Source: Liverpool_Echo
Complacency cost Everton dear in 1974 recalls Roger Kenyon
Complacency cost Everton dear in 1974 recalls Roger Kenyon[LNB]ROGER KENYON was the Everton skipper who would have lifted the League Championship trophy in 1975 had Everton seen through their early season promise.[LNB]In addition to Carlisle's double whammy, the Blus also lost 2-1 at relegated Luton with four games of the campaign to go.[LNB]Then after hopes briefly flickered again with a 1-0 win at Newcastle, the Blues led Sheffield United 2-0 at Goodison Park, lost 3-2 and title hopes were extinguished for good - for another decade in fact.[LNB]Kenyon has a rueful reflection of that Carlisle clash in December 1974.[LNB]'I think it was probably a little bit of complacency more than anything else,' he explained.[LNB]'We were two-nil up, Carlisle were struggling at the wrong end of the division and we switched off mentally.[LNB]'We probably thought we were going to win five or six, but they were a good footballing team and kept going.[LNB]'They had that cricketer playing for them, (Chris Balderstone) and they caught us cold.[LNB]'Those two games against Carlisle cost us the league.'[LNB]A tale Kenyon recalled underlined Everton's dominance in the early part of that 1974/75 title race.[LNB]'I remember being away on England duty, when Don Revie called a huge squad get together,' recalled Kenyon.[LNB]'I was sat with Alan Ball, Malcolm MacDonald and Alan Hudson.[LNB]'All three of them said 'You've won it easily' and whilst secretly I agreed with them I didn't want to sound too big-headed so I just said 'Oh I don't know, there's a bit to do yet.'[LNB]'Unfortunately I was right.'
