Who is the best signing we ever made?

I had just left for South Africa and a week later his transfer to Arsenal was a news story on the front page of the Rand Daily Mail. I was utterly devastated. I think the fee was £400k! Imagine his price now!

However, as much as I loved Alan Ball along with the Golden Vision, my personal choice has to be wee Bobby Collins. He transformed a struggling side and he was dynamite.

As you say Reid and Gray must be right up there but I'd add Morrisey, Sheedy, Power and Mountfield to the bargain basement list.

With the already big name players I'd agree on Ball and Latchford but add Roy Vernon and Alex Young. The one that got away was Tony Kay; Catterick intended to build his team around him and, if he hadn't been banned, would probably have not signed Ball.

No further comment needed.

In full agreement with every word.

Kanchelskis and Cahill probably the best in my lifetime, plus Coleman for the cost.

However, in terms of impact on my view of Everton….Duncan Ferguson

The best value signing has to be Seamus for his longevity and dedication to the club but in terms of the best signing it has got to be the best goalkeeper in the world: Big Nev.

Before that, Bobby Collins.

Before that, William Ralph Dean.

Bobby Collins for the impact he had on fans and club alike. A big club in distress, he dragged them by the scruff of the neck and each season he was here, he helped the team progress.

Alan Ball: I danced all round the house when it was announced on the 6:00 pm news he had signed, bought for £110,000; sold for double that money to Arsenal.

Johnny Morrissey stolen from Liverpool, Neville Southall, Peter Reid, Andy Gray and Trevor Steven – all part of a great successful team, and many others missed out.

Sorry, Bob Latchford, cracking fella, but not on my list.

I am sure the list will be very long and I don't think any Blue still living saw Dixie play, who must be up there given that his goals in a season will never be beaten by anyone. I liked Bobby Collins and Catterick was mad to sell him to Leeds. I also think Ball, Reid, Gray, Wilson, Young, Royle, Kay. and our best captains Labone and Ratcliffe will be on many peoples list, as they were players who were loved by all Blues.

But for me it has to be Davie Hickson who would die playing for this club.

And who made them? The shrewdest signing of the lot, Howard Kendall.

Davie Hickson and Brian Labone would have been on my list but I read the headine wrong, thought it referred to players bought, but of course it said "the best signing we ever made".

Ferguson, Lukaku too - and maybe Coleman for the tremendous value. But definitely Kanchelskis for me.

After he departed we came as close to relegation as I hope we'll ever come. An underrated, wholly professional, ever present and hugely talented player Beardsley, just wish we'd gotten him when he was a few years younger.

I doubt we would get a player like Kanchelskis now, weird how we got him.

In recent memory, for me it would be Arteta. He made us great to watch again.

For that reason in my lifetime it is between Bally and Big Nev.

I would plump for Nev because

a) Ball was a known quantity, a World Cup winner and we had to break the transfer record to get him. We got Nev for £150k from Bury.

b) Nev's sheer longevity. His appearance record will probably never be beaten.

From my generation, I would say Kevin Sheedy from Liverpool reserves for £100k or Grahame Sharpe from Dunfermline for £120k. I'll always go with Sheedy, but that's the heart speaking.

But then in terms of changing fortune, the injury laden, possibly past his best Andy Gray?

To add balance for the younger generation, I would add Tim Cahill. Again, dodgy injury record, rejected by Crystal Palace and against the backdrop of Rooney leaving, he went on to be an iconic player in the context of the era.

This subject is like throwing a proverbial hand grenade out there. We could be here all night debating it!!!

£150,000 for big Nev was daylight robbery.

Always made me chuckle to hear about Bob Paisley exploding with rage when he came back from his Jollies to find we had snuck in to sign Sheedy... While the cat's away...

And what about Reidy?

Howard should have been wearing a mask when he was assembling that team.

I was about to say, while he may not be the one, Cahill should be mentioned given where we were in 2003 before we got him from Millwall.

We were not really pushing any trees up before he came, so I'd have to go with Andy Gray because I think he helped give a lot of the finishing touches required for a young squad that wanted to become the best team in the land.

