Players – Page 9 – Everton FC Heritage Society

15

Mar

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1900-1909, 1910-1919, Books, Events, Lyndon Lloyd, Players, WW1

Lost in France: Leigh Richmond Roose

A talk given by author Spencer Vignes to the Everton FC Shareholder's Association Leigh Richmond Roose Leigh Roose was born in a small village called Holt which lies just on the Welsh side of the border between England and Wales a few miles outside Wrexham. As a youngster he took to goalkeeping like a duck to water, perfecting his art during kick-abouts in Holt and while at university in Aberystwyth where he went to do a science degree. While he was in Aberystwyth he also played for the top local side, Aberystwyth Town, with who he won a Welsh Cup…

Billy and Bob: The Fabulous Balmer Brothers

13

Mar

By Rob Sawyer

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1900-1909, 1910-1919, 1920-1929, 1930-1939, 1940-1949, Articles, History, Latest, Members Work, Players, Rob Sawyer

Billy and Bob: The Fabulous Balmer Brothers

Billy and Bob: The Fabulous Balmer Brothers By Rob Sawyer William and Robert Balmer formed a fearsome, and fruitful, fraternal partnership in Everton’s back-line in the early years of the 20th Century. William’s selection for national team duty would also make him the club’s first Scouse England cap. They were the sons of James (a carpenter and joiner) and Martha. William Atherton was born on 29 July 1875 whilst Robert followed on 28 November 1881. The pair - better known and Billy and Bob - grew-up alongside their siblings John (b. 1874) and Mary (b. 1877) at the family home…

12

Mar

By Rob Sawyer

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1930-1939, 1960-1969, Articles, Members Work, Players, Rob Sawyer

Dixie’s Sunset, Bally’s Sunrise

Ashton's Everton Connection Ashton-Under-Lyne, six miles to the east of Manchester, is dominated by a huge Ikea store and known by football trivia fanatics as the birthplace of Sir Geoff Hurst. Yet it is another Hurst that connects this Tameside town with Everton Football Club. Hurst FC was founded in 1878 (a familiar ring to it for Evertonians), playing its first reported fixture the following year. Within two years the club had relocated to the Hurst Cross ground and remains there to this day – one of the longest residences in football. The team has muddled along in regional leagues…

01

Mar

By Rob Sawyer

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1920-1929, 1930-1939, Articles, Directors, History, Members Work, Players, Rob Sawyer

The Life of Hunter Hart

Hunter Hart was always recognisable by a distinctive quiff which pre-dated that of Wolves' Billy Wright. He served Everton with distinction on the field in the 1920s and behind a desk in the 1930s but, unfortunately, his association with the club he loved was to end prematurely, as was his life. Born on Glasgow on 11 March 1897 to Alexander (a carter) and Jessie, Hart grew up less than half a mile from Celtic's stadium. By the age of 14, living in Shettleston, Lanarkshire, he had lost the sight in one eye, in what was described as 'a childhood accident'.…

Initials T.G. – Researching Tommy Jones, The Prince of Centre-Halves

25

Feb

By Rob Sawyer

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1930-1939, 1940-1949, Books, Members Work, Players, Rob Sawyer, WW2

Initials T.G. – Researching Tommy Jones, The Prince of Centre-Halves

William Ralph “Dixie” Dean sits unchallenged as the king of Goodison Park. Joining him in the Royal Blue dynasty is the Prince of Centre Halves: Thomas George Jones. Tommy, as his friends knew him, was so famous in his pomp for Everton and Wales that he was known merely by his initials - T.G. Devouring Everton history books as a youngster, I would read of this artist in the Blues’ half-back line. Dominant in the air, immaculate on the ground and possessing a rocket-like shot, T.G. was so confident in his own ability that he would dribble in his own…

George Sharples Remembered by Rob Sawyer

25

Feb

By Rob Sawyer

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1960-1969, Articles, History, Members Work, Players, Rob Sawyer

George Sharples Remembered by Rob Sawyer

George Sharples, who passed away on 14 December 2020, aged 77, had been one of nine surviving players to have played a part in Everton’s title-winning season of 1962-63 (the others being Jimmy Gabriel, Mick Meagan, John Morrissey, Derek Temple, Tony Kay, Billy Bingham, Ray Veall and Frank Wignall). George Sharples c.1961 A son of Ellesmere Port, he was born on 20 September 1943, to parents James and Florence, who ran a large and successful newsagent business in Overpool. A student at Wirral Grammar School – a rugby-playing establishment – George always had soccer as his first sporting love. He…

30

Jan

By Steve Zocek

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1980-1989, Articles, Latest, Players, Steve Zocek

Once a Blue – Steve Bateman

In the matchday programme during the 1983/84 season, there was a Q & A featuring the players. I came across the one with Mark Higgins, who was asked to recommend a player for the future. ‘Steve Bateman’ was his reply. Steve was the captain of the Everton FA Youth Cup side that lost the final to Norwich City in the 1982/83 season, 6-5 on aggregate. Whatever happened to Steve? As always, I dug deep to satisfy my fascination, intrigued to find out what happened to hhim after Everton. Enjoy. Steve originated from down south at Berkhamsted. At the age of…

Any Dream Will Do: Don Donovan – (Son of my Father Part 13)

24

Jan

By Steve Zocek

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1950-1959, 1970-1979, Articles, Latest, Players, Steve Zocek

Any Dream Will Do: Don Donovan – (Son of my Father Part 13)

Don Donovan arrived in England from Cork, the second largest city in Ireland located in the south west of the country, an area which also produced Roy Keane. Don played junior football for Maymount Rovers then Dalymount Rovers, where he was spotted by an Everton representative whilst the club was on a pre-season tour. Don was invited to cross the Irish Sea in 1949, just after the war, leaving his close family and moving to new surroundings in Liverpool, only to be welcomed by a fellow countryman, Tommy Eglinton. Tommy later became the godfather of Don’s son, Terry. Other members…

Jack Keys and William Warmby — The Duo from Derby

20

Jan

By Tony Onslow

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1878-1889, 1890-1899, Articles, History, Members Work, Players, Tony Onslow

Jack Keys and William Warmby — The Duo from Derby

Jack Keys and William Warmby — The Duo from Derby In preparation for life in the Football League, Everton Football Club made several new signings during the summer of 1888. Two of them, Keys and Warmby, had joined from Derby County. Despite the fact that the local newspapers made no reference to their background, they were in fact related by marriage and had reached the Mersey seaport by two slightly different routes. William Henry Warmby was born in 1863 in South Yorkshire, where he began his football career with his local team, Rotherham Town. Some time around 1883 he moved…

Alan and Jackie McInally – (Son of my Father Part 12)

20

Jan

By Steve Zocek

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1960-1969, Articles, Members Work, Players, Steve Zocek

Alan and Jackie McInally – (Son of my Father Part 12)

Alan McInally never played for Everton, but he spent pre-season with the Toffees during the days of Howard Kendall. Alan was registered a Bayern Munich player at that time and a very close friend with Mo Johnston who was at Everton back then. Alan was recovering from a knee injury eager to regain some match fitness. The German giants authorised that Alan could play for Everton in a pre-season fixture for the Blues at Port Vale where he managed the first forty-five minutes. Following in his father’s footsteps, this is the story of Jackie McInally. Jackie started his career in…