It was the denouement of Everton's most successful League campaign since winning the Title in 1939, BUT a fifth place League finish was not considered good enough for a club bankrolled by Littlewoods Pools owner, John Moore. With The Toffees being the latest club to have the nickname, "The Bank of England", bestowed upon them, the club's sights were set much higher and so on March 15th, two matches before the end of the season, Moore's informed manager Johnny Carey of his sacking in the "back of a taxi" and in future the word was often shouted at a manager by fans countrywide when things were not going well for him or his lads!
Four days earlier, Harry Catterick, manager of title challengers, Sheffield Wednesday, walked out of his job. Earlier in the season he had tried to move to Nottingham Forest but he ask to be released from his contract, which was refused by the Wednesday board, Now, with only months left on the contract he was allowed to leave, not that he had any footballing plans secured but he insisted that he would like to stay in football.
Meanwhile, Carey would have his "day in the sun", post-taxi ride, leading Leyton Orient (not quite the same!!) into their first ever visit to the (old and top) First Division in 1962. His team came second behind Manchester United in the 1966/7 while in charge at Nottingham Forest.
| Senior career* | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1946–1951 | Everton | 59 | (19) |
| 1951–1953 | Crewe Alexandra | 24 | (11) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1951–1953 | Crewe Alexandra | ||
| 1953–1958 | Rochdale | ||
| 1958–1961 | Sheffield Wednesday | ||
| 1961–1973 | Everton | ||
| 1975–1977 | Preston North End | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Catterick died of a heart attack shortly after watching Everton draw 2–2 with Ipswich Town in an FA Cup Sixth Round match at Goodison Park on 9 March 1985. He was 65 years old. His death came almost exactly five years after former Everton striker, Dixie Dean, had died while watching a game at the ground, also of a heart attack. Everton won the replay 1–0 and the players wore black armbands in Catterick's memory.
