WOLF DOGS WILL PRECEDE THE WOLVES
The Liverpool Echo- Wednesday, December 2, 1964
DISPLAY AT GOODISON ON SATURDAY
By Leslie Edwards
A 14-strong team of R.A.F policemen-and their Alsatian guard dogs -will give a demonstration of their patrol work at Goodison Park on Saturday, before the start of the Everton v. Wolverhampton Wanderers match. The display will last for some 15 minutes. The R.A.F. team (and presumably the dogs) will stay on to watch the game. The team came from Saffron Walden in Essex and their visit is partly to help recruit unwanted Alsatians. Though football has not yet come to the stage when guard dogs on pitches is necessary -and I hope never will- Alsatian police dogs have been used elsewhere, notably on the Continent.

EVERTON PLAN TO TOUR IN RUSSIA
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express, Thursday, December 3, 1964
By Michael Charters
Everton are likely to arrange a short tour in Russia next summer, probably between two and three weeks duration. Negotiations have been going on for some weeks now and it is expected that final details will be settled soon. Although this will be the first trip to the Soviet Union for the club, it is now new for manager Harry Catterick and senior trainer Tom Eggleston. They toured Russia with Sheffield Wednesday a few years ago, games being played in Moscow and the southern part of the country in Georgia. They recall with humour some of their experiences there, particularly when they were served with goat meat at one of the hotels in which they stayed!
Driving up to the North-East for Everton’s game at Sunderland last Saturday was a journey home for Mr. Catterick and Mr. Eggleston. They were both born in County Durham-the manager at Darlington and latter at a village near Consett. They know all the landmarks and sights of this pleasant county which, in these prosperous days, is far different from the image of slag heaps and pit heads which many people believe the North east to be. The area has changed, too, in a football sense. Gone are the days when it was said that all a League club had to do was shout down to the nearest coal face and up would come a couple of top -class forwards for the asking. Mr. Catterick was telling me that in pre-war days, with unemployment rife and the pits the only major source of work, young men spent their days playing football through all the daylight hours. There was no work and nothing else to do with their time. As a result, the North-East became famous as the most prolific nursey in Britain for professional footballers. Nowadays, all this has changed. The vast improvement in economic conditions has given the young men work and money and they spend their leisure time in much the same way as others do all over the country. Football is no longer their life. Everton, indeed, only have two from the North-East on their playing staff-reserve centre half George Heslop and 17 years old inside forward Jimmy Husband. Incidentally, Mr. Catterick has the highest hopes of Husband, a former Newcastle and England schoolboy international. He is being given fairly regular Central League appearances to help his experience and is rated as one of the best prospects among what the manager regards as a brilliant crop of youngsters now making their mark with the Goodison junior teams.
I met Patsy Gallacher, a famous figure from the past, at Roker Park after last Saturday’s game, a man who figured in what is rated Sunderland’s best ever team of the thirties. Still as slim as in his playing days, his first words to me in his soft, lilting brogue were; “How’s Dixie Dean these days?” I was able to tell him the news of his former opponent and all the others he remembered. He turned to an interested bystander and said; “Dixie and I played in the greatest game there ever was, you know.” Patsy was inside left in the Sunderland side which lost 6-4 to Everton at Goodison Park on January 30, 1935. In a fourth round F.A. Cup replay which will never be forgotten by those fortunate enough to see it. He was not impressed with the game last Saturday afternoon. Old-timers rarely do praise modern-day football, or footballers, and only the unwise would argue with them. They have their memories and it is good to hear them reminiscing of the one-time greats Patsy knew them all, having played with or against them.
Incidentally, the man who scored the goal for Everton at Roker Park which earned them the memorable replay at Goodison is still figuring in the sporting news. He is Jimmy Cunliffe, inside right of that Everton team, who came from Blackrod, also the birthplace of the current England centre forwards, Frank Wignall. Cunliffe is a member of the panel of professional bowlers -the crown green type-who play six days a week throughout Lancashire for big money, with wagers flying thick and fast. A visit to one of these matches is an eye-opener.
Final thought on that match. When referee S.B. Stoakes took Sandy Brown’s name for an attempted tackle on George Herd, he said; “Come here, NUMBER FOUR.  What’s your name?”
After seeing those two German referees in charge of cup ties at Goodison and Anfield last week, the long-established reputation of Britain having the finest officials in the game looks to be in danger of becoming a myth.
RESURGENT WOLVES
By Leslie Edwards
Any inhibitions that may have been in Wolverhampton Wanderers’ play before the arrival of caretaker-manager Andy Bettie are a faded memory, as their record of seven points from four games indicates. Once again Wolves, who are at Goodison Park on Saturday, are a ferocious, hungry pack. In their present mood they must not be treated lightly, and are determined to maintain their record against Everton. Beattie, who has instilled the long-lost confidence in the players, is justifiably proud of the form being displayed. But he does not claim all the credit. Typically, he says; “If the tide is turning for Wolves, then it might have turned whether I joined the club or not.” Beattie’s arrival, however, prompted the players of such calibre as Ron Flowers, Jimmy Melia, Ray Crawford and Bobby Thompson to think about the game again in a constructive fashion. Prior to this move, there was a defeatist attitude which was revealed in their bottom of the table position, when they had taken only three points from 15 games. Now they have the will to win. No longer are they chasing their own tails. On the field, no one is playing better than Flowers. The Wolves skipper is now enjoying his soccer again and playing a more attacking type of game. Jimmy Melia is also playing much better, but a big question mark still hangs over his future at Molyneux. His relations are rather strained, but if the present improvement is maintained it is thought that he will be persuaded to settle his differences. On Saturday, Everton will see Wolves’ latest signings, left half George Miller and inside left Hughie McIImoyle. Against Sheffield United, last week, both enjoyed their best matches since moving to Molyneux.

FAIRS CUP DRAW IS POSTPONED
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express-Thursday, December 3, 1964
SEVERAL TIES UNCOMPLETED
DECEMBER 17
By Leslie Edwards
Everton will have to wait another fortnight to learn their next opponents in the Fairs City Cup. The draw, which was to have been made in Rome this morning, has been postponed until December 17, when it will be made at 5 p.m. in the headquarters of the Austrian Football Federation in Vienna. An official of the Fairs Cup organising committee said in Basle to-day that the draw had been put off because several ties were still uncompleted. In the meantime Juventus, of Italy, have definitely qualified and so, too, have Atletico Madrid. Everton’s opponents in their First Fairs Cup venture two years ago, Dunfermline, are also through to the quarter-finals, after eliminating VFB Stuttgart. Lokomotiv Plovdiv, of Bulgaria, qualified last night by eliminating Petrolul Pliesti (Rumania) on a 2-1 aggregate. Down for decision next weeks are two more games- Atletico Bilbao v Beerschot of Antwerp. The Spaniards beat the Belgians 2-0 in the first leg in Antwerp. F.C. Liege play their second leg against DOS Utrecht in Belgium with a 3-1 lead up their sleeves.

INTER CITIES FAIRS CUP PRODUCES A REAL TOT-BIT
The Liverpool Daily Post- Friday, December 4, 1964
EVERTON CLASHES WITH MANCHESTER UNITED
END OF FEBRUARY DEADLINE WILL SUIT BOTH CLUBS
By Horace Yates
Manchester United v Everton! Such a pairing is blistering in any circumstances. Add the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup third round label to it and it becomes explosive! This tie overshadowed everything else when yesterday’s draw was made in Rome and it seems certain that more than 100,000 spectators will see the two games. As the first drawn team will be at home in the first leg, unless the clubs mutually decide otherwise, it seems certain the ball will be set rolling at Old Trafford. we may have to be patient for Sir Stanley Rous, president of the International Football federations (F.I.F.A) said the entire round had only to be completed by the end of February. Although the competition is on a knock-out basis, two teams in the next round will be given byes into the semi-finals in preference to four byes in round three. With nearly three months to dispose of the two matches, both Manchester United and Everton will be delighted. Whatever the fate of Dennis Law when he meets the Disciplinary Committee next week, all will be well before the first leg is played. United manager Mr. Matt Busby is hardly likely to rush into dates until he knows precisely when his star of stars will be available.
DOUBLE DELIGHT
The delight, however, is by no means confined to Manchester boundaries, for equally Everton will not have to find a substitute for Sandy Brown, consideration of whose dismissal is also pending. Moreover, there will have to be an entirely unexpected set-back if international full back Ray Wilson is not back in action. Thus doubly strong defensively, Everton may well consider themselves adequately placed to deal with the menace of Law- and the rest of the goal-hungry Manchester scoring machine. Leading the League by three points and sweeping through the Inter-Cities Fairs obstacles with almost gale force, it is hardly surprising United are now thinking not in terms of a big double this season, but a terrible treble- League Cup  and Inter-Cities Cup!  They returned a 7-2 first round aggregate against the Swedish club Djurgaarden Stockholm and boosted it to a 10-1 margin over Borussia (Dortmund) in round two. Everton, not in the least dismayed beat the stubborn Kilmarnock 6-1, after disposing of the Norwegian team Valerengens 9-4. I would rate the Scottish side the toughest of those four obstacles by far. The winners of this United-Everton tie will be favourites to reach the final, a feat performed by Birmingham City in 1961, when they lost to Roma (Italy) who, incidentally are still among the hopefuls of this year’s survivors.
TIT-BIT OF FATE
Some there may be who will take the view that Manchester United can be seen twice a season in the ordinary course of events and that a brush with a new sounding name might have been more appetising. In the main there can only be a glad acceptance of this tit bit of fate which has tossed such meaty offerings to Merseyside and Manchester.  When United were at Goodison on September 8, a wonderfully exciting game produced a 3-3 draw for a 63,024 crowd. Only a week later 49,968 spectators at Old Trafford saw the Manchester side score a 2-1 victory ion one of the most spirited encounters of the season. By a curiosity of the draws, Everton have three times clashed with British sides, their trip to Valerengen being the one exception.

VERNON RETURNS TO EVERTON TEAM
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Friday, December 4, 1964
STEVENS AND YOUNG UNFIT
WRIGHT CHOSEN
By Leslie Edwards
Dennis Stevens, Everton’s most versatile player who can figure usefully anywhere on the field, except in goal, misses his first League match through injury to-morrow since he joined the club from Bolton Wanderers. He and Young, both injured at Sunderland, are out of the side to face Wolves, at Goodison Park. Wright comes in for Stevens at right back; Harvey moves to inside-right as partner to Temple and Roy Vernon, Welsh international, who has had an in-and-out season so far as first team selection is concerned, returns at inside-left as partner to Morrissey.
UNCHANGED
Wolves manager Andy Beattie retains the same team. Since he went to Molyneux, Wolves have gone four games without defeat, earning seven points out of eight. Former Liverpool inside forwards Jimmy Melia, who seems to have settled his dispute with the club, plays at inside left, while England captain Ron Flowers is at left half. Everton.- Rankin; Wright, Brown; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Temple, Harvey, Pickering, Vernon, Morrissey. Wolves.- Davies; Thomson, Harris (G.); Flowers, Woodfield, Miller; Wharton, Melia, Crawford, McKilmoyle, Le. Flem.

