Blue Kipper: How did your move from the redshite to Everton come about?
(Rob Sutton)

Sheeds: It was from the Hereford Boys club, onto Hereford where I served my apprenticeship for a year, signed professional when I was 17 but broke into the first team when I was 16. Played 54 games for Hereford and attracted Liverpool who made a bid for me after I was spotted by Geoff Twentyman. I remember travelling up there, I didn't really want to sign for them as they had a policy of playing you in the reserves I wanted to get into the first team straight away!
I was in digs in Anfield so I used to go and watch Everton when I wasn't playing, I saw the young players coming through, people like Adrian Heath, Kevin Ratcliffe & Kevin Richardson, I just made it known through the local paper that I wanted to move, my contract was up and this alerted Everton. I got a call from Howard Kendall towards the end of my contract shall we say, to see if I was interested in joining Everton and knowing the potential there I jumped at the chance.
Liverpool wanted me to go to Blackpool, certainly not Derby or Everton (who were both interested) they wanted to dictate where you went to so that the move would not benefit a rival. I dug my heels in, waited for my contract to run out then made my choice.
Howard didn't need to sell it to me, I'd been to the games, tasted the atmosphere & knew it was a massive club and it was on the doorstep, I knew Everton were the team for me!
It was important for me to make an early impact to rid any of the 'if he's not good enough for them why should he be good enough for us' type of comments. My debut was against Watford away & was not very memorable at all, we got beat 2 - 0, our next game we beat Villa 5 - 0 and then I scored at home to Spurs in a 3 - 1 win and the crowd took to me any doubts had been wiped away.

Blue Kipper: Who was the toughest player you played with & against?
(Spanish Stew)

Sheeds: Kevin Ratcliffe, Peter Reid, probably Kevin Ratcliffe. I remember one time a striker had got him off the ball, Kevin had a word with me and told me the next time I got the ball to pass it short to him so he had a 50/50 with this same bloke. Sure enough Kevin got his retribution! Both of them were hard & fair.
Against it would be Souness, I nutmegged him once in training & he just laughed, a few years later I nutmegged him in the Milk Cup Final and he elbowed me in the face I suppose that's the difference when you're playing for real.

Sheeds - Last Thursday

Sheeds - A Few Years Ago

Sheeds: Big gulp, it's difficult to say really. Shall we say some manager's fancy you and some don't. Howard was a big fan of mine but when Colin took over we really didn't hit it off, my career started to slide away when Colin took over, I was in and out of the team and it was not what I wanted, we had a few fall outs and I was looking to get away. Howard came back and things improved for a short while but the team was breaking up the opportunity came to move to Newcastle under Kevin Keegan.
I have never been money orientated so moving after 9 years and 8 months was what I wanted at the time, I didn't even think twice about a testimonial I wanted first team football. It turned out a good move as I won another Championship medal and you can't put a price on those things.
After that I moved to Blackpool which wasn't the best of moves but it did give me first team football, it let me down gently from top flight football so there was a plus to going there. And 'no' I didn't visit Owen Oyston on the inside, visiting him on the outside was bad enough!

Blue Kipper: Who was the best player you played alongside at Everton?
(Woody, PS My pet hamster is called Sheedy)

Sheeds: It is difficult to pick a player out of that great Everton side, if I had to pick one it would be Kevin Ratcliffe because he enabled us to play the way we did because of his pace at the back. We could squeeze right up to the half way line, any balls that came over the top into our defence then Kevin just went into overdrive and mopped everything up. Adrian Heath & Graeme Sharp were the best striking partnership I have ever played with, whenever I was on the ball I had an understanding with those two as to exactly where they would be and where they wanted the ball, compared to someone like Tony Cottee who you didn't know where he was going to run or where he wanted the ball!

EVERTON GOALS

Blue Kipper: What was your best goal for Everton & why do you choose that goal?
(Spanish Stew)

Sheeds: There a few that spring to mind, the one against the shite, the Ipswich free-kick, the semi final equalizer against Luton, but if I had to pick one it would be Rapid Vienna. To score in a European final is special and it was the goal that killed the game, we knew we'd won when that one went in.

