# 1979–80 Everton F.C. season

During the 1979–80 English football season, Everton F.C. competed in the Football League First Division. They finished 19th in the table with 35 points.

## Review

18 August 1979: Everton become the first team to wear a sponsored shirt in a Football League match when they wore their Hafnia sponsored shirts against Norwich City at Goodison Park. The only other side with a sponsored shirt in this season, Liverpool didn't play their first Football League match until 3 days later, on 21 August 1979. Although Liverpool played their first match of the season in the Charity Shield the week before, the match was televised, thus Liverpool played in non-sponsored shirts.
13 October 1979: Crystal Palace's unbeaten start to the season ends with a 3–1 defeat to Everton at Goodison Park.
October 1979: John Gidman is signed from Aston Villa for £650,000 (2013: £2,900,000) in a deal which sees midfielder Pat Heard move the other way at a valuation of £100,000.
29 February 1980: With the season approaching its final quarter, Manchester United have moved level on points at the top of the First Division with Liverpool, who have a game in hand. Bolton Wanderers remain bottom, with just one League win from their first 27 matches, and Derby County and Bristol City also remain in the relegation zone, with Everton occupying the last safe spot.
1 March 1980: Everton lose 2–1 at home to Liverpool in the First Division Merseyside derby, and during the game their legendary former striker Dixie Dean dies from a heart attack in the stands, aged 73.
8 March 1980: Second Division West Ham United, having beaten Aston Villa 1–0 in the FA Cup sixth round, are joined in the last four by Liverpool, Everton and holders Arsenal.
12 April 1980: Both FA Cup semi-finals – Arsenal versus Liverpool and Everton versus West Ham United – end in draws.
16 April 1980: West Ham United beat Everton 2–1 at Elland Road to reach the FA Cup final.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 17 | Manchester City | 42 | 12 | 13 | 17 | 43 | 66 | −23 | 37 | |
| 18 | Stoke City | 42 | 13 | 10 | 19 | 44 | 58 | −14 | 36 | |
| 19 | Everton | 42 | 9 | 17 | 16 | 43 | 51 | −8 | 35 | |
| 20 | Bristol City (R) | 42 | 9 | 13 | 20 | 37 | 66 | −29 | 31 | Relegation to the Second Division |
| 21 | Derby County (R) | 42 | 11 | 8 | 23 | 47 | 67 | −20 | 30 | Relegation to the Second Division |

## Results

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result |
| 18 August 1979 | Norwich City | H | 2–4 |
| 22 August 1979 | Leeds United | A | 0–2 |
| 25 August 1979 | Derby County | A | 1–0 |
| 1 September 1979 | Aston Villa | H | 1–1 |
| 8 September 1979 | Stoke City | A | 3–2 |
| 15 September 1979 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 2–3 |
| 22 September 1979 | Ipswich Town | A | 1–1 |
| 29 September 1979 | Bristol City | H | 0–0 |
| 6 October 1979 | Coventry City | A | 1–2 |
| 13 October 1979 | Crystal Palace | H | 3–1 |
| 20 October 1979 | Liverpool | A | 2–2 |
| 27 October 1979 | Manchester United | H | 0–0 |
| 3 November 1979 | Norwich City | A | 0–0 |
| 10 November 1979 | Middlesbrough | H | 0–2 |
| 13 November 1979 | Leeds United | H | 5–1 |
| 17 November 1979 | Arsenal | A | 0–2 |
| 24 November 1979 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–1 |
| 1 December 1979 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 1–1 |
| 8 December 1979 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 2–0 |
| 15 December 1979 | Southampton | A | 0–1 |
| 22 December 1979 | Manchester City | H | 1–2 |
| 26 December 1979 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 1–1 |
| 29 December 1979 | Derby County | H | 1–1 |
| 1 January 1980 | Nottingham Forest | H | 1–0 |
| 12 January 1980 | Aston Villa | A | 1–2 |
| 2 February 1980 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 0–0 |
| 9 February 1980 | Ipswich Town | H | 0–4 |
| 19 February 1980 | Bristol City | A | 1–2 |
| 23 February 1980 | Crystal Palace | A | 1–1 |
| 1 March 1980 | Liverpool | H | 1–2 |
| 12 March 1980 | Manchester United | A | 0–0 |
| 15 March 1980 | Coventry City | H | 1–1 |
| 18 March 1980 | Stoke City | H | 2–0 |
| 22 March 1980 | Middlesbrough | A | 1–2 |
| 28 March 1980 | Arsenal | H | 0–1 |
| 2 April 1980 | Manchester City | A | 1–1 |
| 5 April 1980 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 3–1 |
| 19 April 1980 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–3 |
| 26 April 1980 | Southampton | H | 2–0 |
| 28 April 1980 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 0–0 |
| 3 May 1980 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 0–0 |
| 9 May 1980 | Nottingham Forest | A | 0–1 |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| 3 | 5 January 1980 | Aldershot | H | 4–1 | 23,700 | Latchford 6', Hartford 22', King 60', Kidd 74' |
| 4 | 26 January 1980 | Wigan Athletic | H | 3–0 | 51,863 | McBride 31', Latchford 71', Kidd 76' |
| 5 | 16 February 1980 | Wrexham | H | 5–2 | 44,830 | Megson 6', Eastoe 48', 80', Ross pen 68', Latchford 76' |
| 6 | 8 March 1980 | Ipswich Town | H | 2–1 | 45,104 | Latchford 29', Kidd 77' |
| SF | 12 April 1980 | West Ham United | N | 1–1 (aet) | 47,685 | Kidd pen 42' |
| SF:R | 16 April 1980 | West Ham United | N | 1–2 (aet) | 40,720 | Latchford 114' |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result |
| 2:1 | 28 August 1979 | Cardiff City | H | 2–0 |
| 2:2 | 5 September 1979 | Cardiff City | A | 0–1 |
| 3 | 25 September 1979 | Aston Villa | A | 0–0 |
| 3:R | 9 October 1979 | Aston Villa | H | 4–1 |
| 4 | 30 October 1979 | Grimsby Town | A | 1–2 |

### UEFA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| 1:1 | 19 September 1979 | Feyenoord | A | 0–1 | 37,000 | |
| 1:2 | 3 October 1979 | Feyenoord | H | 0–1 | 28,203 | |

## Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | GK | ENG | Martin Hodge |
| - | DF | ENG | John Gidman |
| - | DF | ENG | John Bailey |
| - | DF | ENG | Billy Wright |
| - | DF | ENG | Mick Lyons |
| - | MF | ENG | Trevor Ross |
| - | MF | SCO | Asa Hartford |
| - | FW | ENG | Peter Eastoe |
| - | FW | ENG | Bob Latchford |
| - | FW | ENG | Brian Kidd |
| - | MF | ENG | Andy King |
| - | MF | ENG | Gary Stanley |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | DF | ENG | Mark Higgins |
| - | GK | SCO | George Wood |
| - | MF | SCO | Joe McBride |
| - | MF | ENG | Gary Megson |
| - | MF | ENG | Geoff Nulty |
| - | DF | ENG | John Barton |
| - | MF | IRL | Eamonn O'Keefe |
| - | DF | ENG | Colin Todd |
| - | FW | ENG | Imre Varadi |
| - | DF | WAL | Kevin Ratcliffe |
| - | FW | SCO | Graeme Sharp |
| - | MF | ENG | Pat Heard |

## Deaths

* 1 March 1980 – Dixie Dean, 73, legendary Everton striker who scored 60 league goals in the 1927–28 season; died on 1 March after suffering a heart attack while watching Everton's game against Liverpool at Goodison Park.