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Two Tribes: Liverpool, Everton and a City on the Brink
Cup Final Day, 1986, and the eyes of the world are on Liverpool and Everton as they walk out on to Wembley’s lush green turf. Pumped with pride and passion, the two best teams in Europe are about to engage in a gladiatorial battle in front of 100,000 fanatical supporters. But this is not just another match, another cup final. On this warm day in May, the future of English football – and a city’s reputation – is on the line.
A year before this momentous Cup Final, Liverpool fans had been involved in the Heysel disaster. Thirty-nine people had died in the decaying stadium – a tragedy which cast a long, dark shadow over the sport. English clubs were banned from Continental competition, and football reached its lowest point.
Tony Evans’s Two Tribes recalls the tumultuous 1985/86 season and the titanic struggle for supremacy between the two great Merseyside clubs. Set against a backdrop of social and political turmoil, it reveals the full impact of Thatcher’s policies, the vibrant northwest music scene and the burgeoning anti-establishment vibe on the streets and on the terraces.
Giving voice to players, managers, politicians and musicians, Two Tribes follows the remarkable twists and turns of a season and how Merseysiders took over London for one unforgettable day with deafening chants of ‘ Merseyside! Merseyside! ’ ringing around Wembley Stadium.
Ultimately, this is the story of Liverpool’s renaissance and Everton’s private agony, masked by a show of solidarity and communal spirit on the day, and how a season which began in shame ended in pride.
A year before this momentous Cup Final, Liverpool fans had been involved in the Heysel disaster. Thirty-nine people had died in the decaying stadium – a tragedy which cast a long, dark shadow over the sport. English clubs were banned from Continental competition, and football reached its lowest point.
Tony Evans’s Two Tribes recalls the tumultuous 1985/86 season and the titanic struggle for supremacy between the two great Merseyside clubs. Set against a backdrop of social and political turmoil, it reveals the full impact of Thatcher’s policies, the vibrant northwest music scene and the burgeoning anti-establishment vibe on the streets and on the terraces.
Giving voice to players, managers, politicians and musicians, Two Tribes follows the remarkable twists and turns of a season and how Merseysiders took over London for one unforgettable day with deafening chants of ‘ Merseyside! Merseyside! ’ ringing around Wembley Stadium.
Ultimately, this is the story of Liverpool’s renaissance and Everton’s private agony, masked by a show of solidarity and communal spirit on the day, and how a season which began in shame ended in pride.
- GenresFootballSportsNonfiction
304 pages, Hardcover
First published April 21, 2016
10 people are currently reading
113 people want to read
About the author
Tony Evans
511 books518 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Anthony Tyrone "Tony" Evans Sr. is an American evangelical pastor, speaker, author, and widely syndicated radio and television broadcaster in the United States. Between 1976 and 2024, Evans served as senior pastor at the over-9,500-member Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas.
Anthony Tyrone "Tony" Evans Sr. is an American evangelical pastor, speaker, author, and widely syndicated radio and television broadcaster in the United States. Between 1976 and 2024, Evans served as senior pastor at the over-9,500-member Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 16, 2018
Enjoyed this book looking at the season after the heysel stadium and how merseyside and liverpool came together in the backdrop of thatcherism
July 23, 2018
As a left-leaning, long-suffering Evertonian, you would think that “Two Tribes” – Tony Evan’s account of Liverpool and Everton’s battle for the 1985-6 league title - would be right up my street. Evans sets out in “Two Tribes” to tell the story of Everton and Liverpool’s mid-80s struggle for footballing supremacy (the Merseyside teams then being perhaps the two best club teams in European football). This was a battle that took place against a backdrop of another more political battle: that of Liverpool City Council (heavily influenced by the Trotskyite Militant Tendency) and their opposition to Margaret Thatcher’s Tory government and their attempts to impose swingeing cuts to local services on Merseyside.
