difficult task from any of the remaining Cup clubs. We really are playing now. There is the same spirit in the air that swept us through to the Championship triumph last season.
LUCK IS NEEDED
Moreover, no team ever wins a Cup at Wembley without a little bit of luck. Our luck was dead out. With the draw, but I think we have to admit that we had our touch of luck at Hull. We had another instalment at Leeds. That helped to compensate for the away draws and now we are twice as good a team as when we set out in this competition. The victory over Liverpool was the confirmation we needed to prove that the rebirth of Everton is an accomplished fact. I hope the reverse did not shatter Liverpool’s spirit too badly. I must confess that the challenge they offered was very much below the standard we had expected. True, we have not had a lot of opportunity of seeing Liverpool in action, but from the odd glimpses we have seen of them, we had expressed a much more difficult passage. It is wrong to assume that they captured the initiative from us in the second half. We were happy with two goals and felt confident that Liverpool, against a retreating defence to which they still have to adequate answer, would never score twice. In fact, we were rather surprised they scored at all and I think St. John deserves every credit for the way he accepted what was no more than a half-chance. Only then did we decide to open up with our big guns again and, as though to order, the goal that broke Liverpool’s hearts came almost immediately.
EVERYONE AN ARTIST
This, I think, is evidence of real power. Mind you, our tactical planning behind the scenes had much to do with the way victory was achieved. I have heard several reports which suggest that Sunderland will give us a very hard game to-morrow. We have never been better fitted to men such a challenge. Their forward line is composed of small players, but everyone is an accomplished artist. What a good thing it is for us that over half-backs right now are at the peak of their power. I don’t think we shall be found wanting. Sunderland may only be a Second Division team, but that does nothing to put us off our guard. I know too much about the Second Division from personal experience not to realise that any club which is capable of hugging a position near the top of the League season after season must be pretty tough proposition. Liverpool did just that and once they were promoted, they acquitted themselves very creditable in top division. Only two clubs can go down into the Second Division under present arrangements but that does not mean they will be the only poor sides in the division. Down near the bottom are several struggling combinations and no-one is going to tell me that Sunderland are not doughtier foes than any of these would be. We are going out first time for a win at Roker. We would not be broken hearted with a draw, but we had the confidence to see the job through first time.

SUNDERLAND LEAD THE WAY IN ANNOUNCEMENT OF CUP
Liverpool Daily Post- Friday, February 14, 1964
By Horace Yates
Sunderland supporters now know officially that their team for to-morrow’s F.A. Cup fifth round tie with Everton at Roker Park will be unchanged for the twelfth time; Everton fans are still awaiting confirmation of the general expectation that their team also will be unchanged.
HAPPY SUNDERLAND
The Sunderland team is that which saw them successfully through previous F.A. Cup rounds against Northampton (2-0) and Bristol City (6-1). Montgomery, Irwin, Ashurst, McNab, Crossan and Mulhall have also played in every League game. Sunderland; Montgomery; Irwin, Ashurst; Harvey, Hurley, McNab; Usher, Herd, Sharkley, Crossan, Mulhall.
EVERTON V SUNDERLAND
Owing to the shortage of time, no postal applications from anyone will be entertained. Stand season tickets holders will be entitled to one stand ticket each at either 10/- or 8/-and paddock season ticket holders will be entitled to one paddock ticket at 4/6 each. These must be applied for personality on Sunday from the Gwladys Street side of the ground between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. or from the Liverpool Stadium. (A separate office will be available in Gwladys Street to paddock season ticket holders). The fifth round Cup-tie voucher from the season ticket must be tendered together with remittance. Tickets will also be available at Goodison Park on Monday from the ground floor office in Goodison Road between 9.30 a.m. and 12 noon for season ticket holders and no guarantee can be given that tickets will be available after this time for stand and paddock season ticket holders.
Ground season ticket holders will use their usual turnstiles on the day of the match handing in the fifth round Cup-tie voucher and the admission money. Ground 3/-
The balance of the stand tickets will be sold to the general public from the Bullens Road turnstiles on Monday commencing at 9.30 a.m. and the Stadium (until 8 p.m. unless sold previously). Paddock tickets will also be available to the general public from a turnstile in Gwladys Street at the same time. Admission to the ground will be by payment of cash at the turnstiles on the day of the match at 3/- Noys pen 1/-

EVERTON KEEP WINNING TEAM
Liverpool Echo - Friday 14 February 1964
CUP HEADQUARTERS KEPT SECRET
Everton announced an unchanged team for their Cup-tie at Sunderland to-morrow. The team left by road this morning for secret headquarters in the North East. Some 15,000 Everton fans all with tickets, will be at Roker Park, most of them having travelled by road, to cheer their side. Everton; West; Brown, Meagan; Harris, Labone, Kay; Scott, Stevens, Gabriel, Vernon, Temple.

COMMON THEMES
Liverpool Echo - Friday 14 February 1964
By Leslie Edwards
The magic of the pairing Sunderland v Everton takes one back to the games, the first as poor as the second was brilliant, in pre-war days. The initial game at Sunderland was so tough and got so much out of hand, both clubs demanded a different referee for the replay. This was played in the gloomiest visibility. I can remember the excitement in this office as the news of the extra-time goals came through. All who saw it rated it the finest game ever played. Where the first meeting had been fierce, tempestuous, the second was exciting, sporting. The reason was that the F.A called in Sergeant Major Mr. Pinckston, who told both teams he would stand no nonsense. Just as well to-morrow’s match is in the hands of a similar type, Mr. Luty. Everton’s Cup tilts against Sunderland have always bene hard fought. The sides to-morrow share some common themes- the desire to win the Z-Cars tune which has bene the signature tune of both this season. Why the Wear should peak on the Mersey beat in inspire them is a mystery. A week ago, Mr. Catterick did not seem hopeful of his side’s ability to put one over their neighbours. The transformation of Jimmy Gabriel into a centre forward was one the crowd wanted long ago. They were proved correct in their assessment of his potential. But I do not subscribe to the opinion that he is there for ever. He is doing valuable work, but is not at the moment the centre forward complete. He has most of the attributes and will surely keep on getting a goal or two. From the morale standpoint Everton could not be in better condition. They have weathered four stormy Cup games, two of them away, and will be treated with respect by a side which contains one fellow townie in Ashurst, the back. The duel between Gabriel and Hurley, whom I rate as the best centre half in Britain, no one barred, should be one of the game’s most interesting facets.

SUNDERLAND STEPPING STONE TO FINAL
Liverpool Daily Post- Saturday, February 15, 1964
EVERTON HAVE EDGE POSITIONS
By Jack Rowe
It happened thirty-five years ago…it happened six years ago. Everton went to Roker Park to meet Sunderland in the F.A Cup and each time forced a replay. And each time they prevailed at Goodison Park, the first providing that memorable occasion when Everton won 6-4 in extra time. In 1958 it was extra time again and Everton went through, that time by 3-1. Now it is Sunderland again in the Cup and the chief reaction to the prospects to-day is that we shall be having a hat-trick of replays. No doubt the majority of Everton fans will be happy to settle for that even though it means another scramble for tickets because they least of all, do not minimise the task at Roker Park. They know that Sunderland are a fine side, they know that the odds are that Allan brown will be bringing his club back into the First Division this season and they also know that the team includes players of international stature.
MUST HAVE RESPECT
Hurley, Montgomery, Herd and Crossan must have respect in all this I am not among those whose view is that Everton will be doing well if they can get another crack. These last two weeks have put a different complexion on the outlook for to-day’s match. Victory at Sheffield Wednesday, victory over Liverpool are the clearest indications that the side is coming to the boil again and I take them to beat Sunderland to-day because I feel that man for man in the vital positions Everton just have the edge.
EQUAL OF HURLEY
Labone is the equal of Hurley if nothing else, Vernon at his best, is better than most inside forwards in the country, and at centre forward can there be any qualms about selecting Gabriel over Shankley? It was the move of Gabriel to lead the attack which has done more to revitalise Everton than anything else, and I believe that, as he did at Sheffield and again last week this great player will play a supreme role in Everton’s cause to-day. Another position where I feel Everton have the pull is at wing half. Harris, we know is good enough to go into any First Division side, while on the other side there is the dynamite Kay. Kay, in the derby game last week at Wolverhampton just before his suspension and at West ham in the League match last season gave what were for me, three of the finest exhibitions of wing half play possible. Whether his suspension has brought a mellowing in Kay’s temperament is something only he knows, but there is little doubt that when Kay plays like he did against Liverpool there is no better half back in these islands. There, anywhere, are five reason why I am plumping for an Everton victory. I think they can bring the best out of the rest of the side and the best of Temple and Scott for instance would give the Sunderland defence so many problems that they would have little opportunity to lay on the forward service which has done so much for them this season. Clearly this is going to be a hard match, but Cup ties always are, and it is the side which has the greater experience, greater stability and above all greater composure which usually comes through. On these three scores alone, I feel Everton are ahead and given freedom from injury I will be surprised if they do not go into the sixth round with a couple of goals to spare.

THE GREATEST GAME EVER IN LIVERPOOL
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 15 February 1964
BEE’S REPORT ON THE 6-4 EPIC
HOW THEY LINED UP
The names of Everton and Sunderland are linked, Cup-wise, for all time with the memory of their never-to-be-forgotten fifth round replay at Goodison Park on Wednesday, January 30, 1935. It will be known for as long as football is played in this city as the "six-four game." It is rated the greatest game of football ever played in Liverpool for it had had everything which gives football the tremendous fascination and thrill to draw millions all over the world. Everton had drawn 1-1 at Roker Park on the previous Saturday, a goal by Cunliffe ensuring the replay. The teams previously had a memorable League match at Goodison on Christmas Day, but this epic game was to surpass anything seen before. The teams lined up as follows;- Everton; Sagar; Cook, Jones (JE); Britton, Gee, Thomson; Geldard, Gunliffe, Dean, Stevenson, Coulter. Sunderland; Thorpe; Murray, Hall; Thomson, Johnson, Hastings; Davis, Cater, Gurney, Gallacher, Connor. Referee; Mr. E.L. Pinckston (Warwick). As the clubs are drawn together again in another fifth round tie at Roker Park to-day, this is how “Bee,” Sports Editor of the “Echo” at that time, reported the game in the following day’s issue;-
Well done everybody ! This was the greatest football treat the city has ever had, and following on the Christmas Day display by both sides, it was the most enjoyable. Cup ties do not produce the best football skill as a rule, but here was one that will live in the memory of 59,213 people who made a great gate of £4,382 5s 6d. A wag suggested it would have been a fair thing to have locked the door at Goodison Park last night at 4.45 and charged everyone permission to leave the ground! Pity the poor memory card salesman. They were outside the ground, gathering the fluctuating score, and first they offered their deathless cards of Sunderland, and then Everton, but Everton were never in arrears; twice Sunderland drew level, and in ten goals scored not a single point was debated, and not a goal was headed! There’s nothing like leather.
THE MEMORY
I hope these Evertonians who would like me to abstain from visiting Everton-away or at home- will not ask any further questions. I would like to ask whether there has ever been an greater display of skill in the mud in any League or Cup match. We all keep the memory cells filled with noteworthy sporting occasions, and this latest 6-4 game will top the lot by reason of its two goals in two closing minutes, by the ordering off a manger of the visiting side, buy the multitudinous moments of dramatic thrill and art. It was a pity Sunderland should lose after making a battle of this worthy character. We felt they had been beaten when the score was 3-1, 15 minutes from the finish, yet the most spectacular goal of the day- by Gurney –was unseen by just one man –the man who hooked the ball over his head into the net. The control of the game was dynamic, and Mr. Pinckston has as much claim to reward as the players of both sides. He was born and bred in the Aston Villa school, and there was a time when exception was taken- by one of our clubs –to his dictatorial methods when dealing with James Jackson who merely “asked a civil question and expected a civil reply.” Since that day Mr. Pinckston has mellowed a little in one direction only; his control of the forces is undimmed. He is a ruler and will tolerate no nonsense.
THE GENIUS
It was Mr. Pinckston’s finely judged control that made the greatest of all games possible. He forced the player to “get on with the game.” And with what charm Sunderland swept up the field by adroit passes and combination, only to be mediocre near the goalmouth, whether they imagined they should walk the ball into the net. Everton beat them because of their impressiveness near goal, and Coulter’s three, Geldard’s two, and Stevenson’s solo goal- a nice tribute to the little man’s very busy day-stand out boldly compared with Sunderland’s fine, subtle movement which bore no hall-mark of finishing except in the case of Connor the genius at outside left, who drove in the best shot and goal of the ten. I do not propose to labour individual praise, because every man merited our highest thanks for a brave display, but I do want to tell you Cunliffe played through the second stage of the long drawn-out game in a state of semi-consciousness- playing by instinct just as Nichol had played against Liverpool at Portsmouth a fortnight ago.
THE SCORERS
For the purpose of reference the scorers’ list must be given at this stage; Coulter for Everton 14 minutes; Coulter, for Everton 31, Davies for Sunderland, 41, Stevenson, for Everton, 75, Connor, for Sunderland, 80., Gurney, for Sunderland, 89. Extras; Coulter for Everton, 2 minutes, Connor, for Sunderland 9, Geldard, for Everton 21, Geldard, for Everton, 29. It was very wonderful that these trained athletes could last two hours mud-plugging and kept the game as lively to the 120th minute as it had been in the first 90 minutes of play. Heir stamina was strained, but their hearts never grew weary and one felt a pang of joy at the sight of young Jones, the reserve team back, who not only saved his side a certain Gurney goal, but also played in a stirring manner all through the game. It was asking the lad a big question and he answered it brightly and nobly. Sunderland have given us a 6-2 victory, 7-0 defeat, a 1-1 cup effort, at Roker, and now the brightest gem of all- a 6-4 win. I reckon Sagar’s very early and late-on saves kept the game good for Everton, and Coulter’s goal in extra time before Sunderland had re-settled to their work were the turning points in this dramatic tussle. To everyone concerned, players officials and police controllers, I say. Well done everybody! And now to Derby County and “Our Hughie”….

