Stories

Everton’s Forgotten Prodigy

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The word “wonderkid” has been bandied about a lot in football nowadays. Any young player having one or two good games has been described as one. Although, it did used to mean something. In Everton’s case, some prodigies ended up having great careers, such as Dixie Dean, Joe Royle and Wayne Rooney. Some, however, didn’t meet their expectations, such as Michael Branch, Francis Jeffers and Jose Baxter. But one prodigy in particular has been completely forgotten about. A wartime wonderkid who was compared to Everton legend Torry Gillick – Billy Lowe.

Billy Lowe joined Everton from Haydock C&B in 1943. Around that time, Everton and Haydock had an alliance and several Haydock players joined the Blues, including Eric Moore, who went on to play 184 games for the club. After joining, Lowe played a few games for the reserves, and he already impressed Theo Kelly. Kelly then awarded him a chance to impress for the first team, making his debut against Tranmere on 10th April 1943 at the age of just 16.

This match doubled as a wartime league match and a Liverpool Senior Cup semi-final. Lowe wasn’t the only youngster in the game; Tranmere had a 16-year-old called Evans and a 15-year-old called Newton. Lowe was in esteemed company, playing alongside Norman Greenhalgh, Alex Stevenson and Tommy Lawton. Everton beat their Wirral rivals 4-1 with two goals from Lawton, one from Stevenson and one from George Mutch, who was a guest player from Preston. Not a lot was said about Lowe – the Liverpool Evening Express complimented his corner-taking (“Lowe utilised two corners accurately…”) but the Liverpool Daily Post gave him a lot of approval, saying, “though he had obviously much to learn, [Lowe] made a quite promising debut.”

Lowe made his second appearance for the club against the same opposition three weeks later. However, he failed to make as much of an impression as he made on his debut, largely due to being unable to get past experienced left-back and guest player from Leeds, Jack Milburn – the uncle of Bobby and Jack Charlton and also a cousin of Jackie Milburn. That was his last first-team appearance of the season and had played some games for the reserves before returning to the first team in October for a match against Wrexham. Everton won 3-1, thanks to a hat-trick from Tommy Lawton. Lowe was reported to have made a good impression despite having little of the ball and contributed to Everton’s third goal. Lowe crossed the ball into the box and Wrexham goalkeeper Dave Whitelaw claimed it. But as soon as he caught the ball, Lawton was running straight at him. This prompted Whitelaw to walk backwards onto the goalline but he was in quite a predicament as Lawton subsequently charged into him, causing Whitelaw to fall and the ball, and Whitelaw, went into the goal.

Lowe played against Wrexham again the following week. Everton were the victors again, winning 4-2. A 14-minute first-half hat-trick from Cecil Wyles and a goal from Stan Bentham earned Everton the win. Lowe received a lot of acclaim from the local press for his performance. The Liverpool Daily Post said Lowe “gave an excellent display” and the Liverpool Echo also praised his performance, saying, “he has got speed and ball control and can shoot but needs to vary his style occasionally and take the ball through on the inside of the defender.” Early promise for Billy Lowe and it appeared that Everton had a bright player in the making. However, in the next game, Lowe’s career took a dark turn.

On 6th November 1943, Billy Lowe made his fifth appearance for Everton against the team he made his first and second – Tranmere. The match got off to an electric start in Everton’s favour. Everton nearly took the lead in the first minute after Lowe passed the ball to Lawton, only for the forward to hit the side-netting. Lawton made amends for his miss almost immediately after, heading a Jimmy McIntosh cross past goalkeeper Threlfall. Everton then made it 2-0 through another Lawton goal – Sam Jones, a guest player from Blackpool, gave the ball to Lawton and he coolly slotted it past Threlfall with his right foot. Everton could have had another two goals with the game still in its early stages, both shots coming from Billy Lowe crosses. However, neither of them threatened Threlfall. But Everton did score their third goal eventually after half an hour, with Tommy Lawton completing his hat-trick in style. With the ball at his feet, Lawton thunderously struck the ball from outside the penalty area and into the back of the net, leaving Threlfall no chance. Tranmere had a goal back before half-time and at the interval, Everton led 3-1. Four minutes into the second half, Lawton turned provider as he passed to Alex Stevenson and Stevenson converted to regain Everton’s three-goal cushion. Everton had a fifth just a couple of minutes later with another header from a Jimmy McIntosh cross – this time Stan Bentham doing the honours. Just after the hour mark, Everton hit six with Lawton scoring his fourth of the game. The Blues were running riot but the joy soon dissipated on the 64th minute.

Following a great game from the youngster, Billy Lowe was on the receiving end of a tackle and suffered a broken leg. He was soon whisked off to Walton Hospital. The Liverpool Evening Express said Lowe, as well as Stevenson, “got the Tranmere defence tied up in knots.” Everton eventually beat Tranmere 9-2, with Lawton, Bentham and McIntosh scoring the remaining goals. But the demolition meant little compared to Billy Lowe’s devastating injury.

Lowe, up to the time of his unfortunate accident, was well up to the standard of his colleagues. In fact, I should say this 17-year-old boy is the best outside right Everton have had since the days of [Torry] Gillick.

Liverpool Daily Post

The Everton attack has not played better for an age, and the unfortunate Lowe, who was takes to hospital with a broken leg, was well up to the form of his partners. He filled the outside position better than any since Torry Gillick.

Liverpool Echo

The one sad note was the accident to young Billy Lowe after an hour which brought a fracture of a leg just above the ankle and Lowe removal to Walton Hospital. The irony of it was that Lowe had been demonstrating that he is Everton’s best right wing find of the war. Lowe was thriving on the support and advice of Stevenson – in his merriest vein – Bentham and [Jackie] Grant. Lowe has a broken tibia and fibula.

Liverpool Evening Express

A couple of days after his injury, Tommy Lawton, Theo Kelly and Harry Cooke visited Lowe in hospital.

As he lay bedridden, Everton fans and players alike, and the press as well, were hoping Lowe makes a swift recovery. He left the hospital temporarily a month later, accepting an invite to watch England play Scotland at Goodison Park, arriving at Goodison for the first time since his injury. Lowe watched his teammates Tommy Lawton and Cliff Britton play on their home turf with Lawton scoring in a 2-2 draw. During the game, Lowe earned a hospital-mate as Wolves legend Stan Cullis suffered an injury and stayed at Walton Hospital. This wasn’t for long as Lowe left the hospital as an outpatient with his leg still in a plaster. The matron said Lowe and Cullis were “exceptionally popular” during their stay in hospital.

On New Year’s Day 1944, Billy Lowe arrived at Goodison Park for the first time as an Everton spectator since his injury as the Blues thrashed Chester 7-0. The Liverpool Evening Express said he was “walking with a stick and going along nicely.” Some positive news for Everton as a return on the pitch could be close. The club struggled to find an outside-right to replace Lowe while he was injured until that game. That player was the exquisitely-named Cuthbert Tatters. Tatters was a 23-year-old Geordie amateur player from the Royal Air Force who previously had spells with Spennymoor United and Durham City. He was brought to the club after TG Jones recommended him as a back-up. Billy Lowe watched his replacement make an immediate impression. He created a few chances in the game, assisting Jack Boothway (who was a guest player from Manchester City) to make it 6-0 and almost scored from a volley but was denied by Chester goalkeeper George Scales (another guest player from Manchester City). However, his time at the club was very brief as three weeks later, in only his second appearance for the Blues in their 4-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield, he fractured his ankle. He reportedly played with a broken ankle for an hour, leaving the pitch twice before returning both times, but his bravery proved costly as he never played for the Blues again and his Everton career was in… well, tatters.

