1980-1989

Paul McParlan – Our Next Guest at the Denbigh Castle

Paul McParlan – Our Next Guest at the Denbigh Castle

Heritage Talks and Social Evenings – Spring Series Programme 2026: 'The Forgotten Champions: 1986/87: Everton's Last Title at Goodison Park' We are pleased to announce our new monthly series of social evenings featuring a talk or event related to our club’s history, heritage, culture and community. This new initiative has been introduced by members of the Everton FC Heritage Society, and in a full season will run from September to May on the first Thursday of every month in the downstairs function room of The Denbigh Castle, in Hackins Hey (off Dale Street), Liverpool. All Evertonians are welcome to attend, and we…
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‘The Accidental Footballer – An Entertaining Evening with Pat Nevin’

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

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.…
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Pat Nevin – our next guest at the Denbigh Castle

Pat Nevin – our next guest at the Denbigh Castle

Everton FC Heritage SocietyHeritage Talks and Social Evenings – Spring Series Programme 2026 We are pleased to announce our new monthly series of social evenings featuring a talk or event related to our club’s history, heritage, culture and community. This new initiative has been introduced by members of the Everton FC Heritage Society, and in a full season will run from September to May on the first Thursday of every month in the downstairs function room of The Denbigh Castle, in Hackins Hey (off Dale Street), Liverpool. All Evertonians are welcome to attend, and we sincerely hope you will support the research…
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John Clinkard – The Medical Man Behind the Toffees’ 1980s Triumphs

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…
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Everton Heritage Social/Talks Evenings – A Successful Launch!

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…
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Jimmy Carberry – The Youths of Yesterday

Jimmy Carberry – The Youths of Yesterday

Steve Zocek Jimmy Carberry signed youth forms for Everton in the 1980s, spending seven years at the club, appearing in the FA Youth Cup and Everton reserve sides, before his transfer to Wigan in the summer of 1989. Before joining Everton, Jimmy was playing football locally for his school and making name grabbing headlines as he made his debut for Liverpool U14s boys in the Snowdon Cup. The opposition, Kirkby, led 1-0 at the break. Liverpool U14s equalised in the second period as Carberry put his team in front, before the floodgates opened, ending up with a rousing 5-1 win.  The next month…
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Forgotten Champions 1986/87: Everton’s Last Title

Forgotten Champions 1986/87: Everton’s Last Title

Paul McParlan – in Conversation with Rob Sawyer The Forgotten Champions is an enthralling account of how Everton overcame a devastating catalogue of injuries and the sale of their star striker to reclaim the league title from Liverpool in 1987. Manager Howard Kendall used all his tactical acumen to produce a side that was far greater than the sum of its parts, to bring the title back to Goodison.  Paul McParlan, of Everton FC Heritage Society, is a member of the Football Writers' Association and a senior writer for These Football Times. His articles have appeared on The Athletic website…
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Son of My Father (Part 20): Billy and Graham Brindle

Son of My Father (Part 20): Billy and Graham Brindle

Steve Zocek Graham Brindle Graham Brindle first signed for Everton at the age of thirteen. He played for a Sunday league team called Bovis, managed by former Everton scout Sid Benson. Graham was a versatile a midfielder, comfortable playing either side of midfield. His versatility rewarded him as he went on to represent Liverpool schoolboys. He was recognised for his performance in the semi-final of the British Home Stores trophy, facing Essex boys at Anfield. It was the visitors that looked promising in the early stages of the game as Danny Maddix who years later had a career with QPR…
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Erin Roberts – Memories of an Everton Mascot in 1985

Erin Roberts – Memories of an Everton Mascot in 1985

Rob Sawyer with Erin Roberts On 14 September 1985, I was one of just over 26,000 Evertonians at Goodison Park, watching the Football League champions Everton take on Luton Town. It was a fairly routine 2-0 win for the home side. Howard Kendall had the conundrum of which pair of strikers to select from Gary Lineker, Adrian Heath or Graeme Sharp. On this occasion ‘Inchy’ and the former Leicester man got the nod from the manager. I recall a clearly nonplussed Sharp coming on in the second half and scoring from close range at the Gwladys Street End, making a…
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