Post by QPR Report on Dec 30, 2009 8:42:39 GMT
Les O'Neil...
Liverpool Echo
Everton v Carlisle: Beware the ghosts of Christmas past!
Dec 30 2009 by David Prentice, Liverpool Echo
Everton v Carlisle: Beware the ghosts of Christmas past!
THE Cumbrians are coming!
But while Carlisle United will arrive at Goodison Park on Saturday hoping to cost David Moyes a few grey hairs and perhaps a headache or two, their first visit to Everton 35 years ago this month cost the Blues much, much more.
The proud, but unheralded soccer outpost was the unlikely club which cost Everton the league title in 1974/75.
In the days of two points for a win, Everton missed out on the Championship by three points – and they were beaten home and away by the team which finished rock bottom of the First Division table, Carlisle United.
What made it worse was that Everton had actually led the Goodison clash 2-0 – and still lost.
The man who scored the matchwinner at Goodison Park, Carlisle midfielder Les O’Neill, recalls the day as if it were yesterday.
“You have to remember that playing in the First Division was a massive thing for Carlisle United so I remember it really clearly,” said Les, a scout for Queens Park Rangers these days.“To get there in the first place was a wonderful achievement and it sticks out as the high point in my career.
“Going to places like Goodison Park, Anfield and Old Trafford is something I’ll never forget.
“As for that goal, of course I remember it. It was a header and I’m only five feet six inches tall!
“I played midfield but was always likely to get one or two goals and I always set a target every season of double figures.
“We were two-nil down in that game but what I remember is that Everton were a really good footballing team and we liked to play football, too, so they let us play.
“We used to allow teams to play against us, but Everton allowed us to play as well.
“It was a really good football game and because visits to grounds like that were new to us we actually looked forward to it. Instead of playing in front eight or 9,000 at Brunton Park we were playing in front of 30, 40 and 50 thousand fans and we loved the experience.
“The atmosphere at Goodison that day was fantastic. The noise when we ran out was incredible and the crowd at Everton was really fair.
“If you played good football they appreciated it and they appreciated the fact that we weren’t such a bad side.
“We had a group of players who had a real togetherness and spirit.”
The Everton unit built by Billy Bingham was also useful, although lacking in one or two vital components to create a titlr winning side.
An effective, if largely uncharismatic side, British transfer record signings Bob Latchford and Martin Dobson had helped take the Blues to the summit of the First Division the week before Christmas 1974.
Just seven days earlier a Latchford header had given the Blues victory at eventual champions Derby on the infamous Baseball Ground quagmire and Blues fans scented success.
Then came Carlisle.
Every one of us had a ground we wanted to visit that season,” added O’Neill. “For me it was St James’ Park because I’d started my career at Newcastle, but we all really looked forward to going to Goodison.
“We were two-nil down but we were still playing very well and got back to 2-2.
“I rememeber the winning goal so clearly. Chris Balderstone picked up the ball on the right and I’d seen him do this same move so many times before.
“If Chris had an extra yard of pace he would have been a top, top player, but as it was he was still very good and when he got possession I knew he’d take the full-back on and try and get the cross in to the near post.
“Chris had so much ability that he wouldn’t just sling the ball in, he could pick you out, and I knew if I could get ahead of my man to the near post he would pick me out.
“That’s exactly what happened, I got my head on it, scored and we won 3-2.”
As if to underline their jinx status, Carlisle entertained Everton at Brunton Park in March, with Everton clinging on to title hopes that were beginning to falter.
The Cumbrians won 3-0 for a result that was even more startling than the Goodison Park success had been.
O’Neill isn’t entertaining thoughts of such a shock this weekend, though.
Carlisle drew 0-0 at Tranmere last Saturday to stay 15th in League One, and O’Neill added: “I am still involved as a scout for QPR and I’ve seen Carlisle a couple of times this season.
“Earlier in the season they were playing well but not scoring enough goals, but now they are posing more of a threat.
“The striker, Vince Pericard, is a handful.
“But you know that any side David Moyes sends out will have a real work ethic and that should be enough to ensure their greater quality comes through.
“But you never know. We’ve done it once before .