POINT-HUNGARY WOLVES AT GOODISON
The Liverpool Daily Post- Saturday December 5, 1964
STEVENS’ ABSENCE WILL BE SORELY FELT BY EVERTON
By Horace Yates
Unhappy Everton, with no sign of an end to their injury worries find the point-hungry Wolves at their throats at Goodison to-day. With seven points from their last four games, compared with one for Everton over the identical period. League positions could be so deceptive. Wolves have never looked back since Andy Beattie showed his face in their dressing room. As successor to Stan Cullis as manager at Molineux, his tactical handling of the side has been apparent in the results. Remember how difficult it was to score goals against Nottingham Forest’s defensive set-up during Mr. Beattie’s reigns? Under his prompting, Wolverhampton have so tightened up their defence that only two goals have been conceded in four games. The contrast between this and the loss of two, four and five goals in the three preceding matches is too obvious to ignore. Twice the Beattie Wolves have prevented their opponents from soring, and this had not happened in any of the fourteen previous outings. The new manager does not subscribe to the England team manager’s view that Flowers is the man for the centre half spot, for Mr. Beattie prefers him at the more customary right half, with Woodfield as pivot.
VERNON’S CHANCE
Unless Woodfield has tightened up his game considerably since I last saw him, Wolves might find their defensive record imperilled by the power of shot of Pickering whose three goals in his last nine outing represent his least rewarding spell with Everton. Vernon’s return at inside left is interesting. If Roy, plagued and hampered by a succession of injuries this season, has the confidence now not to pull any punches, he might well prove to be the elusive missing spark. At the opening of the programme he figured in seven successive matches, without ever suggesting that here was a player in form. Since then he has figured in only two of thirteen League games and Vernon’s revival cannot start too soon for Everton’s peace of mind. Alex Young stands down with the double leg injury he suffered at Sunderland, and Alex Scott is giving the troublesome thigh muscle a longer period to strengthen before putting it to the test.
STEVENS ABSENT
Despite these handicaps, Everton field sufficient ability especially if Vernon is really Vernon and Temple more venturesome and penetrating than he has been since it became necessary to employ him in positions other than his own. Two goal Temple, who has occupied three forwards positions, has too often been under a cloud. He must begin to do himself justice soon, for with the recovery of Alex Scott, a good case will have to be made out for the demotion of Morrissey, so often Everton’s liveliest raider. To-day marks quite an occasion-the absence of Dennis Stevens for the first time through injury since his transfer from Bolton Wanderers in March 1962. Since then he has played in 112 League games for Everton, ever-present all the way through with the exception of a run of four games in the early part of September when, for the first time, he position came under challenge. Everton are bound to feel the effects of his absence for it is difficult to name any player who gives more consistent and wholehearted service for the full 90 minutes. Tommy Wright, the twenty-years-old reserve plays his third game, at right back.  In the Wolves forward line is Jimmy Melia, one of the cleverest inside forwards of his day. Jimmy, is far more cultured than crashing in his approach to football, which provides ammunition for detractors. Wolves have not always appreciated his qualities, but there seems greater awareness of them just now, and Jimmy, without a League goal to his name this season, would be delighted to lose that unwanted distinction at Goodison Park. Another Merseyside player in the Wolves side is goalkeeper Davies, and a fine keeper he is, too, on his day. It is not going to be easy for Everton to chalk up their third home League victory, and there is a chance that the tiresome sequence of Goodison draws may soar to six. At least the front has no terrors here for this is just one of those sleeping partners underground spring to life to make their presence so welcome. Everton; Rankin; Wright, Brown; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Temple, Harvey, Pickering, Vernon, Morrissey. Wolverhampton Wanderers.- Davies; Thomson, Harris (G); Flowers, Woodfield, Miller; Wharton, Melia, Crawford, McIImoyle, Le. Flem. Referee; Mr. R.H. Windle.

EVERTON’S SLIDE MUST BE HALTED
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express-Saturday December 5, 1964
REVIVED WOLVES TEAM WILL BE HARD TO BEAT
By Leslie Edwards
The Wolves -and Wolf dogs-at Goodison Park today. The caretaker manager, Andy Beattie, brings one; the R.A.F. brings one; the R.A.F. police the others. They say the display put on by these R.A.F. trained Alsatians is well worth seeing. We are more concerned with whether we can “tame” the Wolves of Molineux who were “gone” so far as the First Division was concerned when Mr. Beattie took over not many weeks ago. Since his arrival they have won three, drawn one-and that is championship form. It now looks as though they will not only survive in the First division, but will finish up in the top half of the table. Everton, having started well, with some fine away wins to their credit, are now on the way down and it is imperative that someone should stop their slide. The absence through injury, of both Stevens and Young today is yet one more misfortune for manager Harry Catterick who has virtually been without two of his most valuable men-Kay and Wilson- since the season started.
CRITICS WON OVER
Young has proved such a popular player at Goodison Park and has been in such fine form recently his absence could affect the attendance. It looks as though the ankle injury he received at Sunderland may keep him out for some time; Stevens, the tough boy of the party who has never before, so far as I can remember, missed a match because he was unfit, has also been playing well in a new position, where he has won the hearts of some one-time critics. Everton are fortunate to be able to command a fine young back in Wright to take Stevens’ place. The forward reshuffle means that Harvey has gone to inside right so that Roy Vernon can return as partner to Morrissey. People have said that there should always be a place in the attack for Vernon, but the way the side played against Kilmarnock down here and against Leicester City made it difficult for authority to disturb it. The Sunderland defeat, a week ago, was unexpected by me and the margin of victory made it doubly mysterious.
WELCOME FOR MELIA
Wolves leave well alone and play an unchanged side. this includes Jimmy Melia who seems to have made up the differences he had with his club in the days when Stanley Cullis managed them. I think the Everton crowd will give this one-time Anfield favourite a special welcome. The last time he played for Liverpool at Goodison Park he had an “off” day. He’ll be all out to wipe out memories of it this afternoon and to show his old club that he can still “general” a forward line with the best of them in his day. I think Everton in a handicapped position will do well, here, to avoid defeat. Everton; Rankin; Wright, Brown; Gabriel, Labone, Harris (B); Temple, Harvey, Pickering, Vernon, Morrissey. Wolverhampton Wanderers;- Davies; Thomson, Harris (G); Flowers, Woodfield, Miller; Wharton, Melia, Crawford, McIIloyle, Le Flem.

BRILLIANT EVERTON LEAVE THE WOLVES WANDERING
The Liverpool Football Echo and Evening Express- Saturday December 5, 1965
TEMPLE, PICKERING GET 2 EACH IN GOAL RUSH
EVERTON 5, WOLVES 0
By Michael Charters
Everton.- Rankin; Wright, Brown; Gabriel, Labone, Harris (B); Temple, Harvey, Pickering, Vernon, Morrissey. Wolverhampton Wanderers.- Davies; Thomson, Harris (G); Flowers, Woodfield, Miller; Wharton, Melia, Crawford, McIImoyle, Le Flem. Referee.- Mr. R.H. Windle (Chesterfield).
Owing to the bad weather the display of dog handling by the R.A.F team was cancelled at Goodison Park this afternoon. The lights were on from the start and it was so overcast that the tops of the floodlight pylons were shrouded in mist. The crowd was the smallest of the season and the fine rain, which had stopped half an hour before the kick-off came back again just before the start. Everton almost took the lead in the opening minutes. A good move down the right saw Temple break clear and turn the ball back to Gabriel whose low shot beat Davies but was turned off the line by Thomson. Then there was an escape for Everton. Miller shot from the edge of the penalty area and the ball beat Rankin, but Brian Harris was there to take command and dribble the ball away coolly. Vernon scrambled through a couple of tackles and managed to put the ball back to Harvey whose fine shot was beautifully saved by Davies.
MELIA’S SMART WORK
Melia started and finished a move in great style. His good pass enabled Wharton to make a shot which Labone blocked. It came out to Melia who first-time shot was brilliantly saved by Rankin who touched the ball over the bar. Then Pickering bringing the ball in from the left, hit a hard shot straight at Davies and there was no lack of entertainment or thrills. Crawford missed a great chance of putting Wolves when Wright and Labone slipped up and failed to clear, presenting the centre forward with a great opening. He shot wide. After 11 minutes Pickering scored for Everton with a great left foot shot when it looked as though the Wolves offside trap would spoil the move. Harvey held the ball and then found Pickering with a great pass. The centre forward side-stepped Woodfield to put his shot just inside the upright. Rankin had to dive full-length as the ball bounced off McIImoyle following a free-kick and was rolling towards the line. The conditions were miserable, but there was no question that the players were enjoying themselves with a fine exhibition to open attacking football. Pickering held off a challenge by Woodfield to make a centre from the line which Miller almost turned into his own net. The wing half was lucky to see the ball bounce into Davies’s arms. A fine cross-field move by Everton finished with Morrisey putting a shot straight at Davies. Then Temple, too, shot straight at the goalkeeper when a pass back to Pickering might have paid dividends. You could not complain about the amount of Everton’s shooting. Most of it, however, was straight at the goalkeeper.
BRILLIANT FOOTBALL
There was bursts of brilliant football from Everton. A fine through pass by Wright was headed sideways by Pickering into the path of the fast moving Vernon, but Woodfield intercepted just in time. Most of the Wolves’ attacks consisted of putting a high ball into the middle and Rankin’s habit of punching away, did not look too safe. But Everton were well on top, playing with considerable power and drive up front. After his brought start, Melia had now faded right out of the game. The game had now lost much of its early fire. There were not the same attractive moves by Everton, and Wolves were gradually scratching their way back into the game without playing impressively. Wolves used the offside trap quite frequently, but Gabriel beat it with a fine pass to Temple. The winger raced on 30 yards before crossing the ball to Morrissey, who sliced his shot wide.
WOLVES ESCAPE
Wolves had their second major let-off so far when Gerry Harris headed the ball off the line when a fine Pickering header had beaten Davies. From this escape Wolves went away down the right. Rankin misjudged a cross from Wharton and the ball bounced off McIImoyle, but Labone was there to clear.
Half-time.- Everton 1, Wolverhampton Wanderers nil.
Everton could have been three up by this time with a little luck, and they would have deserved such a lead, for they were the much better than Wolves. Within a minute of the restart Everton were two-up. A long clearance from Rankin was headed inside to Vernon who took the ball into the penalty area. When he looked like being overwhelmed by numbers, he turned the ball back cleverly to the incoming Temple whose terrific shot went into the net via the leg of Woodfield, who attempted, in vain to intercept it. In Everton’s next attempt they should have scored again. This time Pickering headed the ball on for Temple to turn it back to Gabriel, whose shot went over the bar. With Brian Harris off the field having attention to his foot, Temple put Everton three up with a magnificent solo goal. Gaining possession out of defence, he broke through the Wolves cordon and took the ball from half way before beating Davies with a beautifully placed shot from 12 yards. Davies hurst his right in making a save from Gabriel and had to have attention, resuming with a bandage just below his right knee. The Everton forwards, well led by Pickering in one of his best displays this season, were giving the Wolves defence a great hammering now. It was good to see Vernon showing flashes of his old form again. Everton’s superiority was most marked over the poor Wolves team.
COMPLETE COMMAND
Everton’s command was complete against a team which seemed to have lost much of its first half spirit. Everton were getting rather careless with their passing but despite this they were still more accurate and penetrative than Wolves, whose game had gone completely. With 15 minutes left to play Pickering made it four with a glorious headed goal. Harvey broke away but lost his shooting position and the ball bounced to Temple. He crossed it to the far side of goal and Pickering flung himself full length to head the ball past Davies. A minute later Everton scored their fifth goal through Brown -a similar goal to the one Pickering had scored a few seconds earlier. This time it was Vernon who broke clear down the middle and passed to Temple. The winger’s centre was met perfectly by the inrushing Brown and Davies had no chance from another fine header. Within a minute, Pickering went down in agony, feeling his left leg and was carried off. A few minutes from the end Pickering came back with a bandage on his left leg, limping heavily.  This was not only Everton’s best win of the season, but also their first win at home in the league since August 29. Final; Everton 5, Wolves nil. Official attendance 27,533.

