Seasons  »  2015-16  »  Everton News

Bob Latchford and Me: A Boy's Own Tale

by Nick Harris | 28/04/2016  5 Comments  [Jump to last]
Norwegian sports writer Andreas Selliaas grew up in a village south of Oslo in the 1970s, watching English football from afar and playing make believe in the street. His friends would quarrel over who would be Kevin Keegan and who would be Kenny Dalglish. Selliaas wanted to be neither. He wanted to be Bob Latchford.

Why? Because one day in late 1977, the English First Division match featuring Everton versus Coventry was beamed to his childhood home. Everton won 6-0, Latchford scored a hat-trick, and a seven-year-old boy chanced upon a hero. Sporting Intelligence picks up their story 38 years later.

» Read the full article at Sporting Intelligence

Reader Comments (5)

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Steve Cotton
1 Posted 29/04/2016 at 12:43:55
I was there that day, everyone booed when Mick Lyons pinched one from big Bob when the score was 4-0 and Bob was on 29 for the season....didnt stop him though shortly after...
Eugene Ruane
2 Posted 29/04/2016 at 12:57:33
Steve (1) - Something happened that day that I have never seen before or since.

So as we know, Bob needs two goals for the 30 and one of our goals is scored after a player (possibly Neil Robinson) had been tripped.

So it was into the box, trip, but he finishes - goal.

Next thing, everyone is surrounding the ref claiming the goal shouldn't stand because...the pen should be given.

Sort of 'Tut! We don't want him to score the goal, we want HIM to score.'

Steve Barr
3 Posted 29/04/2016 at 13:04:37
Eugene,

I was at the Coventry game, missed the Chelsea game unfortunately.

Your recollection is spot on and is nicely covered in Brian Viner's book; Looking for the Toffees.

Good read if you haven't done so.

Dave Ganley
5 Posted 29/04/2016 at 19:04:12
Yeah was there that day....my dad took me. Was sat in the Bullens rd stand...for some reason dad always preferred it there. Big Bobby Latchford was my hero also...closely followed by his supplier Dave Thomas. I was in heaven watching that Coventry game....for some reason I thought we would go top with that win so was celebrating even more than normal until dad put me right. Happy days as a kid then. Didnt have a bad side in those days...just the RS were so much better than anybody else. Bobby Latchford though was sonething else. He will always be my first hero
Baz McCann
6 Posted 01/05/2016 at 15:26:43
Remember the game well, put graffiti on the wall by Fazak hospital afterward: "30 goal Latch". Well I was a schooly.

PS in early 2000's I worked at Ladbrokes' call centre in Aintree and was told Bob was part of the team that set football odds. Anyone know what he's doing now? A true Legend.

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