As Bad as Things Got: Everton, 7th May 1994

1998 might been the closest shave of all, but 1994 had the narrative.

If you ever wanted proof of the emotional pull of football, it can be seen most vividly at Goodison Park on the 7th of May 1994. On that day, Everton played Wimbledon needing a win to avoid relegation from the Premier League. The club were, after Arsenal, the second longest-serving members of the top division of English football, a founding member of the Football League, with forty consecutive seasons in the First Division and Premier League under their belt. They pulled through in 1994, but whilst they would have a closer shave just four years later and have finished just one above the relegation places again since then as well, it is the recollection of May 1994 that seems to carry the greater emotional pull.

Everton’s significant periods of achievement are slipping further and further from view, so it’s worth taking a moment to consider the scale of the club prior to its current, quarter-century long drought. They first became the champions of England in 1891, and have repeated the feat eight times since. There are only two blights on their time in the top flight in these 131 years, a relegation in 1930 which was followed by promotion straight back as champions, scoring 121 goals in the process, and becoming the champions of England at the end of their first season back, in 1932.