1950-1959

The Life of Ken Birch

  Kenny Birch, who played forty-five times for the Blues in the 1950s, passed away on 24 April 2015 after a long and brave battle with illness. Born in Birkenhead, he joined Everton as a junior and made his debut in April 1956 in a 1-1 draw at Sheffield United, alongside the likes of TE Jones, Peter Farrell, Tommy Eglington and Jimmy Harris. The following season he played thirty times in League and FA Cup, scoring his one and only goal for the Club in a 4-2 victory at Maine Road against Manchester City, finding a way past the legendary…
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A Tribute to Matt Woods

A Tribute to Matt Woods

Matt Woods (1 November 1931 - 26 September 2014) Skelmersdale-born Maurice 'Matt' Woods, a centre-half on Everton’s books in the 1950s, passed away on 26 September aged eighty-two. He had been playing as a wing-half in the Wigan Sunday League, when his uncle wrote to Everton requesting a trial for his nephew. Having impressed in the B team, he signed amateur forms at fifteen, and by the 1949-50 season he was a regular in the Reserves – alongside the likes of Don Donovan, Tommy Clinton, Wally 'Nobby' Fielding, Jimmy O’Neill and Harry Catterick. An early Reserves appearance brought praise in…
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Mick Meagan – The Man Who Spanned the Eras

Mick Meagan – The Man Who Spanned the Eras

In Conversation with Rob Sawyer At the Fulham match in April 2013, five former Everton players were introduced to the Goodison Park crowd at half-time in recognition of their League Championship success fifty years earlier: Tony Kay, Alex Young, Derek Temple, Billy Bingham and Mick Meagan. Mick appeared the sprightliest of the lot, bathing in the applause and saluting the crowd with a clenched fist. Mick joined Everton as an 18-year-old and served the club for 12 years (1952 to 1964). He witnessed, at first hand, the transformation from Division Two doldrums to Division One Championship glory. Although not blessed…
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