As the countdown continues towards Goodison Park’s farewell game this Sunday, when Everton take on Southampton, Mail Sport talks to some of the club’s former stars for their recollections of the Grand old Lady. Here, one of the club’s most iconic goalscorers Bob Latchford recalls his days as Everton’s No. 9.

‘I suppose Andy Gray should say thank you,’ laughs Bob Latchford. ‘It could have been oh so different, I could have been part of that glorious ’80s side, but I’d had my time there.’ 

Latchford is sharing the little-known story of how Howard Kendall asked him to return to Goodison Park to lift his struggling team. It was October 1983, and Kendall needed experience alongside Graeme Sharp.

‘I moved into the same road that he lived on in Formby and that summer I used to end up in his back garden as we put the world to rights about football and politics. Howard was a very intelligent, lovely guy.

‘But I’d left Everton in 1981 and was at Swansea City. Howard called though and said he’d like me to go back. Yet I wanted to look forward. I wasn’t sure how much I’d play, and I knew Sharpy was going to be a decent player.’

Bob Latchford won the golden boot when he scored  30 goals for Everton in the 1977-78 season

The former Everton forward, 74, lives south of Nuremberg in Germany with his wife Andrea

Howard Kendall, here with the 1987 manager of the year trophy, tried to coax Latchford back 

Weeks later, Kendall turned to Gray and so began an Everton renaissance that would lead to the most successful spell in the club’s history.

You’d think Latchford, now 74, would be saddled with regret but that is not the moment that hits him the hardest reflecting on his association with Everton.

‘It’s emotional just thinking about it today. It should have been so different, I’m sorry,’ says Latchford slightly teary-eyed.

When asking him to pinpoint a standout period of his Goodison career, many would expect Latchford, the man Everton fans sang ‘Walked on Water’, would regale with anecdotes of his famous goalscoring season of 1977-78. After all, what striker wouldn’t want to boast about 30 goals in a season?

But for Latchford his overriding memory is one of disappointment. Being part of an Everton side that allowed the league title to slip out through their fingers three years earlier.

‘If I could ever go back in time, it would be then to that 1974-75 season. We were top of the league, the title was in our grasp, but we threw it away. Derby won it, four points ahead of us and we had lost fewer games.

‘We lost home and away to Carlisle, who were relegated, but we drew 18 times. Billy Bingham the manager had set us up not to lose. We were too cautious and those draws cost us in the end, not so much losing to Carlisle.

‘I remember we drew with Leeds United at Elland Road in March, and they were one of the best teams around. In the players’ bar afterwards, all their lads were coming up to us saying ”this title’s yours, it’s in the bag”.’

Andy Gray benefitted from Latchford’s decision not to return to Goodison for a second spell

Latchford was a fans’ favourite at Goodison with supporters singing that he ‘Walked on Water’

For all his achievements, Latchford can’t help but regret throwing away the title in 1975

Latchford had sent Everton to the top of the table with two goals against his former club Birmingham City in a 3-0 win, on his birthday, January 18. Everton rarely dropped below first place until April 9 when they lost to another side doomed for relegation, Luton Town. They would win only one more game after that and opened the door for Derby.

‘I was asked years later if Gordon Lee, who followed Bingham, had been manager that season, did I think we would have won the league, and I think the answer would have been “yes”. Gordon was more attack minded. People gloss over the 1970s with Everton because we were a nearly team but we shouldn’t have been. We had the talent; we had the players. But we never recovered from that year.

‘Whether down to tactics or not signing Peter Shilton when Bingham had said he was going to… we fell short. But I always did my best.’

Didn’t he just.

Latchford had joined Everton the previous season in a British record deal worth £400,000 with Goodison idol Kendall and Archie Styles going the other way.

‘I always felt comfortable at Goodison but there was big pressure on me to deliver, especially when Howard had gone the other way, he was a fans’ favourite.’

Latchford soon enamoured himself to the crowd, however, scoring twice at Goodison against his old side Birmingham City who had Dave Latchford, his older brother, in goal.

‘We had a phone conversation in the week, and I’d gently warned him to watch out for an elbow or two. It was a pre-requisite I’d always give my brothers a bit of a dig. I remember running through on goal to score and giving him a little kick on the way. Brotherly love. It was nothing unusual then.

Latchford rejoices as he scores his 30th goal of the season in the 6-0 win over Chelsea in 1978

Latchford went into the game needing two goals to reach 30 but says he knew it would happen

It is 50 years since Latchford (right) signed for Everton from Birmingham, with Archie Styles and Howard Kendall going in the other direction

‘I remember in the 1960s at Birmingham we used to put the first corner right under the bar and I’d jump in to hit the goalkeeper. It was always to test how brave he was. It was a tactic. If he didn’t fancy it then we’d swing all the crosses closer in to him so to put in a few challenges.’

The Goodison faithful embraced their new centre forward and he rarely let them down. Later, under Gordon Lee, and with a supply of crosses from flying winger Dave Thomas, he was even more prolific. Banners adorned the Gwladys Street, next to St Luke’s Church: ‘Jesus Saves. Latchford gets the rebound.’

For many supporters of a certain age turning up at Everton this Sunday, Latchford is the reason they first followed the club. Many hooked by his achievement on a gloriously hot day in late April 1978. The final game of the season when Everton beat Chelsea 6-0 at Goodison and Latchford scored twice to become the first man to reach 30 league goals in a season since Francis Lee in 1972. He was awarded a £10,000 prize from the Daily Express.

‘As soon as I woke up that day, I had the feeling I would score the two goals I required,’ remembers Latchford. ‘I never had a feeling like that ever. Everything just fell into place. It was the club’s centenary season. It was almost 50 years to the day since Dixie Dean had set his record of 60 goals in a season, and he was in the stands.

‘I went through the same routine: Had a massage, left my shorts off until the last minute, then grabbed a ball, ran out for my warm up and lashed it into the Gwladys Street goal.

‘The ground was absolutely rocking that day, a sea of blue, and the noise level… it was very hard to block it out. I’d played at Wembley, and for England, but that day was something else. The hairs on my neck stand up even now thinking about the roar as I came out of the tunnel.’

Everton raced into a 3-0 lead, but Latchford was still to score. ‘You could feel the tension and the crowd shouting ”Give it to Bob”.’ 

That was until the 72nd minute when Latchford scored off a Thomas corner and the ground erupted. Mike Lyons scored Everton’s fifth much to Latchford’s chagrin. ‘I was fuming.’ But Lyons made amends minutes later by earning a soft penalty. ‘Thankfully, that very nice Chelsea goalkeeper Peter Bonetti dived over my shot,’ says Latchford, ‘and the roof came off the place’.

Latchford had the honour of being congratulated on his feat by 60-goal hero Dixie Dean

The Everton legend, who died in 1980, has a statue surrounded by railings containing 60 circles, to represent Dixie’s record breaking 60 league goals

In the ensuing celebrations, Latchford arranged to meet his family at a restaurant in Formby. A bottle of champagne later though, he was slightly worse for wear and wanted to navigate leaving the stadium without alerting the press. He took a short cut through the lounges where he bumped into Dixie Dean.

‘He shakes my hand, offers congratulations. Then raises his finger and says with a grin, ”Remember though son, you’re only half as good as me!”

‘If I’m remembered by Everton fans half as much as he is I’ll have done very well,’ says Latchford modestly. ‘His 60 goals against my 30. He was the greatest.

‘Maybe in a few years’ time, in 2027/28, 50 years on from my 30 goals, I’ll be sat at the new stadium in Bramley Moore watching an Everton centre forward replicate my record. Now that would be worth remembering.’