Arrived only as a prospect, took time to establish himself, became one of the very best goalkeepers of his generation (if not the very best), and won various club and individual honours in an era when the club itself enjoyed perhaps its most successful period.

Club record in appearances, in 17 years at the club. Legend plain and simple.

Although this post is addressed to you, the message is for those who weren't around in 1958 when Everton signed Bobby Collins.

Everton had lost their first 6 games, scoring 4 goals and conceding 20. Bobby made his debut against Manchester City at Maine Road, scoring a goal in a 3-1 victory, and, despite the 10-4 drubbing by Spurs, Bobby was the inspiration behind the Everton revival; Everton finishing in 16th place.

My first sighting of Bobby Collins was in a 1-0 victory over Leicester City on Boxing Day of that year, it wasn't until the 1958-59 season on my demob from the army, that I saw the 'Tiny Giant' at his best.

I know that we all like to reminisce, but I firmly believe that Everton would still have won the League in 1963, and I'm not taking anything away from Dennis Stevens, who was an excellent player in his own right.

He only played for a short time but did it with such balls out attitude and such an obvious joy for the game. He produced some of the most memorable moments of live football I've ever witnessed. He also scored goals that really mattered.

The diving header off the ground at Notts County in the FA QF
The header out of Sherwood's hands in the FA Cup Final
Two bullet headers against Sunderland after we'd gone a goal down
Two away against Leicester
The first against Spurs in a vital league decider
A hat-trick at home to Fortuna Sittard
Terrorising Munich with Sharpie scoring one assisting two
Another in the final in Rotterdam

And some want to tell me James is the best Everton player they've seen. I'm genuinely sorry for them.

Peter Beardsley
Mo Johnstone
Paul Rideout
Graham Stuart
Daniel Amokachi
Andrei Kanchelskis
Duncan Ferguson
Nick Barmby
Gary Speed
Olivier Dacourt
Richard Gough
Kevin Campbell
Thomas Gravesen
Tomasz Radzinski
Brian McBride
Nigel Martyn
James McFadden
Tim Cahill
Mikel Arteta
Joleon Lescott
Manuel Fernandes
Aiyegbeni Yakubu
Steven Pienaar
Langdon Donovan
Jermaine Beckford
Kevin Mirallas
Romelu Lukaku
Gérard Deulofeu
Gylfi Sigurdsson
Richarlison de Andrade
Kurt Zouma
James Rodriguez
Abdoulaye Doucouré
Allan Marques

Long list I know, but they were all signings I was buzzing about when we made them. Some good, some bad, but all carried hope!! Let's hope there's a couple more from Benitez before the end of the transfer window. I really like the look of Aurelio Buta, fingers crossed!!

Bobby was a better player than Dennis but they had one thing in common, they were both team players, the team came first and their efforts brought more out of the other players without a doubt.

It’s a pity we couldn’t have utilised both of them.

But as to the best ever, I'll leave that to those with more of a historical perspective. Personally, I can't imagine a better value or a bigger impact than Big Nev.

Paul Power - about £60,000 but at the end of his 30's he was instrumental in bringing the League Title home in 1986/7.

Colin Harvey - cost nothing and despicably just earned ONE England cap despite being part of the "Holy Trinity'.

Brian Labone - the ultimate "Corinthian" (whose playing strip was adopted by Real Madrid) - cost nothing. Labone's professional career lasted from 1958 to 1971, during which he won the Football League championship twice and the FA Cup once. He also played 26 times for the England national football team.

Seamus Coleman - don't know how many Irish Punts but every one was well spent !

I could go on, but I suspect that my 70 year recollection of bargain buys will not resonate with your younger audience !

But as much as I appreciate the extraordinary generosity of your (wife's) offer, I could never accept such a precious item from you. It'll be privilege enough to see it.

And it's not like I need any incentive to get back over there and visit my friends, not to mention seeing our boys play. I even looked into flights once or twice this year. The trip just seems to get pushed back every time there's a new virus update. But I will make it!

PS... Have you considered the possibility that your wife wanted you to give me the photo because she suspects it's the only item in the house that you value more than her?

DCL is beginning to look something of a steal.

But, given the situation when he joined and the effect he had, I might pick Kevin Campbell. We owe him a lot.

