Paul Bracewell appreciation thread

[allezlesbleus]

The atmosphere there is incredible.

We were on the run of runs mate...league, cup winners cup..FA cup, brilliant comebacks, amazing hammerings, suddenly everyone realised what we had seen coming for months that a truly great team had formed before our very eyes!!!!
Poor old Sunderland got in the way of a very special juggernaut that day.

 

[vagant59]

When i bought my replica 85 shirt, his was the only name that was ever going on the back. Top Top player

 

[Merseyzig]

A lot of memories emerge from that Sunderland game. Although I was fortunate enough to go to that match, I must have listened to the Clive Tyldesley radio commentary of it hundreds of times "Oh.. That's a terrific ball from Bracewell...Steven, he's round the full back, oh what a goal. This is Everton at their very very best."

The first time I remember him scoring at Goodison, not sure if it was his first at home but certainly the first I had seen, it was against Norwich and it was like a slow motion goal. Once he got to the penalty area I think he lost his bearings somewhat!

 

[dave abrahams]

I knew Bracewell was a good player but Imtook him for granted, could rely on him never letting the team down, the game that made me sit up and take notice that he was more than just part of the team was the semi final when we beat Luton Town after extra time, he covered every single blade of grass on the pitch that
afternoon, urging the team on,tackling passing, covering for his team mates in every area of the field he was my MOTM that day and really showed me what a great team player he was,tragic him getting injured,Everton
were robbed of many more years of a tremendous footballer.

 

[Seathestars]

Loved him, epitomized everything good about football and Everton

 

[bluesb1970]

The atmosphere there is incredible.

It was!

 

[steken1]

Interviewed me for a job once

 

[dave abrahams]

Interviewed me for a job once

Did you get the job?

 

[bignev23]

Was sound for the 84/85 and 85/86 season then seemed to be injured for an absolute age and when he got fit again he was a shadow of his former self which was frustrating as I was expecting the old Bracewell, He did play a major part of arguably the best Everton team ever though so he'll always be remembered for that.

 

[The Esk]

Bracewell's pass for Trevor Steven's goal v Sunderland 1985.......

 

[captainvindaloo]

We were spoiled rotten in the mid 80's, and enjoyed every minute of itlol. So relaxing to go to the game, with no thought of losing. Would love for that feeling to come back. A fantastic time to be a blue. The team was packed with so much talent, that it was easy to take for granted a player like Bracewell. I was gutted for him when he got injured, and that pretty much was the end of that. Thanks for doing this thread @Groucho!

 

[Bluecranks]

Quite possibly favourite game. I was in the Street End and we were delighted when Sunderland scored in the first minute.

It was like an episode of the Hulk. They made us angry.

Haha ... yes! I used to love when the opposition scored first against that side - it just made the inevitable victory more exciting. Gana looks a player in a similar mode, but he's got a long, long way to go if he's going to get close to Braces.

 

[Debaser]

My second favorite Everton player ever (after Inchy).

An absolute pleasure to watch him in his prime. Many posters have mentioned the Sunderland game on this thread, and indeed that game was probably my favorite from that magnificent 84-85 season. Sunderland had the audacity to go one up - and we responded with ok, yeah.....lets see what you got now. And then we proceeded to annihilate them, with every single Everton player the rest of the game having a blinder. And Bracewell and Reidy were at the heart of it all, as always.

We played fantastically week in week out that year, but the Sunderland game was bettered in overall performance I think only by the mouthwatering display against United (5-0), where we quite simply ripped them apart.

And Paul Bracewell was at the heart of everything - a brilliant reader of the game, a fantastic passer of the ball, and a superb compliment to Reid.

Oh the days!

 

[steken1]

Did you get the job?

I did, then the development went tits up and I didn't, so no

 

[Mountfield1985]

Does anyone know if Moyes kept Bracewell on as assistant manager at Sunderland?