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My First Match, What Was Yours?
Tell the world about your first Everton match. E-Mail Sausage

Everton 1, Crystal Palace 2. 9th August 1997. Attendance: 35,716.

Everton: 1 Neville Southall, 5 Dave Watson, 6 Terry Phelan, 7 Graham Stuart, 9 Duncan Ferguson, 10 Gary Speed, 15 Claus Thomsen, 17 Gareth Farrely, 19 John Oster, 20 Tony Thomas, 28 Slaven Bilic.

Subs: 2 Earl Barret, 8 Nick Barmby (traitor!) - replaced Claus Thomsen,
12 Craig Short - replaced John Oster, 13 Paul Gerrard, 16 Michael Branch - replaced Tony Thomas

Notice that 14 out of the 16 players are no longer with Everton! Only Gerrard has stuck with us all the time with Duncan coming back from Newcastle. My first match wasn't really one to remember, losing to the team that would finish bottom of the table! The first Everton goal of the season was scored by Big Dunc.

I would consider the 1997-98 season to be Everton's luckiest season in a while. (Thank you Gareth Farrely for providing the surviving goal against Coventry.) By Robert Anson.

Neville Southall

QPR 3, Everton 1. 8th April 1996

Everton: Southall, Hottiger, Hinchcliffe, Watson, Unsworth, Horne, Ebbrell, Parkinson, Limpar, Kanchelskis, Ferguson.

Subs: Short, Grant, Branch.

Scorer: Ebbrell

Yes, it took me over 12 years to finally get to see my beloved blues, its difficult for me to see us play why? Well Goodison is in Merseyside and sadly I'm in London - where i am treated to such venues as Loftus Road. Well anyway, i went to the game, my first ever with my best mate David and his sister. We got their perfect timing as it was not long after we sat down that we were treated to an 'exhibition' of dancing by some 'lovely birds' out on the pitch. Being a massive fan of Bazza Horne (who isn't after 'that' goal!) i was delighted that he was the first player that i spotted run out onto the pitch to warm up. He was followed by Southall and then Kanchelskis who got huge applause, but the 'school end' i think it is called erupted when Dunc ran out and immediately the chants started raining down and the players seemed to enjoy that as they waved back at us and it put me in a great mood. By now i was so tense that my legs were trembling as i sat there cramped to quarters with my hero's lining up in front of me about to kick off.

The game started brightly as Horne tried his luck from 20 yards though his dipping effort went wide but that didn't stop us chanting "Who needs Cantona when we've got Barry Horne!" Then Gallen scored. It shut us up for a bit. Then in the second half they scored again, and then again, and i was thinking i must be bad luck. (But my mate David said his first game was against Norwich
when they thumped us 5-1 at Goodison!) It was John Ebbrell who scored us a consolation after Dunc headed down and from the edge of the box he volleyed home a stunning goal cos usually Ebbers would knock any goal scoring chance for '6' and out of the stadium! It wasn't enough, we lost 3-1, but i went home with mixed feelings - sad because we were beaten, but happy that i had finally seen the greatest team for real - Everton FC. IMRAN MALIK (22/08/01)

Barry Horne

Who needs Cantana, when we've got BARRY HORNE

Leeds 2, Everton 2. 17th March 1996. Att: 29,422

Everton: Southall, Hottiger, Unsworth, Short, Hinchcliffe, Kanchelskis, Horne, Ebbrell, Limpar, Ferguson, Stuart.

Scorers: Stuart, Kanchelskis.

My first everton game was in the season of 95/96:

It was an away game but i had tickets with the Leeds fan and the view was rubbish. The players looked so small you could not tell which player was which. I got to the ground 2 hours early and I was not allowed in the pub since i was in my everton shirt so i put a coat on and went into the ground: I had to walk up loads of stairs to get to the seats, the food was rubbish
and cold.

I really enjoyed the game, especially when scored Kanchelskis the goals to equalise. When he nearly scored a winner i thought we could win the game. It was not until i got home that i found out it was years since the last time we won in the league away to leeds! Stuart Aldus. Hull.

Andrei Kanchelskis

Everton 0, Southampton 3. 27th April 1974.

Everton: Lawson, Bernard, Hurst, Lyons, Seargent, Kenny, Smith, Clements, Royle, Latchford, Telfer.

When your dad supports Wrexham, and all your Uncles support The Shite I often wonder how the fuck did I become a True Blue. Well around 1969 we moved to Maghull, and it was then that football became my life. First day at school and all these big bastarding kids where asking me who I supported. Didn't have a Scooby doo, so off I went back home after that very first trying day, and I asked the Wrexham supporter what's what with football. He sat me down and told me that I was a Wrexham supporter (What the fuck in ell was that). Next day at school I proudly announced that I was an Evertonian, because a Red Shite had gobbed me the day before and it was the only way I could get back at the 8ft 10in twat. It took me 3yrs to eventually let me ma and the Wrexham Supporter go to Goodison to watch a match.

