Dek Hogan recalls a wonderful end of season party on Merseyside and what was effectively a fond farewell to a man who was the saviour of Aston Villa.
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| Cascarino's signing changed our style of play |
One such magical season was that of 1989/1990 in which Graham Taylor's Aston Villa gave the then mighty Liverpool a real run for their money. Some would even argue that only a shift in tactics to accommodate late-in-the-season signing Tony Cascarino scuppered our chances. Up until Tony's arrival, standard operating practice had been to play the ball on the floor to Ian Olney who would hold it up long enough for Platty, Sid, Ormondroyd and Tony Tony Daley to deliver loads of attacking options as they poured forward. In the latter part of the season, play has become more “direct” and consequently less effective.
Bearing in mind we were relegated just three years earlier and deservedly so, the turnaround under Taylor, or “Sir Graham” as BRMB's George Gavin insists on calling him, has been nothing short of miraculous. Taylor quickly put together a workmanlike team of grafters to get us out of the second division, then spent that difficult first season back at the top transforming the squad with some shrewd buys of quality. This had paid off handsomely as we are now up there with the very best.
Liverpool have secured the title and we are assured of finishing runners-up, so as we head up to Merseyside, all 5,000 odd of us, it's very much party time, but there is an undercurrent of concern. The forthcoming World Cup is to be Bobby Robson's swansong in the England job and despite some one-eyed old hacks in Fleet Street disparaging our saviour, it's clear that our Graham is likely to be top choice for the big job.
As we prepare for the afternoon's festivities with a few cold ones in a Cheshire pub, there is some bad news. The talismanic David Platt has been involved in a car crash in which someone has sadly died. While Platty is said to be uninjured, he is by all accounts too upset to play. Young Mark Blake will get a rare chance to show us what he can do.
Strangely, for this fixture, along with my cohorts, I've opted for the seats rather than the terracing. The away end behind the goal at Goodison is a curious structure that has a very shallow terrace on the lower tier, then quite a high vertical wall before a generous but seated upper tier. Having paid for a seat I have no recollection of actually using it.
Away games around this time are much better than homes when it comes to singing, it being far easier to get a song going in the tight confines of an away pen than on a Holte End that can be sparsely populated. We also have a multitude of songs at this stage with several new classics to add to those passed down through the generations plus several songs for individual players. However, on this day, one song alone will dominate, “Graham Taylor's Claret And Blue Army”.
Amidst all the singing and generally having a good time, down on the pitch, a football match breaks out.
Urged on by a particularly boisterous travelling contingent, Villa take the initiative from the get-go with Gordon Cowans spraying accurately passed balls with glee. One such ball sends Tony Daley scurrying down left and Neville Southall has to be at his imperious best to prevent Tony's dangerous centre doing any serious damage. The Everton keeper is swiftly back in action again as Cascarino and Olney combine set up Mark Blake with a left footed shot that requires the Welsh shotstopper to save athletically.
It's all Villa in the early stages though a 20 yard effort from John Ebbrell reminds us that Everton are there, though while the home supporters are still clapping that shot, Tony Daley has scurried down the wing and set up Chris Price whose low left-footed drive again gives Southall the chance to shine.
Neil Pointon is obviously fed up with being skinned by Tony Daley and up-ends him in unceremonious fashion, leading to a confrontation between the Villa manager and unpopular referee George Courtney. Suddenly Everton find a foothold in the game and have some meaningful attacks of their own. An Ebbrell corner leads to a 25 yard blaster from Stuart McCall which Sid clears off the line. Then, good work from Pat Nevin leads to a Mike Newell strike from distance which beats Spink but cannons off the post for Mountfield to hook to safety.
It's getting a bit end to end now, with both Tony Daley and the increasingly lively Nevin testing the goalkeepers. However, the pendulum is swinging Everton's way, McCall setting Nevin clean through and only the presence of mind of the excellent Mountfield preventing disaster.