GABRIEL-VERNON THREAT COULD BE DECISIVE FACTOR
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 15 February 1964
By Michael Charters
Everton have struck such an effective groove in the past few weeks that I think they will beat Sunderland at the first time of asking in the fifth-round Cup tie at Roker Park to-day. If that prediction proves correct, there would be no chance of history being repeated with that 6-4 replay between the clubs of 29 years ago, but Everton, and their supporters, would not be sorry for the loss of that possibility. A clear-cut move into the hat for the sixth round is priority. To-day's game could be the fifth round highlight. Sunderland, top of the Second Division, and Everton, reaching their best form of the season with the switch of Jimmy Gabriel to centre forward, are both essentially good footballing sides who are likely to provide a memorable display of the arts and skills of the game. Sunderland are, by tradition, support, ground facilities and ability, a First Division outfit. Their years in the Second Division have been a loss to the game at its highest level and senior clubs will welcome them back with glee if, as seems likely, they win promotion this season after so many years of near-misses. Everton have found their form rapidly when one recalls their inept display at Hull in the third round of the Cup only six weeks ago. There were signs of a revial at Leeds but the real hint that happy days were here again at Goodison game in the replay against Leeds. Gabriel was moved to lead the attack (after manager Harry Catterick had told me on the return trip from Leeds that he thought such a switch was a waste of a class wing half), and from that night everything has gone one way for Everton. They beat Leeds comfortably, went to Hillsborough and did the same, while their display against Liverpool tart Saturday was highly impressive
THE EDGE
Gabriel’s weight and dash up front, apart from his own personal contribution, has had the vital effect of giving Roy Vernon more room in which to work. The Everton skipper has responded with a return to that striking form which makes him, on his day, one of the greatest inside men in the land. This twin threat of Gabriel and Vernon, plus the power and pace of Scott and Temple on the wings gives Everton the edge. Although acknowledging that in Charlie Hurley, Sunderland have the man rated by most observers to be the finest centre half in contemporary football, there is a doubt about other defensive positions, particularly at full back. Scott and Temple could have too much know-how for Irwin and Ashurst, the former Liverpool man once with Wolves. Wing halves Harvey and McNab are the constructive type, but they do not meet a player of the calibre of Vernon in their Second Division games. It is interesting that Temple and Ashurst were colleagues in the Liverpool Boys' team which won the English Schools' Trophy in 1954. Then Ashurst played left back, while Temple led the Liverpool attack. Sunderland's inside trio of Herd, Sharkey and Crossan are capable of the highest standards. Herd, brilliant Scottish ball player, is the chance-maker, with Sharkey the new Scottish Under-23 international, an active. Busy-bee of a player who snaps up the half chance, while Crossan, the Irish international, is the star performer and leading scorer.
SIMLAR SYTLE
Crossan who was in the football wilderness of Holland and Belgium for three years after being banned by the F.A., has come into League football with a bang. He is the Vernon of the Sunderland attack, with a similar style and deadly in front of goal. But can Herd and Crossan do their stuff against wing halves of the class of Harris and Kay? If this Everton pair reproduce heir form of last Saturday, the Roker inside forwards will have limited chances. Kay gave a superlative exhibition of studious, controlled football last week, with Harris fitting into his attacking role perfectly as the ideal foil. It is in these positions, and on the wings plus Vernon as the striker, that I think Everton will carry the power to win. With 15,000 Everton supporters making the trip, this afternoon’s match should be memorable in every sense. Though the years, Everton and Sunderland have played many famous games and this one looks like taking its place high in the list…with Everton coming through for a sixth round place. Sunderland; Mongomery; Irwin, Ashurst; Harvey, Hurley, McNab; Usher, Herd, Sharkey, Crossan, Mulhall; Everton; West; Brown, Meagan; Harris, Labone, Kay; Scott, Stevens, Gabriel, Vernon, Temple.

DEFENSIVE ERRORS END EVERTON’S CUP HOPES
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 15 February 1964
SUNDERLAND 3, EVERTON 1
By Michael Charters


Sunderland; Montgomery; Irwin, Ashurst; Harvey, Hurley, McNab, Usher, Herd, Sharkley, Crossan, Mulhall. Everton; West; Brown, Meagan; Harris, Labone, Kay; Scott, Stevens, Gabriel, Vernon, Temple. Referee; Mr. A.W. Luty (Leeds). Everton went into the attack from the kick-off with Brown coming up to link with his forwards and put a left shot to high. But there was a sensation followed when Sunderland took the lead after three minutes through they centre half McNab. It followed a corner when the ball which want across the face of goal, to Mulhall, who crossed the ball quickly and McNab, coming in, side-footed the ball past West from close range. It certainly looked as though West, standing with his legs apart on the line might have got to this simple shot. Everton should certainly have equalised after eight minutes when Temple, moving in fast from a throw in, pushed the ball forward to Gabriel. The centre forward was in an ideal position, but put his shot just wide of the post. The Everton defence was having to go all out to hold the quick-moving Sunderland forward line, which made great use of its wings. Everton were at fault in trying to keep the ball too close on a pitch where the ball bounced unevenly.
VERNON, KAY BOOED
Vernon was trying to make headway with a couple of individual strikes, but both he and Kay were booed after fouls on Crossan and Sharkey. There were appeals for a penalty when Mulhall went down heavily, but I thought he tripped over Brown. It was a hard, fast, gruelling game, with Sunderland continuing to look the more dangerous. Sunderland gained a left-wing corner from which they increased their lead after 26 minutes through Hurley. From Mullion's cross, West missed his attempted catch, and the ball rebounded off Labone to Hurley, whose mis-hit shot from only a few yards range struck an Everton defender and was deflected into the net. Everton had been knocked right out of their stride by the power and drive of the Sunderland attack. They were two goals down now as a result of goalkeeping errors. Everton gained their first corner after 31 minutes but, Hurley, a commanding figure in the middle, cleared and from this incident, further tragedy struck Everton when, they went three goals down after 32 minutes. Sharkey got the ball across to Herd who drifted wide, and centred the ball, along the ground. As West moved out to collect it. Meagan stuck out his left leg and turned the ball just inside the post with West stranded far out of goal. Everton could not get going at all, and although the three goals were the result of defensive errors, Sunderland were still playing the more dangerous football. Everton's best shot for morethan 20 mins., was a lob by Meagan which landed on the top netting. They continued to struggle, to find some rhythm and everything was being done in fits and starts with hardly any continuity of passes. The game now was mainly centred in midfield, and could be best described in a typical Cup-tie phrases as “a dour struggle.” In the first half Montgomery had not had a shot to save.
Half-time; Sunderland 3 Everton 0.
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Then Kay cleverly dispossessed Crossan and swung a shot just over the top. Vernon was Everton’s best player and he made a brave attend to reach a pass chipped forward by Gabriel. Vernon wen for the ball with Montgomery and Ashurst. He got his foot to it, but sent it over the bar.
PLAYING BETTER
The Everton forwards were playing better than they had in the first half, but Montgomery and Hurley were very safe and the Sunderland defense looked sound and confident. Everton gained a much-needed incentive after 59 minutes with a magnificent headed goal by Harris, similar to the one he scored to beat Hull City in the third round replay. Scott, who had been fouled by Ashurst, sent the free kick over to the far side of goal, and Harris, running in at top speed, headed the ball like a rocket past Montgomery. Everton, inspired by this goal, suddenly had burst into the game showing speed and drive which had been sadly missing before. Gabriel almost connected with a centre from Scott and the Sunderland defence was under pressure for the first time. Montgomery missed his catch as Stevens centred from the left, and the ball missed the far post by inches.
FIGHTING LIKE TIGERS
Everton were fighting like tigers for every ball now. Two successive corners by Temple were cleared with great difficulty by the Sunderland defence mainly through Hurley, who was the man of the match. The game was unrelenting, and hard for every second. Vernon shooting through a crowd of players from Kay’s pass, could get no speed on the ball and Montgomery made an easy pick up. Gabriel beat Hurley in the air for the first time and Montgomery had o race out and clear with a first time kick. Sunderland were going on to the sixth round to the sound of “Blaydon Races.” And to add the final ironic touch the Sunderland crowd copied Everton and began a “Sun-der-land,” chant themselves. There was no doubt that the better team had won on the day and on this performance Sunderland will be a real asset to the First Division, if, as expected they get promotion this season.
Final; Sunderland 3, Everton 1.
LANCASHIRE LEAGUE
Man U B 1, Everton B 3

DIXIE MISFIRES THIS TIME ON THE ‘DERBY’ GAME
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 15 February 1964
By Alex Young
During the post ten days I have had the honour of meeting two of Everton's most Famous former captains, Dixie Dean and Peter Farrell. I have met Dixie several times before, but I sat alongside Peter for 45 minutes or so at Goodison Park last Saturday without knowing who he was. When Peter left his seat at half time during the “ Derby " match last Saturday, a bunch of Liverpool fans sitting behind asked me if I knew who I had been sitting next to I had to admit that did not. One of the fans, wearing a red and white scarf, introduced me to Peter when he returned and we were able to have an interesting chat during the second half of match. I reckon it must be most unusual for an Everton player to make the acquaintance of a former Goodison favourite through a Liverpool supporter. Incidentally as Peter made quiet comments on the game and puffed away at his pipe, he reminded me very much of another equally famous ex-Irish international --our former Goodison "boss" Mr. John Carey. A couple of days before this I had a meal and chat with Dixie at a Liverpool hotel, and a most enjoyable evening it was. Dixie is great company with his abundance of stories about football in the pre-war era, but he failed to score with this his “Derby " match forecast —he told me he thought Liverpool would win. For me, Roy Vernon took his two goals against Liverpool like lighting. There were one or two comments from around me that he could not really miss either, but believeme when you are down there on the pitch everything happens much more quickly than t appears to do from the stands. Jimmy Gabriel had another good game at centre forward, and I thought he
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little more one-sided than I expected. It was a great Everton team victory, however, with our boys playing some fine football, particularly during the first half. The Everton defence did extremely well, for apart from Ian St. John's goal which gave the goalkeeper no chance, Gordon West had very little to do. If you want to win at Goodison, go to Southport! That may sound pretty stupid, but believe me it when he works out that way with Everton. Before last Saturday's match the Everton team went off to a Southport hotel for their mid-day meal and, as on the previous occasions this journey has been made, it did the trick. Ido not remember Everton ever losing at Goodison after eating in Southport before the match. I am not saying that It is the Southport air or the food (which is very good) that does it, but I am sure this short journey does much to relieve the tension which builds up before a big occasion.
MEMORABLE DAY .
Over at Anfield, our Central League side beat Liverpool 4-2, making February 8, 1964, a memorable day for Everton. Alex Parker played in this game, came through it very well and will soon be fully fit again. My ankle injury seems to be clearing up quite well and I have been able to train much harder this week. I am over the ligament trouble now, but Achilles tendon is still a little troublesome. After the successes of the Everton first and second teams on Saturday came a great disappointment for our under-18 side on Wednesday evening, when theywere knocked out of the F A. Youth Cup at Goodison Park by Leeds United. I have expressed my views on defensive football quite often in the past, so it goes without saying that I found little enjoyment in what I saw of this game. It was one of those matches which is virtually decided by the first goal, and if it had been Everton and not Leeds who got it, the result might have been very different. As it was, Leeds scored right at the beginning and were able to start playing an effective, but so dreary, defensive game. Had Everton been at their best, I think they would have won, but it was not their night and after fighting back to equaliser they found themselves behind again through a rather fortunate Leeds goal. One Leeds youngster who did impress me was their centre-forward Peter Lorimer, who comes from Jimmy Gabriel’s home town Dundee. I believe Everton were keen to sign Peter when he left school, but Leeds stepped in first.

HICKSON COURAGE TAKES EVERTON TO SEMI-FINAL
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 15 February 1964
FOOTBALL ON MERSEYSIDE
By Percy M. Young
In the early days of their relegation Everton, like an imperial power denuded of glory and with a rusted armoury, lingered moodily in Division 11. On August 18, 1951, their eyes were opened to the challenge of the formerly unfamiliar. Southampton beat them and would have beaten them by more than one goal had not Sagar been at his illustrious best. A modest league performance was not relieved by compensating progress in the Cup. Everton, in a replay, were dismissed by Leyton Orient, whereas Tranmere Rovers went one round further after meritoriously defeating Huddersfield Town away from home, and Liverpool reached the fifth round. At the beginning of the next season Everton were ignominiously placed at the bottom of the Division after losing the first three matches, and the first victory was not gained until September 6 when Nottingham Forest lost by 3-0. At the end of the month, however, the onwards achieved their best form for a couple of seasons, scoring seven times against Doncaster Rovers. Of these Eglington, in effervescent form, scored five. On the whole the forward line, permutating McNamara, Buckle, Potts, Parker, Hickson, Cummins (later of Luton), and Eglington, was more than adequate but the defence vulnerable, in the Cup competition, however, the situation was better than in the League, and the team played to the semi-final with a new-born and heartening consistency. In the third round the fortunes of Merseyside were at least balanced. Pride of place went to Tranmere, who drew with Tottenham at Birkenhead. At half-time. Indeed, they were leading, through a goal by Iceton, although the star of the piece was Cyril Done, whose long tantalizing dribbles often caught the Spurs unawares. Decency demanded a draw, and in the mid-week replay, at White Hart Lane, Spurs exacted full retribution. The score was 9-1. Up in the north-east, Gateshead, the mists of Tyne seeping into the ground and forbidding any clear vision, beat Liverpool by the only goal scored. At Goodison Park. Everton, conscious of their class superiority, played neat and orderly football to defeat Ipswich Town, then of Division III. In the next round Nottingham Forest were heavily defeated and the 50,000 fans at Goodison began to feel an upsurge of confidence. Goals were coming, the chief agents being Eglington, enjoying his best season, and Hickson, whose piece de resistance so far was a hat-trick against Southampton. On February 14 Manchester United came to Goodison in the fifth round, with the odds commonly thought to be in their favour. The gate was greater by 10,000 than for the previous tie, and expectation began to be fulfilled when the United went into an early lead through Rowley. This is the point at which Hickson showed his value, not only as a kind of torpedo but as a schemer. Moving freely rom the centre of the field to whichever of the wings took his fancy, he confused his opponent, Chilton, and through his diversionary tactics he was able to make the first, equalising goal that was scored by Eglington. In the second half Everton increased their confidence, their virtuoso play, and their pressure, and after 20 minutes Hickson scored the last goal of the match. A fortnight later the following team went to Villa Park: O'Neill: Clinton, Lindsay: Farrell, Jones, Lello: Buckle, Cummins, Hickson, Parker, Eglington. Although with the now nearly legendary and immortal Blanchflower in their ranks, the Villa were soon made to realise that the difference between a wayward First Division side and one from the Second Division that is imbued with confidence is infinitesimal in a Cup match. The game ran on without any goals being scored until the 75th minute, when a movement of classical provenance ended victoriously for the visitors. Buckle ran the ball downfield and passed to Hickson. He, evading Moss, returned the ball to Buckle and ran into an unmarked position, whereupon he received the ball again to make the last, conclusive, move. The semi-final, at Maine Road, was almost an anti-climax. Meeting Bolton meant meeting Lofthouse at the peak of his career. And Lofthouse chose to make the first half of this match an exhibition of his talent. He was more than competently supported by his colleagues and by half-time Bolton were leading 4-0. Lofthouse having scored twice and Moir and Holden being responsible for the other goals. But after half time the story was rather different. Only a minute had gone when Everton won a corner and Parker headed in Buckle's accurate centre. Careless in their apparent supremacy, Bolton gave away a free kick, which led to Farrell scoring. Eight minutes from the end they surrendered another free kick and Parker scored again. That however, was the end of the affair; Bolton clamped down and went on into the final. In the season following—when Sheffield Wednesday put Everton, the better footballers on the day, out of the Cup in the fifth round—the element of consistency returned to League performances and this, sustained by two or three demonstrations of high scoring, took the team back into the First Division. It was, in a sense, a quiet return, as runners-up to Leicester City and not as champions, and with the issue not settled until April 24 when Hickson's goal in a tense match at Goodison Park before the largest attendance of the season (62,965) pushed Everton a canvas ahead of Blackburn Rovers. All the season Everton had stayed in a challenging position, sometimes second and sometimes third. Their merit lay in maintaining the challenge, which is also symbolised in the ratio of draws to defeats during the season —20 to 6.
SURE HANDS
During the next few years the activities of Everton passed by without the world in general being unduly disturbed one way or another, their greatest failing being, through physical properties, an inability to stand up to winter and rough weather. From time to time new players showed promise in exceptional degree. Ken Rea, for instance, who was a shining success on the American tour of 1956, or Albert Dunlop, a goalkeeper with the sure hands of a cricketer, or Brian Labone. Hem then, 17 years old, and hitherto unheard of, played splendidly in the 1957 season. That was a year of decision. In the first 13 games Everton were beaten only twice and at the end of October were third in the League. After that 11 matches intervened before the next victory, which was on Boxing Day. If one or two of those matches had been won the later history of the club might have been somewhat different. The word “rebuilding” tended to get a bit overworked during these years, but the process was going on and a new wave of Scottish players led by Bobby Collins, of Celtic, included Alex Parker, of Falkirk, and Eddie O’Hara, of the same club. Meanwhile Labone, flanked by King and Brian Harris at half-back, was developing into a player of great potential. But the placings in the First Division since their return showed Everton as 11th, 15th, 15th, 16th, 16th, and 15th. It was not good enough.