Cannot remember the date but all I know was that it was absolutely pissing down, and we where playing Rangers in a testimonial for Tommy Wright. I think we won 2 nil and their where hundreds of Rangers supporters trying there hardest to beat fuck out of us. I was only little so I hid. A few days later I think we played Southampton in a final league match of the season and lost, I think I remember Peter Osgood scoring, and all the Southampton fans lobbing pies over the top of the stands at us. The Wrexham supporter then made us move to Ulster and it was years and years before I saw my home again. Normal service is now resumed with my season ticket in arse pocket, I fucked off the woman I married (Reading Supporter) (Well she fucked me off actually) and the Wrexham supporter has no further influence in my life, other than when I need money. Me ma is dead so she can't stop me going anywhere.
Yours a true blue. Mark Williams. (03/05/01)

Mick Lyons

I won nowt, but what a heart!

Everton 2, Chelsea 0. 1970 Charity Shield.

I've just checked out the web site for the first time after coming across the address in Total Football. It looks very good and as long as it is regularly updated, I shall keep checking it a few times a week. Anyway...... my first game.

1970 Charity Shield at Stamford Bridge between Everton and Chelsea. 2-0 I believe to the Toffees with goals from Whittle and Kendall. I met Howard Kendall in a hotel in Milton Keynes when he was Sheffield United manager and got his autograph.
He pointed out that he scored in the match as he didn't get too many.
I was 7 years old and was taken to the match by my Dad. I can't remember much about the game other than Alan Ball's hair colour clashing with his shirt and also the sight of his white boots. I never got a programme on the day but come across one years later at Northampton Town who had a programme fair on one day when I was passing through. The first game at Goodison however was against Coventry in 1995/96 season I believe. A 2-2 draw with Amokachi scoring twice. The sound of Z Cars music as the players came out bought a lump to my throat. I've been down South since 1969 so do not get to see the boys too much, although that might not be a bad thing the way they appear to be playing presently. Anyway, let's hope they have a storming finish and deliver some silverware next year. Keep up the good work. Dave Guerin (11/03/01)

Howard Kendall

Everton 1 v 1 Man Utd. 30th October 1988. Att: 27,005

Everton: Southall, Snodin, Watson, Ratcliffe, Van Den Hauwe, Heath, Reid, McCall, Steven, Sharp, Cottee.

Sub: Wilson for Heath.

My first match was to see Everton v Man Utd when I was 12 years old, but have supported Everton since the age of about 5, because no one else in my family likes football I never managed to get to see them before. I can remember walking up Goodison Road, with thousands of other fans (I think I had a grin on my face all day) totally in awe of the place the atmosphere was electric I knew even before the kick off as soon as I could drive I would be at Goodison every match (and so I am). I can't really remember a lot about the match apart from Sparky scoring a volley and then Tony Cottee equalising. Then a couple of weeks later Everton played Stoke at the Victoria Ground for Stoke keeper Peter Fox testomonial match. One of my Dads friends had a box there so after the match I met all the Everton team and got there autographs. The only Stoke players autograph I got was Peter Beagrie (who at the time I had never heard of), but a couple of weeks later he signed for us. Andy, Congleton. (07/12/00)

Ian Snodin

Everton 2 v 0 Coventry 25th Jan 1969. F.A. Cup 4TH Round.

Everton: West, Wright, Brown, Kendall, Labone, Harvey, Husband, Ball, Royle, Hurst, Morrisey

Scorers: Hurst, Royle.

My first Everton game was at Goodison Park on 25th January 1969 (give or take a day or two). We played Coventry that day in the 4th. round of the F.A. Cup, and won 2-0. I had been to Goodison before when my Dad took me to see the reserves, but this was my first "first team" game. I went with my grandad and his mate and we were in the Upper Bullens stand. I was in total awe of the place, being in Goodison Park was like an ecstatic dream for me as a young 8 year old. I remember that in the first half the crowd was quite impatient as we were not playing our usual "school of science" football, but in the second half people were saying things like "THIS IS MORE LIKE IT" as Everton took control. I will never forget though that even though no-one else seemed to notice, during a goalmouth scramble, Bill Glazier who was in goal for Coventry pulled the ball back from about a foot over the goal line, I was incensed and it should have been 3-0, but we still won anyway and my day was brilliant. The size of the place, the smell of cigarette and cigar smoke, the smell of Higsons brown ale, the sound of so many people talking and the size of the crowd as I tried to keep sight of my Grandad and his mate when we arrived and left the ground, the silent euphoria I felt in the car on the way home. I was thirsty for this and have been ever since. The next season we won the league and my Grandad took me a few more times, I'll never forget beating the champions Leeds later that year when my hero Joe Royle scored twice, but when we clinched the league I was at the flicks in Maghull watching Ice Station Zebra. My Dad was too mean to take me to the match for what was to be our last night of glory for 14 years (Except for Andy King walloping the media darlings on 22/10/78), but even though I wasn't there I revelled in our championship success. After several years of suffering at the hands of the horrible ones from across the park, I eventually made up for my absence against West Brom in 1970, 6/5/85 was probably the best day of my life, even beating Rotterdam, 1987 and Wembley 95. By this team countless visits to Goodison had been made, but this day saw the ultimate in joy as Everton took the league championship in awesome style. Hope my message is not too long, but after a few blue wines on a Saturday night, I get a bit emotional. I can't even sign my real name in case my mean Dad reads this board. Love the blues always.
Froddie. (03/09/00)

