Tranmere Rovers
St Yates's Day at 10: Everton 0 - 3 Tranmere Rovers Report
By Matthew Jones
January 26 2011
To mark the tenth anniversary of Tranmere's 3-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park in the fourth round of the FA Cup back in 2001, we bring you a look at the game itself which will form part of our Classic Rovers section which looks back at memorable games involving Rovers in recent years......
Today, January 27th 2011, marks the tenth anniversary of one of the greatest days in the history of Tranmere Rovers Football Club - the day that John Aldridge's "Little Tranmere", struggling so much in the league, travelled across the Mersey to take on Premier League side Everton.
Tranmere weren't given much chance in the fixture, but, cheered on by a sell out allocation of 6,189 fans in the Bullins Road stand, plus many other fans dotted around the ground, they not only beat Everton, but they absolutely demolished them, beating their local rivals 3-0 after a convinving, domnating display which saw them take a 2-0 lead by half time before finishing the hosts off in the second period.
It was a wonderful day for Tranmere Rovers fans and a day that undoubtedly the fans that were there that day can recall at the click of the finger. In this special article, we recall the events of that day with a match report from the game as well as some memories and thoughts with fans that were present at Goodison Park on that wonderful day..........................
Date: January 27th, 2001
Venue: Goodison Park
Competition: F.A. Cup Fourth Round
Result: Everton 0-3 Tranmere Rovers
After a good 2-1 victory away to Portsmouth in the Third Round of the F.A. Cup, Tranmere were handed an away tie to local rivals Everton for their Fourth Round Tie.
The tie was far from easy for Rovers, who were then lying near the foot of the Division One table [now Coca-Cola Championship] but Everton, with Walter Smith in charge, were not in the greatest of form either as they too were lying perilously close to the Premier League's relegation zone.
39,207 people crammed into Goodison Park, of which over 6,000 were Tranmere fans, who had made the short trip through the Mersey Tunnel and were situated in the Bullins Roadstand.
A tremendous amount of noise was made by the travelling Rovers fans, who were stamping their feet on the wooden floor and chanting all game. They silenced their Everton counterparts, who late, before the game had even reached it's conclusion, would be streaming out in their droves, much to the delight of the travelling Super White Army.
A tremendous amount of noise was made by the travelling Rovers fans, who were stamping their feet on the wooden floor and chanting all game. They silenced their Everton counterparts, who late, before the game had even reached it's conclusion, would be streaming out in their droves, much to the delight of the travelling Super White Army.
I still remember the words on Match of the Day the next morning. I think the Commentator was John Champion, and his words were "The 2,000 Tranmere fans sound more like 20,000". And that was an understatement.
Anyway, on to the game. Rovers were, ultimately, brilliant. They out-classed their Premiership opponents, making them look more like a Conference out-fit, or, as the chant went, Chester.
All the chances fell to Rovers, with Everton's defence looking old, slow and in general just to poor to handle anything Tranmere threw at them.
The first goal was always going to be important, and it was Rovers who got it, with defender and now hero, Sir Steve Yates, popping up on the left-hand side of the penalty area.
Thanks to some good work by Andy Parkinson down the right, Jason Koumas was able to cross the ball deep into the Everton box.
Although Paul Rideout was fouled in the penalty area, Sir Steve Yates, for some unknown but fantastic reason had made a darting run into the penalty area and beat the Everton defender to win the ball and send a looping header over ex-Tranmere 'keeper Thomas Mhyre, with the ball nestling beautifully in the net and sending the travelling Tranmere fans wild. To the disbelief of all of them, their team were 1-0 up at Goodison Park!
The first goal was always going to be crucial and Tranmere had got it, nothing less than they deserved. They continued to pile on the pressure with Everton not offering much at the other end.
The Toffee's most threatening player was striker Danny Cadamarteri, who was replaced in the second half and who, despite all his pace, couldn't find the net with any of his efforts, whilst his darting runs were often thwarted by Rovers magnificent back line of Graham Allan, Clint Hill, Richard Jobson and Steve Yates.
John Aldridge's men were in charge and it wasn't long before they doubled their league through a player with massive potential who had already been capped for Wales at U21 level, Jason Koumas.