WEST BROM RES V EVERTON RES
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 15 February 1964
West Bromwich Albion Res; Millington; Crawford, Fairfax; Howshall, Campbell, Crompton, Scarrott, Bannister, Fudge, Hope, Carter. Everton Res; Barnett; Parker, Payne; Clarke, Smith, Sharples; Shaw, Wright, Rees, Hill, Morrissey. Referee; Mr. M, Matthews (Sheffield). Albion played far more direct football and completely dominated the opening quarter of an hour. The only real chance Everton had came through inside left Hill, who, with all the time in the world to pick his spot, lobbed the ball inches wide of the post. Rees just failed to get his foot to the ball after a fine piece of Everton left wing play had produced a dangerous centre. The visitors’ defence was having a very difficult time, but Sharples and Clarke were outstanding. The game sprang into life in the 31st minute with two quick goals. A splendid forward pass from Fudge sent Albion winger Carter through to score and immediately afterwards Hill got an equaliser. Carter got his second goal in the 40th minute direct from a Scarrott corner. Half-time; West Bromwich Res 2, Everton Res 1.

EVERTON BEATEN BY THEIR OWN GENEROSITY
Liverpool Daily Post- Monday, February 17, 1964
SUNDERLAND 3, EVERTON 1
By Jack Rowe
This was the biggest Cup let down Everton fans have and for many seasons. The gloss of the “derby” victory, which led so many to put such high assessment on hopes at Roker Park was wiped off by a defeat for which there was only one reason- Everton’s own failings. I felt here was a match in which their newly generated poise, brilliance and experience would enable them to survive comfortably. I felt they had the edge in vital positions.
THREE GOALS START
Unfortunately, this did not apply to the most vital position of all-goals; With all the charity in the world I cannot exonerate West from much of the responsibility for the amazing situation in which with thirty-two minutes gone, Sunderland were three up. Everton pretty well gave Sunderland a three-goal start and then tried to catch them up. Nobody can hope to do this in a Cup-tie, and neither can they afford to miss the one clear opening they make at a vital moment. Yet this is the story of Roker Park and no matter how well Sunderland came out of the match; their confidence was given the greatest boost in the world by defensive blunders. Three minutes had gone when usher’s corner flew across goal and out to Mitchell, who immediately banged it back low in front of McNab eight yards out. The half-back pushed a foot at the ball and produced a bobbity-bob sort of shot at which West also pushed a foot. He might have had a late sight of the ball, but his effort did not impress me, and it failed because the ball bounced over his foot into the net.
JUST OUTSIDE
Sunderland with justification, were on top of the world, but five minutes later came the incident on which the result probably hinged. For the one time in the game Temple made an impact with his inward dash and run and Gabriel really evaded the grip of the magnificent Hurley. Temple’s pass found the centre forward in the clear, twelve yards out, and the 15,000 Goodison followers had already started their roar for the equaliser when poor Gabriel, in trying to steer the ball with his left foot just inside the post, put it just outside. So, the solitary clear opening of the whole ninety minutes went by and with it Everton’s hopes of staying in the Cup. I felt sorry for Gabriel, who, if generally overshadowed by Hurley, was far from being the least unsuccessful Everton player. In twenty-six minutes came the second Sunderland goal, scored by Hurley, whose enormous value to his side is illustrated by his advance for corners and free kicks. This time it was a Mulhall corner which sailed across the front of the gaol and West came out with scarcely a hope of getting it. The moment that happened he was out of the picture and as the ball passed over and struck an Everton defender, it bounced back to Hurley to hit it home, off another defender, with his left foot.
THIRD BLOW
Two goals down in this fashion was bad enough, but the most harrowing of all was the third, in the thirty-two minutes. Centre forward Sharkey slipped the ball to Herd, who only half-hit his shot and West would have had no difficulty in picking it up on the six yards line. He did not get near if for Meagan stuck out a foot and turned the ball slowly over the line behind the goalkeeper. If there was a call and it went unheeded Meagan was at fault if there was no call from West. Not one goal was scored by a forward and Everton’s goal in 59 minutes, when they were struggling for as recovery, came from Harris, whose header from Scott’s free kick was the best of the lot. Sunderland’s strength was their half-back line, but there was not much wrong with Everton’s either, although Harris played under the handicap of a bad cold. Four goals were scored and yet I do not recall a shot of any calibre for either goalkeeper. Sunderland were quicker to the ball, and in an often rugged match, which called for several warnings it was this determination to make the first challenge which shook Everton to a point where they were unable unable to produce rhythm or punch.
RARELY IN IT
Temple and Scott were rarely in it. Stevens grafted as always, with little to show for it, and the attack depended on Gabriel and Vernon. Both battled hard, especially in the second half, when Everton did much better, but while it may be said that the ball did not always run kindly this was a day on which Hurley was the commanding figure, and from him stemmed Sunderland’s triumph. I don’t go into rhapsodes about them as a team. They had what breaks were going and met an Everton side so far below the previous week’s form that it was almost unbelievable. Manager Harry Catterick’s view; “It was just one of those days…” Sunderland; Montgomery; Irwin, Ashurst; Harvey, Hurley, McNab; Usher, Herd, Sharkey, Crossan, Mulhall. Everton; West; Brown, Meagan; Harris, Labone, kay; Scott, Stevens, Gabriel, Vernon, Temple. Referee; Mr. A.W, Luty (Leeds) Attendance 62,817.

WEST BROMWICH ALBION RES 3, EVERTON RESERVES 1
Liverpool Daily Post- Monday, February 17, 1964
Everton Reserves were always in this game with a chance, but a shaky start and some erratic shooting put paid to their chances. Inside left Hill replied instantly to a 31st minute goal by Albion outside left Carter. Afterwards however, both Hill and centre forward Rees missed some easy chances. Carter got another goal for Albion before the interval, and Howshall sealed the visitors’ fate with a rocket shot after 70 minutes. Everton a far better side later on, bombarded the Albion goal for long periods. There were flashes of brilliance from Rees who, with his four forwards did everything but get the ball into the net.

EVERTON ‘GIFTED’ GOALS TO A GRATEFUL SUNDERLAND
Liverpool Echo - Monday 17 February 1964
By Michael Charters
Every team presents its quota of gift goals to opponents during a season; Everton expended about a third of their annual ration in half an hour on Saturday, so that Sunderland, three goals up thanks to Everton defensive errors, were as good as in the sixth round of the Cup with an hour still to play. No side can give such a good team as Sunderland what amounted to a three-goal start and hope to do anything. So, for the third successive season, Everton went out of the Cup in the fifth round. They had every hope and confidence that they were going to do well at Roker Park but shock after shock in the first half saw them fumbling along trying to find their form, but making mistakes galore in all departments. It was not until the second half they began to approach anything like their normal standard. Then they played with great spirit and effort, managed to get a goal back-the best of the game -but could do no more. This game was no footballclassic, no exhibition of high skill. It was played in the usual frenetic Cup-tie atmosphere with the 15,000 Everton supporters gradually fading out vocally as they realised this was not to be their day to howl. On a firmish pitch, with the ball bounding about awkwardly, the match was a hard, unrelenting struggle with Everton very disappointing in the first half, fighting back well later but the indisputable verdict was that Sunderland, on the day, fully deserved to win.
FATAL HALF HOUR
Sunderland were splendid and looked a First Division outfit in every way. It is to be hoped they don't allow the glamour shadow of the Cup to upset the substance of promotion, but they could prove an acquisition to the top, class.Things happened fast in that first fatal (for Everton) half hour, Sunderland hit their stride immediately; Everton were dithering defensively and were inept in attack. Within three minutes, Sunderland were in front when left-half McNab, in the inside-right position, scored following a corner. The ball swung from right to left, was returned by outside left Mulhall to McNabwho stabbed at it, side-footed and the ball bobbed two or three times past Everton defenders before it slipped by West's outstretched foot into the net. Defensive reactions looked slow here. Five minutes later there came what turned out in retrospect to be a major turning point. Temple burst inside from the touch line with a splendid run and his perfect through pass found Gabriel unmarked in an ideal shooting position. The centre forward sent his left foot shot just wide. This was the only time Gabriel was able to escape the clutches of the magnificent Hurley, the best centre half I've seen since T. G Jones. But had Gabriel scored tomake the scores level with 82 minutes still to play, Everton might have collected themselves to play some real football instead of the hopeful hit and miss tactics which followed. Hurley, backed by great wing halves in Harvey and McNab, dominated midfield. He was up for every corner and he put his team two up after 26 minutes. A corner from the left was missed by West, who misjudged his leap, the ball bouncing off Usher to Hurley who hit it first time and it deflected off Harris over the line. Had the ball not struck Harris, it would still have counted for West was way out of goal.
AN OWL GOAL
Six minutes later, the game was lost by Everton beyond recall. Herd, out on the right, made a low cross more in hope than design for there was no colleague up for it. West moved out to collect the ball but Meagan came sliding back, thrust out a foot and turned the ball into the net. Only Labone and Vernon were Everton successes in that shocking first half. Afterwards, Kay became an inspiring force as he tried to drive the forwards on, but the formidable Sunderland defence survived all the half chances Everton created. Harris scored a splendid headed goal midway through the half—a tribute to his tenacity as he had spent most of the morning in bed trying to fight off a feverish chill. He was not his usual self. Hard though Everton fought for every ball, there was no real snap about their attacking efforts. Scott and Temple were struggling against the firm tackling of Ashurst and Irwin, and the Sunderland half backs, superb all through, kept a tight hold on the inside men. The agile Montgomery looked very safe in goal but was not extended because of Everton's inaccurate finishing. The result, and the way the team played, was a big disappointment to the Everton contingent. The side made mistakes and Sunderland made them pay for them in full measure in a game which will always be notable for the fact that four goals were scored without one from a forward.

BIRMINGHAM BRING 15
Liverpool Echo - Monday 17 February 1964
GAME AGAINST EVERTON
Birmingham City will wait for fitness tests on three players- Colin Green, Ray Martin and Bobby Thomson –before naming their team for to-morrow night’s game against Everton at Goodison Park. Manager Gil Merrick to-day named a squad of 15 players and said; “I am taking all 15 to Liverpool and I may not pick the team until just before the kick-off.” Birmingham City; (from).- Withers; Green, Lynn, Martin; Beard, Hennessey, Smith; Foster; Hellawell, Bloomfield, Thomson, Regan, Harley, Thwaites, Lee.

EVERTON PLAY VILLA ON FEBRUARY 28
Liverpool Echo - Tuesday 18 February 1964
FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
TO AVOID CLASH
By Leslie Edwards
Everton have brought forward their League game with Aston Villa to Friday, February 28, so as not to clash with the sixth round Cup-tie, Liverpool v Stoke City or Swansea Town, the next day at Anfield. The kick-off will be at 7.30. The move has been made in consultation with the police and transport authorities. It will ease the problem of parking (the two grounds are scarcely half a mile apart) and give spectators opportunity to attend both games. When the two clubs have played at home together in the past the aggregate attendance at Goodison Park and Anfield has sometimes exceeded 100,000.
TEAM DELAYED
Everton will make choice of their team to meet Birmingham to-night shortly before the kick-off. Birmingham City’s three injury doubtful –Colin Green, Ray Martin and Bobby Thomson –passed fitness tests this morning, but manager Gil Merrick will not finalise his team until just before the kick-off. Mr. Merrick said that the regular half-back line of Hennesses, Smith and Beard will play.
EVERTON PICTURE IN FULL COLOUR
A new exclusive team picture of Everton F.C, in full colour appears in the current week’s issue of the Bootle Times and the North Liverpool Times. If you have not yet got your copy from your newsagent, you will be able to purchase a copy at to-night’s Everton v Birmingham game at Goodison Park.
A POSSIBLE AWAY BANKER
EVERTON MAY BE ON SUMMER POOLS
Everton F.C may figure on Pools coupons during the close season. Their eight match summer tour of Australia may be linked with other Australian fixtures on the lists of Pools companies in Britain. Representatives of Australian football visited Britain recently and secured a further 10,000 pounds from British pools firms for the use of Australian fixtures. Australian football now receives 25,000 pounds yearly for the use of their fixtures, a figure still considered too small by many of their officials. Everton, who have demanded no guarantee for playing in Australia, will play one game at Sydney Cricket ground. This will take place on the Saturday of the Queen’s birthday week-end which will be free of all competition games.

