In the 1977/78 season, Bob Latchford pocketed £10,000 after scoring 30 goals in the First Division. No Everton player since World War II has bettered that tally in the top flight (only equalled by Gary Lineker in 1985/86). It was a magnificent achievement and Everton fans who watched him that season could argue that it might not have been possible if it wasn’t for one man – Dave Thomas.

Dave Thomas joined the Blues shortly before the season started from QPR for £200,000. In his autobiography, Bob Latchford said he was looking forward to playing with him.

The acquisition that got me most excited was the QPR winger, Dave Thomas. I first saw Dave at a schoolboy international at Wembley when I was 15. For some reason, I just noticed him on the pitch when they came out and picked out his name from the team sheet. He had a style and a verve that attracted me to him as a player. He could do things on the pitch with the ball, like juggling it with both feet, that few other players at that level could manage. I remember thinking, “He’s got some ability, this lad. He’s going to be a player.” Sometimes you can recognise players who are going to make it to the very top and so it was with Dave.

And Latchford was not disappointed. In his 30-goal season, according to newspaper reports and available footage (plus a little help from Latchford’s autobiography), Dave Thomas assisted 12 of his goals, with 10 meeting his head and 7 directly from set pieces (6 corners and 1 free kick). By comparison, Everton’s best assister-goalscorer partnership in the Premier League – every season combined – was Leighton Baines setting up Tim Cahill 11 times.

Bob Latchford Goals Assisted By Dave Thomas:

Another 3 of Latchford’s goals came from set pieces by Dave Thomas:

• His hat-trick goal against QPR in October – Thomas took a free kick which fell to Andy King and he neatly set up Latchford.
• His fourth goal in the aforementioned game against QPR – Thomas took a corner which was cleared but only as far as just outside the box. Everton brought the ball back into the box and Mick Lyons subsequently set up Latchford.
• His first goal against Birmingham in November – a Thomas corner met the head of Jim Pearson but his header hit the underside of the bar and the rebound fell nicely to Latchford.

One noteworthy Thomas-to-Latchford goal was Latchford’s second goal against Manchester United in March. Early in the game, Latchford had a concussion and required two stitches in a head wound after a collision with Terry Darracott. But despite that, he still managed to head a goal from a Thomas cross.

It was an amazing season for Bob Latchford, and for Everton. And Latchford will always cherish his Everton days with Dave Thomas.

He was a magical player; he really was. There’s the old football saying of “landing the ball on a sixpence,” but Tizer [Latchford’s nickname for Thomas] could really do it. He could land it wherever you wanted it, which, to a centre forward, is the ultimate gift. He played in rubber-soled boots, no matter what condition the pitch was in, and without shin pads too. You can imagine some of the pitches then that he played on – the Baseball Ground and so on – but his balance was absolutely phenomenal. You can’t do that without having great balance and good feet, and he did, for the whole of his career. He was a joy to play with – an absolute joy.

Every League Goal Scored By Bob Latchford In 1977/78 (in case you’re interested):