Formed 14 years before their great rivals Liverpool, Everton can boast of being the first football team to play at Anfield. In fact it was a dispute over rent at the Anfield site that led to the formation of the other club on Merseyside in 1892. The new side stayed while the Toffees moved on to their present home, Goodison Park, the first purpose built football stadium in the country.
Founding members of the Football League, Everton were giants of the early game in England. Standing head and shoulders above everyone else in their history is William Ralph Dean, better known as Dixie, the most prolific goal-scorer in English football history. Dean hit an incredible 383 goals in 433 matches for Everton before retiring in 1937. He still holds the record for most goals in a season, an astonishing 60 in 39 matches which may never be beaten.
After a successful period in the Sixties, the club's heyday came with the appointment of Howard Kendall in 1981. A former Everton player himself, Kendall successfully challenged the dominance of rivals Liverpool which had lasted since the early Seventies. In 1984 he won his first trophy, the FA Cup which was soon followed by the league title and the Cup Winners Cup the next season.
Unfortunately for Everton what should have been a period of great success in Europe was not to be. In 1985 English clubs were banned from European competition after 39 spectators died at the European Cup final between Liverpool and Juventus. As a result the Toffees missed out on the European Cup the following season and again after their ninth league title in 1987.
In recent years the club have begun to rise to prominence again under the shrewd management of David Moyes. The Scotsman has taken the Toffees to top-six finishes in three of the last four seasons and with plans for a new stadium the future looks bright for Everton.
Full NameEverton Football Club
Team Formed1878
StadiumGoodison Park, Liverpool
Stadium Capacity40569
Major HonoursFirst Division:
1890-91, 1914-15, 1927-28, 1931-32, 1938-39, 1962-63, 1969-70, 1984-85, 1986-87
FA Cup:
1906, 1933, 1966, 1984, 1995
Cup Winners Cup:
1985
All Time GreatsTony Cottee, Dixie Dean, Duncan Ferguson, Gary Lineker, Kevin Ratcliffe, Nevile Southall, Graeme Sharp, Dave Watson