After 14 years in the wilderness, Everton’s trip to Highbury on April 14, 1984, was the day that brought belief to Blues fans that the glory days were heading back to Goodison Park. As football matches go, the scruffy 1-0 victory over Southampton with the only goal in two hours of play coming four minutes from the end of extra time was not a classic but for many Evertonians of a certain vintage, the game remains one of their most-treasured memories.
Gavin Buckland, Everton’s official statistician and a regular guest on the ECHO’s Royal Blue podcast, recalls the winning goal in his recently-published book Boys From The Blue Stuff: Everton’s Rise To 1980s Glory in which he points out that one fan among the mass of Everton supporters on the North Bank is clearly shown making the sign of the cross and looking to the heavens for divine inspiration before Peter Reid took his free-kick. Relaying Clive Tyldesley’s commentary on Radio City at the time, he writes: “A free-kick. On the byline. Reid takes it. Mountfield. HEATH! HE’S SCORED! ADRIAN HEATH HAS SCORED FOR EVERTON! A pitch invasion… memorable scenes… as the Everton fans stream out to congratulate Adrian Heath, because with just four minutes of extra time to go he has scored the goal which will take them back to Wembley and an FA Cup final for the first time since 1968. Surely that’s going to be enough!”
Indeed, the goal seemed like a pivotal moment for Everton when it came to turning the tide. At the time of their last major trophy, the League Championship in 1970, they were level with Manchester United and Liverpool when it came to winning the most titles (seven apiece, Arsenal would make it a four-way tie for top spot the following year) but in the intervening fallow period their rivals from across Stanley Park had gone into a silverware overdrive, and by the end of the 1983/84 season they’d captured a further eight League Championships – more than they’d secured over the previous 80 years; an FA Cup; four consecutive League Cups plus honours on the continental stage in the shape of four European Cups and two UEFA Cups.
In the last of those League Cup finals, just three weeks prior to the FA Cup semi-final against Southampton, Everton had held Liverpool to a goalless draw in the first all-Merseyside Wembley showpiece but you seldom got two chances against the Red machine and Howard Kendall’s men were edged out 1-0 by Joe Fagan’s side in a Maine Road replay. However, going toe-to-toe with their more-successful neighbours brought hope that Everton’s young side were a coming force and that would be proven over the next three years.
As Buckland points out, Southampton, who would finish runners-up in the First Division just three points behind champions Liverpool, were the toughest draw in the semi-finals with the quartet made up by Watford (who’d end up mid-table in 11 th – Everton came seventh) and Plymouth Argyle who’d come a lowly 19 th in the Third Division. Like in the other semi in north London though, just a solitary strike from George Reilly some 13 minute in proved the difference for Graham Taylor’s outfit at Villa Park against the minnows from Devon.
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Although in an era before regular squad rotation, Saints boss Lawrie McMenemy had controversially rested four players who were risking suspension for the semi-final in a 1-0 defeat at Goodison a fortnight earlier, Southampton were 5/4 favourites to win with Everton 15/8 outsiders. Indeed, Alan Ball, who played for both clubs, surprised his former midfield colleague Kendall by also tipping the south coast side to triumph.
Buckland points out that Heath’s goal was actually the product of some clever management as Kendall had noted that Southampton’s Frank Worthington rarely came back for set-pieces or if he did, seldom picked up anyone. “Try and hit this area” was the manager’s instruction, and that is exactly what happened as Mountfield was unmarked. He also observes that for some the semi-final was a battle of goalkeepers given that it was Peter Shilton v Neville Southall and the Welshman came out on top with the England man shaky. Kendall said: “Neville has proved by his performances this year that there is no finer keeper in Britain.”
Almost twoscore years on though, Evertonians look back on the day with a smile though. On the anniversary last year, fans replies to a Twitter post from Blues fans site Blue Kipper included the following responses:
“One of my favourite matches following the Blues . Not because it was a great game but because of what it meant and the incredible atmosphere.”
“What a day, possibly my favourite game ever.”
“My best memory of going to Highbury.”
“Been going to the match since the late 60s but this was my favourite away trip of all time. What a day that was.”
“The noise when the ball hit the net, unbelievable.”
And the simple: “Limbs everywhere.”