Billy Lowe, on the other hand, looked like he was making a lot of progress as at the end of January 1944, nearly four months after his injury, he had his plaster taken off and was about to receive massage treatment for his leg in hope that it would make him fit for the following season. Unfortunately, several weeks later, Lowe had a setback as it appeared the massage treatment as successful as it was hoped to be and his leg was put back in a plaster. During the summer, it looked like a return was beckoning as Lowe began light training. He was still brittle and a long way away from a full recovery, but early signs were promising.

The following November, almost exactly a year since his injury, he had further treatment on his leg, and the more treatment he had, the sooner he recovered as he was named in a line-up (at least those that were reported by the papers) for the first time in 14 months, appearing for the Everton Colts against Wigan Mining College. He gradually rose through the ranks, playing several games for the reserves, as well as scoring a goal in their 7-1 win over Fazackerley in the George Mahon Cup. The reserve games appeared to do Lowe the world of good as the Liverpool Evening Express said he was “absolutely fit again.”

At the start of the 1945/46 season, on August 29th, Billy Lowe’s long-awaited first-team comeback finally arrived. Everton played Bury at Gigg Lane and were leading 3-2. Everton scored four goals in the game – Jack Boothway twice and George Makin at the right end whereas Matt McDonnell scored at the wrong end. However, the game was abandoned after 75 minutes due to bad light. Lowe appeared to have made a promising comeback, with the Liverpool Evening Express saying, “Lowe did well with his few chances – encouraging this.” As if making a first-team comeback wasn’t good news enough for Lowe, he had even better news nearly a couple of weeks later as he signed a professional contract with Everton, indicating that the club wanted to keep him for the long haul.

Lowe’s first game as a professional was against Preston on September 15th, just a few days after he became a professional. The score was a 1-1 draw, with Cecil Wyles scoring a penalty for Everton. Lowe’s appearance was due to Torry Gillick not arriving back to Liverpool from Glasgow in time for the game. He had a chance to break the deadlock early on but Preston goalkeeper Jack Fairbrother tipped his shot over the bar. When Everton were 1-0 down, Lowe had a bout of nerves as the Liverpool Football Echo said he “too long making up his mind whether to shoot or centre, and was finally crowded out.” His nerviness and indecisiveness stopped Everton from getting back into the game but his lapse in judgement was spared when Wyles converted his penalty for a foul on Wally Boyes. Lowe had another chance to score and give Everton the lead but he headed a Boyes cross wide. He then could have had a hat-trick after a pass from Stan Bentham provided him the opportunity to shoot and hit it in the back of the net, but his shot hit the crossbar instead. The Liverpool Daily Post said Lowe “did quite well and will do better when he gets his centres over more strongly.” Another fairly promising performance from Lowe. But the promise didn’t last long.

Lowe played for the first-team again in the 2-0 defeat to Leeds the following week. The Liverpool Daily Post said he “showed that on the score of physique and experience, he is not yet ripe for first team inclusion but he has good football in him,” implying that reserve football would be better for him as he didn’t appear to overcome his injury yet. The club agreed and he played in Everton reserves’ 5-1 defeat to Aston Villa reserves, but the Liverpool Daily Post called him “very reliable.”

Billy Lowe returned to the first team for their match against Manchester United on October 6th. The Blues travelled to Maine Road (due to Old Trafford being bombed) and went back home with a 0-0 draw, with the Liverpool Daily Post pointing the finger at Lowe for not giving Everton the win.

Had Lowe taken more care with the opportunities created by Lawton in the first half, they might have won. As it was his finishing was weak, and few further chances came his or his colleagues’ way.

The Liverpool Echo pointed the finger in the same direction:

Lowe, well and truly piled with taxable passes, failed to take advantage and having had his chances, the Manchester defence saw to it that such chances were never on offer again.

That game against Manchester United was Lowe’s last ever game for Everton. He returned to the reserves and played some games for the ‘A’ team as well before being placed on the transfer list in April 1946. There are no known reports on whether he joined a new club, so it is very likely that he might have retired at the end of the season.

A wonderkid compared to Torry Gillick who was denied an excellent career due to a horrific injury. Despite showing signs of promise in the short-term in his comeback, in the long-term, he was never going to be the same player he once was. Who knows what sort of player Billy Lowe could have been.

How Dixie Joined Everton

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Dixie Dean is unarguably Everton’s greatest ever player. When he was at Tranmere, umpteen other teams were interested in signing him, with one even giving him a tour of their stadium. He ultimately decided to join the club he supported since he was 8 years old. But how did he come to join Everton?

The club was first interested in him when he was 16 years old when Alfred Wade and Thomas H McIntosh watched him just six weeks after he signed his first deal with Tranmere. They said that he’s a player Everton should keep an eye on. Harry Makepeace then watched him play for Tranmere’s reserve team against Ashton National in the Cheshire League, saying he was “promising.”

Everton’s interest in Dixie Dean had quietened until scout John Fare was assigned to watch him in 3 games at the start of the 1924/25 season. His first match was Dean’s breakthrough match – Tranmere v Southport on 20th September 1924. Fare was reportedly with representatives from several other clubs who were among the 8,000 spectators at Prenton Park to watch Dean in action. Before the game, Dean had played 4 times for the first team, scoring no goals. Although, he did come close the previous Saturday against Doncaster but as his header was about to creep into the net, goalkeeper Harold Jacklin managed to save it. Everyone was anticipating to see what the 17-year-old was made of. And he didn’t let them down. In the 87th minute, Jimmy Moreton crossed the ball to Dean, he then jinxed past Jack Allen and fired his shot past Billy Halsall to score his first ever Football League goal. Thus commencing an eager pursuit of him from teams all across the country. And Everton were one of them.

After the Southport game, Everton agreed to discuss with Tranmere about the prospect of signing Dixie Dean. But before making an instant decision, the scouting assignment continued. John Fare watched Dean again in Tranmere’s next game against Ashington. But he wasn’t alone. Thomas H McIntosh joined him. But before they watched Dean, another team was interested in him – Newcastle United. Tranmere stayed at Newcastle overnight ahead of the Ashington game. The morning before the game, Tranmere secretary Bert Cooke took Dean to St James’ Park and met the Newcastle chairman and directors to talk about a possible move to the Magpies. He was given a tour of the ground but when asked by Cooke if he wanted to join them, he said no. Cooke then went on to mention that Aston Villa, Arsenal and Bolton were also interested in signing him. But Dean didn’t want to sign for any of them; he wanted to stay at Tranmere for the time being. Tranmere went on to lose to Ashington 1-0, with Dean having a few goalscoring chances but couldn’t find a way past Thomas Newton. Despite the duck, McIntosh liked what he saw and he agreed to talk to a Mr R. Ledsom and try to succeed where Newcastle failed – signing Dixie Dean.

