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Season › 2021-22 › Opinion

Column & Opinion Articles

Contributions from our editorial team and featured columnists.

“I Give Them Whatever I Have”

Paul The Esk
A look at Everton's profitability and sustainability position with the pending sale to Tottenham Hotspur of Richarlison and the other players who have come off the books in the past financial year
30/06/2022

Buying and Valuing a Football Club — Everton FC

Paul The Esk
A long read on valuing Everton FC, the issues around valuations and my view on what represents good value to both parties
25/06/2022

'The Pioneers of Football in Foreign Lands!'

James Milner
That was how Everton director E A Bainbridge described the club with reference to Everton's tour of South America in 1909
21/06/2022

Is Ellis Simms ready?

Robert Tressell
Ellis Simms scored for fun at U18 level and has done well out on loan over the last two seasons. But is he ready to succeed as a Premier League striker?
19/06/2022

O Guerreiro

Lyndon Lloyd
Committed and loyal, talented and misunderstood outside of Goodison Park, Richarlison has cemented himself in the hearts of Evertonians, especially this season when he rose to the fore as the warrior who scored many of the goals that assured the Blues' Premier League safety
16/06/2022

Jack Coulter: From Whiteabbey to Goodison Park — By Rob Sawyer

David France
Book review by David France
13/06/2022

The Opening of Goodison Park

John McFarlane [Senior]
With the move to the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock becoming an imminent reality, I thought that it's a good time to pay tribute to what we've come to refer to as the “Grand Old Lady” — Goodison Park.
07/06/2022

Richard “Dickie” Boyle — Made of Stone

Rob Sawyer
In the earliest years of the Football League, Everton were awash with players from Dumbarton. No less vital and dedicated to the Toffees cause in this era Richard Hill Boyle, who never earned the silverware he so richly deserved
05/06/2022

Everton' financial position entering the summer

Paul The Esk
A look at the club's financial framework heading into the summer, from a regulatory and affordability perspective
30/05/2022

The Perfect Storm

Lyndon Lloyd
Starting with the ill-advised appointment of Rafael Benitez, a confluence of factors almost dragged this grand old club out of the top flight before Everton's terrific fans stepped in. A review of season 2021-22.
27/05/2022

Summer Targets 2022

Sam Hoare
Sam's look at what's out there by way of new players we might buy.
27/05/2022

The Future Role of Fans and the Involvement of Farhad Moshiri

Paul The Esk
Now the season is over, it's time to look at how fans use the impetus and positive experience regarding atmosphere in influencing Everton's owner and Board of Directors
26/05/2022

Bernard Gamble — Everton' Second Boy Mascot

Rob Sawyer
The story of a lad who hopped the wall at Goodison Park to meet Everton's players prior to a match and became the club's unofficial mascot for three years in the mid-1960s
25/05/2022

Dazzle

Peter Jones
A bit of history on the front of the current Everton home shirt
18/05/2022

Meet Myra — Goodison's Unsuspecting Dog of War

Ell Bretland
Richarlison may have been the hero on the pitch in Everton's 1-0 victory over Chelsea on Sunday but there was another icon who announced herself to the Goodison faithful ahead of kick-off… Myra the dog!
01/05/2022

Bramley-Moore Stadium, financing options and costs?

Paul The Esk
A look at financing the new stadium a Bramley-Moore Dock, some unanswered questions and the cost of delay. In the absence of an AGM, these questions have to be asked publicly
20/04/2022

Tom Robson — A Life too Short

Rob Sawyer
A highly-rated right-half, Tom was a victim of Everton's unsuccessful battle against relegation in the 1929-30 season. He ultimately moved on and later died of pneumonia during the Second World War
19/04/2022

Football Dugouts

Gerry Quinn
Everton built one of the first dugouts in England at Goodison Park after visiting Pittodrie.
11/04/2022

“A Proper Glutton for Punishment”

Becky Tallentire
Another instalment of Real Footballers' Wives featuring Rosemary Hurst, wife of former Everton striker, John.
11/04/2022

A deeper delve into Everton' 2020-21 accounts, new £100m shareholder loan plus Covid impact

Paul The Esk
The scale of our losses over the five complete years under Moshiri are staggering especially when compared to other Premier League teams. Equally, his financial commitment is staggering but the manner in which the club is being run threatens the club further financially.
04/04/2022

Everton Report & Accounts — Wholly dependent on Moshiri' financial support

Paul The Esk
Initial thoughts on the publication of Everton's 2020-21 accounts which reveal a heavy reliance on Farhad Moshiri
29/03/2022

