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[JTH]

On the drive home from Nashville, Tennessee this afternoon (how's that for a commute?) it suddenly hit me that Everton was 40 years ago today.  And of all the games I've seen since there haven't been too many that have had as much incident or been as sheerly gripping as that one.  The last 15 minutes or so after they equalized seemed like an eternity.  After this length of time memory has a nasty way of playing tricks.  Can anyone confirm that Peter Eales actually did collect a couple of beer bottles that had sailed out from among the Everton supporters behind his goal in the first half and put them on the penalty spot?  Or did I just dream that?  And how many times did Everton hit the woodwork before John Hughes scored?

He did indeed, although he didn't endear himself too much to the Gladwys Street by casually smoking a cigar whilst strolling around the penalty area pre-match. Given he used to entertain himself and everyone else by doing handstands when the ball was down the other end on a regular basis it wasn't a great surprise. Still a sign of changed times, remember Everton's response to the bottle throwing? - fitting a finer meshed netting to the goals to stop them from hitting opposing keepers in the future...

[SW]

I remember signs going up after saying "Please Refrain from Throwing Missiles". How quaint. I went with my dad, my mate and some mate of my dad's, we sat in the top tier of that big stand, there were escalators inside. I remember when JH scored it took a couple of seconds to sink in. He always looks offside in any of the photos I've seen of the goal.

[ManagementGuru]

At the replay, lots of United fans in the Stretford End chanting "Altrincham United" as United were going out 3-2 at Walsall in their replay which was taking place at he same time.

[PaulClementsLaments]

The goal is shown here for those who haven't previously seen it...

http://youtu.be/QKoddugR9CE

[(S)ALTY]

At the replay, lots of United fans in the Stretford End chanting "Altrincham United" as United were going out 3-2 at Walsall in their replay which was taking place at he same time.

Ahh yes I remember it well.

As the saying goes, - I was there ....................

at bloody Walsall !!

[TheCultOfIanTunnacliffe]

I remember that day very well. Great goal by John Hughes but pity he uncharacteristically missed a second half sitter which would have made it 2-0.
Probably the worse ground I have ever been on for poor crowd control with Alty fans split up all over the place.
When the draw was made Everton were top of the old First Division and we were top of the NLP.
Sadly non-league Wimbledon made the back page headline the next day with a 1-0 at bottom of Division 1, Burnley.

The Alty supporters' ticket allocation for that match at Goodison Park did seem somewhat random, to say the least.

I watched the game from the seats in a stand to the side of the Gwladys Street End and I recall various bumptious home fans advising my Dad that Everton would hit double figures against us.

Strangely, that so-called famous Scouse wit miraculously deserted them when John Hughes tucked that ball past Dai Davies to put Alty 1-0 up and the atmosphere swiftly became rather intimidating.

I also recall Peter Eales picking up a beer bottle that had been thrown at him from the home fans in the Gwladys Street End.

Everton's Scottish left winger John Connolly broke his leg that afternoon following a tackle from John Davison.




  
 

[hsmith1]

yes he did break his leg

[York Alty]

John king "If you want to go out and have a go, you'll go out and have a go".

Sums up things nicely that.

[roytonmike]

I still don't quite know how I survived that afternoon - I actually watched the game from within the Gwladys Street End & probably owe my still being around after we scored to the fact that the mate I was standing with was 6ft5 & well proportioned with it!

[GB Alty]

Was it segregated? I know games back then rarely were

[RedhillAlty]

Was it segregated? I know games back then rarely were

NO and tickets were only needed for seats. What happened was that Everton fans were allowed into the away end even before we got there and others followed us into the ground. On seeing this some Alty fans left and went to other parts of the ground. There was one big fat old police officer inside the ground who was adamant that he was going to show both sets of fans that this was HIS territory and refused to segregate or allow Alty fans to stand together. Then as more Alty fans arrived the Scouse backed off but came back later. And this was before the game when we were also being taunted with 10-0 defeat threats!  There would not have been a problem had Alty fans been allowed to stand together. Even the muppet on the tanoy was intimidating and offensive, although he changed his tune at half time. Probably the worse ground I have been on and dreadful policing.

[Jezza]

I was there with dad, my big brother and my uncle roy....not sure if my younger brother made it......

I can remember the lovely Leitch stands with blue criss crosses and the semi circular gap behind the goals.....I thought it was a lovely ground and can still see it today.

I would have been 6!!

[TheCultOfIanTunnacliffe]

Was it segregated? I know games back then rarely were

Even the muppet on the tanoy was intimidating and offensive, although he changed his tune at half time. Probably the worse ground I have been on and dreadful policing.

One abiding memory of that afternoon is the patronising PA system announcer playing Silence Is Golden by The Tremeloes during the pre-match 'entertainment' and dedicating it to all the Alty supporters.

Mildly amusing, I suppose, but rather more emblematic of just how condescending Everton were to Alty on that day and indicative of just how much they had underestimated Roy Rees' fine team.

 

[SW]

I remember that PA bloke being an utter prat and how it wound up my 12 year old self, my dad just laughed at it/him. I'm remembering more now, we parked a bit away and paid some scallies to "mind the car" then walked through Stanley Park, I had a red and white barred scarf around my wrist as was the fashion, it attracted a bit of attention although generally good humoured. The scarf was hidden on my dad's instructions on the way out after. Kenny got some stick from the scousers outside as he was his usual self although probably naively innocent then, I remember worrying someone was going to have a go at him. I also remember the programme being free with admission which explains why I have or did have at least two. I remember the Liverpool fans arriving outside by bus as we came out, chanting "Altrincham", were the kick offs staggered? It was a great day indeed.

[TheCultOfIanTunnacliffe]

I remember that PA bloke being an utter prat and how it wound up my 12 year old self, my dad just laughed at it/him. I'm remembering more now, we parked a bit away and paid some scallies to "mind the car" then walked through Stanley Park, I had a red and white barred scarf around my wrist as was the fashion, it attracted a bit of attention although generally good humoured. The scarf was hidden on my dad's instructions on the way out after. Kenny got some stick from the scousers outside as he was his usual self although probably naively innocent then, I remember worrying someone was going to have a go at him. I also remember the programme being free with admission which explains why I have or did have at least two. I remember the Liverpool fans arriving outside by bus as we came out, chanting "Altrincham", were the kick offs staggered? It was a great day indeed.

On the evidence of the respective match programmes, it looks like both games kicked off at 3.00pm:


http://www.blueblooded.co.uk/view_prog.php?progID=18859


http://www.collectsoccer.com/acatalog/Liverpool_Programmes_Season_1974-1975.html