[The banner photograph is the 1953/54 Everton squad. Alec Farrall is pictured on the front row seated, second from the left.]
Rob Sawyer
The death was announced today, at eighty-nine, of one of Everton’s oldest former players, Alec Farrall.
Born 3 March 1936, Alec was one of many local lads to emerge through the Blues’ youth system under Cliff Britton. A member of a sporty West Kirby family, by his teens he was representing Cheshire Schoolboys (England Schoolboys caps followed) and was on the radar of scouts from many big clubs, including Wolves, Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool.
The former Wolves’ manager, Stan Cullis, himself Wirral-raised, insisted on the young inside-forward being watched. Alec apparently offered most encouragement to Everton’s rivals from across the park, having watched some of their matches. He actually trained for the Reds before making the switch to training at Goodison; Cliff Britton pleaded with the local journalist Leslie Edwards to keep this quiet until he could be tied down to a contract.
Finally, he signed pro for Everton on turning seventeen and swiftly made his debut for them against Lincoln City at Goodison Park in April 1953. Progress was halted by a cartilage injury the following autumn, and it would take twelve months to get back into first team contention, making his Football League bow against Manchester City at Maine Road in October 1954. Knee issues would continue to trouble him, while national service in the army was a further hindrance to his fledgling first team playing career. Indeed, under Cliff Britton, the Blues had a very settled team, and youngsters had relatively few opportunities. Alec would make only a solitary appearance in each of his five seasons in the first team frame.
In the summer of 1957, he moved the short distance to Preston North End, where he made 30 appearances. A £2,000 move to Kent followed, yielding 221 appearances over five years with Gilingham, whom he would captain numerous times. One season at Lincoln City (the club against whom he debuted for the Toffees in 1953) presaged two years at Watford, then of Division Three.
Living back in the Merseyside area, Alec was a familiar face at Everton former players’ functions, and would be seen in the Blue Base and at Goodison on home match days.
We send our condolences to the Farrall family.