The third and final match of John Fare’s scouting assignment was against Nelson. McIntosh and Fare saw Tranmere beat Nelson 2-0 with Dixie Dean scoring the first goal of the game almost as soon as the second half started. It was a tough goal to score as the ball was surrounded by players but Dean hit it onto the inside of the post and it bounced into the back of the net. Goalkeeper Harry Abbott could have done nothing about it as he could only see the ball go into the goal. However, despite his goal, McIntosh and Fare weren’t as impressed with him as they were before. They both thought Dean had a poor game. But his performance didn’t stop their interest in him and McIntosh said he had his chat with Ledsom and they will keep in touch about the possibility of a transfer.

John Fare’s scouting assignment was a success, but that didn’t stop him from watching him again. Fare watched him three weeks after the Nelson game against Hartlepools United, wherein Dixie Dean scored his first Football League hat-trick. He scored his first goal of the game after just 5 minutes, assisted by Stan Sayer. Hartlepools then came from behind to take the lead but Dean equalised in the 35th minute, heading in a corner from former Manchester United player Bert Cartman. In the second half, both sides scored a goal each and with the score at 3-3, the game was still anyone’s to win. And then along came Dean to score his best of his football career – and possibly his life – up to that point. When he got the ball, he waltzed past three Hartlepools players and deftly hit the ball out of Billy Cowell’s reach and into the back of the net. The game ended Tranmere 4-3 Hartlepools.

It was almost as if Dixie Dean knew Thomas H McIntosh and John Fare were unimpressed with his performance against Nelson and wanted to show them what he was truly made of. Fare unsurprisingly enthused over his performance. Before the Hartlepools game, Thomas H McIntosh requested a price for Dean. However, one would suspect the price tag would have risen significantly since his hat-trick. The following week, McIntosh decided to watch Dean on his own when Tranmere played Rochdale. He broke the deadlock after 15 minutes but missed most of the game after retiring injured in the subsequent 2-1 defeat for Tranmere.

The plaudits for Dixie Dean left an impression on Everton chairman Will Cuff and he decided to watch him with his own eyes alongside vice-chairman Ernest Green when Tranmere played Darlington a week after the Rochdale game. The possibility of Dean joining Everton was getting closer and closer as if he impressed Cuff and Green, they would submit a bid of £1,500 for him. A tremendous opportunity for Dixie Dean. Unfortunately, he had a bit of a stinker as Tranmere lost 1-0. The injury the previous week presumably affected him as Cuff believed he wasn’t fit enough to play for Everton yet. However, all was not lost as he was still on the club’s radar.

Thomas H McIntosh was due to watch Dean play against Crewe but he was dropped from the team. He then returned to the squad when they played against Wrexham, this time in front of Ernest Green. He assisted Harry Littlehales’ goal in a 2-0 victory for Tranmere and Green was fairly impressed with his performance. If Dean did have a good performance against Darlington, it was possibly likely that Tranmere would have rejected the £1,500 offer as they set a price tag of £2,000 for Dean. As Everton were flirting with submitting a bid for him, other teams reportedly already submitted one. Nottingham Forest and Chelsea were reported to have made bids for the 17-year-old, with Forest offering £1,800 and Chelsea offering an unspecified higher amount. Sunderland also joined the race, with Sheffield United making an inquiry for him. Sheffield United secretary John Nicholson said that the club did watch Dean a couple of times but no offer had been made yet, but they were eager to sign a promising centre-forward. Tranmere reportedly increased his price tag to £3,000 after Dean was continuously scoring goals. At the time of the increase, he had scored 11 goals in 12 league games. But despite all the reports, Tranmere said they hadn’t received a concrete offer from anyone yet.

As the Dixie Dean transfer saga intensified, Everton had gone a bit silent. That was until John Fare watched him play against Barrow in February 1925. And for the second time, Fare watched him score a hat-trick. When Tranmere were already 1-0 up, Dean extended their lead, converting a cross from Bert Cartman. After former Everton player Frank Alford reduced the deficit before half-time, Dean re-extended Tranmere’s lead by two goals in the 60th minute. Before full-time, he got this hat-trick with a little help from former Liverpool player Francis Checkland. Fare was once again impressed with Dean and believed it was the right time to make him become an Everton player.

About a fortnight after the Barrow game, Everton finally submitted a bid for Dixie Dean, offering Tranmere £2,750 for the prodigy. However, Tranmere rejected the offer. Everton submitted another bid for him, this time meeting Tranmere’s reported asking price of £3,000. Despite late interest from Liverpool, Tranmere accepted the second offer. The deal was almost complete and all that was left now was for Thomas H McIntosh to convince Dean to join Everton. A couple of days before their meeting, Dean played – and scored – for Tranmere in their 2-1 defeat to Darlington. That game was to be his last game in a Tranmere shirt.

On 16th March 1925, it was transfer deadline day. Unbeknownst to Dixie Dean, he was involved. Thinking he had nothing to do, he went to a cinema in Birkenhead called The Scala to watch a film called Rupert of Hentzau. When he went back home after the film finished, his mother told him that Thomas H McIntosh was waiting for him at the Woodside Hotel. He ran about two and a half miles as fast as he could to get to the hotel and cement his dream move. Dean had been an Everton supporter since he was 8 years old after his father William took him to a game during their title-winning campaign in 1915. This was the only Everton game he had ever watched. The atmosphere amazed him and he wanted to become an Everton player from that moment. When he met McIntosh, McIntosh told him he wanted him to join Everton, and Dean couldn’t say yes any quicker.

When the move was complete, Tranmere fans were so distraught that they threatened to boycott matches. Dean, however, wasn’t as upset:

I didn’t feel really terribly sad about leaving Tranmere because I did always want to get away and get to the one and only club: Everton. That’s been my club since I was a kid. So that’s it. I’d have played for nothing there. I just knew I’d come off at Everton. It had been there since I was a child. I just seemed to know that I could do something and, of course, it didn’t take me long to prove it.

Dixie Dean talking to John Keith (Dixie Dean: The Inside Story of a Football Icon)

A truckload of teams wanted to sign one of football’s greatest ever prodigies. But in the end, Dixie wanted to join his beloved Everton. They were the only team he had his eyes on. He showed how much he loved the Toffees on the pitch, and the fans loved him as much.

Fred Geary’s Brush With Death

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In his debut season at Everton, Fred Geary scored 22 goals in 18 league games, which helped Everton finish 2nd in the second Football League season, just 2 points behind champions Sunderland. In all competitions, he scored 27 goals in 20 games. Of those 20 games, he failed to score in only 3. An impeccable start to his Everton career. However, it was very nearly a short one.

On 24th March 1890, 3,000 fans watched Geary play in an international trial match at the Gregory Ground in Nottingham. The purpose of the trial match was to decide which players will play for England in a friendly against Scotland in 12 days’ time. The trial match, however, became very challenging for the players as torrential rain made the pitch very muddy and slippery. The inclement weather resulted in the match being delayed by 20 minutes, but it still went ahead.

