HALL OF FAME 2006

Its late March and a Thursday, this can only mean it’s a Hall of Fame dinner at the world famous Adelphi. Blue nose productions arrange these special re-unions to induct former players into a Hall of Fame, like Hollywood Oscars but the Merseyside version. Past recipients of this wonderful statement to their Everton careers are Alex Young, Alan Ball, Brian Labone, Wally Fielding, Dave Hickson and Howard Kendall to name but a few but look at the calibre of these Everton giants.

Before the dinner in the main hall the invited guest players assembled in the side bar down stairs. Amongst the first to arrive was Gordon West, Fred Pickering, Howard Kendall, Ray Wilson and a small gentle looking man. The latter sat in between two friends from Preston, white haired and a big smile. I looked at this man twice to check, it was who I thought it was, the great Sir Tom Finney. I said I hope I don’t get drunk tonight as I never want to forget this moment of meeting you. I wished my Dad was alive as I would have ringed him instantly to tell of who I was with.
Now I know Sir Tom was not an Everton player but this man was an icon like Sir Stanley Mathews to football fans everywhere for generations. Only downside is that he has a stand named for him at his beloved Preston opposite a past Liverpool manager named stand. Only joking, Shankly was one of us towards the end.

England stalwards Sir Tom ,Ray 'Graveyard' Wilson and Labby

Sir Tom or Tommy to his mates, like me, played for Preston (433 appearances, scoring 187 goals) and England (76 caps and scored 30 goals) I think Tommy played for most of the last century it seems. He was nicknamed ‘The Preston Plumber‘ from his trade before the war, he’s the equivalent of Dixie to us as Evertonians and also has a statue of himself outside Deepdale.
Quotes about Finney· "Tom Finney would have been great in any team, in any match and in any age ... even if he had been wearing an overcoat." (Bill Shankly)
· "Tom Finney should claim income tax relief ... for his 10 dependents." (Satirical observation on the weakness of the Preston team in his absence)
· "If all the brains in the game sat in committee to design the perfect player, they would come up with a reincarnation of Tom Finney."
Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year, 1954 and 1957; A lovely old man to talk to and clearly a gentleman .

Brian Labone came round to the ex players to get them to sign a get well card for Alex Young who has had a slight heart attack but recovering, thank God. Alex was to come to tonight’s do as was Alan Ball, but Alan had to go to the late Peter Osgood’s function his ex Southampton team mate who died lately. Then came in Andy is our King minus the golden locks he was famous for oh and ‘that’ goal against the dark side. I asked Andy about that goal. He said he just looked up and hit it and knew it was going in. It was the first time we had beaten the dark side in a while and we duly celebrated it. At the end of the game Andy was famously being interviewed with a reporter on the pitch and a truncheon wielding Bobby came and told them to get off the pitch mid interview. He must have been a red that copper. Andy’s only ever done one after dinner speaker. It was with the Independent Blues, it was held in the Alex Young suite and Andy was as nervous as hell. He had two pieces of paper with some que lines on. I ripped them up. He went white. I said don’t worry about it. They love you. You don’t need bits of paper. Sure enough Andy was introduced and without saying a word for 15 minutes he stood there listening to ‘Sitting on the grass with a bottle of Bass singing Andy is our King. Oh Andy is our King”. Happy days. After the dinner we went back the Blue house and Andy spent his fee buying rounds for everybody!

Next to arrive was TC,Tony Cottee, still looking about twenty. I asked him was he genuinely going to help buy West ham? He just smiled, he was made up with the hammers form of late and wanted his old club to avoid the dark side and Chelsea in this years semi finals of the FA cup so a trip to Cardiff was more possible. I asked him about how did e feel leaving the club stuck on 99 goals. He shrugged his shoulders and said “ah well that’s football”. He was a crackin player for us at times, who could forget Tony’s debut when he scored a hat trick on the opening day of the season against Newcastle who were relegated later on (smile).

"Honestly I did try to buy Westham!"

Then David Moyes came in, his hand nearly shaken off by well wishers, he joked with John Bailey and Howard and was in awe of Sir Tom aswell when he spotted him, their neighbours you know in Preston. Howard pulled David aside for some Derby advice I think, both were deep in conversation.I heard the words Duncan ,get ,Gerrard and Arteta is the best Spanish player on Merseyside. Colin Harvey came in dribbling a ball and centering to Fred Pickering who couldn’t score past Westy. Tommy Jackson was the last player to arrive from Belfast and blamed Easy Jet for being late .All the players assembled for a few photos for the Echo and Sky with Brian, Tommy and Roger of Bluenose. From the bar the entourage moved to the grand hall waiting for their individual introductions.

Billy Butler from Merseyside radio was the compare for the night in a shirt best described as left by Liberace. Good Blue though. One by one each player came in to tumultuous applause from the five hundred gathered Evertonians to the tune of Z cars .The atmosphere was spot on and the noise went off the Richter scale as Howard and then David Moyes came in .What a fillip to the current Everton manager pre derby .Moyes was visibly embarrassed by his reception and must have thought I can’t let these fans down on Saturday Also invited was the Birkenhead bomber ex boxer Robbie Davies who won a gold medal in the Olympics 1976 and a contender for the British title. Nice touch from Bluenose. As we sat down for dinner I found myself next to Gordon West ,there was not much room to eat ,we had to cut each others meat and verge in tandem. Whilst we dined a history of Everton was projected on a screen ,from our days in Stanley Park to the present.

