Friday, February 9 – 1945
Liverpool may repeat an experiment which showed such a success last season, when they face Everton in the return North Cup qualifying Competition “Derby” at Anfield tomorrow. This is the playing of Scottish international right back, Jim Harley, at outside right.
Manager George Kay Sprang quite a surprise at Goodison Park last season – October 9, 1943 was the date – when a few minutes before the game he announced that Harley would be at outside right. Mr. Kay’s confidence in the ability of a born footballer to do well anywhere was amply justified for Harley scored in helping the Reds to a 6-4 win. For the return match the following week Harley again played outside right and again scored – the first in Liverpool’s 5-2 win.
So with the club facing forward difficulties tomorrow look out for the Royal Navy man again being pitted against Greenhalgh. This will release Jack Campbell to go to outside left as partner. Don Welsh, leaving Taylor as leader of the line and Nieuwenhuys at inside-right, when he has been such an inspiration. For the right back berth there is Blood, so that all Mr. Kay’s troubles would be at an end.
This will be the sixth meeting of the clubs this season, and so far the Reds have scored two wins Everton one –last week’s 4-1 success –and two games have been drawn. The only match at Anfield this term ended in a goalless draw. Everton won so easily last week, that many will fancy them to complete a “double” at the ground where they usually do well, but I can warm the Blues that they will be meeting a much stronger Liverpool than a week ago.
Lawton’s Return.
This is offset, of course, by the fact that Tommy Lawton scorer of 400 goals and England’s leader, will be back to captain the side and lead the forwards. Lawton is worth a couple of goals start and day, for besides getting them he can provide them, Maurice Lindley, who played with such marked consistency before going on a R.A.F course, is available again and so can step back to centre-half with Tommy Jones again on the injured list. Syd Rawlings cannot play, but Mr. Kelly expects to secure another star outside right.
Throughout this season Everton have dropped only three points away from home – in 13 engagements, Wrexham defeated them and Liverpool held them to that draw. Danger man to Everton, if one can gauge by previous encounters in recent seasons, and in which the Reds have had by far the better of the argument, is Welsh. The Charlton international has a happy knack of being able to worry the England defence to a point of panic at times. However, I can assure Don that his rival, Jack Grant is playing magnificently just now.
There will be a collection at the match on behalf of the Liverpool Sportsmen Association, which does such grand work for boys in sports, and I hope spectators –there should be 30,000 – will support this generously. The players will wear black armlets for Mr. R. R. Turnbull the Everton director, who died last night.
Liverpool: Alf Hobson, Jack Blood, Jeff Gulliver, Harry Kaye, Laurie Hughes, Jack Pilling, Jim Harley, Berry Nieuwenhuys, Phil Taylor, Don Welsh, Jack Campbell.
Everton: George Burnett, George Jackson, Norman Greenhalgh, Jack Grant, Maurice Lindley, Gordon Watson, A.N. Other, Stan Bentham, Tommy Lawton, Alex Stevenson, Jimmy McIntosh.
(Evening Express, 09-02-1945, by ‘Pilot’)
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"Play Up, Liverpool" 