Rob Sawyer – Everton FC Heritage Society

12

Feb

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1960-1969, Articles, Latest, Players, Rob Sawyer

The Life of Barrie Rees

Rob Sawyer Rhyl-born Barrie Rees followed in the footsteps of South Walian striker Keith Webber by swapping life at Goodison Park for the Goldstone Ground in the 1960s. Barrie (often written as Barry) was born on 4 February 1944 and lived on Mayfield Grove, attending Christchurch Junior School and Glyndwr Secondary School. In 1959, as a fifteen-year-old, he attained Welsh Schoolboy football honours as a forward in a Wales v Ireland match played in Bangor. Rhyl FC of the Cheshire League, had him on amateur forms, but on the recommendation of Freddie Bennett, the Toffees’ man in North Wales, he was…

‘The Accidental Footballer – An Entertaining Evening with Pat Nevin’

06

Feb

By Rob Sawyer

3 Comments

1980-1989, 1990-1999, Events, Film and Media, Latest, Mike Royden, Players, Rob Sawyer

‘The Accidental Footballer – An Entertaining Evening with Pat Nevin’

Rob Sawyer . Pat Nevin with presenter Rob Sawyer Rivalling Bruce Springsteen for endurance on stage, Pat Nevin delivered two-and-a-half hours of scintillating insights and reminiscences at second of the Everton FC Heritage Society’s run of social/talk evenings, held at the Denbigh Castle. The popular city centre pub's function room was packed to the rafters with supporters keen to see the former Everton footballer, Motherwell FC CEO, broadcaster, and culture connoisseur. He did not disappoint. Requiring only minimal prompting from host Rob Sawyer, the Glaswegian delivered a seamless series of brilliant anecdotes - often hilarious, sometimes poignant - from his…

31

Jan

By Rob Sawyer

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1960-1969, 1970-1979, Latest, Obituary, Rest in Peace, Rob Sawyer

Tommy Wright – A True Blue Hero

Rob Sawyer In the sweltering early afternoon June heat of Estádio Jalisco, Guadalajara, England’s right-back slumps to the ground. Lying prone, he is approached by Brazil's number ten, the great Pelé, who proceeds to lift his opponent's leg and push the foot back in an attempt to alleviate the symptoms of cramp. FIFA World Cup 1970 Pele (10) of Brazil tends to cramp-stricken Tommy Wright (14) of England after sustaining an injury during their Group 3 match at Estadio Jalisco, Guadalajara, Mexico, 6 July 1970 (photo; Neil Leifer) On England duty in the late 1960s This display of sportsmanship at…

27

Jan

By Rob Sawyer

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1970-1979, Latest, Players, Rob Sawyer

Forever Everton – The Story of the Song

Rob Sawyer In Goodison’s final years as the venue for Everton’s men's team, kick-off was preceded by the Toffees’ musical ‘holy trinity’ of Forever Everton, Grand Old Team and Theme from Z-Cars - with Spirit of the Blues being added to the repertoire more recently. With the move to Hill Dickinson Stadium, these have been joined by The Las’ classic There She Goes. Advert for Neil Sedaka at the Wooky Hollow, September 1972 Here, I delve into the backstory to Forever Everton – 2 minutes and 36 seconds of proud Bluenose breast-beating with a brass backing. As many now know,…

Ian Macowat (1965-2026) – 1984 FA Youth Cup Winner Remembered

21

Jan

By Rob Sawyer

2 Comments

1980-1989, Latest, Obituary, Players, Rest in Peace, Rob Sawyer

Ian Macowat (1965-2026) – 1984 FA Youth Cup Winner Remembered

Rob Sawyer Ian at Bellefield in 1983-84 season Former Everton reserve team player and 1984 FA Youth Cup winner, Ian Macowat, has passed away at the age of sixty. Whilst studying at Park High School in Hindle, Ian represented Wigan and Greater Manchester Boys and was capped nine times by England Schoolboys. He joined the Blues’ youth set up as an apprentice in 1982, turning professional in the autumn of 1983. Contemporaries included Rob Wakenshaw, Steve Bateman, Darren Hughes and Ian Marshall. In the year above were the likes of John Morrissey Jr, Jimmy Coyle, Stuart Rimmer and Ian Bishop.…

Bob and Hope’s Excellent Adventure: Kelso and Robertson on the High Seas, 1892.

