Historical Articles
‘Who’s the Greatest of Them All?’
John Raftery
Little Curly Alan Ball! In August 1966, Harry Catterick wrapped up what many supporters of that era would contend was the club’s greatest signing in the post-War period.
The Toffees in North America – 70 Years Ago
Rob Sawyer
Recounting Everton's trip to the United States and Canada in the mid-1950s where they played a series of exhibition matches to help raise the profile of soccer in the continent
Nigel Groome – Everton and Me
Rob Sawyer
An apprentice in Everton's reserves in the mid-1970s, Nigel talks to Rob Sawyer of the love he has had for the Blues for more than five decades
Gwyn Lewis – Playing in the Shadow of the Cannonball Kid
Rob Sawyer
Playing second-string to Dave Hickson for much for his time at Everton, the Bangor-born had to work for opportunities in the Toffees' first team before carving out a successful career in the lower leagues
Everton in North America – 1961
Rob Sawyer
As the Toffeemen kick off their participation in the Premier League Summer Series, a look back to almost 65 years ago when the Club toured the USA and Canada.
Joe Clennell – Twice a Champion
Rob Sawyer
A league title winner with Blackburn, the inside forward from Wearside would repeat the feat with Everton a few seasons later before top-level football was halted for the First World War.
Stephen Reeves — Being Number Two to Everton’s Number One
Rob Sawyer
Being an understudy to Big Nev Southall was a double-edged sword. You got to learn from one of the World’s best — but you knew your chances of dislodging him were miniscule.
Andy Tucker – Harry Cooke’s Right-hand Man
Rob Sawyer
When Everton’s assistant trainer, Bertram Smith, was tragically killed in June 1929, the club's search for a replacement led them to a Plymouth-born former Olympics coach and he would spend a decade with the Toffees
One-match Everton wonders of the inaugural 1888/89 Football League season
Anthony Williams
The story of the eleven players who only turned out once for the Toffeemen during their first league season.
Everton and the FA Cup — Seasons 1886/87 to 1896/97
Anthony Williams
Though founded seven years after the FA Cup's inaugural season of 1871, Everton FC didn't enter the competition for the first time until 1886. A history of the Moonlight Dribblers' first decade or so in the competition
“Khyber” – The Ben Williams Story
Rob Sawyer
Among the roll call of Welsh players to have played for Everton, arguably the Blues’ best player to hail from the Valleys was Benjamin Williams.
Blues Brothers — Jack and Bert Sharp
Rob Sawyer
The story of two brothers: one an international-standard cricketer and footballer who was named an Everton Giant earlier this century; the other having a career in the same sports, but something of a footnote in the Club's history
Jamie Baker’s Beautiful Last Day
Rob Sawyer
The touching story of a young Evertonian who was mascot for the Blues' clash with Manchester United in September 1986 and died from Leukaemia within hours of his special moment at Goodison Park.
Ted and Alan Storey — Guardians of Goodison Park's Pitch
Rob Sawyer
For four decades, the responsibility for keeping the famous Goodison Park playing surface in top-top condition lay with the Storey family
Les Shannon — A Footballing Odyssey
Rob Sawyer
Locally born, he served both Blue and Red during a long and varied career as a player, coach and manager that took him well beyond Britain's shores.
Billy Cook — The Original ‘Secret Footballer’ and his Peruvian Adventure
Rob Sawyer
A member of Everton's 1939 title-winning team that was broken up by WWII, Billy Cook went on an extraordinary coaching journey that took him around the world, including to South America where he took charge of the Peruvian national team
Alf Milward — The Toffees’ First Great Left Winger of the League Era
Rob Sawyer
Everton's original great left-sided partnership was formed by the contrasting but complimentary attributes of Edgar Chadwick and Alf Milward, a huge factor in the Club landing its very first Football League title in 1891
Alf Harland: The Irishman who became a Toffee and a Linnet
Rob Sawyer
Hailing from County Tyrone, he had the unenviable task of taking over from Everton's pre-WWI championship-winning goalkeeper, Tom Fern. He went on to make 70 appearances for the Blues
John Lindsay’s Unlucky Break
Rob Sawyer
John Lindsay was a classy full-back who suffered injury misfortune that meant he never did get back to the level of fitness and sharpness required for a Blues first team comeback
John Hurst (1947-2024) — A Tribute
Rob Sawyer
Brian Labone wasn't the only Everton stalwart of his era to embody the Corinthian spirit. "Gentleman Jack" leaves a legacy of being one of the School of Science’s most polished centre-backs and one of its finest men.
The Goodison Bugler’s Last Post — The Life of Francis Hamill
Rob Sawyer
Rob Sawyer recalls the man who provided the Toffees with their own musical soundtrack in the late 1920s and 1930s
Nick Walsh and the First Biography of Dixie Dean
Rob Sawyer
It would be nearly 40 years before the supreme Everton marksman’s amazing life story was properly told. The person to thank for capturing Dean’s memories in book form was fellow Birkenhead man, Nick Walsh.
The Story of The Bullens
Rob Sawyer
Now giving faithful service into its 97th year, the Bullens Road stand and its Archibald Leitch-designed cross-braced panels has provided Goodison Park its key motif since 1926 and the days of Dixie Dean
Peter Corr: Winning in Blue — and Green — at Goodison Park
Rob Sawyer
Four decades before The Corrs made their musical breakthrough in the British and Irish pop charts, their uncle was an Irish international and Everton footballer. Less appreciated is his role in bringing Howard Kendall to the Toffees.
The Life of Barrie Rees
Rob Sawyer
Turning pro in 1961, the versatile Rhyl-born player made his senior bow for the reigning Champion Toffees during the 1963-64 season before leaving for Brighton and tragically losing his life not long afterwards
Goodison Avenue — Everton’s Celebrity Street
Rob Sawyer
Between the 1930s and 1950s, on this modest terraced cul-de-sac backing onto Goodison Park, you could have chanced upon Everton stars of their day going about their daily business
Sam Chedgzoy — A Star on Both Sides of The Atlantic
Rob Sawyer
The Ellesmere Port-born player spent 16 seasons with Everton, forced a change in the rules of the game with his famous corner in 1924 and went on to have a 13-year career in North America
Johnny Holt — Everton’s Little Devil
Rob Sawyer
T.G. Jones is widely cited as the club’s finest centre-half, with the next generation of fans also holding Brian Labone in the highest of esteem. But let us not overlook Johnny Holt, the Little Devil
Remembering 'Chick' Meagan
Rob Sawyer
The death, at 88, of Mick Meagan this week reduces the illustrious cadre of players who contributed to Everton’s first post-war League Championship title to just five. Rob Sawyer and David France pay tribute to 'Chick'
Tom Walker — Nonagenarian Toffee
Rob Sawyer
In April 2022, Rob Sawyer and Sarah from Mint Collective caught up with venerable Toffee, 93-year-old Tom Walker in a café near his home in Upton.
From Barry to the Blues — The Keith Webber Story
Rob Sawyer
The Welshman's time at Everton got off to a dream start but he would later admit to ruing the decision to leave Goodison Park in search of first-team football in 1963
Warney Cresswell — The Prince of Full Backs
Rob Sawyer
A natural tendency to favour players we have seen with our own eyes and the tactical evolution of football makes ranking players spanning many decades fraught with difficulty. But this cerebral, balding, defender, who played for Everton into his 39th year
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