William Black, a Blue from the Hebrides. – Tony Onslow

by Tony Onslow Comment Closed
  Born within the sight and sounds of burning sparks and roaring bellows, William Black was the first football player to arrive at Goodison Park who had been born in the mist covered islands of the Inner Hebrides where his Father William, had chosen to make a home for himself and his Wife Catherine. The couple had first met – and married – at Blackburn Street in the Plantation area of Govan (now part of Glasgow) where their first child, Duncan junior, was born. Shortly after this event, Duncan excepted the position of Village Blacksmith at Torosay on the Island of Mull and set up home at a location known as The Lochbury Croft and it was here that William - their 4rd child - was born on the 5th of September 1882. He spent the early part of his life on The Isle of Mull until the death of his Father - on the 2nd of January 1889 - forced Catherine to...
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EVERTON IN THE LEAGUE CUP AT GOODISON PARK – STEVE ZOCEK

by Steve Zocek Comment Closed
The League Cup was introduced to the top four divisions in the 1960/61 season. For the first seven years the final was played over two legs (home and away), before being moved to Wembley in 1967. The competition has had many sponsors starting in the 1981/82 season when it was known as the Milk Cup until 1985/86. It then had a change of sponsorship as Littlewoods took over, then Rumbelows and many more. Everton’s first involvement saw them play their first and only game in the first round, drawn at home to Accrington Stanley. Evertonians didn’t appear to take the competition seriously as only 18,246 attended the game played on Wednesday 12th October 1960. A brace from Frank Wignall, and one from Jimmy Harris gave the home side a comfortable passage into the next round. Everton were fortunately drawn at home for the next two rounds defeating Walsall and Bury. A victory at Tranmere was followed by defeat at Shrewsbury Town in...
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Only Once a Blue – Part 2: Egerton Stewart-Brown – Tony Onslow

by Tony Onslow Comment Closed
Only Once a Blue. Part 2: Egerton Stewart-Brown When Everton Football Club signed Dominic Calvert-Lewin from Sheffield United, he became their first player to be officially registered with a doubled barrelled surname since Benjamin Howard-Baker in 1920. There is however, another man who played for Everton, before official records began, who also had a hyphenated surname, and he made a guest appearance during their days at Anfield. Egerton Stewart Brown, far left, with Liverpool Ramblers. On the far-right is J Bruce Ismay, the future Chairman of the White Star Shipping Line Egerton Stewart-Brown was born on 31 January 1862, in the township of Toxteth. His father was an American-born merchant named Stewart Henry Brown, while his mother, Emily Birkett, was born in Liverpool. Records reveal the couple married at St Anne’s church in Aigburth, where the groom’s place of residence was entered as Long Beach, New York. They first settled on Park Road, before moving to 27 Devonshire Road, where their first...
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Only Once a Blue (Part 1): Robert Jamieson – Tony Onslow

by Tony Onslow Comment Closed
Only Once a Blue (Part 1) Robert Jamieson Hailing from the famous football nursery in The Vale of Leven, Robert Jamieson was to learn the rudiments of the association game surrounded by, what were at the time, some of the finest players in the kingdom. He was born on 7 September 1867 at 199 High Street, Dumbarton, the child of Robert, a journeyman fitter, and his wife Elizabeth. The head of the household was away on the day of the 1871 census, but Elizabeth was recorded, along with her four children, living at 6 Clyde Street in Dumbarton. On the completion of his education, Rob Jamieson followed his father into the engineering trade, and started playing at junior level before signing for Dumbarton in the summer of 1886. He was in the side which reached the Scottish Cup final after beating Queens Park 2-1 at Hampden Park, and was selected at left wing when Dumbarton returned to the same venue to face Hibernian on...
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