Gordon West

EVERTON 4 NEWCASTLE UNITED 0 Saturday 12th January 1985. Att: 32,156

Everton: Southall, Stevens, Van Den Hauwe, Ratcliffe, Mountfield, Reid, Steven, Gray, Sharp, Bracewell, Sheedy.

Scorers: Sheedy 2, Sharp, Mountfield.

Although i'm sure i'd been to an Everton game well before this,this is the first one i remember.On a cold winter's day my dad took me on the old Gwladys Terrace and the first thing i remember was thinking"GET IN"! This was of course our glorious 84-85 season of much triumph and powerful,flowing football which blew the rest of the first division ,as it was then, out of the water...particularly in the second half of the season.Even Europe was suffering at the hands of that great side! At this point in the season,Xmas/New Year,was the time when we were starting our superb push for glory.The football was fantastic and mostly played in Newcastle's last third.Gray and Sharp were awesome up front,the midfield quartet were sublime...an extra Christmas present for a fanatical 7 year old...and Ratcliffe was the rock upon which everything was built. I remember saying to my dad at some point in the first half that poor Neville Southall must be bored and that he should go up front. I'm sure there were times Big Nev thought he could probably have done that day because Newcastle were hopeless!! Not even Beardsley and Waddle could save them that day,and with two Everton rejects-Pat Heard and Gary Megson-their day was always going to be fruitless.The whole size of Goodison impressed me that day something which stays with me even now...a sense of how magic the place is. I wonder would my impression be the same if i'd gone to a home defeat against QPR sometime in the early 90's in front of 24,000? MARK GODFREY

Trevor Steven

EVERTON 1, Spurs 0. 26th October 1963. Att.68,000.

Everton: West, Parker, Harris, Gabriel, Labone, Kay, Scott, Stevens, Young, Vernon, Temple.

Scorer: Derek Temple.

I was a 20 y.o. from Belfast over ,as a neutral, to see two great sides. Spurs had Danny Blanchflower, Dave Mackay, Jimmy Greaves etc.

The match was a cracker and the Toffees won with that Derek Temple goal. For the rest of the day, and on the boat back to Belfast that night the chants of EV-ER-TON, EV-ER-TON resounded in my head. An Evertonian was born.

I attended many games at Goodison between then and emigrating to Australia in 1975 and since then have followed the Blues by staying up late on Saturday nights to listen to the radio or more recently watch games on SKY. I subscribe to The Evertonian paper and regularly visit The Club Web Site where I can now listen to match commentary on Radio Everton. Only recently heard about "BlueKipper" and am much impressed.

In 1998 I paid my first visit to Goodison since emigrating. An old friend, former player Bryan Hamilton, arranged tickets for my wife and I to watch the Blues thrash West Ham 6-0. The lads certainly turned it on for us it was the highlight of our trip and we're currently saving up for the next one.

Big Roy, Adelaide, South Australia.

Alex Young

Everton 4 'v' 0 Manchester United (17th August 1963)

Everton: West, Parker, Meagan, Gabriel, Labone, Kay, Scott, Stevens, Young, Vernon & Temple

Scorers: Gabriel, Stevens, Temple & Vernon

At the tender age of 8 (quite old when you see some kids at the match today, I took my lads when they were 5 & 6) I was taken to the Charity Shield at Goodison Park in the old Goodison Road stand when there was only an upper tier.

Only Dennis Stevens was not capped by his country. So I was introduced to a pretty high standard!

Memories are vague, the size of the place, the noise of the crowd, my Dad shouting like I'd never heard before, and the roar when the goals went in. I was immediately hooked, although having later experienced my first night match and been mesmerized by the flickering matches and lighters for ninety minutes ( plus the bonus of staying out late) I initially preferred those evening kick offs.

Back to the match, we won 4-0 with goals from Gabriel, Stevens, Temple & Vernon and I was converted for life, my Dad had me brainwashed anyway but this was something else. Everton played Man United in the league two weeks later at Old Trafford and they beat us 5-1, we got revenge beating them 4-0 again in the return. Isn't it weird how you remember that first game as a kid but very few after that? Except the one's when we beat the Red Shite!! from The Sausage aged 45 ( 'arl sausage)

Jimmy Gabriel

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