VERNON WAS THE MAN WHO KEPT EVERTON HOPING
Liverpool Daily Post- Monday, March 1, 1965
EVERTON 0, BLACKPOOL 0
By Jack Rowe
This was the day on which Everton could have won the sweep, the day on which Roy Vernon so nearly really bounced back from the wilderness with three or four goals. Instead it ended as a day on which nearly everything went wrong, a day on which we had another outburst of slow handclapping and with it the inevitable abuse, from one or two spectators below the directors’ box. Even if I don’t entirely agree with the slow handclapping in this instance, I accept it as the right of the crowd, or a section of a crowd, to express themselves, just as one must accept criticism in reasonable language.
OFFENSIVE
But we had more than that from one raucous individual who could hardly be missed and it seems to me a pity that some action cannot be taken to make a spectator, or spectators, appreciate that the right of criticism does not include a form of abuse which can be offensive to others within hearing. I can understand the frustration which brought it and the slow handclap, but I doubt if the frustration of the supporters equalled the frustration of the Everton players, as they saw a game they should have won comfortably escape them. Where I disagree is that it showed a lack of acknowledgement of the brave fight Blackpool produced and I found the match infinitely more entertaining and enjoyable than that at Sheffield the week before when Everton did win. Sure Everton should have won! They had chances galore, but Blackpool’s defence also battled magnificently and what is more important they had the little bit of luck which helped them to take a point. I think this was completely emphasised early in the first half when Vernon suffered his first frustration. Fine goalkeeper though he is, I doubt if Waiters knew anything at all about the flick which hit his outstretched arm and came out instead of going in.
GOAL MAD
A score then and Everton might have gone goal mad, but that is how it was for most of the match with Vernon several times foiled by Waiters and on one or two occasions failing to strike true shots when the opportunities came. In the first half especially Vernon looked the player of reputation. He and Harvey did some lovely things, and Vernon must have wondered what he had to do to get a goal as he saw waiters fist save magnificently from a flying header and then, in the second half, somehow get to a swerving powerfully hit volley, which I thought must beat the goalkeeper. What must be said of Vernon was that he was the one Everton player who did look likely to score. Pickering’s contribution was more in the touch than the shot for apart from one drive which flashed outside he could not make proper contact. Scott and Temple were also off the beam, and even though Harvey and Gabriel switched positions in the second half it was always Vernon who looked most likely to get the goal Everton wanted so desperately. Waiters and this fighting Blackpool defence put up the barrier to the end and, indeed with only a few minutes to go they almost grabbled what would have been a sensational and underserved winner. Muir swept in from the wing and shot with his left foot a ball so accurate that West did a wonderful job in keeping if from going in at the angle of bar and post. The only other time West was remotely tested was in the first half when Horne got one on target.
BALL’S TRICK’S
Everton’s defence had an easier task than Blackpool’s Ball often showed us his football tricks, but that was about all and certainly the credit for this welcome draw goes to Waiters, Armfield, James and their defensive colleagues. It seems incredible that Everton, with their long undefeated run in the League, have not won at Goodison Park for such a long time, but in this latest disappointment there was some pleasure for them. Wright is developing on lines which often make him look a better full-back than Wilson, while Harvey is confirming the view that if Alf Ramsey can ignore him much longer England must be well off for players- and we know that is not exactly the situation. One snag in Everton performances these days is the failure to find form by Temple. We used to regard him and Pickering as the strikers, but lately it has been only Pickering and even he is not throwing in the lethal finish. However, Pickering needs the ball on the ground and he is not always getting it. This was a fault on Saturday, when the centre forward was no match for James in the air, but it is a fact that when the shooting chance did pop up Pickering’s timing went haywire. So we were left with Vernon and there is no doubt in my mind that if he continues to play as he did on Saturday his value to Everton can still be immense. Everton; West; Wright, Wilson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Scott, Harvey, Pickering, Vernon, Temple. Blackpool; Waiters; Armfield, Thompson; McPhee, James, Green; Moir, Ball, Charnley, Rowe, Horne. Referee; Mr. H.P. Hackney, (Barnsley), Attendance 35,267.

EVERTON TOO GOOD FOR OPPOSITION
The Liverpool Daily Post- Monday, March 1, 1965
ASTON VILLA RES 0, EVERTON RESERVES 1
Everton Reserves should have won this Central League game, at Villa Park by a much bigger margin than a single goal, for they were always too good for a much shuffled Villa side, which lacked any real method. Rankin was rarely troubled, for Villa’s inexperienced forwards seldom broke away from the grip of the Everton half-back line, in which Hurst was outstanding. He came to the rescue to head away a shot from Caldicott which could have produced the equaliser. Everton took the lead, after thirty minutes, with a good goal from Humphreys, and although from then on they dictated the terms, they were prone to over-elaboration, when more direct methods would have produced a crop of goals. It is fair to say that their tally would have been greater but for an excellent display of goalkeeping by Gavan.

WHY THIS GENERAL DISCONTENT AT EVERTON?
Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Monday, March 1, 1965
By Leslie Edwards
The rule would seem to be the greater your love for a club, the more vicious your criticism when it fails to win. Maybe that is why a number of followers of Everton made for the exits a few minutes before the end of the goalless game against Blackpool, shouting rude words to the Everton manager and directors. Almost invariably in such cases the word taxi looms large. Why there should be such general discontent about a team merely because it has not collected both points. when the last defeat in the League was as long ago as November, is a mystery. Anyone with half an eye could see that this was a day when Walters, of Blackpool and England, was fated to be unbeaten; otherwise how could he have brought off, as he did, those three fantastic saves from Vernon alone? The odds against him saving in each case was twenty to one against. Everton had right argue, as a side, that they did enough to have won but failed because the goalkeeper facing them had an afternoon out. I concede that Everton made many midfield mistakes, as did Blackpool and that the general run of the game was below standard. It was that because the pitch was firm and, in part, heavily sanded. The yielding pitches of English midwinter assist in the easier " killing" of the ball and make control of it almost a formality. In this case there were insufficient players around who were masters of the ball. much less the opposition. The man who held off an opponent's tackle usually found the ball taken from him by a covering defender, of whom Blackpool, at least, had all too many.
NO WAY PAST WAITERS
Vernon's return has put fire into the Everton line. The move in which he and Harvey took the ball through in the opening minutes was a tremendous one; unhappily Everton only rarely repeated such brilliances. I think crowd critics, and there were only a vociferous handful of them, became frustrated that for all their command of their opponents Everton could not find a way past Waiters. His full-length dive to the left when Vernon's header from close in had every chance of scoring was the most breath -taking or goalkeeping I have seen this season. Before the match was over Vernon had two more almost equally good saves to applaud. It was only rarely West found himself in danger, although there were times when the Blackpool attack pedestrianly, painstakingly got into the firing line and let a shot go. Not being so keenly disappointed as rabid fans when their side gets only a point from a home fixture, I found the game reasonably satisfying for some individual performances, not least those of Labone, Ball and Green. Whether Charnley is a shadow of the player he used to be or whether Labone came up on Saturday with his best work for seasons is anyone's guess. What isn't a guess is that he outheaded, outmanoeuvred and out-thought Charnley at every facet of the game. In fact although Charnley kept going through the motions of being a centre-forward he was only once remotely likely to get a goal—that was when he cracked a low shot from an angled position. Labone must have thought it safe for him to - be there—and so it was!
TESTING PITCH
Whether Everton fans appreciated it or not, there must have been other things testing about the pitch at Goodison Park, otherwise both Gabriel and Moir would not have spent so much time with their stockings round their ankles and fear of other attacks of cramp in their minds. There was nothing cramped about the play of the red-headed Ball, a Manchester man who somehow escaped the talent drag-net of Manchester United. This little chap—he's not much more than boy-sued—had pitch, ball and opposition tamed with sure control and artful weavings to open a channel for a pass and ability to slide the ball through the gap in the moat acceptable way. He's a Law of a sort who may make an even bigger impact on the game assuming he makes the necessary development down the seasons. It wasn't his fault Blackpool went goalless or the fault of Moir on his right or Horne at outside-left. But Rowe, the beanpole inside-left, is a half-back or nothing -and Blackpool have good half-backs to spare. The best, and the game's best, was the sandy-haired Green, from ,the Roger Hunt Warrington stable, via Tranmere Rovers. McPhee, too, had a good match, but Green was outstanding. Everton did a lot that was promising and Wright and Wilson, at least, could scarcely have done better, so the only "fault" one could find vu the inability of the attack to get the goals. They played well enough to do so and Vernon certainly could not have done more, but when a last-liner like Waiters has one of his best days someone has to suffer. It proved, in this case, to be Everton. I don't see why anyone should get so cross about it—after all, five points out of three matches, two of them away, is worth better than slow handclapping emanating from the stands.

STOKE YOUTH SIDE AT GOODISON
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Monday, March 1, 1965
By Paul O’Brien
Everton, who have already knocked out the under-18 representatives three First Division clubs should add a fourth to their list when Stoke City visit Goodison Park for an F.A. Youth Cup quarter final to-morrow evening (7.30). A crowd of over 11,000 saw this quick moving, long-passing Everton side beat Burnley in the last round and despite the fact that it will be played' only 24 hours before the big, European Cup attraction, at Anfield, to-morrow evening's game is expected to draw more than 15,000 spectators. On paper Everton, who have so far scored 12 goals without reply in beating Manchester United (home), Blackburn (away) and Burnley (home), look the stronger and more experienced side, but it would be wrong to underestimate the fighting qualities of this Potteries team.Stoke's side is composed mainly of local players, many of whom have played together in schools and youth football for several seasons. At least six members of the side played in the Stoke Boys' teams which shook the school’s football world by winning the English Trophy in 1962 and 1963, while the only two outsiders are likely to be wing half Thompson, a Scot and inside forward Bernard, who comes from Shrewsbury.
HOME VICTORIES
In reaching this stage, Stoke have won three home ties -4-2 v. Nottingham Forest, 3-1 v. Port Vale, and 3-2 v. Coventry. John Woodward. the youngster, who made his First Division debut against Chelsea on Saturday, will lead Stoke's attack, while William Bentley, who, like Woodward, helped Stoke Boys to beat Liverpool Boys in the 1962 English Trophy final, will be at left half. Three members of tomorrow's Everton side played this final—full back Frank; D’Arcy, inside forward Gerry Glover and outside-left Aidan Maher. Glover and Everton's goalkeeper. Geoff Barnett, have both had outings with the England X1 this season. Everton’s team will be that which beat Burnley in the fourth round. Everton; Barnett; Pearson, D’Arcy; Hurst, Curwen, Vaager; Wallace, Glover, McLoughlin, Husband, Maher.

EVERTON OFFER TO COLOGNE
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Monday, March 1, 1965
By Leslie Edwards
Everton have been in touch with Cologne officials at their Birkdale headquarters. They have offered the Germans use of their treatment room at Goodison Park between now and Wednesday evening. Manager Harry Catterick said; “We know what it is to be preparing for a match abroad without facilities available in an up-to-date treatment room. “Hospitals don’t really know what is required. We are always happy to take advantage of such ‘hospitality’ when we play on the Continent. I don’t suppose Cologne will need our room, but if they do, they are welcome.”

JOE CLENNELL DIES AT 75
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Monday, March 1, 1965
FORMER EVERTON PLAYER
Mr. Joe Clennell, the former Blackpool, Everton, Cardiff City, Blackburn Rovers, and Stoke City, was killed in a car accident near his Blackpool home last night. He was 75. Mr. Clennell, who retired to Blackpool in 1936 after keeping a hotel in Blackburn, won League championship medals with Blackburn in 1911-12, and Everton in 1914-15. He was transferred to Cardiff City from Everton in January, 1924. At that time he had a small business in Barlow’s Lane. As a player, Clennell was a bundle of energy. He was a native of New Silkworth in the North-East, and came to the front with Blackpool in 1910-11 season, when getting 20 goals in 32 League appearances.

ENGLAND YOUTH TOUR PARTY
Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Tuesday, March 2, 1965
TWO EVERTON PLAYERS CHOSEN
By Paul O’Brien
Two Everton players, Geoff Barnett and Gerry Glover, have bene chosen to go with the England Youth team on a short tour to Switzerland, which starts this week-end. The England side will play two matches -against a Swiss Under-20 team at Yverdon on March 9 and a youth international against Switzerland, at Grenchen-Granges on March 11. Barnett and Glover will both be in the Everton side which meets Stoke City in an F.A Youth Cup quarter-final at Goodison Park, this evening (7.30). The report from Goodison this morning was that there is no snow on the pitch, which is soft enough to give a nice stud hold. Everton announce that in addition to the usual turnstiles in Goodison Road and Bullens road stand and ground entrances in Gwladys Street will also be open. Bus routes serving the ground will be augmented as much as possible.

TOUGH FIGHT FOR EVERTON IN YOUTH CUP
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express-Wednesday, March 3, 1965
By Paul O’Brien
A goal by centre-forward McLoughlin, after 23 minuteswas sufficient to give Everton victory over Stoke (F.A. Youth Cup quarter-final, at Goodison Park) lastnight, but the home side had their toughest fight of the seams against a close marking, strong tackling Potteries' team. A solid Stoke defence, in which inside left Starkey dropped back to play along- side centre half Keeling, had most of the answers to Everton’s usual long passing game with full backs Bentley and Marsh keeping a close watch on the speedy Goodison wingmen, Wallace and Maher. Stoke’s mistake was that they appeared to be content to stay on defence even after Everton had scored, hoping that a quick break would produce a goal and earn a replay. They failed in this because the build-up of their attacks was too slow, although there were a number of occasions when centre forward Woodward, who made his First Division debut last week-end against Chelsea, bustled his way through and put across fast centres which Barnett, in the Everton goal, could only push away.

MISSED CHANCES
Had McLoughlin been able to take two fine chances which came his way in the opening three minutes, then Stokes side tactics would surely have been changed and we would have seen a more open game. On the other hand, had Stoke wingers, Worsdale and Weston, been able to convert two opportunities which came their way almost immediately afterwards, then Everton may have been struggling to avoid defeat. Everton missed other reasonable chances and had the misfortune to see several good efforts narrowly miss the woodwork, but in the second half , when Stoke allowed themselves the luxury of a fifth man in attack, it was the brilliance of Farmer which stood between Everton and further goals. The stoke goalkeeper's best saves were from a 25 yards drive by Hurst. Everton's half, after 64 minutes, and from a fierce volley by Husband 10 minutes later, but he also made other fine saves from Maher and Husband. Everton’s goal came at the 23rd minute, following a foul by Starkey on Husband near the centre line. Full back D’Arcy floated his free kick into the penalty area, where Husband glided the ball down-wards to the feet of McLoughlin, who made no mistake from close range.
HURST OUTSTANDING
Classy Inside-left Husband and right-half Hurst Everton 's most dangerous marksmen, Husband being particularly unlucky with several shots which beat Farmer and then missed the woodwork by less than a foot. Hurst was the best player on view, and some of his intelligent approach work deserved better finishing than it received. In Stoke's defence, Bentley played a fine game at left back, and he, Husband and Curwen, who are only 17, must be strongcandidates for next season's England youth team. In the Stoke attack Woodward worked hard with skipper Bernard to force an opening in the cool Everton defence, which has not conceded a goal in four games. They failed, however, because Stoke did not have a midfield link man of the Hurst class. Attendance 13,630.

