Harry Catterick
The Cat who created The School of Science
| Full name: | Harry Catterick |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: | November 26, 1919 |
| Date of death: | March 9, 1985 |
| Clubs played for: | Everton, Crewe |
| Clubs managed: | Crewe, Rochdale, Sheffield Wednesday, Everton, Preston |
Club Career
Harry Catterick signed for Everton in 1937 but his playing career was halted by the advent of the Second World War.
He nevertheless scored 55 goals in 71 games for the Blues during wartime before making his long-awaited League debut in August 1946 at the age of 27.
He played just 59 games over the next five years, though, before moving to Crewe, where he spent two seasons.
Managerial Career
After cutting his teeth in management at Crewe and Rochdale, Catterick made a great impression at Sheffield Wednesday, where he won the Second Division title, reached the FA Cup semi-finals and came second to Double winners Tottenham in his three years at the Owls. In 1961 Catterick jumped at the chance to join his old club Everton, where his authoritarian approach brought immediate results.
With the backing of millionaire owner John Moores, Catterick was also able to make big signings and, after finishing fourth in his first season in charge, the Toffees won their first League Championship in 23 years. Catterick's men also claimed the 1966 FA Cup and, inspired by the midfield 'Holy Trinity' of Alan Ball, Colin Harvey and Howard Kendall, won a second League title in 1970.
The flowing football of his side earned the Blues the nickname The School of Science but the anticipated era of Everton domination never materialised and the sale of the popular Ball in 1971 backfired. Catterick then suffered a heart attack the following year and upon his recovery accepted a move upstairs. He subsequently moved on to Preston, where he spent two further years in management.
Key Games
Liverpool 0-4 Everton (First Division, September 19, 1964)
The introverted Catterick had an intense rivalry with Bill Shankly, the Reds manager, and was desperate to silence his opposite number, who had won his first title with Liverpool the previous season. Everton duly obliged, hammering the home side 4-0 at Anfield thanks to goals by Colin Harvey, Johnny Morrissey, Fred Pickering and Derek Temple.
Everton 3-2 Sheffield Wednesday (FA Cup final, May 14, 1966)
Everton came back from 2-0 down to complete a thrilling 3-2 win at Wembley. Catterick had taken the bold decision to play the little-known Mike Trebilcock instead of England international Pickering, who had just recovered from injury, and the move paid off as Trebilcock scored twice in five minutes to draw the Blues level. Temple decided the match with 16 minutes to go.
Tottenham 0-1 Everton (First Division, March 11, 1979)
Everton had hit an alarming dip in form with just two wins from their last seven matches and Brian Labone's back injury in their last game against Burnley had ruled him out for the rest of the season. Catterick decided to make Alan Ball, who had just served a five-match ban for dissent, captain and he rose to the challenge with an inspirational performance. Alan Whittle scored the only goal to take Everton above Leeds, where the Blues remained for the rest of the season.
Honours
| Club | Competition | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Sheffield Wednesday (as manager) | Second Division Championship | 1958-59 |
| Everton (as manager) | League Championship | 1962-63, 1969-70 |
| FA Cup | 1966 |
Did You Know...?
Catterick did not especially get on with the press, but he once used the media for his own ends to get one over on his old foe Bill Shankly. He claimed in an interview to a journalist that Everton had missed out on signing Howard Kendall and that the player had opted to sign for Liverpool - only for the reverse to turn out to be true. Kendall signed for Everton that same day to compound a miserable week for the Reds, who had been knocked out of the FA Cup by their Merseyside rivals the previous weekend. An embarrassed Shankly tendered his resignation, which was refused by the club.
Catterick's autocratic style manifested itself in his strict rules regarding punctuality. Players had to clock on at the Bellefield training ground by signing a book in pencil to say they were on time. Once the 9.45am deadline had passed the pencil was replaced by a red pen. Any players whose names appeared in red were subjected to a club fine.
Catterick died of a heart attack aged 65 shortly after watching Everton draw 1-1 with Ipswich at Goodison Park in the FA Cup quarter-final in 1985. Everton won the replay 1-0 and the players wore black armbands in his honour.
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