In the history of the Merseyside derby, only a handful have ever been postponed (at the time this piece was written) because of inclement weather and infectious diseases. Here is how they were all postponed, plus a would-be historic women’s derby too.
Liverpool
Matthew Mooney – A Derby Demise
On 4th October 1924, the Merseyside derby took place at Goodison Park. Over 50,000 fans were in attendance to watch Liverpool claim the bragging rights after an early goal from Archie Rawlings was enough to earn a win over Everton. However, one Evertonian did not return home.
The Derby That Never Was
On 20th October 1996, Everton and Liverpool were set to play against each other in the 184th Merseyside Derby. Ahead of the game, Everton were unbeaten in the previous 4 derbies, winning 2 of them. Both sets of fans were eagerly awaiting the occasion, however disappointment was on the horizon – not for just one team, but for both teams. Controversial decisions by a referee is nothing new in the Merseyside Derby, but this time, a controversial decision was made BEFORE the game. Around an hour before kick-off, the Merseyside Derby was called off by matchday referee Roger Dilkes due to torrential rain.
Heads Or Tails?
A coin toss is normally used in football to decide who kicks the game off. Also, to decide who plays in the Euro 1968 final. But it has also been used to help a player decide which team to join.
Merseyside Derby Quiz
How much do you know about the Merseyside Derby? Test your knowledge by answering the 15 questions below!
| Q1. In which year was the first ever Merseyside Derby? | |
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| Q2. Which Liverpool player scored for Everton in Everton's infamous 2-1 defeat to Liverpool in October 2007? | |
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| Q3. Who was Everton's mascot for the Merseyside Derby in November 1996? | |
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| Q4. Who is the youngest ever verified goalscorer in the Merseyside Derby? | |
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| Q5. Only two players have scored for both Everton and Liverpool in the Merseyside Derby - David Johnson and who? | |
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| Q6. Who scored the only goal in Everton's 1-0 win over Liverpool in the second replay of the fifth round of the FA Cup in 1991? | |
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| Q7. How many minutes did Glenn Keeley last before he got sent off in his only appearance for Everton in the Blues' 5-0 defeat to Liverpool in November 1982? | |
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| Q8. Only 3 Everton players have scored a hat-trick in the Merseyside Derby - Sandy Young, Dixie Dean and who? | |
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| Q9. The Merseyside Derby went through a run of 4 consecutive 0-0 draws in the 1970s. It was nearly 5 in a row until which Liverpool player scored in the 88th minute in Everton's eventual 1-0 defeat to the Reds? | |
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| Q10. In March 1967, the Merseyside Derby was played at Goodison Park, but the match was also shown on some big screens at Anfield. What was the combined attendance? | |
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| Q11. Two Everton players scored own goals in the Blues' 4-0 defeat to Liverpool in March 1972. Who were they? | |
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| Q12. The last Floodlight Challenge Cup - an annual friendly competition between Everton and Liverpool - took place in which year? | |
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| Q13. Who was the referee who disallowed a legitimate goal by Everton's Bryan Hamilton three minutes from full-time in Everton's 2-2 draw against Liverpool in the 1977 FA Cup semi-final? | |
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| Q14. In another referee howler, who disallowed Don Hutchison's goal in the 0-0 draw between Everton and Liverpool in April 2000, claiming he blew the whistle for full-time before the goal, even though he didn't (which he later admitted)? | |
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| Q15. In 1955, Everton lost to lower-league Liverpool 4-0 in the FA Cup. Who left the game at half-time when Everton were 2-0 down to tearfully talk to hospital patients about the game? | |
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The Split – What Really Happened
It is commonly known that Liverpool were born after a dispute over rising rent led Everton to split into two. However, there was much more to it. Why Liverpool’s birth happened may have been because of the dispute, but how Liverpool’s birth happened is a different story.
The 1893 Liverpool Senior Cup Final
On April 22nd, 1893, Everton and Liverpool met each other for the first time since the split the previous year. It is disputed that this was the first ever Merseyside Derby. However, Everton’s reserve team (a.k.a. Everton Combination) participated in the tournament, not the first team; so technically, this wasn’t the first ever Merseyside Derby. But that didn’t mean the game was a friendly affair. The Everton-Liverpool rivalry started with a bang.