BLACKBURN RES v  EVERTON RES
The Liverpool Football Echo and Evening express- Saturday December 5, 1964
Blackburn Rovers Res.- Jones (RW); Hall, Wilson (W); Holt, Mulvaney, Holden, Rogers, Jones (G), Stoke, Bradshaw, Howe. Everton Res.- West; Parker, Wilson (R.); Rees, Heslop, Hurst; Roberts, Humphries, Grover, Hill, Veall. Referee- Mr. J.T. Hayton (Wigan). Mist made visibility poor. In the second minute George Jones wasted a chance for Rovers when he shot over from a few yards out. When Veall forced a corner for Everton, Ray Wilson came up at full speed but Bobby Jones covered his shot. A few minutes later Jones had to save again from Roberts. Everton showed clever approach work but too often lacked the final thrust. Rovers took control and after Bradshaw and George Jones had missed easy chances Blore put them ahead in the 35th minute. He ran through from a headed pass by Bradshaw and although West got a hand to his powerful shot, he was unable to hold it. Veall was unlucky not to score with a great shot for Everton. It hit Bobby Jones and cannoned to safely. Match abandoned after 49 minutes because of fog with Blackburn 1-nil.

LIVERPOOL B v  EVERTON B
The Liverpool Football Echo and Evening Express- Saturday December 5, 1964
Liverpool had most of the play and Doris out them ahead after ten minutes. Everton were unlucky not to equalise when Kenworthy hit the woodwork. Half-time Liverpool B 1, Everton B nil. Final Liverpool B 1, Everton B 1.

LIVERPOOL A v  EVERTON A
The Liverpool Football Echo and Evening Express- Saturday December 5, 1964
Everton attacked from the start, and Maher headed a grand goal and after 20 minutes. Later, the same player increased the lead direct from a corner. Smith scored a third goal with a penalty shot.
Half-time; Liverpool A nil, Everton A 3. Final- Liverpool A 1, Everton A 4.

WOLVES? THIS EVERTON COULD HAVE TAMED LIONS!
The Liverpool Daily Post-Monday, December 7, 1964
PICKERING AND TEMPLE ARE THE RINGMASTERS
EVERTON 5, WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS 0
By Horace Yates
What a novelty -in triplicate too! Not only was the first five-goal total scored at Goodison Park this season, the first time visitors had failed to register since Nottingham Forest, in the season’s opening home game, but it was also the first League victory at Goodison since August 29. Small wonder Everton supporters saw only sunshine, instead of the swirling mist and rain. Having gobbled up seven points from the last eight at stake, the hungry Wolves, who came a raiding, retired chastened and unsatisfied. On almost any previous Saturday, Wolverhampton might have looked more ferocious, but with Everton, in lion-taming mood, these Wolves simply never had a chance. How timely was the recovery, for it dealt a smashing reply to those pedlars of woe, who saw in the Manchester United Inter Cities Fairs Cup draw nothing but gloom and impending disaster. Wolverhampton may not be a Manchester United, but an Everton as militant as this are fodder for nobody.
SMASHING REPLY
Five goals were a smashing reply to criticism of inept attacking methods, and a worthy reply to that 4-0 deluge which swamped them at Sunderland. Yet if the total had been eight, as so easily might have been the case, the disparity between the sides would not have been exaggerated. Even when Everton went two up almost immediately after the restart, the optimism of the lukewarm and rain reduced the crowd, was more caution than complete. Who could blame them? They had seen the two goal start overture against Leicester and Blackburn in recent weeks reduced to a draw and defeat, respectively. No wonder they were apprehensive! They were not left long in this anxiety stage, for Temple’s four minute double broke the barrier and clearly Everton were coasting home on a wave a triumph. How the crowd revelled with their chant. “We want five,” and rejoiced to see the team respond. They lifted their target with, “We want six,” but I don’t think they really minded not getting them. Five, I am certain, would satisfy them any Saturday of the season. Pin-pointing the reason for this spectacular recovery is not easy. We must obviously begin buy conceding that Wolves are not out of the wood by any means just yet. Their attack, after early warning flashes, was innocuous. Erase the memory of several typical Melia sorties on the opening stages, plus one tremendous shot, and a determined run or two by Wharton and there was nothing left.
MENACE PERSISHED
McIImoyle, such a fluent scorer in lower regions, never registered and Crawford was hardly seen. Le Flem ran into an increasingly competent Wright and the menace perished. Wolves then, stayed in this game as a fighting force, only because of the tremendous resolution of their defence. Woodfield was the weak link and though his failure hardly stemmed from any lack of resolution, with a revitalised Pickering was limited in the extreme. One wondered why Flowers did not utilise his visit experience by accepting the responsibility. Only a Harris header off the line, with Davies beaten, prevented Pickering from collecting a treble. Obviously then the resurgence of Pickering was a noteworthy contribution, but equally important was Temple, looking as though he was really enjoying himself again, after wandering so long, and so dolefully in football’s wilderness. His second and Everton’s third in 50 minutes was so typical of Temple at his breath-taking best. His acceleration was stunning. Certainly, Wolves were left completely flat-footed and Temple emphasised his claim to greatness by being able to carry on and when the goalkeeper closed the angle, still producing a precision finish. If Temple required a tonic surely this was it. Obviously lack of confidence has been undermining his play. It cannot live any longer with the memory of that magnificent goal.
VINTAGE VERNON
Another effective contribution came with a twenty minutes exhibition of vintage Vernon. So clearly was he trying himself out in the opening stages and so gingerly was the feeling his way after another leg injury but when he stoked up the Celtic fires, Wolves frizzled and fried. Maybe not a 90 minutes old time Vernon just yet, but that electrifying contribution was a more than welcome instalment. Those Goodison barrackers of Colin Harvey must already be stirring uneasily in their shoes. Some day soon, the mantle of Stevens, whose worth has only been truly acclaimed in recent months, will sit squarely on the shoulders of Harvey. He is looking more like Stevens, and playing more like him almost every game, and doing everything just that little bit more quickly. Harvey, I venture to suggest has an important role to fulfil in the future well being of Everton. Morrissey as belligerent as ever, found England’s Thomson just a shade too quick in recovery for him to emphasise his effectiveness, but at least Morrissey’s satisfaction must be that nobody had a more difficult task. Defensively, before the taming of the Wolves became apparent, Rankin measured up competently to all challenges and there wasn’t a failure in front of them. If I single out Wright for special mention, it is only because he is the youngster feeling his way, and not looking in any degree out of his depth in such company. Pickering scored the first goal in 12 minutes, after beating Woodfield, and hitting a glorious shot out of the competent Davies’ reach. Temple got the second (46) from Vernon’s square, defence defeating pass and followed with his solo goal four minutes later. Temple’s cross goal centre  found Pickering driving headlong to head past Davies (73), a ball many players would have abandoned as unreachable. The next minute Brown scored the fifth in almost identical but slightly more stereotyped fashion again from Temple. Everton; Rankin; Wright, Brown; Gabriel, Labone, B. Harris; Temple, Harvey, Pickering, Vernon, Morrisey. Wolverhampton Wanderers;- Davies; Thomson, G. Harris; Flowers, Woodfield, Miller, Wagstaff, Melia, Crawford, McIImoyle, Le Flem. Referee; Mr. Windle (Chesterfield). Attendance 27, 533.

BLACKBURN RESERVES 1, EVERTON RESERVES O
The Liverpool Daily Post- Monday, December 7, 1964
Blackburn Rovers Reserves were well in control of this game at Blackburn when the foe caused its abandonment after 49 minutes. Rovers were leading 1-0 by a smartly taken 35th minute goal by Blore, the former Southport inside forward. With better finishing their lead would have showed more craft and enterprise than the star-studded Everton line-up. The clear cut attacking moves came from Blackburn whose wing halves Holt and Holden dominated midfield. Everton moved raggedly with centre forward Glover given little room in which to work by Mulvaney Blackburn’s hard-tackling centre half. Alex Parker and Ray Wilson took things easily at back for Everton, but neither showed any sign of recent injury.

EVERTON SET TO MAKE A QUICK RISE
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Monday December 7, 1964
By Leslie Edwards
Broke their home hoodoo-previous to their game against wolves on Saturday they hadn’t won a home League match since August – with as solid a 5-0 verdict as any side could hope to produce. Wolves on the crest of a wave of recovery that had given them seven points from the last eight, were shown to be a team lacking in substance and in pace. This was particularly so of their defence which was not only broken five times, but which might easily have been involved in further deficits. The pity was that only some 27,000 people saw Everton’s triumph. Many of them endured the mist and rain cheerfully because their side inexplicably snapped back to “Kilmarnock” form. Had the return of Roy Vernon anything to do with it? Those who argue that he should never be left out answer affirmatively; those who think he has not played as well this season as in others will be equally sure the answer is no. I would prefer to accept this form rather than the form of the Sunderland game, the result of which was such a shock. With three of their next five games at Goodison Park, it is conceivable that we shall see Everton move up the table dramatically within the next few weeks. But this presupposes that the damage Pickering sustained late in the game against wolves will prove minor. Everton followers must have welcomed this decisive change in the run of home games as they welcomed a game well contested, well referred, and containing so much accurate, hard shooting and so many fine goals. It really looks as though we’ve seen the last of those tempestuous, contentious Goodison matches which brought nothing but trouble of one sort of another for the Everton club.
CRITICAL MOMENT
The most testing moment for Everton came when the game was goalless. Rankin was out of position and partly unsighted when Melia, from about 18 yards out, cracked the ball towards goal with the best shot he can have delivered for seasons. It was long odds on Everton going a goal down, but Rankin leaped acrobatically and somehow contrived to fling a hand at the ball to deflected it for a corner. Thomson had earlier kicked off the line a cross shot by Gabriel, so if Melia had scored at that stage it might have been yet another of those dismal Everton home days. Instead, Pickering a few minutes later, took a pass from Harvey and started Everton on their steady surge of goals. I gave Harvey as much praise as the scorer, because with Wolves set to let Everton fall into an offside trap, he sensed the danger, and slid the ball laterally to find Pickering in an ideal for the shooting manoeuvre. Everton would have led by more than a goal at the interval if Harris had not headed away from Pickering when standing on the goal line and if Temple, going clean through after an awful blunder by Miller, had not finished ineffectively. On the other hand, Wolves besides Melia’s fine scoring effort, had Crawford missing an absolute “sitter” just before Everton took the lead. It was hard going for the players on a leaden pitch which offered very little foothold, and at the interval at least one was not quite sure which way the game would go.
CARBON COPY MOVE
Everton’s two goals early in the second half put any doubts to rest. A flicked header by Pickering on the wing; a square pass from Vernon to temple and the ball was rocketing into the net despite the on-the-line endeavour of a defender to match the previous rescuing acts of the two Wolves backs. A moment later Everton produced a carbon-copy move, with Pickering on the right starting it with a headed pass and Vernon again picking up the ball to turn it square into the path of the shooter-in this case Gabriel. Unfortunately, Gabriel’s shot went high. The crowd were not slow to mark these brilliant moves, just as they were not slow to recognise the worth of full-back Thomson in many of his battles with Morrisey. Temple went a third of the length of the field after breaking clean through to score “off the far upright” and make Wolves’ chance of recovery remote. Then two more quick goals, both from headlong headers-the first by Pickering off a pass by Temple and the other by full-back Brown from Harvey’s pass-brought down the house and sent the fans scurrying off in the rain satisfied that Harry Catterick is not such an ogre; that Harvey has a future after all; that young Wright at full-back will make Stevens go a bit in order to get back his first team place. Brown had a magnificent match; indeed Wolves were reduced to a side which was entirely devoid of threat from either wing. Melia, not in evidence much as a defender, still made some very astute passes by foot and head and it was not his fault the line did not get goals. I would say that Wolves’ need is greater in defence than attack- and slowness at centre half is their particular fault.