Fred Geary broke the deadlock, capitalising on a howler from West Brom goalkeeper Bob Roberts. Roberts tried to clear the ball but missed it completely and allowed Geary to take advantage. Geary then had a chance to double his tally with a little help from West Brom’s Billy Bassett and Oxford University’s Edmund Currey, but his shot went straight to the goalkeeper. He had two more chances in quick succession. One was a one-on-one, helped again by Bassett and Currey, only to be stopped by the feet of Roberts as the goalkeeper came out to stop Geary, and the other was again stopped by Roberts almost immediately after saving his previous attempt. Fred Geary made an instant impact in the game and could easily have scored at least a couple more as he seemed unstoppable. However, disaster struck.

While the match was still in its early stages, Fred Geary was again on the ball. He was near the corner of the pitch and as he was about to cross the ball, he was charged by Sheffield Wednesday’s Teddy Brayshaw. There was no malice in the charge; it was a fair challenge. However, Geary fell backwards and hit his head on a wooden bench. He immediately lost consciousness. There was a lot of concern about his condition and he was soon brought into the dressing room and was rested on carriage cushions and rugs. A couple of doctors assessed him and concluded that he was in a very serious condition and there was a chance that he could die.

He was promptly attended to by Drs Ashwell and Stewart, who pronounced him suffering from concussion of the brain. His condition is undoubtedly serious, although Dr Ashwell does not anticipate a fatal termination. The patient will have to be carefully nursed, and kept exceedingly quiet.

Nottingham Evening Post

He was looked after carefully throughout the night and the next day, the Nottingham Evening Post reported that he had regained consciousness and his condition had significantly improved.

In the course of last night, Fred Geary, of Nottingham, the Everton Club professional, who was so seriously injured in the International trial match at the Gregory Ground on Monday, recovered consciousness, and he is now considered to be out of immediate danger. The improvement in his condition appears to be steadily maintained, but the medical men enjoin strict quiet, and only near relatives have been permitted to visit him at the General Hospital.

After he regained consciousness, Geary was reported to have been in good spirits. Over time, his condition improved more and more and made his return to the pitch five weeks after his accident in Everton’s 6-2 friendly win over Partick Thistle, with Geary scoring two of the goals. The Liverpool Mercury said Geary “showed his accident has taken none of his dash, as at times he was very brilliant.” In the succeeding post-season friendlies, Geary had scored a further eight goals, including a hat-trick against Bootle.

The following season, he scored 19 goals in 22 league games – more than any other Everton player – as Everton became champions for the first time. A remarkable recovery from a potentially life-threatening injury.

Tommy Lawton At Rock Bottom

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Tommy Lawton was once considered to be the next Dixie Dean. He had a remarkable goalscoring record, becoming the First Division’s top goalscorer twice, despite being only a teenager. The outbreak of World War II prevented him from fulfilling his potential, however he still had a magnificent wartime goalscoring record, scoring 152 goals in 115 games for Everton. After the war, he left Everton for Chelsea for a fee of £11,500 in 1945 and then he joined Third Division South side Notts County for a British record fee of £20,000. He then had spells at Brentford and Arsenal before becoming player-manager of Kettering. He won the Southern League title in his debut season by 8 points, which was enough to impress his former team Notts County and hired him as their manager in 1957 after the season finished. From then on, it all went wrong.

This wasn’t the first time Notts County wanted Tommy Lawton as manager. A few months prior to his appointment, the club offered him the role but Lawton rejected it.

After very careful consideration of the whole situation and on the principle that my players must believe in me and my methods, I feel it is only fair to the Nottingham public that Mr [Frank] Broome [Notts County’s caretaker-manager] and the players should have the opportunity to provide them with a successful side.

The Kettering players have always believed I could bring them success and I am determined that both they and myself shall reap the benefits from our labours.

Over a month later, he decided that he would leave Kettering at the end of the season and eventually joined Notts County – a decision he would later regret.

In his first season as Notts County manager, the Magpies were relegated. They beat Rotherham 3-1 in their last game of the season, and earned 7 out of a possible 12 points in the last 6 games, including a win against the champions West Ham. Lawton’s first season as Notts County manager was this only season as manager as he was sacked the following July, with Lawton saying according to the board, it was for financial reasons. In an Observer interview in 1971, Lawton said he got the blame for Notts County’s relegation and defended himself by implying Lincoln’s remarkable escape played more of a part.

Lincoln won their last six games and that put us down, but I got the blame.

Lincoln beat Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, Bristol City, Huddersfield and finally Cardiff to save themselves from seemingly-guaranteed relegation. Before that run, Lincoln were on a 17-match winless run in the Second Division, which included 13 defeats.

Tommy Lawton regretted returning to Notts County:

I should never have come back to Nottingham, though. Never go back, they say, and they’re right. I was too soft, too trusting. When it came down to it, I didn’t get the backing I’d been promised. Yet when I was there, we had Jeff Astle, Tony Hateley and Terry Wharton on the ground staff. Not a bad start for the future.

Since his sacking, he owned a pub and a sports shop and became an insurance salesman and a football pools representative. He returned to the club as a coach in October 1968. He was then appointed chief scout in February 1969 before being sacked again 9 months later after a shake-up to the scouting department by newly-appointed manager Jimmy Sirrel.

Since his dismissal, he briefly became a furniture representative. He then became unemployed for a year and he suffered from ill health after having a heart attack and a bout of thrombosis. In the aforementioned interview with the Observer, he appeared to be in good spirits. But behind those words were tears.

10 months before the interview took place, Lawton wrote a letter to film director and good friend Richard Attenborough, asking him for a favour.

This is a sad letter for me to write, Dickie, after so many years. Could you let me have a loan of £250 to be repaid in the course of 1 year beginning from the above date [4 May 1970]. I would not ask, if it wasn’t so urgent and lose your friendship, but all I need is time.

Please, Dickie, please help me, and if you cannot see your way to do so, don’t think too badly of me.

Lawton had fallen on hard times. He had difficulty rubbing two pennies together. At the peak of his football career, he was earning £15 a week – which equates to over £25,000 a year in today’s money – as well as money from endorsements and suchlike. He asked Attenborough for a loan in desperation. Unfortunately, this was only the start.

A week later, Attenborough wrote back explaining to Lawton that lending him money was very difficult because of limited private cash after his earnings were in the hands of an investment company and he had to correspond to an investment scheme for 5 years. He did, however, loan him £100. Lawton replied thanking him whole-heartedly and that “the most important thing to my wife and I is that our friendship is not impaired.”

More than two weeks later, Lawton wrote to Attenborough again, telling him he is looking for another job and asked him to put in a good word for singer Adam Faith, who was opening a furnishing company. He asked because he feared unemployment again.

Things are pretty tough, Dickie, and what I would have done without you, God alone knows. I have had a series of misfortunes over the years, and now it looks as this job is in jeopardy.

He wanted to keep his wife and his son happy and he also said that his wife was “ill with worry of what will come of it all, and I must admit, so was I.” Attenborough decided to help his friend and sent Faith a letter recommending Lawton.

However, as mentioned in another Lawton letter, Faith’s company was only based in Scotland, therefore Lawton had to look elsewhere as he was based in Nottingham. He then said Faith would keep in him mind if the business expanded. Instead, in the same letter, Lawton asked Richard Attenborough if Chelsea manager Dave Sexton had an opening for a part-time scout after his fears of unemployment came true.