F.A. YOUTH CUP
Liverpool Daily Post- Wednesday, March 3, 1965
EVERTON’S YOUNGSTERS STORM ON
EVERTON 1, STOKE CITY 0
By Ian Hargreaves
Everton’s youth team made sure that the club’s supporters will have something to cheer in the next few weeks by qualifying for the semi-final of the F.A Youth Cup at Goodison Park last night. Although they preserved their record of not conceding a goal in the competition they were only able to score once themselves and were always struggling. Stoke’s youngsters seemed to follow in the footsteps of their seniors and for much of the game concentrated almost exclusively on defence. This was a pity, for in centre forward Woodward and right winger Worsdale they had players fully capable of extending the strongest opposition. For once Evertonians nippy little left winger Maher met his match in Stoke’s full back Marshal and it was significant that with him almost completely subdued the Everton attack lost much of its usual sting. Though inside left Husband made several scintillating runs and might have scored on two or three occasions the attack rarely developed its full potential. Indeed right half Hurst, a real bulldozer of a player, often looked more dangerous than any of his forwards and his power shooting forced Farmer to a number of brilliant saves. Although there were many near misses the only goal of the match came from centre forward McLaughlin in 23 minutes. Left back Darcy floated a free kick into the penalty area. Husband nodded the ball on and McLaughlin popped the ball into the net from close range. Attendance 13,630.

EVERTON’S GAME IS ON
Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Friday, March 5, 1965
BLACKBURN PITCH PAYABLE
The Blackburn Rovers' pitch, where Everton play to-morrow, is playable and the game is in no doubt at present. The ground is very hard but there is no ice or snow on it, and a Blackburn official said to-day there would be no need for a referee's inspection. Everton have announced an unchanged team. Blackburn are still without goalkeeper Fred Else, who has tonsillitis, and their England Under-23 right back, Keith Newton, who has not played for three weeks because of a damaged ankle ligament. They keep the team which drew 1-1 against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane last Saturday with Bob Jones, the former Chester player, in goal for Else, and John Bray at right back for Newton. Blackburn Rovers; Jones; Bray,Joyce; Clayton, England, McGrath; Ferguson, McEvoy, Byrom, Douglas, Harrison. Everton.- West; Wright, Wilson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Scott, Harvey, Pickering, Vernon, Temple.

HARRIS AND PICKERING SCORE IN EASY EVERTON WIN
The Liverpool Football Echo and Evening Express, Saturday, March 6, 1965
BLACKBURN ROVERS 0, EVERTON 2
By Jack Rowe

Blackburn Rovers; Jones; Bray, Joyce; Clayton, England, McGrath; Ferguson, McEvoy, Byrom, Douglas, Harrison. Everton; West; Wright, Wilson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Scott, Harvey, Pickering, Vernon, Temple. Referee-Mr. E. Crawford (Doncaster).
Blackburn introduced an innovation to football when the captains came out with the referee and tossed for choice of ends before the rest of the players came on. An announcement said this was to help spectators and let them know which way each team was kicking, and any who wanted to move could do so along stated routes. A brilliant pass from Vernon set Everton on the move. When Scott took it over his centre was missed by Bray, but the ball skidded so fast off the greasy turf that Temple could only push it against Joyce. This ball rebounded to Vernon, who drove it well wide. Blackburn’s first attack brought a cross from Harrison which West pushed away for a corner. When Ferguson’s kick dropped in front of Douglas, the inside man completely missed his shot. Vernon and Harvey made more fine passes and Temple looked as though he should have scored. As he fired the ball over there were claims from Everton for obstruction but the referee turned them down. After Labone had done well to head away from Harrison, Jones could not hold the ball from a Vernon shot and it slithered from his grasp just outside for a corner. Pickering hit a shot from a narrow angle, and the ball hit Jones.
PENALISED
Gabriel was penalised twice for strong tackles, the second just outside the penalty area. Everton’s football was generally the more constructive and in the 20th minute, they went ahead with a finely worked goal from Harris, although the final moment had an element of fortune about it. Harris began it all near the half-way line by taking the ball down, flickering it inside for Pickering, and then racing on for the return. When it came, McGrath seemed to miskick but in any event Harris was there to push the ball past Jones. Everton’s defence was looking solid, and even when Blackburn got an indirect free kick outside the area to the right, Labone dealt with Byrom’s attempt to dribble past him. there was a threat when Harrison, for the first time, evaded Wright but Labone headed his centre for a corner. Everton went further in front in 28 minutes with a remarkable goal from Pickering. Gabriel sent Scott away and the winger tore through to the line, before pulling his centre back. This looked as though it would pass behind Pickering, but the centre forward produced a back flick with his right foot and the ball went into the net as Bray made a vain attempt to keep it out. Harvey’s work always had the stamp of class, and he was giving the Blackburn defence a lot of trouble with his fine passes. One in particular left the defence stranded and Scott’s shot missed the post by inches. Pickering too, was producing some enact footwork.
DOUGLAS EFFORT
Even Douglas could not bring anything out of Blackburn in spite of a couple of good runs and Everton went very near to another goal through Scott, but England stuck out a foot to cut out the centre. Everton had been able to do things pretty much at their own pace in the first half and their lead could have been more substantial. Half-time; Blackburn Rovers nil, Everton 2
Gabriel came under censure from the referee for another tackle on Douglas within a couple of minutes of the second half starting. The free kick gave Rovers a chance but Harrison tried to take the ball too far instead of centring first time and Wright was able to make a tackle. Vernon was within inches of putting Pickering through, but at this point Everton were inclined to overdo the short passing in midfield. For several minutes it was Blackburn who did the attacking, but without giving West any anxiety. When Everton did swoop via Gabriel and Scott the winger’s cross was just missed by Vernon, when a touch must have meant a goal.
WORD OPF CAUTION
There was a word of caution for Douglas after he had brought down Temple, and immediately after this Blackburn looked dangerous. Wright’s attempted pass hit Harrison and rebounded forward, but the young full back retrieved the situation with a fine tackle. Clayton did get in one shot which swung outside, and then Ferguson tried to get McEvoy through but Labone was there with a fine tackle. Everton were playing with so much confidence that one was afraid that they might overdo it, but there was no doubt that when there was danger it was the Goodison men who were producing it. Gabriel produced a fine shot which Jones only just managed to push away, and it was a pity there was not more of this from the Everton attack, because their mastery was pretty well complete against a side which was most ragged in attack.
YARDS WIDE
Byrom had the most clear cut chance for Blackburn, so far, but his final effort sailed yards wide. Jones twice had to go down full-length to save from Pickering and Temple. Wright and Ferguson were involved in an incident after a foul on the Everton man, and there were cautionary words for both of them from the referee. A minute later Ferguson was again spoken too for kicking the ball away after the whistle had blown. Everton supporters have often chanted “Easy, easy.” They were dead right about this one. Final; Blackburn nil, Everton 2. Attendance 15,960

THEY’RE YOUR VIEWS
The Liverpool Football Echo and Evening Express, Saturday, March 6, 1965
WINGERS NEEDED
You may well ask? Why this general discontent at Everton ? You point out that Everton are unbeaten in the league since November, but forget to mention that Everton have not won a home game since January 2. Looking at that game, against Burnley, it should be noticed that Burnley were unlucky not to get a draw at least. Most people blame the inside forwards for not feeding Pickering properly. This is partly true! But the main reason is that Everton need new wingers. Harry Catterick is noted for giving youngsters a chance. Why doesn't he put Shaw on the right wing, with Veall on the left? There's nothing to lose and a lot to gain.—J. G. CLEGG. 14 Street. Liverpool S.
JOE CLENNELL
The magic of the late Joe Clennell! Coming to Everton from Blackburn about 1911/12, where he had understudied the great Eddie Latheron, Joe fitted perfectly into the Blue's line-up and played a great part in Everton's championship win in 1914. Partnered by George Harrison, of the fiery left foot, and backed by Harry Makepeace, he made every game a joy for true football lovers. Always a bundle of energy he enjoyed every minute he played. As a small boy I remember Joe's wedding at Stuart Road Church and judging by the crowd of youngsters present, he had definitely made the charts.— E. E. O'LAUGHLIN, 9 Barnston Road. Liverpool 9.
UNDERMINED
With regard to Monday's heading of the Everton match report, " Why this general discontent at Everton?" It could be that while Everton have not lost a League game at home since November, the team has, considering the vast amount spent on it, given only a mediocre performance. Again it could be the recent visit of Everton from the F.A. and Inter- Cities Fairs Cup within the space of a week (enough to discourage even the most ardent supporter). Could it be, above everything else, that the average supporter has had to witness the name and prestige of his club“dragged down and that every defeat and poor performancesince has become a reflection of this downhill trend? Recent allegations have undermined the confidence of the Everton supporter in his club. Only when this confidence has been restored, through direct action by the club, will the discontent disappear from Everton. —H. Reilly, 18 Pilch Lane, Liverpool 14.

UNDEFEATED IN 10 LEAGUE GAMES
The Liverpool Daily Post, Saturday, March 6, 1965
EVERTON AFTER THIRD AWAY WIN ON THE RUNS
By Horace Yates
Everton have not lost any of their last ten League games and have won the last two away from home. It has taken them to sixth place in the table but largely because of champion’s tag it looked for from them, anything short is regarded at failure. The Cup defeat by Leeds left a wound which is still open and drawn games at home, where victories were expected have done nothing to add a healing balm. To-day they seek a third consecutive away victory and while Blackburn is not the happiest of hunting grounds for them, a hunting grounds for them, a triumph might help to convince their flagging supporters that things may not be quite as bad as they seem.
NEEDS SUPPORT
Two often and too heavily have Everton learned on the scoring strength of Fred Pickering this season. One goal in his last five League outings shows that even he needs support. Seldom is that more in evidence than against Blackburn, where his best friend Mike England, usually takes advantage of the opportunity to prove that he is Fred’s master. This season for a number of reasons, has probably been the least noteworthy in Roy Vernon’s distinguished career. He is not a player who thrives on football other than the top class variety, but there are agreeable signs that Roy’s worst moments are over. Both he and Pickering are ex-Rovers and on that account alone will be closely watched. Clayton usually goes out of his way to prevent any show of match winning stuff from Vernon-and usually succeeds, but to-day both of these Everton forwards need a tonic and will try to collect it on one of the grounds they knows best.
REVIVAL OVERDUE
A revival by Derek Temple is long overdue. Utilising a player’s ability to switch is time of club need, upsets some more than others. Whether this is the case with Derek who as played seventeen Cup and League matches in positions other than his recognised left-wing berth, I don’t know, but the fact is, despite his eight goals he has sparkled only rarely. With Scott and Temple playing as they can at their best. Everton could quickly set the fans roaring again. Blackburn have slipped up five times at home this season but with the knowledge of an earlier win at Goodison Park to encourage them. Rovers will demand at least Everton’s most spirited show to dent the record further. Blackburn Rovers; Jones; Bray, Joyce; Clayton, England, McGrath; Ferguson, McEvoy, Byrom, Douglas, Harrison. Everton; West; Wright, Wilson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Scott, Harvey, Pickering, Vernon, Temple.
YOUNG EVERTON PLAYER MAY MOVE
Because of lack of chance at Goodison Park, nineteen-year-old winger Tommy Roberts may join Stockport. The clubs have agreed terms and if Roberts a former Liverpool and England schoolboy player, agrees to the move, he may play in to-day’s game at Southport.

EVERTON RES v WOLVES RES
The Liverpool Football Echo and Evening Express- Saturday, March 6, 1965
Everton Reserves; Rankin; Parker, Brown; Stevens, Smith, Sharples; Shaw, Humphreys, Hill, Husband, Morrissey. Wolverhampton Res;- McLaren; Showell, Taylor; Goodwin, Jewkes, Knighton, Aggio, Kemp, Roberts, Hatton, Buckley. Referee.- Mr. F. McGuinness (Barnsley).
For the first 15 minutes Everton, playing immaculate football had the game all their own with low crossfield passing they were moving upfield as a team and Wolves, who had not yet settled down were getting little chance to do so. Everton took the lead in five minutes through Humphreys, Husband had collected a Morrissey pass, but found himself sandwiched. The referee ignored the foul and the ball went to Humphreys who put it clear of McLaren. Gradually the Wolves found their feet and nearly equalised when Roberts lifted the ball over the advancing Rankin. It was bouncing into the net as Brown from nowhere, raced in and kicked off the line. Everton confirmed their superiority at 25 minutes when they increased their lead through Shaw. In one of their constant raids the ball came out of a ruck of players' to the winger's feet, and from three yards out he could hardly make a mistake. Wolves were having their moments, but rarely looked dangerous, although Rankin was glad to see a high curling Buckley shot hit the top of the bar and go to safety, and the goalkeeper had to make agood diving save again from the winger. Half-time.—Everton Res. 2, Wolves Res. nil.

