Members Work – Everton FC Heritage Society

Alan Kelly – The Son of ‘Mr. Preston North End’ and Goalkeeping Guru to ‘A Modern-Day Everton Legend’

04

Aug

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Latest, Paul Owens, Players

Alan Kelly – The Son of ‘Mr. Preston North End’ and Goalkeeping Guru to ‘A Modern-Day Everton Legend’

Paul Owens Earlier this summer, it was announced that Preston North End would play their Carabao Cup first-round tie against Huddersfield Town at Goodison Park on Saturday 8 August 2026, due to ongoing pitch renovations – i.e. the installation of a hybrid pitch – at their Deepdale home. In a previous piece for this website, I wrote about the quite extraordinary goalkeeping links between Everton and the Lilywhites, a piece which starts with a biography of James Trainer – Preston’s two-time title-winning goalkeeper of the nineteenth century – and ends with a reference to George Pickford, the Blues’ highly-rated Preston-born…

The Glovesmen of ‘Jocko Land’ – Everton’s Scottish Goalkeeping History

23

Jul

By Paul Owens

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Articles, Latest, Paul Owens, Players

The Glovesmen of ‘Jocko Land’ – Everton’s Scottish Goalkeeping History

Paul Owens Over the decades, Scottish goalkeepers have often found themselves the butt of many a cruel joke south of the border. In 1961, after England had humiliated the ‘Auld Enemy’ 9-3 at Wembley, the cheeky response of ‘almost ten past Haffey’ was frequently heard being given to any Scots who had asked to know what the time was. The retort made reference to Frank Haffey, Celtic and Scotland’s misfortunate last line of defence, who found himself winning just his second international cap that day – and only really doing so because of injuries to the more experienced goalkeeping trio…

06

Jul

By Rob Sawyer

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1990-1999, Everton Women, Latest, Players, Rob Sawyer

Andrea McGrady – Everton in the Blood

Rob Sawyer Lifelong Evertonian Andrea McGrady was Everton Ladies’ first number nine, in the wake of Leasowe Pacific coming under the Toffees’ umbrella. She combined turning out for the successful women’s team with following the men's team at Goodison Park. Here, in conversation with Rob Sawyer, she reflects on what playing for and watching Everton has meant to her. As a kid I’d be playing football in the back garden with my two brothers. I first went to Goodison Park in the late 1970s in the era of Andy King and Bob Latchford and got my first season ticket in…

The Legacy of ‘Dr Everton’ – Dr David France OBE and Everton FC

10

Jun

By Lewis Royden

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David Prentice, Everton Collection, Film and Media, Latest, Lewis Royden, Mike Royden

The Legacy of ‘Dr Everton’ – Dr David France OBE and Everton FC

We present here a series of nine programmes; two films, an Everton Heritage Show guest appearance, and a six-part feature on Everton in the Sixties. All are filmed with the founder of Everton FC Heritage Society, Dr David France OBE, or 'Dr Everton' as he is known to many Blues' fans. The films cover much of Dr France's life as an Everton fan, from his boyhood growing up in tough circumstances in Widnes, to his move to the United States and his successful time in the oil industry. All the while he remained a passionate Blue, and travelled two million…

“You Have to be Mad to be a Groundsman!” * – Bob Lennon, Groundsman of Everton Football Club

05

Jun

By Jamie Yates

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2020-2029, Goodison, Jamie Yates, Latest

“You Have to be Mad to be a Groundsman!” * – Bob Lennon, Groundsman of Everton Football Club

Jamie Yates (* Bob Lennon, Goodison Park, Thursday 7 November 2024) ‘Everyone’s a groundsman before the game,Everyone’s a manager during the game,Everyone’s a pundit after the game!’ Goodison Park, 2006/07 (Photo: Jamie Yates) Robert ('Bob') Lennon was born at home at 14 Moss Lane, Lydiate, on Saturday, 20 June 1959. Just shy of two months previously, Everton Football Club finished the 1958/59 season with a whimper, losing four of their last five matches and slipping to a disappointing sixteenth place finish under new manager Johnny Carey. Not much better was to follow in 1959/60, as Carey’s entertaining but infuriatingly inconsistent…

