Players

The Scot from the Vale of Leven – John Walker
18
Jun
By Tony Onslow
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1890-1899, Articles, History, Members Work, Players, Tony Onslow, , , ,

The Scot from the Vale of Leven – John Walker

Trying to compile an inventory of Scotsmen who have played football for Everton is like compressing springs in an old iron bedstead. Just when you think your task is complete, another one jumps up. The latest addition to this list is John Walker. John Walker He was born on 4 November 1869, in Bonhill, Dunbartonshire and was the second child of John, a carter (driver of horse-drawn vehicles), and his wife, Jane. He was training to be an engine fitter when he began his career with the Alexandria-based Vale of Leven club and represented them in several Scottish FA Cup…
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James Morris, a Shropshire Lad
02
Jun
By Tony Onslow
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1878-1889, History, Members Work, Players, Tony Onslow

James Morris, a Shropshire Lad

The Welsh Marches village of Trefonen in Shropshire was the birthplace of James Morris in April 1863, the third child of Anne and her Welsh husband, Robert. James made a most unusual appearance for Everton during their first season as members of the Football League.   According to the 1881 census, the family were living in Oswestry, and James was working along with his father as a brickmaker. He began his football career with an Oswestry club who were founder members of the Shropshire FA in 1879. They shared a ground with the local cricket club at Victoria Road and lifted the Welsh & Border Counties FA Cup in…
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James T Gibb – the first Irishman to score for Everton?
13
May
By Tony Onslow
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1878-1889, Articles, Latest, Players, Tony Onslow

James T Gibb – the first Irishman to score for Everton?

Official Football League records, started September 1888, appear to indicate that Wexford born Jack Kirwen was the first Irishman to score a goal for Everton. However, on closer examination, this feat had in fact been achieved some twenty years earlier when they had first crossed the sea to play a game on the Emerald Isle. The player to do so was an Irish International from Belfast. James Turnbull Gibb was born on 15 August 1861 to Alexander and Mary nee Turnbull. He was educated at the Royal Belfast Academical Institute where he distinguished himself on the Rugby field. On completing…
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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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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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One Goal at a Time Bob Latchford
30
Apr
By Steve Zocek
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1970-1979, Articles, History, Interview, Members Work, Players, Steve Zocek

One Goal at a Time Bob Latchford

Recollections of Bob's 30 Goal record by his colleagues       On 29 April 1978, Everton recorded a memorable 6-0 victory over Chelsea in front of 39,500 people. Watching from the Main Stand that afternoon was the great Dixie Dean. Bob Latchford was adored by his fans, who were convinced that he walked on water and anxiously wanted the two goals required to achieve thirty goals for the season. The Daily Express had offered a generous prize of £10,000 for this milestone.I recently made contact with most of the players that played for Everton that day, to ask for their story of that great afternoon. Sadly, two of the team, Mick Buckley…
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The Allan Maxwell Story
14
Apr
By Tony Onslow
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1890-1899, Articles, History, Players, Tony Onslow

The Allan Maxwell Story

When Allan Maxwell decided to leave his native Scotland to play professional football, he had no idea that eventually he would be involved in one of the most peculiar transfers that ever happened in Victorian England. He was born on 2 April 1869 in the Lanarkshire town of Dalziel, now part of Motherwell, where his father worked as a coal miner. The 1871 census found the family had moved to 30 Sunnyside Rows in Cambuslang where young Allan was recorded as being two years old. By 1881 the Maxwell family had moved to 5 Windsor Street in the town of Hamilton where Allen attended school. Leaving school in his mid-teens, he joined his father working at the mine. It was around this…
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‘Hot Toddy’: Son of my Father (Part 8)
16
Mar
By Steve Zocek
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1990-1999, Articles, Interview, Members Work, Players, Steve Zocek, , , ,

‘Hot Toddy’: Son of my Father (Part 8)

Colin and Andy Todd An Interview with Steve Zocek Signing on for Everton, Colin pictured with manager Gordon Lee Colin Todd made his Everton bow at the age of thirty. It’s only fair to say that his best days were behind him when he arrived at Goodison. Colin’s stay on Merseyside was a brief thirty-two games, scoring one goal in a 3-1 away victory, against what would be his next club, Birmingham City. Playing 661 career games in the Football League, and winning twenty seven England caps, tells its own story of Colin. Andy Todd was the son of Colin,…
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