No more known letters between the pair had been sent for 8 months, implying that Lawton didn’t get a scouting role at Chelsea. However, in a letter from April 1971, Lawton said:

I am happy to tell you that I am now in a job that will bring success for the future.

And that job was at a furnishing firm called Catesby’s at Tottenham Court Road in London. In the same letter, he asked Attenborough for two tickets to the FA Cup final between Arsenal and Liverpool. Attenborough accepted his request and Lawton watched Arsenal beat Liverpool 2-1, and he seemed to have finally got his life back on track. However, his happiness was very brief.

The following August, Richard Attenborough wrote this letter to Tommy Lawton:

I was distressed to learn from my Secretary that she had had no reply to a letter which she apparently wrote to you at the beginning of July.

I understand that the two tickets that I obtained for you for the Cup Final have still not been paid for. Had you asked for them from me as a present, I would, as previously, have been delighted to give them to you. However, my office understood that they were to be paid for by your Firm and consequently, they were to be the most expensive.

I am not a little hurt that you should have caused me this embarrassment.

Lawton received a letter from Attenborough’s secretary in May, informing him that they haven’t received a £10 cheque (over £130 in today’s money) from him yet for the cost of the tickets. His secretary sent another letter the following July – the letter Attenborough was referring to – again, informing Lawton that the £10 cheque hasn’t been received. Attenborough and Lawton’s friendship had since turned sour. And things were about to get worse for Lawton.

In June 1972, Tommy Lawton appeared in court and was subsequently charged after pleading guilty to obtaining money and a car by deception. He also obtained other items including cigarettes and whisky. The previous October, the parent company of Lawton’s firm, Donosbru Furnishings, went into liquidation. According to Lawton’s lawyer, he was hired as a director of a subsidiary company bearing his name – Tommy Lawton Ltd. He was offered £2,000 a year (nearly £27,000 a year in today’s money), a car, commission and a 0.25% share in Tommy Lawton Ltd. He was also told that he would earn £500,000 (around £6.7 million in today’s money), but his lawyer said the firm only wanted Lawton’s name to further themselves. He was expected to have received £960 before the end of September, but received only £450 (over £6,000 in today’s money) – less than half. Lawton ended up with an overdraft of £600 – which equates to an overdraft of over £8,000 in today’s money. Lawton found himself in a financial crisis again, but sadly, there’s more. Lawton had total debts of £2,500 (over £33,500 in today’s money), nearly half of which were judgments made against him in court. As a consequence, a desperate Lawton wrote fake cheques to friends who tried to help him in order to pay off his loans, with his lawyer saying:

He was sure that the rest of the money would come and thought the cheques issued were all right.

He was then ordered to pay £304.50 at £1 a week (over £4,000 in today’s money), thus worsening Lawton’s financial situation even more.

During the trial, Lawton said:

I believed that they were paying money into my bank, but they were not. When I can and if I can, I would like to pay these people back.

The prosecutor said the offences were “the culmination of a bad chapter in the life of a professional footballer in that had once been notable for glamour and excitement.”

Tommy Lawton was at a low point – he was unemployed, on social security benefit and heavily in debt. Throughout his turmoil, he had sold his football shirts and his medals in order to make ends meet. Thankfully, he had a close friend who wanted to help solve his money problems – former teammate Joe Mercer. Mercer arranged a testimonial match for Lawton. Notts County offered the match to be played at Meadow Lane, but it was decided that it would take place at Goodison Park – Lawton and Mercer’s former home.

Joe Mercer thanked Everton for offering them the ground to host the match:

We are very grateful to Everton. Goodison is an ideal setting for this match as it is the home of great centre-forwards.

Ahead of his testimonial in November 1972, Tommy Lawton had a frank interview with Guardian journalist Michael Carey.

Despair – that was the only word for it. I was out of work and I had no money to speak of. I used to go out in the morning and catch the bus to make my family and the neighbours think I was going to work. Then I would come home in the afternoon and discuss the sort of day I had had, just like any other working man. The only difference was that I used to sit in the market square or the library until it was time to go home.
At night, I would lie awake and wonder what would happen. I was desperate and there seemed no answer. More than once it crossed my mind to walk into the Trent and end it all, but I always thought about my wife and children and the stigma they would have to bear.
I have had two lives, if you like: one in football and one outside. I never made much money in either of them and I was always a soft touch. In fact, some of my so-called friends from the old days have already been on the telephone again after reading about the testimonial, but I learned my lesson.

He was ashamed to tell his family that he couldn’t get a job and pretended he did have one because he didn’t want to let them down. He ended up feeling isolated and he thought he had no-one to talk to. And the people he thought were his friends let him down and made him feel abandoned. He was ready to commit suicide. But he cared about his family so much that he didn’t want them to suffer as much as he did.

He also spoke about his regret leaving Kettering for Notts County, which planted the seed for his downfall.

I should have stayed there for three or four years learning my trade. At Arsenal, Tom Whittaker and Bob Wall gave me some tips and tried to help me, but I was too ambitious too soon. I thought I could do as a manager what I did as a player. In this game, you only find out you are wrong when it is too late.

Looking back, I realise I might have had a career as a manager if I had not rushed it. On the other hand, I might still have been a big flop, you can never tell. But it was a big mistake to go back to Notts County. There was unrest at the club with a divided board… half of them hated me and I detested them and I mistakenly thought I could overcome them.

He added following his redundancy as chief scout of Notts County in 1969, he got complacent, believing he could get a job anywhere because of who he was.

I think I could have got another job then, but I sat back expecting people to come to me. I was still conscious of my image, that I was Tommy Lawton, that something would turn up. It was the old story, my pride was shattered, and I did not appreciate that no individual is bigger than the game itself.

The testimonial attracted thousands and thousands of fans with Everton 2-2 drawing against a Great Britain XI featuring the likes of Bobby Moore, Bobby Charlton and Peter Shilton, with Mick Buckley and Jimmy Husband scoring for the Blues and Colin Stein and Terry Conroy scoring for the Brits. George Best was expected to play in the testimonial but he withdrew at the last minute, but donated £100 as a way of making up for his absence.

 

 

His financial despair didn’t end though. In August 1974, he was found guilty of obtaining goods by deception again – this time for deceiving a friend for £10 (nearly £100 in today’s money). Lawton borrowed the money for petrol and expenses in order to visit Joe Mercer in Coventry to collect money from the benefit fund. However, he said the car broke down on the M1 and by the time he got the car going again, it was too late to get to Coventry and went back home and used the £10 for food instead and couldn’t pay his friend back because he couldn’t afford it.

I had to have money. We had no food in the house. I told him that so that he would give me some money. I was desperate.

There was £365 left in the Tommy Lawton Benefit Fund (over £3,600 in today’s money) and Mercer said he would have allowed Lawton to have the money if he asked.

Money problems arose again in December 1975 when a friend of Lawton bailed him out of a prison sentence by paying his arrears after being sued by the council for failing to pay them. His friend pitied Lawton and empathised with him and his long-suffering bad luck.

You just have to help a man like Tommy, who has been left high and dry by an unkind world.

10 years later, Lawton’s money woes continued and Brentford organised another testimonial match for him, which, like his other testimonial, ended in a 2-2 draw. However, he had much better luck after the testimonial as the Nottingham Evening Post offered him a job as a football columnist. He accepted and he subsequently became respected and admired by readers. His situation significantly improved and he thanked the newspaper for helping him turn his life around after over 15 years of pain.