EVERTON COAST TO SEVENTH AWAY VICTORY
The Liverpool Daily Post- Monday, March 8, 1965
BLACKBURN ROVERS 0, EVERTON 2
By Jack Rowe
They had ‘em in days gone by, and by golly, it looks as though we have got ‘em again- on the football field this time-because although I resisted the temptation after the Sheffield Wednesday match a fortnight ago, Everton can’t escape it this time. Therefore I present Harry Catterick and his strolling players, in away matches at any rate, because we had another instance at Ewood Park on Saturday of a team so superior that in the second half they just ambled and strolled to their seventh away victory of the season. The most fantastic feature of it all is that while they are able to dictate and direct their away games to almost their own liking they cannot do it at Goodison Park. One has to try and find a reason for this, especially after seeing them at Ewood Park and I wonder whether the cause lies in the fact that they have become conscious of the need to please their supporters at home and are not approaching the game in relaxed mood. They were relaxed at Sheffield and again at Blackburn to the point that when they wanted to turn it on football flowed from them and chances were carved out with an ease which was almost surprising. The trouble in each of these games is that Everton did not bang home this superiority. We saw how they struggled to get goals against Birmingham City and Blackpool and I feel that if they could get a few more away, especially when they are there for the taking it might do them as lot of good. Probably also it might not be a bad thing if their fans at Goodison Park games realised the capabilities of the side and gave them an opportunity to show it.
FORGIVE AND FORGET
I heard it said once that Liverpool supporters were much more ready to forgive and forget the mistakes of their players than those at Goodison Park, and I believe there is something in it. Anyway it’s an idea and perhaps a little more tolerance in this direction will encourage the Everton players to play the sort of controlled and relaxed football they did at Ewood Park. However, I doubt whether they will be able to get away completely without censure if they didn’t show more drive when they are on top. Blackburn have slipped badly since they were knocked out in the Cup, but this is not the whole explanation of the manner in which they were subdued and mastered on Saturday. Everton made it that way by their all round superiority, their ability and craft and what is more important the appreciation that they were capable of doing it. This, though can be taken a little too  far and we had the situation in the second half where the only danger was their own over-confidence. They seemed content to rely on the 2-0 lead they had taken by half-time and as it happened Blackburn were incapable of doing anything about it.
DOUGLAS OUT OF IT
Gabriel tackled and played Douglas out of it, too strongly once in the referee’s view, while those other menaces, by reputation at least, Byrom and McEvoy never had a real chance against a brilliant Labone and a cultured Harris. Occasionally, it looked as though left winger Harrison might pose some trouble for Wright, but the youngster is so fast and tenacious in his recovery, that this threat was soon wiped out. In the second half Ferguson wandered over to the left and there was one moment when he and Wright tangled rather alarmingly. However, a word from the referee quietened it down, although Ferguson a few minutes later came in for a more serious caution when he kicked the ball away after a free kick had been given against his side. Wilson also did all he had to do competently and calmly, while West had the sort of afternoon which clearly indicated the strength, power and command of the men in front of him. What the game did show us again was the wonderful potential of Harvey. There is class in everything he does and pretty much the same can be said of Pickering, who certainly put a dent in the reputation of his former Blackburn colleagues, England. Vernon and Scott also had good matches, the winger using his speed excellently, but Temple just cannot find his shooting form. This, though, cannot be applied only to him because Everton should have had more goals and would have had if there had been a greater sense of urgency among forwards of the shooting need.
EASY VICTORY
Still it was an easy victory gained by a good looking team, although I wish that the quiet, gentlemanly manner of Labone, could be dropped occasionally n the cause of a captain telling his team to get cracking. Clayton Blackburn’s best player, often tried to do this but his trouble was he had little to get cracking Labone has…
Everton led in 20 minutes when Harris and Pickering linked up near the left touchline and when the centre forward chipped the ball forward Harris was there to beat Jones, after McGrath had failed to cut it off. Pickering’s goal in 21 minutes was amazing. Scott left the Blackburn defence standing and his cross seemed to be too far behind Pickering, who somehow got a back flick with his right foot and put it into the net. Blackburn Rovers; Jones; Bray, Joyce; Clayton, England, McGrath; Ferguson, McEvoy, Bysom, Douglas, Harrison. Everton; West; Wright, Wilson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Scott, Harvey, Pickering, Vernon, Temple. Referee; Mr. E. Crawford, (Doncaster) Attendance 15,960.

EVERTON RES 5, WOLVES RES 3
The Liverpool Daily Post- Monday, November 8, 1965
With plenty of shooting, hard but fair tackling and much endeavour from all the players, this was the best game of Central League football seen at Goodison Park for a long time. Everton Reserves won because Wolves Reserves were slow settling down in the early stages, and the home side got two goals through Humphreys at the eighth minute and Shaw at the 25th minute. The second half saw a glut of goals, four came in the first seven minutes from Wolves outside left Buckley (47 minutes), Humphreys (48 minutes), Roberts made it 3-2 at 50 minutes and then Husband restored the home lead at the 52nd minute. Wolves would not give in, and at 70 minutes Roberts made it 4-3, but two minutes later Hill got Everton’s fifth goal. This ended the scoring although both goalkeepers were kept on their toes right to the end.

ANOTHER AWAY VICTORY WAS TOO EASY FOR EVERTON
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Monday, March 8, 1965
By Jack Rowe
Everton's 2-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Saturday merely served to emphasise the wonder of why it is they find so much difficulty in winning at Goodison Park. It was a case of another away match in which they coasted to success and If there is any complaint at all, it Is that they did not make the margin much wider. Almost from the start, they were the team with the football touch, the class and the composure, and although Blackburn fans might say that their team was so poor the fact remains that Everton helped to make them look that way. So much in command was the Everton defence, that I can only recall one Blackburn shot which gave West any anxiety at all, and that came so late that I doubt it would have mattered much if it had counted. All the intricacies of Douglas in midfield came to nothing against the strong tackling of Gabriel, who earned the referee’s displeasure on one r two occasions, but this was certainly a match in which the Everton half back came out on top against the man many would like to see in the England team. Gabriel’s success was shared by all the Everton defenders, even if young Wright did not always completely contain left winger Harrison. But when the youngster was beaten he invariably wiped out the menace by his speed in recovery and finely judged tackles. Labone completely obliterated Bryom, and those who had come to judge this young centre forward against Pickering, the man who left Blackburn for Everton, were left in no doubt as to the star merit of the Everton player. Pickering's touches and dribbles were superb, but this was as much a team victory as anything else. Harris and Wilson had all the time in the world to do their stuff while Harvey illustrated his class as he is always doing these days. Scott and Vernon were others who made a big impression and so composed was the whole side that the big quibble remains that that they did not score more goals. They made the chances but seemed to treat the situation, especially when they were two up, with disdain, and failed to apply the finishing power which was there.
DISPIRITED ROVERS
The only doubt over an eventual Everton victory was the fact that their all over confidence might have rebounded on them in the second half. But one must say that their defence was so good that it needed more than Blackburn had to upset them Indeed apart from the occasional flurry all through, Blackburn did absolutely nothing and itmust be a great disappointment to those who thought the Ewood Park club were going to do something this season, to see them so disjointed and so dispirited. Everton have now won three away games on the run, and have won the last two that I have seen with a comfort and ease which has been amazing. Pickering of course, must have been keen to show his stuff against his old club, and certainly England knew that on Saturday he had not conquered his ex-colleague.
HOOKED GOAL
Late in the second half there were one or two contentious incidents, particularly one between Wright and Ferguson, and the Blackburn outside right got further severe caution from the referee when he kicked the ball away after a free kick had been awarded against his team.  Everton's first goal was scored in 20 minutes when Brian Harris and Pickering combined so that when the centre forward pushed the ball through, Harris was on hand to slam it into the net when McGrath missed it. The second goal, eight minutes later, was a fine effort, because when Scott centred it would seem that the ball would pass behind Picketing. However, the centre forward managed to flick his foot back and hook it into the net. Once Everton had established this lead there was never any danger, and had the forwards shot more often they must have rubbed it in.

WILSON TO LEAD FOOTBALL LEAGUE TEAM
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Monday, March 8, 1965
HAMPDEN PARK MATCH
Ramon Wilson, the England and Everton left back, returns to representative football as captain of the FootballLeague team to meet the Scottish League at Hampden Park, Glasgow, on March 17.

EVERTON STARS SELECTED
The Liverpool Daily Post- Tuesday, November 9, 1965
WILSON LEADS LEAGUE SIDE, VERNON IN WELSH X1
Two Everton players, full back, Ray Wilson and inside forward Roy Vernon, have been recalled to representative soccer. Wilson has been chosen to captain the Football League against the Scottish League at Hampden Park on March 17, while Vernon plays for Wales against Greece in the World Cup second leg at Ninian Park, Cardiff on the same night.

AN OPERATION FOR STEVENS
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Tuesday, March 9, 1965
REMOVAL OF CARTILAGE
By Leslie Edwards
Everton F.C utility player, Denis Stevens, who has missed so few first team games since he joined the club from Bolton Wanderers, is to have a cartilage operation on the right knee three days. This is the second Everton forward out of the game for the removal of cartilage. Young suffered similarly three weeks ago. Both he and Stevens are now likely to be lost to Everton for the remainder of the season. With 11 matches crowding the programme Everton manager Harry Catterick rates Stevens’ absence “a very severe blow.”

LANCS SENIOR CUP
Liverpool Daily Post-Wednesday, March 10, 1965
EVERTON GO OUT TO BRUNLEY
EVERTON 1, BURNLEY 3
Lancashire Senior Cup holders Everton were one goal down in eight minutes against a defensive-minded Burnley, but until Burnley got their second goal, the game was entertaining. The first goal followed a Latcham corner which Robson nodded into the net, and at 28 minutes Walker took a free kick just outside the penalty area. Again Robson’s head was there, but although Rankin had the ball covered Latcham nipped in and put the ball out of the goalkeeper’s reach. Everton kept battling and when Hill was fouled in the area Brown scored from the spot at 33 minutes. After the interval Burnley packed their goal, and they scored again when Hill tried to pass back to Rankin, but lobbed the ball over the keeper’s head into the net at 78 minutes. Everton had their chances but waited too long to shoot and were easily disappointed, Hill was unlucky when a fine shot hit the post. Attendance 3, 964.

EVERTON OUT OF THE LANCS CUP
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Wednesday, March 10, 1965
A goal down in eight minutes Everton, holders of the Lancashire Senior Cup, never recovered against a defensive minded Burnley in a second round tie at Goodison Park last night and lost 3-1. There was much hard tackling, pushing and petty fouling, but until Burnley got their second goal the game was entertaining. Burnley's first goal came from a Latcham corner, which Robson neatly nodded into the net. Then, at 28 minutes, Walker took a free' kick just outside the penalty area and Robson's header was well covered by Rankin, but Latcham nipped in and pushed the ball out of the goalkeeper's reach. Brown scored for Everton from a penalty after 33 minutes, but after the interval Burnley, with a one goal lead, packed their own goal whenever danger threatened. Their third goal came in a breakaway when Hill tried to push the ball back to Rankin but lobbed it over the goalkeeper's head into the net at 76 minutes. Everton had their chances, but waited too long to shoot. Hill was unlucky when a fine shot hit the post, but Thomson, in the Burnley goal, had few direct shots to handle.

EX-PLAYER’S DEATH
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Wednesday, March 10, 1965
Former football star, Mr. Joseph Clennell, aged 76, of Holly Road, Blackpool, died from a fractured neck after a road accident, a jury decided at an inquest at Blackpool yesterday. They returned a verdict of misadventure of Mr. Clennell a former Everton, Blackpool, Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City player.

EVERTON’S OPPONENTS
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Thursday, March 11, 1965
Everton’s opponents in the semi-final of the F.A. Youth Cup, which will be played on a home and away basis, are Sunderland, who beat Hull 3-0 in a quarter-final game at Roker Park last night. Sunderland have held the England Youth team to a 3-3 draw this season.
RE-ARRNAGED GAME
Everton have re-arranged their outstanding League game against West Bromwich. Everton visit The Hawthorns on Tuesday, March 23.

ASTON VILLA MAKE THEIR 84TH TEAM CHANGE FOR GOODISON GAME
Liverpool Daily Post- Friday, March 12, 1965
VILLA’S TALE OF WOE
By Horace Yates
Everton are not alone in their injury worries, for tomorrow’s visitors to Goodison Park, the struggling Aston Villa side, will be without two of their most experienced players, left half Alan Deakin, and this season’s signing from Arsenal, outside left John MacLeod. Moreover, plunged as they are right in the heart of the relegation struggle. Villa’s troubles are serious in the extreme. Deakin has a cracked bone in one of his toes, while MacLeod still feels the effects of the leg injury which kept him out of two of the Cup games with Wolves. Everton have probably been forced into more team changes than most, but by comparison with Villa’s experience, manager Harry Catterick problems assume manageable proportions. These latest changes in the Villa side bring the total to the staggering number of 84, made by manager Dick Taylor this season. Who can accuse Mr. Taylor of exaggeration when he says; “This is quite staggering but at least shows how much trouble we have experienced in trying to find a settled team.” The youngster, Graham Parker, who came in for his second League game against Liverpool at Villa Park on February 6 and showed rare promise, will probably deputise at right half, with Wylie switching to left half for Deakin. Haydock born Harry Burrows currently exciting Stoke City’s interesting, is the likely deputy for MacLeod.

EVERTON SHOULD BOOST THEIR RUN IN LEAGUE
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Friday, March 12, 1965
By Michael Charters
Everton, with a home game against Aston Villa tomorrow, should continue their first-class League run which has taken them to fifth place with an undefeated record in their 11 League matches. In addition they have not conceded a goal in the past four, three of them away from home. Their target is to complete the season with as high a place as possible so that they will again be nominated as one of the two English clubs to compete in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup next season.
BEST CLUB SPIRIT
Everton's brilliant defensive wort spotlights, I think, the quality of Gordon West, who must have despaired of getting back into the first team. He carried on in the reserves without complaint as Andy Rankin became a permanency in the League side. Then, after Rankin had broken a bone in his hand in the Stoke game on December 12, the positions of these two top-class goalkeepers became reversed. West moved up Rankin waited in the wings for his injury to heal. and now fit again, is as far away from the first team as West appeared to be earlier in the season. It is a tale as old as football itself. but it is particularly good to see these two young men accept misfortune With sportsmanship and in the best club spirit. Everton's home form has been disappointing compared to their ail-conquering away record of recent weeks, so this prevents one writing off the Villa's chances to-morrow. On form Everton should cruise through but they seem to lose some of their confidence before their own critical crowd, who are looking to the day when the attack opens up and cracks in a bagful of goals. Villa could escape relegation if they capitalise on their games in hand over Birmingham and Sunderland, immediately above them in the table, but they're struggling, inconsistent sort of side. It must be many years since three Midlands clubs were jockeying furiously with each other to get away from the relegation positions.

MORRISSEY REPLACES UNFIT TEMPLE
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Friday, March 12, 1965
ONLY EVERTON CHANGE
By Michael Charters
Derek Temple drops out of the Everton team to play Aston Villa, at Goodison Park to-morrow, with a groin injury and his place on the left wing goes to John Morrissey. Temple was injured at Blackburn last week. Morrissey, whose wife, Celia, gave birth yesterday to their first child, a boy, regains a first team place after missing the last four senior matches. Dennis Stevens had a cartilage operation last night and his condition to-day was said to be satisfactory. The other Everton cartilage "victim" Alex Young, continues to make good progress. Aston Villa will field a trio of teenagers, Bobby Park and John Martin, both 18, will play in the forward line, and 19-years-old Ray Bloomfield stands by for his first team debut either at wing half or inside forward. Bloomfield is a nephew of former Arsenal and Birmingham City inside forward, Jimmy Bloomfield
ELLESMERE PORT BOY
Another teenager, Ellesmere Port born Keith Bradley, is in competition with Bloomfield for a place in the half back line. Villa have their first choice half back line -Tindall, Sleewenhoek and Deakin-injured and winger John MacLeod is out with a thigh strain. Everton; West; Wright, Wilson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Scott, Harvey, Pickering, Vernon, Morrissey. Aston Villa (from)- Withers; Lee, Aitken; Bradley, Poutney, Wylie, Baker, Park, Hateley, Woosnam, Bloomfield, Martin.

