Memories of the 1976/77 League Cup Run

It's funny how time flies.... So, these are my memories of Everton’s first ever League Cup final and my first visit to Wembley. 50 years ago and it still feels like yesterday.

So, it’s Bank Holiday Monday, 30 August 1976. My brother, Mike, and I are watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang when Sammy Styles knocks for us to go the match. Off we go to see us beat Cambridge United 3-0 in front of an attendance of only 10,899. (Perhaps many other Blues decided to continue watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!)

In the next round we’re off to another 4th division team, Stockport County, at Edgeley Park. So, we go on the special train from Lime Street, we win 1-0 thanks to a 13th-minute goal by Bob Latchford .Memories of this game were the running battles with the joint forces of Manchester as we made our way back to the train station.

In the 4th round we dispatch Coventry City 3-0 in front of 21,572. The match day programme that night had an article about my brother, Mike, who won ‘Junior Fan of the Year’ and photos of how Andy King had visited Queen of All Saints school on Townsend Lane. Andy was brilliant with the Everton fans at the school.

It’s now the quarter final and we’re drawn away to Manchester United. I remember that day as I bought a leather trench coat (honestly they were quite fashionable in 1976), dropped it back home and went off to the match. Unbelievably, we win 3-0. Thousands of Evertonians singing their heads off and the dreaming of Wembley is within touching distance. Outside, carnage as I kept my mouth shut, eyes down and off to Victoria Station and then home to Liverpool.

For the two-legged semi-final we all wanted second division Bolton Wanderers and, bingo, we got the draw we wanted. So on Tuesday 18th January in front of over 54,000 (where were they against Cambridge?) we took a first-half lead, only to be pegged back by a late Neil Whatmore equaliser.

By the second leg we had appointed a new manager. Billy Bingham had been sacked and Gordon Lee had taken the reins. As I remember, Bob Latchford scored a header as he escaped his marker, Sam Allardyce. The Blues were the better team on the night, but just when you thought they would calm our frayed nerves Duncan Mackenzie fired a penalty wide.

The final whistle blows and we’re heading to the promised land. The Everton fans are going beserk and as the players came over to the fans I remember seeing Mick Lyons, Captain Blue Blood. The joy on his face was a sight to behold. The journey back to the train station and on the train was one big party.

I remember we got to Wembley at 9 o’clock. Loads of Evertonians were there already and only saw one Aston Villa fan there. I walked around the ground and took it all in and got in the ground as soon as the turnstiles opened. After half an hour, the Everton end was packed and the Villa end was sparse. Don’t get me wrong, by kick off the fans were 50/50 but it just seemed to mean more to the Everton fans.

The game ended 0-0 and I enjoyed it despite it often being described as one of the worst finals. At the end, as the teams left the pitch, two Everton fans evaded the security and got on with the players and as I looked down I realised one was my brother Mike. (Not quite Eddie Cavanagh but on the hallowed turf all the same.)

So, the replay is at Hillsborough and we go one down with an unlucky own goal. Then the Everton fans come into their own and continually sing, ”EVERTON ARE MAGIC, EVERTON ARE MAGIC, NA NA NA NA, NA NA NA NA." This went on repeat, echoing around the ground until with virtually the last kick of the game. Bob Latchford equalises. PANDEMONIUM!

I was on the front row of the Leppings Lane behind the goal and was badly squashed against the wall, my ribs were badly bruised but nothing compared to the dreadful tragedy what would happen in that same spot 12 years later.

Footnote: In the sports letters page of the following Sunday People paper a letter was sent in that went something like this:

"As a Sheffield Wednesday season ticket holder who attended the recent league cup final replay at Hillsborough my observation is that Everton don’t deserve their incredible fans."

The second replay is at Old Trafford and we’ve got the Stretford End. 2-2 after normal time. It's getting towards the end of extra-time heading towards penalties and we concede a soft late goal. We lose and Villa win the League Cup

F****in' gutted.

So, a brief snapshot of our League cup run of 1976/77. As someone once said it’s the hope that kills you!

UTFT