F.A CUP DRAW
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Monday December 7, 1964
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY AT GOODISON
BY Leslie Edwards
Everton at home to Sheffield Wednesday(who have already been to Goodison Park this season and gained a draw. Everton manager, Harry Catterick, one-time manager of the team Everton now face, said; “An extremely tough tie for one of the early rounds. They are a very good side as the records show and a very hard side to beat.”
LAST MET
Ironically, the draw brings Wednesday to play in this city in successive weeks. They are due at Anfield on Saturday, January 16. Everton last met Sheffield Wednesday in a Cup tie at Hillsborough in 1954 when Wednesday won 3-1. In 1947 Everton also lost on the Wednesday ground and if memory serves this was a game played on snow and was one of Everton’s least worthy Cup efforts. When Wednesday last came to Goodison in the Cup, in 1937, Everton won 3-0. The only clash between them in the competition prior to that was in 1906 when Everton won 4-3 at Goodison Park.

EVERTON YOUTH TEAM
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Tuesday 8 December 1964
Former South Liverpool player Tony McLoughlin, will lead Everton’s attack in the F,A Youth Cup, second round match against Manchester United at Goodison Park, this evening (7.30). Gerry Glover will be at inside right and Geoff Hurst, who used to play centre forward at right half. Everton.- Burnett; Pearson, D’Arcy; Hurst, Curwen, Yanger, Wallace, Glover, McLoughlin, Husband, Maher.

EVERTON’S FUTURE IN SAFE HANDS
The Liverpool Daily Post- Wednesday, December 9, 1964
THE YOUNG MASTERS OF GOODISON TAN BUSBY’S BABES
EVERTON YOUTH 5, MANCHESTER UNITED YOUTH 0
By Ian Hargreaves
Matt Busby’s famous babes, who have won the F.A. Youth Cup many times and current holders of the trophy, received a football lesson from the young masters of Goodison, last night in the first round of the competition. Everton were magnificent. Quicker in thought and execution, they gave a delightful display of attacking soccer and demonstrated that whatever trails and tribulations may be assailing the club just now, the future is in safe hands. Left back Frank D’Arcy, who was signed by Everton almost as an afterthought, completely blotted out Willie Anderson, who played for United’s first team in the F.A Cup last season, and scarcely put a pass wrong all night.
RUNNING AWAY
Left winger Aiden Maher mesmerised the unhappy Harrop so completely that the United back frequently found himself running away from his opponent instead of alongside him. Inside left Johnny Husband, whose speed of reaction and strength on the ball had to be seen to be believed, scored two great goals, made two more and was the outstanding player of the night. From goalkeeper Geoff Barnett, a youth with an astonishingly powerful drop kick, to left half Dennis Vaager, an Australian who paid his own passenger to this country to earn a trial at Goodison there was not a weak link. Husband scored two of the goals, centre forward Tony McLoughlin, a find of Alan Hampton at South Liverpool, two more and the fifth was hammered home by right winger Alan Wallace, whose clever dribbling made him almost as dangerous as Maher on the other flank. What of United, who fielded five of last year’s trophy-winning side, including established players like Anderson and Johnny Aston, son of the famous Manchester full back.
BAD MISTAKES
After some early flourishes by Aston and left winger Morton, they seemed completely shaken by a couple of bad defensive mistakes. They never stopped trying -indeed both Burns and Anderson were spoken to by antic tackling-but sheer effort was just not enough against a team playing such confident, attacking football. The pity is that only 5,676 people paid to watch them do it. Everton; Barnett; Pearson, Darcy; Hurst, Curwen, Yaager; Wallace, Glover, McLoughlin, Husband, Maher. Manchester United;- Rimmer; Harrop, Marshall; McBride, Farrar, Burns; Anderson, Pearson, McEwan, Aston, Morton.

FINE DISPLAY BY YOUNG EVERTON
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Wednesday, December 9, 1964
By Paul O’Brien
Everton gave one of their best displays in under-18 football for many years when they beat a strong Manchester United side 5-0 in the second round of the F.A. Youth Cup, at Goodison Park last night. United with five members of the team which won the Trophy last year still eligible to play, fielded a side which contained eight former schools internationals, and they opened as if they were going to crush Everton. The match turned dramatically in the 13th minute when Burnett, the Everton goalkeeper, made a fine save from United’s inside left, Aston, and sent his side quickly onto the attack with a good clearance. United, caught off balance, never recovered from this quick break by Everton and when Maher centre from the left wing, goalkeeper Rimmer could only push the ball down to the foot of Husband, who volleyed it into the net.
INTERNATIONAL CLASS
Husband, who looked youth international class during the first half, laid on goal number two for centre forward McLoughlin with a clever header four minutes later, and a D’Arcy free kick was headed home by Husband at the 22nd minute for Everton’s third. The ball ran kindly for Everton at this stage, but they took their chances well. United never deserved to go in at the interval three goals behind, but had only themselves to blame. They created as many chances as Everton, but only went near to scoring on one occasion, when a good shot by John Pearson beat Barnett and just missed the upright. There was a touch of luck about all Everton’s first half goals, but this could not be said of the two they added after the interval. A superb dummy by Maher sent the whole United defence the wrong way nine minutes after the interval, and the winger was able to cross the ball for right winger Wallace to head a fine goal.
FINE HEADER
Everton’s final scoring effort came 26 minutes from time when McLoughlin made a very fine header from a Wallace centre. Husband and Maher were in tremendous form for Everton and gave United’s right defensive flank of Harrop and McBride a match they will quickly want to forget. Centre forward McLoughlin took his chances well, while outside right Wallace had a good second half. Glover worked hard in the link position of inside right. Local boy Frank D’Arcy, Everton’s left back, was the game’s outstanding defender, while Barnett gave a display of confident goalkeeping which suggest that Gordon West, and perhaps Andy Rankin, will have to work hard to deny him promotion. At centre half Curwen did his job coolly and well, as did Hurst, Yanger and David Parson, after they had come through the lively United opening spell. Farrer and Marshall (a former Liverpool Schoolboys player), were best in defence for United. In attack, winger Anderson, who has had first team experience, met his match in D’Arcy, while Pearson, Aston and Morton showed only glimpses of their true form. Despite United’s lack of fight, the 5,676 spectators must have been well satisfied with this Everton display.

EVERTON FINED £250 BY F.A.; BROWN SUSPENDED FOR 14 DAYS
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express, Wednesday, December 9, 1964
SEQUAL TO INCIDENTS DURING MATCH AGAINST LEEDS
WARMING NOTICES
By Leslie Edwards
The F.A. Disciplinary Committee announced to-day that A.D. (Sandy) Brown, the Everton full-back, had been suspended for 14 days and the Everton club fined £250 following incidents in the Everton v Leeds United match, at Goodison Park on November 7.  Leeds won the game 1-0, brown was sent off after four minutes. Just before the interval Referee Ken Stokes, of Newark, ordered both teams from the field and when the game resumed after an 11 minutes interval it was only on the understanding that if there was further trouble from spectators the match would be abandoned. The official statement from the Football Association read; “The referee’s reports and correspondence relating to misconduct during the match by player A.D. Brown, of Everton, and by spectators were considered by the Disciplinary Committee on December 7. “The committee decided that brown be suspended for 14 days from Monday, December 14. “The committee decided that for misconduct by spectators the Everton club be fined £250 and ordered to post warning notices in prominent positions at their ground for one month from Monday, December 14 and to print in the official club programme for the same period a warning to their spectators similar to that obtained in the warning notice.”
FIRST TIME
The suspension of Brown for 14 days is probably a less severe penalty than many had anticipated. The F.A. may well have taken into account the fact that this was the first time he had been sent off and that there was a measure of provocation, accidental or otherwise. The fine on the club, too, is a mild one. It is clear that the F.A.’s warnings about player and crowd misbehaviour date from this week and that cases which occurred before the warning are being treated more leniently. Everton were fined £100 in November last year following misconduct by spectators during a home League match against Blackburn Rovers. In the same game Tony Kay was sent off and subsequently suspended for 21 days. He was the last Everton player before Brown to be ordered from the field at Goodison. Brown’s suspension begins next Monday. He will therefore miss only two games- Tottenham in London on December 19 and West Bromwich Albion at Goodison Park on Boxing Day. He will be available for duty for the game at West Bromwich on December 28. Brown, who is 25, was reported after the Leeds United match As saying; “This will never happen to me again, it is the first time I have ever been sent off, and I can promise you it will be the last.” He was later reported as saying; “I know I lost my head but nobody has ever done anything like this to me on a football field before.”
SENT OFF
Here he was referring to the stomach laceration he suffered immediately before he committed the offence for which he was sent off. The clash was with Leeds United winger, Giles. Brown was signed by Everton 12 hours after the club’s celebration of their League championship win of 1962-63. Everton manager, Harry Catterick, left the function at midnight to travel to Scotland and negotiate Brown’s transfer from Patrick Thistle at a fee of £25,000. Like Bobby Collins, the former Everton captain, now with Leeds United, Brown was a cobbler before he took up football professionally.
GOODISON MEETING
I understand that news of the £250 fine was communicated to Everton yesterday and that the period of Brown’s suspension was confirmed by telephone to-day. Several Everton directors attended a long conference at Goodison Park to-day with Mr. John Moores in the chair. The nature of the meeting was not disclosed. Everton manager Mr. Harry Catterick did not attend the meeting. He was supervising players’ training at Bellefield. Mr. Moores intimated to an official of the club that he was not making any statement.

EVERTON FINED £250
The Liverpool Daily Post- Thursday, December 10, 1964
BROWN SUSPENDED FOR 14 DAYS
By Horace Yates
The first lash of the newly reinforced Disciplinary Committee whip has fallen on Everton and their Scottish full back, Sandy brown. The club have been fined £250 and ordered to post warning notices on their ground for a month and repeated in club programmes, while Brown, is barred from football for fourteen days, from Monday next. These decisions are the outcome of the referee’s report of incidents which occurred during the Everton v. Leeds United match at Goodison Park on November 7. Because the F.A. in their wisdom have taken it upon themselves to become football’s great dictators, and deny “culprits” the elementary right of a public airing of their views by the use of a muzzle. Everton can only keep their peace.
NO COMMENT
A board meeting was held yesterday and afterwards the only comment by Secretary Bill Dickinson was; “The Everton club will make no statement ands no member of the club will make any comment whatever.” If this were a case of least said soonest mended, at least it would be a decision freely taken. What Everton might have said, had they been allowed, might have followed these lines. “What more could any club in the land have done to ensure responsible crowd behaviour than has been done at Everton? We are the only club to have sacrificed crowd accommodation by erecting safely areas behind each goal -and this was a voluntary decision -without the slightest prompting by authority. “We not only posted warning notices as instructed twelve months ago, but we broadcast the warning over our public address system. No club in Britain employ a greater force of police at their home games than are on duty at Goodison Park. “Short of fencing off the crowd behind barriers ten feet high, what else is left?  All suggestions will be welcome.”  Disorderly behaviour must be stamped out. But if the F.A. consider the key to the solution is to impose on a club fine, whether it be £250 or £2,500, they under-estimate the size of the problem they are tackling. If a club have been remiss in taking steps to ensure good order and discipline, then fine them and fine them heavily. A fine of £250 on Everton is the merest drop in the ocean top a club of their standing, but it is the indignity of the gesture,which is likely to make a board, already well aware of their responsibilities, writhe at the impossibility of doing anything more positive than they have done.
NOT TOUGHNESS
This is not toughness, the sort of iron hand that had been threatened. It is merely adding insult to injury, rubbing salt into a wound. Why did not the F.A. if they considered the scenes at this match were so outrageous that exemplary punishment was called for, direct punishment where it would have been most fitting by ordering fences to be erected? Certainly, this would have penalised the well behaved equally with the hooligan element, but the F.A apparently are not worried about drawing distinctions. Fences would have made not only Goodison crowd, but the entire Football League, sit up and take notice. Once again the F.A. notice. Once again the F.A. are just flirting with danger and back pedalling for all they are worth. It is not an easy task they face by any means, and more courage may yet be needed. My information is that the missiles to which exception were taken during the Leeds game were a shower of coins and a couple of empty beer cartons-surely the most expensive cartons, in history! No, it was what occurred on the pitch even more so than on the terraces that made November 7 a day of tragedy and humiliation. Yet one man and one man only is singled out for punishment. Was he the only sinner? Was he the only major sinner?  If he was not then why was no action taken against others? I wonder if the Disciplinary Committee explored that line of thought! The F.A. have a responsibility as watchdogs as well as merely judiciary. In this new approach to a serious and increasingly menacing situation let us have evidence that the F.A. are prepared also to do something positive. Let them send out their members match by match as observers. 
WATCH FROM STANDS
Because an offender who warrants dismissal is not given marching orders, is no reason why he should not be punished. If referees fail in their duty in this direction, or linesmen fail to report incidents why not make them liable to suspension equally with the players they fall adequately to control? Why not make referees aware that far from being the only ones who cannot sin, that they too are having their conduct observed? It is a mistake to wrap them in cotton wool. If players were aware that in addition to eyes on the field they were under scrutiny from the stand as well, even the hottest of hot-heads might be encouraged to cool down. This cleaning-up process is a task for combined operations, with directors, managers, players, referees and linesmen, and also the elected members of the Football League, all playing their parts. Where the heavy fist of authority is so obviously called for, let there be suspensions and fines of the culprits on the field, and make prosecution of every crowd offender detected an obligation, not a recommendation. By all means put police in the crowds. Of course, much of the license now permitted of the hooligans would be denied them if all our grounds had been designed and built on the lines of the leading grounds in Scotland. On these oval pitches, as Liverpool manager Bill Shankley so aptly puts it, “Only a javelin thrower of Olympic standards would be able to reach the pitch with a missile.” Maybe it is too late to cry over spilled milk in this direction now, but wherever possible, even at the expense of a loss of spectator accommodation, clubs should be encouraged to copy the Scottish example.

