4 November 1970 saw history made on Merseyside.

The European Cup’s first penalty shootout was staged at Goodison Park – and, for once, the Germans lost.

English champions Everton and German counterparts Borussia Mönchengladbach had drawn 1-1 both home and away in their second-round clash.

Howard Kendall’s volley had given the Toffees a priceless away goal in the first leg and, back at Goodison, Johnny Morrissey put the hosts ahead early on, only for Herbert Laumen to level up the aggregate score just after the half-hour mark.

Previously in such circumstances a deciding tie had been staged on a neutral ground, followed by the “toss of a disc” if that still failed to find a winner.

But with fixture congestion starting to cause problems in the 1970s, UEFA sought a new solution.

It’s still with us 52 years later.

Everton Giant Joe Royle started it all against Mönchengladbach but, despite enjoying an excellent match, he saw the first shootout spot-kick ever taken in European competition saved by Wolfgang Kleff.

Blues goalkeeper Andy Rankin put the smile back on his face, however, when Laumen missed and he then decisively saved from Ludwig Muller as Everton triumphed 4-3.

Afterwards, Everton boss Harry Catterick moaned: “I still say these penalties to decide a match are like a circus, but I can’t think of a better answer apart from a third game”.

Despite Catterick’s reservations, the penalty shootout still remains to this day to decide matches that cannot be settled by goals.

And it was the Blues who got it all started in Europe!

Everton v Borussia Mönchengladbach, 4 November 1970

1 Joe Royle (saved), Sieloff (scored)

2 Alan Ball (scored), Laumen (missed)

3 Johnny Morrisey (scored), Heynckes (scored)

4 Howard Kendall (scored), Koppel (scored)

5 Sandy Brown (scored), Muller (saved)

The Everton goalkeeper was Andy Rankin