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First Football Rivalries: Everton v Liverpool |
The Merseyside derby - the name given to matches between Everton and Liverpool football clubs - is the longest continuous local derby in the top tier of English football, having been played at that level for more than fifty years.
It is also known as ‘the friendly derby’ for a variety of reasons: families in Liverpool are often split in their allegiances to either club; total fan segregation is not enforced; the clubs are situated less than a mile apart with only Stanley Park between the two football stadiums, and their histories are intertwined, going back to Liverpool Football Club’s origin and including a period between 1902 and 1932 when they actually shared a match day programme.
The first ever derby match in this league fixture was played at Goodison Park on 13th October 1894 in Division One of the Football League, two years after Everton had left Anfield (resulting in Liverpool being formed as the resident football club there). This was Liverpool’s first season in the top division.
Everton won the match 3.0 with goals from Thomas McInnes – who thus scored the first ever goal in a Merseyside derby - John Bell and Alex Latta in front of a crowd of 44,000. John Bell was Everton’s first Scottish International player and at a time when Scots playing in England were rarely picked by the national team.
All subsequent league meetings between the two sides to date have also taken place in either the old First Division or the Premier League.
Everton won the first three league derby matches at Goodison Park before Liverpool finally won there on 24th September 1898 with two goals from Andrew McCowie (one a penalty); John Proudfoot replied for The Toffees. Two years later – almost to the day – came the first draw in this fixture: 1.1 on 22nd September 1900 in front of a crowd of 50,000. The first ever league draw in a Merseyside derby had come at Anfield six years earlier on 17th November 1894 (2.2) in only the second derby game played and the first at Liverpool's home ground.
Everton scored five goals against Liverpool in April 1904 and again, five years later, in April 1909. The match in 1904 took place on 1st April and ended 5.2 to Everton. Alex ‘Sandy’ Young scored four of Everton’s goals. Sandy Young is one of Everton's all-time highest league goal scorers and also scored the only goal in the 1906 FA Cup Final against Newcastle United. The Liverpool Echo described him as "one of the most fascinating players that ever toed a ball." Young allegedly suffered from mental instability throughout his life and, upon emigrating to Australia on his retirement from football, was convicted of manslaughter for shooting dead his brother in a dispute over money. He died, in September 1959, aged 79, in an Edinburgh mental asylum.
Liverpool also scored five goals in this fixture – on 6th November 1982. The Reds - on their way to their fourteenth league title - won 5.0 that day in front of 52,741. Ian Rush scored four of their goals and is the record Merseyside derby scorer in all competitions with 25. Everton’s Dixie Dean holds the record for league goals in derby matches with 18.
On 18th September 1948 the fixture attracted a crowd of 78,599 – the highest ever for a Merseyside derby - and finished 1.1. Jock Dodds scored for Everton and Willie Fagan for Liverpool. Dodds scored 36 goals in his 55 league appearances for Everton, helping to plug the gap left by centre-forward Dixie Dean who had retired and Tommy Lawton who had been sold to Chelsea for £11,500.
When the FA Cup has thrown these Merseyside giants together, there have been some thrilling matches. On April 23rd 1977 they met in the semi-final at Maine Road, Manchester. Liverpool twice led but Everton came back and, at 2.2, Everton's Bryan Hamilton thought he had scored the winner in the last minute but referee Clive Thomas ruled it out, allegedly for an earlier infringement. Liverpool won the ensuing replay 3.0.
The sides contested two FA Cup Finals in the 1980s. In 1986 Gary Lineker's goal had Everton ahead at half-time but Ian Rush scored two of three goals for Liverpool in the second half to give them a 3.1 victory and the League and Cup Double for the first time. In an emotional final in 1989 - just five weeks after the Hillsborough Disaster when 97 Liverpool fans died in a fatal crush - John Aldridge put The Reds in front after just four minutes. Again, Everton equalised, but this time in the very last minute of normal time. Their scorer was substitute Stuart McCall who scored again in extra-time and became the first substitute to score twice in an FA Cup final. Unfortunately for him and Everton, Ian Rush scored two more goals - just as in 1986 - to give Liverpool a 3.2 victory.
On 25th March 1984 the sides also contested the League Cup (Milk Cup) Final at Wembley Stadium. This match was far less exciting and finished in a 0.0 draw before, three days later, Liverpool won the replay 1.0 - again at Maine Road - with captain Graeme Souness scoring the only goal of the game in the first half.
Back in the league at Goodison Park, on 20th March 1988 Everton won 1.0 with a goal from Wayne Clarke in front of 44,162. This ended Liverpool’s run of 29 games unbeaten since the start of the season which was a record they shared at the time with Leeds United.