Earning His Wings: Flight Lieutenant (and Outside-Right) George Dalgliesh

04

Jun

By Jamie Yates

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1940-1949, Articles, Everton Collection, Jamie Yates, Latest, Players, WW2

Earning His Wings: Flight Lieutenant (and Outside-Right) George Dalgliesh

Jamie Yates Author’s Note: Spelling of the surname Dalgliesh varies across publications and official records, appearing as Dalgliesh or Dalgleish interchangeably. For clarification I have quoted sources verbatim throughout this article. George’s family employ the ‘Dalgliesh’ spelling. Finding the right George Dalgliesh was no easy task and took a couple of false starts. There was a George Dalglish born in Liverpool in 1922. It wasn’t him. Next came George Robert White Dalgleish, born in Edinburgh in 1924, a Civil Engineer and son of a prominent Church of Scotland minister. Close, but no cigar. And then there he was. We were…

02

Jun

By Rob Sawyer

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2000-2009, 2010-2019, Everton Women, Latest, Players, Rob Sawyer

Lindsay Johnson – My Everton Years

As told to Rob Sawyer Lindsay with Everton in 2004 Lindsay Johnson went from kicking a football on a patch of grass as a child, as she wasn’t allowed to play in a boys team, to becoming Everton Ladies’ record appearance-maker, a two-time cup winner and the proud winner of forty-three Lioness caps. She goes down as one of the smartest pieces of recruitment that Blues boss Mo Marley ever made. In May 2026, alongside her former teammate Becky Easton, she was inducted into Everton Women’s Hall of Fame. I sat down for a coffee with Lindsay and discussed her…

The Everton Heritage Show – Latest Programme

25

May

By Lewis Royden

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Film and Media, Interview, Latest, Lewis Royden

The Everton Heritage Show – Latest Programme

Presented by Lewis Royden . Programme 16: 25 May 2026 Guest interview - Rob Mason Rob Mason is the official club historian of visiting opponents Sunderland AFC. His prolific dedication to the history of his club has led to him receiving a Lifetime Achievement award at this years' end of season awards, and it's truly well deserved. Rob is the author of over 50 books on the history of football, and has been the writer of various SAFC manager's columns and programme features. Alongside him on the sofa is EFCHS representative Fran Hickey, and we discussed the parallels between Sunderland…

James Prescott: Architect of the Original Goodison Park

21

May

By Jamie Yates

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1878-1889, 1890-1899, Goodison, Jamie Yates, Latest

James Prescott: Architect of the Original Goodison Park

Jamie Yates Think of Goodison Park and what comes to mind? So many memories. Walking up to the ground from whichever angle your matchday routine dictates, that bright flash of green as you emerge up the steps and take in the pitch for the first time, the towering Goodison Road main stand, Archibald Leitch’s famous lattice steelwork patterns adorning the front of the upper balcony of the Bullens Road in blue and white. Leitch became the preeminent architect during the first wave of great football stadia in the early decades of the twentieth century. His work became part of the…

‘Wear, Frame, Bin’ – Lewis Royden on ToffeeTV

19

May

By Mike Royden

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Film and Media, Latest, Lewis Royden, Mike Royden

‘Wear, Frame, Bin’ – Lewis Royden on ToffeeTV

Lewis Royden of Everton FC Heritage Society appeared on the channel chatting to Ped (Peter McPartland) on their Wear, Frame, Bin programme, while also talking about the work of the Society, and the history of many of the shirts going back as far as St Domingo's! https://youtu.be/CIErI84lIF0?si=el3kF8bjAT3k3nal ToffeeTV description; Lewis Royden joins Toffee TV to analyse various football kits through the lens of Everton's rich history. The discussion explores iconic designs from different eras, evaluating both modern replicas and historic jerseys based on their aesthetic details, cultural significance, and the personal criteria used to decide whether a shirt belongs in…