Adrian Heath

[banno]

A truly great player. Didn't get the recognition he deserved for England, and in the broader context.

Never met the man but a pal of mine, a fellow blue, met him in a bar several years ago and said he was a gentleman, and very willing to share stories.

Would have been a huge star in the post 1992 so-called "modern" era.

Nonetheless a genuine top player with his place assured as an a club legend.

Think he was on the verge of playing for them, then the injury happened. He came back strong though and was good enough to play for England

 

[Dixieslaces]

A huge(well rhetorically) part of that great team of the 80's his partnership with Sharpy gave us many memorable moments and few trophies along the way. Will never forget getting "carried" on to the pitch at Highbury when he nodded in the winner to get us to the final!

 

[Cake]

A great all-round player and he scored many important goals for us. Two which stand out for me and I was there for both, equaliser in the League Cup (QF I think) at Oxford '84 (we won the replay 4-1 and he scored in that too) and the winner at Highbury a few weeks later in the FA Cup SF against Southampton.

 

[evertoniano]

Will NEVER forget his winner in the 84 semifinal at Highbury. Was one of the absolute highlights of my life. Smallest player on the pitch ended up heading a goal. Think that was the game that brought home that we were very much a team on the up and big things were waiting for us.

 

[Gibbo1976]

Great player and as previous posters have said was just on the verge of his first callup when he was snapped in two. Mad to see that footage now how he was carried off and then placed on a chair in complete agony....just shows how much player injury treatment has changed. I Still remember one of the programs with him being pictured next to a giant ruler to highlight his nickname.

 

[bitter-no-better]

Kevin Brock gets the headlines but Inchy had to finish it. That goal changed our history.

 

[duncs pigeon]

Met him at Chester races a few years ago. I think he was at Sunderland at the time, but when we talked football and/or Everton, it was we this, we that, everything was as though he was still part of the club. Top bloke, brilliant footballer and missed out on a lot because of that injury.

 

[hallamblue]

Was saying to my dad only last week how that goal against Southampton with Shilton in goal was like the hand of God but with his head! Remember that day clearly, we all started leaving at full time because I think it was the first year of extra time in semi finals.

 

[Drico]

Now, he is a proper club legend.

In many ways, the heartbeat of our attack. A tremendous link player, full of flair, cleverness, and willingness to run.

Heath and Sharp is the definitive Everton attack. Gray was sensational and so important to our rise, but Heath and Sharp were the original first choice partnership and burnished that judgement of Kendall by succeeding the Lineker/Sharp combo to such effect in 1987.

I am delighted Adrian Heath has his "star" on the Everton way - and indeed that it appears that all of that side does. Sometimes players from that greatest-ever side get overlooked in the rush to boil it down to Southall, Reid, and Sharp, but they were all integral to our success and Inchy was pivotal among those. The Kevin Brock backpass goal and the cup semi winner were, arguably, THE two most important goals scored by that team in the 1980s.

 

[salmon fingers]

Saw him a good bit and gutted by his injury in 84/85.... Marwood

Always liked him.

Up until the Marwood tackle him and Sharpie were Brilliant and if he had stayed fit Andy Gray would have barely kicked a ball that season. I believe that if we had him for the next season instead of Lineker we win the league as Linekers goals would have been spread through the team. How lucky I was to see him and that team play.

 

[Alanbileysfeathercut]

Never hid the fact he was a stoke fan.
Told me he was upset it wasn't a cantilever stand they built with his transfer money...

 

[Groucho]

Anyone here see him play for us?

Yes

 

[Blast_of_Cannock]

Was saying to my dad only last week how that goal against Southampton with Shilton in goal was like the hand of God but with his head! Remember that day clearly, we all started leaving at full time because I think it was the first year of extra time in semi finals.

"Hand of God but with his head". I think you mean 'a header'. As opposed to a dirty cheating "WHERE'S VAR!" handball.

 

[The Binman]

Anyone here see him play for us? One of my favourites. Even more now after watching this...

He was immense, till THAT tackle...

 

[Gilbert..]

Busy little player but he's always seems a bit of an outsider when you think of the great 80s side. I'll throw it out there. Would Everton have won what they did if he hadnt got injured. I dunno.