Alan Ball ........ R.i.p.

[Dunny the Blue]

Im the same really, although I never saw hime play, it seems like you cant mention Everton without mentioning Bally. Judging by everyones reaction the guy was class act, ive herd many a story about him, RIP Bally

Edited April 25, 2007 by Dunny the Blue

[thebluenose]

saw on north west tonight a message to bally at the dixie dean statue

 

to bally i remember when i was 10 and you gave me a lift to the game coz i was walking in the rain.

 

 

 

what a guy.

[BLUEWOLF]

Mr Alan(Ball of fire)Ball. My Favourite player of all time. For me he was better than

George Best. I had the pleasure of being amongst the Everton fans on the old South Bank

at Wolverhampton Wanderers. When he tripped over the ball and got a penalty. He took

penalty and scored beating Wolves 2-1 So R.I.P. Alan my HERO.

[MikeO]

Stolen (unapologetically) from the BBC. Phil McNulty's article made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up....

 

Alan Ball's death has left Everton Football Club and their fans nursing a deep sense of grief and shock.

 

The loss of this vibrant man at only 61 will be felt throughout the sport, but nowhere more than at Goodison Park.

 

Ball had many stops in his career, but the love and affection in which he is held at Everton is nigh-on immeasurable.

 

Those of us fortunate to see him playing in the royal blue at his dazzling peak dismiss memories of the latter-day manager who at times struggled to repeat the successes of his playing career.

 

Instead we remember the man who was my first sporting idol and the idol of thousands of others - the man who is still my favourite footballer and always will be.

 

The man who was, beyond dispute, the finest player to represent Everton other than the legendary Dixie Dean.

 

And if you asked a similar question to Everton fans of a certain age, the answer would almost certainly be the same.

 

When I was asked to name my top 10 Everton players for a book about the club, there were some great names to conjure with, but number one took care of itself.

 

It was Alan Ball and nine others.

 

In the interests of impartiality, I named Terry Butcher as my favourite player when asked for a personal profile for this forum.

 

Not strictly true - but if one player is worth showing your true colours for it is Alan Ball.

 

And that is because he showed them for me every time he played for Everton.

 

The red hair, the blue shirt and the white boots. An irresistible combination and the symbol of a glorious Everton era.

 

To try and put Ball's status into perspective, if you imagine Wayne Rooney fulfilling all his greatness at Everton rather than seeking riches and silverware elsewhere, it is still unlikely he would eclipse the World Cup winner's popularity.

 

If all you ask of your team is that they leave every ounce of sweat and effort on the pitch behind them, then Ball delivered every time, every day.

 

But he delivered more.

 

Ball was inspirational, world-class, with a unique will to win, the central figure in a hugely gifted Everton team in his five-year career at Goodison Park.

 

He is remembered as the young, perpetual motion figure of England's 1966 World Cup side.

 

But he blossomed into as good a one-touch footballer as any there has ever been, a passer of vision, a 20-goal a season midfield man and a leader.

 

One title triumph in 1970 and a losing FA Cup final against West Bromwich Albion two years earlier does scant justice to his Everton legacy.

 

Ball was Everton. He was everything the club should be. Everything it should aspire to be.

 

Indeed, he was in at the start of a very old joke that goes: "What would you do if you caught Alan Ball in bed with your wife?"

 

Answer: "Tuck him in and make sure he doesn't catch a cold."

 

He had his flaws. A temperament so raw it led to trouble, and a tongue so sharp that it could floor team-mates who failed to live up to his standards.

 

But Everton fans loved him for it. And many still remember exactly where they were the day he was sold to Arsenal for £220,000 on 22 December 1971.

 

Christmas was cancelled that year and Everton didn't do any more real celebrating until 1984.

 

Ball left Goodison in tears, victim of a desperately mistaken decision by the ruthless, authoritarian boss Harry Catterick.

 

Catterick is the forgotten great manager of the 1960s - barely meriting a mention alongside Bill Shankly, Sir Matt Busby, Bill Nicholson and Don Revie.

 

This is despite building two title-winning teams at Everton.

 

But he is still remembered by so many Everton fans as the man who sold Alan Ball - the day the dreams died for so long for the club.

 

Ball never wanted to leave Everton, indeed he pleaded to stay, but Catterick reckoned on doubling his money after getting the best five years of his career.

 

He reckoned wrong.

 

Liverpool legend Shankly tracked Ball down to a restaurant on the day he left Everton.

 

When Ball was handed the phone by the head waiter, the Scot said: "You signed for Arsenal at 3.30 didn't you? How do I know? Because I felt like a big thorn had been pulled out of my side."

 

Ball played for other clubs, but he never played for them like he played for Everton.

 

It was his club and the fans were his people.

 

Every time he returned to Everton, either to attend a function or appear on the pitch, the reception was nothing short of tumultuous and he deserved every last decibel of it.

 

Everton and their fans have been left devastated by his death and emotions will be raw when they pay tribute against Manchester United at his Goodison Park on Saturday.

 

There was a chant at Everton in the 60s and 70s that started: "Who's the greatest of them all?"

 

There was only one answer for Everton fans of recent vintage - and there always will be.

 

[BLUEWOLF]

Yes very touching. He was Mr Everton and I was devastated when he left

to join Arsenal. Although he did his very best for them he was never the same

player that he was for Everton.

[Maghull70]

R.i.P. Alan Ball. Too young to have seen him myself, but the arl fella made sure I knew exactly who he was and how good he was as I was growing up. When Gordon Lee got sacked I remember Alan Ball and Howard Kendall were being talked of as successors. My Dad must have done a good job on me coz I wanted Alan Ball for EFC (although have to say in hindsight I'm glad we got Kendall).

Alan Ball will be missed by all blues, whether they had the pleasure of watching him or not. A true legend.

[Bernie the Bolt]

I remember a game at Goodison, i think it was against Southampton, and Bally got the biggest ever welcome reception when lining up before the game, when his name was read out, then strangely he was very subdued for all of the first half, not like him at all......when asked about it by the press afterwards he said he was absolutely overwhelmed by the fans reaction, and just couldnt get his act together he was so taken aback. Thats the man you see, couldnt understand why we still loved him long after he left, his feet were still firmly on the ground despite all he had achieved. A lesson there for some of todays prima donnas.

[Pat]

This news was taken with great sadness by my clan that spreads far around the globe.

 

My Arl fella is gen devastated & deeply sad, yet like everbody only has fond memories & enthusiastic plaudits for all that was Alan Ball.

 

We spoke via phone yesterday & all he could repeat was Arghhhh you never got to see him enough, you were too young. Followed by words of genuine affection & revery that gave a feel his generation were blessed for having had Bally touch their lives.

 

Damn, you no I didnt see enough of Bally, I was prob to young, but what I did see was magical, inspiring, indominatble & the very essence of what football should be about.

 

Rest in peace our Father, Son, Brother & Friend, You are the Blood that flows in us all - Nil Satis Nisi Optimum.

[Foxon]

my mum went to everton matches when he played she was really sad as i am i know i am too young to seen him play but he was a everton great he will be deeply missed

 

R.I.P James Alan Ball