More than 26 years after his controversial move to Liverpool, Nick Barmby insists he loved his four years at Everton, describing the Goodison Park atmosphere as “amazing.”
On July 19, 2000, Barmby completed what has been called arguably the most controversial transfer in Merseyside football history when he left Everton for Liverpool in a £6million move. He then celebrated wildly after scoring for the Reds in the next derby at Anfield on October 29, which Liverpool won 3-1.
Reaction to the Transfer
At the time, Everton chairman Bill Kenwright described Barmby’s exit in theatrical terms. He said: “If my highest high this year was taking the telephone call from my lawyers to tell me I’d finally got Everton, the lowest low was hearing the news about Nick Barmby.
“It was hearing he had used the six of the worst words in the English language as far as Everton fans are concerned. He had said: ‘I want to play for Liverpool’. To say I was shocked and surprised doesn’t begin to describe how I felt about it.”
Tony Tighe, the Everton Shareholders’ Association spokesman, said: “The fans will never forgive him for this. His career was in the doldrums for three years after he came here but we stood by him and kick-started his career.
“Now he has kicked us in the teeth by saying he wants to move across the park. That will hurt the supporters deeply and he’ll never be welcome at Everton again.”
Barmby Reflects on His Time at Goodison
Now 52, the Hull-born player claims he can still look back on his time with the Blues with fondness. Speaking in an interview in the matchday programme for Hull City’s 2-2 draw with Everton on Sunday, Barmby, who cost a then club-record £5.75million when he signed in November 1996, said: “I was at Middlesbrough when we played Everton at Goodison Park and we beat them 2-1 and I scored.
“After the game, Joe Royle made enquiries to see if Middlesbrough would sell me. They put in a bid, and I had a word with Bryan Robson about it when I found out that Everton were interested.
“Everton is a massive club. Gary Speed was there at the time, Big Dunc, so there were some really good players, and I had met Joe Royle previously and he was a great guy and a great manager.
“The move came around pretty quickly to be fair. You don’t realise until you get to Everton the demand of the club and from the fans.
“It’s a massive club with the success it’s had in the past. Goodison was a remarkable place, especially when the fans got going; they were the 12th man.
“The atmosphere was amazing and to play for a club like Everton, I loved my four years there, because it was a special place to play.”
Struggles and Success
Barmby added: “It is a shame that in the first two years we struggled. I was devastated when Joe Royle got the sack as he was a great manager and great man, and the players we had were good players.
“We lost Andrei [Kanchelskis] and he was one of the best players I’ve ever played with; he was an amazing player. I didn’t realise how good he was until I played with him.
“We lost Big Dunc to Newcastle, and we struggled those first two years, which was obviously disappointing for everyone.”
Royle had been attempting to add panache to his self-styled ‘Dogs of War’, and Barmby was earmarked to fill the Peter Beardsley-style second striker role. However, his first three campaigns at Goodison brought Premier League goal returns of four, two and three – measly figures for a forward player.
Barmby was also infamously the man whose penalty was saved in front of the Gwladys Street by Coventry City’s Magnus Hedman on the final day of 1997/98. If his 84th-minute spot-kick had gone in, Everton would have gone 2-0 up, but Dion Dublin headed in an equaliser five minutes later and the hosts clung on for a 1-1 draw.
In 1999/2000, Walter Smith finally got a tune out of Barmby by regularly deploying him on the left wing. Netting nine Premier League goals – including a hat-trick in a 4-0 away win at West Ham United – Barmby equalled his total for his three previous seasons combined.
He said: “Those next two years, we signed John Collins, who was a great player, Mark Hughes, who was amazing to play with, and we did well. The fans deserved it and it would have been good to have won something with Everton, but it wasn’t to be.
“I had some great memories over the four years I was there. Some of the players I played with there were great, great players.
“To score a hat-trick and to especially score my third goal in front of the Everton fans at the old Upton Park was great. I always look back on that game and I really enjoyed it.
“Richard Gough played and he was about 40, and he was probably one of the best players on the pitch. I remember Richard from when I was at Spurs.
“He was only there a year before he went back to Rangers, but to play with Richard Gough and John Collins, it was a good day that day. I have fond memories as it was my first hat-trick in the Premier League.”
