It Was Fifty Years Ago Today

[BigMick]

Catterick was a great manager for us, but the way we declined after that 1970 league title win, does not reflect well on him. Swapping David Johnson for Rod Belfitt was another silly move imo.

Fair enough but I think his heart attack played a big role in his and our decline. He no longer travelled the length and breadth of the country spying on prospective signings after that.

 

[navidson]

We replaced him with Mike Bernard. Need I say more?

Loved Mike

 

[Alanbileysfeathercut]

 

[Cork Evertonian]

Sorry, but I disagree so much with your view on Ball that it’s almost pointless debating further.
I will however point out, though, that he was an integral player in a team that triumphed in the World Cup , so I don’t know the criteria you apply to judge a player deserving of the ( admittedly amorphous) appellation of ‘world class.’
However knock yourself out denigrating and demeaning an Everton great.
Hope it makes you feel suitably ‘edgy’.

Arsenal went into decline themselves after that double in 1971. So he went from one team on the slide, to another one on the slide. I think most Arsenal fans think fondly of Bally imo.

 

[Cork Evertonian]

Fair enough but I think his heart attack played a big role in his and our decline. He no longer travelled the length and breadth of the country spying on prospective signings after that.

That was a major factor obviously. Wasn't Tommy Casey the caretaker manager, for the latter half of that 1971/1972 season, while Catterick was recovering from that heart attack?

 

[BigMick]

FFS - he was one player. If the club is so delicate that the selling of one player can be used to justify 50 years of 'mediocrity', them we deserve all we (didn't) get. Besides, (unpopular opinion alert) i don't recall him pulling up any stumps for Arsenal after he left. Maybe we got the best years out of him and sold him when we could still get a decent price?

Some truth in that - we probably did get the best years out of him in terms of him being a dynamic midfield player who covered every blade of grass and was capable of scoring 20 goals a season (54 in his first three seasons), but he developed far more than that as he became more experienced, becoming more of a midfield general type of player.

IMO we should have built the next team around him, rather than sell him.

Dreadful captain though!

 

[BigMick]

We replaced him with Mike Bernard. Need I say more?

Should have been Archie Gemmill but Cloughie knicked him from under the Catt's nose.

 

[roy vernon]

Bally was never world class outside of that trio. i know that may outrage many blues, but its like taking Messi out of that Barca trio, still a great, great player, but never a shadow of the man for Argentina etc. Messi, with xavi and Iniesta either side was the ultimate footballer. Ball with Harvey and Kendall either side was our best ever midfielder by a million miles. Without them, he was very, very good, not world class!

I don’t know id you watched Bally play, if you did, I don't think you are a great judge of a player.

 

[Bluebonic]

I suspect folk that watched the 1966 world cup final would disagree with your synopsis that he could not play world class levels without Kendall and Harvey! Magic player, loved his attitude on the pitch.

I dont deny he played some great games for England, but i dint remember him ever looking as good a player when he left Everton( and while some of that would be down to hurt over losing him, i dont think it all was. In the holy trinity, they were ALL greater than they were as individuals

 

[chrissyjack]

It appears some people have been on the Xmas booze already

 

[Bluebonic]

I don’t know id you watched Bally play, if you did, I don't think you are a great judge of a player.

I was lucky enough to see Bally in his pomp, in the greatest club midfield Everton will ever see. Outside that midfield he was never as good a player as he was in it.

 

[BigMick]

That was a major factor obviously. Wasn't Tommy Casey the caretaker manager, for the latter half of that 1971/1972 season, while Catterick was recovering from that heart attack?

Yes he was, including the Walsall cup game after which we signed Bernie Wright!

 

[roy vernon]

I was lucky enough to see Bally in his pomp, in the greatest club midfield Everton will ever see. Outside that midfield he was never as good a player as he was in it.

Alf Ramsey would beg to differ i think.

 

[Bluebonic]

Sorry, but I disagree so much with your view on Ball that it’s almost pointless debating further.
I will however point out, though, that he was an integral player in a team that triumphed in the World Cup , so I don’t know the criteria you apply to judge a player deserving of the ( admittedly amorphous) appellation of ‘world class.’
However knock yourself out denigrating and demeaning an Everton great.
Hope it makes you feel suitably ‘edgy’.

Nowadays mate, the only time i feel ‘edgy’ is when i have a dream ive wet the bed, then wake up and feel around me to see if the sheets are cold! I appreciate my opinion in this is massively in the minority but i am in no way denigrating or demeaning an Everton gteat. He was world class with us and one of only three world class players i have seen in blue (Along with Ray Wilson and Neville).

 

[bcblue1878]

I suspect folk that watched the 1966 world cup final would disagree with your synopsis that he could not play world class levels without Kendall and Harvey! Magic player, loved his attitude on the pitch.

Great player, best player I have ever seen play for Everton!