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Dennis Stevens
1 Posted 26/11/2014 at 09:23:46

Thanks very much, Tony. I do find these historical pieces fascinating. Maybe it's because these figures from bygone eras of club history somehow seem more real than the plastic superstars of the modern game. I think new specs for your proof reader may be in order though!

Dave Pritchard
2 Posted 26/11/2014 at 09:48:57

I agree, Dennis. Having just read 'The Cannonball Kid' what comes over is how different the game was previously. Dave Hickson felt that he was sold by Everton because of his (in those days) poor disciplinary record. When you see how clubs protect players today, even when they've done some terrible things both on and off the field, it shows a different era.

The clubs called the shots over the players then, rather too much by the sounds of things. It is all changed now but has gone too far, like many other situations.

Tony Onslow
3 Posted 26/11/2014 at 12:16:36

Sorry, Dennis about the mistakes... senses not what they used to be, I will get one of my grandchildren to check my next article before I submit it. Glad you enjoyed it though and thanks for your kind comment.

Dave Lynch
4 Posted 26/11/2014 at 13:20:21

Tony.

Maybe you have and maybe you haven't but have you ever thought of putting these articles together in book form? It would make fascinating reading and I for one would buy it. It would also preserve the memories of some of the lesser known but no less important members of our great club.

Alan Humphreys
5 Posted 26/11/2014 at 13:07:40

Enjoyable read. Having kept goal myself in the past (at a very, very, very low level) and cried 'murder' when someone had the audacity to shove me, you get some understanding of the brutality teams were allowed to get away with... For some reason, I always picture Sly Stallone in Escape to Victory.

Kind of expected him to be bigger than the image shows due to the nature of the game back then. I assume it's modern day football that has created the need for Giants between the sticks.

Dennis Stevens
6 Posted 26/11/2014 at 15:24:59

Dave's quite right, Tony. Enough of these historical articles assembled together would make for an excellent book or, hopefully, a series of volumes over time.

Michael Kenrick
Editorial Team
7 Posted 26/11/2014 at 15:32:18

Another great article, Tony. Apologies as I have been trying to do a read-through before they go up but I did not get to this one in time.

Some interesting points: Nottingham County? I thought they were rather particular about the name of the club being Notts County FC? I can find no indication they were ever called 'Nottingham County', but I could have missed something.

Also, stylistically, I have trouble with switching between present and past tense when talking history... Maybe it's just me Â– I know this 'active voice' business is all the rage in narrative Â– but it looks very odd to me when you have both tenses in the same sentence, referring obviously to stuff that happened in the long-distant past!

Anyway, I've cleaned it up now. Let me know pronto if I've messed anything up in the process. And if you do make the book compilation, I'll gladly be your proofie!

Lyndon Lloyd
8 Posted 26/11/2014 at 16:15:04

Sorry, Dennis and Tony. In my desire to get Tony's piece up in a more timely manner this time, I wasn't able to properly proof it. I'll take more care next time.

I'm glad that people are enjoying these, though, and I love that we are building a nice archive of Tony's historical work here at ToffeeWeb. That book idea is a good one for the future, too Â– I had the same thought.

Tony Onslow
9 Posted 26/11/2014 at 16:06:39

Hmm... start with Dave. I have previously written three books which briefly allude to the brilliant early history of our beloved Everton. I have since retired and now have time on my hands to analyse the lives of the early players in depth. Two years ago I wrote a series of short stories which I published myself and have since replicated many of them on ToffeeWeb.

I enjoy trying to unearth previously unknown facts about our former players because I do not want them to vanish in to pages of history. I have, at this moment in time, no plans for any further publications.

Tony Onslow
10 Posted 26/11/2014 at 17:40:17

Mike, from what I can gather, the game was not against the Notts County club but, as it was exhibition match, the team that opposed Everton was made up of a team of players who represented the Nottingham FA. With regards to the past and present tense, its difficult to write a bio of a former Everton player with out going back to highlight the difficulties he had to endure in relation to how the game is played today.

Alan, Smalley, might not look tall against the two players is stood between because Hannah and Doyle were "taller than average" amongst the inhabitants of Victorian England. However, if you look at the two guys in mufti, you will see all three tower over both of them.

David Ellis
11 Posted 28/11/2014 at 06:39:51

Thanks, Tony.

I really enjoy these pieces too. I don't think many current pros will go on to become chartered accountants!

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