It is also known as ‘the friendly derby’ for a variety of reasons: families in Liverpool are often split in their allegiances to either club; total fan segregation is not enforced; the clubs are situated less than a mile apart with only Stanley Park between the two football stadiums, and their histories are intertwined, going back to Liverpool Football Club’s origin and including a period between 1902 and 1932 when they actually shared a match day programme.
The first ever derby match in this league fixture was played at Goodison Park on 13th October 1894 in Division One of the Football League, two years after Everton had left Anfield (resulting in Liverpool being formed as the resident football club there). This was Liverpool’s first season in the top division.
Everton won the match 3.0 with goals from Thomas McInnes – who thus scored the first ever goal in a Merseyside derby - John Bell and Alex Latta in front of a crowd of 44,000. John Bell was Everton’s first Scottish International player and at a time when Scots playing in England were rarely picked by the national team.
All subsequent league meetings between the two sides to date have also taken place in either the old First Division or the Premier League.
Everton won the first three league derby matches at Goodison Park before Liverpool finally won there on 24th September 1898 with two goals from Andrew McCowie (one a penalty); John Proudfoot replied for The Toffees. Two years later – almost to the day – came the first draw in this fixture: 1.1 on 22nd September 1900 in front of a crowd of 50,000. The first ever league draw in a Merseyside derby had come at Anfield six years earlier on 17th November 1894 (2.2) in only the second derby game played and the first at Liverpool's home ground.
Everton scored five goals against Liverpool in April 1904 and again, five years later, in April 1909. The match in 1904 took place on 1st April and ended 5.2 to Everton. Alex ‘Sandy’ Young scored four of Everton’s goals. Sandy Young is one of Everton's all-time highest league goal scorers and also scored the only goal in the 1906 FA Cup Final against Newcastle United. The Liverpool Echo described him as "one of the most fascinating players that ever toed a ball." Young allegedly suffered from mental instability throughout his life and, upon emigrating to Australia on his retirement from football, was convicted of manslaughter for shooting dead his brother in a dispute over money. He died, in September 1959, aged 79, in an Edinburgh mental asylum.
Liverpool also scored five goals in this fixture – on 6th November 1982. The Reds - on their way to their fourteenth league title - won 5.0 that day in front of 52,741. Ian Rush scored four of their goals and is the record Merseyside derby scorer in all competitions with 25. Everton’s Dixie Dean holds the record for league goals in derby matches with 18.
On 18th September 1948 the fixture attracted a crowd of 78,599 – the highest ever for a Merseyside derby - and finished 1.1. Jock Dodds scored for Everton and Willie Fagan for Liverpool. Dodds scored 36 goals in his 55 league appearances for Everton, helping to plug the gap left by centre-forward Dixie Dean who had retired and Tommy Lawton who had been sold to Chelsea for £11,500.
When the FA Cup has thrown these Merseyside giants together, there have been some thrilling matches. On April 23rd 1977 they met in the semi-final at Maine Road, Manchester. Liverpool twice led but Everton came back and, at 2.2, Everton's Bryan Hamilton thought he had scored the winner in the last minute but referee Clive Thomas ruled it out, allegedly for an earlier infringement. Liverpool won the ensuing replay 3.0.
The sides contested two FA Cup Finals in the 1980s. In 1986 Gary Lineker's goal had Everton ahead at half-time but Ian Rush scored two of three goals for Liverpool in the second half to give them a 3.1 victory and the League and Cup Double for the first time. In an emotional final in 1989 - just five weeks after the Hillsborough Disaster when 97 Liverpool fans died in a fatal crush - John Aldridge put The Reds in front after just four minutes. Again, Everton equalised, but this time in the very last minute of normal time. Their scorer was substitute Stuart McCall who scored again in extra-time and became the first substitute to score twice in an FA Cup final. Unfortunately for him and Everton, Ian Rush scored two more goals - just as in 1986 - to give Liverpool a 3.2 victory.
On 25th March 1984 the sides also contested the League Cup (Milk Cup) Final at Wembley Stadium. This match was far less exciting and finished in a 0.0 draw before, three days later, Liverpool won the replay 1.0 - again at Maine Road - with captain Graeme Souness scoring the only goal of the game in the first half.
Back in the league at Goodison Park, on 20th March 1988 Everton won 1.0 with a goal from Wayne Clarke in front of 44,162. This ended Liverpool’s run of 29 games unbeaten since the start of the season which was a record they shared at the time with Leeds United.