VERNON IS DOUBTFUL FOR STOKE MATCH
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Thursday December 10, 1964
STEVENS AND SCOTT TRAIN
YOUNG OUT
By Leslie Edwards
Roy Vernon is the latest Everton player on the injured list. Vernon got a severe kick in the game against Wolves and has not trained all week. He is doubtful for the match against Stoke at Goodison Park, on Saturday. Young is definitely out of the running. Scott and Stevens, both recovering from injury, have been doing light training. If fit Stevens might come back to the half back line.

STOKE, MINUS MATTHEWS AT GOODISON PARK
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Friday, December 11, 1964
By Leslie Edwards
If only Stanley Matthews were in the Stoke City side at Goodison Park to-morrow what a difference his presence would mean at the gate. Unfortunately, except for rare occasions and mostly exhibition or charity matches, the great man is lost to run-of-the-mill League games. Everton have done very well recently except for their surprisingly heavy defeat at Sunderland and their loss of a point to Leicester after being two goals ahead and I don’t see Stoke stopping them, especially if, as on Saturday, Pickering is given such good support. The laceration he received against Wolves has healed and he is a certain starter, but Young is definitely out and Scott and Stevens are doubtfuls. Vernon after a knock in the Wolves match has not trained all week and is by no means certain to play. The importance of the warning notices Everton must display in their programme and at their ground to-morrow will not be lost on their fans. The trouble is that fans from any visiting club are just as likely to cause the ground to be closed. Possibly the answer to rowdyism is to have plan clothes police on duty in numbers on the terraces and make an example of people who throw missiles which could produce injury. But the expense of policing a ground, much less plan clothes men’s policing, is already great. At Goodison Park the uniformed men cost more than £200 per home match. At least one man in football thinks closure of grounds may raise from other domestic causes than spectators behaviour, but my own opinion is that the spectators who are absenting themselves in thousands do so because they are tired of the rough-and-ready football they are being given and even more tired of the attitude of certain spectators in their vicinity. Rough football, it seems is likely to get rough justice at the hands of the F.A.

WILSON RETURNS TO EVERTON TEAM
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Friday, December 11, 1964
ALEX SCOTT ALSO FIT
By Leslie Edwards
Ramon Wilson, former England back, who has been plagued with a groin injury since Everton’s second game of the season, returns to the side against Stoke City, at Goodison Park to-morrow. Brown, whose 14 days suspension begins on Monday, reverts to right-back. Wilson has come through a series of tests well and is in full training. His return could not have been more timely in view of the Brown decision. Another notable return is that of right winger, Scott, who broke down when first tried in a League match after inuring himself when playing for Scotland against Finland, Scott’s come-back means that Temple can revert to his position at outside left, Morrissey loses his place.
STEVENS STILL OUT
Stevens is still unfit so is Young, whose place at inside right again goes to Harvey. Immediately after the match the Everton players, plus some reserves, travel to Blackpool for a few days’ break in routine prior to the busy Christmas and Cup rush of fixtures. They will return late on Tuesday. Everton,- Rankin; Brown, Wilson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Scott, Harvey, Pickering, Vernon, Temple.
Stoke City will select from 12 players. A doubt regarding Denis Violett, who has a strained leg muscle, holds up the team choice. Violett is to have a fitness test late this afternoon. Stoke will be without Jimmy McIIroy (injured), while left winger Keith Bebbington is recalled, Peter Dobing, at outside left in City’s last game, will probably move to inside left for McIIroy. The defence is unchanged. Stoke City (from); Leslie; Asprey, Allen; Setters, Kinnell, Skeels, Bloor; Palmer, Volett, Ritchie, Dobing, Bebbington.
EVERTON CUP-TIE
PLAN FOR SALE OF GOODISON TICKETS
Everton announce the following arrangements for their third round F.A. Cup tie against Sheffield Wednesday at Goodison Park on January 9. Tickets will be available for stand seats only.
Goodison and Bullens Road stands; centre, first nine rows 10s; rear nine rows 9s; sides, first nine rows 9s; rear nine rows 8s. Goal stands; first nine rows 8s; rear nine rows 7s. Stand season ticket holders will be entitled to apply for one ticket each and must enclose spare voucher No 3 from their season ticket together with correct remittance and a stamped addressed envelope. Priority will be given to £10 season ticket holders for 10s tickets. All season ticket holders must apply by post before December 31. The outside of the envelope containing the application should be marked “shareholder” or “season ticket holder” As the case may be and underneath “Sheffield Wednesday.”
As the visiting club takes a quote from all sections of the stands, there is no guarantee that all stand season ticket holders will be allocated seats in their usual section. A limited number of stand tickets will be available to the public and these must be applied for by post, enclosing remittance and a stamped addressed envelope. The outside of the envelope should be marked “Sheffield Wednesday.” Admission to the ground and paddock will be by cash at the turnstiles on the day of the match. Ground and paddock season ticket holders can use their usual turnstiles handing in spare voucher No 3 and the admission money -4 for the paddock and 3/- for the ground.

EVERTON CHANGES AFTER 5-0 THASHING OF WOLVES
The Liverpool Daily Post- Saturday, December 12, 1964
CATTERICK BRINGS BACK RAY WILSON AND ALEX SCOTT
By Horace Yates
Everton will have Ray Wilson, the England full-back, in their team for the third time this season against Stoke City at Goodison Park to-day and with Alex Scott fit he also returns to outside right. Wilson was injured in the second match of the season and his come-back means that the young full back Wright is out, Brown switching to the right, and in the attack, Temple goes to the left wing with Morrissey the player omitted. How many people I wonder, have noticed how the results of Everton and Liverpool Saturday matches have gone hand in hand since the season began? They opened with a winning double and three recorded, last Saturday producing not only a double, but with Everton beating Wolves 5-0. Four times they have drawn together and have twice gone down in unison -nine doubles of one sort or another on fifteen Saturdays. If this doubting infection is the spread into double figures to-day, that can only mean victory for the two clubs, for however we may regard Liverpool’s prospects at Highbury anything less than outright victory from Stoke’s visit to Goodison is unthinkable.
DANGER ZONE
Before last Saturday, Stoke had not won a match since September 26, and have slipped into the danger zone. Last season they lost 2-0 at Goodison and could do so again. Everton opened the season by winning 2-0 at Stoke and this is the big opportunity to chalk up their first winning double of this term. Everton are now clear of that stiffing eight matches without a victory sequence and it is high time they build up for their supporters something better than a three wins in a row feat, which is their high water mark for the season. Undoubtedly Stoke have been strengthened by the signing of Maurice Setters, the man who several years ago turned his back on the prospect of a career at Goodison Park. Centre forward Ritchie the man with the tall, lean and goal hungry look is their biggest threat. Twelve times he has scored, which marks appreciable progress from the gangling novice of comparatively recent days. He will give Brian Labone a load of worry in the air, but Labone is coping extremely well with all-comers. Everton; Rankin; Brown, Wilson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Scott, Harvey, Pickering, Vernon, temple. Stoke City; (from); Leslie; Asprey, Allen; Setters, Kinnell, Skeels, Bloor; Palmer, Voilett, Ritchie, Dobing, Bebbington.

TIMELY RETURN BY RAY WILSON
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Saturday, December 12, 1964
By Leslie Edwards
The suggestion that Everton F.C after being fined £250 and being ordered to post warning notices are on the brink of having their ground closed does not tally with facts. There have been several occasions when this and other clubs have been commanded to post warning notices, but the F.A. has never reached the stage when they feel the offences warrant the ultimate in punishment. The dire warnings issued to clubs this week by the F.A. could well be the start of a toughening attitude by authority, but one cannot help thinking that the F.A. are leaning over backwards not to penalise the guilty at the expense of the innocent – and that is what they would be doing if they forced the great majority of fans to miss their home games for fortnight or even a month. Today when Stoke City (unhappy still without Matthews) come to Goodison Park there are two notable returns-Wilson’s and Scott’s. The former England and Huddersfield Town full back has suffered great misfortune with his new club since it was only in their second match (and when putting the ball out of play so that an injured man could be attended) that he damaged the groin which has kept him out of senior football for nearly four months. His return is timely since Brown’s suspension begins on Monday and lasts for 14 days.
TEMPLE ON LEFT
Scott, who also comes back, broke down when first tried after injuring himself when playing for Scotland. It is good that Temple can revert to his real place at outside left where Johnny Morrissey has not only been a great success but has played better, I think than at any other stage in his career. Harvey keeps his place at inside right. Young still being unfit and so does Brian Harris at left half, a spot which might have gone to Stevens had he been fit.
ANOTHER FIVE?
Stoke can be good and bad by turn. I don’t see them causing this Everton side much trouble; indeed if Pickering gets the support he had against Wolves I would not be surprised if Everton put up another five goals. It is hard on Morrissey to have to forgo his place; it would be hard on Milne of Liverpool if he were to find himself out of the championship side for the second week in succession. Morrissey will bear his out-going with fortitude; it is just possible that Milne will feel that of there is no place for him in the first team at Anfield there could be a niche for him elsewhere. Everton;- Rankin; Brown, Wilson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Scott, Harvey, Pickering, Vernon, Temple. Stoke City;- Leslie; Asprey, Allen; Setters, Kinnell, Skells, Bloor; Palmer, Voillet, Ritchie, Dobing, Bebbington.