DESPERATE ASTON VILLA AT GOODISON PARK TO-DAY
Liverpool Daily Post- Saturday, March 13, 1965
EVERTON STILL CHASING FIRST DOUBLE OF SEASON
A VICTORY COULD LIFT THEM INTO FOURTH POSITION
By Horace Yates
With Wolverhampton Wanderers in dire trouble with 15 points from 29 games, and firmly established on the bottom rung of the Division One ladder, the only question open to real doubt appears to be which of half a dozen candidates will make the drop into Division Two with them. Aston Villa, today’s visitors to Goodison Park, may have matches in hand over their fellow unfortunates, but are three points behind struggling Birmingham City. How different is the approach of the two teams at Goodison Park today. Comfortably placed Everton, too far behind the pace setters to worry about championship prospects, are in a position to take over fourth place from Nottingham Forest. To do that, Everton must win and Forest fall to beat Arsenal. Not only talent money is the incitement to a spectacular finish, for fourth position could be the key to another passage into European competition via the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup competition next season. No longer is this the poor relation of the big two tournaments it used to be. It is a money spinner for clubs and players in its own right, and having tasted some of the fruits, Everton are hungry for more. It is an amazing fact however, that Everton share the distinction with Chelsea of having collected as many points away as at home. True, Chelsea’s total is 23 and Everton’s 18. Yet it things had run nearer to normality at Goodison Park. Chelsea and Leeds might not have been looking over their shoulders, interested only in how close Manchester United were creeping up. Everton could have been right up there with them.
TALENT AND QUALITY
So often have I said that Everton must win and been proved wrong that I will resist an obvious temptation to follow suit to-day. In talent and quality Everton are sufficiently superior to make the playing of this game a mere formality. Desperation, however, often leads courage to an amazing degree, and Villa who must start their rally, if there is to be one, sooner rather than later, have no time to lose. Everton won the previous game 2-1, Scott and Gabriel being the scorers, way back in October. At that stage Villa had won only two of ten matches. Liverpool have already done the double over Villa, with an aggregate of six goals to one. An Everton in form could follow suit. Yet past experience counters caution. Everton were poised to record their first double against Stoke City and then again with Birmingham here. Neither materialised. We are faced by the remarkable fact that Everton, high-flying though they may be still await the completion of that first elusive double. Some say they are waiting to do it in the grand manner against Liverpool.
UNLUCKY SEASON
Once again Everton have to make a change, Derek Temple dropping out with injury, leaving Johnny Morrissey to deputise. In other days this might have been considered an unfortunate stroke of misfortune. Nowadays, Morrissey probably has as many supporters for a first team place as Temple. Temple is suffering from a slight muscle pull and a sore shin, which restrict his running. His has been an unlucky seasons. Villa find themselves without left half Deakin and outside left MacLeod men who might have bolstered their challenge. With twelve players named, Villa have not revealed how they propose to tackle the vacancies. It may be that Ray Bloomfield, nephew of the former Arsenal and Birmingham City forward, Jimmy, will be called on to make his debut. He joined Villa as an inside forward on a free transfer from Arsenal and recently has been playing wing half in the reserves. Both he and Keith Bradley are possible deputise for Deakin. Everton; West; Wright, Wilson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Scott, Harvey, Pickering, Vernon, Morrissey. Aston Villa (from); Withers; Lee, Aitken; Bradley, Pountney, Wylie, Baker, Park, Hateley, Woosnam, Bloomfield, Martin.

SHAPLES GOES FOR £10,000
The Liverpool Daily Post- Saturday, March 13, 1965
By Horace Yates
A quick-fire transfer deal between Everton manager Harry Catterick and Blackburn Rovers Jack Marshall yesterday afternoon resulted in George Sharples, twenty-two-years-old wing half from Ellesmere Port, joining Rovers for a £10,000 fee. Sharples who plays in the Blackburn Reserves side against Barnsley to-day, was an England schoolboy and youth international. He seemed to have a big part to fill in Everton affairs when he went to Goodison Park in 1960 straight from school, made his debut the same season in their home game with West Bromwich Albion, and played five times in that campaign. He was called on at all in the following season, but playing twice in the championship side of 1962-63. With only three appearances last season and none this term, Sharples progress was disappointingly slowed.
LOOKING AHEAD
A big, powerful player, I would think Blackburn are looking ahead in the replacement of Mick McGrath. Sharples has most of the qualities to make a top class wing half, the only reservation I would make would be whether or not he can muster the speed necessary for success in regular top flight action. Mention of Everton’s name brings to many minds only the splashing of big sums on incoming signings, but there is another important side to the picture. Indeed, the outgoing of Sharples has brought the total amount received by Everton during Mr. Catterick’s four years of management above the £180,000 expended on signings. Millionaire club Everton may still be but does not the shrewdness of their financial enterprise suggest the type of business acumen which makes rich clubs ricker? 

EVERTON SEEK SWEEPING HOME WIN
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Saturday, March 13, 1965
INJURY -HIT VILLA PLAY YOUNGSTERS
By Michael Charters
Everton supporters will be hoping to-day to see their team turn on the some sort of relaxed, confident style at home which they have been reserving for away matches recently when they have won three in a row without conceding a goal. Facing relegation-haunted Aston Villa, troubled not only by their proximity to the dreaded drop to Division Two, but by a fantastically high proportion of injuries, Everton should have no difficulty in extending their unbeaten run of League games to 12. But their home displays have been disappointing. From the six games at Goodison Park in their unbeaten sequence, they have dropped three points and their form has not satisfied their hypercritical fans. Here, I think, is the reason for the anxiety neurosis which hits the players before their own crowd. They are conscious of the high standard these fans demand as of right and the result is that they are scared of making a mistake. When they play away, there is not the same pressure on them from the terraces and the team seems to relish the change. More support in the real sense and less niggling from the fans at Goodison Park would seem to be the recipe and this afternoon would be a good opportunity to cook it up. We can anticipate Villa, desperate for points, giving everything they've got to-day, but Everton's eyes are set on reaching as high a place as  possible in the League so that they have a chance of competing in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup again next season
SAVING GRACE
Everton are aware, as their supporters are, that the high drama of Cup success for the team "across the park" has taken the limelight away from Goodison just now. This would be the right time to sweeten the situation with a sweeping victory. It must be many years since three Midlands clubs filled the bottom three places in the First Division. Wolves seem doomed to relegation and Villa, with games in hand, will be hoping they can get above Birmingham at the last gasp. When Everton won at Villa last October, the writing was on the wall then that the once famous club was struggling in every sense. There was little rhythm or method about them and results since then indicate that they have a long way to go before they can come anywhere near regaining their former eminence in the game. Everton, with Morrissey on the left wing for the injured Temple, should move smoothly on. Their supporters, hoping for the only saving grace allowed them that their side will finish above Liverpool in the table, will be keeping their fingers crossed that the players raise their game athome. Villa's severe injury problems mean that their regular half-back line of Tindall, Sleewenboeuk and Deakin is out of action, plus winger, McLeod, and they pitch into action a number of inexperienced teenagers.
Everton; West; Wright, Wilson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Scott, Harvey, Pickering, Vernon, Morrissey. Aston Villa; Withers; Lee, Aitken; (from) Bradley, Pountney, Wylie, Baker; Martin, Bloomfield, Hateley, Woosnam, Park.

EVERTON TAKE IT EASY FOR COM,FORTABLE WIN
The Liverpool Football Echo and Evening Express, March 13, 1965
VERNON CELEBRATES WITH HIS 100TH GOAL
EVERTON 3, ASTON VILLA 1
By Michael Charters

Everton; West; Wright, Wilson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Scott, Harvey, Pickering, Vernon, Morrissey. Aston Villa- Withers; Lee, Aitken; Bradley, Pountney, Wylie; Baker, Park, Hateley, Woosnam, Bloomfield. Referee.- Mr. A.W. Luty (Leeds).
Villa had four players under 21 in their much changed side against Everton at Goodison this afternoon. Outside left Ray Bloomfield, nephew of Jimmy Bloomfield, the former Arsenal player, was making his League debut. There was a very scrappy opening, with both teams making a lot of mistakes but in their first attack after six minutes Everton took the lead with a headed goal by Vernon. It came from a centre by Scott which Harris headed back to Pickering who lobbed it forward and Vernon directed his header away from the diving Withers and the ball bounced over the line into the net. This was Vernon’s first League goal since the opening game of the season at Stoke. Villa defence looked very suspect, and Everton increased their lead through Morrissey after nine minutes. Initially Morrissey turned the ball back to Wilson and raced into the middle for the return. Wilson sent the ball forward, Harris moved it into the middle and Vernon headed it down for Morrissey to beat Withers easily with a fierce shot from only 10 yards.
ELECTRIFYING
This was an electrifying scoring start by Everton and yet the football, hampered possibly by a blustery wind, was far from good. Everton looked much more impressive than this struggling Villa team when they moved on to the attack and they were gradually taking complete command. It took a good save from Withers to prevent Everton going three up. From a corner by Vernon the ball was sent back to him and when he returned it into the middle Harris made a fine header which Withers saved low down.
PICKERING HEADER
Everton came very close to breaking through the Villa defence on several occasions and their best effort was a header from Pickering which Withers saved. Baker playing only his second League game, had a wonderful chance of scoring after Wilson and Harris had got in each other’s way in trying to head the ball clear. Between them they put it straight at the winger’s feet and with plenty of time at his disposal Baker shot wide. We hadn’t seen much of the great ability of Hately in the air, but he got up well for a corner by Baker and headed it down to Woosnam whose shot was blocked by Wright, and the full back was in position again to turn away the re-bound from Park.
SETTLING DOWN
The Villa defence seemed to have settled down now and they cleared on Everton attack quickly for Woosnam to make a 40-yards run down the middle of the pitch before passing to Park who mis-hit his shot and West was able to save with ease. There were flashes of excellence to get the crowd excited -all too rare however -but there was one when Pickering sent Vernon away with a delightful header. Vernon took the ball on and hit a good shot but Withers dived full length to send the ball away for a corner.
PENALTY CLAIMED
Everton seemed to have clear grounds for a penalty when Aitken brought Scott down from behind after the winger had broken through brilliantly and was closing in to make his shot. The referee refused their claims. There was still a lot of scrappy football being played, with misplaced passes frequent.
PICKERING’S MISS
After 37 minutes Everton were awarded a penalty when Aitken clearly handled the ball in trying to prevent Vernon breaking through. Villa protested, but the referee quite rightly in my opinion, allowed the award to stand. Pickering however, failed with the kick. Withers made a magnificent diving save to his right but couldn’t quite hold the ball which bounced out to Pickering again, but the goalkeeper saved Pickering’s second shot with equal brilliance. The Villa defence got in a real tangle in one Everton attack and managed to survive, thanks to Everton’s poor finishing rather than their
SLIPSHOD DEFENCE
A minute before half-time Villa quite miraculously got themselves back in the game with a goal by Hateley. Major credit for it goes to Woosnam, however, plus some slipshod work by the Everton defence. Woosnam was able to break through on the left and mishit his shot which turned into a pass for Hateley, unmarked and the centre forward put the ball in the net despite Wright’s attempts to turn the ball away from the line.
Half-time Everton 2, Aston Villa 1.
Aitken was injured immediately on the resumption, but resumed limping, and the first incident of note was when Gabriel brought the ball far up-field, passed to Pickering, and the centre forward’s shot slipped past the far post. Play continued to be very scrappy for the most part, and the wind was undoubtedly creating problems which many of the players found hard to solve. From a free kick by Scott, Harvey made a poor attempt at shooting. The ball swung yards high and wide. Hateley came back to the edge of his own penalty area to break up an Everton attack, and brought the ball away well, but spoilt it all with a dreadful pass when trying to find the unmarked Woosnam. In the opening minutes it had seemed that Everton were going to thrash this Villa side, but they had fallen away and were allowing their opponents into the game when they should have been no question of how the result should go.  Then Vernon put a better complexion on the game with a splendid goal after 56 minutes. From a long pass by Gabriel he headed the ball to Pickering who returned it to him, and Vernon volleyed it high into the net from ten yards- a splendid shot. This was Vernon’s 100th goal for Everton in 176 appearances.  Morrissey sent a shot just wide after he had broken through cleverly. Vernon’s goal seemed to have brought fresh life not only to Everton, but to the game in general.
POINT-DUTY REFEREE
The point-duty policeman gestures of the referee were entertaining the crowd almost as much as the football which continued to be very mediocre, with Everton doing most of the pressing and Villa struggling to find any sort of rhythm. Pountney extricated himself out of a tangle with artistry he had not shown earlier, and he started a move which ended with young Baker hitting a feeble shot. Pickering had bad luck with a quickly taken shot after Labone and Vernon had split the Villa defence with two quick passes. Everton’s attacks continued to break down with the final pass near the Villa penalty area. In this half Villa had not given West the slightest trouble and the match was dragging rather wearily on.
A DRAB GAME
With ten minutes to go hundreds of spectators were streaming away quite satisfied that Everton had the game in control and equally satisfied that they were not likely to see much more excitement. This had been one of the most drab games seen in the ground this season.
Final; Everton 3, Aston Villa 1.  Official attendance; 32,525
LANCASHIRE LEAGUE
Everton A 3, Oldham A nil

THEY’RE YOUR VIEWS
The Liverpool Football Echo and Evening Express- March 13, 1965
THE CURE
Everton have been complaining of an inside forward headache without realising that the cure lies in the reserve team—Jimmy Hill. Hill has had only one outing with the first team without any great effect. But he hasn't really been given a chance to prove his worth. The elevation from Norwich to Everton was a major stepping stone in his career and in his first First Division game we couldn't expect him to shine. Watching his performances in the Central League I have come to the conclusion that Hill combines the best of a number of Everton's top men. He works and forages like Dennis Stevens, schemes like Colin Harvey, boasts the thrust and vigour of Roy Vernon and the shot of Fred Pickering. If this talent still goes unnoticed and unused why not give powerful Sandy Brown a run in the first team forward line. He would be as effective as Ted Philips of Ipswich in planting the ball where Everton fans don't often see it . . . in the back of the net.  MATT D'ARCY, 4 Johnston Avenue, Orrell, Bootle 20.
INFLUENCED
Everton's ineptitude this season has been the subject of much criticism generally among their supporters, but Mr. Catterick knows his job and needs no advice from fickle-minded supporters. But even the strongest minded can at times be influenced if the pressure is stepped up.
TEAM WORK
In summing up the feelings of the average Everton supporter, it is not so much the results that disappoint but the lack of good football founded on teamwork. This is what the spectators want to see from an Everton team, not the present unimaginative type of play where each player seems to come out and play for himself. Even the most biased spectator realises that Mr. Catterick cannot command results or success, but he can do a lot to improve the football we pay to watch by bringing some combination into the team. J. Curry, Arbour Cottage. Arbour Lane. Kirkby.

