Articles – Everton FC Heritage Society

Celebrating Everton Women’s Class of ‘98

0 Comments1990-1999, Articles, Latest, Rob Sawyer

by Rob Sawyer Twenty-five years ago, a remarkable group of women representing Everton Football Club lifted the Women's Premier League trophy for the first and only time. Louise Ryde, ex-Doncaster Belles The history of the side goes back forty years, to when Billy Jackson and June Gordon merged their teams to form Hoylake WFC, morphing into Leasowe and, later, Leasowe Pacific. Under the latter name, the club upset the odds to win the Women's FA Cup in 1989, in a match staged at Old Trafford. Six years later, thanks to lobbying by club officials of new Everton chairman Peter Johnson,…

T.G. Jones and Bangor’s Enduring Spirit of ’62

0 Comments1960-1969, Articles, Players, Rob Sawyer

Rob Sawyer A youthful T.G. Jones Thomas George Jones – T.G. for short, and Tommy to his friends and admirers - is acclaimed as the classiest centre-half to have set foot on Goodison’s turf. Imperious in the air, cool as a cucumber with the ball at his feet in his own penalty box and capable of delivering a rocket shot, no less than the great Dixie Dean declared Jones to be the greatest all-round player he had ever seen. Seasoned observers dubbed him the Prince of Centre-Halves. Part of the hallowed Toffees title-winning team of 1938/39, he was robbed of…

Sam Chedgzoy – A Star on Both Sides of The Atlantic

0 Comments1910-1919, 1920-1929, Latest, Players, Rob Sawyer

Chedgzoy is a brilliant raider, a clean player and a companiable man. Athletic News - 1921 Rob Sawyer In 1924, Samuel Chedgzoy wrote himself into the annals of football history for his role in forcing a hasty change to the rules of the sport. This stunt (more of which later) was but a small part of the remarkable, and sometimes intriguing, life of one of Everton and England’s finest outside rights – and, alongside Joe Mercer and Stan Cullis, one of Ellesmere Port’s greatest sons. The surname has a slightly exotic feel – Eastern European maybe? The truth is more…

Lance Johnston – A Knight of the Round Table at Inside-Left?

0 Comments1910-1919, Articles, Jamie Yates, Latest, Players

Jamie Yates Scouring old newspaper reports, statutory records, census returns and history books, while working through and cross-checking the relevant dates and stories of the men who played for Everton in years gone by, turns up all sorts of interesting events, tangents and curiosities. The full names of a number of those who turned out in the early colours and patterns of Everton jersey on the various strips of grass that the club called home, and several who ran out in blue in the first half century or so at Goodison Park, really stand out; Benjamin Howard-Baker Samuel Bolton Ashworth…

Jack Coulter: From Whiteabbey to Goodison Park

0 Comments1930-1939, Articles, Books, Latest, Players, Rob Sawyer

Super fan lifts lid on the story that puts Everton's 'greatest winger' back in the spotlight Everton super fan David France reviews a new book that tells the story of Jackie Coulter - who he regards as the Blues greatest-ever winger Just who is the greatest winger in Everton history? That’s an awfully big question to ask. The likes of Andrei Kanchelskis plus Steven Pienaar and Mikel Arteta – although probably more wide midfielders in their style – have starred in the Premier League era while Kevin Sheedy and Trevor Steven were legendary figures of Howard Kendall’s great side of…

World Cup 1966: A ToffeeWeb Podcast

0 Comments1960-1969, 2020-2029, Articles, Events, Goodison, Latest, Mike Royden

Four Members of EFCHS in conversation about the World Cup of 1966 at Goodison (Lyndon Lloyd (hosting) / Rob Sawyer / Paul McParlan / Mike Royden As the leading club ground in the country at the time, Goodison Park was selected to stage five matches at the 1966 World Cup and was originally intended to be the stage for England's semi-final against Portugal. If you’ve ever wondered what it must have been like to attend those games at the Grand Old Lady and witness greats like Pele, Eusebio, Garrincha and an unexpected star of the tournament in the form of…

Sir Dobbo – Goodison Aristocrat

0 Comments1970-1979, Articles, Latest, Players, Rob Sawyer

Rob Sawyer in Conversation with Martin Dobson (speaking in October 2013) The 1970’s success at Anfield cast a long, dark, shadow across Stanley Park to Goodison. Blue beacons of light were few and far between but, perhaps, Martin Dobson shone brightest. Christened “Sir Dobbo” by Andy King, in humorous deference to the class he exuded on and off the pitch, this thoroughbred midfielder’s arrival from Burnley in August 1974 signalled the departure of the last member of the Holy Trinity. Cultured and powerful with an eye for goal – there is no greater compliment than to state that he would…

In Search of Priory Road 1883-84

3 Comments1878-1889, Articles, Everton Collection, Goodison, History, Latest, Members Work, Mike Royden

In Search of Priory Road Commencing to write this article on the day that government approval was granted for the Bramley-Moore Stadium, social media was awash with good wishes to all those concerned in successfully seeing the project through. There were the inevitable online exchanges, with a great many from the envious dark side, who could see they were now visibly condemned to spend yet another generation in their Big Stand with little chance of expansion, a move, or even a laughable ground-share. Meanwhile, many commented online that this would be Everton’s third stadium build in the city. (pic: Liverpool…

Remembrance at Goodison Park 2022

0 Comments1910-1919, 1940-1949, Articles, Mike Royden, WW1, WW2

Armistice Day Service, The Fallen of Everton FC Memorial, Goodison Park Many thanks again for all the work by Paul Kelly of Everton FC Heritage Society and his wife Jean in pulling things together for the commemoration event on 11 November 2022 - an event they have organised with dedication for several years. (photos: Mint Collective/Everton FC Heritage Society) Remembrance Fixture - Everton v Leicester City Richie Gillham, of Everton FC Heritage Society, in St Luke's with his brother, who was involved in the Goodison pre-match Remembrance ceremony Lest we Forget

Everton’s 1964 Tour of Australia – Around the World in 35 Days

5 Comments1960-1969, Articles, Latest, Rob Sawyer, Video

Rob Sawyer Everton players waving prior to boarding their flight from Speke Airport In November, taking advantage of the 2022 World Cup-enforced break, Everton head to Australia on missionary work to spread the gospel of St Domingo. It will be the fourth occasion on which the Toffees have visited this great nation, but the trip pales into insignificance, duration-wise, when compared to the first tour, fifty-eight years ago. Immediately after the disappointing denouement of the 1963/64 season, in which Everton missed out on back-to-back league title wins, a slightly depleted squad jetted off to begin the most ambitious tour since…