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/everton-fc/everton-fc-news/2009/12/30/everton-v-carlisle-beware-the-ghosts-of-christmas-past-100252-25491935/
Liverpool Echo
Everton v Carlisle: Beware the ghosts of Christmas past!
Dec 30 2009 by David Prentice, Liverpool Echo
Everton v Carlisle: Beware the ghosts of Christmas past!
THE Cumbrians are coming!
But while Carlisle United will arrive at Goodison Park on Saturday hoping to cost David Moyes a few grey hairs and perhaps a headache or two, their first visit to Everton 35 years ago this month cost the Blues much, much more.
The proud, but unheralded soccer outpost was the unlikely club which cost Everton the league title in 1974/75.
In the days of two points for a win, Everton missed out on the Championship by three points – and they were beaten home and away by the team which finished rock bottom of the First Division table, Carlisle United.
What made it worse was that Everton had actually led the Goodison clash 2-0 – and still lost.
The man who scored the matchwinner at Goodison Park, Carlisle midfielder Les O’Neill, recalls the day as if it were yesterday.
“You have to remember that playing in the First Division was a massive thing for Carlisle United so I remember it really clearly,” said Les, a scout for Queens Park Rangers these days.“To get there in the first place was a wonderful achievement and it sticks out as the high point in my career.
“Going to places like Goodison Park, Anfield and Old Trafford is something I’ll never forget.
“As for that goal, of course I remember it. It was a header and I’m only five feet six inches tall!
“I played midfield but was always likely to get one or two goals and I always set a target every season of double figures.
“We were two-nil down in that game but what I remember is that Everton were a really good footballing team and we liked to play football, too, so they let us play.
“We used to allow teams to play against us, but Everton allowed us to play as well.
“It was a really good football game and because visits to grounds like that were new to us we actually looked forward to it. Instead of playing in front eight or 9,000 at Brunton Park we were playing in front of 30, 40 and 50 thousand fans and we loved the experience.
“The atmosphere at Goodison that day was fantastic. The noise when we ran out was incredible and the crowd at Everton was really fair.
“If you played good football they appreciated it and they appreciated the fact that we weren’t such a bad side.
“We had a group of players who had a real togetherness and spirit.”
The Everton unit built by Billy Bingham was also useful, although lacking in one or two vital components to create a titlr winning side.
An effective, if largely uncharismatic side, British transfer record signings Bob Latchford and Martin Dobson had helped take the Blues to the summit of the First Division the week before Christmas 1974.
Just seven days earlier a Latchford header had given the Blues victory at eventual champions Derby on the infamous Baseball Ground quagmire and Blues fans scented success.
Then came Carlisle.
Every one of us had a ground we wanted to visit that season,” added O’Neill. “For me it was St James’ Park because I’d started my career at Newcastle, but we all really looked forward to going to Goodison.
“We were two-nil down but we were still playing very well and got back to 2-2.
“I rememeber the winning goal so clearly. Chris Balderstone picked up the ball on the right and I’d seen him do this same move so many times before.
“If Chris had an extra yard of pace he would have been a top, top player, but as it was he was still very good and when he got possession I knew he’d take the full-back on and try and get the cross in to the near post.
“Chris had so much ability that he wouldn’t just sling the ball in, he could pick you out, and I knew if I could get ahead of my man to the near post he would pick me out.
“That’s exactly what happened, I got my head on it, scored and we won 3-2.”
As if to underline their jinx status, Carlisle entertained Everton at Brunton Park in March, with Everton clinging on to title hopes that were beginning to falter.
The Cumbrians won 3-0 for a result that was even more startling than the Goodison Park success had been.
O’Neill isn’t entertaining thoughts of such a shock this weekend, though.
Carlisle drew 0-0 at Tranmere last Saturday to stay 15th in League One, and O’Neill added: “I am still involved as a scout for QPR and I’ve seen Carlisle a couple of times this season.
“Earlier in the season they were playing well but not scoring enough goals, but now they are posing more of a threat.
“The striker, Vince Pericard, is a handful.
“But you know that any side David Moyes sends out will have a real work ethic and that should be enough to ensure their greater quality comes through.
“But you never know. We’ve done it once before .
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/everton-fc/everton-fc-news/2009/12/30/everton-v-carlisle-beware-the-ghosts-of-christmas-past-100252-25491935/
