Today I'm back 39 years to 1982 and Tottenham's visit to Goodison Park in Liverpool to play Everton.
This was my first ever visit to one of the most famous homes of football and a stadium that surely won't be around for too much longer. Everton have received the go ahead to build a brand new £500 million stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock on the banks of the river Mersey and indeed have already held a ground breaking ceremony for the construction of the new stadium which will be capable of holding almost 53,000 fans. The stadium building project is apparently the largest private construction project in Britain at the moment. Personally, I'll be sad to see Goodison Park go but I'd have to agree that it is a little "tired" and, were Everton not to develop a modern facility more appropriate for the 21st century, they'd surely get left behind in the money making stakes by the rest of the Premier League's established clubs.
In front of a crowd numbering 30,053, all the key action took place in the first half. Everton scored three times in that first half through Kevin Sheedy, Billy Wright and future Liverpool player Steve McMahon. Indeed it was 3-0 after just 33 minutes and Spurs, playing in unfamiliar blue socks, got just the one goal in reply before half time through Steve Archibald. There were to be no further goals in the second half and the match finished 3-1 to the Toffees. Sheedy's goal was his first for Everton having joined from his former club Liverpool that summer. Billy Wright wasn't the former England captain of the 1950's but his namesake who gave Everton sterling service at centre half from 1977 until 1983 when he finally lost his place to Kevin Ratcliffe.
If you watch the video highlights of the game attached to my blog you'll see a moment early in the second half which looks extraordinary to modern eyes. Chris Hughton, right down by the corner flag in his own half was penalised for stealing an extra yard with his throw in. The throw was given to Everton instead but the offence would surely go unpunished today. I can safely say that these days you will often see the thrower stealing ten or more yards without sanction! Also in the second half, there were a couple of sendings off. First Tottenham's Liverpool-born centre back John Lacy received his marching orders for a professional foul on Graeme Sharp. Then Everton's previously booked John Bailey was ordered off after bringing down a flying Tony Galvin. Both miscreants had a bit of a reputation for agricultural tackles so there wasn't too much surprise in the ground that day as to the identity of the two dismissed players.
Everton had finished seventh in the top flight the previous season, just missing out on a European place whereas Tottenham had come fourth. Tottenham's FA Cup win that season had opened up a place in the UEFA Cup which was taken by sixth placed Southampton who finished two points ahead of Everton. The 1982/3 season was to prove to be a repeat performance for the two clubs with Everton again finishing in seventh spot and again missing out on Europe by just one place, whilst Tottenham finished fourth once more qualifying for the UEFA Cup this time around. The Champions in both seasons were Everton's cross City rivals Liverpool (yawn).
CRB Match No. 188
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