The third publication in a series of histories by Everton statistician Gavin Buckland, which covers dramatic events between 1985 and 1994, when the club toppled from league champions to relegation candidates, is reviewed by Eric Brown...
BY ERIC BROWN
It was the best of times, the worst of times.
From the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, Everton’s fortunes swung as wildly as a barometer needle in a storm.
From title-winning jubilation, the club plunged down the top flight to become also-rans in less than a decade.
The catalyst for that descent and the reasons behind it are discussed in a new history of the club from 1985 to 1994.
This is the final book in an enthralling trilogy by Gavin Buckland, which began with examining the 1960s in ‘Money Can’t Buy Us Love’, continued with ‘Boys from the Blue Stuff’ and now returns to the Beatles theme with ‘The End’, the last full track on the last album the Fab Four recorded.
As 80s glory faded to 90s mediocrity, Everton suffered the same messy, disjointed fate as the world’s most successful recording group. They fell apart too.
A period which began with Everton expected to dominate European football plummeted into a pit through discord and tragedy.
Howard Kendall’s magicians grabbed League, FA Cup and European Cup-Winners’ Cup honours before disintegrating. As Buckland powerfully puts it: “The Mersey Millionaires became the Mersey mediocrities.”
The finest-ever Everton team was denied a chance to fulfill their full potential by a combination of circumstances beyond the club’s control and then dissolved.
Many contributing factors included the death of financial backer Sir John Moores in September 1993 after 30 years spent trying to make Everton the most powerful club in England.
The departure of influential and respected businessman Philip Carter as chairman led to a long-running battle for control between former Liverpool season ticket holder Peter Johnson and theatre impresario Bill Kenwright.
The greatest derby match at Goodison and how it changed football in several different ways is covered in 'The End' my history of #efc from 1985-1994. Buy here and at usual outlets. https://t.co/n9MGAderk2 pic.twitter.com/fgeBJzg804
— Gavin Buckland (@GavinBuckland1) December 6, 2024
Perhaps the greatest factors in Everton’s decline were the twin tragedies at Heysel and Hillsborough.
The European tournament ban on English clubs which followed the Heysel disaster prevented Everton challenging for the European Cup, a tournament many judges felt they could win.
The 1989 Hillsborough tragedy occurred on the day a triumphant Everton team beat Norwich City to reach the FA Cup Final. Their joy was short-lived as news increasingly filtered through from Sheffield of fan fatalities.
When the final eventually went ahead at Wembley, it quickly became clear Everton were simply cast in the role of gallant losers against a Liverpool side backed by an emotional nation. There was little sympathy left for Everton over the Euro-ban or the cup final that perhaps should never have been played.
With no European football on the horizon, the loyalty of Everton players became stretched to the limit.
Trevor Steven and Gary Stevens were among the first to depart for clubs that could still play in Europe’s premier competitions.
But worse was to follow when manager Kendall shocked Goodison by moving to Athletic Bilbao. His former assistant, Colin Harvey, merely proved the old adage: All managers can coach, but not all coaches can manage.
When Everton finally decided to change, Kendall returned disillusioned from Spain to resume the reins with Harvey as his assistant.
With many of his leading old hands already gone, Kendall merely underlined the football mantra: Never Go Back.
It was time for Mike Walker, who had had success at Norwich, to have a go, but under his rather confused direction, Everton came within 90 minutes of relegation in 1994, just seven years after they were crowned league champions.
Mr Buckland’s carefully researched and superbly written account of all these events and others to befall Everton during 1985-1994 is a must for all Bluenoses and neutral football enthusiasts alike.
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