This month Everton embarked on a three match tour of Australia as pre-season preparation for their 2010-11 campaign. To mark the event July's object of the month is the programme from Everton's first pre-season tour of Australia in 1964.
In 1964 Harry Catterick arranged for his team, who had finished third in the League Championship that season, to take part in a month long tour of the country. During the tour Everton played eight matches including games in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane.
The team that lined up for the 1964 tour included many future Goodison legends such as Colin Harvey, Brian Labone and Johnny Morrissey. The tour was a successful one for Everton. Everton won the opening match against a New South Wales state side 4-1. Another game in the series saw Everton smash the home team by 8 goals to 2. The tour was very well attended with nearly 200,000 people attending matches across the five states visited by the Club.
A letter from the P.R. Manager of the company sponsoring the 1964 tour, W.D. and H.O Wills Ltd, gives a clue as to Australia's motivation for inviting Everton to their country. The letter reads,
"The Everton visit has done a great deal to promote and strengthen Soccer in Australia and has shown many Australians who have never previously seen a really good team, just how exciting and interesting good Soccer football can be".
He was clearly left with a positive impression of the Everton players.
"As a team, the Everton team and officials were a first class crowd of chaps who behaved perfectly both on and off the field. I met them all several times and was most impressed with their good style and pleasant demeanor".
The 1964 tour was followed by another visit by the then Champions of England in 1987 when they again played matches in Melbourne and Sydney, as they will be doing this summer.
Explore more memorabilia about Everton's international tours and tournaments.
In 1964 Harry Catterick arranged for his team, who had finished third in the League Championship that season, to take part in a month long tour of the country. During the tour Everton played eight matches including games in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane.
The team that lined up for the 1964 tour included many future Goodison legends such as Colin Harvey, Brian Labone and Johnny Morrissey. The tour was a successful one for Everton. Everton won the opening match against a New South Wales state side 4-1. Another game in the series saw Everton smash the home team by 8 goals to 2. The tour was very well attended with nearly 200,000 people attending matches across the five states visited by the Club.
A letter from the P.R. Manager of the company sponsoring the 1964 tour, W.D. and H.O Wills Ltd, gives a clue as to Australia's motivation for inviting Everton to their country. The letter reads,
"The Everton visit has done a great deal to promote and strengthen Soccer in Australia and has shown many Australians who have never previously seen a really good team, just how exciting and interesting good Soccer football can be".
He was clearly left with a positive impression of the Everton players.
"As a team, the Everton team and officials were a first class crowd of chaps who behaved perfectly both on and off the field. I met them all several times and was most impressed with their good style and pleasant demeanor".
The 1964 tour was followed by another visit by the then Champions of England in 1987 when they again played matches in Melbourne and Sydney, as they will be doing this summer.
Explore more memorabilia about Everton's international tours and tournaments.
Programme from Everton's pre-season tour of Australia, May 1964