George Green — Illustrator Extraordinaire

Rob Sawyer
The Toffee Lady is an enduring and iconic image, intrinsically linked to Everton and for many, the definitive Toffee Lady image takes cartoon form. The creator was George Green, who entertained Merseyside newspaper and football programme readers for three decades.
29/03/2022

Bobby Irvine - The Prince of Dribblers

Rob Sawyer
Hard as it is to imagine, forty years before George Best was thrilling football supporters up and down the land, Northern Ireland possessed a forward of similar talents - and he played for Everton.
15/03/2022

“Football Makes You Quite Tough”

Becky Tallentire
This instalment of Real Footballers' Wives features Irene Lee, wife of former Everton manager, Gordon who passed away this past week at the age of 87
12/03/2022

Everton, USM, Moshiri and Bramley-Moore Dock

Paul The Esk
The financial events around Russia's invasion of Ukraine have altered the landscape for Everton forever. A look at where the club's new stadium project stands
04/03/2022

This Just isn't Football

Lyndon Lloyd
The spirit of the game is being eroded by meddling and incompetence amid poor implementation of supposed “technological advancements”
02/03/2022

Everton and the De-coupling of USM

Paul The Esk
"It's time to recognise that through no direct fault of their own, through the actions of Putin and the people closest to him, the club finds itself in an untenable position regarding its association with USM."
01/03/2022

Tim Coleman: A Rebel, a Soldier and an Entertainer

Rob Sawyer
Long before Seamus became arguably the best-value player of the Premier League era, there was another Coleman who played for Everton, prolific goalscorer and WWI war veteran Tim who also played for Woolwich Arsenal, Fulham and Nottingham Forest at the peak of his career.
02/02/2022

Look Ahead with Hope but Keep a Wary Eye on the Past

Lyndon Lloyd
"All's well that ends well" might be premature but Everton certainly finished the winter window on an upbeat note. It would be naïve to simply sweep under the carpet the events of the past few weeks but some comfort should be taken from the fact that the hierarchy finally appear to be listening
01/02/2022

A More Calculated Risk

Lyndon Lloyd
Picking managers is a fiendishly difficult task in the high-pressure, high-stakes environment of Europe's top leagues. Sometimes you just need to assess the risks and go with the candidate that gives you the best chance of succeeding. Farhad Moshiri and the Board have done that with Frank Lampard, a man who will add youth and fresh ideas after six demoralising months at Goodison Park
31/01/2022

Profitability and Sustainability Rules — Everton' Position

Paul The Esk
A look at how Everton's combined losses from previous years are impacting our transfer strategy
20/01/2022

Sleepwalking to Disaster, Part IV — Moshiri's Mire

Lyndon Lloyd
As he approaches the sixth anniversary of his first investment in Everton, Farhad Moshiri finds his grandiose Everton project on track in terms of the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock but in considerable disarray on the pitch. His ambitions face multiple challenges after a series of failed managerial appointments and massive waste on unsuccessful signings but none of them are insurmountable with an incremental, considered plan of action. In the radio silence from the Monaco-based billionaire, however, it's impossible to know if that's likely to happen
20/01/2022

Sleepwalking to Disaster, Part III — The Incurable Romantic

Lyndon Lloyd
Reports that Everton have made Roberto Martinez their first choice to succeed Rafael Benitez are crystallising the debate around Bill Kenwright, the long-time Everton Chairman who has made a habit of mining the Blues' past to resolve current problems
17/01/2022

The End of an Error

Lyndon Lloyd
As many predicted, Farhad Moshiri lost his high-stakes gamble with the appointment of Rafael Benitez. The Spaniard's removal arguably came too late but at least it's done.
16/01/2022

“Our Lives Changed One Pancake Tuesday”

Becky Tallentire
The final instalment of Real Footballers' Wives features Eileen Stevens, wife of 1960s Everton forward Dennis
14/01/2022

The Turbulent Times of Marco Materazzi

Danny Harvey
The whole game for which the one-time Everton defender became infamous epitomised the controversy that followed Materazzi throughout his entire career.
10/01/2022

Z-Cars at 60

Rob Sawyer
This week marked the 60th anniversary of the first screening of the television show Z-Cars, the theme from which, of course, is dear to every Evertonian heart. From its origins as a maritime folk song to the Johnny Keating version we know today, the story of the song is fairly convoluted.
07/01/2022

