'My chairman forced Liverpool transfer I didn't want before then signing for Everton'

In a bold move in 1982, icon from , yet he recently admitted that joining the Reds wasn't his initial wish.

The Irish maestro earned his place in Toffees lore, not least for his left foot, and cemented his legacy by netting in Everton's victorious European Cup-Winners' Cup final in 1985 against Rapid Vienna. Scoring 97 times for the club, standing out as a midfielder among top strikers, one of his most unforgettable acts was a gesture to the Kop after equalizing with a stellar free-kick during a fiery Merseyside Derby at Anfield in 1987.

His trajectory could've diverged significantly had he not taken the leap when Howard Kendall beckoned. In a candid chat on Goodison Park: My Home, Sheedy recounted to the his reluctance about his initial move to Liverpool, saying: "I'd made my Hereford United debut at 16, I was playing in the first team and there was no speculation, I didn't realize Liverpool were looking at me. I finished the season and a mate of mine got two tickets for the European Cup final, Liverpool against Brugge.

"I went, not as a Liverpool supporter, as a football supporter, with the opportunity to see two top teams play, and I saw Kenny Dalglish score the winning goal and, more importantly for me, I saw the best midfield in Europe at the time: Ray Kennedy, Graeme Souness, Terry McDermott, and Jimmy Case. I traveled back to my parents' pub and about two weeks later I got a phone call from Peter Hill, the Hereford United chairman, to say they'd accepted a £100,000 bid, and I was to travel up to Anfield to sign.

"There were no mobile phones in those days, no agents. I just traveled up with my mum and dad, and all the way up there I was thinking 'I don't really want to sign,' because I'd witnessed the best midfield in Europe."

He revealed the intense moment when he almost backed out: "My chairman realized that I didn't want to sign, but he pulled me to one side, it was in 1978, and he told me: 'One hundred thousand pounds is a lot of money, if you don't sign, Hereford might fold.' He put a bit of a gun to my head, and I reluctantly signed a four-year contract. It didn't work out. In the end, I had to leave to play first-team football."

Sheedy reflected on his early footballing journey with deep appreciation for the Liverpool legends he started with: "But in my first day at training, I was getting changed next to Kenny Dalglish and Alan Hansen, they were great to me, as a young lad coming into a massive dressing room like that, with all those top players. Training with them, day in, day out, and playing with good players, it could only make you a better player."

His time at Liverpool saw him waiting two-and-a-half years for his debut, managing only five appearances and netting twice. With determination to prove himself, and Everton on the lookout, Sheedy was ready by the time his contract was up.

The 65-year-old reminisced: "So, even though I only made five appearances for Liverpool, I came out of it stronger mentally, and a far better player than when I went there, so I was ready. I was in digs in Elsie Road (off Anfield Road) and I used to go and watch Everton's midweek games.

"I saw Graeme Sharp make his debut, Kevin Ratcliffe getting into the team, and Adrian Heath signed from Stoke, so I knew the side that Howard (Kendall) was putting together, the atmosphere was brilliant. When my contract finally ended at Liverpool, I got a phone call ahead of the last game of the season."

Sheedy recalled the moment he was approached by Howard Kendall to join Everton, saying: "I said, yes, I would. He said that Howard Kendall would ring me, and put the phone down, so I thought it was one of the lads, winding me up."

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Sheedy continued, "I was a bit cautious, but then 30 seconds later, the phone went, and it was Howard. He said he was coming to watch me, and it was more or less, 'show me what you can do,' sort of thing.

"That's what they called 'tapping up,' in those days, I suppose. It put a bit of pressure on me, knowing that a great manager was coming to watch me, but I must have done well because two weeks later I got a phone call to go and sign for Everton, and it was a really easy decision."

Sheedy went on to make 369 appearances for the Blues, scoring double-figures in six different seasons. He noted that his transfer was significant, as he was only the second player to move directly from Liverpool to Everton in two decades, following Johnny Morrissey.

Reflecting on his move, the player shared: "But at that time, I realized Everton supporters would be thinking: 'Well, if he's not good enough for Liverpool, why should he be good enough for Everton,' so I knew I had to hit the ground running. I did well in pre-season, got really fit, and in my first few games at Goodison, I played really well and scored in one of my early games when Ray Clemence was in goal for Tottenham. I think I won the supporters over quite early, which was good and took the pressure off. I've not looked back since."