Players – Everton FC Heritage Society

The 35th Dixie Dean Memorial Award – 30 October 2026

05

Oct

2020-2029, Events, Latest, Players

The 35th Dixie Dean Memorial Award – 30 October 2026

with Johnny Morrissey . Join us at Goodison Park (an attraction in itself!) for our annual Dixie Dean Memorial Award evening, featuring the 2026 recipient Johnny Morrissey. We will be celebrating the life and career of this Everton legend with a special programme, featuring former players, tributes and more. Click the image which will take you straight to the ticket site, or hold your phone in photo mode over the QR code . Click for previous award winners

‘He Took My Breath Away’ – Celia Morrissey

04

Oct

By Becky Tallentire

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1960-1969, Becky Tallentire, Latest, Players

‘He Took My Breath Away’ – Celia Morrissey

Becky Tallentire So incensed was Bill Shankly when John Morrissey, then twenty-two, was sold to Everton in 1962 for £10,000 without his say, that the Scot threatened to quit Anfield. Morrissey went on to carve out a decent career at Goodison Park, playing 311 games at outside-left. He scored fifty goals and collected Championship medals in 1962-63 and 1969-70, and an FA Cup losers’ medal in 1968. He is a successful property developer today, and lives in Blundellsands, north Liverpool. The following article first appeared in Real Footballers' Wives by Becky Tallentire (published in 2004) Celia Collister (born 4 April…

03

Oct

By Rob Sawyer

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Heritage Talks/Social Evenings, Latest, Players, Rob Sawyer

An Evening with Simon Hart and Guests

Words - Rob Sawyer / Photos - Lewis Royden and Rob Sawyer The October Everton FC Heritage Society talk and social evening, ably compered by Gavin Buckland, had as its inspiration, two books written by EFCHS member Simon Hart, namely Here We Go: Everton in the 1980s and The Man Who Bled Blue. The first is a collection of interviews with figures at the club in that decade, the latter is his new biography of Mike Lyons, who made an immense contribution to the Blues as a player, captain and coach. After an update on EFCHS activities from vice-chair Mike…

Show Racism The Red Card/Everton’s First Black XI Exhibition Launch Event

30

Sep

By Rob Sawyer

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Events, Latest, Players, Rob Sawyer

Show Racism The Red Card/Everton’s First Black XI Exhibition Launch Event

Rob Sawyer Members of Everton FC Heritage Society were among those attending a special preview eventof an exhibition at Hill Dickinson Stadium which celebrates the first eleven Black male players torepresent Everton Football Club. Also present were a number of people from the MerseysideBAME and sporting communities plus anti-racism activists.The exhibition has information on the following footballers who pulled on the blue jersey for theToffees’ first team (debut years shown): 1966 - Mike Trebilcock1975 - Cliff Marshall1994 - Daniel Amokachi1995 - Earl Barrett1997 - Terry Phelan, Danny Cadamarteri 1998 - John O’Kane, Oliver Dacourt, Ibrahima Bakayoko1999 - Kevin Campbell, Abel…

27

Sep

By Paul Owens

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Latest, Paul Owens, Players

Gordon West – Twilight of a Champion

Paul Owens On Wednesday 25 April 1973, Gordon West made the last of his 402 first-team appearances for Everton, eleven years after signing from Blackpool for £27,500 – a then record-fee for a goalkeeper. Fittingly, the Darfield-born stopper, who had celebrated his 30th birthday two days previously, kept a clean sheet, a shut-out that helped his beloved Blues earn a share of the spoils at St James’ Park, Newcastle. Although the curtain had come down on the first-team career of one of Everton’s most successful and charismatic sons – a double title winner, an FA Cup winner and the recipient…

27

Sep

By Steve Zocek

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1990-1999, Latest, Players, Steve Zocek

Peyton Place

Steve Zocek At the end of June 1991, Everton manager Howard Kendall was looking for a back-up keeperfor the regular number one Neville Southall. At this time, Bournemouth’s Gerry Peyton hadrequested a transfer from Cherries boss Harry Redknapp, with the club failing to make theDivision Three play-offs. Everton’s Jimmy Gabriel had travelled to Lansdowne Road in Dublin where Peyton was fillingin for injured Pat Bonner as the Republic of Ireland played Chile. Peyton earned his 29th capin the 1-1 draw. On the recommendation of Gabriel, Kendall agreed terms withBournemouth for 6ft 3ins shot stopper. Gerry Peyton oozed experience. He was…

Mike Stowell: From North End to the Deep End

26

Sep

By Steve Zocek

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1980-1989, Latest, Players, Steve Zocek

Mike Stowell: From North End to the Deep End

At the age of sixteen, goalkeeper Mike Stowell had the chance to join Preston North End where club legend Alan Kelly was the manager. Mike was playing football in the non-league circles, progressing to a higher level with Leyland Motors of the North West Counties League, Blackpool Mechanics and, finally, Pickups Heating in the Sunday League. The young goalkeeper was serving a four-year apprenticeship with British Telecom at the time Preston came knocking. Mike’s father, on finding out of the interest, insisted that his son was to dedicate himself to seeing out his time as an apprentice. Stowell was already…

Sir Daniel E. A. Pettit – A Cambridge Blue

16

Sep

By Richie Gillham

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1930-1939, Latest, Players, Richard Gillham

Sir Daniel E. A. Pettit – A Cambridge Blue

Everton amateur footballer, Olympian, Wartime Major and Captain of industry Richie Gillham and Dr David France Daniel Pettit (Liverpool Footprints) Sir Daniel Eric Arthur Pettit was a Liverpool-born amateur footballer who represented Great Britain in football at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games and signed and played for Everton at amateur level in the same year. He served as an officer in the Royal Artillery during the Second World War and went on to enjoy a successful career in British industry. Pettit was born in Liverpool on 19 February 1915, one of six children born to Thomas Edgar Pettit, a bookkeeper…

16

Sep

By Rob Sawyer

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1930-1939, 1940-1949, 1950-1959, Latest, Players, Rob Sawyer

Cliff Britton – A Life in Football

Rob Sawyer Part 1 – The Player Cliff Britton was Everton’s first manager in the modern sense of the word, yet it is for his footballing feats at Goodison Park in the 1930s that he is most celebrated. His Everton playing career overlapped that of Harry Catterick, yet their experiences as managers and players at the School of Science contrasted sharply. Whilst Catterick’s modest playing career was a precursor to managerial triumphs. Britton’s, ultimately disappointing, tenure in the Goodison hot seat was at odds with a playing career which saw him hailed as one of the country’s finest half-backs. Clifford…

Mike Lyons and Everton’s De La Salle connection

05

Sep

By Simon Hart

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1960-1969, 1970-1979, Books, Latest, Players, Simon Hart

Mike Lyons and Everton’s De La Salle connection

Simon Hart In late October 2002, as the interest surrounding Wayne Rooney exploded after his wondrous first league goal – that winning strike against champions Arsenal – the Guardian newspaper marked his 17th birthday with an article charting his path to the Premier League from “the terraced street in the working-class suburb of Croxteth” where he grew up – and still lived. [The Guardian: Today is Wayne Rooney's birthday but for Everton it feels like Christmas ] “Two miles away in the Everton club shop, Rooney's replica shirt is outselling all others and the Merseyside club are reportedly fending off interest…