Was typing this before post 50 came up, honest.

What about Calvert-Lewin? 1.5m in today’s market is a real bargain! Surely worth about 60 million plus now ?

Could break Lukaku record for goal scorer if he continues on his current pace and stays?!

There should be a Howard's Way part 2. It doesn't give credit to the 86-87 squad and brushes over it. That second league title was arguably more of a managerial achievement than his first one given he done it with a patched up team and makeshift squad.

Maybe not the best signing we ever made, but one of the better ones.

His impact on a really poor side was remarkable and it was the start of Everton starting to sign some really good players.

I'd forgotton about Big Nev. I think if we're just talking about post war players he has to be the standout signing.

When he was at his peak the USA baseball genius Babe Ruth once met up with him and just couldn't get his head 'round how poorly paid he, Dean, was in comparison to the millionaire Babe.

How bizarre the world of football has long since turned, with, as just one preposterous example, the likes of Claus Thomsen, the footballing equivalent of an admittedly tall traffic cone (amid much competition for that soubriquet within the club courtesy of the allegedly ceaseless endeavours of our allegedly eternal football-savvy chairman) having been paid a reported salary of £30K per week when we signed him, with zero advantage to us.

Dixie (and Tommy, and many more hero players) must by now, having watched our 30-year decline, turned so much in their graves that they're now well embedded in the Earth's Core.

But hope must spring eternal now that we have Usmanov's nephew in the boardroom - or so we're in effect told.

We played the rs champions in the Charity Shield, lost 1-0 to a team playing at 3/4 pace...and we were lucky to get Nil.

Three weeks later - With Ball, we ripped the Champions playing at full Derby pace a total new one.

There are others, Reid, Southall...in fact, that whole team were pretty much bargains galore.

Tim Cahill a great shout too. I remember being in the Springy when I heard about him signing. It was one of those moments when the whole alehouse suddenly went quiet, just in time for me to express my outrage - "Tim Cahill ???. The Aussie from Millwall ???. Is this really what we have come to ???.... Talk about scraping the barrel "

Still get reminded of that on an almost weekly basis

I’m going to limit myself to my lifetime so absolutely Cahill and Coleman are contenders. Mike Gaynes has been marveling (rightly IMHO) at James ability but no one else in my lifetime would be audacious enough to go for a scissor kick v Chelsea and pull it off. Him apart, Paul Power referenced by Danny and others is a good shout from the start of my time. I’d also highlight the 500k journeyman Paul Rideout. The “bullet” had a very mixed career pre Everton. But he was very consistent for us, scored our last meaningful winning goal and his lad is an Evertonian. Plus, full disclosure he had a stint here in Kansas City (as did lesser lights Gough and … ahem Preki. The latter has a suite named after him. Go figure!!

Besides, we Yanks do have to maintain a certain affection for Preki. Our historical record against Brazil in full internationals is one win, 18 losses. And we know whose brilliant 25-yard curler brought us that one win. It was sweet revenge for the World Cup game four years earlier when Leonardo fractured Tab Ramos' skull.

So here's to Preki, bust though he may have been at Everton.

We’d had years of talented but rather immobile central defenders in Gough, Watson, Weir, Stubbs etc and finally Moyes’ first signing was this rapid Nigerian who could also dribble the ball out at times.

He’s not fondly remembered by most Evertonians (probably due to the lapses of concentration that became more regular in his final years) but as a centre back myself I loved him and thought he was an integral part of Moyes turning us from relegation candidates to top 4/5 hopefuls in his early years.

I too liked Yobo, Sam. My brother and I used to disagree over him, but I was a fan.

I said we could talk about this all day. Another one from my '80s days. We often discuss width and balance. I always felt that bringing in Trevor Steven was one of the final pieces of Kendall's puzzle and gave us width and balance on both sides.

There was something very reassuring about the way he conducted himself on and off the field. A leader of men.

Little curly..

There are too many players to mention and I think most of you have said their names. There was one player who did keep me going to Goodison for a while because he was just great to watch and probably the only shining light in a crap team: Peter Beardsley.

Best player of all time for me has to be the great Alan Ball but best signing I'd go for Nev, Reidy, Sharp and Kendall for his overall impact on the club as player and manager.