A further backdrop in “Two Tribes” is the truly dreadful state of English football at that time, with the 1985-6 First Division season being played out in the shadow of Heysel – the stadium disaster during Liverpool’s May 1985 European Cup Final with Juventus that resulted in the deaths of 39 fans. As Evans writes here, the Heysel disaster confirmed two Establishment biases: “the city of Liverpool and football were both toxic environments that, when mixed, proved explosive and deadly”. The carnage of Heysel also resulted in English clubs being excluded from European competition as the Thatcher Government, within 48 hours of the disaster, demanded that all English teams be withdrawn (a decision that Evans sees as part of the Tories’ ideological assault on the city of Liverpool).
There is a large amount of “Two Tribes” that is enthralling, but I can’t help feeling that it would be a much stronger book if it placed a larger focus on the politics than the football. While the Militant v. Thatcher power struggle forms the background to the footballing action, I think it could have been much greater prominence and analysed in more depth in this book. Too often in “Two Tribes” you get a meagre paragraph or two on the political and economic turmoil engulfing Merseyside at that time before Evans’s focus flits back to the title race. Personally, I would have liked to read much more about the history and political development of Liverpool, particularly how the city shifted from it’s “Torytown” reputation in the early 1900s to becoming a hotbed of revolutionary Trotskyism during the 1970s and 1980s.
When it comes to the on-pitch action, Evans succeeds in conveying the tension and topsy-turvy drama of a 5-team title race (West Ham, Manchester United and Chelsea were all jockeying for position at the top of the table with the Merseyside teams during the 1985-6 season). However, Evans occasionally lapses into footballese clichés (West Ham’s playboy striker Frank McAvennie is described as being “determined to score as often off the pitch as on it”). And some of the authors personal anecdotes about the hooliganism and violence that was plaguing football then – many of which serve little purpose other than showing how hard Evans is – can come across as self-aggrandising and a little wearying.
When “Two Tribes” deviates away from on-pitch affairs, it is really good. Evans is excellent on the evolution of the Casuals style (the terrace fashion that Liverpool fans became heavily associated with) and the 1960s origins of football hooliganism. And he really captures the siege mentality that many Liverpudlians would have felt during that era, sensing that “few people outside the region had any sympathy for a city with murderous football fans and extremist politics” and that their city, perpetually at odds with ‘mainstream’ Britain, were considered to be “an alien group of people within the body politic of England”.
But, “Two Tribes” would be a stronger book if it had a greater emphasis on this stuff than the standard, dry ‘story of a football season’ narrative of who-beat-who-and-where. Evans is undoubtedly capable and knowledgeable enough to write a cracking social history of Merseyside during that era, but I wonder whether his publisher might have pressured him to “focus on the football and ease off on the politics”. This might widen the appeal of the book (or, at least, not risk alienating a casual audience), but it makes for a less satisfying read. I would still recommend this to anybody with an interest in Merseyside football, but with a widening of a focus “Two Tribes” could have been a more impressive book.
Of course, maybe these are just bleatings of a ‘bitter blue’, still dismayed thirty-two years later that Everton came within two games of winning the league-cup double, yet finished the ’85-’86 with nary a pot to piss in.
A further backdrop in “Two Tribes” is the truly dreadful state of English football at that time, with the 1985-6 First Division season being played out in the shadow of Heysel – the stadium disaster during Liverpool’s May 1985 European Cup Final with Juventus that resulted in the deaths of 39 fans. As Evans writes here, the Heysel disaster confirmed two Establishment biases: “the city of Liverpool and football were both toxic environments that, when mixed, proved explosive and deadly”. The carnage of Heysel also resulted in English clubs being excluded from European competition as the Thatcher Government, within 48 hours of the disaster, demanded that all English teams be withdrawn (a decision that Evans sees as part of the Tories’ ideological assault on the city of Liverpool).
There is a large amount of “Two Tribes” that is enthralling, but I can’t help feeling that it would be a much stronger book if it placed a larger focus on the politics than the football. While the Militant v. Thatcher power struggle forms the background to the footballing action, I think it could have been much greater prominence and analysed in more depth in this book. Too often in “Two Tribes” you get a meagre paragraph or two on the political and economic turmoil engulfing Merseyside at that time before Evans’s focus flits back to the title race. Personally, I would have liked to read much more about the history and political development of Liverpool, particularly how the city shifted from it’s “Torytown” reputation in the early 1900s to becoming a hotbed of revolutionary Trotskyism during the 1970s and 1980s.
