I was one of six kids and Dad was the only wage earner so partly down to economics, I didn’t grow up watching football, but I did enjoy playing it, using a tennis ball as we didn’t have anything else. It did help develop your ball control skills, if you could play with a tennis ball, you could certainly do it with a proper football.
I admired Billy Liddell as a player, he was someone who you would want to model yourself on. He was a big strong man, but there were never any bad tackles, he was strong but fair and skilful.
The game that stands out from my career, apart from the final in ’66 was against Ipswich Town. We beat them 5-2 at Goodison Park and I scored my one and only hat trick. I didn’t receive the match ball though, in those days I think money was a bit tight so they didn’t give the match balls away…it actually just wasn’t something that happened in those days.
My debut at Goodison Park was against Newcastle United and we won 2-1. I don’t recall the manager, Ian Buchan, telling me I had been picked, I think he simply put the team sheet up and there I was. I do remember him saying afterwards that I would play for England one day. It was a proud moment when I got called up into the England squad under Alf Ramsey. I got capped for playing against Germany in Nuremburg in 1965. Sir Alf was looking to get a settled squad ahead of the World Cup in 1966. I had a decent game, we won 1-0 and I made the final 40 for the ’66 England Squad. Unfortunately when they narrowed that down to twenty two I missed out. It was the only game I played for England, Ian Buchan was spot on when he said I’d play for them ONE day….!
Derek Temple
Everton v Stoke City Sporting Memories Game was held on 30th March 2013.
Memory added on March 28, 2013
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