CHAMPIONS MAKE HARD LABOUR OF BIRMINGHAM
Liverpool Daily Post- Wednesday, February 19, 1964
EVERTON CLIMB OVER OVERPOOL IN LEAGUE RACE
STEVENS, IN 40 SECONDS, GRABS FIRST GOAL FOR FOUR MONTHS
EVERTON 3 BIRMINGHAM CITY 0
By Horace Yates
If the football at Goodison Park last night was lukewarm from an entertainment standpoint, the fact that the two points for the completion of the double over Birmingham boosted Everton into third place one point more than Liverpool, helped the crowd to find virtues, which otherwise might have been elusive. On a bitterly cold evening when only an exciting struggle could possibly have tempered the icy blast it was quickly apparent that the crowd’s hopes lay with Everton. Birmingham rarely suggested that the position they occupy an close to the bottom of the table was in any way false. Their attacking ideas were limited and finishing power was almost non-existent. In the end, Everton was convincingly and deservedly, but it is not the easiest of tasks to play pure football against opponents beat almost exclusively on destruction. That Birmingham’s defence was far and away more impressive than their attack helped them to make a game of it for more than an hour, even if it produced little incident to make it a match to remember.
GOAL IN 40 SECONDS
Everton needed a resounding triumph to take thoughts off Saturday’s Cup -tie reverse, and with only forty seconds gone and a Stevens goal in the net appearances suggested that this would be a match of goals. Stevens with a total of only three goals to his name, had not scored for four months, so that a more encouraging start was difficult to imagine. From a free kick for a foul in brown, Gabriel put the ball to Scott. Vernon’ crowded out of a shot, offered a chance to Rees playing centre forward, with Gabriel back at right half in consequence of Harris’ tonsilitis. The young Welsh boy hit a shot of no great power and it was deflected across goal. Martin made a hash of his clearance and Stevens darted in very quickly to prod the ball into goal. Already it had begun to feel less chilly, but the Everton trainer was busier than some of the players, when casualties became commonplace. Three times Temple was in the wars, Kay and Brown were knocked out. Still, we waited for Everton to run riot. Their task would have been so much easier without the magnificent defensive endeavours from Hennessey (what a superb player he might be in a worthy team!) and Smith. Vernon was compelled to try his marksmanship from long range and his drive helped Withers to prove that he is no mean goalkeeper.
BURST OF ACTIVITY
Still, this was the signal for a welcome burst of activity, for Rees offered Stevens the opportunity to make this a momentous evening for the inside forward, but he lost his chance of glory by sliding the ball just wide of the post. Within a minute Temple, in the centre forward position, was on the point of ramming home a clinching goal, when Smith flicked the ball off his toe, an incident in which both men were injured. Birmingham’s lone threat came from Hellawell, who profited from a Labone blunder to steam into the penalty area, where he would undoubtedly have had a penalty kick had he gone down, but he recovered, went on, and shot wide. Harvey, who had shown little evidence of the marksmanship which won him a reputation with Manchester City, could not complain when his name was taken for a foul on brown, for the red light had flashed in his direction more than once. The game was 58 minutes old before Harley managed to get a Birmingham shot on target. West, who had come in for some ribbing from the crowd, was loudly cheered when he came through his first test successfully. Prior to this he had dealt exclusively with passes from his own players.
VERNON GOAL
Vernon’s skilled passes stood out for commendation largely I suppose because there was little else in the way of counter attractions, but as the second half wore on and there was always the chance that one of the fleeting Birmingham breakaways might lead to an equaliser, Vernon brought relief with a second goal. Scott had emerged as Everton’s biggest attacking menace and it was a perfect cross from near touch, he sent over to Vernon to collect one of his rare headed goals in 65 minutes. Vernon was in the picture in a different way soon afterwards, for in a tangle with Lynn he caught retaliating and was booked by the referee. This sort of thing has happened so frequently down the years that one might have thought players would think twice about retaliating, for invariably they are the ones to be caught. So, it proved with Vernon. Had the referee been a real head-seeker he might easily have added the names of Leek and Kay to his collection, but he merely produced a debating point as to what offence merits bookings and what can be met adequately by a word of advice. Brown had the right idea. He realised the crowd yearned for goals and up he ventured into attack and by-passed several players before producing a shot which beat Withers only to be kicked off the line by Lynn.
LIVELY REES
Although one felt that two goals up, Everton were safe, Hellaswell with a little more composure in front of goal, might easily have raised new doubts, but obviously Birmingham’s lack of accuracy and hostility when chances have been created, have helped to leave them floundering and flirting so precariously with relegation. A lively Rees, willing to chase anything, appeared to have lost any scoring opening Stevens and Kay might have made, when he had to swivel round in a circular movement. He removed brilliantly to hammer home a well-placedshot just inside the post in 80 minutes. The thrills had certainly mounted as the game wore on and Temple was prevented from joining the scorers only by Beard kicking off the line. Still, I doubt if anyone really minded when the referee applied the closure. Before Saturday Gabriel was a centre forward with a goal in every game. Now Rees takes over the title, for the youngster has played in only two League matches and has been on target in each. Whether this marks the end of the Gabriel experiment as leader of the attack we do not know, for Harris is unlikely to be fit for Saturday, and after that Young may have come back into the reckoning. I thought Kay was easily Everton’s most accomplished player. He spurned all manner of incitement to keep on playing football, and Kay. In the frame of mind, will go right to the top of the football tree. He had stud marks on his face to remind him of an occasion when Labone trod on him. Temple (ankle injury), Vernon and Stevens also received knocks, to make possible team selection complications for Saturday. Everton; West; Brown, Meagan; Gabriel, Labone, Kay; Scott, Stevens, Rees, Vernon (Captain), Temple. Birmingham City; Withers; Lynn, Martin; Hennessey, Smith, Beard; Hellawell, Bloomfield, Harley, Leek, Thwaites. Referee. Mr. V. James (York). Attendance 36,252.

CARTILAGE OPERATION BLOW
Liverpool Daily Post, Wednesday, February 19, 1964
ALEX PARKER OUT FOR REST OF SEASON
By Horace Yates
Alex Parker, Everton’s Scottish international right back, is to have a cartilage operation on his right knee within the next forty-eight hours and will not play again this season. This was the gloomy announcement made by manager Harry Catterick yesterday, at a time when club manager Harry Catterick yesterday at a time when club supporters were wondering just how soon they might expect to see Parker restored to the first team. With a dreadfully unlucky season this has been for Parker. All went well for the first 17 League games, for he played in everyone, showing some of the most brilliant form. Then at Nottingham, on November 16, he suffered a though injury, since when he has never been fit enough for first team consideration.
TENDON INJURY
To add to his troubles, when the thigh injury mended, he suffered a tendon injury and not until a fortnight ago was, he able to come back with the reserves. Hopes were raised when he came through without trouble and he played again at West Brom last week and damaged the knee which brings for him a premature close to the season. Brian Harris, who missed last night’s game through tonsilitis, is also said to be a doubtful starter for the visit to Sheffield United on Saturday.
EVERTON V, VILLA NOW ON FEB. 28
Everton have cleared the way for Liverpool’s sixth round F.A. Cup tie at Anfield on February 29, by bringing forward one day their home game with Aston Villa.
SPURS BOSS AT GOODISON
An interested spectator at the Everton v. Birmingham City game last night was Mr. Bill Nicholson, Tottenham Hotspur manager. His mission? Probably to check on Hellewell, the Birmingham outside right, who was not in his best form. To-day Mr. Nicholson moves to Scotland. Plainly things are on the move with slipping Spurs.

READY MADE NO 9 IS SANDY BROWN
Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 19 February 1964
By Leslie Edwards
The match between Everton and Birmingham City, at Goodison Park last night, was well summed up by the anonymous, half-frozen fan who observed as he hurried away: "Not a great game, but it was 'humorous!" It was humorous because the icy blast caused many mistakes and mistimings. These, in turn, led to some late and over-late tackles and the names of Everton captain, Vernon, and of the Birmingham centre forward Hapley went into Referee V. James' notebook. The most “humorous" moment of all came when the young Everton centre-forward, Rees, got his side's third goal and was so overjoyed he came bounding back in giant strides to receive the acclaim of his colleagues. Being a third, and rather over-weight, goal these were more lukewarm than usual, but the scorer could not have been more pleased than if he'd got the winning goal at Wembley. Rees, like Gabriel before him in the same position, did well up to a point. He made two magnificent passes which should have brought goals first from Stevens and then from Temple, but clearly he is not quite ready for a regular place in the side. It was borne on me, if on no other last night that the best centre-forward on Everton's books—Young accepted—is full-back Sandy Brown. He knows where the goal is; can dummy his way through like an expert and has probably the hardest surest shot of any back for many seasons. Three times he went close to scoring; three times the crowd rose to him. He would have had one, too, if Lynn had not kicked the ball off the line after Withers had half-saved his cross shot. The other Birmingham back, Martin. was later to perform a similar retrieving act on the line after Temple had driven hard for goal and the goalkeeper had succeeded again only in the half-save.
NO HESITATION
If Young were not fit I would have no hesitation in giving Brown the centre-forward chance he deserves. Though Rees showed promise he did not look the sort who could, for the time being. keep the Everton attack moving smoothly, though I grant that against this often panicky defence they might well have scored five or six times instead of three. Equally, Birmingham but for some atrocious finishing and one or two good saves by West might well have had two or three goals. Thwaites, at outside left, and Harley, with a hook shot, might well have countered the goal Stevens snatched in the first half-minute and that would have put Everton right on the collar. In the event both chances were missed. It was left to Scott, who had scarcely been seen before the interval, to make the perfect heading opening for Vernon. In the second half. The Welshman took this header brilliantly and from that moment the result was almost a formality. That Everton could attract 36,000 on such a bitter night after a jolting Cup defeat shows the remarkable enthusiasm for the game in this city. The crowd took the match good naturedly—even the three fouls with which Harley promised to decimate the opposition in the opening half hour. First it was Temple: then Brown; then Kay. No wonder his name was taken. The ball was as difficult to control as some players. Fortunately, things tended to get better, not worse and in the end the contest was peaceableenough, though the referee seemed more anxious to see the players off the field than to get attention for Stevens. Who had lain injured when the final blast was sounded! Referee James certainly missed none of the hacking: none of the obstruction which characterised a hard, but hardly satisfying match in which Everton only really started to move well once they went into a two goals lead.
HERE AGAIN . . .
We shall gee Birmingham again on Saturday, but if their attack finishes as indifferently as it did last night Lawrence is not going to be over-busy. The Birmingham forwards were given plenty of opportunity. Hennessey, like Vernon a Welshman, vied with Kay for the title of outstanding half back. Kay started by misplacing too many passes: as the game progressed he did better and better, and in the end was the master of them all. Hennessey, in a more indifferent side, hardly made a mistake all through. In difficult conditions, Temple could not get the ball to run kindly. He took more than one knock, also, and only in one or two second half runs did he reach top form. Scott also found the ball difficult to take along, but eventually he led Martin a dance and contributed the biggest share in a second goal which really clinched things when the possibility of a draw was much on the cards. Everton's first half left their fans unsatisfied with the extent of the lead and with general standards of play. How difficult it was to "tame" the ball on such a night only the players could answer. There were some Fred Karno antics and mistakes which demonstrated to me, at least, that the wind and the firm pitch made control of the ball a most chancey thing. Stevens took his half chance for the first goal really well. The Birmingham defence became tangled in this early moment following a clever free kick by Gabriel which found Scott and started the movement from which Stevens eventually scored close in with the defence indecisive Everton now go in front of Liverpool in the table, and Everton pessimists of a week or so ago are beginning to think that a powerful finishing spurt like last seasons can keep the League trophy in the Everton cabinet. We shall see.

RESPECT FROM SUNDERLAND
Liverpool Echo - Thursday 20 February 1964
By Leslie Edwards
A Sunderland schoolmaster exiled in Liverpool has these nice things to say about the way Everton fans took defeat at Roker Park: “Itravelled to the match after a gruelling week among Everton supporters in Liverpool but I would like to pay tribute to their behaviour at the match and good sportsmanship afterwards. They must have been disappointed and they may have been, surprised at the result, but their acknowledgement that they had been beaten on the day by the better side won them respect and many friends on Wearside. "I have already read letters and newspaper comment from the North East which show that the vast majority of Everton supporters brought credit to their team and city and surely it is time that due praise from outside quarters was paid to the wonderful loyalty and enthusiasm of these real supporters? "May I add that as with the Sunderland defeat of Liverpool in a Cup tie, a at Anfield in 1961, the Liverpool newspaper coverage was unbiased and did not rely on the wildly partisan reporting of most local newspapers."
Mr H. Young, of 115 Earle Road, was not so fortunate as other correspondents whose letters are printed to-day. He writes "As an Everton who travelled 162 miles to see the team play and could only stand on the steps to the ground with no possible chance of even glimpsing the ball. He goes on. "We were at Roker Park before 2 p.m, and the crowd were packed in like sardines. I've heard of packed to capacity but this was ridiculous. We've been called the Mersey maniacs. After we got there we began to wonder! "Then to top it all—we had the long trek home, our Cup hopes finished and were unabe to discuss a game we just didn't see!"
Everton should apologise to their fans for the most pathetic, chicken-hearted performances put on by them for years, at Sunderland –Philip Moore, 9 Beattie Street, Bootle.
As a true Evertonian I am sorry they are out of the F.A. Cup for another season, but, oh, how my heart bleeds for those people who monopolise tickets for important games! Now we shall be able to walk quite easily into our stand places- C.A Quick, 16d Prince Albert Gardens, Liverpool 1.

EVERTON TEAM DOUBTS
Liverpool Echo - Thursday 20 February 1964
THREE MAY MISS SHEFFIELD GAME
Everton have announce that three of their players are doubtful starters for the match against Sheffield United, in Sheffield, on Saturday. They are Vernon, Temple and Brown. Temple had at least two knocks in the match against Birmingham at Goodison Park on Tuesday. No Everton team will be chosen until to-morrow.

