For this interview, I start a new project as I look back at past
performances of English clubs in the European Cups.
This will be a semi-regular and continuous series. For this Interview I look at Everton's 1984/85 Cup Winners Cup adventure.
The Interviewee is:
Mr. Gavin
Buckland
Mr. Buckland is Everton's official statistician,
Question of Sport script consultant, Radio Merseyside regular, Liverpool Echo
Royal Blue podcaster.
Mr. Buckland’s
contact info:
twitter: @GavinBuckland1
Soccernostalgia Question: When Everton
started the 1984/85, they had not been in Europe for a number of years and even
then they had not advanced beyond the first two rounds. What were the
expectations for the 1984/85 Cup Winners Cup?
Mr. Gavin Buckland
Response: Remember European football was still an unknown quantity then and
although we had won the FA Cup, we were still a work in progress. There was no
expectation we were going to win it, but at the same time feeling was we could
go far.
Soccernostalgia Question: Everton
had won the FA Cup but at this point they were still not a power and certainly
no one could have envisaged the season they would at home and in Europe. Howard
Kendall’s remodeling had been a slow build. Was being in Europe, the extra
impetus the side needed?
Mr. Gavin Buckland Response: Not in the early stages of the season but
when the QF started definitely added to the momentum of the campaign, would say
league and Europe were mutually beneficial.
Soccernostalgia Question: The major
transfers in the off-season had been the arrival of Pat Van Den Hauwe in
defense (in September) and Paul Bracewell in midfield. In hindsight how was
their arrival critical in the European matches that season?
Mr. Gavin Buckland Response: Think Bracewell was important because he
worked hard off the ball, could slow the game down and pass the ball well - all
vital aspects of playing in Europe.
Van Den
Hauwe less influential as he was a left-back, but he added height and defensive
stability, a hugely underrated player.
Soccernostalgia Question: On paper,
the first-round opponents University College Dublin should have been the
easiest, yet Everton had difficulty, what was the reason you think?
Mr. Gavin Buckland Response: Basically, they parked the bus over the
two legs and showed up our lack of European experience, after the game at
Goodison which we won 1-0 to go through after a goalless draw over there, we
were booed off
Soccernostalgia Question: In the
second round, Everton eliminated Czechoslovakian side Inter Bratislava. What
are your memories of those ties?
Mr. Gavin Buckland
Response: Never heard of Inter Bratislava, thought they were Slovan
Bratislava! First leg over there, listening to it on crackly radio. Second leg
at Goodison we had just gone top of the league and were on a run of 10
successive victories, eased to a 3-0 win with a very efficient display.
.jpg)
Photo
From: Onze, Issue 113, May 1985
|
(Graeme
Sharp) |
Soccernostalgia Question: When the
springtime arrived, Everton were in a completely different zone They were
League leaders and destroying all in their path. They were one of the best
teams in Europe at that point. Were the ties vs. Dutch side Fortuna Sittard
seen as a formality?
Mr. Gavin Buckland Response: Like previous games, knew nothing about
them – there was no reference point so not seen as a formality. We struggled in
the first half at Goodison, but Gray had a habit of bending games to his will, and
he did that with a second-half hat-trick. Second leg was a formality mind, won
2-0.
Soccernostalgia Question: At this
point, Pat Van Den Hauwe starting in defense ahead of John Bailey and Adrian
Heath’s injury almost went un-noticed as the Scottish duo of Andy Gray (having
a second act) and Graeme Sharp were effective upfront. The team was more or
less consistently the same players, did everything just click perfectly?
Mr. Gavin Buckland Response: I think Adrian Heath getting injured in
the December did get noticed, we struggled for 4/5 games afterwards. There was
a noticeable change in style, with Gray and Sharp, more direct but not long
ball.
Gray had experience and a natural winner’s attitude which rubbed
off on the others. We were undoubtedly a better footballing side with Heath in
the team.
.jpg)
Photo
From: Onze, Issue 113, May 1985
|
(Andy
Gray and Peter Reid) |
Soccernostalgia Question: The real
test for Everton came in the semifinals vs. West German powerhouse Bayern
Munich. Everton came away with a key scoreless tie in Munich and then defeated
Bayern (3-1) at home after falling behind. Was this Everton at its height that
season?
Mr. Gavin Buckland Response: I would say if you were to ask for a
single highlight of the campaign, it would be Bayern at home. That said, the
football wasn’t great – bombard the German penalty area, press the opposition and
regain possession as soon as possible. One of the great strengths of
Kendall’s teams was taking the temperature of a game and react accordingly.
Soccernostalgia Question: I remember
watching the Final vs. Rapid Vienna and just knew that Everton was going to
win. Was this the feeling for the Everton faithful?
Mr. Gavin Buckland Response: In a word, yes. Think having beaten
Bayern so thrillingly you knew Rapid were not going to be a problem if we
performed to our ability.
.jpg) |
Photo
From: France Football, Issue 2041, May 21, 1985
|
(May
15, 1985, Cup Winners Cup, Everton 3-Rapid Vienna 1) |
.jpg) |
Photo
From: France Football, Issue 2041, May 21, 1985
|
(May
15, 1985, Cup Winners Cup, Everton 3-Rapid Vienna 1) |
Soccernostalgia Question: In the
end, Everton were relatively comfortable in Europe that season. Was it a
combination of luck of the draw and being confident as well?
Mr. Gavin Buckland Response: Not so much luck of the draw – we got
Bayern in the semi. Think if Celtic had beaten Rapid that would have been a
tough tie. Confidence did not come from challenging in Europe alone, it was
progressing in league, the FA Cup and Europe.
Soccernostalgia Question: Which
players stood out in the European matches?
Mr. Gavin Buckland Response: Think Gray because he scored crucial
goals in the last three rounds. Peter Reid as well, it was their experience
that made the difference, but that was the same domestically too.
Soccernostalgia Question: Do you
have memories of attending European matches that season? What was the
atmosphere at Goodison Park for these European nights?
Mr. Gavin Buckland Response: Like the season, atmosphere improved as
we progressed. This was a time of falling attendances so we had 15k versus UCD
than 25k ish in next two rounds.
Gray’s hat-trick certainly ignited Goodison in the QF and Bayern
is rightly regarded as Goodison’s greatest game – the atmosphere and intensity
was incredible.
Soccernostalgia Question: This
victory occurred just two weeks before Heysel. In the aftermath, the Champions
Cup participation was denied. It’s one of the big-ifs for this Everton
Generation as to how they would have fared. What is your opinion?
Mr. Gavin Buckland Response: I think we would have been in 2/3
favourites and potential winners – the confidence gained from winning CWC was
important. Would have been feared by anybody. Remember we won the CWC which had
Roma, Barcelona and Bayern in the field. However, two-legged ties can be
notoriously unpredictable. Think signing Lineker would have given us another
weapon in the armoury, his pace in away games would have been a huge asset.
%20-%20Copy.jpg) |
Photo
From: Mondial, new series, issue 63, June 1985
|
(May
15, 1985, Cup Winners Cup, Everton 3-Rapid Vienna 1) |
Soccernostalgia Question: How is
this Cup Winners Cup victory regarded Historically by the Everton faithful? Is
the League title revered more?
Mr. Gavin Buckland Response: Right up there, as part of our most
successful season. Strangely the Bayern game tends to overshadow the final.
It’s still our only European trophy.
.jpg)
Photo
From: World Soccer, October 1991
|
(Everton
squad, May 15, 1985, Cup Winners Cup, Everton 3-Rapid Vienna 1) |
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