A thread like this makes you realise what marvellous players we have had. I wonder how many of the current squad would warrant a mention in 20 years time? Seamus, Dom, Ben?

Not only the best Everton player, but the finest keeper I have seen, and I include any modern keeper in that. The 80s would have been another nearly decade without him.

Pre-match Moyes would have him practising headers non-stop. Given the incoming rules on maximum number of headers per week I do fear for the lad's wellbeing long-term!

And I still haven't quite come to terms with losing him. The last time we signed a genuinely top class player in his prime.

Claus Thomsen, signed by Joe Royle, who said he'd had his eye on Claus for the last 2 years before he signed him. Joe must have been doing an impersonation of Ben Turpin every time he watched him!!

In later decades players who were tremendous bargains and also did great service have to include Reid, Sheedy and Sharp and more recently Tim Cahill.

There are, arguably many more previously mentioned here and Seamus is the best of the signings on the defensive side.

All time Dixie Dean, and Big Neville, TG Jones - ahead of his time in style and play as my Dad used to tell me, 1960s Bobby Collins, grace and skill, Alex Young, inspirational, panache and style Alan Ball, true grit, skill and guts -Peter Reid, Tricky - had the lot, Braces the compact and skillfull modest midfield dynamo, decisive impact signings -Wayne Clarke and Paul Power.

Left foot wizardry - Sheedy, and though he wasn’t in a successful trophy winning Team, for indomitable spirit and the spring of an Olympic high jumper - Tim Cahill, a fantastic header of the ball and leader of the attack line.

But there’s loads more but based on winnings teams and meritocracy that’s what comes to my mind.

My first thoughts were Kevin Campbell, Andy Gray and Peter Reid purely for the impact they had. If I were to answer later, I'd probably come up with other names.

Bill, yes, impact. I used Gray as an example on one of the rumour threads. He changed the course that talented, but at the time lost, team was going because of his experience, presence & character as much as through his striking ability.

Still Sheedy through sheer adoration. But I'll give you Gray!!

1970-1979: Latchford (because he turned me into an Evertonian)
1980-1989: Big Nev (Reasons should be obvious)
1990-1999: Big Dunc (Because he is still here, he loves the club)
2000-2009: Cahill (The Duracell Bunny, he fought and fought and fought. etc)
2010-2019: Lukaku (because 50% here hate him)
2020-2029: Hopefully a manager we all can stand behind.

I go along with your post and especially your last paragraph. I thought the General was a fantastic player and an inspirational man. I'd much rather we'd kept him than bring in Dennis Stevens.
That's no reflection on Dennis, but it shows how good Bobby was because he won Player of the year, plaing for Leeds.
I heard Catterick got rid of Bobby because he stood up to Catterick if he thought Catterick was worsening the team performance.

He scored some pearlers at Elland Road in the 4-4 draw. Let’s hope today Everton can put Leeds away.

1958 Alex Parker and Eddi O'Hara from Falkirk
1958 Bobby Collins from Celtic
1960 Tommy Ring from Clyde
1960 Jimmy Gabriel from Dundee
1960 Alex Young and George Thomson from Hearts
1963 Alex Scott from Glasgow Rangers

I'm sure John McFarlane, Sr. will correct me if I am incorrect.

I do not like to take issue with John Mc, Sr., but in my opinion we would NOT have won the League in 1963 with Collins instead of Dennis Stevens. While Collins was the better footballer, the much-maligned and under-appreciated Stevens was the water-carrier", doing the hard" work for players such as Young, Vernon, Gabriel and, later, Tony Kay to shine. Bobby Collins was less of a team player in my view. Stevens also popped up with a few goals scoring 7 that season. What would we give now to have a midfield player scoring 7?

John Mc., Sr., Dave A. and others have credited Stevens but I stand by my view that Dennis gave us a better balance in the side in 1962-3. No getting away from it, however, Collins was a great signing and, as has been said, was largely instrumental in personally dragging us off he floor in 1958 and setting the stage for better glories to come. Like John Mc., Sr., I think, my favourite side to watch was Carey's from 1959 to 1962 followed by Cattericks' title -winning team.

Howard Kendal is a special mention as the impact he made on Everton as a player, player manager and manager.
Legend.

And so many more.
Apologies to those before the sixties as I wasn't there to witness their greatness.
What memories.

Great mentions from Terry White. What great players Scotland produced.
What has happened to that production line of quality?

However Terry, Carey had left Everton in 1961 not 1962, and it was galling for me that Everton never won an away game for a very long period under Mr. Carey, over a season I believe, one season we were near the bottom of the league until an Alan Tyrer goal won us two points versus Leeds Unt. at Goodison Park to take the pressure off us with a few games to go.

As much as I liked Johnny Carey as a man I can confidently say we would never have won the league with Johnny in charge, Mr Moores also thought this and changed the managers, getting us our first championship since before the First World War.

Far be it from me but, unlike others, I was not alive and kicking at the time. However, something tells me there may be an inkling of an inexactitude somewhere in that statement?

It does not change my view that the Carey side is still my favourite, age is probably enhancing my memories, however. I am inclined to agree with you. Carey was a very nice man, very well-regarded in football circles, but probably not the man to take us to the title. Catterick had the steel for that. Hence, Stevens to replace Collins.

I do recall, as you say, we went one season, 1959-60, I think, when we did not win an away game. But it was usually great watching us at home! That was the season of our infamous loss in the cup at Bradford City! A game at Valley Parade that I was unfortunate enough to witness!

When you say you were invited to attend the 1963 FA Cup Final, Man Utd vs Leicester City, was that at Wembley or in your friend's house?

We all have our memories from long ago and Johnny Carey introduced some fine players to the Everton squad which I too have happy memories of.

I didn't go to the Bradford City game, a 3-0 defeat; some of the players incurred the wrath of Bobby Collins after the game when he heard them discussing where they were going when they got back to Liverpool that night. He couldn't believe they were talking about going out after the disgusting show most of them had given. He thought they had no pride in how they had performed and let them know it. A thorough professional, Bobby!!

To me that's some player!

I have just done a quick check, the Bradford City cup game was on 9 January 1960. I too was at that game and Bobby Collins is quoted as saying "Too many players were intent on getting back to Liverpool and the Royal Tiger."

Johnny Carey was sacked on Friday 14 April 1961; the following day, Everton beat Cardiff City 5-1 at Goodison. I knew a lad whose wife worked at Goodison in one capacity or other, and he told me that Harry Catterick was to be the manager, before the official announcement.

I was fortunate enough to be at Bloomfield Road for a Monday evening fixture when Everton broke their away jinx, in a 4-1 win over Blackpool – a jinx that had been spread over two seasons.

I remember seeing Bobby in the lobby of The Forum cinema, waiting for his wife at the end of the show. I was staring at him because of who he was, but Bobby didn't realise how famous he was in Liverpool and he looked at me with an aggressive look as if to say “Who the fuck are you looking at?” – so I don't think he was ever aware of his fame. Mind you, there wasn't many big-time Charlies in those days.

John Mc Sr, yes, I was in the stands at Bloomfield Road that night. I was so impressed by Roy Vernon sticking one into the top corner of Tony Waiter's goal and the ball lodged between the goal supports. Blackpool had a decent team then, Jimmy Armfield played as well as the incomparable Stan Matthews, the "Wizard of Dribble".

The 5-1 win against Cardiff you mentioned after Carey's sacking (perhaps he was still in charge for that game before Catterick's appointment?) reminded me that they must have hated playing us at Goodison as we beat them 8-3 in the penultimate game of the following season. Roy Vernon got hat-tricks in both games.

Coincidentally the final 2 games of the 1961 and 1962 seasons were both against Arsenal and we won both, 4-1 and 3-2 (courtesy of my "bible", Steve Johnson's wonderful website, "Everton Results", recommended reading for all Evertonians).

This may be a late response, but I can't find any trace of Alex Scott competing in the Edinburgh, Powderhall Sprint. I believe that you may be confusing him with the Liverpool full-back Jim Harley, who won it at the age of 18.

Only a Klinsman penalty beat him.

Never see another goalkeeper like Neville Southall, one of the best players ever, to play for Everton.