ROY VERNON SAYS…
Liverpool Daily Post- Friday, February 21, 1964
CONFIDENCE IN OURSELVES IS UNIMPARIRED.
Let us not pretend. That Sunderland reverse hurt us badly! Our supporters had set their hearts on making this a Wembley year for Everton, and it is no secret that the players shared those aspirations. Even now it seems hard to realise that we felt at the Roker Park fence, for I am not having it from anybody that Sunderland are a better side than Everton. Yet the result is there, clear and beyond any argument. If we had to visit Sunderland again tomorrow, I can tell you that the Everton players would be just as confident again as we were before last week’s tie was played. In the F.A. Cup competition, however there is no second chance. I would not have the Cup arrangement any different. It is the sudden death nature of the competition, with form on the one day deciding, that makes it so different from all other tournaments. The early post-war two-legs idea was a sort of insurance policy for the big clubs. If they failed in two games then they deserved to go out, but that arrangement was hardly as exciting and nerve tingling as the sudden death principle. It is scant consolation to us that we were not the only major victims of Cup warfare in round five. I don’t believe in making scapegoats when things have gone wrong and I look back, not in anger, but merely regretfully, on the Sunderland upset as one of those days when Everton did not play like Everton, I am convinced that normal form, the form with which we hammered Liverpool, Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United would have been good enough to have maintained our interest in the competition. We were freely tipped to draw at Sunderland and to win the replay. That, I can tell you was not our idea. We intended to win outright at the first time of asking. Not by any means is it a case of sour grapes when I say I don’t think Sunderland will win the Cup, whereas I am convinced that Everton in round six could have got to Wembley. I little thought that we would be congratulating Liverpool and backing them as Merseyside’s hope in the Cup. After all, we did look a much superior team in our clash at Goodison, but that I suppose is another story. The luck of the draw has gone Liverpool’s way. They must have a great chance of beating Swansea at Anfield and after that they are on neutral ground. The chance element has largely disappeared by the time the semi-final stage is reached. Clubs are out on their own then, with everything depending on themselves. We at Everton wish Liverpool luck. If we could not reach the final ourselves, then we must line-up behind Liverpool in the hope that the Mersey sound will be heard at Wembley on May 2. Our consolation could still be the retention of the League Championship. I do not forget that we were written off last season by many people, yet we came back to take the title. On paper, at least, our chances are far from negligible. We are moving up nicely and only Liverpool have matches in hand. Those matches have still to be won and with their Cup commitments also in mind. Liverpool will have their hands full. Our confidence is ourselves is completely unimpaired. We are conceited enough to believe that we are as good as any side in the League. If we can go one better and prove that we are better than any so much the better. Having tested the glory of winning honours and having sampled the glamour of European Cup competition we will not let go prospects of remaining in the top bracket without a mighty struggle. We still think we cam make it and confidence at this vital stage of the season is half the battle.

FRIDAY GAMES DOES NOT PELASE ‘EM ALL
Liverpool Echo - Friday 21 February 1964
By Leslie Edwards
The decision by Everton to bring forward to next Friday their League match against Aston Villa does not please everyone. “a couple of seasons ago when two Cup games were played simultaneously this kind of action would have been praised by me,” says one critic, “but in the present circumstances it tends to lead me to think that if a mothers’ meeting were being held in the vicinity of the ground it would be an excuses for postponement. To put it in a nutshell that is how ridiculous the whole set-up is becoming.”
SHEFFIELD UNITED RECOVERY
At Sheffield, where they face Sheffield United, Everton cam move up into an even better challenge position to Spurs. The Sheffield side we saw at Anfield a week or two ago was lack-lustre, but their point at Tottenham a week ago indicates that they may have snapped out of the disappointing form which made them losers at Swansea and within a few days heavy losers at Anfield. As before most of their matches this season Everton have reported several players doubtful through injury. Happily, the treatment room at Goodison Park has worked curative wonders and players the7y have treated have usually been made fit in time. The men damaged in the Birmingham match were named as Vernon, Temple and Brown. Temple’s many knocks, including one to the head, were all too clearly seen by spectators at the Birmingham match.

TEMPLE TO MISS MATCH AT SHEFFIELD
Liverpool Echo - Friday 21 February 1964
ROY VERNON DOUBTFUL
MORRISSEY IN
By Leslie Edwards
Temple is definitely out of the Everton side Sheffield United to-morrow; Vernon is a doubtful starter. Morrissey comes in on the left wing for Temple, injured more than once against Birmingham and Hill stands by in case Vernon is found unfit. He had knee and ankle knocks in the Birmingham match. The Rhyl boy, Rees, who led the attack on Tuesday and got a goal, retains his position. Rankin the goalkeeper who has been out of the side some weeks through injury, is better. He had a trial run in the reserve or “A” team. Everton; West; Brown, Meagan; Gabriel, Labone, Kay; Scott, Stevens, Rees, Vernon (or Hill), Morrissey.
Graham Shaw, the Sheffield United left back to-day passed a fitness test so their team will be unchanged. Shaw was injured in training during the week. Sheffield United; Hodgkinson; Coldwell, Shaw (G.); Richardson, Shaw (J), Mathewson; Docherty, Jones, Pace, Wagstaff, Hartle.

ROY VERNON HAS A FIFTY-FIFTY CHANCE OF BEING FIT
Liverpool Daily Post- Saturday, February 22, 1964
By Horace Yates
Not until just before Everton leave for their match with Sheffield United at Bramell Lane will it be known whether Roy Vernon will be fit following the injury behind the knee received in Tuesday’s match. It is suggested that Vernon’s chances are no better than fifty-fifty and Jimmy Hill stands by in case of need. The withdrawal of Temple with a leg injury lets in Morrissey for his fifth game of the season and reduces the list of ever-presents to Stevens and Scott. Everton’s idea of bringing forward mid-week games from Wednesday to Tuesday so that injured players could be given an additional day’s treatment before the next match, has given Vernon his opportunity of being fit. Yesterday manager Harry Catterick would certainly have had to rule him out. To-day, there may be just a chance. The declaration that Sandy brown is available must have been a tremendous relief to Mr. Catterick for in the absence of Harris, finding a deputy would have presented problems. Everton have lost only one of their five matches away from home, and in case you may have forgotten, that was at Sunderland! Sheffield United fell ready victims at 4-1 at a time when they were on their way to the top of the table in September. Now United find themselves in the bottom half of the table and particularly if Vernon is available, Everton should not return with anything less creditable than a draw. A sign of approaching fitness is that both Alex Young and Andy Rankin will be having a run out with the reserves at Goodison park. Young dropped out of the first team with an ankle injury after the fourth round Cup game at Leeds and Rankin has been under treatment a week longer. Sheffield United; Hodgkinson; Coldwell, G. Shaw; Richardson, J. Shaw, Matthewson; Docherty, Jones, Pace, Wagstaff, Hartle. Everton; West; Brown, Meagan; Gabriel, Labone, Kay; Scott, Stevens, Rees, Vernon or Hill, Morrissey.

WEST BLUNTS BLADES AND EVERTON GET POINTS
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 22 February 1964
By Michael Charters


Sheffield United; Hogkinson; Coldwell, Shaw (G); Richardson, Shaw (J), Matheson; Docherty, Jones, Pace, Wagstaffe, Hartle. Everton; West; Brown, Meagan; Gabriel (captain), Labone, Kay; Scott, Stevens, Rees, Hill, Morrissey. Referee; Mr. J.S. Pickes, (Stockport). As Roy Vernon failed a fitness test this morning on his injured thigh, Jimmy Hill came into the Everton side at inside left. This meant that the Everton forward line had three reserves. Gabriel was captain in Vernon's absence. Although there was a light covering of snow on the cricket pitch side of the Bramall Lane ground, it had been cleared from the football pitch, which had a liberal sprinkling of sand. The pitch was quite treacherous, being greasy on top and iron hard below the surface. There was a good deal of indifferent play, in the opening stages, as the players tried to find their feet on the treacherous going. From a corner kick Morrissey put the ball back to Meagan, and the full-back broke through to try a shot which Hodgkinson saved at full length. Everton looked the better team in the opening minutes, with Morrissey and Hill combining quite well. The Everton forwards continued to fall into United's offside trap, but they were moving the ball well in mid-field and Kay was outstanding_ United's first attack of any consequence ended with Jones shooting wide from 20 yards.
OFF TARGET
Young Rees was having more trouble than most in keeping his footing, but he was presented with a good opening when Joe Shaw slipped up and the ball ran loose into the pen area. Rees chased it but was completelyoff target with his shot, taken on the half turn. The game was very dull, with few incidents of any note. The conditions could be blamed for many of the mistakes being made. Indecision by Everton defenders allowed Jones a second chance which he should never have had, and, he hit the ball well enough only to see West fling himself to his left and turn the ball away for Meagan to complete the clearance. Everton could not fathom a way through United's offside, game. Keeping possession of the ball in an attempt to move through quickly with was practically impossible on a pitch which was almost as slippery as an ice rink. Kay and Gabriel cleverly, brought the ball out of defence for Everton and then Kay, too nonchalant, wheeled round and his attempted back pass to West went straight to the feet of Pace. The centre forward accepted the gift, and shot quickly, but West dived full length and saved.
LIVELY FORWARDS
Jones looked the most lively United forward and he took the ball well past Kay to hit a shot on the run for West to dive out and push it forward. Fortunately for Everton Brown was there to complete the clearance. Morrissey was having a good game with the limited chances which came his way, but invariably each Everton attack failed through offside. United were coming more into their stride and looked dangerous with their more direct tactics. Jones was the most direct footballer on the field and the most successful. He took the ball some 30 yards before hitting a great shot on the move, but West, playing very well, turned it just over the angle. From the corner, Matthewson came up and made a strong header which went by the far post. West was certainly making up for the mistakes he made at Sunderland last week, and he produced one of hisgreatest saves from a close-range shot by Jones. It came to him very fast as he was partially unsighted, and West flung himself to one side and turned the ball away with one hand. We had seen little for the last half hour of the Everton forwards. Just before half time Stevens got a pass through to Rees, but the youngster was yards offside. Then came a chance for Everton, as Stevens, in an offside position, was played on by a United defender, but he delayed his shot and Hodgkinson was able to come out and intercept.
WEST AGAIN
West saved his side yet again with a splendid leap as Hartle fired in a tremendous angled shot. Everton had been very much inferior to United for most of the first half, and Pace went close with a header from the last corner of the half. Everton were fortunate to still be on level terms and had West to thank that they were. Half - time. - Sheffield United nil, Everton nil.
One of the few Everton threats came from a free kick on the left, which Gabriel headed down near the foot of a post, but Hodgkinson cleared with ease. In the early minutes of the second half both Scott and Hill ran into offside positions to halt Everton attacks. This United offside tactic was working very smoothly, but It produced a chant of "We want football" from Everton fans. When Wagstaffe put a fine pass inside Brown for Matthews on to chase, the wing half centred from the goal line and the ball struck the top of the cross bar before going behind. Although Kay had the crowd booing with the intensity of his tackles, he looked one of the few men, likely to swing the game round Everton's way. He and Meagan, with West, were Everton's best by a long way. The Goodison team looked very weak in the inside forward positions. The game now was mainly a mid-field scramble, with mistakes frequent. Everton's defence took what honours were coming to the team, for the forwards had been completely off-form. One of the few chances Rees had came from a fortunate deflection off a United defender, which Morrissey pushed forward and Rees tried to dribble around Hodgkinson, who flung out an arm and turned the ball away as the centre forward was about to shoot. Pace slid a good pass out to the right, where Docherty hit the ball a bit too quickly and sent it straight to West. United continued to be the more dangerous team. In his quiet way, Wagstaffe was making the forwards move smoothly. His great pass to Hartle enabled the winger to cross the ball hard, but Pace headed well wide. Meagan, the best player on the field, set up an Everton attack down the left which ended with Hill heading the ball tamely at Hodgkinson. It must have been heart-breaking for the Everton defenders who had fought hard and well, to see their forwards fall to make headway. The game was now just a solid defence chore for Everton and in that department at least they had all played well. The game was dragging on into its final stages with hundreds of people leaving the ground early. Everton continued to defend strongly against the more penetrative United forwards. The Everton attack, apart from the opening few minutes, has not had such a disappointing game for a long time. Final; Sheffield United nil, Everton nil.
LANCASHIRE LEAGUE
Everton A 7 Man City A 1

INTEREST GROWING IN EVERTON’S TOUR TRIP
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 22 February 1964
By Alex Young
Much has been written recently about the Australian cricket team to tour England this summer, but from Australia I have received news that an English football team going in the opposite direction is creating quite a lot of interest out there. That team is Everton, for a football fan who follows our fortunes from afar, wrote to me from a village just outside Sydney this week to say that even though it is some months before we are due to arrive in Australia, there has been a great deal of advance booking for our matches and the local Press have given a fair amount of information about the club and players. My correspondent - says that in his village alone, six coaches have been booked already to take fans into Sydney to watch us. When I went to Australia with Hearts there was quite a lot of interest in the tour, but I think this advance booking for matches is unusual in that country. The news from the home front has not been so cheerful, for Alex Parker entered a nursing home and had a cartilage operation on Thursday. Since being injured at Nottingham Forest in November, Alex has made several attempts to get fit again for first team football, but each time something has gone wrong. The latest blow came when he was injured playing for the Reserves at West Bromwich last Saturday and it was found that an operation would be necessary.
SECOND OPERATION
When one realises just how well Alex was playing this season, these setbacks are particularly cruel. In fact, I thought Alex was playing as well as he has ever done and had he not been injured must have stood a good chance of regaining his place in the Scottish team. Alex had to have a cartilage operation at the beginning of 1962, and I recall that at this time also he had been playing tremendous football and was challenging for further international recognition. Keep smiling, Alex. All the Everton boys wish you a speedy and complete recovery. I met another cartilage victim, Albert Dunlop, this week and he tells me that he is making good progress, which will be good news to Wrexham fans. Andy Rankin's injury to a nerve in the neck is also improving and he is back in training. Andy's injury, incidentally, has been interesting the medical men, for I am told that it is something they very rarely come across as a footballer complaint." Footballers, like jockeys, seem to be bad tipsters, for following Dixie Dean's forecast about the "Derby" game result, I must confess to being equally wrong over the Sunderland-Everton Cup tie. To be frank, after the victories over Sheffield Wednesday and Liverpool, I could foresee nothing but an Everton victory at Sunderland. I think most people at Goodison felt the same way, and for those at Sunderland that 3-1 defeat must have been a bitter blow. I had hoped to go and see the match, but instead had to report to Goodison Park for training and treatment. As there was no match there, I saw no football at all last Saturday. Although my injured ankle still feels a little weak and I was not fit enough to play on Tuesday or to-day, I am hoping that if things progress at the present rate 1 will be ready, if required, next week-end. On Tuesday evening I was among the spectators at the match against Birmingham, at Goodison Park, which gave us a 3-0 victory and seems to have made people outside Merseyside wake up to the fact that Everton will fight every inch of the way to keep the League Championship. KAY IN FORM
I thought this was a sound Everton team performance against an unimpressive Birmingham side. One of our most enthusiastic young players, Barry Rees, came in at centre-forward, played well and scored a goal, but I thought the outstanding Everton player was Tony Kay, who seems to be back in his best form again. Brian Harris, who scored our only goal at Sunderland, was ill and unable to play, which meant that Jimmy Gabriel dropped back to his normal right half position. A Roy Vernon header and Dennis Stevens shot produced the other Everton goals. May I end by wishing the last of my F.A. Cup selections, Liverpool, the best of luck when they tackle Swansea Town in the sixth round at Anfield next Saturday, and congratulate them on staying in the competition longer than Everton. As the Cup is not coming to Goodison, there is no place I would rather see it go than Anfield.

