Articles

Joe Clennell – Twice a Champion
23
Oct
By Rob Sawyer
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1910-1919, 1920-1929, Articles, Latest, Players, Rob Sawyer

Joe Clennell – Twice a Champion

Rob Sawyer Joe Clennell (1915) Although Bobby Parker’s goalscoring exploits may have grabbed the headlines as the Toffees advanced on the Football League title in 1915 - a triumph largely overshadowed by the spectre of the First World War - he was but one member of a strong royal blue attacking line. Sam Chedgzoy, on the right wing, was near the start of a long and illustrious career for Everton and England, which extended into the Dixie Dean era. Frank Jefferis, at inside-right, had garnered England honours having moved to Merseyside from Southampton. George Harrison was a great provider of…
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Ted Forshaw – From Everton Youth Prodigy to Cup Hero via the Oval Ball
30
Sep
By Richie Gillham
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1950-1959, Articles, Latest, Players, Richard Gillham

Ted Forshaw – From Everton Youth Prodigy to Cup Hero via the Oval Ball

Richie Gillham Ted Forshaw may not be a name known to Everton fans, but his story is one of remarkable versatility, resilience, and dedication across multiple disciplines. From the football pitches of Everton to the rugby fields of St Helens, and later to the athletics tracks of Merseyside, Forshaw’s journey is a testament to the enduring spirit of a true sportsman. Born on 26 October 1931, Forshaw began his football journey with Everton FC, signing on 25 March 1957, after scouts had spotted him playing for Sutton Manor Colliery FC. He had also been a keen rugby league player before…
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Goodison Pigeon Post
21
Sep
By Ken Rogers
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1900-1909, Articles, Goodison, Ken Rogers, Latest

Goodison Pigeon Post

By Ken Rogers Historian Simon Inglis, in his book ‘Football Grounds of Britain,’ observes that clubs often achieve prominence by luck rather than design, while the very being of some has been determined by ground developments. He was specifically referring to Everton and their historic 1892 Goodison Park home, stating that the Mersey Blues can rightly claim to have built England’s first major football ground with many firsts along the way.  Wolves opened Molineux three years earlier, but it was relatively basic, as was Newcastle’s St James’ Park. The only British grounds as advanced as Goodison were Rangers’ Ibrox (1887)…
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Ava’s Dream Comes True – The First Everton Women’s Game at Goodison Park
19
Sep
By Lewis Royden
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2020-2029, Articles, Everton Women, Goodison, Latest, Lewis Royden

Ava’s Dream Comes True – The First Everton Women’s Game at Goodison Park

by Lewis Royden It was Jordan Pickford pulling silly faces that first attracted a tiny little Ava to the Toffees, along with family ties of course, while watching the iconic goalkeeper save penalties on telly with her Evertonian grandfather, Gareth. “He plays for our team!” she learned through fits of giggles at the keepers striker-distracting antics… and with that, she would immerse herself as a proud and passionate Blue, even before her understanding of the game had begun to develop, much to the amazement of parents Jess and Tom. Family trips to Liverpool's museums often included discoveries of Toffee memorabilia,…
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Everton Women – Hall of Fame
19
Sep
By Rob Sawyer
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1990-1999, 2020-2029, Articles, Everton Women, Latest, Rob Sawyer

Everton Women – Hall of Fame

The first five inductees into the Everton Women Hall of Fame. Left to right; Louise Thomas, Billy Jackson, Joy McQuiggan, Cathy Gore and Mo Marley, (photo: Everton FC) Everton FC Heritage Society - and specifically, the 'women’s football research group' comprising; Alison Jones, Sarah Deboe, Bradley Cates and Rob Sawyer, played a key role in the introduction of the Hall of Fame, provided in depth history of Everton Ladies and Everton Women, and were part of the election process. Everton FC Heritage Society are immensely pleased to see the inauguration take place and proud of the hard work put in…
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The Toffees Return Home to Anfield – For One night Only
18
Sep
By Rob Sawyer
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1900-1909, Articles, Goodison, Latest, Rob Sawyer

The Toffees Return Home to Anfield – For One night Only

Rob Sawyer Everton FC left Anfield in 1892, never to return. Right? Well, not quite. The schism in the Everton committee that led the Toffees to up sticks to Goodison Park on the site of Mere Green Field, leaving John Houlding to form a new club, Liverpool FC, to play at the vacated ground is well documented. However, by the time Houlding passed away in 1902, much of the antagonism had abated, and Everton players were among the pall bearers at his funeral. Further evidence of the thawing of relations between the once bitter rivals came in the summer of…
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The George Fleming Story
16
Sep
By Jamie Yates
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1878-1889, Jamie Yates, Latest, Players

The George Fleming Story

Jamie Yates The build-up to Everton’s departure from Goodison Park, their home of 133 years in the summer of 2025, triggered a range of emotions and set the members of the Everton Football Club Heritage Society (EFCHS) off on various quests to delve deeper into the history of the old stadium, to commemorate records set there, celebrate watershed moments and hopefully unearth a few hidden historical gems along the way. Recent seasons have been turbulent, even by Everton standards, and I have taken huge solace in burying myself in the stories of some of the key moments and early heroes…
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The Life and Times of Bobby Parker
02
Jul
By Rob Sawyer
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1910-1919, Articles, Latest, Rest in Peace, Rob Sawyer, WW1

The Life and Times of Bobby Parker

‘Parker was a grand leader, strong, virile, earnest - as unruffled as his massive locks.’ Will Cuff - Former Everton Chairman and Secretary by Rob Sawyer Robert Norris Parker entered the world on 27 March 1891. His father, John was a mercantile clerk was married to Janet (née Ramsay), who hailed from Ireland. At the time of his birth, they were living at 73 Denmark Street in Possilpark, to the northeast of central Glasgow. This suburb saw huge population growth in the final decades of the 19th Century, linked to expansion of the Saracen foundry, the area’s major employer. At…
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The Bobby Parker Grave Restoration Appeal
26
Jun
By Rob Sawyer
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1910-1919, Articles, Latest, Players, Rest in Peace, Rob Sawyer

The Bobby Parker Grave Restoration Appeal

Rob Sawyer To mark his contribution to Everton, football and his country, EFCHS has undertaken a project to restore the grave of league title winner Bobby Parker. Were it not for the First World War, there is every likelihood that the name Bobby Parker would be uttered in the same breath as Dixie Dean, Tommy Lawton, Fred Geary and Bob Latchford when putting forward the club’s finest goalscorers. Alas, that terrible conflict, injuries he sustained in it and subsequent illness meant that he would fail to rescale the heights of 1914/15, when his 35 goals propelled the Toffees to the…
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