When it comes to the on-pitch action, Evans succeeds in conveying the tension and topsy-turvy drama of a 5-team title race (West Ham, Manchester United and Chelsea were all jockeying for position at the top of the table with the Merseyside teams during the 1985-6 season). However, Evans occasionally lapses into footballese clichés (West Ham’s playboy striker Frank McAvennie is described as being “determined to score as often off the pitch as on it”). And some of the authors personal anecdotes about the hooliganism and violence that was plaguing football then – many of which serve little purpose other than showing how hard Evans is – can come across as self-aggrandising and a little wearying.
When “Two Tribes” deviates away from on-pitch affairs, it is really good. Evans is excellent on the evolution of the Casuals style (the terrace fashion that Liverpool fans became heavily associated with) and the 1960s origins of football hooliganism. And he really captures the siege mentality that many Liverpudlians would have felt during that era, sensing that “few people outside the region had any sympathy for a city with murderous football fans and extremist politics” and that their city, perpetually at odds with ‘mainstream’ Britain, were considered to be “an alien group of people within the body politic of England”.
But, “Two Tribes” would be a stronger book if it had a greater emphasis on this stuff than the standard, dry ‘story of a football season’ narrative of who-beat-who-and-where. Evans is undoubtedly capable and knowledgeable enough to write a cracking social history of Merseyside during that era, but I wonder whether his publisher might have pressured him to “focus on the football and ease off on the politics”. This might widen the appeal of the book (or, at least, not risk alienating a casual audience), but it makes for a less satisfying read. I would still recommend this to anybody with an interest in Merseyside football, but with a widening of a focus “Two Tribes” could have been a more impressive book.
Of course, maybe these are just bleatings of a ‘bitter blue’, still dismayed thirty-two years later that Everton came within two games of winning the league-cup double, yet finished the ’85-’86 with nary a pot to piss in.
April 7, 2022
Up there with one of the best soccer/football books I've ever read. Just the right level of scope, excellent writing, perfect amounts of context. Should be considered a classic.
April 23, 2018
Tony brilliantly ties together the footballing and political events surrounding the 1985-86 season. Here, he treats the two as the inextricably linked phenomenon that they are, a much welcomed interpretation in the growing atmosphere among commentators who call to "keep politics out of football". Interspersed with personal anecdotes, this book is engaging from front to back. Personally, I read it in two sittings.
Highly recommended to all interested in sport, particularly if that fondness intersects with a predilection towards socialist politics.
Highly recommended to all interested in sport, particularly if that fondness intersects with a predilection towards socialist politics.
August 23, 2018
Really interesting read. Dives into the social, cultural and political climate of the time and illustrates how football made life bearable for so many people, in particularly, young working class men.
As the two best teams in English football at the time, the focus of the book is on Everton and Liverpool in the 1985-86 season. Evans evokes Liverpool's reputation as a city apart, a strange "other" inside of Britain's borders and evokes the myriad challenges the city faced in the 70s and 80s against the backdrop of rampant Thatcherism. In public discourse at the time, Liverpool was spoken about as "the enemy within", as the city coucil resisted all attempts at freemarket capitalism eviscerating decades of social housing between citizen and state. Alongside this is the underlying racial tensions within Britain. Liverpool was struck with massive waves of irish immigration during the famine, and British antagonism towards these destitute irish emigrants has matured over the decades into a strong suspicion of scousers.
Along with Thatcher, Liverpool, and wider English football, had Heysel to deal with and the total ban on entering European club competitions that came with it. With delcining attendances, hooliganism on the rise and the TV executives circling, football faced nearly as many challenges as did Britain.
Amidst all this, Liverpool the city was still playing by far the best football in the country. The race to the finish in April and May and the climactic FA cup final between both clubs united Merseyside in pride and showed a different side of Liverpool to the rest of the Enlgish public and the football world.
