A list of all of the appearances of this player in football cards in the period 1965/66 to 1979/80 appears at the foot of this page.

1966/67 A&BC Gum,
Footballers No. 27

1969/70 A&BC Gum
Footballers (green backs), No. 107

1969/70 Typhoo Tea
International Football Stars, No. 14

1970/71 A&BC Gum,
World Cup Footballers

1969/70 FKS,
The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars No. 99

1970/71 FKS,
The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars No. 114

1970/71 FKS,
World CupSoccer Stars Mexico, No. 15

1971/72 Top Sellers,
Football 72, No. 103

Brian Labone, who passed away on 24 April 2006 aged 66,  spent his whole League career with Everton and will be remembered by all football fans of the 1960s.

He was born in Liverpool in 1940, signing professional with Everton in July 1957 at the age of 17. Apparently he was thinking of going to University at the time, but Everton persuaded him otherwise.

Labone took over the centre-half role from Tommy Jones, and over a few seasons Everton climbed up the First Division table. With finishing positions of 16th (from 22) in 1957/58 they then secured 16th (again), 15th, 5th, 4th and then champions in 1962/63.

The 1970/71 D.C. Thomson 'Great Captains' card states: "A one-club man, Brian Labone was born in Liverpool in 1940. Joined Everton from Liverpool Collegiate School in 1957, taking over as captain in 1961".

In May 1966 Everton won the F.A. Cup Final, with Labone the winning captain.

The 1966/67 A&BC card states: "Everton centre half. Captain, and key man of the Everton defence. Brian led his team to a thrilling 3-2 victory against Sheffield Wednesday in the 1966 Cup Final. He has gained three caps for England and has turned in consistently good performances for Everton. Height 6' 0½". Weight 12st. 11 lbs."

The 1968/69 FKS sticker states: "A professional since 1957 he made his debut nine years ago and has been a quiet but dominating centre-back winning 11 England caps. Signed from grammar school, his other honours include Under-23 and League representation".

The 1970/71 Typhoo Tea card states: "Brian Labone signed for Everton in August 1957. After a league debut against Birmingham City in March 1959 he has gone on to win seven 'Under 23' caps, 11 full International Caps and four Football League medals. He won a First Division League Championship medal in 1962/63 and captained his team in winning the F.A. Cup in 1965/66, and when they were runners-up in 1967/68".

In the mid to late sixties Everton continued their impressive run of finishes in the First Division. Following on from 1962/63 they finished 3rd, 4th, 11th, 6th, 5th, 3rd before again taking the title in 1969/70 finishing 9 points clear of 2nd-placed Leeds (in the days of 2 points for a win).

Labone certainly made the right decision, if the comments of the 1969/70 FKS sticker are to be believed: "Assured and commanding captain who decided against retirement last season."

At this late stage of his career Labone was again being noticed for more international honours. The 1969/70 A&BC Gum green back card states: "England's probable centre half for Mexico, Labone has been a regular member of the Everton side for many years. Powerful in the air he has been capped many times for England. Threatened to retire at the end of the 1968 season, but changed his mind when recalled to the international side".

The retirement theme continues in the 1970/71 A&BC Gum World Cup Footballers card, which states: "The current first-choice England centre-half, and the favourite for the number five shirt in Mexico, Labone already has 18 international caps to add to his Under-23 honours. Now 29, he has been at Goodison Park for 12 seasons, and in 1968 revised an earlier decision to retire and concentrate on business".

Labone ended up making the trip to Mexico, appearing in three of England's four games (giving way to Jack Charlton for the game against Czechoslovakia).

Labone's last appearance on an FKS sticker was in 1971/72 when the album notes: "Former captain who has the second highest number of League appearances in the club's history; well over 400".

He appeared on the Top Sellers Football 72 card, which states: "Suffered a serious leg injury at Tottenham last season but came back, despite gloomy prophecies of career being finished". Labone had already been fighting for his place in the side. He had been dropped, in favour of Roger Kenyon, after a poor start by Everton to the 1970/71 season. The Tottenham game was January 30th, 1971. Labone was back in the side by mid-March, but made only 16 League appearances in the season.

His last League appearance was in the following season, on August 24, 1971, when Everton beat Chelsea 2-0 at home. Labone was substituted off, probably with another injury. His place in the Everton team for most of the remainder of that season was taken by Roger Kenyon.

Brian Labone - thanks for the memories...

1969/70 FKS,
The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars No. 99

1969/70 Daily Sketch
World Cup Transfers

1970/71 D.C. Thomson
Great Captains, No.5

1970/71 A&BC Gum
Footballers (orange backs), No. 50

1970/71 Anglo Confectionery,
World Cup / Learn the Game, No. 5

1971/72 A&BC Gum
Footballers (purple backs), No. 166