EVERTON RES V ASTON VILLA RES
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 22 February 1964
Everton Res; Rankin; Harcombe, Parnell; Clarke, Heslop, Sharples; Shaw, Harvey, Young, Wright, Veall. Aston Villa Res; Wilson; Fraser, Briggs; Crowe, Chatterley, Pountney, MacEwan, Lee, Horne, Ewing, Martin (J). Referee; Mr. R. Leech (Manchester). Both goals had narrow escapes in the early stages as each team attacked in turn trying to find an opening. At 16 minutes Villa took the lead. Ewing picked up the ball about 60 yards out, beat two Everton defenders and put in a fierce shot which Rankin, who has been injured, could noting about. First team centre forward Young was showing some nice touches, but the Villa defence were giving little away. The Everton defence was very shaky in front of a Villa forward line which was playing some excellent football. After 35 minutes Villa increased their lead, Lee put in a lovely centre for MacEwan who had moved into the middle and Rankin never saw the Wingers shot. Half-time.- Everton Res nil, Aston Villa Res 2.

FORWARD FAILURES
Liverpool Daily Post- Monday, February 24, 1964
VALUABLE POINTS BUT EVERTON LACK STING
SHEFFIELD UNITED 0, EVERTON 0
By Jack Rowe
If Everton retain their First Division championship – and who would dare dismiss their chances? -they will look back on this Bramell Lane point as one of the hardest of the season, but one which could be decisive as the top teams reach the final fun-in. it may be said Everton were lucky to get a draw because United were by far the better looking attackers and because West, in the first half, was the complete goalkeeper, but a defence is entitled to reward for effort. I think it would have been an injustice if the Everton defence had some away without a reward.
COUPLE OF CHANGES?
They had to do most of the fighting because the forwards, with Vernon, Temple and Young missing and Gabriel returned to half-back were so innocuous that one cannot imagine manager Catterick going into next Friday’s home game with Villa without at least a couple of changes. We know this United defence, directed so well by Joe Shaw and operating an efficient offside trap, is never easy to beat, but the paucity of the Everton forward effort put such a burden on the men behind that if they had cracked the blame could easily have been directed elsewhere. For ten minutes or so there was hope that they might achieve something, but after that it was a case of falling into the offside trap or failing to making any progress from the occasional chance. Wingers cannot operate without the right kind of service and neither can a centre forward, so there might be a little excuses for Scott, Rees and Morrissey.
DAY TO FORGET
Hill who stood in for Vernon, had a day which he will want to forget and no one else will want to remember. Stevens, more and more, is becoming a defensive player and while I will never minimise his endeavour in this respect, the attack must suffer. It suffered on Saturday and so did Everton’s fans, who knew as well as anybody that if United scored it was all over. They did not score thanks to a fine defensive display on a pitch soft on top and hard underneath, which did not help the ball centred or foothold and on which mistakes were so easily made. West did not make one all through and his contribution was a big one, for in the first half, when United did all their shooting there was one save from the bustling young inside right Jones, which was really superb.
CONFIDENT WEST
The shot was low and swerving from close in and West had to fling himself down and sideways to get a hand to the ball. That save alone kept Everton in the game. His other saves were made confidently and the result of United’s failure to beat him before half-time was that afterwards the grip of the Everton defence was such that the goalkeeper scarcely had a shot to handle. Two men stood out in the Everton defence, Meagan and Kay. Meagan tamed his man early on and produced a fine display of positional sense, interception and control. Kay made only one mistake, a rather casual back pass to West which was cut off by Pace, but this apart played in a manner which suggests that if England can do without him, they are well off for half backs. Labone, Brown, and Gabriel not yet back to his right half best, also did well and by the finish had got so much on top of their jobs that like Everton, United did not look like getting a goal.
BETTER CHANCES
Ironically, Everton had probably the better chances, for in the first half when a rebound put Stevens onside, I thought he should have scored, but Hodgkinson was too quick and later we had Rees trying to dribble round the goalkeeper, who again reacted quickly enough to save the day. There were isolated moments from an Everton attack which fell so repeatedly into the offside trap that eventually a section of the crowd shouted, “We want football.” I can only assume they were Everton followers voicing their criticism of United’s tactics, but tactics are there to be beaten, and if a side lacks the imagination or initiative to beat them the fault is theirs. United looked the better attackers because they were direct and in command for most of the first half. Inside forwards Jones and Wagstaff showed with great promise, with Jones the shooter and runner. The fade-out after half-time was due to kay and Gabriel, for once these two youngsters were shackled United’s sting disappeared. Everton never had any….
Sheffield United; Hodgkinson; Coldwell, Shaw G; Richardson, Shaw J, Matthewson; Docherty, Jones, Pace, Wagstaff, Hartle. Everton; West; Brown, Meagan; Gabriel, Labone, Kay; Scott, Stevens, Rees, Hill, Morrissey. Referee Mr. J.S. Pickles (Stockport). Attendance 20,032.

CENTRAL LEAGUE
Liverpool Daily Post- Monday, February 24, 1964
VILLA KEPT BALL ON THE GROUND
EVERTON RES 1, ASTON VILLA RES 2
Villa, who last week took a point from Liverpool Reserves at Anfield, moved with precision and were much too good for Everton. The hard ground and blustery wind made the ball control tricky, but Villa soon learned to keep it on the ground and at 16 minutes took the lead when Ewing went through on his own. In 35 minutes MacEwan scored from Lee’s pass. The home defence always appeared vulnerable and Rankin playing for the first time after being injured a few weeks ago, got little chance to settle down. With the exception of Veall, who produced the best shot of the match, the forwards led by Young were well controlled by the Villa defence. Everton’s goal came unexpectedly at 56 minutes through half-back Sharples who found himself with only goalkeeper Wilson to beat.

EVERTON AIMED FOR AWAY POINT AND ACHIEVED IT
Liverpool Echo - Monday 24 February 1964
By Michael Charters
Everton achieved the point they set out to get at Sheffield United on Saturday, playing a defensive game and hoping that they might snatch a goal if the breaks went their way. But the forward line, with three reserves, didn't look as if they would score if they played an extra hour so the goalless draw was the best they could hope for. Only twice did Everton come close to scoring, andeach opening came from a United mistake rather than by their own creation. Stevens, in an offside position, was played on by a United defender but delayed his shot so long that the competent Hodgkinson was able to come out and smother the ball. Then Rees, his inexperience plainly obvious against the cultured positional play and ball controlof Joe Shaw, collected are bound from Matthewsonand tried to dribble around goalkeeper instead of hitting the ball first time. Hodgkinson went down,scooped the ball away and from that moment on was never troubled. Everton's forwards, caught offside more than a dozen times, were poor, individually and collectively. The Shaw - inspired offside tactic, operating with a smooth precision which commends admiration for its effectiveness, brought a "we want football" chant from the Everton supporters. One could understand their frustration but the offside game can be beaten if a player holds the ball and goes through on his own: Everton didn't have a forward capable of doing that and the absence of Vernon was a blow.Conditions were difficult with a greasy surface on an iron-hard ground. Players slid and skidded around and it needed top-class control to move quickly with the ball. Sheffield looked the better team in this respect.
DEFENSIVE BATTLE
Because the game became so much a defensive battle, it lacked real excitement and entertainment value. Everton's defence was in trouble in the first half when the tall, strong youngster Jones made a series of dangerous runs and shots, but after that danger was ended, they kept United very quiet and had a splendid second half. In that half - hour spell when the United attack moved really well, they were kept out by magnificent goalkeeping by West, who more than atoned for his indifferent game a week earlier. He made three diving saves from Jones, the highlight being his lightning-quick reaction when Jones hit the ball hard and true from close range. West flung himself to his left and parried the ball with his outstretched arm-this was the point winner indeed. Then he saved again from Hartle and Pace, all before half-time, so his efforts alone kept Everton in the game with a chance. United's attack disappeared from view subsequently, because the Everton defence played so soundly. Meagan, the best player on the field- his ball skill has never looked better when so many other players were floundering on the problem pitch—Kay and Labone all played splendidly, while Brown and Gabriel, in a lesser way, did very well. Similarly the United stars were in defence. Both Joe Shaw and Graham Shaw were faultless with wing halves Matthewson and Richardson controlling the Everton inside forwards.
JONES' PROMISE
With Stevens pulled back to play a defensive role, Everton’s attacking plan needed striking force in the middle. Neither Rees nor Hillcould provide it, and as Scott and Morrissey made little headway through the offside trap Everton's threat to United was very slim. Because it was so defensively - minded, this match could not be compared with the football treat in the game between them at Goodison earlier this season. Jones, a most promising player who normally appears at centre forward, could get United back to winning form and a player of his type would help Everton too. He is as good a prospect of his type I have seen for some time. For Everton, the lesson was obvious that without Vernon the forwards misfire badly. If Young can return after injury to his best form, and Vernon hit a scoring streak, they will be able to sustain their a challenge to retain the championship. Without that they will be struggling in attack.

HICKSON SUSPENDED
Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 26 February 1964
Dave Hickson, the former Everton, Aston Villa and Tranmere Rovers centre-forward who is now player manager of Ballymena was suspended for four weeks by the Irish F.A. last night. He was ordered off in a recent Irish League match when playing for Ballymena against Glenavon.

WHAT’S GOT INTO OUR FANS?
Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 26 February 1964
By Leslie Edwards
What's got into football ? Or rather, what's got into followers of the game ? A few days ago I gave a long letter from a London friend who was disturbed by his spectatorial experiences at the Arsenal-Liverpool game. What he said so impressed the Everton Manager, Mr. Catterick, he volunteered the opinion that my correspondenthad touched the precise “sore” spot of football in 1964—the inability of crowds to take defeat graciously. To-day results are paramount. Otherwise why would the world go Beatles barmy? Why would fans who are prepared to cheer their team at one moment suddenly change completely and become vicious barrackers? One would think a team as successful as Liverpool would be free from derision. But here is one of their followers, H. Lussey, of 76 Scorton Street, Anfield, appealing to the minority faction to give players a fairer break. There was some slow handclapping and wild barracking of Liverpool men in the match against Birmingham. "In my opinion," says my correspondent, “this cannot do the morale of the team anything but harm, especially at this stage of the season when every bit of encouragement from the crowd is vital."
Mr. Lussey is right. Encouragement is never required more urgently than when things are not going right. The tendency in League football is for the side two or three goals ahead to get encouragement it scarcely needs and, for the side one, two or three goals down to get none at all. There Is more chanting at our senior grounds when our sides are in front than there is when they are a goal down. The reverse should be true. What amazes Mr. Catterick and this columist is that fans can be so changed by the course and result of a match. Reasonable, intelligent, fair-minded people become so biased over football they rate the description fiends rather than fanatics. They call for the blood of a player—home or visiting—or the referee or linesman immediately things start to go against them. Their venom then is often almost boundless. Is it reasonable to expect that such spectators should give opposing players a fair break? I think not.
Roars of rage
I have seen offences by players at Goodison Park and Anfield this season greeted with discreet silence: if the same offences had been committed by others roars of range would have all but brought down the roof. The same thing applies at nearly every other ground in the country except for the cosmopolitan spots—some of them in London-where both teams. I find, are given a fair crack. Managements are not free, either, from the criticism of supporters who can't abide anything but a winning side. We've had a few experiences in this city of the animosity of crowds when our teams lose where they are expected to win. Somebody's head is always for the chopper. Everyone is wife after the event. This is a sickening aspect of professional football. It wasn't always like this and, I hope, won't always continue to be...
Everton have signed teams of star players this season. Harry Catterick must have been as amused as I have been to see the many references to his interest in this or that player. Some of them must have been rather mischievous; most of them have been completely wide of the mark. But how about this paragraph which appeared a few days ago: "Spurs' boss Bill Nicholson was at the Everton v. Birmingham match on Monday. Object of the interest, say the wise ones, was Brum winger, Terry Hennessey. But Bill, I hear, was also interested in a man not playing, Everton inside forward Alex Scott. The man who drew my attention to It. Mr. G. M. Ellis, of 218 Walton Hall Avenue, asks: - Just how wrong can one get?

EVERTON SIGNING
Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 26 February 1964
Young Centre Forward From South Liverpool
Tony McLoughlin, South Liverpool's amateur centre forward, last night signed for Everton as a professional. McLoughlin, who was 17 last month, has played only three first-team games for South Liverpool this season, but recently completed a week's trial with Blackpool. He scored three goals for their "A" team last Saturday against Preston "A". Manager Ron Suart was keen to sign McLoughlin, but Everton stepped in yesterday with attractive terns. McLoughlin lives in Garston.
VILLA TEAM
WRIGHT MISSES GAME AGAINST EVERTON
Mick Wright, Aston Villa’s 17 years-old right back, misses the game against Everton at Goodison Park on Friday evening. Wright, from Ellesmere Port who has played in 32 consecutive League and Cup matches since making his debut in September, will be away with the England youth team in Spain. His place goes to the experienced Gordon Lee. Aston Villa; Sidebottom; Lee, Aitken; Tindall, Slueewenhoek, Deakin, Fencott, Wylie, Woosnam, Graham, Burrows.

EVERTON TO STAGE BENEFIT FOR DIXIE DEAN
Liverpool Echo - Thursday 27 February 1964
By Leslie Edwards
Everton F.C. hope to arrange a full-scale benefit match for William Ralph Dean, their one time centre-forward whose sixty League goals in a season in 1927-28 helped his club to the League championship trophy and set a scoring mark which has never been equalled much less surpassed. The date Everton have in mind is Tuesday, April 7. What form the game will take is occupying the mind of Everton Manager, Harry Catterick, who favours an England v. Scotland match. The difficulty at that stage in the season is getting the services of players whose clubs may be committed in League or Cup. The only man still playing who was a contemporary of Dean is that other incomparable, Stanley Matthews. Whether he plays in the game or whether he is called in to act as referee is not yet known. If the match were made sufficiently attractive I don't doubt that tens of thousands of Everton fans would be prepared to pay double admission to help a player who had no testimonial game. After finishing his career with an Irish club, Dean became licensee of a Chester house." He was there for many years. Ill-health caused him to relinquish the job and for the past year or two he has been living in Birkenhead and working at the job his old club found for him. The majority of people who follow Everton to-day never saw Dean kick a ball, but I am sure they would be as anxious as all the old-timers to help his old club provide tangible help for his old age. There was only one Dixie. If he had played in 1964 he would have rated a £250,000 transfer fee. Where stars now receive between £60 and £l00 per week Dean used to get £8 plus a bonus of £2 for a win and £1 for a draw: No footballer I ever saw, except, perhaps Billy Liddell, was so responsible for the success of his team. If and when the match takes place I think it likely that Goodison Park will be taxed to capacity. And for all who were present when Dean scored his sixtieth of the season against Arsenal in those far off days the occasion would be a “must.”
WHEN TO CHEER
Mr. Alf Cummings (1 Warburton Street, Low Hill) says: -"I would like to comment on supporters of Everton. Some 15,000 of us went to Roker Park. I could have sworn they all fell asleep on the journey and never woke up! Apart from one spell of chanting and songs BEFORE kick-off they were hardly heard at all! "Obviously, the team gave them little to cheer about, but I would like to emphasise that the only time a cheer is of any value is when the team is playing badly! Any crowd can yell their heads off when their team is in the lead, but it takes a real supporter to howl encouragement when his team is going down! "How many Everton fans can remember the Maine Road semi-final Everton v. Bolton in 1954 the cheers that greeted Everton's second half entry on to the field were fantastic. Everton were 0-4 down! Where has this spirit gone? "Can I, through the medium of your column, urge Everton's fans to cheer, chant, sing and shout in all remaining games this season, regardless of the score? Whilst the tragic injury crisis and lengthy loss of form this season have caused near depression to supporters, this is certainly the time when incessant cheering is really needed. "I enjoy your column and the space you give to supporters who wish to clear their chests. This fanatic hopes this letter will help to stir Everton's giant following into realising that, while the team may not have blazed the trail so far this season, they haven't had the support that anyone representing Scouseland deserves! "Your reports are fair, accurate and unbiased. Here's hoping for many more seasons of this uncommon style of sports reporting."

