Everton to 'turn back the clock' as plans revealed for huge Goodison Park fixture
The match against Manchester City will pay tribute to the 1984-85 Blues title-winning team
Everton will honour their greatest ever team on Saturday. The club have confirmed the match at Goodison Park against Manchester City will be '84/85 Day'.
The celebration of the team will take place on what is the closest date to the 40-year anniversary of arguably Goodison's greatest night, when the Blues beat Bayern Munich 3-1 in the European Cup Winners Cup semi-final second leg.
Everton went on to win that trophy, as well as the First Division title. They also reached the FA Cup final and although they fell short against Manchester United, the campaign remains the most successful in the Toffees' history.
Before and during the game against City - which will be the third-last match played at Goodison Park before the club moves to a new stadium - there will be various events to pay tribute to the players who were involved, as well as the late Howard Kendall who coached them.
In the Fan Zone before kick-off there will be special guests in attendance to recall some of the key moments on the team's path to glory. The fan engagement team will also be handing out limited edition badges recognising some of the players from the team.
The 1878s will also unveil a banner before the game on the Gwladys Street depicting some of the key players from that era. Then at half time a number of the players will be presented to the crowd on the pitch, alongside the two trophies they won in that famous season.
There will also be an exhibition of memorabilia at St Luke's Church throughout the day, with photographs, matchday programmes, shirts and other archive material from that season on display.
"Their mix of skill, flair, grit and tactical brilliance helped them conquer domestic and European football, and forge a lasting bond with the Goodison faithful," read a statement on the Everton website previewing the day.
"'84/85 Day' will be a chance to celebrate not only their silverware, but also their spirit - a team built on togetherness, courage, and the unwavering roar of Goodison Park."