On This Day In Everton History: March 26th

If, sensibly, you’re self-isolating in the safety of your own home, and need a break from the crushing boredom of it all, why not relive some March 26 memories of Everton with us?

Here’s three victories the Blues celebrated on this day:

1927 - Blues battle to beat Blades in vital victory

Not even the flurries of goals from Dixie Dean, fresh from having a metal plate fitted in his head, could prevent 1926-27 being a forgettable campaign for Everton.

Dean did not feature until mid-October after the motorbike crash in June that fractured his skull, while the Blues were also now without Sam Chedgzoy who, after making roughly 300 appearances for the club, had retired. Not helped by a utterly porous defence who conceded a shocking 90 league goals, Everton were in dire need of three points when Sheffield United visited Goodison Park on March 26, 1927.

And three points they got, thanks to summer signings Dick Forshaw and Tony Weldon, to secure a 2-0 victory over the mid-table Blades. It was Everton’s third straight league win, but left them still just one place above the First Division bottom two.

1977 - Rampant Everton thump hapless Spurs

Photo by S&G/PA Images via Getty Images

If 1926-27 was all about the league, 1976-77 was all about the cups for Everton, who reached the League Cup final and FA Cup semi-finals in that campaign.

Comparatively, the league form was again underwhelming, if not as perilous as in 26-27. Still, it was poor enough to get Billy Bingham the sack on January 10, replacing him with Newcastle boss Gordon Lee three weeks later.

After two early defeats, Lee soon built up a head of steam at Goodison, and a 4-0 home drubbing of lowly Tottenham on March 26 was arguably the pinnacle of an 11-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

The Blues were three up by half-time; talisman Bob Latchford opened the scoring inside two minutes, before Andy King and Martin Dobson netted before the whistle, and Mick Lyons rounded off a superb victory with a late fourth.

1988 - Sheedy and Clarke on target in Watford win

Another March 26 victory over lowly opposition arrived in 1988, when Colin Harvey’s high-flying Toffees saw off Watford, then bottom of the league, at Vicarage Road.

Kevin Sheedy struck home his only goal of that season to put Everton in front on the half-hour mark, before Gary Porter hit back with an equaliser for the Hornets four minutes in the second period.

But Wayne Clarke was on hand to restore the Blues’ lead on the hour mark with what proved the winning goal, leaving Watford deep in the mire and Everton in third, a respectable position even if Liverpool were too far out of reach at the top for the defending champions.