SANDY BROWN IN GOAL AFTER RANKIN BLOW
The Liverpool Football Echo and Evening Express- Saturday December 12, 1964
PALMER GETS EQUALISER AGAINST DEPUTY
EVERTON 1 STOKE CITY 1
By Michael Charters

Everton.- Rankin; Brown, Wilson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Scott, Harvey, Pickering, Vernon, Temple. Stoke city.- Leslie; Asprey, Allen; Setters, Kinnell, Bloor; Palmer, Philpott, Ritchie, Skeels, Bebbington.
Referee; Mr. W.J. Gow (Birmingham).
On a damp, depressing afternoon, before what looked to be the smallest crowd of the season at Goodison, the game was notable for the return of Ramon Wilson after an absence of nearly four months through injury. Stoke were without their two veteran inside forwards McIIroy and Violett, And brought wing-half Skeels up into the attack. Within a few seconds of the start Pickering took a pass from Brown, side-stepped Kinnell, and hit a low shot which forced Leslie to a full-length save. The lights were on from the start and the ground very heavy under hours of rain, was cutting up badly. Vernon thrilled the crowd with a magnificent dribble as he moved out to the left and from his centre Leslie flung himself full length to make another thrilling save. Harvey made a top speed dash through the mud to make a centre which Allen put away for a corner. Everton were playing some fine football under difficult conditions.
MOVING SMOOTHLY
Leslie had to dive again to save a shot from Temple and the Everton attack was moving smoothly. From a free kick taken by Setters, Ritchie raced in, flung himself full length at the ball, sent it wide and skidded through to hit the upright with his head. Fortunately, he did not appear to harm himself. After 16 minutes Everton took the lead with a beautifully taken goal by Pickering. Allen did not put enough force behind a pass back and Pickering stepped in to collect the ball, dribbled round Leslie then put his shot into the net from an acute angle. Everton continued to do most of the attacking, but kept their play down the middle when it might have paid better to use the wings, where the ground was much firmer. The conditions were causing a lot of errors, but the game continued to be fast and entertaining with Everton keeping the edge and stoke on defence for most of the time. Wilson was playing quietly but well and did not have a great deal to do at the moment with Everton in command. Labone was having quite a tussle with the big, strong Ritchie and he deserved the applause he received when he brought the ball out of his own half of the field, chased by Ritchie every inch of the way, to gain a free kick not far from the corner flag when Ritchie found him. Pickering was having a splendid game. He beat Kinnell with a brilliant piece of footwork and took the ball on to shoot inches wide. This was a first class effort. Stoke’s first dangerous attack came exactly on the half hour. Ritchie brought the ball in from the right and passed it across the face of the penalty area to Philpott, who hit a grand shot which Rankin saved superbly. The scoring chances were few as the players slithered about in the mud. Scott, however, was given a clear cut one by Vernon, but drove the ball high and wide. Stoke worked an opening when Palmer beat Wilson and slid the ball into the middle. Skeels avoided Labone’s tackle and made a shot, but straight into Rankin’s arms.
GOOD SAVE
Rankin made a good save from a header by Ritchie and, considering the very difficult conditions, the game was excellent, with Stoke now looking for an equalising goal in the closing minutes of the first half. Half-time.- Everton 1, Stoke City nil.
Everton were twice near to scoring on the restart. Temple had two shots blocked in quick succession and Everton were playing with a tremendous drive and had Stoke rocking. Stoke fought back well, however, and their best players, Ritchie and Setters, inspired them to recover and gain two corners. After seven minutes of this half Rankin was injured diving to snatch the ball from the feet of Skeels and was helped off the field. He went into the trainer’s box and it was difficult to see just what was wrong with him, but it might have been a damaged shoulder. Brown took over in goal. Harris went to full back with Harvey at wing half. Within a couple of minutes in his new role Brown was beaten by a shot from Ritchie which stuck the crossbar and bounced away safely.
BACK IN THE GAME
Facing 10 men stoke were back in the game with a vengeance, Everton weakness was on the wings, for neither Temple not Scott was having a good day. At the other end Ritchie was using his power to disturb Everton’s defence. Labone almost gave Philpott the perfect chance by failing to get the ball away, but Gabriel came to the rescue. Brown brought the biggest cheer of the day by saving, at full length, a shot from Ritchie. Stoke were now doing all the pressing, without looking impressive. After being off for ten minutes Rankin came back with a bandaged on his left forearm. He went to play on the left wing.
RANKIN’S INJURY
A message from the dressing rooms stated that Rankin had fractured a small in his right hand, but this did not prevent him from doing a lot of running and chasing down the left wing. Everton appealed for a penalty when Scott bumped against Kinnell and went down, but there was no doubt the referee was right to refuse it. It was usually the excellent passes of Setters which sent Stoke away. From one inspired move by him Palmer put the ball across and it evaded everyone to just miss the far post. Vernon and Pickering were both playing brilliantly for Everton but it was mainly the defence that was hard worked at the moment. Brown made yet another good save from Balmer, taking the ball at the second attempt from a hard-hit shot. With 13 minutes left for play stoke equalised with a goal very similar to Everton’s. Labone made a bad back-pass, sending the ball straight at Palmer, and although Brown came out of goal in an attempt to intercept, Palmer side-stepped him and sent the ball into an empty net. One could excuse errors under these conditions, and there was no doubt that each goal had come from defensive mistakes.
LESLIE IDLE
Stoke were still putting on a good deal of pressure and in this half goalkeeper Leslie had nothing to do. With five minutes left for play came another fantastic incident when Brown, the deputy goalkeeper was flattened in a similar way to Rankin. However, he was able to carry on after attention and Everton were given a free kick for afoul by Skeels. Brown had done great work in goal and he saved again from Philpott as the ball came awkwardly to him through a crowd of players.
Final;- Everton 1, Stoke City 1. Official attendance 31,713.

STOKE RES v  EVERTON RES
The Liverpool Football Echo and Evening Express- Saturday, December 12, 1964
Stoke.- Irvine; Marsh, Bentley; Flowers, Moore, Thomson; Worsdale, Bridgwood, Bernard, Jones, Morgan. Everton.- West; parker, Wright; Hurst, Heslop, Rees; Shaw, Humphreys, Glover, Hill, Veall. Referee; Mr. W.S. Castle (Sedgley). The heavy rain had made the pitch a quagmire. Stoke opened strongly but West was safe in goal, saving as many shots from his own side as from his opponents. Everton at last broke away when shaw made headway on the right wing to force a corner which was cleared with difficulty. Considering the conditions, both sides played enterprising football and each goal had its escapes. A shot from Rees brought a fine save from Irvine. Shaw, in a goalmouth scramble, put Everton in front. Humphreys had the best chance and a goal seemed certain, but his shot stuck in the mud and was scrambled away to safely. Half-time- Stoke city res nil, Everton Res 1.

ONE OF BEST GROUNDS IN THE WORLD
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Saturday, December 12, 1964
EVERTON MODERMISATION FOR WORLD CUP SERIES
By Echo Municipal Correspondent
Everton are planning to make their ground one of the best, not only in this country, but internationally, according to a report to Liverpool’s Health Committee yesterday. “The club wishes to complete this modernisation by 1966, as the ground has been selected for the World Cup series,” said a report by Professor Andrew Semple (Medical Officer of Health) on sanitary and other facilities at the ground. He added that the club management had co-operated extensively with his officers during recent inspections. The improvements include the replacing of the Stanley Park goal stand-built of extremely aged timber decking-with a modern two-tier building complete with modern conveniences and catering facilities. Existing sanitary facilities were criticised in the report.
HOUSES
It is also intended to remove the present practice pitch at the rear of the stand to another place in West Derby, for which the club recently acquired planning permission. One difficulty problem in the way of complete modernisation is the existence of forty-six houses and a house and shop at the rear of the stand which will have to be demolished to allow the whole scheme to be carried out. The houses were brought by the club some time ago, and a number are now classified as unfit houses, although others still provide tolerable habitation. “Nevertheless,” states the report, “the houses that abut the old stand suffer considerable nuisance and over-shadowing, and a new stand would cause further over-shadowing.
STREETS CLOSED
“The occupants of these houses suffer all the major nuisances associated with masses of people congregating on Saturday afternoons. The streets are completely closed by queues and during these periods the tenants suffer severe nuisances. “This small area requires constant special attention after matches by the City’s Cleansing Department. After debating the report, the Health Committee authorised the medical officer to approach the director of housing on the matter and to inform the Housing Committee that the Health Committee held the opinion that the occupiers of these houses should be rehoused, but that they should be so rehoused in their normal turn and not given any special priority. The medical officer was also asked to request the Everton Club to take all possible steps to improve the sanitary facilities at their ground, progress on this to be observed and to be the subject of a further report in due course.

A POINT
Liverpool Daily Post- Monday, December 14, 1964
EVERTON 1, STOKE CITY 1
By Jack Rowe
You can’t help feeling a little sorry for Everton these days. It is difficult to recall any club so plagued by injuries. Here they were in the mud and rain of Goodison on Saturday, keeping their fingers crossed that full back Ray Wilson would come through his first senior games for three months without ill-effect when suddenly they faced the prospect of losing goalkeeper Andy Rankin for several weeks. About eight minutes of the second half had gone when Rankin dived to take a skidding low ball just as Skeels the Stoke inside left, challenged. The result was a fractured right hand bone for the goalkeeper, which took him off for twelve minutes to return to a wandering role on the left wing, with hand bandaged.
GOALKEEPER BROWN
Into goal went full back Sandy Brown and a good job he made of it, on his last appearance before starting fourteen days’ suspension, but the damage for Everton was great. I felt they lost a point because or the injury. When it happened they were getting on top and there were signs that they would finish complete conquerors of mud and Stoke. Rankin’s injury altered all that. The side had to be re-organised with Harvey falling back so that for the rest of the time Everton had four forwards and were mainly concerned with keeping Stoke at bay. They did it as far as not losing, but 12 minutes from the end lost the lead given to them by Pickering in the sixteenth minute and in all the circumstances did well to hold on. Trouble is another home point was dropped, but this time due to misfortune and Everton are entitled to claim that if there is another club which has suffered so much from injuries this season they don’t know about it.
WELCOME POINT
That Stoke were happy with a point was illustrated in the last few minutes when despite Everton’s obvious handicap they were content to keep possession in their penalty area when one would have thought all-out attack was the policy. However, Stoke came to Goodison Park without Dobing, McIIroy and Violett and the pre-match approach must have been that a point would be more than welcome. There were times in the first half when they played well enough to warrant a point especially when centre forward Ritchie was able to direct and distribute, but as the mud got thicker and conditions more testing Everton were better equipped to cope and were well on the way to doing that when Rankin made his dive. Wilson had started quietly and never raised his game to a high level, but there was no hint of reaction to his old injury, which, I suppose is some satisfaction for the club. I doubt though whether there can be the same satisfaction over the return of Scott. Rarely has he been so ineffective and this was one game at least where it was clear that his incoming at the expense of Morrissey had not strengthened the team.
MORRISSEY NEEDED
Everton need someone like Morrissey with his variation in approach for generally the attack lacked imagination apart from a couple of occasions when Pickering brilliant football and shots which goalkeeper Leslie saved excellently. Temple was beginning to show his menace at the start of the second half, but when Rankin was hurt he had to fall back to help while Harvey, hard though he worked. Still needs to speed up his distribution. Harvey is always a trier and he did notable work when the defensive call was made. Brown made two fine saves, was beaten by a shot from Bebbington which hit the bar, but he and the rest of the Everton defence earned their bonus when Stoke were suddenly provided with a chance of snatching a shock win when Rankin was injured. Brown was also hurt in another collision with Skeels, but recovered. Labone’s one real mistake cost the equaliser, but the mud had something to do with it because he seemed to slip as he tried to put the ball back to Brown with Palmer nipping in and slipping it home. Everton’s goal came on similar lines, but there was the difference that when Allen attempted to get the ball back to Leslie he did so from the comparatively mud-free wing and in this case Pickering’s anticipation and speed were decisive. I though he beat Leslie to it after the goalkeeper had a yard or so start, but both Pickering and Palmer took the opportunities excellently.  Both sides did not make enough use of the drier wings because so many attempts to go through the middle came unstuck when the ball stuck in the mud and the result was that we had a game in which stamina as much as skill paid off. The real heroes were probably those who stood out on the terraces. It did not stop raining and the longer the game went the worse become the conditions. Stoke’s strong men were centre half Kinnell and right half Setters. The ex-Manager United man is a fine player and is doing well for Stoke. I should think he took every throw-in and every free kick, the effort into his game sign of a man who puts 100 per cent effort into his game. Everton; Rankin; Brown, Wilson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Scott, Harvey, Pickering, Vernon, Temple. Stoke City; Leslie; Asprey, Allen; Setters, Kinnell, Bloor, Palmer, Ritchie, Skeels, Bebbington. Referee; Mr. W.J. Gow (Birmingham). Attendance 31,713.

