5 Best Moments For Everton Fans
Everton Football Club has enjoyed a lot of success as one of the oldest clubs in English football, becoming a staple of the top flight league throughout almost all of that time. Over the years, there have been some incredible moments for Everton fans, from winning league titles to international competitions. Let’s take a look at Everton’s illustrious history and determine the five best moments for Everton fans around the world.
The Winners Cup Title (1985)
During the days of the European Cup Winners’ Cup, the best of the best throughout the continent competed in a tournament to claim the ultimate title. In the 1984-85 edition of the tournament, Everton advanced past UCD in the first round, Internacional Slovnaft Bratislava in the second round, then Fortuna Sittard in the quarterfinals.
The true test came in the semis when Everton faced Bayern Munich and advanced after a 3-1 win in the second leg. In Moscow for the final against Rapid Wien, neither team scored in the first half, but it didn’t take long for Everton to take the lead. Andrew Gray, Trevor Steven, and Kevin Sheedy all scored in the second half, giving Everton the title on a 3-1 victory.
The 2009 FA Cup Semis
For the 2008-09 FA Cup, Everton joined in during the third round proper, defeating Macclesfield Town 1-0 in front of just 6,000 people. Not many felt that Everton would get much further, especially with Liverpool awaiting them. However, Everton would win the replay after a 1-1 draw in the opening match, defeating them 1-0. Everton then defeated Aston Villa (3-1) and Middlesbrough (2-1) to vault them into the semis.
What went down next was one of the most thrilling games in Everton history, even if they would go on to lose to Chelsea in the final. Everton and Manchester United played to a 0-0 draw in regulation time during the semis, and extra time didn’t result in any goals, either. Heading into penalties, both clubs would miss the opening kick, but Everton took the 1-0 advantage after the second. Everton ended up making four in a row to win the match and place the club into the finals.
The 1995 FA Cup Final
Heading into the 1994-95 FA Cup, Everton had won the tournament just once in the previous 20 tries. After defeating Derby County in its first match (1-0), they went on to defeat Bristol City (1-0), Norwich City (5-0), and Newcastle United (1-0). Everton finally surrendered a goal in the semifinal, but still comfortably defeated Tottenham Hotspur 4-1.
Manchester United awaited Everton after having defeated Crystal Palace 2-0 in a replay. Everton struck first in the final with Paul Rideout scoring in the 30th minute. Despite several strong attempts, neither side would net another goal and Everton went on to claim the FA Cup with Dave Watson as the Man of the Match.
Second FL Title in Three Years
Between 1933 and 1984, Everton won the Football League just twice (1963 and 1970), but fortunes would change during the mid-1980s. Everton won the title in the 1984-85 season, though they would come up just two points short of a repeat the following year with Everton taking the title. In the 1986-87 season, Everton only had four wins after the first 10 matches, including losing three in a row.
Thankfully, Everton rebounded in the second half of the season, losing and drawing just once each in the final 12 matchdays. Everton finished the season with a 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, capping off a season that saw the club have a nine-point advantage over runners-up Liverpool. The season would be the second title in three seasons, while also proving to be the most recent title in England’s top league.
Avoiding Disaster in 2022
Everton was relegated in 1951 for just the second time in club history, and it looked like there would be a third relegation during the 2021-22 season. The season was filled with a lot of adversity for Everton as the team was losing money hand over fist while setting up a move into a new stadium. Heading into the 37th (and penultimate) matchday, Everton was on the brink of relegation as they faced Crystal Palace.
Crystal Palace would strike first with Jean-Philippe Mateta scoring in the 21st minute while Jordan Ayew netted a second in the 36th minute. Everton turned it on in the second half, though, with Michael Keane and Richarlison scoring to equalize the match. Finally, in the 85th minute, Dominica Calvert-Lewin scored to give Everton the 3-2 edge that would hold up and keep the club from being relegated.