Tommy Lawton suffered for years because of bad decisions and bad luck. He thought his problems were over by trusting people who gave him an opportunity to turn things round, only for everything to go even worse. He opened up about everything, including talking about his depression and contemplating suicide at a time where the subject was very taboo. In spite of all the suffering and all the debt, he didn’t want his family to suffer and he battled through it and earned his reward by becoming a respected football columnist in Nottingham, which gave him a new lease of life in his final years.

 

 

Samaritans is a free service. Call 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a branch, or write to Freepost RSRB-KKBY-CYJK, PO Box 9090, STIRLING, FK8 2SA.

The Secret Evertonian

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On December 3rd, 1892, Everton were playing league leaders Preston. One name in particular stood out – a certain “Thompson”.

Source: Liverpool Mercury

His name was air-quoted for a reason: he’s not called Thompson at all. He is called J. Campbell.

J. Campbell (first name unknown) joined Everton from Glasgow Thistle in November 1892 after he was spotted by Everton scouts in a match between Sheffield-based players and Glasgow-based players. When he joined, he became Everton’s highest paid player, earning £3.10 per week (over £360 per week in today’s money) – only 10 shillings more than the next highest wage, which was earned by several players. Campbell almost didn’t join Everton. Ardwick (now known as Manchester City) also had their eye on the Scotsman. However, they allowed Everton to have him as Ardwick were in financial disarray.

He made his debut in a friendly on November 19th against Hearts. He played again in another friendly against West Brom a couple of days later. He reportedly showed early promise and formed a fairly good defensive partnership with Albert Chadwick. Campbell was expected make his competitive debut against Sheffield Wednesday the following week, but he was forced to wait as he couldn’t play because he had to return to Glasgow for work a few days before the game and he couldn’t get back to Liverpool on time. Albert Chadwick took his place in Everton’s subsequent 5-3 defeat to the Owls.

The undesirable proclivities of the footballer “ayont the Tweed” were exemplified at Everton last week.  Campbell remembered he had an important piece of business to transact.  Alas! For Tom Pepper.  He has too many imitators now-a-days.

Cricket and Football Field, 3rd December 1892

Campbell didn’t have long to wait and eventually made his debut the following week against Preston. He was originally a back-up for Bob Kelso, but Kelso couldn’t play because he was recovering from a long illness and he couldn’t get better in time. Campbell, for some unknown reason, played under the name “Thompson”. Whatever the reason for the secrecy, he was recognised regardless.

Thompson—or whoever he is—is no great guns. Why the mystery about his identity, I don’t know, but I heard one of the Everton supporters shout Campbell to him. Does that explain it?

Athletic News, 5th December 1892

Campbell, however, had a very unsuccessful debut.

Campbell, the Thompson, that played was evidently considered a better back than either Chadwick or Collins by the Selecting Committee, who decision no doubt would be influenced by the advice of those who secured him, but their judgement on football matters is open to doubt, for, however, prodigious this faculty for comprehension, sufficient experience for the purpose cannot be crammed into an eighteen months’ tuition. I offer no opinion on the players’ merits, for I am not in a position to do so, but he does not appear to have played a brilliant game.

Cricket and Football Field, 10th December 1892

Everton lost to Preston 5-0, with every goal being scored within the first 30 minutes of the game. Campbell was reportedly at fault for the 5th goal as he cheaply gave the ball away to Preston forward Frank Becton and he made the most of Campbell’s slip-up by hitting it in the back of the net. There was some damage limitation from Campbell after he stopped Preston from scoring a 6th goal before half time.

Source: Scottish Referee

It was implied that Campbell was also expected to play the following weekend against Wolves, but he didn’t turn up. Everton promptly suspended him. After explaining his absence (the reason is unknown, although it is likely to be work commitments again), Everton accepted his reasoning and lifted his suspension. Everton also gave him permission to return to Glasgow and told him to come back to Liverpool so that he can play in their friendly against Newcastle United on January 2nd.

However, Campbell didn’t turn up for the friendly and as a consequence, Everton suspended him again, this time until the end of the season. A few weeks later, the Cricket and Football Field reported Campbell was sacked by Everton because of his off-pitch behaviour.

There is a lot of mystery about J. Campbell. Why did he play under a fake name? Why did refuse to return to Liverpool on time? Where did he go next? So many questions, no answers – and there might never be any.

Heads Or Tails?

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A coin toss is normally used in football to decide who kicks the game off. Also, to decide who plays in the Euro 1968 final. But it has also been used to help a player decide which team to join.

In 1946, league football was returning following the end of the Second World War. Nowadays, fans couldn’t cope with about 8 weeks of no competitive football. Fans in 1946 had to endure 8 YEARS without it. A new start for football, and also for Albert Stubbins. In the summer of 1946, Stubbins reportedly submitted a transfer request to Newcastle United because he wants to join a First Division team. He then submitted another transfer request in September. During WWII, he scored over 200 goals for the Magpies, including 23 hat-tricks. Understandably, he was on a lot of teams’ radars. Newcastle reportedly placed a £15,000 price tag on Stubbins, which would make him a British record signing – £1,000 more than Bryn Jones joining Arsenal in 1938. Teams including Sheffield Wednesday, Blackpool, Tottenham and former team Sunderland were linked with him but it ultimately came down to two – Everton and Liverpool.

Everton first had their eye on Albert Stubbins in 1938 when he was 18. They seemed to have ended their interest in the Tyneside teenager after Hunter Hart gave him a bad report. But they renewed their interest 8 years later as they were desperate to sign a striker following the departure of Tommy Lawton who joined Chelsea in order to be closer to his ill wife. Everton and Newcastle agreed on a £13,000 transfer for Stubbins, which was double Everton’s club record fee for Lawton and Torry Gillick. However, Newcastle also agreed on a £13,000 transfer for him with Liverpool. The £15,000 price tag may have been whittled down, but £13,000 was still a lot of money in those days.

On the evening of 12th September 1946, representatives of Everton and Liverpool, including Theo Kelly and George Kay, entered the St James’ Park boardroom waiting for Albert Stubbins for talks, but they ended up waiting for three and a half hours. During that time, they played cards and smoked cigars. A taxi was originally sent to his home in Wallsend but when it returned to the ground, it was empty. However, before the taxi returned, a neighbour said that Stubbins was watching a film at Newcastle’s News Theatre (now called Tyneside Cinema) with his wife. While he was there, a message appeared on the screen saying, “Would Albert Stubbins please report to St James’ Park?”

Upon arrival, Newcastle manager and director Stan Seymour asked Stubbins which team he wants to talk to first. Stubbins replied, “Let’s flip a coin. Heads, Liverpool. Tails, Everton.” The coin was tossed and it was heads. Albert Stubbins had a chat with George Kay and Liverpool chairman Bill McConnell and was very impressed with what Liverpool had to offer. Because of that, he decided to join Liverpool without even talking to Everton.