MANCHESTER CITY RES v  EVERTON RES
The Liverpool Football Echo and Evening Express- Saturday, March 13, 1965
Manchester City Res; Ogley; Roberts, Sear; Goddard, Gratrix, Burrows, Brown, Clay, Jones, Cunliffe, McAlindes. Everton Res; Barnett; Parker, Darcy; Hurst, Helsop, Brown, Shaw, Humphreys, Hill, Glover, Veall.
The early play was much in favour of Everton and they swept down on to the Manchester goal with some good mid-field play Shaw went close with a fine effort. Hill next drove in a hard shot which struck a defender and then later the Everton forward got a chance but he shot over the bar. Manchester's raids, although not as frequent, were equally as dangerous and Barnett in the Everton goal made two fine saves from the Manchester leader Jones. Everton gradually got on top and in the 41st minute they took the lead. A free kick taken by Parker was dropped into the City goal mouth and Glover nodded the ball into the net, as he was challenged by the keeper.
Half -time. Manchester City Res. nil. Everton Res. 1

TON-UP ROY VERNON FINDS SCORING FORM AT LAST
Liverpool Daily Post- Monday, March 15, 1965
EASY GOING EVERTON NEED CHALLENEGE NOT CANTER
SECOND DIVISION LOOK SETTLING ON ASTON VILLA
EVERTON 3, ASTON VILLA 1
By Horace Yates
What’s wrong with a 3-1 victory any time, anywhere? The obvious answer is- nothing! At least, that is what one could expect, but, for every spectator who left Goodison Park on Saturday completely satisfied with the exhibition they had seen, ninety-nine were disappointed. This was a match in which the players went through the motions and sparkled in fleeting movements, only to relapse into most uninteresting spells. Undoubtedly it was Everton’s misfortune on a day which have them the chance to step up on the memory of three successive away victories to bring enthusiasm flooding back, that they should be faced by a team of such limited possibilities. Shattered as they have been, by injuries on a phenomenal scale, Aston Villa were a Second Division cloak -and it fitted them perfectly. What Everton required for complete rehabilitation was a clash with one of the strongest teams in the division-not the weakest. Such an obvious disparity as existed caused Everton to play down to their opponents. There was little or nothing to which to play up. Had the occasion demanded a worthier response the reaction undoubtedly would have been healthier.
100 LEAGUE GOALS
What is satisfaction there was to be satisfaction from this melancholy affair was that the crowd were treated to the first home victory since January 2. They saw Roy Vernon score twice, to record his hundredth League goal for the club, to break a barren spell which has lasted from the first match of the season. The two points maintained Everton on the fringe of the League’s most successful clubs. Scoring opportunities were accepted with some degree of efficiency, but the events between and after seriously deleted the taste of triumph. Indeed, until Vernon’s second goal in 56 minutes, the frightening possibility exited that Everton would again succumb to the habit of gaining a two-goal advantage and then squandering it. They didn’t finishing had not plumbed the depths, with Park, Baker and Woosnam treating scoring openings, with all the suspicion of novices, Everton’s struggle could only have been accentuated -but that might not have been such a bad thing. We might even have seen more of the real Everton. Record books tell us that Villa were the first team to score against Everton in five League games, but it was all so difficult to believe.
OPEN SPACES
At times Everton left wide open spaces in their defence that amounted to suicidal risks and Woosnam could hardly be blamed for thinking the freedom of Goodison Park has been bestowed on high. The need for a man in the Kay mould to stamp authority on the game and pull an ill-assorted Everton together, was self-evident. It Wright, Labone and Wilson had shared the general laxity for even West’s handling safely deserted him on occasion, such a poor attack as Villa might still have caused trouble. Quite justifiably Everton could point to a series of competent saves by Withers, including a rasping penalty drive from Pickering. There was a flying header by Harris which scraped the wrong side of the cross bar, to point to a rout which might have ensued. A goal flood would have relieved the tedium. Too much complacency and too little urgency however, combined to leave Goodison with an usual and unwelcomed lack of atmosphere. To admit the obvious fact that Everton were far and away the abler side is only a comparative compliment, providing qualified satisfaction. Without any doubt, Everton should have been awarded a penalty kick when Aitken felled Scott in the area. They had to wait for a more dubious award four minutes later before the referee pointed to the spot. If Mr. Luty saw only Aitken’s second handling offence, as he tried to stop Vernon, clearly there could be no doubt that the ball was in the area. The first handling, however, had taken place further from and leaving a decision far more finely drawn. The reluctance of Aitken to accept the award suggested that he at least had his doubts.
WHY NOT VERNON?
Puzzling too, was the decision to give the penalty kick to Pickering when Vernon the finest spot kick specialists in the business, was available for the task. I have every faith in Pickering’s shooting ability but there is more to taking penalties than merely hitting the ball-and no-one is more worldly wise than Vernon. Everton were away to a wonderfully encouraging start, with two goals in the Villa net in nine minutes, Vernon headed in the first from Pickering’s, after Scott had beaten the Villa’s offside trap and Morrissey hammered in the second from Wilson’s offering, just as Vernon’s raised his foot for a shot and lost the kick by a split second. There was a time when I believed Hateley to be a centre forward of enormous potential, and although he collected his side’s goal in 43 minutes, from a Woosnam shot that became a pass, he has maintained neither promise nor progress. Vernon’s score in 56 minutes, after Pickering had headed on Morrissey’s cross, clinched victory. Everton’s last three home League games have attracted only 101,835 spectators, an average of 33,945. That is hardly in keeping with Goodison Park expectations, where the seasonal average did not fall below 50,000 until the end of October. Everton; West; Wright, Wilson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Scott, Harvey, Pickering, Vernon, Morrissey. Aston Villa; Withers; Lee, Aitken; Bradley, Pountney, Wylie, Baker, Park, Hateley, Woosnam, Bloomfield. Referee; Mr. Luty (Leeds). Attendance 32,525

EVERTON RES SUPERIOR ALL ROUND
The Liverpool Daily Post- March, 15, 1956
MANCHESTER CITY RES 0, EVERTON RES 2
Everton Reserves win over Manchester City Reserves at Maine Road gives them a great chance to take over the leadership of the Central League, for with only two points behind Manchester United, they have a match in hand and a better goal average. Everton were much the better side at Manchester superior in all departments, but City held out until four minutes before the interval when Glover headed the first goal. Glover’s second goal in the 78th minute from a pass by Brown was a great one, the Manchester goalkeeper not seeing the ball until it was in the back of the net after Glover had volleyed a twenty yards drive.

EVERTON RELAX AFTER OPENING GOAL BURST
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express-Monday, March 15, 1965
By Michael Charters
Everton had so little difficulty in taking their unbeaten League run to 12 by disposing of Aston Villa 3-1 at Goodison on Saturday that the game became uninteresting for long spells. One-sided matches do not entertain so we had the spectacle before the end of spectators streaming out of the ground, content that they had seen all they were going to for their money. Villa, the poorest side at Everton this season, played as though they believed Second Division football was inevitable next season. With four youngsters in the team, they showed little method or initiative and Everton wasted the opportunity of improving their goal average and thrilling the fans with a scoring riot. After only nine minutes, it looked as though Everton were going to do a thorough demolition job on this Villa. The visiting defence had been reduced to untidy ribbons by successive attacks down each wing which brought, first, a heeded goal to Vernon after a Scott-Harris-Pickering link, and then a scorching low shot from Morrissey following a Morrissey-Wilson-Harris-Vernon move. It was all very expert and professional; Villa looked down and out, ready for the formality of a thrashing. and we sat back in anticipation of a feast. We had a famine. Everton, as they have done before after scoring early goals, relaxed into an "it's easy" rhythm which produced a good deal of pressure without goals, although the gallant Withers in goal saved well from Harris, Pickering and Vernon. and Harris hit the crossbar with a magnificent header from a corner kick by Vernon. Everton's domination was obvious without being lethal and they allowed this struggling, rather hapless, Villa team to get back into the game.
HARD WORK OF IT
Young Baker, on the right wing, missed a great opening after an Everton defensive slip. Woosnam, the only Villa forward who looked the part, had a shot blocked off the line by Wright. They had got within sight of West despite misplaced passes and scrappy play, and Everton were guilty at times of almost coming down to the level of their opponents in this respect. I had the uneasy feeling that Everton were making hard work of what should have been simple routine. They were unlucky not to gain a penalty when Aitken brought Scott down only yards from goal but there was, no mistaking the correctness of referee Luty's decision, a few minutes later, that Aitken had handled the ball in trying to stop Vernon breaking through on the edge of the area. Aitken fell on the ball like a Rugby player and almost cuddled it to his body. Villa's protest was that Aitken had been pushed onto the ball but Mr. Luty, an entertaining figure with his dignified gestures, pointed quite rightly to that little white blob. Pickering took the penalty kick. hit It with all his considerable power, but Withers made a superb diving save. The ball bounced out to Pickering who. slightly off balance. turned it back towards the line but Withers completed a double save which must rate among the best he, or any other goalkeeper, has ever made. It brought a sporting smile of appreciation from Pickering himself. Then. instead of finding themselves three down, Villa, were suddenly back with a chance with a goal a minute before half-time. There was some rather lax defensive play by Everton to permit Woosnam to take the bell over to the left, mishit a shot into a pass for the unmarked Hateley. and the centre forward's shot was in the net despite Wright's attempted intervention.
A BRILLIANT VOLLEY
To go in at the interval only 2-1 down must have seemed miraculous to Villa. leaving Everton and their supporters puzzled that the game had not been sewn up "in the bag" long before. It took a brilliant, volleyed goal from Vernon. some ten minutes after the break, to restore Everton's balance of two-goal power and Villa's ineffective sorties after that never remotely looked like troubling West. It was one-way, one-sided and rather mediocre. The individual excellence of four players raised the game out of a rut for me. On the Everton side, Gabriel. Labone and Wilson were brilliant. I recall one Crossfield pass from the wing half impudent in conception and perfect in execution and his work all through was on a high level. Labone reduced Hateley to a nonentity, while Wilson, obviously delighted with his recall to representative football this week, turned in his best display of the season. For Villa, the Welshman Woosnam was outstanding and he had to do it all himself. There was little cooperation from the inexperienced youngsters around him but he still showed the craft of a great player. Withers, too, earned commendation for his sound, occasionally flashing, work in goal but, really, he would have picked the ball out of the net eight times or more if Everton had really turned on the heat as they had promised to do in those opening minutes.

ROY VERNON SIGNS-AT 11.45 P.M.
The Liverpool Daily Post- Wednesday, March 17, 1965
In one of the most dramatic transfer swoops for season, Roy Vernon, the Everton Welsh international inside forward signed for Stoke City last night-just fifteen minutes before the midnight transfer deadline. The signing was made by Stoke manager Tony Waddington, who dashed to Portheawl, the South Wales coast resort, where Vernon is staying with the Welsh team in readiness for tonight’s World Cup game against Greece. Mr. Waddington had agreed terms with Everton for the transfer oat a fee of £40,000 and set off for Portheawl at about 6 p.m. He arrived shortly before 11 p.m., and the signing was completed at 11.45 p.m. Vernon will make his debut for Stoke against Wolves on Saturday.

SHARPLES DOES WELL
The Liverpool Daily Post- Wednesday, March 17, 1965
BLACKBURN ROVERS 3, EVERTON RES 0
George Sharples, the twenty-one year-old left half transferred by Everton to Blackburn Rovers, last Friday, played a leading part in the defeat of his former team. Everton were rocked by the Blackburn blitz of three goals in the first 12 minutes and never promised a rally. They were weak in attack where only young Stuart Shaw gave any trouble to Blackburn’s strong defence and the goalkeeping of Rankin and the solid defensive play of Heslop saved them from a much heavier defeat. Blackburn’s scorers were George Jones (3 minutes), Sharples (11 minutes), and Blore (12 minutes).

EVERTON STAR GOES IN DRAMATIC DEAL
The Liverpool Daily Post- Wednesday, March 17, 1956
ROY VERNON SIGNS FOR STOKE CITY FIFTEEN MINUTES BEFORE DEADLINE
By Horace Yates
Everton’s Welsh international inside forward and leading scorer for several seasons, Roy Vernon, signed for Stoke City last night, beating the midnight signing deadline by only 15 minutes. The clubs agreed terms yesterday afternoon. Then followed a hectic dash to South Wales, by stoke manager, Mr. Tony Waddington, for Vernon was staying with the Welsh team at Porteawl in readiness for to-day’s match with Greece at Cardiff. It was a bust day for Stoke, for earlier in the evening they paid £30,000 to Aston Villa for the transfer of winger Harry Burrows. A slight injury prevents him making his debut to-night against Birmingham. Vernon will play his first game for Stoke on Saturday at Molineux against Wolves. By a coincidence, his first game for Everton after being signed from Blackburn in 1960 was also against Wolves-at Goodison. The Welshman knew nothing of Stoke’s interest until manager Harry Catterick telephoned him yesterday to say terms had been agreed. Mr. Catterick told me that a board meeting yesterday afternoon, agreed terms. “Vernon” he said, has been on the transfer list at his own request for about two months.” When I spoke to Vernon at midnight he said the terms offered him by Stoke were quite attractive. “it sounds a very happy club,” he said, “and I am hoping to do well, for them.  “The fact that they are willing to spend large sums on obtaining the best players available is proof enough to me that they are an ambitious club. That is what I went. I like a challenge and thisis it. “I think if I had waited another year or so it might have been too late to move. “If you recall I was rather reluctant to move from Blackburn, but I never regretted it. I hope I shall be able to say the same about Stoke City.” “Naturally I cannot leave a great club like Everton, and they are a great club, without some pangs. I have been there for five years and you cannot stay that length of times in any place without making many good friends.  “I have made friends and have enjoyed my stay on Merseyside immensely. However, I think the time has come to make a break. Don’t expect me to say anything critical about Everton, for I could do for such a great bunch of sportsmen.
NO STANDING STILL
“I don’t indulge in sentimentality and when I say I have thoroughly enjoyed being an Everton player, I mean just that. Yet, there comes a time in everybody’s life when an important decision has to be taken. Either you stand still or you go forward, I don’t like the idea of standing still and I believe the easiest way to go forward is with another club. “Because of injuries and one reason or another this has been my worst season at Goodison. In a situation like that a player needs the lucky breaks. They did not come my way and now I am left with no doubt that a clean break will be the best thing for me. “If Mr. Waddington can offer me terms which I think are reasonable #, then it’s goodbye to Everton.” Vernon has played in 176 League games for Everton and on Saturday against Aston Villa scored his hundredth League goal. He joined Everton from Blackburn Rovers in 1960 for £35,000 in a part exchange deal with Eddie Thomas, sp profit monetarily after five good and fruitful seasons from him. his debut was on February 13, 1960 in a home game with Wolves. He took over the club captaincy after Bobby Collins joined Leeds United and retained it until asking to be relieved of the task at the start of this season. He was skipper of the side which won the Championship in 1962-63 season
Here is his record with Everton;-
1959-60 -9 goals in 12 games
1960-61-21 goals in 39 games
1961-62 -26 goals in 37 games
1962-63 -24 goals in 41 games
1963-64 -17 goals in 31 games
1964-65- 3 goals in 16 games
Vernon with Bobby Collins formed the spearhead of the team building reconstruction which started Everton on their climb to re-establish themselves as one of the greatest sides in Britain. True to his Celtic blood, Vernon can be fiery and impetuous, but of his ability there is not the slightest doubt and same there will be who will regret that last night’s development has prevented the Pickering-Vernon partnership from maturing into what might have been a really deadly twosome. I doubt very much if Everton would have taken the partnership, but when Vernon asked to go his wish was granted. That he never made any move to have his request cancelled, shows I think, that Vernon meant what he says that he was convinced the time had come to make a clean break.

