 LONGER standing readers of this newspaper will recall a columnist called Philip McNulty, a hack so sceptical he made Statler and Waldorf look like a cheery song and dance act. According to Phil, footballers were largely grasping, selfish mercenaries – and totally fair game for his acidic observations. But I once saw him skulk away in a Goodison Park corridor, notebook in hand, misty-eyed expression on his face, before politely proffering the book to a middle-aged man, with hair more golden than flaming. On his return, the flak predictably flew. But he was unabashed. “I don’t care,” he declared. “That was Alan Ball. He’s the only footballer in the world I’d do that for.” Two other tributes touched me yesterday, and underlined just what a special individual Ball was. One, anonymous, was left on the messageboard of the independent Everton fans’ website, When Skies Are Grey. It read: “As a kid I watched all Liverpool and Everton home games. I’m a red but enjoyed the atmosphere at both grounds in the 60s and 70s. “Alan Ball was fantastic to watch. Boy, was I jealous of my blue mates because he played for them. The first time I saw him play was from the boys’ pen at Goodison against Sunderland, his bright red head all over the pitch, driving his side to victory. “The Umbro replica kits had not long been out and my old fella took me to Jack Sharp’s to get one. “The shock on his face when I told him I wanted an Everton one instead of a Liverpool one . . . I told him I wanted to be like Alan Ball when I had football practice at school. He made me promise that would be the only time I wore it. I stuck to that, but if only he knew how close Bally came to turning me into a blue.” The other came from Ian MacDonald, secretary of the Independent Supporters’ Club, referring to an Everton reunion dinner of a few years ago. “It was a cracking night,” he recalled. “Let me leave you with a message from the heart from little Alan Ball to sum up how the club touches certain players. “Alan’s wife is in ill health. She has cancer and is in hospital with her family around her. “Alan was asked to come up for this night and the last home match of the season. He was in turmoil and asked his wife’s advice. She said ‘You go and be amongst your people. I’ll be okay.’ ” Ball’s career spanned Vancouver, Exeter, the Far East and the north of England, but he felt like he belonged here. And he’s back among his people now . . . Goodison greats like Brian Labone, Dixie Dean, Tommy Lawton and Harry Catterick. RIP Bally. | 
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