Rob Sawyer

98 Posts
The Life of Smart Arridge – The Welshman from Sunderland
09
Jun
By Rob Sawyer
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1890-1899, Articles, History, Members Work, Rob Sawyer

The Life of Smart Arridge – The Welshman from Sunderland

The wonderfully named Smart Atkinson Arridge was one of Everton’s first Welsh international players – in spite of not qualifying to represent his adopted nation. He was born on 21 June 1872 in Southwick, a village on the north bank of the River Wear which has since been absorbed into Sunderland (it lies a short distance from the Stadium of Light). Smart was the third of four children born to John, a shoemaker originally from Lincolnshire, and Isabella. With Smart still an infant the family uprooted themselves to North Wales via West Yorkshire, residing “above the shop” on the High…
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Tommy Eglington – The Flying Winger of the Fifties
19
May
By Rob Sawyer
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1940-1949, Articles, Members Work, Rob Sawyer

Tommy Eglington – The Flying Winger of the Fifties

Tommy Eglington, the Irish international left-winger, gave unstinting service to the Blues’ cause during some of the club’s darkest days. He is forever associated with his teammate and great friend, Peter Farrell, who crossed the Irish Sea with him in 1946.  Tommy was born in Donnycarney, a Northside suburb of Dublin on 15th January 1923. He was one of seven siblings born to Christopher (a butcher by trade) and Margaret. As was the norm, Gaelic Football was played in school, so Tommy would only get to indulge his passion for the ‘British game’ in the fields near his home after…
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Le Coq Sportif: Spectacular in Action – Sensational in Style
08
May
By Rob Sawyer
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1980-1989, Articles, History, Members Work, Rob Sawyer

Le Coq Sportif: Spectacular in Action – Sensational in Style

Everton have never worn an Adidas team kit...or have they? When that great 1980s side containing Steven, Southall, Sharp and Sheedy was swatting away all-comers, it did so sporting the rooster emblem of Le Coq Sportif. Not appreciated by many is that the Gallic marque, which burned brightly but briefly on these shores, was a branch of the German sporting behemoth.  Le Coq can trace its ancestry back to the Champagne region, where, in 1882, Émile Camuset started manufacturing sports journeys in his workshop. The iconic triangular symbol, containing the crowing cockerel, was adopted in early 1950s with company rising…
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“60 at 90” – A Night to Remember William Ralph “Dixie” Dean
08
May
By Rob Sawyer
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2010-2019, Articles, Events, Rob Sawyer

“60 at 90” – A Night to Remember William Ralph “Dixie” Dean

 Evertonians can be accused of harking back to an illustrious past rather than thinking forward to securing a glorious future. There may be some merit in that argument but, on the other hand, the standards set in the past should be used to inspire us going forward, in the spirit of the club’s motto. The bar has never been set higher than in the glorious 1927-28 title-winning season, when William Ralph “Dixie” Dean (just plain “Bill” to his friends) achieved the mind-bending feat of scoring 60 league goals (in all he scored 63 league and cup goals in 41 club…
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Benjamin Howard Baker: Goalkeeper, Olympian, Corinthian
08
May
By Rob Sawyer
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1920-1929, Articles, History, Members Work, Players, Rob Sawyer

Benjamin Howard Baker: Goalkeeper, Olympian, Corinthian

Jordan Pickford is only the fourth Everton goalkeeper to represent England at senior level. Immediately before him came two Everton greats in Gordon West and Ted Sagar. Blazing a trail for them all was the remarkable Benjamin Howard Baker. If Brian Labone was “The Last of the Great Corinthians”, then Baker was one of Everton’s first. Firstly, a note on the naming convention as various iterations have been used. Benjamin’s birth name was Benjamin Howard Baker (with Howard being a middle christian name). He was often known by friends and family as Howard, however. His sons, who also had Howard…
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Goodison Park – The New Home of Everton (1892)
08
May
By Rob Sawyer
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1890-1899, Articles, Billy Smith, Goodison, History, Latest, Members Work, Rob Sawyer

Goodison Park – The New Home of Everton (1892)

Billy Smith has been a royal blue bloodhound for many years, sniffing out historic articles about our beloved club in microfilm archives across the region. These nuggets are posted on his excellent Blue Correspondent website (bluecorrespondent.co.uk). Working chronologically, he has reached the 1962/63 season but Billy continues locate and transcribe previously hidden gems from earlier eras. One vein of high-quality content mined by Billy is Athletic News (The Athletic News and Cyclists' Journal, to give it its full title). This Manchester-based weekly newspaper, which ran from 1875 to 1931 was a keen proponent of Association Football in its early decades. Mere Green…
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Eddie Thomas – An Unsung Goodison Hero
08
May
By Rob Sawyer
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1950-1959, Articles, History, Members Work, Rob Sawyer

Eddie Thomas – An Unsung Goodison Hero

Whilst researching and writing Blue Dragon, the forthcoming biography of Roy Vernon, my interest was piqued by Eddie Thomas, the makeweight in the deal that brought Vernon from Blackburn to Merseyside. The fact that Johnny Carey was prepared to sacrifice Thomas, in spite of a remarkable goal per game ratio, underlines just how highly the Everton manager coveted the Rovers man. Like Vernon, Eddie did not have the physique of a footballer. Slight – almost frail looking – he appeared ill-equipped for the hurly-burly of professional football. But appearances can so often be deceptive and the Lancastrian enjoyed a fruitful career over…
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Union Jack
08
May
By Rob Sawyer
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1890-1899, Articles, History, Members Work, Players, Rob Sawyer

Union Jack

Jack Bell I was in touch with The former Rugby Union star Tom Smith, some months ago when I discovered that sporting excellence runs in his family. His great-grandfather was John Bell (often referred to as Jack Bell) - one of the brightest Association Football stars of the 1890s, who left an indelible mark at Dumbarton, Everton, Celtic, Preston North End and on the Scottish national team. There was more to the teetotal, moustachioed Bell than his activities on the field of play. He was a pioneer of the unionisation movement in football - a stance which won him few…
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Jimmy Dunn and Sons
08
May
By Rob Sawyer
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1930-1939, Articles, History, Interview, Players, Rob Sawyer

Jimmy Dunn and Sons

Jimmy dunn attacks the Park End as Billy Dean watches on John Dunn in conversation with Rob Sawyer Stein, Dean and Dunn – that trio of names is immortalised in Goodison folklore as the Everton scorers in the 1933 FA Cup Final victory over Manchester City. William Ralph Dean needs no introduction but today’s Blues supporters may be less familiar with the two scoring Scots: Jimmy Stein and his compatriot, Jimmy Dunn. Stein, the Coatbridge-raised forward who arrived at Everton via Dunfermline Athletic, marauded down the left flank for eight years. But it is the diminutive Dunn - 5ft 5in…
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The Age of Illumination – The Story of Goodison Park under Floodlights
08
May
By Rob Sawyer
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1950-1959, Articles, History, Rob Sawyer

The Age of Illumination – The Story of Goodison Park under Floodlights

There is something truly magical about a football stadium under lights. The glow guides you from miles away. From within, there’s an enhanced - almost animated - quality to your view of proceedings. The artificial light glistens on the fabric of the players’ shirts and picks out the moisture on the freshly watered, bright green pitch. And, of course, the electricity seems to energise the crowd - adding a few extra decibels to the crowd’s roar.   It’s hard to imagine that, as recently as the 1950s, winter kick-off times had to be set so that matches would conclude before dusk,…
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