1970-1979

John Turner – from a Ram to Japan

John Turner – from a Ram to Japan

Steve Zocek  The name of John Turner would not be particularly familiar to most Evertonians, whatever their age. It would be a stiff challenge in a pub quiz to guess his connection to Everton in relation to the pre-season tour of Japan under manager Howard Kendall in 1981. A Geordie by birth, he never hid the fact that he was a fanatical Sunderland supporter who would go along with his father to watch his heroes –notably Charlie Hurley, Len Ashurst, Martin Harvey, Brian Clough and Ernie Taylor – at the famous old Roker Park in the early 1960s. A former…
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Getting it Wright – (Son of My Father Part 18)

Getting it Wright – (Son of My Father Part 18)

Billy and Anthony Wright As well as being the son of Billy Wright, Anthony is also the great-nephew of Everton's World Cup full back Tommy Wright, and the cousin of Everton Ladies league winner Emma Wright-Cates. Quite an Everton family! Billy Wright Billy Wright (Photo by Bob Thomas Sports Photography via Getty Images) Ray Minshull was in charge of the youth set up when young Billy came to the attention of the club. It was touch and go at one stage, because Liverpool were keen to take the youngster on too. There was a scout that represented Liverpool that actually…
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Sir Dobbo – Goodison Aristocrat

Sir Dobbo – Goodison Aristocrat

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…
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Stephen Burtenshaw

Stephen Burtenshaw

(23 November 1935 - 17 February 2022) Portslade born Steve Burtenshaw started his football career at his local club Brighton & Hove Albion in August 1951, where he spent a staggering fourteen years as a wing half with the Seagulls appearing 237 times. His first game for Brighton was as a young 17-year-old in an away fixture at Exeter City winning 5-1. Not a bad start, eh? His football career came to a pause as he completed his national service with the Army in Germany, but continued his love for football during his time abroad. Service complete, he returned to…
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Patricia Pearson

Patricia Pearson

Kick Off - The First Lady of Football on Television     In the north west of England, there was a Friday night football programme through out the seventies called 'Kick Off', featuring all of the north west clubs in the four divisions of the Football League. The emphasis would be on the big games that were being played that weekend featuring the region’s clubs. Interviews with players, managers, including action of the region’s teams from the week before, would feature in the thirty-minute show.  The presenter was Gerald Sinstadt who joined Granada in 1969/70 until 1980-81. Two days later, a regular…
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Spot on – The first European Cup shoot-out

Spot on – The first European Cup shoot-out

This article first appeared in the Champions Journal - reproduced here by kind permission EFCHS member Simon Hart steps up and takes a deep breath to look back at the first European Cup shoot-out WORDS Simon Hart | ILLUSTRATION Thomke Meyer It is five decades ago now but Wolfgang Kleff is still not allowed to forget the night he created a football first. “Older fans who lived through that time talk to me about it,” says the 74-year-old. “It’s part of the history of Borussia Mönchengladbach.” The ‘it’? The first save by a goalkeeper in a European Cup penalty shoot-out.…
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Any Dream Will Do: Don Donovan – (Son of my Father Part 13)

Any Dream Will Do: Don Donovan – (Son of my Father Part 13)

Don Donovan arrived in England from Cork, the second largest city in Ireland located in the south west of the country, an area which also produced Roy Keane. Don played junior football for Maymount Rovers then Dalymount Rovers, where he was spotted by an Everton representative whilst the club was on a pre-season tour. Don was invited to cross the Irish Sea in 1949, just after the war, leaving his close family and moving to new surroundings in Liverpool, only to be welcomed by a fellow countryman, Tommy Eglinton. Tommy later became the godfather of Don’s son, Terry. Other members…
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Son of My Father – The Tale of Two Joes

Son of My Father – The Tale of Two Joes

Welcome to Part Five of Son of my Father. This time, I feature a football family from Glasgow: Joe McBride (Jnr) who played for Everton, and his father Joe McBride (Snr) who will be most remembered for his playing days at Celtic Park in the 1960’s. Joe senior actually had a great personal statistic by being top scorer at every club he played for. We start with Joe (Snr) who was born in 1938, a stone throws away from Rangers’ Ibrox Park. His football career began as a very young 15-year-old at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock. After 57 games and 24…
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Son of My Father – Part  6

Son of My Father – Part 6

Carry on Seargeant by Steve Zocek This latest article is quite an intriguing one, featuring Steve Seargeant and his son Christian who both played for Everton. Steve made 80 first team appearances for the Royal Blues with one goal in his Everton career, which came in a late September afternoon in 1974 with a memorable strike from 35 yards, which squirmed under the body of Leeds United goalkeeper David Harvey to open the scoring that afternoon. Everton went on to win the game 3-2 after an enthralling 90minutes. For the younger readers who were not aware of his goal, it can be seen on the YouTube channel. https://youtu.be/_SseuJApkZ0 Christian tells me that he never really…
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Son of my Father – Part 7

Son of my Father – Part 7

THE KINGDOM OF RIOCH by Steve Zocek Some of you may be wondering why I’ve given this article the title of ‘The  Kingdom of Rioch’? Well, Rioch means kingdom which comes from Irish origin. So, that’s the formalities out of the way. Bruce Rioch joined Everton in December 1976, making his Everton debut at Coventry City’s Highfield Road in a 4-2 defeat. Bruce appeared 30 times in an Everton shirt hitting the net 3 times. He had a thunderous shot, and was always favourite to take the direct free kicks when a goal seemed possible. Bruce played for a total…
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