YOUNG TO LEAD EVERTON AGAINST VILLA
Liverpool Echo - Thursday 27 February 1964
VERNON AND TEMPLE BACK
By Leslie Edwards
Good news for Everton supporters. Alex Young, Roy Vernon and Derek Temple are back. Young leads the attack to-morrow night at Goodison Park against Aston Villa, a team who were more than a little interested when, with Vernon, he was dropped by Everton some weeks ago. Young had a trial run with the reserves a week ago and has trained hard with the first team all week. He is anxious I am told, to get back into his old niche to help prove his point that Everton are as good as they were a season ago when starting their long successful run to the title. Everton; West; Brown, Meagan; Gabriel, Labone, Kay; Scott, Stevens, Young, Vernon, Temple.

YOUNG BACK FOR FIRST LEAGUE GAME OF YEAR
Liverpool Daily Post- Friday, February 28, 1964
By Horace Yates
With Vernon, Young and Temple back in the side, the Everton forward line looks much more like an attack than it did at Sheffield last Saturday, and if they can collect two points from the visit of Aston Villa to Goodison Park to-night (kick-off) they will soar into the second place for the first time this season. It will be Young’s first League game of the year. With only three away victories to their credit Aston Villa do not appear to pose an outsize problem, but so often do lowly teams succeed in making things awkward for their better placed rivals that Everton will take nothing for granted. They will remember the terrific fight lowly Birmingham offered recently despite losing a first minute goal. If further warning is necessary, they will not have forgotten that Villa had two goals in the Liverpool net inside nine minutes last week.
VILLA’S CHANCE
Moreover, since Villa were promoted, they have won drawn and lost in their three visits to Goodison, ignoring that infamous Cup shock in 1959. Manager Joe Mercer revels in surprising his old team. With almost as strong a side as they can field Everton have ability and to spare to ensure that their belated challenge for League honours shall not receive an unexpected set-back here. Villa have to make one change, Ken Fencott having failed a fitness test. Jimmy MacEwan takes over at outside right. Tommy Ewing, Villa’s utility forward who was expected to join Plymouth Argyle, has declined the move after the clubs had agreed terms. He cost the Midlands’ club £20,000 when signed from Patrick Thistle two years ago. I don’t think Everton’s attendance is likely to suffer in any way as a result of the game being advanced a day. An indication of the wonderful season Everton have enjoyed financially came with a tip I received yesterday that the club are now in a position to repay to their chairman, Mr. John Moores the last instalment on the generous loan he made for the purchase of players. For all the handsome payment, Everton make to their stars, I doubt if any club in the country is more prudently managed financially. It is like a breath of fresh air to find Everton making the most of the splendid support they receive. Everton; West; Brown, Meagan; Gabriel, Labone, Kay; Scott, Stevens, Young, Vernon, Temple. Aston Villa; Sidebottom; Lee, Aitken; Tindall, Sleeuwenhock, Deakin; MacEwan, Wylie, Woosnam, Graham, Burrows.

DIVISION ONE LEAGUE GAMES
Liverpool Daily Post – Friday, February 28, 1964
EVERTOIN ONLY UNDEFEATED SIDE THIS YEAR
Says Roy Vernon
Now here’s a fine kettle of fish! I don’t think there is a club in the country which comes under more critical observation than Everton. The slightest opening and down the critics swoop, and yet one fact has obviously gone unnoticed -Everton are the only team in the First Division which has not lost a League game this year! That fact will surprise many people -yet it is true. You can look at Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Arsenal, Leicester City, and all those clubs who are supposed to be going hot and strong in the chase after the Championship, put they have all been beaten. I doubt if any of them have had to contend with anything like our troubles. We are still far from being injury free,but the position is improving, just at the right time to help us to finish the season the wonderful scenes we knew and enjoyed last season when we took the Championship. At this stage of my career, I don’t need to be told that there is no such thing in First Division football as an easy match. For all that I would not swop our remaining fixture list with that of any of our rivals. If we are good enough, and I believe we are, the road is wide open to us to sail right through to a title repeat. If we win the Championship, I think we can fairly make the claim that no club has ever done it in face of greater players. We did not please everybody by the way we beat Birmingham City 3-0 but look at the way Liverpool had to struggle to gain a 2-1 victory. As I have said before, it is not always the club near the foot of the table that provides the easiest passenger. For them, with relegation a haunting spectre, every match is a match that must be won, and enthusiasm can sometimes compensate for lack of skill. It is freely acknowledged throughout football that the most difficult thing any relegated club can experience is to climb back into the top selection. Some manage it more quickly than others, but it is still a tremendous task. Liverpool’s experience to the Second Division is too recent for their supporters to need any reminding of the trouble involved in winning promotion. Ask Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Newcastle and numerous other clubs what they think about it, and the reply will leave you in no doubt. If we win our match against Aston Villa at Goodison Park to-night the seriousness of our Championship challenge will be apparent to all, for with our total of points increased to forty we will step up above Liverpool who are at the moment in second place. Tell me the Anfield boys will have three matches in hand if you like, but don’t be too surprised if I am not impressed by the force of that argument. I seem to remember last season Spurs were chasing us with matches in hand. Give me points in the table. It is an elusive sort of comfort for these games in hand have a nasty habit of falling to produce the points.
IMPRESSIVE LIST
As the games ate ticked off, more and more am I brought round to the belief that this may be Liverpool’s Cup year (and we all wish them well in this connection) but in the end I think you will find Everton will prove to be Merseyside’s biggest hope for the League title. Just another little point, but of some importance in the trials that lie ahead. Have you noticed how many teams have failed to score against Everton this season? It is an impressive looking list for it has now grown to twelve matches. Liverpool with supposedly the best defensive record of any club, can point to only seven rivals who have not scored. Yes, there is more strength in this Everton side than many people are apparently willing to concede, but events may bring the truth home to them with a bang before very much longer…

EVERY CHANCE…
Liverpool Echo - Friday 28 February 1964
By Leslie Edwards
Meanwhile, we have to-night, as a Cup-tie aperitif, the meeting at Goodison Park of Everton and Aston Villa. Everton won a tough match at Villa a month or two ago; now Villa come here minus Hateley, their good centre-forward for whom Woosnam deputises, and that very good young Ellesmere Port boy, Wright, who has made a niche for himself at full-back. The occasion will be notable for the return of Alex Young to the Everton attack. This will please the crowd and will give the central position the expertise it has lacked for a week or two. Young is still an entertainment in himself. I am told he is as keen as anyone to show that Everton can repeat their championship. An Everton victory would confirm what all their followers believe—that they have started another long, strong run to the top.

FOOTBALL FANTASY AT GOODISON
Liverpool Daily Post- Saturday, February 29, 1964
REFEREE AND GOALKEEPER CARRIED OFF
EVERTON 4 ASTON VILLA 2
By Horace Yates
Football fantasy at Goodison Park! If ever there was an occasion when a scoreline failed to tell the story of a match, this was it, not that Everton were underserved winners, but the goals were only a part of the remarkable events, that turned the game inside out. As a result of the points however, Everton advance into second place to make their challenge for League honours obvious to all. To begin a first half of sensation after sensation Villa goalkeeper Sidebottom injured in a collision, with Sidebottom obviously coming off the worst. Then, the referee Mr. W.H. Holian (Chesterfield) was accidentally charged in the back and pulled a thigh muscle as the tell. He was unable to rise. For the second time this season at Goodison we saw a referee being carried off on a stretcher and a linesman taking control, but before Mr. H. Burns had any opportunity to show his prowess, it was noticed that Sidebottom, with no-one near him, had collapsed and fallen full length like a fainting Guardsman in a Colour Trooping ceremony. He too was taken to the dressing room on a stretcher, with centre half Sleeuwenhock deputising in goal.
SIX MINUTES DELAY
These incidents held up play for six minutes and during this time an SOS message was broadcast for a spectator. Then came a gramophone record. Out went an appeal for a linesman and Everton’s chief coach Ron Lewis, stepped into the breach. Long before this, Everton had fallen a goal into arrears, scored by Burrows after five minutes, following leading up play by Deakin and Woosnam. Almost as soon as the game was under way again, Everton were level. Vernon crossed the ball and Young headed back to Stevens to throw himself forward and force the ball over the line. Villa appealed loud and long for offside against Young, but the referee stood by Mr. Lewin’s view that everything was in order. Right up to the centre of the field Villa disputed the goal and at this stage a qualified linesman, Mr. J.D. Jones (Moreton) who had been in the stand came on to take over from the coach. It was terribly unfortunate from everybody’s point of view that a decision such as this (right or wrong) did not fail to a neutral ruling. This chapter of incidents had been preceded by one in which Kay’s boot ripped Wylie’s jersey right up the front and before play was restarted the referee inspected the studs on both of Kay’s boots. It was not long before there was a further clash and Wylie’s name was taken by the referee.
FIRST OF THREE
He was only the first of three Villa players to be so reprimanded, for Sleeuenbock and Graham also erred. The match suffered seriously from outbursts of ill-temper unsporting play and gamesmanship. Sleeuwenbock’s offence was no more serious than expressing dissent with the award of a free kick to Everton by kicking the ball into touch. Another unworthy comic interlude occurred when a Villa player placed the ball for a free kick several yards from the point of the offence. Vernon promptly put the ball into touch. Back in was brought and again placed two or three yards from touch. The referee attempted to tap it back to the position he had indicated and into touch it went to the great merriment of the crowd. As if by act of Providence a mist descended over the ground and obscured much of the second half play, at least from the stands, although judging by the reactions of the crowd they fared better. The cheers indicated possibly that had we been able to see the whole of the match it might have been easier to draw a more favourable impression. It was too testy and ill-tempered for my liking and when manager Harry Catterick after the game described it as “Too rough the enjoyment,” I could only concur. To complete the scoring picture, Everton went into the lead in 54 minutes when Vernon was felled in the penalty area. He took the kick and against such a specialist, the raw (from a goalkeeper point of view) Sleeuwenhock had no chance of saving.
YOUNG CELEBRATES
Young celebrated his return to the side by scoring in 65 minutes, with an opportunity laid on for him in front of goal by the combined efforts of Vernon and Scott. The fourth goal came in 71 minutes when Scott moved in from the wing and shot straight at the goalkeeper, collected the rebound and became the fourth Everton forward to enter his name on the score-sheet. Only non-marksman of the Everton attack was Temple, for whom this was hardly one of his most successful games, although the fact that he took a knock on the ankle which kept him out of the side last week, must undoubtedly have been a handicap. Lee may not have looked quite such a competent back if Temple had been fully fit. Even with Everton 4-1 in the lead, Villa playing with ten men, struck back and Graham lifted the ball over West’s head to complete the scoring. Only a few minutes before West, not put to any great amount of trouble, accomplished the best save of the night with a sideways leap to keep out a fine shot from Deakin. Constructive criticism is difficult in view of the greatly reduced visibility and the fact that Villa’s plans were destroyed by the loss of their goalkeeper. How the game would have gone if Sidebottom had not been injured, no one can say, but it is reasonably certain that Everton would have had to fight far harder for their reward. The attendance of 50,292 indicated that the switching of the game to Friday evening was a popular experiment. Sidebottom was removed to hospital at Broadgreen for observation. Everton; West; Brown, Meagan; Gabriel, Labone, Kay; Scott, Stevens, Young, Vernon (Captain), Temple. Aston Villa; Sidebottom; Lee, Aitken; Tindall, Sleeuwenhock, Deakin; MacEwan, Wylie, Woosnam, Graham, Burrows. Referee; Mr. W.H. Holian (Chesterfield). Attendance 50,292.

EVERTON MAY PLAY IN HONG KONG
Liverpool Daily Post, Saturday, February 29, 1964
Everton, who make a close season tour of Australia this summer may also play in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong F.A announced that they were negotiating for Everton to stop in Hong Kong on their way to Australia.

VILLA ‘KEEPER SPENDS NIGHT IN HOSPITAL
Liverpool Daily Post, Saturday, February 29, 1964
A crowd of 50,292 at Goodison Park last night watched a game packed with dramatic incidents in which Everton beat Aston Villa 4-2. Everton were a goal down after five minutes and after thirty-four minutes, play was held up for six minutes when Geoff Sidebottom, the goalkeeper was injury in a collision with Alex Young. Both players resumed after attention, but then the referee Mr. W.M. Holigan, of Chesterfield, collapsed in the centre of the field, having pulled a thigh muscle, which left him helpless. Mr. Holian was taken on a stretcher. Before the deputy, linesman Mr. H. Burns (Leyland), could resume play, Sidebottom collapsed in his own his own penalty area and he, too, was carried off on a stretcher with delayed concussion. He was later taken to Broadgreen Hospital, where he was detained overnight for observation. The Villa centre-half, John Sleeuwenhoak, went into goal.
COACHING STAFF MAN STANDS IN
One of the Everton coaching staff took over as linesman until Mr. J.D. Jones, of Moreton (Wirral), who was watching the game, offered his services. Everton equalised on the interval and then fog descended on the scene making it difficult for the play to be followed. Scorers for Everton whose win ousted Liverpool from second position in the First Division were Stevens, Vernon (penalty), Young and Scott.