NO BIG EVERTON SIGNING IN PROSPECT
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express-Wednesday, March 17, 1965
VERNON GOES TO STOKE
MANAGER’S TRIP
By Leslie Edwards
Although Everton manager Harry Catterick was out of town to-day on a scouting mission, there is little chance of Everton making a big signing to counter the transfer late last night of Roy Vernon to Stoke City. With some £30.000 in pocket from the transfers of Vernon and reserve half back Sharples, and Young a cartilage victim, the club might well have gone into the market in a big way. I am told they won't, partly because the kind of player they need is not available and partly because even if he were Everton could not play him an many matches between now and the end of the season. Vernon had been "under a cloud" at Everton for some months. But his transfer was something of a surprise. He had figured in the attack in Everton's last four games.
SIGNED AT PORTHCAWL.
Vernon was signed at Porthcawl where he is with Welsh team due to meet Greece at Cardiff tonight. It took the Stoke City manager. Tony Waddington, only a quarter or an hour to convince Vernon that the Stoke move would be in his interests. Vernon joined Everton when John Carey was manager. As part of the deal Eddie Thomas went from Everton to Blackburn Rovers. Blackburn had developed Vernon from the days when he joined them straight from school at Rhyl. At Goodison Park, Vernon was disciplined more than once and made more than one request for a move before the board met his wishes. All Everton fans agree that on his day he was one of the greatest inside forwards of his day, but he was mercurial. The chances are now that the inside-left position will be filled by Derek Temple, who has deputised for Vernon frequently in this position.

FOUR THE FOURTH TIME
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Friday, March 19, 1965
By Leslie Edwards
If the prospect of excitement at Anfield is lacking, the battle in which Everton and Leeds United meet for the fourth time this season seems likely ,to be unrelentingly tough. When the teams met at Goodison Park they were given five minutes off-field to cool off. Leeds' subsequent Cup replay win here has done nothing to calm the situation. With Leeds committed to a Cup semi-final one would imagine they would be tempted to take to-morrow's game lightly. The reverse is likely to be true, They are batting well in Cup and League and will not be prepared to forego League chances merely because they have a big Cup game seven days hence. Everton minus Vernon, who helped them to their last four consecutive victories, are certain, I think, to give Derek Temple the Vernon vacancy. The transfer of the famous Welsh International was received with mixed feelings.
Here is that of J. Vernal, of 58 Pasture Crescent, Moreton, who feels the move was a "disaster" He says: " I have never written to you before, but I must this time to try to save Everton from disaster. I was amazed and disgusted on opening my paper to see that the club had made another mistake in letting Vernon, best inside-forward on the books, go when there is nobody to take his place. “Since Vernon's return we have been doing well with more punch in the forward line, and Pickering getting the sort of passes he wants. "Everton also let Collins go to Leeds. He has taken them to the top of Division 1. " Why didn't the club replace Vernon, if he had to go, by signing someone else?"
PRO-EE COMPLAINT
Mr. J. Riley (22 Ellesmere Grove, Wallasey) comments:— " With both senior teams doing well let's leave possible criticism until a more appropriate time. Instead let's have a 'go' at Everton's uninteresting, unimaginative under-the-arm official programme—old-fashioned and out-of-date. "Granted printing costs have rocketed (so has the programme cost—from Id to 6d) and to keep the price as low as possible about half the space has to be allotted to advertisers, yet the programme could be transformed into a worthwhile souvenir that would increase circulation to offset increased costs. " The cover needs a more colourful, appealing, modern approach ...remember an alluring cover can make a bestseller out of a book on 'tripe.' "The inside pages could be laid out in the pattern of a modern miniature daily paper, with splash and cross heads intersected to brighten up things. Interesting events, quips, &c., could be thrown-up with attractive borders and the first four pages devoted to up-to-the-minute club paraphernalia, gossip, teams, announcements, junior chatter and anything interesting. "There could be a 'readers-say' page, a competition or quiz half-page with 'big game' tickets as prizes to the first so many correct opened; a page of the club's teams tables: a page of fixtures and comparisons (as now); and a half-page appearances and goal-scorers (total 8 pages, as now). Happy events, topical wit, pictures and articles by prominent sportsmen would make admirable fill-ups or alternatives. What about it. Everton?”

TEMPLE PLAYS INSIDE LEFT
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Friday, March 19, 1965
EVERTON TEAM VISIT LEEDS
By Leslie Edwards
Everton play Derek Temple at inside-left in place of the transferred Roy Vernon at Leeds tomorrow, with Morrissey again at outside-left. Temple missed last week's game against Villa through injury. Leeds will be without two regular defenders, Right back Reaney is out with a sprained ankle and centre half Charlton has been confined to bed with 'flu since his return from the Football League game, at Hampden Park on Wednesday evening. So Leeds switch Bell from left back to right back and the vacancy goes to Cooper, the teenage utility player who has been figuring on the left wing in recent games. Madeley ,plays at centre half for his first senior game since January. Leeds United;- Sprake; Bell, Cooper’ Bremner, Madeley, Hunter; Giles, Storrie, Peacock, Collins, Johanneson. Everton;- West; Wright, Wilson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Scott, Harvey, Pickering, Temple, Morrissey.

LUCKY 13 FOR EVERTON?
Liverpool Daily Ost, Saturday, March 20, 1965
By Horace Yates
Everton and Leeds clash for the fourth time this season at Elland Road; to-day, with Everton still seeking their first win in the series. The return to fitness of Derek Temple has solved the problem “Who will replace the transferred Roy Vernon.” He takes over at inside left with Johnny Morrissey retaining his position on the wing. This will be the eighty time they have paired up together and the interesting fact is that four of the games have been won and the others drawn. To-day Everton try to extend their unbeaten League sequence to thirteen games and I think they can defy superstition. Because of influence Jack Charlton, the Leeds centre-half, has withdrawn, leaving Paul Madeley to oppose Pickering. It will not be his first appearance against Everton for he was in the Leeds team which lost 2-0 to Everton in the fourth round F.A Cup replay at Goodison in January of last year.
A NEW PROBLEM
Leeds’ troubles are increased by an ankle injury to Paul Reaney, when forces him to stand down. Billy Bell plays at right back with Terry Cooper outside left at Goodison in the F.A. Cup fourthround replay this season, fills in at left back. Although Leeds will undoubtedly miss the defensive qualities of Charlton, his indisposition also removes an offensive problem for Everton for Charlton must be the most fluent half back scorer in the game. Peacock is a new problem for Everton. The rangy centre forward from Middlesbrough is running into form after long drawn out knee trouble. Four goals since his recall three or four matches ago illustrates how quickly he has hit form.
ATMOSPHERE GUARANTEED
For several games now Everton are been accused of doing just enough to gain victory and no more. There will be no question of them sauntering through this match. Here is a game with atmosphere guaranteed before a ball is kicked and there are few fixtures in the list Everton would rather win than this. I think we shall see a revitalised Everton setting out to show everyone not only that they can cope successfully with the Collins-Bremner threat, but also that they can still pack a punch. Everton have arranged to receive Chelsea on March 31 (kick-off 7.30 p.m.) providing the Cup semi-final with Liverpool produces a definite result on March 27. The original Chelsea date was next Friday. Leeds United; Sparke; Bell, Cooper; Bremner, Madeley, Hunter; Giles, Storrier, Peacock, Collins, Johanneson. Everton; West; Wright, Wilson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Scott, Harvey, Pickering, Temple, Morrissey.

UNITED ATTACK SHOWED MORE PUNCH IN HARD GAME
The Liverpool Football Echo and Evening Express- Saturday, March 20, 1965
LEEDS 4, EVERTON 1
By Jack Rowe

Leeds United; Sprake; Bell, Cooper; Bremner, Madeley, Hunter; Giles, Storrie, Peacock, Collins, Johanneson. Everton;- West; Wright, Wilson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Scott, Harvey, Pickering, Temple, Morrissey. Referee.- Mr. J. Finney (Hereford). Groundsmen were forking the pitch an hour before the kick-off after a morning of snow, sleet and rain so that the conditions were bound to be a test of stamina.  Leeds should have scored in the first minute when, from Johanneson’s corner, conceded by Harvey to stop Hunter, Madeley glided his header outside when it looked easier to put it inside the post. Everton hit back but a Collins pass went adrift and Morrissey was not far off the target with his first-time drive. In another attack Harvey tried a header which braked in the goalmouth and left Sprake with no problem.
FAST GAME
Light snow was falling all the time, but it was a fast game with defenders being able to make the direct tackle much easier than it was for the forwards to turn and try to make headway. Pickering, however, did this once so expertly that his dribble took him into a shooting position, and his drive was so powerful that Sprake could not hold it but was able to grab the ball before it bounced too far away. It was the strong man who could beat the conditions and Everton had one in Pickering whose dribbles and darts made him a constant menace to the Leeds defence. He almost got through once from Temple’s flick, with Madeley and Bell combining to stop him. Harris, Gabriel and Labone all made good tackles to stop their men as the snow fell thicker, and Temple almost surprised Sprake with a back header from Morrissey’s corner, the goalkeeper making his catch under the bar. The skidding surface probably accounted for Leeds taking the lead in 18 minutes for when Collins tried to find Giles on the left wing, the ball escaped Wright and from the cross Peacock got in a header which was deflected by Labone against the post. From the rebound Johanneson had no difficulty in netting. It was Temple who put Everton on terms with a great headed goal in 32 minutes. Gabriel sent Scott away and from his centre Temple put his header well wide of Sprake. Within two minutes Leeds were in front again. The ball was put through the middle by Storrie and with the Everton defence struggling to get it away. Bremner followed up and got in a shot which had West hopelessly beaten. Wilson was showing some fine touches in a match which up top now had been hard, clean and entertaining in difficult conditions, and we had Temple striving for another equaliser when he hit Scott’s pass first time but he was just too high.
GENERAL COLLINS
Leeds piled it on after this goal and the Everton defence had a tough time for several minutes as Collins took on the role of complete general. From one of his moves Labone was happy to head away for a corner rather than let Peacock get to grips from close in. Wilson and Gabriel almost made a harsh of things in going for a Giles free kick for all they did was to make the ball skid alarmingly towards West. The goalkeeper did nobly in diving out to grab it from the foot of the incoming Storrier. Everton were not matching the Leeds punch in attack and there were some more hectic moments for the Goodison defence, especially when Leeds made use of the wings where progress was easier. West made a great catch from a Giles centres and from a free kick just outside the area Bremner got the ball into the net from Collins’ lob but was clearly offside. Sprake had to save from Scott in a rare Everton raid. Half-time.- Leeds United 2, Everton 1.
Leeds had an escape. No sooner had the second half started than from a free kick taken by Wilson, Pickering, Gabriel, Temple and then Scott all had headers at goal, headed out in turn until Scott finally put one outside. Gabriel got in a shot following a corner from the left and although Cooper actually stopped the ball Sprake was right in line. The game continued at a good pace and the pitch had not cut up quite as badly as I thought it would, but it needed a lot of power to move the ball and in this the Leeds defence were more adept than Everton’s who often got themselves into trouble by the attempted use of the short pass. Bell came up for a Leed’s corner and headed just wide, but Everton began to have more of the play and it was Sprake’s turn to show sure handling in taking a swerving Scott centre. Collins was still moving the ball craftily and when he took a corner on the left, Giles let Everton off with a mis-hit shot with the goal bang in front of him. Pickering was another who contrived to produce the football flash without, however, making a real opening. For a spell in which neither side did much constructive work, but the longer the game went the tougher became the conditions because of the snow. Storrie came to the scene with a shot from near the penalty area line which West pulled down competently and one felt that it would have taken something super from Everton to save this game. They were a little fortunate not to go further behind when Madeley put in a storming run and from his cross Storrie shot which West going down to save and Harris kicking away the rebound almost from the feet of Peacock. Morrissey went near for Everton after Temple had done the work. In 73 minutes Leeds went further in front when Collins grafted in the middle, got Storrier away on the left and from a fast low centre Johanneson swivelled round and rammed the ball beyond West. Four minutes later Leeds got a penalty, rather harshly I thought, when Labone tackled Storrier, but Giles’ kick was saved brilliantly by West diving to his right. Morrissey ended in a run with a good centre to which Sprake dived and caught, but generally Leeds looked the stronger side with their defence never hesitating to move the ball long and first time. United got a fourth goal in 85 minutes when Storrie slipped Giles away and from the winger’s cross Peacock glided the ball into the net off the inside of the post. In the last minute there was a flare up involving Cooper and Pickering, the only one of the match, and the Leeds full back was taken off with a leg injury. Final; Leeds United 4, Everton 1. Official attendance; 29,701.

ROCHDALE v.  EVERTON A
The Liverpool Football Echo and Evening Express- Saturday, March 20, 1965
Everton took Rochdale in their stride, and a polished display by centre half Kenyon not only kept Rochdale’s experienced centre forward Turley in check, but cut out any threat from the home side. Veall put Everton one up in the first half and Tarbuck and McLoughlin made sure with goals in the second half. Final; Rochdale Res nil, Everton A 3.

EVERTON RES v  CHESTERFIELD RES
The Liverpool Football Echo and Evening Express- Saturday, March 20, 1965
Everton Res;- Rankin; Parker, Brown; Hurst, Smith, Glover; Shaw, Humphreys, Hill, Husband, Maher. Chesterfield Res; Osborne; Mason, Hallam; Brumfield, Watkin, Butler; Duncan, Whitehead, Common, Moore, Slater. Referee; Mr. F. Lassey (Blackburn).
The ground was very treacherous and little was seen of Chesterfield during the first ten minutes. Everton although in command, were not getting very far. At the 11th minute Everton took the lead when Maher put across a lovely centre for HUSBAND, who made no mistake. Chesterfield fought back but could do little against a strong defence. Everton continued to have most of the game, but were inclined to take thing easy. They got a second goal 25 minutes, when HILL easily converted a Shaw centre. It was just after this that Chesterfield had their first real shot at goal. Slater took the ball down the wing and shot from about 20 years, but the ball went just over the bar.
Half-time; Everton Res 2, Chesterfield Res nil.