In Albert Stubbins’ debut season, he formed a formidable partnership with former Everton apprentice – and nephew of Everton players Billy and Bob Balmer – Jack Balmer. The Everton signing that wasn’t to be and the Everton apprentice that got away scored 48 league goals between them (24 each) and helped Liverpool win the first post-war First Division title, ending Everton’s 8-year reign as champions. Stubbins eventually scored 83 goals in 178 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions and became a Liverpool legend.

Farewell Anfield

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On April 30th, 1892, Everton played their last ever game at Anfield as the club’s home against Football Alliance side Burton Swifts. After months of conflict over rent and sneaky one-upmanship, Everton were evicted from Anfield. They said goodbye to Anfield by playing one last game in front of 5,000 fans.

Everton Burton Swifts
David Jardine Ted Hadley
Duncan McLean Billy Furniss
Jack Kent Jack Berry
Bob Kelso Will Hoose
Robert Jones Will West
Hope Robertson Donald Sutherland
Alex Latta Walter Perry
Fred Geary Sam Emery
Alan Maxwell Arthur Worrall
Whittaker Robert Macbeth
Edgar Chadwick Teddy May

Burton Swifts had the better start after Walter Perry and Arthur Worrall found the target, only to be denied by David Jardine. Everton then had a couple of chances through Alex Latta – his first went wide of the goal and his second cannoned off crossbar. Burton Swifts then surged forward and were intent on breaking the deadlock but David Jardine managed to cope with the threatening Burton attack and kept the clean sheet intact. Everton then had chances through Fred Geary, Alan Maxwell and Alex Latta again but their chances were well-handled by Ted Hadley. Everton then had more shots but they all went wide.

Both teams were vying to break the deadlock but had no success until Burton Swifts had a little help from an Everton player. After Teddy May passed to Arthur Worrall, there was a scramble near the goal and when Jack Kent intended to make a clearance, he instead kicked the ball into his own net. Everton got to the halfway stage a goal down.

In the second half, Everton pushed for an equaliser from Alex Latta and Alan Maxwell but their shots went over the bar. Everton’s chances of getting something out of this game were whittling away after Burton Swifts extended their lead with an unstoppable shot from Walter Perry. But Everton were determined to get a result and they made progress by halving the deficit following a cross from the unknown Whittaker into the area and the ball ended up in the back of the net following another scramble. The scorer is unidentified. Soon afterwards, however, Everton were two goals down again after a second goal for Walter Perry made the score 3-1 to Burton Swifts.

20 minutes were left to play and Everton were still two goals down, but the deficit was soon down to one again. Alex Latta brought Everton back into the game with the help of good pass from Alan Maxwell. A few moments later, Everton got their equaliser from Fred Geary after good play from Bob Kelso and Edgar Chadwick. Defeat was staring in Everton’s eyes but defeat seemed like a thing of the past as Everton tried to find a winner. They had chance after chance after chance, but the referee called time on the game and Everton’s tenancy at Anfield.

Full-time: Everton 3-3 Burton Swifts

The Müller Saga

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At the start of the 1994/95 season, Everton were in desperate need of a high-quality striker. They sold Tony Cottee to West Ham and needed someone to replace him and accompany budding 21-year-old striker Daniel Amokachi. They tried to sign Corinthians’ Viola and Porto’s Emil Kostadinov, but to no avail. So they focused on Sao Paulo’s Müller.

Image result for muller brazil

Müller (also referred to as Luis Müller) was in Brazil’s 1986, 1990 and 1994 World Cup squads and had over 50 caps to his name. He scored two goals in the 1990 World Cup, both coming in the group stage against Costa Rica and Scotland – his goal against Scotland effectively knocked them out of the World Cup. He had experience in European football, spending over two years at Torino, scoring 24 league goals in 65 appearances. In summer 1994, while linked with Everton, Müller had talks with Tottenham with manager Ossie Ardiles being very keen on him. However, Tottenham chairman Alan Sugar opted for Jurgen Klinsmann instead.

Everton’s links with Müller was reportedly started in the beginning of August 1994. Rumours of an actual transfer intensified a month later.

An official announcement is expected this weekend, but while Everton are still throwing a thick shroud over the identity of their target – I [David Prentice] believe the Brazilian Luis Antonio Müller is the man they are choosing.

Liverpool Echo, 8th September 1994

Müller, nicknamed “the Brazilian Gazza” in Italy, was expected to be signed on September 12th. However, the transfer was set to be delayed following talks the previous weekend, but Everton remained hopeful that the move would be completed.

After a drawn out transfer chase, Everton are this week hoping to clinch the deal for a footballer recognised as a devastating striker on his day.

Liverpool Echo, 12th September 1994

Everton believed that he will join the club in time to play against QPR on September 17th, in spite of Sao Paulo’s best efforts to keep him. As was the Liverpool Echo as they ran a competition on who will be the first goalscorer and included Müller as a possibility.

Everton have taken steps to ensure Brazilian striker Müller can make his debut on Saturday – even before they signed him.

Chief Executive Jim Greenwood has already applied for a work permit, so that if final negotiations of the drawn out transfer are concluded this week, he will be available for the visit of Queens Park Rangers this weekend.

Liverpool Echo, 12th September 1994

On September 13th, the Echo reported that the work permit became another obstacle Everton had to get past to complete the deal, thus making the possibility of Müller making his debut against QPR unlikely. Jim Greenwood said he hoped the work permit would be acquired within 5 days.

If you were moving to take up a new job in Brazil for a few years, you wouldn’t feel like flying out the next day. There are quite a lot of loose ends that need to be tied up first.

Also, a work permit normally takes 20 days to process, although we are trying to get it done in five.

Jim Greenwood

Everton manager Mike Walker had high hopes for Müller because of his World Cup appearances.

If the Müller deal goes through, we will have three World Cup players on our books, which isn’t bad for a club who no-one supposedly wants to join. Everyone was raving when Spurs signed two World Cup players. Now we would have Amokachi, Müller and Anders Limpar.

On September 15th, Evertonians’ prayers were set to be answered at last as Müller landed on British soil at just after 10am to complete his £2.5 million move.

After a month of protracted negotiations, and following a wearying 16-hour flight from Sao Paulo, he landed at Manchester Airport this morning accompanied by three Sao Paulo officials and a personal agent.

He was immediately chauffeured to Goodison Park where he will conduct final talks with the Blues.

Liverpool Echo, 15th September 1994

However, after 6 hours of talks in the Goodison Park trophy room, Müller rushed out of the ground and made his way back to the airport. During his departure, an Everton fan gave him a thumbs up. Little did he know, there was bad news ahead…

Near the end of negotiations, Peter Johnson emerged from the trophy room, saying:

Gentlemen, things never run smoothly.

It became apparent that there was a hitch, but Johnson said that the club hoped to resolve it in 20 minutes. But it seemed like things took a turn for the worse, as Peter Johnson talked to the press again.

There are a mixture of problems, some to do with language, some cultural.

The talks didn’t get any better.

Müller, ironically sporting a bright red blazer, slipped out of the boardroom two minutes before 6pm and headed down the Goodison Park staircase.

Liverpool Echo, 16th September 1994

Müller’s interpeter said:

He is tired. We are returning to the hotel. We will negotiate again tomorrow.

But further negotiations never happened, as a dejected Peter Johnson made an announcement on 6:16pm.

