A Voice In The Crowd: Chris

Chris, ´Bedfordshiretoffee´ in our forums, is the second person to take part in our new fortnightly ´Voice In The Crowd´ feature.

How long have you been an Everton Fan?

From about 7 years old.

How did you become an Evertonian?

My dad was one… runs in the family.

Your favourite game (and why)?

Everton 3 Bayern Munich 1 – European Cup winners cup semi final 1985

Bayern Munich, in the European Cup Winners´ cup semi final second leg in 1985, was a legendary never to be forgotten occasion.

It was an amazing night at Goodison, not all ticket if I remember rightly, and so many turned up. I could not get into the Gwladys Street end where I usually stood. In the end we were lucky to get into the Goodison Road paddock before the gates closed.

After a goalless first leg in Germany we needed only a single goal win to go through to the final – but went an away goal down when Dieter Hoeness scored after 37 minutes and the dream seemed to be dying. I remember looking up into the main stand, as the ground was eerily quiet at half time. A sense of doom pervaded, the Grand old lady was shook to silence.

Suddenly a woman, waving a blue flag, began shouting down at everyone saying "if you want the team to win this then make noise and help them." We did and the rest was amazing, there was an astonishing atmosphere, we banged in three great goals from Graeme Sharp, Andy Gray and Trevor Steven for a stunning victory.

I can still picture the goals as if they had just been shown on television yesterday. Who can forget the mauling Gray and Sharp gave to the famous Germans. Bayern Munich boss Udo Lattek, said afterwards that Everton were ´the best team in Europe´. He wasn´t wrong. It was also the best Everton team ever – and I was there.

It is a game and occasion I will always remember – along with the sore throat I had for days afterwards. Awesome, immense. . . and the eventual 3-1 final victory over Austrian Vienna was almost an anti-climax…

Your favourite current player (and why)?

I particularly like four or five, but Timmy Cahill is a legend. Never a wrong word, fiercely loyal and proud of the shirt. He always produces the goods on the field, and takes the blows for it. I also applaud his international stance, and he always legs it back from an Aussie game to pull on the blue shirt. Where would we be without him?

What is your favourite Evertonian moment?

Got to be when we won the 1995 FA Cup final v Manchester United (I have witnessed title wins). The reason? My already long suffering 11 year old son was there next to me – I shed a tear, and something I wanted to share with him in life had been realised at such an early age. A precious day, which showed what Everton FC mean to their fans.

Who is the greatest player to have ever played for Everton in your lifetime?

Oooh, tough. My favourite was Bob Latchford but the greatest has to be Neville Southall, from binman to one of the world´s greatest goalkeepers. He was an incredible servant to the club, and at such a bargain price from Bury

And the worst player?

Haha. Bring on Bernie Wright, a centre forward signed by Harry Catterick from Walsall. I thought he was hopeless, and apparently a bit wayward. He should not feel persecuted though, there was a long list to choose from…David Irving was second, he came from Darlington. Says it all.

The most obscure name and number you have owned on the back of a shirt?

Don´t do numbers and names, a precaution as shirts often last longer at clubs than players these days…

Since you have been following Everton, what would your best eleven be?

Southall, Stevens, Mountfield, Ratcliffe, Baines (don´t tell Psycho), Reid, Ball, Kendall, Steven, Lineker, Ferguson (no one mentioned formation). Subs: West, Wilson, Harvey, Ferguson, Kanchelskis, Gray,

Pineapple on Pizza?

Well, a footballer once had a pineapple on his HEAD, so why not…?