Players

Only Once a Blue (Part 1): Robert Jamieson

Only Once a Blue (Part 1) Robert Jamieson Hailing from the famous football nursery in The Vale of Leven, Robert Jamieson was to learn the rudiments of the association game surrounded by what were, at the time, some of the finest players in the kingdom. He was born on 7 September 1867 at 199 High Street, Dumbarton, the child of Robert, a journeyman fitter, and his wife Elizabeth. The head of the household was away on the day of the 1871 census, but Elizabeth was recorded, along with her four children, as living at 6 Clyde Street in Dumbarton. On…
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Any Chance of a Trial Mr Kelly?

Any Chance of a Trial Mr Kelly?

  Charlie Lewis had a dream How many of us have dreamt of turning up at Goodison with our boots, blagging our way inside, finding the manager’s office, knocking on the door and asking if there is any chance of a trial, being told ‘Sure son, no problem, come right this way’, playing a blinder, outshining all the other trialists who had been invited to play, walking off feeling you had blown it, only for the manager, not only to take you on, but to put you straight into the first team next Saturday alongside the England centre-forward? And then…
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The First Ever Derby Match

The First Ever Derby Match

  After the historic split of 1892, the city had to wait until 13 October 1894 before the first meeting of the two clubs – the first ever Merseyside Derby.  Attendances at Goodison had averaged 30,000 by then, but this eagerly anticipated fixture attracted an estimated 44,000 fans. Local pundits viewed Liverpool’s rise as remarkable.  In their first year they won the Lancashire League Championship, on the strength of which they were admitted to the Second Division of the Football League. They again took the honours as champions, and after a victory in a test match against Newton Heath (whatever…
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Frank Sugg – A Great Sporting All-Rounder

Frank Sugg – A Great Sporting All-Rounder

As a child, a shopping trip to nearby Stockport was not complete without a visit to the Sugg Sport emporium in the Merseyway Shopping Centre. Back then I was blissfully unaware of the link between the family giving its name to the Yorkshire-based retail chain and Everton FC. Frank Howe Sugg, like Jack Sharp and Harry Makepeace, was a notable footballer-cum-cricketer on Everton’s books. Born in Ilkeston, in 1862, Frank was raised in Pitsmoor, Sheffield from the age of four, along with his elder brother, Walter. The boys’ parents had designs on them following their father, Hubert, into the legal…
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“Bunny” – The Robert Bell Story

“Bunny” – The Robert Bell Story

The Wirral has a proud tradition of producing high-calibre footballers who have graced stadia on Merseyside and beyond. For a period in the first half of the 20th century Tranmere Rovers became something of a centre-forward factory, producing some of the finest striking talent in the land. There was, of course, William Ralph “Dixie” Dean, but also Tom “Pongo” Waring, Bill “Nibbler” Ridding and Robert “Bunny” Bell (it appears that nicknames were mandatory in this era). The latter wrote himself into the record books by scoring a triple-hat-trick on Boxing Day 1935. More of which later… Bob, as he preferred…
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Elie Hurel – The First Jerseyman to Play in the First Division

Elie Hurel – The First Jerseyman to Play in the First Division

Elie Hurel holds a special place in the footballing folklore of the Channel Islands. Decades before Graeme Le Saux and Matt Le Tissier became household names; Elie was the first man from those Crown dependencies to play football in the English top flight. His journey there — from being orphaned as a child to lining up alongside the legendary Bill “Dixie” Dean at Goodison Park — is a remarkable one. Elie, the fifth of twelve children born to Emile Andre and Marie-Francoise Hurel, took his first breath on April 10 1915. As their names suggest, Emile and Marie-Francoise were French…
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Jack Brearley, a Prisoner at Ruhleben

Jack Brearley, a Prisoner at Ruhleben. Located beneath the dark smoking chimneys of the gigantic Spandau Munitions Factory on the outskirts of Berlin, the harnessed horse racing track at Ruhleben was hurriedly turned in to an internment camp for the 5,000 or so British civilians who found themselves trapped inside Germany due to the outbreak of World War 1. The game of association football was still in its infant stages, and several of the men held captive, former professional football players, had answered an advertisement to come as trainers and help improve the standard of the game on mainland Europe.…
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Dixie Dean’s most cherished medal comes home

Dixie Dean’s most cherished medal comes home

Dixie Dean’s most prized medal came home at the weekend - and Everton have been given the opportunity to secure it for good. Famed memorabilia collector Gordon Wallis bought Dixie Dean’s 1927/28 League Championship winning medal - the season he set the Football League’s 60-goal scoring record - at auction in 1991. But to commemorate the 90th anniversary of Dixie’s remarkable achievement Mr Wallis agreed to bring the cherished medal back to its spiritual home. And at a special event organised by the Everton Heritage Society to celebrate the medal’s return, Mr Wallis hinted that it could one day enjoy…
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Bob Latchford’s 30 goal season

Bob Latchford’s 30 goal season

"Bobby Latchford walks on water", echoed the cry from the Goodison terraces as they idolised their Everton number nine. Everton were renowned for their famous number nines and Bob was no different. The Daily Express newspaper decided to offer a prize of £10,000 for a player to hit the back of the net thirty times in the 1977/78 season. The last time this feat had been achieved was back in 1972 when Francis Lee hit thirty three goals for Manchester City. Manager Billy Bingham signed Bob in 1974, for what was then a massive record signing fee of £350,000, with…
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Dixie Dean’s most cherished medal is coming home to Goodison Park

Dixie Dean’s most cherished medal is coming home to Goodison Park

Dixie Dean's most cherished medal comes home to Goodison Park The 1927/28 League Championship medal presented to Dixie Dean will be back at Goodison Park on eve of anniversary   One of the most cherished medals in Everton’s history is coming home. The League Championship medal presented to Dixie Dean after his record-breaking 60-goal season in 1927-28 will be back at Goodison Park - on the eve of the 90th anniversary of the legendary And fans are being invited to see it at a special celebration event. Saturday May 5, when Everton entertain Southampton, will be the 90th anniversary of…
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