Blue plaque unveiled at Dixie Dean’s primary school in Birkenhead

14/12/201814/12/2018 by David Prentice Comment Closed

Legendary goalscorer's daughter and another Everton striking legend perform unveiling ceremony Everton legend Graeme Sharp, left, together with Barbara Dean, right, daughter of the club's goal-scoring legend Dixie Dean,pictured below the EFC Heritage Society plaque at Portland School in Laird Street, where the football hero first went to school in Birkenhead. Photo by James Maloney The EFC Heritage Society commissioned plaque at Co-Op Portland Academy in Laird Street, where Everton legend Dixie Dean first went to school. A blue plaque commemorating the site of the school where Everton and England legend Dixie Dean first studied has been unveiled. Dixie's daughter Barbara Dean, and the second highest goalscorer in Everton's history, Graeme Sharp, unveiled the plaque at the Co-Op Academy Portland on Laird Street. The unveiling ceremony was witnessed by pupils and staff from the Birkenhead primary school, Everton legend Derek Mountfield, officials from Conservation Areas Wirral and members of the Everton Heritage Society who commissioned the plaque. Everton legend Graeme Sharp, right, together with Barbara Dean, left, daughter of...

MARTIN MURRAY “THE NEW GEORGE BEST” – Interview by Steve Zocek November 2018

14/12/201814/12/2018 by Steve Zocek1 Comment

Martin Murray was signed by Everton from Irish club Home Farm in December of 1975 at the age of 16. Billy Bingham the manager who signed him, labelled him as the new George Best. Unfortunately, Martin was unlucky with injuries and failed to make the first team. I have been fascinated with trying to find Martin for a few years, but with much homework, I managed to locate him out in Denmark. We spent time chatting about the days he spent at Goodison, which has left a lasting impression on him, as he is now an Evertonian. Martin continues to tell his story. What happened was I was playing my football in Ireland, and broke into the senior team of Home Farm at the age of 16 and a ½. It seemed to take off from there. The newspapers went ballistic as they had dubbed me the new George Best. It’s hard to imagine for the people nowadays with social media...

The Three Young Blues & The Story of John Robson Whittle – Tony Onslow

13/12/201813/12/2018 by Tony Onslow Comment Closed

Like many of the young teenagers of Victorian Liverpool, William Gibson Walter Richards and Thomas Whittle would have been drawn towards the new game, association football, the was beginning to sweep the land and would have spent their early teens watching such teams as Everton on Stanley Park. They also would have observed that this particular club had, by 1882, caused the largest number spectators to frame their unguarded playing area. Next year, when they moved to an enclosure, William Gibson appeared in their line-up. Born1862, he is recorded on the 1871 census living, in Everton, at 34 Hodder Street with his Liverpool born parents William, a Boilermaker, and Anne. The family later moved to 53 Melbourne Street and William was working as a Commercial Clerk when he made his debut for Everton, December 1883, in the local knockout against Liverpool Ramblers. He scored one of the goals in a 4-1 win. Gibson then helped Everton to reach the final of...

Only Once a Blue (7) Alfred Vaughan – Tony Onslow

04/12/201804/12/2018 by Tony Onslow Comment Closed

Alfred Vaughan was about 8 weeks short of his 27th birthday when he made his one and only Football League appearance for Everton. He had been born, of Welsh parentage, on the 4th of April 1871 in the North Wales Coastal town of Rhyl. His Father Edward, worked as a Joiner, and his Mothers name was Margaret. The family first lived at Windsor Street before moving to Queen Street where Margaret, assisted by her Daughter, ran a Confectionary business while Alfred joined his Father in the Carpentry trade. He began playing amateur football locally until, in 1898, Rhyl Athletic amalgamated with Rhyl United and joined a Combination League that consisted almost entirely of teams from North Wales and Merseyside. The club was known simply as Rhyl and Vaughan was appointed captain. It was the first time a Rhyl football team had left the North Wales area and the local newspaper detailed a journalist – who wrote under the “non-de-plume of “Phillip,”...