Saturday, 19 March 1898, FA Cup semi-final day, saw Everton facing mid‑table Derby County, whom they had eliminated at the same stage of the competition by three goals to two at the Victoria Ground, Stoke, the previous season, though this time the tussle was staged at Molineux, the home of Wolverhampton Wanderers who had defeated Everton 1:0 in the 1893 FA Cup Final. In the only First Division match which these two semi-final opponents had contested to date that season the Rams had defeated Everton 5:1 at the Baseball Ground on 11 September 1897 and, true to this form, they duly frustrated the Toffeemen’s ambitions of reaching the FA Cup Final for the second season in succession. In a tussle in which Everton’s 1897 FA Cup Final captain Billy Stewart, making his final appearance in the club’s colours, was forced to vacate the field of play early in the first half, the Moonlight Dribblers, as would be the case in the 1910 Everton versus Barnsley semi-final replay and the 1915 Everton versus Chelsea semi‑final, contested most of the encounter, which took place in very poor weather conditions, with only ten men. Steve Bloomer fired the Rams in front on twenty-five minutes, with John Goodall doubling their lead in the second half. Although Everton’s Edgar Chadwick reduced the deficit, it was too little, too late and Derby countered by registering a further strike to emerge victorious by the margin of three goals to one. According to one eye‑witness, whom Thomas Keates quotes in his History of the Everton Football Club 1878‑1928, this was “one of the most humiliating exhibitions of poor form by an Everton League team. Feeble play, and lack of combination were painful to watch. The defence was all right but the attack was crude. Conscious of the inglorious play, the team walked off the field as dolefully as if they were at a funeral. Jack Bell, sub rosa [in confidence], told one of the directors later that he had only received and touched the ball once in the second half.” This was the first occasion upon which Everton had tasted the bitter pill of FA Cup semi-final defeat. In due course, eleven further reverses at this penultimate hurdle would follow: 2:1 in a replay versus Aston Villa at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, in 1905, 3:0 in a replay versus Second Division Barnsley at Old Trafford, Manchester, in 1910, 2:0 versus Chelsea at Villa Park, Birmingham, in 1915, 1:0 versus West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford, Manchester, in 1931, 2:0 versus Liverpool at Maine Road, Manchester, in 1950, 4:3 versus Bolton Wanderers at Maine Road, Manchester, in 1953, 1:0 versus Manchester City at Villa Park, Birmingham, in 1969, 2:1 versus Liverpool at Old Trafford, Manchester, in 1971, 3:0 in a replay, courtesy of the, in Everton circles, infamous Clive Thomas, versus Liverpool at Maine Road, Manchester, in 1977, 2:1 in a replay versus Second Division West Ham United at Elland Road, Leeds, in 1980 and 2:1 versus Liverpool at Wembley Stadium, London, in 2012. However, only four of the sides who vanquished the Toffees at this stage of the competition were actually destined to lift the coveted trophy, namely, Aston Villa in 1905, West Bromwich Albion in 1931, Manchester City in 1969 and West Ham United in 1980, who defeated Newcastle United 2:0, Birmingham City 2:1, Leicester City 1:0 and Arsenal 1:0 respectively. Derby County, lambs‑to‑the‑slaughter victims of Everton’s club record victory of eleven goals to two in an FA Cup first round tie at Anfield on 18 January 1890, were also the first of those Everton semi-final conquerors not so destined, succumbing 3:1 to Nottingham Forest in the 1898 FA Cup Final.
"The defence was all right but the attack was crude"
Sounds familiar
Also the one in 1910 when Barnsley beat us, the final was between Barnsley and Newcastle. The final was a draw so the Cup Final replay was at Goodison. Barnsley weren't happy as the Goodison crowd hated them for knocking Everton out and there were multiple pitch invasions before Newcastle won.
on August 10, 2025, 11:10 pm