Regrettably, we have to advise that the signing of the Brazilian striker Müller will not now take place.

Signed agreements with both Sao Paulo FC and the player had been reached prior to his travelling to England to finalise the deal. Following a satisfactory medical examination, differences unfortunately arose because of the interpretation of the UK tax regulations. In spite of everyone involved attempting to resolve the situation, it is quite apparent that there is no ready solution, and the player and his advisers will now return to Brazil immediately.

The salary contained in the contract both sides had agreed was before tax, but Müller wanted that amount after tax. On the basis of a £10,000-a-week figure, it would have meant a pre-tax sum of £16,500 per week – two-thirds more than originally agreed.

Müller was keen on a move to Everton. He just thought that he didn’t have to pay any income tax. A disappointing end to a long transfer saga.

Mike Walker blamed the collapse on Müller’s agents and advisers.

I don’t think the player was the problem. He looked more embarrassed about the whole thing than anyone. We sent a contract out to him a few days ago which he agreed to in full, but then an adviser turned up with him yesterday demanding more.

I was disappointed the player didn’t make it clear to them that he wanted to join us, but at the end of the day, they are his men and he has to stand by them.

15th September 1994 was a day to forget for Evertonians. So you’re welcome for reminding you about it.

The Goalkeeper Who Scored A Hat-Trick

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When you think of an Everton goalkeeper who scored a goal, the first name that comes to your head would obviously be Tim Howard. However, there was a goalkeeper who went to two better and scored a hat-trick – Jack Whitley.

On March 24th, 1903, Everton Reserves were playing Rossendale United at Goodison Park in the Lancashire Combination. Jack Whitley (a name more familiar with Chelsea fans) was in the line-up, hoping to keep a clean sheet. However, one of the forwards, Charles O’Hagan, failed to turn up. So the reserves were a player short and it was implied by the Liverpool Courier that there were no other outfield players at the game or nearby who was able to take O’Hagan’s place. So Whitley was chosen to become an emergency forward, with established first-team keeper George Kitchen taking his understudy’s place in goal.

After an even start to the game, Jack Whitley proved he was more than just a goalkeeper. After heading away a Rossendale free-kick, he was lacing up his shooting boots and, according to the Liverpool Courier, he “banged in a splendid long shot, which the visiting custodian only saved at the second attempt.” Whitley then had two more shots on target as his headers were denied by Rossendale’s goalkeeper. Rossendale then came into game with a few chances and eventually had a penalty. However, as one Everton goalkeeper was trying to score goals, the other was saving them as George Kitchen saved the penalty. A few moments later, Whitley finally succeeded and he broke the deadlock following a pass from Thomas Boardman. Rossendale was trying to find an equaliser but Kitchen denied them once again and their hopes of finding one were shattered after Whitley scored another goal. Right before half-time, Jack Whitley completed his hat-trick, and Everton Reserves went into half-time with a 3-0 lead.

In the second half, Jack Whitley could have had a fourth goal, however the goal was ruled out for offside. He wasn’t going to stop at three; he wanted to make the most of his time as a forward. However, his game came to an abrupt end after he had a leg injury following a kick from one of the Rossendale players. Everton Reserves eventually won 4-0, with Thomas Boardman scoring Everton’s fourth goal. It was a tale of two goalkeepers for Rossendale as they couldn’t stop one from scoring or score against one.

Jack Whitley couldn’t continue his goalscoring prowess as this was his only appearance as an outfield player during his two-year spell at Everton. But at least he made his sole appearance as a forward something to remember.

The Fog-Fiend

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Everton have won the top-flight title 9 times. However, they could easily have had another one under their belt. Bad judgement, bad weather and bad luck ended up costing Everton dearly.

On November 26th, 1904, Everton were playing newly-promoted Woolwich Arsenal at the Manor Ground. There was speculation whether the match would go ahead because it was very foggy. The fans and the players could hardly see a thing, and the ground was very slippery. The match, logically, could not be played. But it went ahead regardless.

Around 13,000 fans watched the match (to the best of their ability). Arsenal took the lead thanks to goal from future Everton player Tim Coleman after 10 minutes. Everton bounced back with Sandy Young scoring the equaliser 59 seconds later. Harold Hardman then scored a few minutes later and Everton went into half-time with a 2-1 lead. But the further the game went on, the thicker the fog became.

The game was played in a fog, and though at the commencement the varying stages of the contest could be followed with little difficulty, it soon became doubtful as to whether the game would be finished or not. As matters eventuated, the fog increased in density, so much so that when the last quarter of an hour was reached, it was quite impossible for the spectators to follow the run of the game.

Liverpool Daily Post and Mercury

On the 75th minute, Sandy Young headed in a third for Everton. But after the goal was scored, Arsenal captain Jimmy Jackson approached the referee Frederick Bye and talked about the “increasing darkness”, implying that the match shouldn’t continue. Bye then consulted the linesmen, and they came to mutual decision to abandon the game. Frederick Bye, who in the previous month saved a school pupil from drowning, went from hero to zero.

Everton were, unsurprisingly, furious with the decision.

The Everton players and officials were very indignant at the referee’s action, and the visitors’ secretary [Will Cuff] and a number of their directors walked onto the field and waited until time was up. They complained that the referee stopped the game prematurely, but it was admitted by all that he must have stopped it at least five minutes before full time had expired.

London Daily News

The annoyance with the decision was shown in the club’s programme.

The Everton players and directors were welcomed in London by a special sample of the green log for which the metropolis is noted, and which robbed them of the reward of a well-deserved victory. What is most annoying about the affair, is that the fog did not necessarily interfere with the proceedings at Woolwich, until about fifteen minutes from time, when Everton had their opponents’ guns pretty well spiked. Two points were in their possession as surely as it is possible to be certain about anything in football, and a more tantalising experience it is difficult to imagine. Of course, the game has to be completely replayed; and the gunners really ought to fire a salute in honour of their friend, the fog-fiend.

The Everton and Liverpool Official Match Programme

The London Daily News criticised Bye’s performance in the abandoned match.

Mr Bye, however, might have terminated the game a few minutes after the interval without displeasing an impartial spectator. Many of his decisions were faulty in consequence of his being unable to properly follow the play. On one occasion, he gave [William] McLoughlin, of Everton, offside when he had three opponents in front of him, and more than once he allowed forwards to go on when they were palpably offside to the spectators who happened to be in a line with them.

It was obvious that Frederick Bye’s decision to allow the game to be played was a disastrous decision. But what happened in the replay made it a lot worse.

The two met each other again at the Manor Ground on April 22nd, 1905 – over two weeks after their Goodison meeting, which Everton won 1-0. At that time, Everton were top of the First Division, one point ahead of their nearest rivals, Newcastle United and Manchester City. Everton took the lead after a Jimmy Settle penalty. However, Arsenal bounced back to win 2-1 courtesy of a goal from Andy Ducat and another five minutes from full-time by Charlie Sattherthwaite. Everton ended up with nothing, robbing them of two points. And to make matters worse, Everton eventually lost the First Division title to Newcastle United by ONE point. If the game hadn’t been abandoned, Everton would have been champions.

It just wasn’t meant to be for Everton. However, after what happened a couple of weeks prior to the abandoned match, luck was never on Everton’s side.