DEFEATED EVERTON ARE BY NO MEANS DISGRACED
Liverpool Daily Post, Monday, March 22, 1965
LEEDS UNITED SHOW THEIR CUP FINAL QUALITIES
A LAST MINUTE FLARE-UP THE ONLY REAL BLOT
LEEDS UNITED 4, EVERTON 1
By Horace Yates
Unless I am very much mistaken, I saw one of the year’s F.A. Cup finalists at Elland Road on Saturday. Manchester United, he warned! This was not just a case of inferior opposition imparting a lustre where it did not belong, for I found it easier to praise Everton in apparently overwhelming defeat than it was to utter kind words about them in last week’s overthrow of Aston Villa. In conditions which could hardly have been more appealing and still remain playable, snow and sleet falling continuously on a waterlogged pitch, there was every excuse for a mediocre display. Instead, we were given a wonderful example of resolution and dedication salvaging entertainment from a near impossible situation. What a tragedy it would have been had 89 minutes of rewarding endeavour, been sullied by the dismissal of two players at might easily have happened, with the last kick of the match.
A FLARE-UP
The crowd had demonstrated only against Pickering when Cooper went down to a kick from the centre forward, a flare-up which brought Hunter and Gabriel racing to the scene of the conflict. What they did not see, or chose not to remember was that Cooper was the instigator. Now for the first time in the match had he implanted a shoulder painfully into the chest of an opponent as he charged into a tackle. Like a wounded bull Pickering retaliated on the instant. Of course, he was wrong and the sooner he realises what peril he places himself in by momentarily seeing red, the easier will be avoid repentance at leisure. Mercifully the referee had seen all, not, as so often happens, only the most inexperienced player on the field and on that account it may be easier to make allowances, but here is the opportunity for a timely word of advice from manager Don Revie. Both teams had shown a praiseworthy ability to forget the past, with the result that innumerable inferior exhibitions have been given under conditions far better suited to football. With three victories and a draw from the games against Everton this season, clearly Leeds are the masters of the Goodison outfit. Without any reservation they earned this victory with tactics less vulnerable to the mud, by superior thrust, better finishing and a machine-like ability to keep pounding away.
PENALTY MISSED
Even though Giles missed a penalty kick, after Labone had clearly fouled Storrier in the area, the margin was a shade unkind to a valiant Everton. Where Leeds shine is in possession of not merely one dynamo, but three of four. Because a new surge of power is generated from as many different sources there is an relaxation, no let-up in their power play. They will wear down most sides and when, under pressure, opponents are harried into errors, a lethal finish completes the kill. Far from easy is it to point a finger of criticism at the Everton players and say there was failure here of there, although some of them are obviously more at ease in better going, but when their chances were created there were near misses instead of goals. Temple, Morrissey and Scott could all be faulted in this respect, but it was made more apparent because Leeds kept hammering their offerings past West, who was in no way to blame. I don’t think I have seen Wilson play more efficiently in an Everton jersey. Right back to England standard was this display. Wright was so much the master of Johannesson that the glaring limitations of this winger were bitterly exposed, and yet, by sheer opportunism he was in the right place to pick up two goals.
JOHANNESON’S TWO
The first (18 minutes) came when Labone deflected Peacock’s header against the post and Johanneson had only to push the ball home. Johanneson had only to push the ball home. Johanneson had more to do for the second (75 minutes), but it was Cooper and Hunter who provided the beautiful made opening. Between these scores Temple had headed a first goal equaliser from a admirable Scott cross (31), after failing by the narrowest margin a little earlier. Bremner took advantage of a weak prod by Gabriel to lash in the second (33) and Peacock completed the havoc by turning a Giles cross into goal (85).
WELL DONE GABRIEL
Gabriel twice on the fringe of trouble with Hunter, more than adequately atoned for his one blunder with a magnificent display. He outshone every Everton competitor with a string of perfectly lofted and positioned passes, when so many players found accuracy so elusive. The conditions were about as favourable to temple as an ice rink is to be a duck, but he surprised me by a courageous display that stamped him as Everton’s likeliest scorer. Where Everton are falling down and badly at that, is in the almost complete lack of any service worthy of the name to probably the most dangerous centre forward in the land. To leave Pickering to work out his own and the team’s salvation is like having an exhibition house and keeping the doors bolted and barred. Everton had only Gabriel to do the inciting to action that Hunter, Brewster and Collins were accomplishing for Leeds. With such prodding, there is neither time nor opportunity for complacency in the Yorkshire team’s ranks and it is this non-stop aggression that gives them such an impressive uplift. Bremner with the prudent realisation of a man whose fervour has brought him too often into conflict with authority, scaled down his exuberance sufficiently to keep himself out of trouble without impairing his usefulness. If Hunter is included in the England side against the Scots don’t be surprised. If he can swop Leeds’ white for England’s white and still retain his militant style. Hunter is poised for a genuine breakthrough to the top class. Leeds United; Sprake; Bell, Cooper; Bremner, Madeley, Hunter; Giles, Storrier, Peacock, Collins, Johanneson. Everton; West; Wright, Wilson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Scott, Harvey, Pickering, Temple, Morrissey. Referee; Mr. J. Finney (Hereford). Attendance 29,701.

CENTRAL LEAGUE
The Liverpool Daily Post, Monday, March 22, 1965
EVERTON RES MADE HARD WORK OF IT
EVERTON RES 3, CHESTERFIELD RES 2
Everton Reserves made hard work of this win over Chesterfield Reserves in the Central League game at Goodison Park. They were never out of the visitors’ half before the interval, but got only two goals through Husband at eight minutes and Hill at twenty-four minutes. Parker came up at sixty-two minutes to show his forwards how it was done with a lovely drive. Chesterfield ‘s centre forward, Commons, took the hint and scored twice at 67 and 75 minutes. Both sets of forwards livened up after this, but the slippery conditions were then in control and that was the end of the scoring.

LEEDS HAD THE RIGHT TACTICS ON MUDDY PITCH
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Monday, March 22, 1965
By Jack Rowe
The snow did not stop once at Elland Road on Saturday, and neither did the Leeds United defence stop pumping the ball hard and long on the muddy and treacherous pitch. It was this, more than anything, I feel. which enabled the Yorkshire challengers for the League and Cup double to hand out a 4-1 slamming to Everton. Leeds had the right tactics for a day on which the close passing game put too much premium on the accuracy of the men making it and too much strain in trying to get control and then moving it again on the man taking it. Leeds soon realised that tokeep it close was to make sure that there was a minimum of progress and for most of the match theirdefence was only concerned in giving the ball length and strength and letting theforwards chase it. Scarcely did Everton do, this. There was far too much short passing in defence, there was far too muchattempted short passing from defence to attack and, although it came offoccasionally, never were they able to reveal themselves as dangerous and as punchy asLeeds.  Whether Everton could have avoided this big defeat even if they had emulated Leeds is another matter. I doubt it because on the day there was little doubt which of the two sides carried the greater power.
FITFUL SUPPORT
Always I felt that Leeds had the edge here. Everton, instance, had no forward tomatch thegraft of Collinsalthough early on Pickeringand then Scott did producesome promise that if given the right service they could be a burden to the Leeds defence. Unfortunately the supportwas only fitful because youngHarvey was never happy in these conditions and played his least effective game since he came into the side. Neither was Wright at home completely and he also did not look as good as he can be and in the second half Leeds left winger Johanneson was always able to escape the shackles.
TINGE OF LUCK
But the chief reason for Everton's downfall the desire to try and play too much football, especially the defence in which West, Wilson and to a lesser extent Labone were the pick. Up to the 34th minute there was a chance that Everton might succeed in attempted short passing holding the powerful challenge of Don Revie's men because they had come back with a headed equaliser by Temple in 32 minutes to the goal scored by Johanneson after 18 minutes. Johanneson's goal had a tinge of luck about it because first Wright was beaten by the skidding ball as Collins' pass found Giles on the left and from the centre it looked as though Peacock's header was deflected by Labone on to the post from where the rebounded to the scorer. The real finish for Everton came two minutes after Temple's equaliser because during a defensive mix-up Bremner tore up and was given the chance of a shot which he took avidly. From then on I felt that in spite of Everton's efforts, and there were one or two good ones in the second half, they were not going to pull back a second time and inevitably the Leeds strength told so that in 73 minutes Johanneson scored a splendid goal from Storrie's cross and five minutes from the end Giles spreadeagled the defence with a low centre and Peacock's touch was sufficient to put it into the net. On top of his Leeds also missed a penalty awarded rather harshly In my view when Labone brought down Storrie in the tackle. West made an excellent save from Giles' kick and wherever other Everton faults were they were not with the goalkeeper. Leeds are a strong, hard side and this match was hard and entertaining without the  suggestion of a malicious blemish until the last minute when Pickering and the Leeds deputy right back Cooper were involved in an incident. The time factor probably caused Referee Jim Finney to show tolerance because otherwise he might have been most hard on Pickering for his retaliatory action. However, it was retaliatory because I did not think he was the instigator of this one jarring incident.

BROWN IS IN EVERTON 12
The Liverpool Football Echo and Evening Express- Monday, March 22, 1965
DATE SETTLED FOR CHELSEA GAME
By Leslie Edwards
Everton have a rearranged League game against West Bromwich Albion at West Bromwich to-morrow night. The team will be selected from the 11 which lost in the League for the first time in three months, on Saturday at Leeds, plus full back Sandy Brown. Everton and Chelsea will meet in their rearranged League match at Goodison Park on Wednesday week. Everton wanted the game played on Tuesday or Monday but the Football League have ruled that the match should be on the Wednesday. Everton’s Youth Cup semi-final first leg, against Sunderland is due to be played on Wednesday, this week, at Goodison Park.

YOUTH SEMI-FINAL
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Tuesday, March 23, 1965
EVERTON UNBCHANGED FOR GODOISON MATCH
Everton will rely on the same 11 players for the fifth successive time when they receive Sunderland in the first leg of the F.A. Youth Cup semi-final at Goodison Park tomorrow (7.30).  only change in the Everton side throughout the tournament has been a positional switch of inside forwards Glover and Husband. Sunderland’s side will include Derek Forster, who at 15 became the youngest goalkeeper ever to play in the First Division earlier this season. Everton; Barnett; Pearson, D’Arcy; Hurst, Curwen, Yaager; Wallace, Glover, McLoughlin, Husband, Maher.

DIRECT TACTICS WERE RIGHT TACTICS
Liverpool Daily Post- Wednesday, March 24, 1965
EVERTON CRASH AGAIN-THIS TIME IN THE ALBION MUD
WEST BROMWICH ALBION 4, EVERTON 0
By Michael Charters
Conditions were so bad at West Bromwich last night that it made one wonder whether the referee was right in allowing the game to start at all. It was not until an hour before the kick-off that he gave permission for the gates to be opened after he had made an inspection of the ground lasting for half an hour. The game became a matter of slide and slither and any attempt to keep the ball close was doomed. Everton tried to play their usual brand of close passing without success and when they did use the long ball and copy the home team they were much more effective. Albion looked the better team with their more direct tactics and three goals in the first twenty minutes of the second half settled the match beyond doubt and Albion had won deservedly.
OBJECT LESSON
They did so because each of the goals provided an object lesson in the use of the quick pass and the breakthrough as Everton defenders tried to turn to recover. Astle, the tall, strong inside forward, was the most efficient forward on the field. He kept his feet better than most and his first two goals were the result of the two best shots of the match. Three minutes after half time full back Williams hit the ball fully fifty yards down the middle where Harris failed to control it and Astle cleverly took the ball to the left and beat West with a cross shot. After 67 minutes a carbon copy of this move brought Astle’s second goal. This time Williams hit the ball low and long through a crowded penalty area and the ball skidded in the mud through to the unmarked Astle who had a simple job to place it wide of West into the corner of the net. Three minutes later a good move developed down Albion’s left wing and the ball was put into the middle where Kaye moved it on to Foggo and the winger closed in to beat West from ten yards.
HOTLY DISPUTED
The final goal, hotly disputed by Everton, came two minutes from the end through a penalty by Cram. Hope was going through and seemed to fall over in a crush of players but the referee awarded the penalty despite Everton’s protests. The margin of Everton’s defeat certainly did not represent a true reflection of the play because in the first half Everton had made the much better attacking threats, but they did not possess the power of finish of the home side. The whole complexion of the game altered after the interval, when Albion, a stronger side in the dreadful conditions took command, thanks to Astle and fine wing-half play by Howshall and Fraser. In addition, their defence held off the few Everton attacks with case, although Gabriel, who changed positions with Harvey midway through the second half, hit the upright with a header – Everton’s best scoring attempt of the game.
LABONE, GABRIEL
Everton’s forward line generally was disappointing, and Pickering, who had a knock early on, was effective against the strong tackling Jones. Everton’s best players were Labone and Gabriel, although the wing-half got at cross purposes with the referee for a tackle on Clark, which sent the winger skidding off the ground into the running track around the pitch. This was a night where directness paid off and Albion certainly showed they had the right ideas, with Astle an outstanding performer in the mud. West Bromwich Albion; Potter; Cram, Williams; Howshall, Jones, Fraser; Foggo, Astle, Kaye, Hope, Clark. Everton; West; Wright, Wilson; Gabriel, Labone, Harris; Scott, Harvey, Pickering, Temple, Morrissey. Referee; Mr. G.T. Powell. Attendance 13,000. 

ALBION HAD THE RIGHT IDEAS IN THE MUD
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Wednesday, March 24, 1965
By Michael Charters
Conditions at West Bromwich last night were made for forthright football in which skill took second place to strength and frills were a poor substitute for directness. West Bromwich Albion had the right methods for a quagmire; Everton didn't and Everton's excellent record in the Midlands in recent years was cracked to the tune of a 4-0 defeat. The result was correct even if the margin of victory was over generous, but Albion found the " breaks" of the game going their way and took full advantage of them. Referee Powell, of Newport, took half an hour over his inspection of the pitch before he allowed the game to start at all. Rain and snow over the past few days had turned the Hawthorns ground into a mudbath, particularly down the centre and very little better on the wings. These were conditions for Rugby football and not for the stroking of the ball with finesse which makes Soccer of the top class. It is really rather farcical that the professional game should be played on such a pitch; the advocates of summer football were provided with plenty of ammunition for their cause, and the fact that only 13,000 people turned out to see last night's match indicates that the public realise that what they are going to see on such a ground is not football to thrill and entertain. It was slip and slide, boot the ball hard, chase It. use your strength and pour on the power. All credit to Albion for the tactics they used, scorning the short passing game and cracking the ball hard downfield without polish. It paid off and Everton, trying rather disappointingly to adapt their game in similar vein rarely looked like achieving success.
AN EXPERT EXPONENT
In the first half, Everton made more scoring chances without looking as penetrative as Albion. Headers from Morrissey, Harris and Temple slid just wide, shots from Pickering and Harvey went past the post. These openings were created by a series of passing moves which becameprogressively slower and more inaccurate as the mud churned up under the players ' boots. Albion, thrusting hard down the middle with long passes, had two clearer scoring openings, with West saving brilliantly from winger Foggo and then looking rather thankful to see the tall, strong inside right Astle, an expert exponent in these conditions, crash the ball over the bar with a great chance Half-time came with no score with Everton having had more of the play without being impressive but with Albion showing increasing signs that they had the better ideas on the night. It took just three minutes of the second half to show the way things were moving. Left back Williams bit a 50-yard pass down the middle. Harris failed to control it as it skidded awkwardly off the mud, and Astle snapped up the ball, moved out to the left and hit a great shot past West. This was an object lesson in directness and power-the direct pass from Williams, the power of Astle to stand up in the mire and bit the ball hard with a well-directed shot. Everton never showed these attributes at all. Astle's next goal, 19 minutes later, was something of a fluke but nevertheless neatly taken. Everton cleared an Albion attack and moved the ball out, with the defence following up the clearance to leave Astle offside. Williams again hit the ball hard and low through a pack of players: it skidded off an Everton defender onto another Everton player to slide neatly to Astle ' s feet and play him onside. Astle made no mistake with this gift offering. These two Astle goals really settled the issue there and then because the Everton forwards were having such a bad game that there was little scoring threat from them. Then Foggo, from what looked like an offside position, took a pass from centre forward Kaye to beat West from close range within three minutes of Astle's second goal.
A DOUBTFUL PENALTY
Gabriel and Harvey switched positions after that and Gabriel made Everton's best scoring move with a good header which hit an upright. But Albion’s defence was in command and Everton could never raise their game to pose any real danger. Two minutes from the end inside left Hope went down in a skirmish of half a dozen players -it looked to me as though he had lost possession and fallen-but the referee awarded a penalty and Cram made no mistake from the spot. Everton's attack, with the exception of Morrissey, their best performer, could do little right. Harvey and Temple did not have the sheer physical strength needed to move themselves and the ball through the mud with the directness and power the conditions demanded. Pickering, limping a little after an early tackle by that strong centre half. Jones, was rarely in the game, while Scott could not escape the keen tackling of Williams. Everton's best players were Labone, who covered a lot of ground in middle against Kaye and Gabriel despite the incident in which he was spoken to by the referee for a tackle on Clarke.
Gabriel worked tremendously hard without always being successful, but kept plugging away, while the conditions were all against Harris, who is essentially a ball-playing wing half who likes to bring the ball through. The mud stopped all that. Wright and Wilson had a good deal of extra work to do because their wing halves could not get a grip of the midfield play defensively, but came through a difficult game with credit, while West could not be faulted with any of the goals. What else came his way was dealt with capably.

