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Cardiff were on the brink of sliding out of the old First Division the last time they came to Goodison Park for a League game, more than half a century ago.

A thumping 8-3 victory for Everton that day - on April 28, 1962 - condemned them to relegation and it would take them more than 50 years to secure a return to English football’s top flight.

They are back at Goodison on Saturday - and in danger of the drop once more.

“It is bad enough to lose a relegation-loaded game by a single goal,” wrote Leslie Edwards in his ECHO match report on the 11-goal feast from 1962. “To have eight goals put in your net is rubbing it in – painfully.”

Every member of Everton's deadly forward line scored in the game, with Wales international Roy Vernon showing his compatriots no mercy whatsoever as he helped himself to a hat-trick. Billy Bingham, Jimmy Gabriel, Dennis Stevens, Derek Temple and Alex Young were also on the scoresheet and the Blues were at their 'brilliant best', according to Edwards.

He wrote: “In the sunshine Everton's big victory gave the game a gala atmosphere. The crowd were in holiday mood.”

Hundreds of youngsters spilled on to the Goodison pitch at the final whistle to celebrate, while Cardiff's players were consigned to a future in the Second Division.

Edwards offered some words of consolation to the beaten visitors, writing: “I don't say they are a good team but they did play well enough to have escaped a fairer (and finer) margin of defeat.”

Cardiff striker Mel Charles was “unrecognisably poor compared to what we know he can be”. Everton finished the season fourth, while Cardiff were second-from-bottom.

A Goodison crowd of 31,186 lapped up the entertainment – and if there is half as much goal action this weekend, Blues fans are in for a treat.

Footnote: Cardiff have visited Goodison once since 1962, for a League Cup tie in 1979. The Blues ran out 2-0 winners thanks to a Brian Kidd brace.

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