An ode to Everton cult hero Daniel Amokachi, the best sub never made

Daniel Amokachi spent only two seasons at Everton and was hardly prolific in either of them, but when it comes to achieving cult hero status, sometimes all it takes is one game.

For Amokachi, that game was the FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham in April 1995. He’d scored only once in 12 Premier League games up to that point, but on a wild afternoon at Elland Road he wrote himself into Everton folklore.

Good things come to those who wait, the saying goes, but Amokachi obviously wasn’t a fan of that saying. Because when Paul Rideout went down injured with 20 minutes to go in Leeds, the Nigerian took matters into his own hands.

Everton were leading 2-1 courtesy of goals from Matt Jackson and Graham Stuart, but Jurgen Klinsmann’s penalty eight minutes earlier had set up a grandstand finish.

Then, Rideout was stretchered off and Amokachi sensed an opportunity, substituting himself into the action. Yes, you read that correctly.

Rideout, it turns out, was actually fine to continue after some treatment, but by then it was too late. “Daniel wandered onto the pitch, the fourth official held up the board, and that was it,” said manager Joe Royle afterwards.

Thankfully for Royle and most of all for Amokachi, it worked out pretty well as the substitute headed home Stuart’s cross at the far post to make it 3-1 with eight minutes left, before scoring again from a Gary Ablett cross from the left with a minute to go. Everton were in the cup final.

“The best substitution I never made,” was how Royle described Amokachi’s glorious cameo.

For Amokachi it was a moment of joyous relief after a torrid debut season marred by a long goal drought and bouts of injuries.

Bought for a then-club-record fee of £3million off the back of a successful