STOKE CITY RES v  EVERTON RES
The Liverpool Daily Post- Monday, December 14, 1964
The conditions were so atrocious on the waterlogged Stoke pitch that play at times became almost farcical. Orthodox methods were impossible and the ball frequently stuck in the mud and slush and progress could only be made by the use of the long ball. Most of the players were leg-weary long before the end as they struggled in the mud and flush. Everton had the attacking edge largely because their wingers, Shaw and Veall were more effective on the firmer going away from the quagmire down the centre. Shaw scored for Everton in the first half and five minutes before the end Glover headed the second goal, following Parker’s free kick.

EVERTON DRAW
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Monday, December 14, 1964
By Leslie Edwards
Let me say something of the thoughtless fans who “took it out” of Alex Scott in the Everton v Stoke city match on Saturday at Goodison Park. Here was a player newly-restored to the side after injury. And what a day to return! Unrelenting rain; a pitch that became almost a morass of mud down the middle and an opposing back Allen who played as well as he ever played for England. Scott’s game is normally to hold the ball and move fast with it. It wasn’t his fault that the ball “dragged” where the mud was thickest; it wasn’t his fault that his play was a little rusty; that it was one of those days when, try as he would, little or nothing would go right. What was the reaction of some people to all this?  “Go home, Scott!” and a few other equally ill-natured comments were aimed at him as though this kind of verbal chastisement would help him to do better. In fact, of course, it made him play worse. Have Scott’s critics such short memories that they cannot excuse him one poor game in two dozen other excellent ones? 
DRAW WAS RIGHT
In dreadful conditions, the match could scarcely have bene more entertaining. That there were over 32,000 present (most of them tucked away under the stands) was a tribute to Evertonians’ loyalty. A pity they were now rewarded with a win. A draw in the special circumstances, with Rankin operating in the outfield owing to breaking a bone in his hand, and Brown deputising “between the sticks” was a fair enough verdict. I thought the players’ handshakes after this grand, if uncomfortable, battle in teeming rain really meant something. It seemed to be that both teams enjoyed their mud-plugging and felt that the 1-1 ticket was just about right. I’ve heard of people painting the clouds with sunshine, but painting mud with whitewash at the interval was a remarkable variation on that old theme. Not the only whitewashing attempted over the week-end. The goals were almost carbon copies in construction and taking and were precisely over the same part of the pitch. First, Allen, attempting a pass to his own goalkeeper, found the ball braking so hard Pickering was able to nip in and take it before sliding his shot gently into an empty net; then, with Labone miscueing in the mud and presenting Palmer with the same sort of none-too-easy shooting chance, Brown was beaten as Leslie had been. Though they were facing virtually a ten-man side in the final minutes, stoke elected to play for a draw and, much to the crowd’s dissatisfaction, wasted time with a series of triangular passes in defence.
SPONGE GOES DOWN
Skeel’s collision with Rankin looked bad, but was accidental, I am sure. The way trainer Tom Eggleston disgustedly threw down the sponge when he sensed the nature of Rankin’s injury indicated that it was damage which would take him off his goal-line. Brown had no sooner taken over the goalkeeper’s jersey than he was injured going down to the feet of the same Stoke forward. What misfortune it would have been if he, too, had finished a casualty. Stoke hit the woodwork over Brown’s head, but gave him precious little other work, although he did make one first-class save and was alive, when required, to the necessity for picking up the ball in the mud off reverse passes. The great man of the match was Setters. What a character; what a player! Stoke, I thought, were a better side than one anticipated despite the absence of McIlroy, Dobing and Matthews. Allen had a fine match, too; so did Kinnell. As a team they worked with splendid co-operation. Everton had no zip on the wings and well as their defence supported them they never looked impressive in attack. Rankin’s absence, plus brown’s could be a crushing burden over the next fortnight. Fortunately, Wilson came through this game without fault, except perhaps for a little slowness. He is such a self-effecting type, as a player, much of his excellent full back play went almost unnoticed.

WASTED TRIP FOR HARRY CATTERICK
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Monday, December 14, 1964
WEDNESDAY GAME OFF
RANKIN BLOW
By Leslie Edwards
Everton manager Harry Catterick missed his team’s game against stoke City because he wanted to cast his expert eye on Sheffield Wednesday the team he used to manage, and the club Everton meet early in the New year in the Cup. He had a wasted journey. En route to Ewood Park he was told the Blackburn v. Wednesday match was off owing to the state of the ground. He switched his attention to another Lancashire ground, but his mission was “only route.” Rankin, the Everton goalkeeper, may be out of the game for eight weeks after breaking a bone between the knuckles and wrist in the match against Stoke City. Everton’s reserve strength in this department is good with Gordon West and young Geoff Barnett available.

FAIRS CUP-TIES DATES
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Tuesday December 15, 1964
GOODISON LEG ON FEBRUARY 9
By Leslie Edwards
Dates have bene fixed for the meetings of Everton and Manchester United in the Inter Cities Fairs Cup tournament. The first game will be played at Old Trafford on Wednesday, January 20; the second leg at Goodison Park on Tuesday, February 9. The clubs have had great difficulty in fixing dates because of F.A. Cup commitments. The game at Old Trafford comes just before the return meeting of Everton and Liverpool, at Goodison Park.
SOLD-OUT
The Everton Club announced to-day that all tickets for this “Derby” match have been sold. Everton and Manchester United are to agree prices for the fairs Cup games. Details of these will be announced later.

HOUSES BEFORE FOOTBALL STANDS
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Thursday December 17, 1964
In reference to the report in the Echo on December 12 regarding the proposal to bring the Everton F.C ground up-to-date to meet World Cup requirements, including the rebuilding of the Stanley Park end stand I notice it is suggested that the Liverpool Housing Committee should rehouse the tenants of the houses in Walton Lane which are owned by the Everton F.C. I feel that the responsibility of providing homes for these people should be solely a matter for Everton F.C. I feel our housing waiting lists are quite long enough without being added to for the sake of sport. The report of the inconvenience caused to these tenants on match days also affects all the tenants in the roads and streets adjacent to the ground, plus the fact that on match days public transport is completely disrupted on the main approach roads to the ground. The final point I make is the shortage of building materials, three to nine months waiting for bricks to be delivered, and I say houses before football stands. I wish to point out I am a keen sportsman and am writing this letter without malice. Let’s have first things first-DICKIE SAM III.

VERNON LEFT OUT OF EVERTON TEAM AS A DISCIPLINARY MEASURE
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Friday, December 18, 1964
CLUB STATEMENT ON BREACH OF REGULATIONS
By Leslie Edwards
Roy Vernon, Everton’s Welsh international inside forward, has been omitted from the team to play Tottenham in London tomorrow “for breach of club and training regulations.”  A few weeks ago Vernon was fined by his club for lateness in arriving at the training ground; when the team toured the United States in the close season three years ago Vernon was sent home in advance of the rest of the party. The statement issued by the club to-day was; “Roy Vernon has been omitted from the team as a disciplinary measure for breach of club and training regulations.” With Rankin and Stevens injured, Harris ill with ‘flu. Kay still on the side lines and Brown suspended, the decision not to play Vernon to-morrow must have been a difficult one for manager Harry Catterick to make. Beyond announcing the club’s decision he would make no comment, but it is clear that even in his difficult position in respect of injuries and other absences he felt he had to maintain club regulations. I understand that Vernon did not take the news of his omission kindly.
WITHOUT FOUNDATION
Everton have always made a point that discipline must be maintained not only inside the club, but at all times. A London suggestion that Vernon had been left out because he had perhaps said something to a referee is entirely without foundation. My own view is that Vernon’s omission is due to some misdemeanour in respect of routine training and that his “offence,” whatever it was, must have occurred within the past day or two. The team at Tottenham will be chosen from; West; Wright, Wilson; Gabriel, Labone, Hurst; Harvey, Scott, Young, Pickering, Temple, Morrissey.
Young Frank Saul who scored two goals against Sheffield United at BramallLane last week, is dropped to make way for £72,500 Alan Gilzean in the Sours team. Gilzean plays at centre-forward with Welsh International winger, Cliff Jones, continuing at inside left. There are two other changes, Tony Marchi returns to left-half for 20-years-old Roy Low after missing two matches with a leg injury while Bill Brown is recalled to keep goal for £30,000 Pat Jennings. Spurs;- Brown; Knowles, Henry; Mullery, Norman, Marchi; Robertson, Greaves, Gilzean, Jones, Dyson.
Tony Kay, the Everton international, turns out for Merseyside Showbiz soccer team at Fulwood Barracks, Preston, on Sunday in a match against the King’s Regiment (Manchester and Liverpool) to aid the Soldiers, sailors and Airmen’s families’ Association. They expect Ken Dodd to kick off at 11.45 a,m. he is president of the showbiz X1.

PICKERING DOUBLE RETORT TO GREAVES THE GOAL-SNATCHER
The Liverpool Football Echo and Evening Express- Saturday December 19, 1964
TOTTENHAM 2, EVERTON 2
By Jack Rowe
Tottenham Hotspur;- Brown; Knowles, Henry; Mullery, Norman, Marchi; Robertson, Greaves, Gilzean, Jones, Dyson. Everton;- West; Wright, Wilson; Gabriel, Labone, Harvey, Scott, Young, Temple, Morrissey. Referee; Mr. G. McCabe, Sheffield.
Manager Harry Catterick met his injury and suspension problems by bringing in Wright at right back, switching Harvey to left half, and recalling Morrissey to the left wing, with Temple inside. West was in goal and Young was also back after injury against a Spurs who had their new £72,000 Scot Alan Gilzean at centre forward. Within two minutes, Harvey made a couple a couple of winning tackles against Greaves, but Sours should have gone ahead in their first attack. Following a long throw by Greaves, Jones turned the ball beautifully across goal, but Dyson whipped it into the crowd from only six yards.
INTO THE CROWD
Norman and Young’s through pass into the crowd rather than take a chance with Pickering and the first time Gilzean came on the scene he laid on a lovely pass for Jones, but again Wilson made the vital tackle. After a lone venture by Pickering down the left Morrissey’s shot struck Norman and bounced clear. Pickering was stopped by Norman and as Spurs continued to dictate, West threw himself to the right to make a grand save from Jones’s low header.
ANOTHER FINE SAVE
Greaves was checked so obviously on the edge of the area that a free kick could be the only award. From it, West made another fine save, punching away from Jones. Everton might have scored but Scott crossed the ball too soon, and Pickering’s first-time volley lacked force. Wilson had so far looked the complete full-back in a hard-working Everton defence. Pickering, however, was making good use of the ball, and initiated a move which ended with a shot by Scott. Brown could not hold it, and Norman had to kick away. Spurs were moving fast in midfield, and again West did well to punch out from under the bar from Jones.
TWO QUICK GOALS
Everton were also playing some good football at times, with Pickering now limping twice beating Norman brilliantly. In the 28th minute Everton took a shock lead, which lasted exactly a minute. Everton’s goal came when Brown fumbled a long ball from Wright for Pickering score as Norman and Henry challenged. This was a turn-up but Greaves made it all square almost from the restart, shooting low into the corner when the ball came over from the left. Then there was some trouble behind Spurs’ goal and police took some young spectators out of the ground. Pickering was in excellent form, and Everton almost shook Spurs again following one of his passes. Scott’s shot cleared the bar only by inches. Gilzean had been getting nothing out of Labone, but one pass form him threatened danger. The speedy Jones chased it and was stopped only by West’s dive at his feet.
BLUES BEHIND
Everton were battling grandly, if at times desperately. But they went behind in 41 minutes with a great goal by greaves. Dyson headed Mulley’s cross into the goal area, and, with Harvey challenging him, greaves scored with a high hook shot. There were some contentious moments after this goal, for West complained that he had not come out unscathed after a clash with Gilzean, and after Young and Jones had been in a mix-up, the referee had words with the Everton player. Spurs piled it on in the few minutes before the interval, with Jones flashing a shot just outside and West saving again from Greaves under the bar. Half-time; Spurs 2, Everton 1.
Young and Jones, it was pleasant to see, shook hands before the second half began. When play started Robertson, from outside the area, at once struck a left-foot shot, which hit the outside of the post before going behind.
GABREIL STARS
Gabriel, another who had done well defensively, stopped Gilzean in full cry, then passed to Pickering, who seemed to be obstructed as he tried to pass Norman. Everton had a bright few minutes in which they tested Sours’ defence, with Harvey dispossessing Greaves and going on to make a low shot, which Brown saved by the post. Young’s first-times shot hit a defender, and, as Everton kept up the pressure, Brown revealed his shakiness by falling to collect a close-range effort by Pickering from Morrissey’s corner. Spurs swooped back, and Mullery, should have done better than head over from close in after Roberts had made the run and centre. In the next minute, the right winger shot inches over.
FROM THE RIGHT
On the hour Everton got level when Gabriel broke up an attack and lobbed the ball down the right for Scott to chase. Scott beat Henry and pulled back a low centre which Pickering turned into the net. Everton almost scored again when Gabriel, playing magnificently, got Pickering going. He put the ball inside and Scott’s first-timer swung just past the bar post, with Brown in no position to save. Spurs found renewed power, especially through Greaves and Jones. Only a last-ditch clearance by Harvey stopped Greaves, whilst another brilliant interception by Gabriel robbed Gilzean.
BROWN DIVES
Brown dived to foil Pickering and saved a header from Young. Twice Temple and Pickering were within an ace of getting through, but for the most part the defence was taking the weight.
Final- Tottenham 2, Everton 2. Official attendance 41,888.