However, disaster does strike in the very next minute, Tony Cascarino inexplicably sticking his boot on the end of what had seemed an innocuous effort from Pointon and knocking it past Spink to give the Merseysiders the lead. Not long before half time, there's almost more disaster when a rasping Tony Cottee drive skids off McGrath but just skims past the post.
HALF TIME: Everton 1 Aston Villa 0
The Villa faithful have, with the occasional lull to cheer at goal chances, been singing “Graham Taylor's Claret & Blue Army” throughout the first half. During the interval, there is no respite. The song continues, loud and proud from the mouths of the vast majority of those occupying the away stand. Everton fans look totally perplexed by the phenonemon and look on in a mixture of awe and amazement. We're still singing it as the players emerge for the second half.
Unusually, Taylor makes a half time tactical change, replacing specialist right back Chris Price with Gareth Williams. He obviously thinks there's something lacking in the midfield with the absence of Platt. It certainly can't be Price's form that has forced the change as he's been solid defensively and dangerous going forward. Whatever, the reasons the change pays instant dividends. Tony Daley finds the ball that frees Mark Blake to provide the sort of cross that is meat and drink to Tony Cascarino and he gleefully makes amends for his first half faux pas by knocking in the equaliser.
We're still bouncing up and down in joyous celebration when we're brought up short by Everton taking the lead again. In a goalmouth scramble, Spink saves well from Cottee but Dave Watson heads the ball goalwards and Newell helps it over the line from point blank range.
Soon though, Neville Southall hands us the opportunity to square things again, somehow managing to handle the ball outside of his area. Sid Cowans curls his spectacular free kick over the Everton wall and straight into the back of the net!
That's fantastic but Tony Daley tops it. His dazzling run bamboozles the bemused ex-Villa man Martin Keown and he lets fly with a stunning cross that bounces tantalisingly off the woodwork before crossing the line. We've taken the lead! What a game.
Sadly we don't get to nab all the points thought. Derek Mountfield, who has been magnificent all afternoon, blots his copy book by uppending Tony Cottee and Kevin Sheedy, a late sub for Ebbrell, slots home the resultant penalty.
FULL TIME: Everton 3 Aston Villa 3.
The final whistle isn't the end of the story. The Villa Army are still singing the Graham Taylor song nearly two hours after we started and we are showing no signs of stopping. Not until our Graham comes out to see us. There is a precedent here. When Taylor's men had to wait to tenterhooks to see if we had gained promotion following a nil-nil with Swindon, he lead his players to share the moment with the travelling support. Now he emerges onto the Goodison pitch to take the plaudits of the fans. It's a sweet, glorious, wonderful moment, but we know in our hearts and he knows in his that this is goodbye.
Score: 3-3
Competition: League Division One
Venue: Goodison Park
Attendance: 29,551
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| The old away end at Goodison |
Strangely, for this fixture, along with my cohorts, I've opted for the seats rather than the terracing. The away end behind the goal at Goodison is a curious structure that has a very shallow terrace on the lower tier, then quite a high vertical wall before a generous but seated upper tier. Having paid for a seat I have no recollection of actually using it.
Away games around this time are much better than homes when it comes to singing, it being far easier to get a song going in the tight confines of an away pen than on a Holte End that can be sparsely populated. We also have a multitude of songs at this stage with several new classics to add to those passed down through the generations plus several songs for individual players. However, on this day, one song alone will dominate, “Graham Taylor's Claret And Blue Army”.
Amidst all the singing and generally having a good time, down on the pitch, a football match breaks out.
 |
| Mark Blake |
It's all Villa in the early stages though a 20 yard effort from John Ebbrell reminds us that Everton are there, though while the home supporters are still clapping that shot, Tony Daley has scurried down the wing and set up Chris Price whose low left-footed drive again gives Southall the chance to shine.