MARCH IS VITAL MONTH TO DECIDE THE TITLE
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 29 February 1964
By Alex Young
During March things should sort themselves out at the top of the First Division. Each of the leading teams has to play half a dozen games, and Tottenham, who are out in front at the moment, tackle three of their main challengers. Tottenham's stiff programme starts next Saturday, when Everton are at White Hart Lane. We intend to show them that if they are going to take the League Championship from us, then they will have to pull something extra special out of the bag. Both Everton and Tottenham have now played 32 games, and it is interesting to note that at the same stage in last season's programme Spurs led us by three points. Ten matches later, at the end of the season, we were six points in front of them. A repeat of that Everton finishing burst seems to be called for, and now that our injury troubles are clearing up there seems every reason for feeling confident that we can do it. The sporting event of the month is, of course, the Grand National, which is being held on the 21st, but this year it faces a strong challenge from football for the most prominent place. Just look at some of the matches due to be played on "National" day—Blackburn v. Everton, Tottenham v. Manchester United, West Ham v. Arsenal and Sunderland v. Preston. All are vital championship games and will surely attract a large following.
EASTER PROGRAMME
Right on top of this exciting week-end comes the three-match Easter holiday programme, in which all Merseyside fans will be hoping that Fulham pick up quite a few points as they play Manchester United (twice) and Tottenham. Tottenham's other two games at Easter are, of course, against our rivals from Anfield. Yes—things are really warming up at the top of Division One. Outside football, the most popular game at the moment is badminton. For some time we have played our own version of the game in the gym, using heavy wooden bats, but recently the club have bought new racquets. &c., and we have started to take things more seriously. These badminton sessions certainly helped to strengthen my injured ankle. Talking of injuries, Alex Parker is making good progress after his cartilage operation and should be home early next week. Alex is one of the most popular members of the Everton playing staff and there has been a constant stream of visitors to his bedside at a local nursing home. Incidentally, he asks me to pass on his thanks to all the fans who have sent him "get well" cards.
RESERVES GAME
Last Saturday, while the first team was collecting a valuable point at Sheffield United, I gave my ankle a try-out in the Central League side at Goodison Park. Andy Rankin and George Heslop, two others who have been on the injured list, also played, and we all came through without any after effects. The only thing which went wrong was that we lost 2-1. Villa are a good side, however, and fully deserved their victory. They are top of the Central League at the moment and their side had a little too much experience for the rather young Everton team. Such well known players as Cammie Fraser, Vic Crowe, Jimmy MacEwan and Tommy Ewing turned out for Villa. McEwan and Ewing scoring the goals. For Everton, I thought Ray Veall had a good game on the left wing and he cracked in one of the best first-time shots I have seen for some time. Unfortunately for Ray, Bob Wilson, in the Villa goal, made a fine save. When I was watching the Manchester United v. Sporting (Lisbon) European Cup Winners' Cup match on television this week, I could not help thinking that there might have been a much different result to our European match with Inter- Milan if the Italians' defence had played the same way as the Portuguese rearguard did.
MIDFIELD GAPS
Denis Law had a very good game, but he must have been surprised at the gaps which were left for him to dash down the middle. Alex Scott and Derek Temple would have had quite a night out against Inter if they had been allowed to trap the ball and take it up to the full back in the way Sporting permitted United's wingmen to do. United well deserved their win, and on this form must have a very good chance of keeping the cup, won by Totetnham last season, in England.

THE ROMANCE OF THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 29 February 1964
LEAGUE FOUNDER BROUGHT ORDER OUT OF CHAOS
The Football League was the first of its kind in the world. It was the pioneer of competitive home-and-away matches, points, promotion and relegation yes, and of the oft-criticised but essential transfer system. It set the pattern which a hundred countries have copied. It has thus been responsible for providing millions of people of every race end creed with rich entertainment week by week. Now the pioneer competition has reached its 75th birthday, so the occasion is taken to present the story of its early trials and troubles and of its amazing growth. This begins with the League's formation and 50 years of continued progress. It concludes with the tremendous developments of the quarter of a century, between 1938 and 1963.. . .
Before the Football League cam e into existence the game had been carried on for a number of years under the rules of the Football Association, but in a more or less casual, haphazard way. That is to say, there was little fixity about the fixtures, which were subject to even last-minute cancellation, or at least delay, according to the private interest or whim of the players. It was not uncommon thing for spectators to arrive at a ground to find the match abandoned because a club "could not raise a team" or the players had "missed their connection." Even when the County Associations were formed and County Cup competitions were organised the same uncertainty of arrangements subsisted, so that public interest in the game was discouraged and chilled, and it made no headway. Some indication of its limited scope in those days is afforded by the fact that when the Football Association Cup Competition was formed on July 20, 1871, no more than 15 clubs entered, and it had but a parochial or at all events a Metropolitan appeal. The first real development followed the appearance in Lancashire-often under mysterious circumstances—of Scottish players who had strayed over the Border or been surreptitiously spirited across, and by others who had conveniently "missed the train back" home after coming down with Scottish clubs to visit English clubs.
CRISS
The precise reasons which gave rise to this invasion do not matter a great deal to-day. What is important to remember is that these were the days of amateurism, and that the influx of so many Scotsmen under suspicious circumstances led to a crisis which had far-reaching consequences. Open professionalism was bound to come, and it was this movement which brought it about and, incidentally, created the birth of the Football League. As the recognition of the paid player and the more widespread adoption of the system increased the financial commitments and responsibilities of the clubs, it became a serious matter to those clubs which suffered from the still prevalent looseness regarding the fulfilment of fixtures without any means of redress. It was not uncommon thing to find games started 30, 40, and even 60 minutes late, often after intending spectators had returned home. There were no guarantees and laxity went unpunished. Obviously such a state of things could not continue if the game was to make progress and the clubs were to be justified in their policy or making the game as attractive as possible. So Mr. William McGregor, a Scotsman living in Birmingham and associated with Aston Villa, conceived the idea of bringing into operation the principle now universally called the League system.
NEIGHBOURS
An interesting link with those far-off days was provided by Mr. F. W. Rinder, later senior vice-president of the League. He was a friend and neighbour of Mr. McGregor during the days, in 1886 and 1887, when the founder was engaged in travelling about the Midlands with the object of interesting clubs and football officials in his scheme preparatory to its being actually launched, and was present at both the foundation meetings called in the early months of 1882. Mr. Rinder's account of the preliminary measures which were taken shows a certain degree of doubt of it, even of suspicion. In some quarters. In Sheffield, for example. It was feared that such an organisation would be antagonistic to the Football Association, and moreover, would be too costly to the clubs, and it was this attitude which led to the absence of Sheffield Wednesday from the League’s original 12 members. As there were then no professional clubs south ofBirmingham, further strength had to be sought in the north, and, with the active interest of Mr. J. J. Bentley, Preston North End, Blackburn Rovers, Burnley and Bolton Wanderers were among those asked to attend the meeting on March 22, 1888, at Anderton's Hotel, London, the others being Aston Villa, Stoke, Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Bromwich Albion, Notts County and Derby County. At this meeting there were framed a number of proposals along lines commonly agreed upon as a preliminary.
1 To form a League or Union of 12 of the most prominent clubs, the 12 selected being Accrington, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Derby County, Everton, Notts County, Preston North End, Stoke, West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
2. That all matches should be played under the Cup rules of the Football Association, but any bonafide member of a club shall be allowed to play providing he shall not have played with any other club in this Union or League during the same season.
3. That each club shall be expected to play its full strength in all matches.
4. That the gross gates be divided in all matches (this not to interfere with reserved stand members or season tickets).
5. That the price of admission shall be at the option of the home club
6. That the average shall be taken from wins, draws and losses and not from the number of goals scored.
7. That the four clubs having the lowest average shall retire but shall be eligible for re-election. This was the culmination of spadework which had proceeded for over a year, and a month later (April 17. 1888) a second meeting was held at the Royal Hotel, Manchester, when the actual building began. This date may be fixed as the actual establishment of the Football League, the clubs selected as the most suitable 12 all being represented.
BIRTH PAINS
The original title suggested by Mr. McGregor was considered open to confusion with that of the Rugby Football Union, and although he himself was not impressed by the term “league,” owing to its use by political and other bodies, the name by which it has been known so distinctively and honourably throughout its history was adopted - League." The Football League.” This first of all League competitions in the then small football world had, of course, its birth pains. The first attempt to arrange fixtures broke down because Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, and Burnley were not represented, and eventually a scheme had to adopted whereby the lists should be forwarded to the Secretary by August 7, the competition to be completed by March 31. Then there was the appointment of referees: the clubs had to agree on an official, failing which the Secretary named the man. A considerable time elapsed before the various disagreements were straightened out, and it makes strange reading to find that the first season's play was well under way when, on November 21, the basis of reckoning was altered to its present form. The supreme justification of such an anomalous proceeding lies in the fact that it did establish the principle of two points for a win and one for a draw which has stood throughout and has become the accepted standard for almost every form of competitive sport run on League lines. The bottom four clubs had to retire under the first code of rules, but already a fractional difference in goal-average, which long years afterwards automatically operated, created some controversy. Aston Villa and Bolton Wanderers finished level except for this slight disparity, and the League settled it by exempting both from going to the vote. In 1891 the first extension was decided upon by the addition of two more members, and how things were moving in the way of growth is perhaps best gathered from the fact that besides the four which retired six others sought acceptance. All this was evidence of a desire for development and a Second Division of 12 clubs was formed (1892). Up to this point the constitution of the First Division had been determined by vote, that is so far as the open or elective places were concerned, but at the end of season 1892-3 there was first recognised the principle of promotion by merit, even though the process was not that of to-day. It consisted of "test matches." which were afterwards found to be very unsatisfactory and were abandoned at the close of the 1898-8 season. Originally, under this system the three lowest clubs in the First Division had to meet the three leaders of the Second, and we had the spectacle of the Champions of the Second being beaten by the bottom club of the First, what time the two below them in the order qualified to go up! There was no return fixture. In 1896 what might be called the "sudden death" principle was abandoned as unfair, and each club concerned now reduced to the bottom two and top two to be –had to meet of the other three twice, a specious arrangement designed to help the first Division pair. This meant eight matches in all, but yet the scheme was not fool-proof, because two of the number did not meet at all. At the end of 1897-8 season the arrangement resulted in what looked desperately like an “arrangement” for when the last two matches came to be played. Stoke and Burnley found that if each got a point from their meeting at Stoke both would be safe, the one to keep its place, the other to gain promotion. Rather providentially, it would seem, the result was a goalless draw, so providential, In fact, that League decided it was time to put a stop to a system which had always been clumsy and often had brought about a perversion of the football values of the season's play. The two clubs Inch were held to have suffered by what had happened were Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United, and the way out adopted was to extend the Second Division to 18 clubs and find places in the First for all four.

MOST FREAKISH AND EVENTFUL GAME PLAYED AT GOODISON
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 29 February 1964
REFEREE AND GOALKEEPER ARE CARRIED OFF
By Leslie Edwards
The most freakish, most eventful game ever played at Goodison Park. That is the only apt description of the game last night in Everton beat Aston Villa by 4-2 and so moved into second place in the League table. It would take chapters to describe in detail what happened. This in brief is what 50,000 spectators saw; six goals, one from a penalty: two from referees, the original one having been carried off on a stretcher: three linesmen, oneof them the Everton coach Everton Ron. Lewin; goalkeeper Sidebottom, of Villa, also carried off by stretcher, the victim of delayed action concussion: three Villa players booked inthe first half: three sitters missed by Everton, and to cap everything an almost impenetrable fog in the stadium, but not in the surrounding streets, throughout the second half, to make it almost impossible from the stands to identify scorers. An interval of some seven minutes elapsed just after the half hour, when Villa led by a goal by Burrows, while the two stretcher cases were removed from the scene.
TWISTED KNEE
First Mr. W.M. Hollan, of Chesterfield the referee was accidentally “crossed” by an Everton player and fell back awkwardly, twisting a knee in the process. While ambulance men and players crowded round to attend him, the Villa goalkeeper Sidebottom, who had earlier received a blow to the chin when making a save, fell forward on his face like a pole-axed heavyweight. The Villa players rushed from the referee to their own casualty, and after a long delay he too, was taken off by stretcher. The first referee had booked Wylie, of Villa, immediately after that player’s shirt had been so torn there was an immediate on-the-pitch examination of Kay’s studs. Linesman H. Burns, who took over from Mr. Hollan, then booked Sleeuwenhoek, who had taken over in goal from Sidebottom, and Graham and immediately after Stevens had countered Burrows goal police manhandled from the terraces in front of the main stand a protesting spectators who had offended them by word or action.
BLACK-OUT
By any standards as incredible match with the almost complete black-out of the second half running the occasion as a spectacle and leaving thousands of frustrated fans disappointed that they missed so much of what, if we could only have been seen it, was one of the bravest of efforts by a 10-man Villa to recover from being 4-1 down after holding a goal lead until they lost Sidebottom and looking like the finest Villa side we’ve seen for seasons. They scored two fine goals. The first from a free kick by Deakin came from a through pass by Woosnam which Burrows immediately turned on, shooting the ball low beyond the goalkeeper. The second was a brave effort from graham, who was so damaged in scoring he was little more than a passenger for the final quarter hour. Everton made the score 1-1 when Young looking suspiciously near to being off-side, turning the ball on to the goal line from the right, and Stevens, throwing himself at it headed it into the net as he fell to the turf. Vernon, brought down in the penalty area at 55 minutes, recovered in time to take the award from the spot and put his side in front. Then Young shot the ball home close in from a pass from the right and Scott, regaining possession after the goalkeeper had half saved from him, put the issue beyond doubt. To comment critically on play or players in the gloom in which the match was played, would be unfair. Villa may have something to say about Ron Lewin, the Everton coach, being allowed to run the line. As soon as a League linesman, Mr. D. Jones, of Moreton, offered his services, Lewin handed over his flag.

LEEDS UNITED RES V EVERTON RES
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 29 February 1964
Leeds United Res;- Williamson; Smith (G), Cooper; Smith (E), Madeley, Addy; Henderson, Johnson, Nicholson, Belfitt, Hawksby. Everton Res; Rankin; Harcombe, Parnell; Harris, Heslop, Sharples; Shaw, Harvey, Rees, Hill, Morrissey. Referee; Mr. R. Bassindale (Doncaster). Everton soon launched a strong attack but Morrissey’s final effort was well cleared by the Leeds. Shaw flashed the ball a cross the Leeds goalmouth without a forward being able to get a touch. Leeds retaliated strongly and Rankin brought off two spectacular –saves and then the Everton goal had a narrow escape when Belfitt hit the post with Rankin out of position. Parnell saved a certain goal by heading off the line and Rankin only saved a fierce drive by Belfitt at the expense of a corner. Close on the interval Everton mounted pressure but were unable to pierce the home defence. Half-time; Leeds United Res nil, Everton Res nil.

PRESTON A v EVERTON A
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 29 February 1964
After nine minutes Williams half-saved a hard shot from Hurst and McLoughlin ran in to score Everton’s first goal. Five minutes before half-time the visitors went further ahead when Wright converted a Robert’s corner. Half-time; Preston North End A nil, Everton A 2.

 

 

February 1964