Great read for football fans and amateur sociologists.
As the two best teams in English football at the time, the focus of the book is on Everton and Liverpool in the 1985-86 season. Evans evokes Liverpool's reputation as a city apart, a strange "other" inside of Britain's borders and evokes the myriad challenges the city faced in the 70s and 80s against the backdrop of rampant Thatcherism. In public discourse at the time, Liverpool was spoken about as "the enemy within", as the city coucil resisted all attempts at freemarket capitalism eviscerating decades of social housing between citizen and state. Alongside this is the underlying racial tensions within Britain. Liverpool was struck with massive waves of irish immigration during the famine, and British antagonism towards these destitute irish emigrants has matured over the decades into a strong suspicion of scousers.
Along with Thatcher, Liverpool, and wider English football, had Heysel to deal with and the total ban on entering European club competitions that came with it. With delcining attendances, hooliganism on the rise and the TV executives circling, football faced nearly as many challenges as did Britain.
Amidst all this, Liverpool the city was still playing by far the best football in the country. The race to the finish in April and May and the climactic FA cup final between both clubs united Merseyside in pride and showed a different side of Liverpool to the rest of the Enlgish public and the football world.
Great read for football fans and amateur sociologists.
October 8, 2021
For English football, 1985-1986 season was a momentous time. Beginning with 1985 Heysel Stadium Disaster on Liverpool FC's match versus Juventus, a tragedy which partially (or mostly) caused by English Hooligans, a social problem that was rife during Mrs. Thatcher's Prime Ministership of United Kingdom, turned English teams into pariahs on European football scenes. The more pressing problem was, in my opinion, was that this disaster was the stumbling block for Everton FC's path to greatness, for Everton was unable to play in European Championship as the result of Ban on English teams. Evertonians, and other teams, of course, undoubtedly put the blame on the Kops. This became the backdrop for one of the greatest seasons in English Football League.
Throughout the book, we followed the journey of mainly the two protagonists, Liverpool FC and Everton FC, two rivals for the trophies. Other teams such as West Ham, Chelsea and Manchester United were also described. From this season of competition, numerous heroes emerged, the likes of Gary Lineker, Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush, Peter Reid, and even Frank McAvennie. The book ends with a FA Cup final in which Liverpool thrashed Everton 3-1 that ends with a show of solidarity between Liverpudlians and Evertonians, a heartwarming ending.
Throughout the book, I enjoyed the rivalry between two teams from Liverpool, finding myself quite engrossed in fast-paced description of the game, even though as an Everton fan quite saddened by the cruel fate that was faced by one of the greatest Everton team of all time. The only sore sticking point was the author's obvious anti Conservative attitude, which annoys my Thatcher-supporting soul. But overall, reading this book was a nice experience for me.
Throughout the book, we followed the journey of mainly the two protagonists, Liverpool FC and Everton FC, two rivals for the trophies. Other teams such as West Ham, Chelsea and Manchester United were also described. From this season of competition, numerous heroes emerged, the likes of Gary Lineker, Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush, Peter Reid, and even Frank McAvennie. The book ends with a FA Cup final in which Liverpool thrashed Everton 3-1 that ends with a show of solidarity between Liverpudlians and Evertonians, a heartwarming ending.
Throughout the book, I enjoyed the rivalry between two teams from Liverpool, finding myself quite engrossed in fast-paced description of the game, even though as an Everton fan quite saddened by the cruel fate that was faced by one of the greatest Everton team of all time. The only sore sticking point was the author's obvious anti Conservative attitude, which annoys my Thatcher-supporting soul. But overall, reading this book was a nice experience for me.
June 22, 2021
Although probably only truly interesting to a Liverpool fan (though maybe to Everton and West Ham fans too) sections of this book provide historical insight into the 1980s which cover everything from hooliganism to politics and some of the reasons for both. Much of its content would not be out of place in any history or politics text looking at the troubled 1980s in England.