I asked Gordon did he see Tom Finney play ? Gordon told me that while he was at Blackpool he used to get free passes to go to any North West club and use to go to see Proud Preston .Gordon said Finney was as good as they say “ You couldn’t get the ball off him !” Gordon learnt to drive going to these games in a Vauxhall Victor by a Blackpool supporter Jack Fish. He loved these days finished off with fish and chips down the Prom.
I looked up and saw Andy Gray knock in our second goal against Watford and the goalkeeper into the net. I said to Gordon you’d never got away with that type of goal today mate ,were you protected much ? Your joking aren’t you Ian but I gave more than I got .You even did your own captain Gordon ,has Labby forgiven you yet ? No he won’t buy me a drink still! Billy Butler invited Howard and Moyesy to say a few words. Howard said when hearing ‘Howard Kendal’s Blue and White army ‘ Can you sing my favourite ‘Tell me ma me ma instead.” The crowd duly obliged.
Moyes just had to listen to ‘He’s got red hair’ for five minutes All I could hear him say was that Saturday counts and I was practicably next to him. Dave had to sneak away then ,derby plans were afoot.

Then came the Bluenose awards introduced by Labby ‘Welcome Evertonians’ ignited a huge roar. For the two World cup winners there was two big cut glassed bowls, one for Ray Wilson who was present and for Alan Ball who Sir Tom received on Alan’s behalf.
Labby said of Ray Wilson that when in trouble he would just pass the ball to Raymond and he sorted it .Raymond won two cups that year in 66 ,a unique feature Labby boomed . Labby spoke of Sir Tom and remembering playing against him ,he was just 19 and Sir Tom about 38.Tommy would put you on your backside a one man team .A fan shouted out to Tom “do you still do plumbing foreigners Tommy ?” Tom was asked about his best player, goal and England chances .John Bails shouted ‘Gordon West’ but Tom said that it was hard to define the best footballer they were in different eras ,his best goal was in the ten nil win in Portugal for England and that this team has a chance ,they are settled and a good side. Eighty four years of age and still as bright as a button. A football legend amongst us.

There was a tie for player of the season between Arteta and Hibbert so both players were awarded with cut glass footballs. The young player of the year went to Leon Osman and deservedly so. Moyes couldn’t let the players come as it was too close to that game on Saturday.
Then came the song ‘Nah nah na na nah nah na hey hey Colin Harvey’, Yes the great player was humbled by the love of 500 Evertonians for his career that spanned nearly forty years for our club. Colin spoke of Alex Young and his current illness telling us he was the most enjoyable player to watch and one of the greatest players of all time. He was from another era ,Alex he could walk on water and a fantastic man .Colin’s words for a dear friend.

Labby was given a life time achievement award on and off the field for Everton ,a great Ambassador .’When sober’ Westy chirped up.Then came the final awards the new Snagg awards to be featured on the radio .The first recipient of the Sandy Brown division was John Bailey for his own goal against the dark side ,upturn for John in the days that followed was that every ed bought him a drink down Scotland Road. A new team of the ugliest players for Everton is being formed on Merseyside Radio on Billy’s show .Mike Pejic went straight into he team with John McLaughlin.
Then a short reprise of the football with comedian Lenny Anderson ,a brave Scouser in this audience .Lenny was heckled but gave back better .Why don’t you save your breath to blow up your girlfriend when you get back home ! “I felt sorry for Ethiopia when they drew Hungary in the World Cup they wanted Turkey at home .” Lenny was very funny in parts .

Bluenose productions have several charities they give donations to from the night .Charities include the Players Foundation, Claire House ,Marie Curie and to Bellefield’s chosen charity .As Sir Tom Finney was special guest and a fundraiser for Alzheimer’s disease the first shirt auctioned off ,a signed framed Everton shirt, monies went to Sir Tom’s charity.£600 was raised. Phil Neville’s went for £300, Cahill's£550, McFadden’s £250
( more than he was worth a few weeks back but to be fair he’s come good of late )and Beattie's went for £500.Boots worn by Osman and Hibbo went for £450 each pair .There are some really good hearted people around.

So after the auction and raffle the crowd were invited up to get those special autographs to prove to mates and family in days and years to come that they met their hero’s . Thanks to all at Bluenose productions for another memorable night and to David Moyes in particular who noticed Debbie Tyrrell the widow of our late fan of the year Stan Tyrrell went over to her and said a few words of comfort. Nice one David.

Another Merseyside derby dawns ..the hopes and fears of a city are about to be realised…some will rise others may fall…yet whoever may take the prize …let it be known that we have already won the greatest prize of all ….FOR WE WERE BORN EVERTONIANS..!
Ian Macdonald. (23/03/06)

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