This Day in History: 2023-06-29

Nr. 486

EUROPEAN PENALTY ‘CIRCUS’ (1970)

English side Everton became the fust club to win a European Cup tie through the ordeal of a penalty shoot-out. Paired with German club Borussia Monchengladbach in the competition’s second round, Everton drew the first leg in Germany 1-1 At Everton’s Goodison Park Stadium on 4 November the second-leg result was a similar stalemate score and the penalty shoot-out rule, brought in at the start of the 1970 season, was invoked for Everton to prevail four penalties to three. Everton’s manager Harry Catterick, while pleased to go through to the quarter-finals, had yet to be convinced about shoot-outs, describing them as a «circus act».

Harry Catterick was manager at Goodison Park for 12 years, Though his side came out on top, he wasn’t a fan of the drama of penalties.