In early 2025, as the final game at his beloved Goodison Park was drawing ever closer, Dr David France – to many known as Dr Everton – was intent on documenting his life and relationship with Everton Football Club as a lifelong fan, a collector of an incredible of memorabilia, and the instigator or motivating force in a series of initiatives surrounding the heritage of this great club and welfare of some of those lucky enough to have pulled on the blue shirt.
Working with the film-making team of Everton FC Heritage Society, Lewis and Mike Royden, with the help of Jamie Yates, plus presenters David Prentice (Everton FC) , Chris Beesley (Liverpool Echo), and Sarah Deboe (EFCHS), three topics were documented. So many stories were recounted in the final film that filming was extended and split into two parts.
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Dr David France OBE – a Legacy on Film
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‘Desert Island Memorabilia’
Presented by David Prentice / Filmed and edited by Lewis Royden
In a pastiche of the famous radio programme broadcast since 1942, where guests pick eight pieces of music, a book, and a luxury item to take to a desert island; Dr David France OBE has selected ten items of Evertonia, mostly from The Everton Collection, plus a book, and just one piece of music, to take to his island amid a sea of blue.
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‘My EFC Initiatives’
Presented by Chris Beesley / Filmed and edited by Lewis Royden
Perhaps best known for The Everton Collection, David is the founder and driving force behind numerous initiatives related to Everton Football Club, such as Gwladys Street’s Hall of Fame since 1996, Everton Former Players’ Foundation since 1999, and Everton FC Heritage Society since 2008, to name just a few. These initiatives and many more are discussed here in fascinating detail, in a corner of that famous Goodison Road watering hole, the Winslow Hotel.
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‘Everton in the Swinging Sixties’ (Part I)
Presented by Sarah Deboe and Lewis Royden / Filmed and edited by Lewis Royden
In this programme we concentrate on Everton in the Sixties, a decade punctuated by two First Division tiles and an FA Cup. To provide a season by season review from 1959/60-1969/70, we visited the Dixie Dean Hotel to talk to Dr David France, a fifth generation Evertonian. Born in Widnes, the now 77-year-old has spent the past 48 years living in North America, yet has travelled over 2 million miles to attend Everton games. We turn back time here and revisit his early exploits as a committed young Blue in the Swinging Sixties.
In post production – due Autumn 2025 – release will be announced on our social media.
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‘Everton in the Swinging Sixties (Part II)
Presented by Lewis Royden / Filmed and edited by Lewis Royden
Part two of the Sixties programme
In post production – due Autumn 2025 – release will be announced on our social media.