The Smell of Football 2

Rob Sawyer
Rob reviews the follow-up to Mick 'Baz' Rathbone's candid memoir of his career in football as he returns to Everton following an eight-year hiatus
31/12/2021

Everton' Ownership and Leadership, Part V: A Winning Strategy

Paul The Esk
What choices will Farhad Moshiri make to bring about a winning strategy at Everton Football Club?
29/12/2021

27 Minutes for 27 Years

Paul The Esk
The start of the #27minutesfor27years campign saw huge media coverage. It's an embryonic campaign. This is why I believe, respectfully, it deserves your support
07/12/2021

Full Circle

Lyndon Lloyd
The departure of Marcel Brands takes Everton away from the Director of Football model and back to the all-encompassing, hands-on manager with oversight of scouting and full control over player recruitment strategy. Given the control Rafael Benitez likes to have in that regard, it's likely to be a permanent reversion for as long as the Spaniard remains in charge.
06/12/2021

Sleepwalking to Disaster, Part II — The Enigma of Brands

Lyndon Lloyd
Amid calls for sweeping change from the top to the bottom of Everton Football Club, Marcel Brands is as much persona non grata as anyone else among the hierarchy but the exact nature of his brief and the extent of his culpability in bringing about the mess at the club is more than a little opaque.
03/12/2021

Our Motto is Our Standard. Everton's Leadership is Falling Well Short

Ell Bretland
Farhad Moshiri talks of crisis and glory but Evertonians have had to put up with too much of the former without any of the latter. Once, the Champions League was the aim but we are swirling closer to the Championship 6 years into Moshiri's disastrous reign.
02/12/2021

Sleepwalking to Disaster, Part I — The Backfiring Gamble

Lyndon Lloyd
At a club increasingly bereft of direction, Rafael Benitez is not the biggest problem but he is rapidly becoming the most urgent.
02/12/2021

Is Everton Football Club up for sale?

MIchael Kenrick
While the rantings and ravings of Richard Keys are probably best ignored, there is a certain logical pattern that can be perceived to support the claim that Farhad Moshiri and Alisher Usmanov have had enough of their Everton adventure and are seeking, or would agree, to sell the club.
30/11/2021

Everton' Ownership and Leadership, Part IV: Finance and Funding

Paul The Esk
How have Everton financed the last 5 years, what Farhad Moshiri's funding has enabled, and the impact of poor decisions on the club's finances
27/11/2021

The Joe Mercer Plaque Ceremony

Rob Sawyer
Supporters from across the football spectrum, including members of Everton FC Heritage Society, came together in Ellesmere Port last Thursday, 18 November, to celebrate the life of Joe Mercer — one of the town's greatest sons.
23/11/2021

Everton' Ownership and Leadership, Part III: The Director of Football

Paul The Esk
What should this role entail and how should we use it?
20/11/2021

Everton' Ownership and Leadership, Part II: The Cost of Poor Recruitment

Paul The Esk
In this the second part, a focus on the club's finances from a different perspective — why have Everton not developed to the extent the investment made in us might warrant?
14/11/2021

Everton' Ownership and Leadership, Part I: The Importance of Good Governance

Paul The Esk
There is an absolute and clear relationship between governance and corporate performance and in recent months there have been growing questions as to the performance of Everton Football Club on and off the pitch
09/11/2021

Benitez is right in calling for improvement across the board

Paul The Esk
Last Saturday's humiliation at the hands of Watford has brought into sharper focus comments made in the press by Rafael Benitez and his call for improvement 'in every department' at Everton. The Esk takes a look at where Farhad Moshiri might target those efforts
25/10/2021

Could bargain approach work for Everton in 2021-22 season?

Gary McCarty
If the club's recent frugality results in success either in ending their trophy drought or a Top 6 finish, a lesson will be laid down to the rest of the Premier League about efficiency in the transfer market
19/10/2021

“Boys from the Blue Stuff: Everton's Rise to 1980s Glory” by Gavin Buckland

Rob Sawyer
Gavin Buckland's new book picks up where Money Can't Buy Us Love left off, delivering again in spades. Despite the academic levels of research behind it, this is easy to read and reflects on the club under three managers, culminating in those heady days in the mid-80s
28/09/2021

Adios to the Part-Time Magician

Lyndon Lloyd
Detached and intangible, James Rodriguez was a fleeting part of Everton history and, perhaps, the last spasm of excess from a regime that seems to have put itself on a more pragmatic footing
22/09/2021

“The Forgotten Champions — 1986-87: Everton's Last Title” by Paul McParlan

Rob Sawyer
Everton, Howards Way, the wonderfully-executed and evocative documentary film about the Toffees' mid-1980s resurgence, is far from unique in paying less attention to the Blues' most recent League win. Paul McParlan seeks to redress the balance by documenting, analysing and celebrating the 1986-87 campaign.
19/09/2021

Demarai Gray Could End Up Being Signing of The Season

Gary McCarty
With the former Leicester man in such great form, Everton have made one of their best starts to a Premier League campaign in recent years and an England call-up might not be too far away
17/09/2021

Keeping it in the Family — The Menhams between the Sticks

Rob Sawyer
Family links between players at Everton are not unheard of. Less known than the likes of the Rankins and the Whittle-Davies connection, perhaps, is that three decades apart, two Everton goalkeepers were from the same stock
11/09/2021

James: He's Here. He's Ours. Let's Make it Work

Lyndon Lloyd
Circumstances have contrived to keep Everton and James Rodriguez together for another few months at least. Amid reports and rumour of non-plussed manager and disengaged star, all parties need to come together to ensure that this most gifted of players has a role in the team this season
10/09/2021

The Hard Work Starts Now

Paul The Esk
A look at the factors behind this transfer window and the preceding 5 years. A clear call for what must come next to resolve the position we are in
01/09/2021

The Chickens Come Home to Roost

Lyndon Lloyd
The profligacy of the Moshiri years has slammed into the harsh realities of an imposed financial straitjacket from the outside and the need to fund a new stadium, resulting in a summer of unusually strict austerity
01/09/2021

“He Wouldn't Pull His Socks Up”

Becky Tallentire
Another instalment of Real Footballers' Wives by features Brenda Thomas, wife of 1970s Goodison favourite Dave
30/08/2021

Toffee Soccer and Everton' North American Trips of 1961

Rob Sawyer
As well as containing extensive player and coach profiles, the book Toffee Soccer documents the 10 previous occasions on which the club has ventured to the USA and Canada. 1961 was one of them.
12/08/2021

On a Hiding to Nothing? 2021-22 Season Preview

Lyndon Lloyd
In many ways, a merely competent first season could be enough for Rafael Benitez to match Carlo Ancelotti's 10th-place finish; a better-than-hoped performance from the Spaniard would yield improvement. But with none of the much-needed quality additions materialising this summer, it's hard to see Everton troubling the top six places in 2021-22
11/08/2021

The Luxury

Lyndon Lloyd
James Rodriguez is one of the best players of his generation; a Rolls Royce of a player at a club blighted by so much mediocrity in the modern era. Sadly, he looks to be a luxury Everton can no longer afford.
09/08/2021

The Number One

Lyndon Lloyd
Jordan Pickford has come in for criticism at Everton for his past mistakes and apparent lack of focus and it wasn't that long ago that many were doubting his role as first-choice keeper. Fast forward past the hysterical media reaction to his part in the Van Dijk incident to today and you have a player who appears to have matured tremendously in the harshest of spotlights
03/08/2021

Premier League Profitability & Sustainability Rules: What They Mean to Everton

Paul The Esk
A look at the financial regulations in the Premier League. Is it possible to forecast whether Everton are compliant and the impact if not?
28/07/2021

From Birkenhead to El Ballet Azul: The Billy Higgins Story

Rob Sawyer
Everton's meeting with Millonarios in the Florida Cup this coming week offers an intriguing link to the past and the storm over footballers being lured from British clubs to a so-called ‘renegade league' in South America in 1950 which involved one Billy Higgins.
23/07/2021

Everton's Biggest Construction Project?

Paul The Esk
What needs to change at Everton moving forward? What does Farhad Moshiri, his board and executives have to do differently... not on Bramley-Moore Dock but on the more immediate issues concerning matters on the field?
13/07/2021

“The Time Goes By So Fast”

Becky Tallentire
In light of the recent passing of Everton legend Jimmy Gabriel, the latest installment of Real Footballers' Wives by @bluestocking63 features his wife Pat
12/07/2021

Jack Taylor — Everton' Son of the Rock

Rob Sawyer
One of the true greats of Everton's early decades, this moustachioed ‘Jack of all trades' won silverware with the club in 1906 and remains Everton's seventh highest appearance maker in all competitions
02/07/2021

'There He is Behind Me. Ah, No... Shit!'

Ell Bretland
From headlocks from Big Dunc, to being booted by Tommy Gravesen and lapping Alex Nyarko, Alan Moogan enjoyed a proper Everton education in the early 2000s. An interview with the former Academy player.
01/07/2021

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