It was more good work by Andy Parkinson that gave Koumas the chance to score, as the ex-Liverpool man beat his marker before pulling the ball back to Koumas on the edge of the area. Through sheer instinct, and without having to look up, Koumas beautifully and magnificently lobbed Mhyre with a quite stunning finish from the edge of the penalty area, lofting the ball into the top left hand corner with his first touch, leaving the Everton 'keeper stranded and hapless.
Rovers were in wonderland. Just 35 minutes in and not only were they holding their own against the Toffee's, but they were also beating them 2-0.
The Rovers fans were going mental and whilst the Everton fans could only look on in despair at what was happening to their team.
There were few more chances in the remaining ten minutes of the half, and as such the two teams went in with Rovers leading 2-0. They were in Heaven but probably too in fear of an Everton back lash in the second half. Such a back lash never came however. Instead, Rovers continued to pile on the pressure and Everton just couldn't handle it.
After just 17 minutes of the second half, Tranmere scored their third of the game, closing the game out and ensuring that they would have bragging rights over their local rivals for quite some time.
Rovers won a corner down their right, with Jason Koumas stepping up to take the set piece. The Tranmere hit prospect curled an outswinging delivery in towards the penalty spot where it was met by Steve Yates, who was running at the force of a speed train.
Yates, playing at left-back on that day due to injury to Gareth Roberts, met the ball perfectly and smashed his header into the ground, with the ball bouncing up and into the roof of the net over the arm of the diving Thomas Mhyre who was ultimately let down by the poor marking of his defenders.
Yates' celebration said it all. The look on his face was a picture of delight and sheer happiness. The former Bristol Rovers played steamed down the touchline towards the Tranmere fans, pumping his fists and running faster than you've ever seen before, pumped by sheer adrenalin. It took quite some time for his teammates to catch up with him and celebrate what was a perfectly crafted set piece.
There was no way back for Everton now, the curtains had fully closed, but the exits from the ground were now fully open and Everton fans were streaming out.
Look over to the Tranmere fans, and it was quite a contrast. All of them were on their feet, chanting, singing, dancing and jumping up and down.
I remember chants such as "We want four", "Always look on the bright side of life" and "There's only one Peter Johnson" being chanted. All three rare chants which have rarely, if ever, been sung by Tranmere fans since.
Although Rovers failed to get that fourth goal in the remaining 28 minutes, knowbody could complain. Tranmere Rovers Football Club had demolished and demoralised their Merseyside neighbours in a wonderful display of football, proving the magic of the FA Cup.
When the final whistle went, Rovers fans were over-joyed. Many had never experienced anything like it and it's fair to say that we've rarely experienced anything like it since. Tranmere had been inspired by manager John Aldridge into a quite wonderful display and had been supported admirably and wonderfully by their travelling fans. This, for many Tranmere fans, was the ultimate. The most perfect moment they have ever felt as a football supporter.
The Super White Army left the stadium still chanting. All of us pouring out of the stadium bearing smiles on our face, hoping we wouldn't hit a tribe of Everton fans threatening for revenge (or possibly suicide after what had just happened!). Fortunately we didn't, and we were able to wear the smiles on our faces for weeks and days to come
I remember one man walking out beside us chanting "there may be trouble ahead". He was right; one more Premiership team would fall to Tranmere Rovers in the 2000/01 F.A. Cup as Rovers wonderfully and unbelievably came from 3-0 down to beat Southampton 4-3.
Tranmere were true giant killers. A side to be feared by all. A return to those wonderful days may be some way away, but one can only recall memories of such a wonderful day and hope that such victories like Rovers' success over Everton will come along again soon.
MATCH SUMMARY
Everton 0-3 Tranmere
Yates (22, 62)
Koumas (35)
Tranmere: Achterberg, Hill, Jobson, Hamilton, Yates, Allen, Hinds, Koumas, Flynn (Henry 83), Parkinson (S Taylor 86), Rideout (Hume 80).
Everton: Myhre, Watson, Xavier, Ball, Unsworth (Gough 45), Gemmill, Gravesen, Pembridge, Hughes (Max-Moore 45), Campbell, Cadamarteri (Tal 71).
Attendance: 39,201
Referee: Jeff Winter
Booked: Tranmere: Allen (55) Everton: Gravesen (45) Gemmill (55) Tal (72) Pembridge (87)
To see the Report on the game that appeared on the BBC Website, CLICK HERE.
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27/01/2011 08:08
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03/01/2012 13:31
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