Every now and again I take a look at the official Everton website, mainly to find out ticket news for forthcoming away matches. Like all official sites, it's safe and bland, but fortunately not as unpleasant as some the can read like Pravda in colour with an interactive shopping experience tagged on the side. Some of people's comments to the news stories are blindingly funny.
Anyway, my favourite bit is the section dedicated to 'on this day in' theme. Useful for getting the memory cogs turning and reminding ourselves of great, and not-so-great, times in our history.
So, on this day in 1994, Everton finally got their man in the shape of Mike Walker. Walker had no real resume aside from a short, but relatively highly successful period with Norwich that saw a team including Chris Sutton, Ruel Fox, Jeremy Goss et al compete in the fledgling Premier League and reach the latter stages of the UEFA Cup, beating Bayern Munich at some point.
Walker couldn't cope at Everton. His reign peaked with a battering of Swindon at home, culminating in the infamous Wimbledon match to ensure our survival on the last day of the season (thanks Hans Segers). A hapless summer was spent trying to sign anyone who'd stepped foot on a field in the US World Cup '94, including Martin Dahlin and the abortive pursuit of 'Muller', we ended up with Amokachi and Vinny Samways. The start of the 94/95 season was hideous. My recollection is not picking up our first win until about the 9th game at home to West Ham. Walker was out of his depth, the team had no spine and he had no answers. A few days after the West Ham win (another turning point, Mike), the silver fox was sacked and Joe Royle stepped through the door looking like he was meant for the job for life.
Ironically, it was Walker who bought Everton's most celebrated player of recent times, Duncan Ferguson, down from Rangers, initially on load along with Ian Durrant. I watched them at Portsmouth in a cup tie; the club had mispelled Durrant's surname on his shirt. Ferguson looked mean and moody and was unplayable. It rained, there was no roof on the stand and we got beat. Maybe 3-2.
Hated Mike Walker. Loved Joe Royle.
http://www.evertonfc.com/history/on-this-day.html
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4 comments:
Mike Walker *shudder*
He got them to paint MW on the nearest parking space to the entrance at Bellfield (first person ever to have their own designated space) only for Mitch Ward to park there...Mitch got fined for that and the rest of the team chipped in to pay it.
I used to have a vestige of fondness for Norwich after watching Goss volley in against Bayern Munich and sundry the season before Walker came. I think, if my chronology is right, that the relationship soured when Efan Ekoku put four past us at Goodison.
That MW story is terrific.
Ekoku's blitz was in September '93. Strange that Walker didn't think to try signing him when he came on board in '94.
I also think Walker may well have signed Joe Parkinson, so he did leave a legacy of a few decent players.
he was dressed in red, as I recall
ah yes, I remember it well
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