Being a late May birth, this was the year I was 15 from start (the horror of Heysel) to the finish (the joy of the double). Of course, a major plus in any book like this is remembering the games you were at and in this particular period, smiling smugly remembering goals that not many other people saw due to the TV blackout. On that point I disagree with Tony - the Molby goal v Man U was 100% as good as people said on the night!
This is the second Tony Evans book I have rated this highly (I Don't Know What It Is But I Love It: Liverpool's Unforgettable 1983-84 Season was the other) - he seems to hit the essence of what it was like to be a Liverpool fan at this time.
Being a late May birth, this was the year I was 15 from start (the horror of Heysel) to the finish (the joy of the double). Of course, a major plus in any book like this is remembering the games you were at and in this particular period, smiling smugly remembering goals that not many other people saw due to the TV blackout. On that point I disagree with Tony - the Molby goal v Man U was 100% as good as people said on the night!
This is the second Tony Evans book I have rated this highly (I Don't Know What It Is But I Love It: Liverpool's Unforgettable 1983-84 Season was the other) - he seems to hit the essence of what it was like to be a Liverpool fan at this time.
July 28, 2023
I cannot praise this book too highly. Much more than a book about football and sporting rivalry, it chronicles a political period in Britain and it’s effects on the city of Liverpool. Zeroing in on the 1985-86 football season and specifically the fortunes of Liverpool and Everton Tony Evans highlights the social and political turmoil of the time and the personalities that shaped the period. What comes across throughout the book is that Liverpool is no ordinary city and football fans there are like no other. The book also shows football from a different era to today - one where the players are closer to the fans than now and where the game is all the better for that. Above all though, this is a book about how sport and politics intertwines and how adversity in both fields brings out the best in people. Tony Evans is a brilliant writer too. Always engaging and making the right connections, I’m looking forward to reading more of his books.
March 20, 2020
A brilliant book. Makes me wish I was a football fan in the 80’s, despite the obvious flaws. The spirit between Liverpool and Everton back then is so much stronger than it is today. The book paints Hatton in rather a positive light. It also counteracts, but occasionally reinforces the odd scouse stereotype. Interesting to read about the influx of Irish people that came to Liverpool and created slums in the city. Many great stories within this book and it was amazing to hear of an Everton side who actually competed with Liverpool!
October 10, 2019
Some good information on the history of the city of Liverpool and the teams as well as the culture. However, the writer is obviously biased on many fronts to the point where I became disinterested. Also, there are areas where he just rambles on about things that I kept thinking "just get on to the point" or at least to the next section.
June 15, 2020
I consider myself to be a Red till I die
I chose this rating because it pulls no punches & exposes the lot warts & all.
I would highly recommend this book to any Red of this & my era, because it brings back the days of my long gone youth
I chose this rating because it pulls no punches & exposes the lot warts & all.
I would highly recommend this book to any Red of this & my era, because it brings back the days of my long gone youth
March 26, 2018
Brilliant social comment and time capsule of a book. Tony Evans is a brilliant journalist but has written a great book
August 2, 2020
Really enjoyed this book which provided a fascinating insight into the football of the two Liverpool teams in 1985/86 and the political and social context that prevailed at that time.
May 21, 2021
so many memories. liverpool's white away kit at Watford. i lived in that kit aged 14
August 28, 2021
Brilliant look back at the 85/86 season. Really brings to life the feelings on merseyside both in football and politics at that time.
October 29, 2021
Brilliant book!👍👌🔴📖
November 8, 2021
More than a football book. Great profile of the city in the 80s
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April 2, 2022LFC!
December 29, 2022
Excellent book about a difficult time in England, but specifically in Liverpool. Told from a Liverpool supporters perspective, but not biased.
June 19, 2024
Interesting insight into how Everton and Liverpool fans suffered due to the economic hardships in the 1980s. Definitely got better as the book went on but turned into more of an authors personal insight from lived experiences and not a sole historical insight. As an Everton fan, it did feel like reading a Liverpool fans account of Liverpool's success and not a fully neutral perspective.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews