—————————————————————————-
Ken Rogers
(Chairman EFCHS, former Liverpool Echo Sports Editor`)
David Prentice
(Former Liverpool Echo Sports Editor, Head of Communications, Everton FC)
Ken Rogers and David Prentice – Lifting the Lid on Reporting on the Blues for over Five Decades
Rob Sawyer
The fourth in the spring 2026 series of Everton FC Heritage Society social/talk evenings played to a packed house at the Denbigh Castle function room. Aside from many regular attendees, We were delighted to welcome Everton CEO Angus Kinnear, plus Lord Grantchester (grandson of Sir John Moores and a former Toffees board member), who was also in the company of Andrew Lancel (Andrew is well known as an actor and producer, playing roles in Coronation Street and The Bill for example, but is a lifelong Blue, and has worked with Bob Latchford in a production to promote The Everton Collection).
The guest speakers Ken Rogers and David Prentice are long-serving Heritage Society members (chairman, in the case of Ken) and highly-respected journalists, who have a combined total of 75 years covering Merseyside football.
In the first half of the evening, Ken, a Blue since birth, who was raised in the Everton district of the city, ran through a selection of career highlights (and a handful of lowlights) of a journalistic career which began as a teenager in 1967 at the prompting of his mother. One of his early scoops was seeking out Dixie Dean at his workplace as a night porter and spending several hours getting first-hand recollections of the career of the great man. Ken, who has reported on, and worked alongside, no less than ten occupants of the Goodison Park hot seat, reflected on the personalities, achievements and interactions with the likes of Harry Catterick and Howard Kendall. To add some balance, Ron Yeats and Bill Shankly also received honourable mentions. He ran through some of the biggest stories he broke, including the signing of Andy Gray in 1983 (after a tip-off that he’d been seen in a newsagents on Goodison Road) and the departure of Howard Kendall for Bilbao in 1987.
After a drinks break, Ken put the questions to David about his life reporting on the Blues since 1987, prior to moving across to work for Everton in 2022. The former Echo Sports Editor ran through a raft of insightful and often hilarious anecdotes about his contact with Everton players and managers, including Howard Kendall, Colin Harvey, Joe Royle, Mike Walker, Walter Smith Ian Snodin and Neville Southall, plus the surreal time he spent the night on Peter Johnson’s yacht, moored off St Tropez and their somewhat complicated relationship that was sunk below the waterline by the sale of Duncan Ferguson to Newcastle United in the 1998/99 season.
The pair also reflected on the events of the final day of the 1993/94 season, with Everton teetering on the edge and the Echo printing presses ready to roll with either SAFE or DOWN as the headline. What stood out to the audience was the level of access Ken and David enjoyed with the Club, from the managers through to players and club officials (notably secretary Jim Greenwood), something which is no longer the case.
In truth, such is the vast array of anecdotes the pair have in their back pockets, the event could have continued into the early hours. Those wanting to enjoy more stories and insights should seek out David’s book ‘A Grand Old Team to Report’ and Ken’s ‘Born, Not Manufactured’. The evening wrapped up at 10.30pm with a lively Q&A before those in no hurry to go home, retired to the Denbigh Castle’s main bar area.
.
Thanks go to Ken and David for being such brilliant raconteurs, and to Mike Royden, ably assisted by son Lewis, for putting in the hard yards of preparation, including assembling a superb miscellany of photographs for the big screen to accompany the talk.
The next talk/social event, at the Denbigh Castle, will be on 7 May, with Heritage Society members and authors Peter Lupson and Jamie Yates sharing star billing. Peter will present:
‘The Everton players’ health and fitness. Changing approaches across the years.’ while Jamie will reflect on his fascinating recent projects and research, including The George Farmer grave restoration and associated event.
Rob Sawyer
.
…………………………………………………………….
Visit our EFCHS Social / Talks webpage for further details.
Gallery
(photo: Rob Sawyer)
Above, Dave signs a copy of Farewell to Goodison, the official publication by the club. Dave was the author, although you cannot tell from the cover, and you wouldn’t know unless you looked at the small print buried on page three. Would have been nice to see Dave’s name feature prominently on the front cover!
.
Former mascots
We later learned that we had two former Everton mascots in our midst – who are now good friends in the society! Lewis Royden was the mascot at the Gwladys Street Hall of Fame night (2001), while young Gareth Jones was the oldest Premiership mascot at the time of his appearance, exactly twenty-two years ago today. Happy anniversary Gaz!
…………………………………………………………….
A Jubilee Surprise
A second, integral part of these evenings, is for members and guests to socialise and also have an opportunity to discuss aspects of the history and heritage of Everton FC; to formulate ideas and projects; and exchange information. We have already been surprised by the donation of a Map of Everton Township by Blues fan Paul Walsh, from which we deduced it was the first ever mapping of the Everton Lock up, which directly led Mike Royden to write the article The Mapping of the Lock up.
Well, Paul surprised us again at our get together this evening, by bring in this wonderful artefact – and a gem in the history of the club. In fact, it is the official jubilee history of Everton FC, by Thomas Keates, published in 1929. Original copies are extremely rare, although you can get hold of a modern, much less impressive facsimile online for around £15. A few of our members do have original copies.
Paul then opened the book to raise the rarity value even higher – inside was a complimentary slip, signed by Will Cuff!
In the words of David Prentice,
‘Cuff served the Blues for more than half-a-century until his death in 1949 – and oversaw two FA Cup wins, three league championships and the growth of the club from Victorian pioneers to modern 20th century football club. He was a president of the Football League and vice-president of the FA, and on the weekend of his death all league and cup matches observed a period of silence and every player wore black armlets.’
Paul added, “I made the decision to seek out a copy after seeing your Heritage Society film on the life of Thomas Keates, and the restoration of his grave. It gave me the inspiration that this was a book worth getting hold of, considering its importance in the history of the club.”
It’s and honour to know that the work we are doing as a society is having such an effect on those wishing to know more about the history of the club. Many thanks Paul!
Mike and Lewis Royden
Here is the film referred to by Paul, researched and presented by Jamie Yates;
The Grave Restoration of Thomas Keates
.
…………………………………………………………….
That’s All Folks!
Photo and page layout by
Mike Royden
Report
