Members Work

Articles and writing from Heritage Society members and contributors

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

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

“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…
Read More
Earning His Wings: Flight Lieutenant (and Outside-Right) George Dalgliesh

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…
Read More
Lindsay Johnson – My Everton Years

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…
Read More
The Everton Heritage Show – Latest Programme

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…
Read More
James Prescott: Architect of the Original Goodison Park 

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…
Read More
‘Wear, Frame, Bin’ – Lewis Royden on ToffeeTV

‘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…
Read More
Becky Easton and Lindsay Johnson Inducted into the Hall of Fame

Becky Easton and Lindsay Johnson Inducted into the Hall of Fame

By Rob Sawyer Following the successful launch of the Everton Women’s Hall of Fame in the autumn of 2025, at which Louise Thomas, Joy McQuiggan, Mo Marley, Billy Jackson and Cathy Gore were inducted, the selection panel recently announced two new stars to join them. Becky Easton and Lindsay Johnson were duly inducted shortly before kick-off at the last match of the season, against Leicester City at Goodison Park. Everton Ladies squad summer 1998 Wirral-raised Becky enjoyed a long and illustrious career in club and international football. In all, she had three spells with the club, first when it played…
Read More
An Evening of Two Halves with Jamie Yates and Peter Lupson

An Evening of Two Halves with Jamie Yates and Peter Lupson

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mike Royden For the fifth event in the Spring 2026 series of Everton FC Heritage Society social/talk evenings, we were graced with the presence of two separate speakers during a night of two halves. (photo: Lewis Royden) First up was Peter Lupson, a former teacher, and a founder member of The Everton FC Heritage Society, who was present at the inaugural meeting back in 2008. Peter is also a former vice-chair of the society. He has authored several books (including school texts), such as Thank God For Football, and Across the Park. Peter took us through a fascinating journey…
Read More
‘Everton FC in Everton Day’ – 9 May 2026 – Noon-2pm

‘Everton FC in Everton Day’ – 9 May 2026 – Noon-2pm

On Saturday 9 May between Noon and 2pm, the Everton FC Heritage Society, in tandem with the Friends of Everton Park (FOEP), once again opened up the Everton Lock-Up below Browside, for a special ‘Everton FC in Everton Day.’ https://youtu.be/mK9MLE-oCEU?si=1WbJL3NILL4xVh6k Video filmed by Rob Sawyer and edited by Lewis Royden Rob Sawyer, who was one of Everton FC Heritage Society's representatives on the day, reports on the event; A Report on the ‘Everton FC in Everton Day’ 2026 Rob Sawyer Although Everton FC, and its previous incarnation as St Domingo chapel football team, has never played football in the Everton…
Read More