Blue Kipper: How did it feel when you planted the 2nd Ipswich free-kick into the net after the ref had disallowed the original beauty? (Woody)

Sheeds: Reidy was stood over the ball and I told him I still fancied it, I think after putting the first one in that Paul Cooper had over compensated to stop me doing the same again. It was a good feeling.

Blue Kipper: When you stepped up to take the free kick 'v' Luton at Villa Park - did you mean to hit it low? Because just about every fan in the ground was expecting the opposite?

Sheeds: I'm not going to say 'no' am I? Of course I meant to hit it low, I didn't catch it cleanly but it went in and that was what mattered. I looked at the wall and how they'd lined up, I saw the gap and went for it, I didn't hit it particularly well but it went in & that was all that mattered. We hadn't played well that day but we had clawed our way back and when it went in it gave us the impetus to go on and win. Deadly Derek did the rest, I always knew where Derek would be and he went on to put it in and win it for us.

Blue Kipper: Then what was it like to have a large number of 'bobble hatted' screaming fans bearing down on you when the ball had hit the back of the net?
(Phil Redman)

Sheeds: I didn't really notice as I was ecstatic with my own celebrations, I was mobbed by players & fans it was a great feeling, we

Blue Kipper: What was it like scoring in a euro final? (Paul Cotterill)

Sheeds: As I said, it was probably the best goal I scored for Everton because of the timing, it meant we'd won the game, you could tell that from the reaction of the players & fans.

Blue Kipper: Why when you scored in that Derby game against them from across the park, in one of them silly super cup games, with one of your trade mark free kicks, did you give the kop the two fingered salute, I thought it was class and I still do why did you do it?
(Danny Matthews)

Sheeds: It was just the way I felt at the time, it was a great free kick and being at the Kop end it just seemed the thing to do. It got me into trouble though.

Blue Kipper: When you took the free-kick against Ipswich which flew in and was disallowed, then re-took it and banged it into the opposite corner, were you taking the piss or what?

Sheeds: No, it wasn't taking the piss, I saw the gap and I think it was because the goalie thought I might try the same again that he had over compensated.

Blue Kipper: What was it like to celebrate a goal at the Kop end with the 'finger' raised to them? That is a recurring dream for me... in the last minute.... and it relegates the bastards.

Sheeds: It was a joyous moment for me and I know all Evertonians enjoyed it too!

Blue Kipper: Do you think heading the ball is over-rated?

Sheeds: It wasn't one of my strengths! Kevin Ratcliffe used to say to me 'you can't tackle, you can't head the ball & you haven't got a right foot!' I used to say to him 'once you've lost your pace you'll be finished!'. I can't show you my stitches from my headed goal against Man U as they are in my hair so I can't even proved it to you! Even that goal people said Kevin Moran had headed the back of my head to give it the power to go in!!

Blue Kipper: I was watching 'The Official History of Everton' video (that I bought today, well I need my fix!) and it brought me tears to see all the great teams we have assembled (though not always!) in chronological order and look at some of the shite we've got now. Mr. Sheedy was part of the best Blues side I have witnessed in my 29 years so far, and that when I mention this to anyone in my workplace(all Southern Reds or Southern Mancs) they all disregard it like sentimental babblings of yesteryear when it was not that long ago compared to the fact that they speak about England winning the World Cup like it was yesterday! Anyway, I hope Moyes is the man we think he is forward thinking, determined, playing good football, giving youth a chance, no Foreign mercenaries and most importantly a winner. I'll stop preaching now! Keep up the good work, the site is one of my links to my beloved Blues (my family and friends are the others) and when you meet Mr. Sheedy could you thank him for me for the years of pleasure he provided us during his time in a Blue shirt (the famous No 11). Cheers

Sheeds: Is there an answer to that?

