Everton confirm death of Jimmy Husband who recovered from Wembley 'nightmare' to win the title

Former Everton player Jimmy Husband, a member of their 1969/70 League Championship-winning side, has died aged 76.

The club’s website has confirmed that Husband, who left Everton for Luton Town in November 1973 and had settled in Bedfordshire during retirement, had passed away peacefully on Saturday following a short illness. Although he was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, Husband, who was an England schoolboy international and had his pick of a dozen clubs at the start of his career chose to join Everton and made his senior debut in a 1-1 draw at Fulham on Easter Monday 1965.

Husband, who began as an inside forward but switched out to the right wing, went on to make 199 appearances for the Blues and scored 55 goals, including 20 in the 1968/69 season. Having bagged a brace in the 3-1 home win over Leicester City in the 1968 FA Cup quarter-final, he remained haunted by a miss in the final that year when Harry Catterick’s side were surprisingly beaten 1-0 after extra time by West Bromwich Albion.

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Recalling his opportunity after the game, Husband said: “The ball came across perfectly. It could not have been better and I certainly should have scored.

“Behind me was Alan Ball and as I waited Alan shouted, but in that split second I must have been distracted. Just for a moment I was caught in two minds.

“I didn’t know whether to leave it or go for it and the ball hit me on the top of the head. I got completely underneath it, it was a nightmare.”

Despite his Wembley heartache, as mentioned previously, Husband went on to enjoy his