On This Day in Everton History: April 29th

Everton haven’t played on April 29 since 2006, but it’s proved a happy anniversary for them, winning nine of their 15 games on this date.

Today, we look back at four of the most memorable, including an FA Cup triumph, a promotion, a stunning late winner and a landmark victory for one of Everton’s greatest strikers. Let’s go:

1933 - Second FA Cup in the bag after easing past Man City

After beating Leicester, Bury and Leeds, thrashing Luton 6-0 in the quarter-finals, and then edging past West Ham in the semis, it was time for Everton to contest the 1933 FA Cup final on April 29 at Wembley.

And with Albert Geldard back from injury, and Billy Cook having avoided the drop for being caught drinking the night before, the Blues cruised to their second FA Cup in the club’s history thanks to goals from Jimmy Stein, Dixie Dean (of course) and Jimmy Dunn.

It was the first time Everton had lifted this piece of silverware for 27 years, too.

1954 - Final-day Oldham drubbing see Blues finally return to top-flight

Relegation and Everton aren’t words you’d associate with each other. Indeed, the Blues have only suffered this particular fate twice in their history, and not since 1951, when they finished bottom of the First Division.

That was a bad time for the Blues, of course, and it took them a while to bounce back; three years, in fact. Indeed, after two seasons of barely challenging for promotion, 1953-54 proved the year they would get over the line - but only just.

Cliff Britton’s men just needed to win at table-proppers Oldham Athletic on the final day to overtake Blackburn and pip them to the second promotion spot. And they did it in style, hammering the Latics 4-0, thanks to first-half goals from John Willie Parker (twice), Tommy ‘TE’ Jones and Dave Hickson.

They may have spent the last month in third but in the end, by the finest margin of a single point, the Blues had secured their return to the top tier.

1978 - Chelsea destroyed as Latchford earns £10,000 bonus

Photo by S&G/PA Images via Getty Images

This day also marks the anniversary of when Chelsea were given a 6-0 pasting by Everton at Goodison in 1978, thanks in no small part to the goalscoring exploits of the great Bob Latchford.

Martin Dobson, Mick Lyons, Neil Robinson and Billy Wright chipped in as well that day, but Latchford’s brace in the final game of a campaign in which Everton finished third saw him reach the milestone of 30 league goals in that season.

In doing so, he also landed himself a £10,000 bonus courtesy of the Daily Express, who had offered that sum of money to a player to reach 30 league goals in that campaign.

2006 - McFadden stunner downs Middlesbrough

Today also marks 14 years since a sumptuous James McFadden goal in the 89th minute secured a 1-0 win at UEFA Cup finalists Middlesbrough.

In a disappointing season following the ecstatic high of finishing four the previous year, the Blues looked to at least finish with a bit of a flourish in the penultimate game of the campaign here, lifting them one place to 11th.

And they managed that victory thanks to a stunning show of composure from McFadden, who raced on to Leon Osman’s long ball, caught sight of the out-rushing Boro keeper Brad Jones, before chipping him perfectly from about 25 yards to trigger bedlam in the Riverside Stadium away end.