EVERTON RES V. PRESTON RES
The Liverpool Football Echo and Evening Express- Saturday, December 19, 1964
Everton res;- Barnett; Parker, Cowan; Sharples, Heslop, Rees; Shaw, Humphreys, Glover (H), Hill, Veall. Preston Res;- Kelly; Patrick, Donnelly; Barber, Wearmouth, Cranston, Hannigan, Kirk, Greenhlagh, Lee, Coleman. Referee C.S. Ainatt (Birmingham). Everton were soon attacking. A grand move by Veall, Hill and Glover was only stopped with a good tackle by Donnelly. It was a keen and interesting game with Everton having just the edge. Goalkeeper Kelly made some excellent saves from the goal-hungry Everton forwards, whilst Barnett at the other end was also playing well. Both goals fell within three minutes. At 40 minutes Hill picked up a long ball down the middle and lofted it over Kelly’s head, and three minutes later Greenhalgh equalised from a Kirk pass. The half-time score was a fair reflection of the play. There was no stoppage for injury and no serious fouls. Half-time; Everton Res 1, Preston Res 1.

EVERTON DEFENCE PASSED TEST WITH FLYING COLOURS
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Monday December 21, 1964
By Jack Rowe
Everton will never get a better point this season than the one took from the 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on Saturday. Struck by injuries and the Vernon trouble on Friday, it seemed to be asking too much to expect them to get anything from the London visit. True there were many times when it looked as though they were bound to go down, especially in the first half, but never for a moment was there a let-up in the spirit or the fight of the side and in the finish I certainly would not begrudge them the draw. Except for isolated spells this was a defensive battle with wright and Harvey coming out commendably but they would be the first to concede that the strong men in this rear-guard action were Gabriel, Labone, and early on Wilson.
WRIGHT’S GRIP
But as the match went on Harvey, who had to mark the England inside right Greaves, grew in stature and so did wright who took an effective grip on that little outside right, Dyson. In goal as well we had West making his first appearance of the season and doing much noble work in the first half and if, in the second he was not nearly confronted so much with direct shots, he did not err once. The way Wilson played in the first half hour, for example, was an indication of how fine a full back he can he, and if he faded a little later against the fast raiding of Robertson there was never a hint that he would lose his composure or his ability to make a recovering tackle. This really though, was another match in which the whole team can take the credit. Young and Temple, Morrissey and Scott, lent a hand in defence and did so ably when the Spurs put on their power, leaving Pickering as the man up front to do what damage he could. And it must be said that whenever Pickering got the ball he was as good a ball player as any on the field, and never could the Spurs’ defence leave him without a man in close attendance and another hovering in the vicinity.
LAURELS FOR LABONE
Spurs were certainly the more forceful and aggressive side in the first half and they had much more of the play, but after the interval Everton looked better in much that they did and their willingness to work and fight for the ball took a lot of the sting out of the London club’s attack, until Labone and the men around him were containing, if not comfortably at least successfully, the twin inside threats of Greaves and Jones. Labone, as well, came out of the game with by far the bigger share of the laurels in his duel with Spurs’ new Scottish international, Gilzean.
COMPLETE MASTER
Gilzean occasionally showed some nice touches, but he was not nearly as potent in the air as it was thought he would be. It was here that Labone was the complete master, and the centre half gave his side great service in the manner he headed away a series of high balls in the closing minutes as Spurs tried to find a winning way to goal. Gabriel, too, was magnificent, particularly in the second half, his tackling, distribution and positional sense being outstanding and must have done much to encourage Harvey in the strange role for him of left half. Harvey responded excellently and on this form continues to look an outstanding prospect, while Wright, if a little less effective, carries a lot of promise. There were occasions when the Everton attack moved smoothly and they took the lead in 28 minutes when Brown unaccountably lost a long ball from Wright so that Pickering was able almost to walk the ball into the net. A minute later Spurs were level, Greaves darting in to give West no chance, and four minutes before half time it was Greaves again, scoring grandly with a hook shot from Dyson’s headed pass. Everton’s equaliser on the hour was the result of Gabriel’s cute lob and Scott’s superb dash and tricking of Henry, which took him to the line before he pulled the ball back for Pickering to force it towards goal. It seemed to me to be going in when he struck one defender, went on to another, and finally ended up in the net much to Everton’s joy. For the most part this was quite an exciting and entertaining match, with Spurs producing a lot of pressure in the second half but not a lot of potency due to that fine Everton defensive work.

BLACKPOOL DENY MOVE FOR VERNON
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Monday December 21, 1964
VALUATION “TOO HIGH”
TRAINING
By Leslie Edwards
Messrs. Harry Catterick and Ronnie Suart, the two men who would know most about it, both denied to-day that they had been in contact over the possibility of Roy Vernon joining Blackpool. Vernon disciplined on Friday and left out of the team at White Hart Lane on Saturday, trained this morning with all other Everton players who didn’t have a game on Saturday. Harry Catterick said of reports linking Vernon with Blackpool; “I know nothing at all about it.” Blackpool manager Ronnie Stuart, said; “I have definitely not contacted Goodison Park. According to our information Everton’s valuation of Vernon, even if they were prepared to transfer him, is in the region of £50,000. We just could not afford such a price at Blackpool.” 
CHRISTMAS TRAINING
My own opinion now that Vernon’s spell of being disciplined is ended, is that Everton have so many fixtures and so many injured there can be no chance of the player moving for the time being. Even if Everton were to allow him to go they would require, in think a good exchange deal, since money is easier to come by nowadays than first-class players. Everton players Christmas morning training stint is likely to take between 45 and 60 minutes. “This is our usual Friday morning routine, so far as training is concerned,” said Mr. Catterick. The club play West Bromwich at Goodison Park on Saturday.

EVERTON BEAT FROST, SNOW AND THEN ALBION
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Monday, December 28, 1964
By Leslie Edwards
Only when those of the 46,000 who were sheltered left Goodison Park on Saturday did they realise what difficulties Everton and West Bromwich Albion players had surmounted. The cold was raw; the sleet and snow swirling making visibility difficulty. In the circumstances we must thank both teams, and Everton in particular, for producing a heart-warming contest which made such hardship worthwhile. A goal down at the interval and two goals down shortly afterwards, Everton came back at their opponents so bravely and effectively they won ultimately by three goals to two- and the margin could have been wider. There was no show-and no sign of it- when the game began. It was not long before spectators on the terraces -many thousands of whom had so successfully tucked themselves out of sight the attendance looked more in the region of 36,000-were getting a wetting and the team were “doing their stuff” despite clouds of tiny flakes blown into their faces. It could be argued that Albion were worth a draw, but in my book Everton had done sufficient to have led by two or three goals at the interval, despite their lack of accuracy in finishing and there was no doubt in the end that they took all the honours of the second half. When Everton stood two goals down with less than half the game to play, the loud-mouths had a ready-made opportunity to turn and tell Catterick what they thought of him and his decision to leave out Vernon. In the end, most people, I think, went home satisfied that Everton, although not playing combinedly as well as Albion, were worth the points for their brilliance in many departments. It would seem to me that Vernon’s return must be delayed longer. On suspects that Albion on their own ground, will be just that bit tougher and more difficult to beat, and I would not suggest Everton cam come up with a victory to-night if they get themselves one goal behind, much less two. Liverpool’s Cup opponents impressed everyone on Saturday as one of the division’s most talented elevens, not one of the most ordinary. Jimmy Hagan, with players’ strikes on his hand not long ago, has sold two of his stars. Howe to Arsenal and Kevan to Manchester City, but the Baggies from the Hawthornes still contrive to come up with a side mainly composed of Midlanders. They shook and shocked Everton by their determined tacking; by their cheekily confident football; and by their refusal to be over-awed by Goodison Park or the crowd. The possibility of Everton winning seemed remote after Clark had supplemented the goal the other Albion winger, Fenton, took when a tentative back-pass by Wilson to West fell short and left the Albion forward the easiest opening. By this time snow was “sticking” white around the touchline, but mercifully not on the pitch, where Everton’s warming wires had not only kept the turf free of frost, but left the ground yielding and impervious to the blizzard.

TEMPLE THUMPS ONE
Life on Boxing Day must have felt bleak to Everton players whom the crowd roared on only when they succeeded in rubbing out one of the goals. This goal came from temple. He took up an fine through pass from Harvey, sped over the treacherous pitch as though it were a shale running track and hammered the ball so hard I’ll swear I could hear the thump of his boot on the casing. Soon, Pickering, with another thumping shot from closer range, had the scores level. It was left to Harvey to find Scott for the best goal of them all. Scott, whose merit is that whatever move he makes is almost invariably a forward one, took the ball on, created a fine angle for himself and cracked the ball in under the far goal angle for as nice an individual goal as one could wish to see. The crowd roared; forgot the snow seeping down their necks and suddenly life was good again for them- in spite of thoughts of long and not very rewarding waits in bus queues for transport which the coming of the snow may have made more belated than usual. There was much to like from both sides in this memorable match. One foresees that Liverpool will do well to escape, even if they defend in depth, at The Hawthorns a week next Saturday. Both wingers are good; Williams captains the side shrewdly from left full-back. Potter, in goal, should he was capable of almost beating a team off his own bat. It was almost wholly due to him that Everton, off many brilliant first-half moves, went for the interval without a goal. One of his saves off Pickering was magnificent. In this spell Everton were luckless not to get a goal from so much well-contrived movement. Where Morrissey did all that was right and Scott did nearly everything that was wrong when last we saw Everton at home now the roles were reversed. Young was rarely seen, and Temple not often, either but it in other respects Everton were as good as they can be, with Harvey opening out and performing as Manager Catterick knows he can. There would be no disgrace if Everton lost to-night; indeed one suspects that this newly-built Albion will match and better most of their visiting opponents.