Members Work – Page 2 – Everton FC Heritage Society

Mapping the Lock Up and the History of the Everton Crest

19

Mar

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Articles, Bramley-Moore, Everton Collection, Goodison, Latest, Mike Royden

Mapping the Lock Up and the History of the Everton Crest

Mike Royden Entering into the Park End Captain's Table at Goodison Park minutes after the annual Remembrance memorial, attendees were keen to gather a hot drink and sit down for a moment's respite after escaping from the bitterly cold weather. Paul Walsh While chatting to fellow Heritage Society members, we were approached by Paul Walsh, a life-long Blue, volunteer with the 1878s, and a fan of the work carried out by the Society. He had in his hand a map he had recently acquired, and very kindly wished to donate it to the Society so that something could be made…

The Great Goalpost Desecrating Craze of the 1960s

17

Mar

By Jamie Yates

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1960-1969, Articles, Goodison, Jamie Yates, Latest

The Great Goalpost Desecrating Craze of the 1960s

Jamie Yates For anyone who grew up with the 1988 BBC Official History narrated by John Motson as part of their Evertonian education, one of the most exhilarating montages is made up of footage from the 1962/63 season, early on in Harry Catterick’s glorious reign as manager. One particularly notable sequence is the footage from Saturday 22 September 1962, the Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park. Rival captains Ron Yeats and Roy Vernon lead the teams out from the tunnel for the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, Saturday 8 February 1964 (NB this is the season after the derby featured here. Thanks…

From Birkenhead to El Ballet Azul: The Billy Higgins Story

15

Mar

By Rob Sawyer

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1940-1949, 1950-1959, Articles, Latest, Players, Rob Sawyer

From Birkenhead to El Ballet Azul: The Billy Higgins Story

Rob Sawyer Billy Higgins with Everton in 1946 When Everton played the Millonarios club of Bogotá in Florida in the summer of 2021, it provided an intriguing link to the past. In 1950, the Columbian club was at the epicentre of a storm over footballers being lured from British clubs to a so-called ‘renegade league’. In the immediate post-war era, footballers employed by English Football League clubs were on a maximum wage of £12 per week plus moderate bonuses and long service rewarded with periodic ‘benefit cheques’. Although well-paid, compared to the typical blue-collar worker, these sporting stars were far…

John ‘Jock’ Gillespie: From Hampden Park to the Battlefield

14

Mar

By Richie Gillham

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1878-1889, Articles, Latest, Players, Richard Gillham

John ‘Jock’ Gillespie: From Hampden Park to the Battlefield

Richie Gillham John 'Jock' Gillespie John “Jock” Gillespie was born on Tuesday 15 November 1870, in Falkirk. Jock and his three brothers were all good footballers. His brother, George L. Gillespie, was a well-known player of the day who played for Queen’s Park, another brother, Alexander, played for both Queen’s Park and Falkirk. William Gillespie, a third brother, also made occasional appearances on the football field and was a keen cyclist. Their father John, a Ship Carrier , too, was known as an athlete of some prowess. George was one of the founders of the Falkirk Amateurs Football club too.…

03

Mar

By Mike Royden

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1878-1889, Articles, Everton Collection, Goodison, History, Latest, Members Work, Mike Royden

In Search of Priory Road 1883-84

In Search of Priory Road Commencing to write this article on the day that government approval was granted for the Bramley-Moore Stadium, social media was awash with good wishes to all those concerned in successfully seeing the project through. There were the inevitable online exchanges, with a great many from the envious dark side, who could see they were now visibly condemned to spend yet another generation in their Big Stand with little chance of expansion, a move, or even a laughable ground-share. Meanwhile, many commented online that this would be Everton’s third stadium build in the city. (pic: Liverpool…

Earning their stars and stripes – international standard goalkeeping

16

Feb

By Paul Owens

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1990-1999, 2000-2009, 2010-2019, 2020-2029, Everton Women, Latest, Paul Owens, Players

Earning their stars and stripes – international standard goalkeeping

Paul Owens Barring an unfortunate injury or a mind-boggling decision regarding team selection by Thomas Tuchel, Jordan Pickford will line up for England this summer at the 2026 World Cup finals, which are to be held in the United States of America and Canada. Everton’s outstanding last line of defence went the whole of the Three Lions’ qualifying campaign without conceding a goal and is desperate for international success at his third World Cup finals, telling BBC Sport’s Kelly Somers in November 2025, ‘It has been that long since England has won something and to be a part of that…

15

Feb

By Mike Royden

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Articles, History, Latest, Mike Royden

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…

12

Feb

By Rob Sawyer

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1960-1969, Articles, Latest, Players, Rob Sawyer

The Life of Barrie Rees

Rob Sawyer Rhyl-born Barrie Rees followed in the footsteps of South Walian striker Keith Webber by swapping life at Goodison Park for the Goldstone Ground in the 1960s. Barrie (often written as Barry) was born on 4 February 1944 and lived on Mayfield Grove, attending Christchurch Junior School and Glyndwr Secondary School. In 1959, as a fifteen-year-old, he attained Welsh Schoolboy football honours as a forward in a Wales v Ireland match played in Bangor. Rhyl FC of the Cheshire League, had him on amateur forms, but on the recommendation of Freddie Bennett, the Toffees’ man in North Wales, he was…

‘The Accidental Footballer – An Entertaining Evening with Pat Nevin’

06

Feb

By Rob Sawyer

3 Comments

1980-1989, 1990-1999, Events, Film and Media, Latest, Mike Royden, Players, Rob Sawyer

‘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…

02

Feb

By Mike Royden

4 Comments

1878-1889, 1890-1899, 1900-1909, Articles, Goodison, Latest, Mike Royden

George and Annie Jane Goodison

Towards the Foundation of a Stadium, and how Classical Egypt came to Waterloo Mike Royden The name ‘Goodison Park’ has always had a touch of class about it, but it so easily could have been called ‘Mere Green’ or possibly ‘Walton Stiles’: Mere Green being the land leased (and later purchased) for the new Everton FC stadium, and Walton Stiles being the ancient footpath that once ran from the Walton Church area, approximately along what is now Goodison Road, down Spellow Lane and on to County Road. But where did the name originate, and how did it become the name…