Blue Kipper: What is your favourite ever goal you have scored for the Blues?
The best I ever saw you score was on ITV of a Sunday, 2-0 'v' Man City, a
fantastic scissor kick at the Park End. 'My Left Foot' ! Daniel Day Lewis can
get stuffed! (All the best, Dark One)

Sheeds: I've already said which was the best, the Rapid Vienna goal, but I do remember that one against City yes, it just sat up nicely for me and went in like a rocket. As for Daniel Day Lewis I don't know what you've got against him but it's definitely MY left foot!

PERSONAL

Blue Kipper: Who was your best pal at Goodison? (Spanish Stew)

Sheeds: Always shared a room & was best friends with Kevin Ratcliffe

Blue Kipper: How often do you see other members of the 1985 squad & when, if ever did you last all get together? (Chrissy)

Sheeds: We meet up now and again but I don't think we've ever had the full squad together because there are so many different commitments, it would be nice if we were ALL back together sometime but probably unrealistic.

Blue Kipper: Give us the insight into your ruck with Keown? (Woody)

Sheeds: Next question…..

Blue Kipper: What happened on that 'Chinese bonding' meeting in Southport? (Gwladys St. Girl) (GBHammy) and (Half of Goodison)

Sheeds: Next question……

Blue Kipper: How ugly is Martin Keown (Lavo)

Sheeds: Keown was VERY ugly!

Blue Kipper: How hard was Psycho Pat? (Woody)

Sheeds: He was a good player but put it this way, if there was a fifty/fifty tackle involving Kevin Ratcliffe & Pat Van Den Hauwe I'd back Kevin every time

Blue Kipper: How did it feel when you flicked the 'V' at the Kop? (Woody)

Sheeds: It was just instinct, perhaps it was because of my frustration for the time I was there, I got brought before the FA because of it but got off lightly because I said I'd just stuck the one finger up indicating I'd scored the goal - and they believed me!

Blue Kipper: Please ask Kevin why he didn't make more out of the tackle by Phil Neale in the 84 Milk Cup Final. A tackle that ended his season thus costing him a place in the FA Cup Final in 84. This is a thing that gets my blood pressure going. The England right back that was the perfect gent, who went in studs up and went down the leg of Sheeds, who at the time was giving him a hard time and took a vital cog out of Everton's side that day. Thanks for this opportunity, I hope to get the answer that I deserve for keeping it in for so long. I don't want a 'that's football' type of reply, I want a reply that goes like, " yes it was a twat of a tackle, from an overated baldy twat of meff who cost me an FA Cup medal, a medal that was 14 years in the waiting for this club and I was robbed of the opportunity of being part of it". (Dave T)

Sheeds: Good question, it was a bad tackle by Phil, at the time I didn't realise how bad it was, I had a shot at goal, normally I'd of expected to score from there but it was a really weak shot. That night in bed my wife accidentally kicked my leg and I nearly went through the roof. It was disappointing I missed the FA Cup, and the one tackle did cost me a medal.

Blue Kipper: What was the saddest moment in your career/what was the happiest moment in your Everton career? PS You are unreal mate, the best left foot ever & I fuckin' luv ya! (Dave Waller)

Sheeds: The saddest moment was leaving Everton, I left under a cloud after a great career, there were many happy moments, just loads of them, obviously the special night - Bayern Munich, winning the Leagues & the cups, probably Rotterdam was the happiest moment because it meant so much to win a European trophy, it's just a pity we were denied the opportunity to go on and do more.

Blue Kipper: Why was the left peg SO good? (Mark Welsh)

Sheeds: I practiced day in and day out against the back wall of my parent's pub, oh, and I had to pay for a few broken windows as well.

