1878-1889

It has now been a long-accepted fact that George Dobson and George Farmer were the first two players to be employed as professional footballers by Everton Football Club. However, it is quite possible to believe that the same terms offered to these two players might well have extended to a third man. His name was Job Wilding and he came from Wrexham. Job Wilding (far left) Both Dobson and Farmer first came to Liverpool during Easter of 1885 and, having had a trial period with Everton, were invited to return to the club the following season. Dobson returned alone and…

The Life and Times of an Everton Goalkeeper A star of Stanley Park, Priory Road, and Anfield It was the winter of 1880, and the football players of Everton were trooping off their pitch on Stanley Park having just been soundly beaten by the parishioners of St John's Church in Bootle. Later that year they were approached by a young Scotsman who, having just moved to the area, asked them if he might be allowed to join them in their 'kick about' matches on the park. The Everton players agreed and welcomed him into the fold. The new arrival immediately…

Introduction When you read this article, it might make you think that parishioners of St Saviour's were more instrumental in the formation of Everton than those of St Domingo's. It's true that the Cuffs and the Wades were members of the Methodist chapel but Tom Evans, who I believe was an experienced footballer, could well have been the main driving force behind Everton on the football field. Tom Evans, I believe, was a friend of William J Clarke and both men once lived on the Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire border. Both men are the same age. It is Clarke's father, who also came…

When the draw for the Second Round of the 1881-82* Lancashire FA knockout gave Everton an away tie at Turton, the Everton club secretary, John W Clarke, quickly consulted his Bradshaw’s Railway Guide before making his way down to the local offices of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Company on Tithebarn Street in Liverpool. Once there, he made the travel arrangements for himself and his players to compete in this important cup tie. So it was that, on Saturday, 10 December 1881*, the intrepid members of Everton Football Club boarded the express train which, after making one stop at Wigan,…

The graveyard photo shows the last resting place of Joseph Davies, who played for Everton during the season that they became founder members of the Football League. He was born on 27 June 1869, at St Martins in North West Shropshire and baptised at Preesgwyn Methodist Chapel.  His parents, also born in St Martins, were Harriet and Stephen Davies, the latter a blacksmith at the local coal mine. The 1881 census shows the family as living in Chirk Bank Row in Weston Rhyn, where Joseph, along with his two brothers were still at school. On leaving education behind, he began…