GOODISON YOUTH CUP SEMI-FINAL
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Wednesday, March 24, 1965
By Paul O’Brien
While Liverpool battle for a place among the last four in the European Cup this evening, Everton’s fine under-18 side will be putting just as much effort into trying to build up a comfortable lead in their F.A. Youth Cup semi-final, first leg, against Sunderland at Goodison Park (7.30). Everton’s record in the competition so far speaks for itself, for 13 goals have been scored with reply in knocking out sides representing four leading clubs- Manchester United, Blackburn, Burnley, and Stoke. Coach Ron Lewin has blended five boys from Liverpool two from Blackpool and one each from Northwich, Flint, Newcastle and Australia into a fine side, equipped to play whatever type of game the occasion demands. Everton rely on the same 11 which has played in the four previous games.
YOUNGEST EVER
Sunderland’s youngest ever youth team- average age 16 ½ -has far exceeded club hopes by reaching the semi-final. A side which included four 15-years-old-Fosters, Todd, Suggest and Hughes-made its mark quickly enough in the under-19 Northern Intermediate League, but was not rated up to standard for the national Youth Cup.  Five home times in a row smoothed out their path, however, and though there was little enough excitement while they were disposing of Newcastle United, Darlington, and Carlisle United in the early stages, Sunderland obviously had to be taken seriously when they out-played a powerful Leeds United side to win 3-1. Further proof of their merit came in a 3-3 draw with an England International X1 containing Barnett and Glover of Everton, and then in a resounding 3-0 triumph over Hull City in the quarter-finals. Derek Forster, who at 15 became the youngest goalkeeper ever to play to play in First Division football in the opening games of this season, and 18-years-old John O’Hare are the only players with experience in the first team, but the Kerr-Hughes all-Scottish left wing has sampled reserve team football. Hughes is a younger brother of Celtic’s centre forward, John Hughes.
PLAYED AT TRANMERE
Suggest, one of the outstanding members of the England Boys team last season, has played in several non-professional youth internationals this season, including the one against Northern Ireland at Prenton Park, Birkenhead, in January. Everton; Barnett; Pearson, D’Arcy; Hurst, Curwen, Yaager; Wallace, Glover, McLoughlin, Husband, Maher. Sunderland; Forster; Bright, Shoulder; Todd, Adams, Keenan; O’Hare, Suggest, Woods, Kerr, Hughes.

FOUR GOALS LEAD IN YOUTH CUP SEMI-FINAL
Liverpool Daily Post- Thursday, March 25, 1965
JIMMY HUSBAND STARS IN EVERTON TRIUMPH
EVERTON 4, SUDNERLADN0
By Ian Hargreaves
Another brilliant display by Everton’s youngsters at Goodison Park last night sent them forward into the second leg of the F.A Youth Cup semi-final against Sunderland with a four goal advantage. Since they have still to concede a single goal in the course of five rounds, the odds must now be heavily in favour of their reaching the final. After a slow start they settled down to completely outplay a hard tackling Sunderland side and fully deserved the ovation given them at the end by a crowd of 13,402.
Star of a team without a real weakness was little Jimmy Husband at inside left who scored two magnificent goals. His speed passing ability and ball control were a constant delight and if he continues to develop. Everton fans are in for a real treat in the years ahead.
GRAFTED AWAY
Though concussed early in the game Glover grafted away, effectively at inside right and both Maher and Wallace ran well on the wings. Maher’s dribbling was particularly effective and he also had the pleasure of scoring the first goal with a close-range header. Centre forward McLoughlin got the fourth with an even more spectacular headed effort after previously hitting the bar, and Wallace would have registered if he had not had a shot kicked off the line. Sunderland faded after giving as good as they got in a goalless first half, but they could at least boast one outstanding player in their right winger O’Hare. Curwen and Yaager also played well in a strong Everton defence while goalkeeper Barnett, one of two internationals in the team, rarely got a chance to show his ability.

EVERTON BOOK YOUTH CUP FINAL TICKET
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Thursday, March 25, 1965
By Paul O’Brien
A great display during the second half of their semi-final (first leg) against Sunderland, at Goodison Park, last night, has almost certainly booked Everton a place in the final of the F.A. Youth Cup. After a goalless first 45 minutes, the Goodison youngsters came out of their shell and scored four times without reply. Everton go to Roker Park for the second leg on April 7 with an impressive record of 17 goals without reply from five games, and if they can keep their goal intact in this game will equal the feat of Chelsea in 1961, when they reached the final without conceding a goal. Goodison fans will remember that Chelsea then went on to beat Everton. With Glover, the inside right, forced to go on the wing with slight concussion, Everton were only a shadow of their real selves in the first half. The close marking Sunderland defence looked sound and a comfortable Everton first-leg lead looked out of the question. During the interval a heavy rain shower sent those of the 13,402 crowd standing on the terraces scurrying for shelter under the stands, and they must have wondered whether their trip to Goodison had been worthwhile. Within minutes of the restart, however, they knew the answer. The rain seemed to have freshened the soft Goodison pitch just that vital bit and Everton’s long, accurate passes began to whip through the Sunderland defence. With Glover recovered and fit enough to take up his normal position, there was a different spirit about Everton’s approach play, with the forwards and wing halves moving about to make room for the man on the ball. Chief architects of Sunderland’s downfall were Jimmy Husband, a Newcastle boy playing at inside left and one of the most promising of Everton’s youngsters, and local favourite Aiden Maher, at outside left. It was Glover, a member of the England youth squad who made Everton’s first goal, after 51 minutes, opening the way for outside right Wallace to cross the ball perfectly for Maher to head a fine goal. Everton were in command now, and four minutes later they got a second. A Glover shot was kicked off the line by right back Bright, but the Goodison boys refused to be denied and within seconds sheer determination made a chance for Husband from close in, which he took well.
BRILLIANT GOAL
The crowd rose to Husband at the 68th minute, when the inside forward scored with a brilliant shot from just outsider the penalty area. Direct from a Barnett goal kick the ball was transferred by two short passes to Husband, who raced on down the soft, sandy Goodison midfield to beat Forster, the Sunderland ‘keeper as he advanced. McLoughlin, who had earlier seen an extremely good header striker the underside of the bar and bounce clear, scored Everton’s fourth goal with an equally fine effort from a Maher corner after 86 minutes. Everton’s defence, with centre half Curwen outstanding and right back Darcy and right half Hurst also doing very well, gave Sunderland few chances, and when the Roker boys did get through Barnett looked in England form. The player who gave them most anxiety was outside right O’Hare, a deep lying right winger who did well both in defence and attack. Suggest, at inside right, also tried hard, but Hurst kept a tight grip on the experienced Kerr at inside left. Goalkeeper Forster, who could not be blamed for any of the goals, played well for Sunderland while centre half Adams, particularly in the first half, looked a good prospect.

MIXED RECEPTION FOR FOOTBALL LEAGUE’S POINTS BONUS PROPOSALS
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Friday, March 26, 1965
VIEWS OF EVERTON AND LIVERPOOL MANAGERS
By Michael Charters
Proposals by the Football League Management Committee to start a points bonus system for goals, allow substitutes and extend the playing season, have been given a mixed reception by League clubs. Full details of the League’s revolutionary plans, designed primarily to end negative defensive tactics in the game are given on page 30. Everton manager Harry Catterick said to-day; “My board of directors will be discussing the proposals in great detail. My own view is that the Management Committee, and the secretary Mr. Alan Hardaker, are to be commended on the amount of thought and study they have put in to these ideas. “I think it would be unwise to accept those proposals without a great deal of thought by clubs and I am convinced a trial period would best serve everyone. “I don’t think the extension to the season would be a good thing and I am sure the substitute idea is likely to be abused.
CUP QUERY
“The bonus points for goals raises the question of what happens in Cup football. Presumably the proposal could only operate in League games and Cup ties decided on a win or lose basis would be played as at present and that would mean defensive tactics being adopted as they are to-day.”
Mr. Shankley the Liverpool manager said; “From times immemorial the only teams to attract good gates have been the successful ones. “The general fall in gates is a sign of the times. People have other interests. “To talk boldly of defensive football is sheer nonsense. There is positive defensive football and negative defensive football. Who is to decide which club plays negatively?  “Several teams have positive defensive ideas. The majority of the leading teams have definite defensive plans and these are the teams which are successful. It shows they have given some thought to the game.”
Among First Division clubs who have welcomed the points bonus and the substitute proposals are Arsenal and Sheffield Wednesday. The committee’s idea will be voted on at the annual general meeting of the League on May 29 and it seems at this early stage that the main points stand a good chance of being approved by the clubs.

BONUS POINTS PLAN A WINNER
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Friday, March 26, 1965
By Michael Charters
At last the Football League Management Committee has come up with revolutionary proposals which would not only help to improve the game but, just as important, stand a good chance of being accepted by the League clubs at the annual general meeting of the League this summer. The proposals, now being considered by the clubs who have been asked for their support and comments, are far-reaching and fall into two main groups. They are:-
1. A change in the points system to award a bonus point for every four goals scored, in addition to the normal two points for a win and one for a draw.
2. A substitute to be allowed at any time in a game and for any reason other than when a player is sent off. In addition, the Management Committee has suggested changes in the fixturesfor next season, the pre- World Cup season, to help the' F.A. with their plans for forming an England team for the competition and to help to remove fixture difficulties at club level. The bonus point idea seems to me an admirable one, designed to encourage spectator interest and “cause a change of heart among those clubs whose tactics are promoted by purely defensive ideas,” in the words of the proposal. It could bring back to the game what the spectators wants above all else- a free attacking style in which goals get tangible reward in the shape of points. The League accept that their previous proposals for a new pattern of football based on five divisions and increased promotion and relegation, stand no chance of ever being accepted by the clubs. These have been consigned to the wastepaper basket. Several Ideas for improving the game were considered before the Management Committee produced this latest brain child. Concerning the bonus point, the committee states:— The team scoring the most goals and winning the most matches would win the championship of their division, and would be the greatest incentive to goal scoring is every match.
“Apart from being a complete answer to the public demand for more goals, this system is so simple that it would not be difficult for the public to understand it.
“One added advantage also is that each week results could produce violent changes in the position of clubs right to the last match of the season, which was one of the main arguments used in support of four up and four down.
“The proposal means; a draw 0-0, one point to each club, a win 1-0, 2.25 points to the winner; a draw 1-1, 1.25 points to each club; a win 2-1; 2.50 points to the winner and 0.25 points to the loser, a win 4-0, three points to the winner; a win 5-4, 3.25 points to the winner and one point to the loser.
“One of the possible objections to the new idea might be the possibility of freak results caused by injury, and although a club could lose match points because for the other club to gain extra points as a result of the numerical advantage of players.
EXTENSION
The fixture proposals for next season envisage an extension of the season until May 28 when the Cup Final would be played—four weeks longer than the usual programme. This has been planned to allow England to fit in three more internationals to prepare for the World Cup and also give clubs in European competitions more room to manoeuvre with mid-week fixtures. In view of the experience of Liverpool and Manchester United this season, this move will be welcomed. The arrangements, subject to the club's approval, are:
The First and Second Division fixtures are scheduled to finish on May 14, which means that subject to weather conditions, the England World Cup players would have a break before entering into serious training for the competition.
The Third and Fourth Division matches would go on until May 21 and the Cup Final Saturday would be left free. All divisions of the League will have adequate mid-week fixtures at the beginning of the season but there will be free dates so that Third and Fourth Division clubs will be able to fit in League Cup replays in the early rounds, if necessary. Clubs playing in European competitions will have a choice of blank dates when arranging their European rounds. Replays in both cup competitions later on would also be easier to fit in to the programme. There are sufficient mid-week periods for the England team manager to call squads up for a “get-together” without interfering with League matches and F.A. Cup ties.
In the case of matches postponed on October 2 for internationals, it will be possible to rearrange them either on the following mid-week of fix them definitely for mid-week in May. In the case of any matches postponed for the Scotland v England international on April 2 there are still dates available in May in mid-week. The First and Second Division clubs have no League fixtures on the dates of the third, 4th and fifth rounds of the F.A Cup and Third and Fourth Division clubs have no league fixtures on the dates of the first, second and third rounds.

EVERTON RES SOON GAINED THE MASTERY
Liverpool Daily Post, Saturday, March 27, 1965
LEEDS UNITED RES 2, EVERTON RES 3
Everton Reserves soon gained the mastery of this Central League game at Leeds last night against an unimpressive Leeds team and after brilliant work by Veall. Hill notched a goal in the seventh minute and the same combination resulted in Hill again being successful after 49 minutes. Continuing to force the pace Husband put Everton further ahead in the 65th minute. Leeds hit back with vigour and Lawson scored after 73 minutes and the same player again scored seven minutes later. When the final whistle went Everton were defending desperately.

GOODISON “DERBY” DATE FIXED
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Tuesday, March 30, 1965
BROWN PLAYS v.  CHELSEA
AT LEFT HALF
By Leslie Edwards
The long delayed, eagerly awaited returned league match between Liverpool and Everton, at Goodison Park, will take place on the evening of Monday, April 12. Everton who play Chelsea at Goodison Park tomorrow night, have one salient change. They bring in at left half back, for the first time in his career at Goodison Park, Sandy Brown, a full back who likes the offensive role and is an excellent shot. Brown often played in Scotland in this position prior to coming to Merseyside. Chelsea, whose bid for the double was ended by Liverpool return to the League championship chase with the side that was beaten in the F.A Cup semi-final. Everton.- West; Wright, Wilson; Gabriel. Labone, Brown, Scott, Harvey, Pickering, Temple, Morrissey. Chelsea; Bonetti, Hinton, McGreadie; Hollins, Mortimore, Harris, Murray, Graham, Bridge’s. Venables, Tambling.

TONIGHT AT GOODISON
The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express- Wednesday, March 31, 1965
By Leslie Edwards
To-night at Goodison Park we have opportunity to see the Chelsea team whose repute Liverpool burst, with surprising ease, in the Cup it could be that Chelsea, a very young side, were overawed. They will be all out to-night to put themselves right and confirm what everyone has been saying—that their League championship chances are second to none. Everton give a run at left half-back to Sandy Brown and if I am any judge of his potential there he will be successful. With two heavy defeats following a long unbeaten run in the League Everton must snap back to winning again if the remainder of the season is to have any point for them and their following. I shall be particularly interested to see the play of Graham in the Chelsea attack. This is the man Chelsea picked up for some £6,000 in the close season, and Villa, I think, made a mistake in letting him go.