Blue Kipper: I always thought he looked like a shifty character and want to know if he's ever taken eight items paid for seven items and left the counter (Colin S)

Sheeds: No, I always pay for what I take. I've never been called Richard Madeley

Blue Kipper: Is he really a good mate of Ian Bishops,or is Ian just blagging? P.S.Ian Bishop top man, only 20 mins in an EFC shirt but still a blue!! (DD Sullivan)

Sheeds: He's not blagging, I do see him & 'yes' he's a friend

Blue Kipper: Can you remember the first time Everton were awarded a freekick and the crowd growled "SHEEDY!"? When I was a kid, I can remember screaming it once when we got a free kick just outside our box and everyone buzzed off me. I was about 10 at the time. (David Lennon)

Sheeds: Not really, but it was special to hear the fans. I can remember the fans shouting my name, when we got a free kick, & I was in the stands having left Everton. That was special.

Blue Kipper: How were your feelings knowing you had been robbed of something extremely special ? (Does he feel the same way as the fans?)

Sheeds: The chance to play in Europe against the best was undoubtedly robbed from us, we all felt that way but there was nothing we could do about it, there's no doubt it caused the break up of the team!

Blue Kipper: What moment made you most proud to be wearing an Everton shirt?

Sheeds: The very first time I pulled the shirt on and ran out, the hairs stand up on the back of you neck, there were many other memorable occasions as you can imagine particularly the European Final.

Blue Kipper: Did I fall asleep and miss something, a living Everton legend, did you get a testimonial?

Sheeds: I think I answered that earlier, I've never been money orientated, the money wasn't important to me, I wanted to play first team football and that was all there was to it, even though I was only a few months short of the Testimonial I just wanted to play and if you like Everton didn't fancy me so off I went

Blue Kipper: Are you and Waggy going to come home one day? (Paul Rez)

Sheeds: I'd like to, but I don't know about Waggy.

Blue Kipper: Any chance of returning to Goodison one day in a coaching capacity? (Woody)
·

Sheeds: I'd love to but who knows what will happen in the future?

Blue Kipper: Any tales from Bellefield, there must have been a few pranks? (Jogger)

Sheeds: One classic was about Andy Hinchcliffe, he prided himself in owning horses, one weekend they were rustled! Andy came in on the Monday & explained he'd be late on the Tuesday because he had to see the Police first thing, he ran on to the training ground about 10.30am and was furious. Kevin Ratcliffe had brought a catering size tin of dg food in and left it under the hook in his changing place!

EIRE

Blue Kipper: Did you ever go for a pint with Paul McGrath? (Macca)

Sheeds: I can't remember!

Blue Kipper: Why Ireland and not Wales?I still can't get my head around that. Wales late mid to late 80s could have done with you and I'm sure would have qualified for a major event. (Phil Williams)

Sheeds: Basically Wales did not want me, or it felt that way. Ireland contacted me and asked me to play, I was only 19 so I phoned Wales and asked if they wanted me to play for them. They said they would look into it, they didn't sound too keen and never got back to me. So in the end it was an easy decision as it was made for me.

Blue Kipper: What felt better the goal against Rapid Vienna or the goal against England in World Cup 90? (Paul Cotterill)

Sheeds: The Rapid Vienna goal was very very special from a personal point of view as it secured the win and the trophy but from and individual point of view the goal against England was very special too as it helped us get to the Quarter Finals. Overall I would have to pick the goal for Ireland because as a boy you dream of scoring for you country on the biggest stage possible, the World Cup.

EVERTON FUTURE

Blue Kipper: Have you seen Wayne Rooney, what did you think & do you think Everton will be able to afford to keep him? ( M Drees)

Sheeds: Yes, I've seen him on TV in the Youth Cup & yes he's special, whether or not we can keep him who knows? Hopefully we can, the Club seems to be turning the corner and we are now looking like a club who wants to keep their better players rather than sell them on.

·Blue Kipper: What do you think Everton need to do to be able to attract quality players to the club once again? (Rob Sutton)

Sheeds: It starts with success, I believe that David Moyes has it in him to make Everton successful again, it will take a few years but with financial backing we can do it. Alan Irvine is a great acquisition for the Club and I'm sure he'll do well to and with King's Dock on the horizon it all looks good for the future.