My late father introduced me to the Goodison Park stadium on the 19th October 1968 to witness a Colin Harvey and John Hurst strike beat Stoke City's world cup winning goalkeeper Gordon the BANKS of England by 2 goals to one.
In the days of George Best posters plastered on the bedroom walls of young fans of Manchester United I was looking to cement my own hero and found him with immediate effect at Everton. His name was Alan Ball.
Growing up and being left devastated by Ball's departure to Bertie Mee's mighty Arsenal, the love and affection never left my heart and only a couple of years before he was taken from this world I had the pleasure to have met my boyhood idol at a Sportsmans dinner and for anyone that has had the pleasure to meet their idol they must know exactly the feeling you get once introduced.
After Alan Ball had died I decided that I would have a portrait tattooed of the great man on my back and that would be with me forever.
Steve Zocek
Email Bluekipper at mailbag@bluekipper.com
