1940-1949 – Everton FC Heritage Society

12

Nov

1930-1939, 1940-1949, Film and Media, History, Interview, Latest, Lewis Royden, Mike Royden, Paul McParlan, Rob Sawyer

Broken Dreams: Everton, The War and Goodison’s Lost Generation

Rob Sawyer - in Conversation with Paul McParlan In the late summer of 1939, Everton Football Club had the world at their feet. After a 1938/39 season that saw them claim the League Championship title, they seemed poised to become an enduring dynasty in English football. With young stars like Tommy Lawton, a veteran goalkeeper in Ted Sagar, and emerging talents like Joe Mercer and TG Jones, Everton was a squad bursting with potential. But the invasion of Poland by Germany, just eight days into the 1939/40 season, suspended the dreams and ambitions of a team that looked set to…

Billy Cook – The Original ‘Secret Footballer’ and his Peruvian Adventure

19

Aug

By Rob Sawyer

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

Billy Cook – The Original ‘Secret Footballer’ and his Peruvian Adventure

Rob Sawyer Billy Cook circa 1933 The so-called ‘The Secret Footballer’ has been producing an anonymous column for The Guardian newspaper for over a decade. This, along with (to date) five books lifts the lid on the life of a professional soccer player. Speculation has been rife as to the identity of the author, with a former Reading and Stoke City forward being many amateur sleuths’ pick. The concept is nothing new, however. Over 70 years before this mystery player submitted his first column to the Guardian, a top-flight footballer was doing something very similar for the weekly Topical Times…

Peter Corr: Winning in Blue and Green at Goodison Park

27

Feb

By Rob Sawyer

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1940-1949, Articles, Latest, Players, Rob Sawyer

Peter Corr: Winning in Blue and Green at Goodison Park

Rob Sawyer Peter Corr of Preston N.E. Andrea, Caroline, Sharon and Jim Corr - performing as The Corrs - were a mainstay of the British and Irish pop charts in the late 1990s and 2000s. They continue to perform for their many fans around the globe. Four decades before their musical breakthrough, their uncle was an Irish international and Everton footballer, who helped to make history at Goodison Park in 1949. Less widely-known is his role in bringing Howard Kendall to the Toffees in 1967. The Corrs Born on 23 June 1923, Peter Corr grew up in Dundalk, close to…

The Goodison Bugler’s Last Post – The Life of Francis Hamill

28

Nov

By Rob Sawyer

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1930-1939, 1940-1949, Articles, Latest, Rob Sawyer

The Goodison Bugler’s Last Post – The Life of Francis Hamill

Rob Sawyer Unlike many clubs, Everton FC has always eschewed the use of in-match music to spur on the team or celebrate a goal – or so I thought. Tom Walker A conversation with veteran Toffees supporter Tom Walker gave me this nugget about the late 1940s, "‘The Everton Bugler used to sit in the top of the Bullens Road stand and sound the charge if we were attacking." Further corroboration of the existence of a supporter (or supporters) bringing a touch of brass to Goodison comes from Sir Paul McCartney. When recalling his childhood for the mid-1990s Anthology project…

21

Jul

By David France

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1930-1939, 1940-1949, Latest, Players

Gordon Watson, One of Us ….

Dr David France OBE (Founder of Everton FC Heritage Society and Life President) Everton F.C. League Champions 1939 (Gordon Watson back row, third from right. Photo - The Everton Collection) Something of a raconteur, Gwladys Street Hall of Famer Gordon Watson loved to share tales of his life at Goodison and he once spoke passionately about his team-mates from the side he regarded as ‘The Forgotten Champions of 1939’ ‘Gordon Watson? Never heard of him.’ Well, the Geordie (from the same neck of the woods as Howard Kendall) played alongside Dixie Dean in Everton’s Central League-winning side in 1938, helped…

John Cuff – from Goodison Park to The Monte Carlo Rally

16

May

By Rob Sawyer

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1930-1939, 1940-1949, Articles, Latest, Players, Rob Sawyer

John Cuff – from Goodison Park to The Monte Carlo Rally

Rob Sawyer John Cuff in Everton colours in 1936 I was, for many years, puzzled by a photo in The Everton Story, a book by Derek Hodgson, showing a youthful player in the 1930s. It was captioned as being 'Will Cuff' - yet Cuff, the vulnerable Everton Chairman and former club Secretary, was well into his 60s, at this point. So, who was the mislabeled player featured in the book? With help from Everton historian, and custodian of the Blues Chronicles website, Billy Smith, he was identified as John Cuff - the shared surname explaining the confusion on the part…

Son of My Father (Part 17) – David and Jackie Grant

31

Mar

By Steve Zocek

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1940-1949, 1950-1959, 1960-1969, Latest, Players, Steve Zocek

Son of My Father (Part 17) – David and Jackie Grant

by Steve Zocek David Grant (born 1947) David Grant played football for Liverpool Schoolboys, representing the juniors, before going up to the next level. During that period, Dave also represented Lancashire Schoolboys, with the proudest moment of all, being selected for England Schoolboys against Ireland at the Filbert Street ground, the home of Leicester City. Whilst representing county and country, scouts from football clubs searched for a new talent. And low and behold, there was a tug of war between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Everton, both hoping to persuade this talented youngster to sign forms. But to the chagrin of the…

16

Nov

By Mike Royden

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1910-1919, 1940-1949, Articles, Mike Royden, WW1, WW2

Remembrance at Goodison Park 2022

Armistice Day Service, The Fallen of Everton FC Memorial, Goodison Park Many thanks again for all the work by Paul Kelly of Everton FC Heritage Society and his wife Jean in pulling things together for the commemoration event on 11 November 2022 - an event they have organised with dedication for several years. (photos: Mint Collective/Everton FC Heritage Society) Remembrance Fixture - Everton v Leicester City Richie Gillham, of Everton FC Heritage Society, in St Luke's with his brother, who was involved in the Goodison pre-match Remembrance ceremony Lest we Forget

Remembrance at Goodison Park and the Fallen of Everton F.C.

09

Nov

By Mike Royden

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1910-1919, 1940-1949, Articles, Events, Mike Royden, Rest in Peace, WW1, WW2

Remembrance at Goodison Park and the Fallen of Everton F.C.

The Everton FC Remembrance service is held every 11 November at the memorial wall near the Park End Stand. Organised by Everton FC Heritage Society (Paul Kelly supported by other members), and attended by representatives of the Club, plus participation by the local ministry, Everton in the Community, Everton Community School, aided by a piper and vocalist before members of the public. . The Fallen of Everton Football Club Click image for the current list of the Fallen of Everton and booklet download The Fallen of Everton Football Club Remembrance services . Remembrance Service - Goodison Park 2024 Remembrance Service…

06

Jun

By Rob Sawyer

2 Comments

1940-1949, Articles, Members Work, Players, Rob Sawyer, WW2

‘Rags’: The Life of Cuthbert Tatters

By Rob Sawyer Few footballers’ names are more evocative of bygone times in the Goodison lexicon than that of Cuthbert Tatters. Cuthbert was born in County Durham, on 4 January 1915 and grew up on Sunderland Street in Easington. This was coal mining country and Cuthbert’s father, James, worked at Wheatley Hill Colliery. Cuthbert followed the same path, employed as a pit boy there. On the football field, he played for Shotton Schoolboys, gaining county honours in 1929. He also turned out for Wheatley Hill Juniors. A photo also appears to show him, as a boy, wearing the stripes of…