Members Work

Articles and writing from Heritage Society members and contributors

‘Tosh’ – The Tommy Johnson Story

‘Tosh’ – The Tommy Johnson Story

Rob Sawyer Tommy Johnson's most memorable goalscoring feat may have come as a Manchester City player at Goodison Park but he would go on to help Everton back into the top flight in 1931 and lift both the title and FA Cup in successive years. .................................. In September 1928, Tommy Johnson achieved one of the finest scoring feats accomplished at Goodison Park. Sadly for Toffees supporters, his spectacular five-goal haul was achieved two years before he swapped the sky blue of Manchester City for the royal blue of Everton. Once he did make the move to Goodison, ‘Tosh’ - an…
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Alan Grenyer – An Everton and North Shields Stalwart

Alan Grenyer – An Everton and North Shields Stalwart

Rob Sawyer Alan Grenyer 1919-20 For understandable reasons, Everton’s 1914/15 season team had less coverage and kudos than the other six to achieve the impressive feat of winning the Football League Championship. The season was played with the backdrop of the First World War, which had got underway in July 1914. Perhaps believing that the conflict would be over by Christmas, the regular Football League and FA Cup competitions went ahead. This was in the face of dissent from much of the population at large, who felt that young and fit men should be joining the armed forces, rather than…
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Joe Mercer and the Football Battalion

Joe Mercer and the Football Battalion

by Mike Royden Some years ago, I was working on an extensive project to research and document the history of Ellesmere Port during the First World War, which covered life on the home front, those that served in the forces, and those who sadly did not return. I created a website to share the research and stories, which also covered the recording of the biographies of the servicemen listed on the town's war memorials. One name sprang out while scouring the newspapers of the time - that of Joe Mercer. It was an interview he gave to a local journalist,…
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From Barry to the Blues – The Keith Webber Story

From Barry to the Blues – The Keith Webber Story

Rob Sawyer A young Keith Webber before joining Everton Born in Cardiff on 5 January 1943, Keith Webber grew up idolising his footballing countrymen Trevor Ford and John Charles. A gifted scholar with a talent for numbers, his parents hoped that he would attend university and, perhaps, go into accountancy. However, Keith’s passion for sport was matched by his all-round ability. The Glamorganshire schoolboy long-jump record holder and the Cardiff Schools 220-yard sprint champion also played rugby at wing three-quarter for his school. He would also turn out (under an assumed name) as an amateur footballer for Barry Town, alongside…
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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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St Luke’s – the church with its own football ground

St Luke’s – the church with its own football ground

St Luke’s – the church with its own football ground by Mike Royden https://youtu.be/MsIW2vqWcHM Although Everton F.C. started life as the St Domingo’s church team in 1878, it is now closely associated with another place of worship. St. Luke the Evangelist, nestled between the Main Stand and the Howard Kendall Gwladys Street Stand, contributes to the uniqueness of Goodison Park. As well a providing an evangelical presence for the local community for well over a century, the associated church hall also provides a facility for local organisations, not least as a match day venue for the Everton FC Heritage Society.…
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Everton – The Baseball Years

Everton – The Baseball Years

Richie Gillham and Rob Sawyer Baseball may be a minority sport in the UK, but 80 years ago Merseyside was a hotbed of this popular American pastime. Had it not been for the outbreak of War in 1939, perhaps it would have gained a proper foothold in our sporting life. Folklore has it that William Ralph ‘Dixie’ Dean was once introduced to the legendary Babe Ruth (of Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees fame) at a football match. Dean recalled to journalist John Roberts his encounter with Babe. The American introduced himself in typical style by booming: "You’re that…
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The Women’s Derby Match: Rob Sawyer and Sarah Deboe on Radio Merseyside

The Women’s Derby Match: Rob Sawyer and Sarah Deboe on Radio Merseyside

Rob Sawyer and Sarah Deboe on Radio Merseyside On Friday 15 November 2024, EFCHS members Rob and Sarah appeared on Radio Merseyside to chat with Kev Duala regarding Goodison Park’s links to women’s football, as the women's derby match was fast approaching. Click image for BBC Sounds iPlayer (item is at 1 hr 20min) More articles on our Everton Women Heritage Page In addition to the EFCHS webpage above, our society member Bradley Cates (a.k.a. EFCStatto) also has a dedicated webpage . I
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The Story of Bellefield

The Story of Bellefield

From its Early Nineteenth Century Origin to a Seventy Year Association with Everton FC Mike Royden When Everton finally left Bellefield for the last time on 9 October 2007, it brought to an end an eight-decade association with the training complex which commenced in the 1930s. Previously, the senior side had utilised a variety of grounds, including Stanley Park and Walton Stiles, but from the turn of the century, training was centred on the Goodison pitch and the adjacent training ground behind the Park End stand. But how did the club come to use Bellefield and what was the estate…
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The Opening of Goodison Park! – A Picnic, a Firework Display, a Friendly, the First League Game

The Opening of Goodison Park! – A Picnic, a Firework Display, a Friendly, the First League Game

Mike Royden The year 1892 was iconic in the history of Everton Football Club, famous for the dispute with John Houlding, which cumulated in the potentially club-ending gamble of moving to a new, undeveloped site, in time for the opening of the forthcoming 1892-93 season on 3 September.  It was a tall order of course, but once the decision had been made, the directors and club officials went into overdrive to ensure their dream move would become a reality in the very short time available to them. Work began in May 1892, contractors were engaged, and the pitch area –…
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