Neil Pointon is obviously fed up with being skinned by Tony Daley and up-ends him in unceremonious fashion, leading to a confrontation between the Villa manager and unpopular referee George Courtney. Suddenly Everton find a foothold in the game and have some meaningful attacks of their own. An Ebbrell corner leads to a 25 yard blaster from Stuart McCall which Sid clears off the line. Then, good work from Pat Nevin leads to a Mike Newell strike from distance which beats Spink but cannons off the post for Mountfield to hook to safety.
It's getting a bit end to end now, with both Tony Daley and the increasingly lively Nevin testing the goalkeepers. However, the pendulum is swinging Everton's way, McCall setting Nevin clean through and only the presence of mind of the excellent Mountfield preventing disaster.
However, disaster does strike in the very next minute, Tony Cascarino inexplicably sticking his boot on the end of what had seemed an innocuous effort from Pointon and knocking it past Spink to give the Merseysiders the lead. Not long before half time, there's almost more disaster when a rasping Tony Cottee drive skids off McGrath but just skims past the post.
HALF TIME: Everton 1 Aston Villa 0
The Villa faithful have, with the occasional lull to cheer at goal chances, been singing “Graham Taylor's Claret & Blue Army” throughout the first half. During the interval, there is no respite. The song continues, loud and proud from the mouths of the vast majority of those occupying the away stand. Everton fans look totally perplexed by the phenonemon and look on in a mixture of awe and amazement. We're still singing it as the players emerge for the second half.
Unusually, Taylor makes a half time tactical change, replacing specialist right back Chris Price with Gareth Williams. He obviously thinks there's something lacking in the midfield with the absence of Platt. It certainly can't be Price's form that has forced the change as he's been solid defensively and dangerous going forward. Whatever, the reasons the change pays instant dividends. Tony Daley finds the ball that frees Mark Blake to provide the sort of cross that is meat and drink to Tony Cascarino and he gleefully makes amends for his first half faux pas by knocking in the equaliser.
We're still bouncing up and down in joyous celebration when we're brought up short by Everton taking the lead again. In a goalmouth scramble, Spink saves well from Cottee but Dave Watson heads the ball goalwards and Newell helps it over the line from point blank range.
Soon though, Neville Southall hands us the opportunity to square things again, somehow managing to handle the ball outside of his area. Sid Cowans curls his spectacular free kick over the Everton wall and straight into the back of the net!
That's fantastic but Tony Daley tops it. His dazzling run bamboozles the bemused ex-Villa man Martin Keown and he lets fly with a stunning cross that bounces tantalisingly off the woodwork before crossing the line. We've taken the lead! What a game.
Sadly we don't get to nab all the points thought. Derek Mountfield, who has been magnificent all afternoon, blots his copy book by uppending Tony Cottee and Kevin Sheedy, a late sub for Ebbrell, slots home the resultant penalty.
FULL TIME: Everton 3 Aston Villa 3.
The final whistle isn't the end of the story. The Villa Army are still singing the Graham Taylor song nearly two hours after we started and we are showing no signs of stopping. Not until our Graham comes out to see us. There is a precedent here. When Taylor's men had to wait to tenterhooks to see if we had gained promotion following a nil-nil with Swindon, he lead his players to share the moment with the travelling support. Now he emerges onto the Goodison pitch to take the plaudits of the fans. It's a sweet, glorious, wonderful moment, but we know in our hearts and he knows in his that this is goodbye.
Score: 3-3
Competition: League Division One
Venue: Goodison Park
Attendance: 29,551
Everton: Southall,
Watson,
Keown,
Ratcliffe,
McDonald,
Pointon,
McCall,
Ebbrell,
Nevin,
Newell,
Cottee
Subs: Sheedy for Ebbrell, Atteveld for Watson
Villa:
Spink, Price, Mountfield, Nielsen, McGrath, Cowans, Blake, Gray, Cascarino, Daley, Olney
Sub: Williams for Price
Everton 3 Villa 3 May 1990 by villamadvids
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