21

Jan

By Rob Sawyer

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1890-1899, Books, Latest, Players, Rob Sawyer

Bob and Hope’s Excellent Adventure: Kelso and Robertson on the High Seas, 1892.

Rob Sawyer Bob Kelso In the late spring and early summer of 1892, while frenetic work continued to construct the new Goodison Park and have it ready to host football and spectators from the start of September, two Scottish members of Everton’s squad were enjoying an eye-opening tour of the Mediterranean. The pair were Bob Kelso, who enjoyed two spells at Everton, making 104 appearances, and his compatriot Hope Robertson, something of a squad player who had joined the Toffees from Partick Thistle, having previously played in England for Woolwich Arsenal. He would make thirty-three appearances in an Everton shirt,…

John Clinkard – The Medical Man Behind the Toffees’ 1980s Triumphs

18

Jan

By Rob Sawyer

5 Comments

1980-1989, Latest, Obituary, Rest in Peace, Rob Sawyer

John Clinkard – The Medical Man Behind the Toffees’ 1980s Triumphs

Obituary by Rob Sawyer John Clinkard pictured in 1983 The recent news of the passing of John Clinkard at the age of seventy-one, prompted both great sadness and also fond remembrance of the role the physiotherapist played in Everton’s 1980s glory years. For many, he was better-known simply as ‘Magnum’ - more of which later – to others he was 'Clinks.' Raised in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, John attended Gosford Hill School and was a very decent centre-forward in the Kidlington Boys teams in the late 1960s. He made his way in the game as a physio at Didcot Town and Fulham…

Everton Heritage Social/Talks Evenings – A Successful Launch!

06

Jan

By Rob Sawyer

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1960-1969, 1980-1989, Film and Media, Gavin Buckland, Latest, Managers, Mike Royden, Rob Sawyer

Everton Heritage Social/Talks Evenings – A Successful Launch!

Our First Event - Thursday 8 January 2026; features two well-known authors of numerous books on Everton FC, Rob Sawyer and Gavin Buckland; ‘Catterick and Kendall - Comparing and Contrasting Everton’s Managerial Giants’ Harry Catterick and Howard Kendall, undoubtedly Everton's two greatest managers, will be the subject of an evening of discussion led by Toffees historians Gavin Buckland and Rob Sawyer. Both authors, who are members of Everton FC Heritage Society, have written extensively about Catterick and Kendall's spells at Goodison as players and managers, and will discuss their careers and lasting legacies, comparing and contrasting these two significant figures in British…

Gwyn Lewis – Playing In The Shadow of the Cannonball Kid

02

Jan

By Rob Sawyer

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1950-1959, Articles, Latest, Players, Rob Sawyer

Gwyn Lewis – Playing In The Shadow of the Cannonball Kid

Rob Sawyer Gwyn Lewis of Everton FC Born on 21 April 1932, Gwynfor (Gwyn) Lewis became one of Bangor’s finest footballing sons. Like fellow Bangor-born forward Nathan Broadhead, over six decades later, Gwyn would only get fleeting opportunities at Everton, but established himself as an accomplished goalscorer in lower league football. Gwyn was one of several young talented sportspeople attending Bangor’s Friars Grammar School in the 1940s. There at the same time was John Cowell, who would go on to play in goal for Pwllheli FC under TG Jones, Bangor City, Marine and Liverpool FC Reserves, as well as cricket…

31

Oct

By Rob Sawyer

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1930-1939, Articles, Latest, Players, Rob Sawyer

Khyber – The Ben Williams Story

Rob Sawyer Ben Williams, Everton 1935 Everton FC can proudly boast a long and impressive list of footballers who have pulled on the famous red shirt of Wales. This cohort spans the eras, from the days of its joint-first professional, George Farmer in the 1880s and Charlie Parry in the first league title-winning side of 1890/91 to Neville Southall in the 1980s and Gary Speed a decade later. George Farmer (1880s) Unsurprisingly, due to the geographical proximity, many of the Merseyside club’s Welshman have hailed from the north of the nation - like Leigh Roose, Tom Griffiths, Tommy G. Jones,…