Everton's 10 best players of all time

Goals, titles, love for soccer — great players have written their names in Everton's history and become universal idols in different ways. In this article, we will introduce you to the 10 greatest players of the legendary Liverpool club, remind you of their achievements and tell you about their journey in the Everton squad. In case you want to try your luck at a quality online casino, we recommend the reliable site £2 deposit casino uk - we are sure you will win. Enjoy your reading.

Dixie Dean

Dixie Dean arrived at the club in 1925 at the age of 18. This young man came from Tranmere Rovers and became one of Everton's greatest idols. During his 12 years at Everton, the striker became a goal scoring machine, setting records and, of course, winning titles. In 431 games for the club, Dean scored 383 goals, which gives him the record for Everton's top scorer in history, as well as in English soccer.

Moreover, in the 1927/1928 season, the striker managed to do something that no one will be able to surpass: scoring 60 goals in just one season, which brought Everton the title of champion of England and broke the record of 57 set by George Camsell, the Middlesbrough striker.

Everton have many idols, but it is hard to imagine anyone greater than Dixie Dean. Like the “Holy Trinity”, the eternal number 9 also has a monument in front of Goodison Park. In total, he won two English Championships, a Second Division, an FA Cup and two FA Super Cups. For the England national team, he scored 16 goals in 18 games.

Brian Labone

Brian Labone arrived at the club as a 17-year-old teenager, but left as one of the greatest idols in Everton's history. The defender was part of the main team from 1958 to 1971, playing 530 games, making him the club's second highest scorer. In addition, another point is that the defender played only for Everton throughout his career.

An undisputed player in Everton's starting lineup during this period, the defender won the English Championship twice, the FA Super Cup once and the FA Cup once. His last title was in the 1969/1970 season when he captained the club and won the championship.

At the age of 31, Laybone decided to end his career at the end of the 1970/1971 season due to an Achilles tendon injury. It was this that prevented the defender from continuing his remarkable career and made Everton fans cheer for Leybone in the squad of their favorite club. The defender played 70 games for the England national team between 1962 and 1970, but was not part of the 1966 championship squad as he was deciding his wedding plans.

Alex Young

Anyone who lived in the 1960s and followed soccer is certain: no one was more idolized than Alex Young, one of Everton's greatest idols. In total, there were 268 games and 87 goals, as well as three titles: the English Championship, the FA Cup and the FA Super Cup.

But not only trophies made the athlete a club legend. He was an athlete with a very refined style of play, with good technique and class in matches. Despite being idolized, he was a very modest and shy person.

Due to his good performances, Alex Young became a 'Golden Vision', meaning 'golden eye', proving that the £40,000 paid to Hearts was worth a lot, although some pundits at the time disputed the signing.

Even despite a difficult start at Everton, Alex Young didn't give up and in his own way turned things around and became a club legend. For many, the peak of the striker's career came when he won the 1962/1963 English Championship, in which he scored 22 goals that season and was instrumental in winning the title.

Colin Harvey

The Liverpool-born midfielder even tried out for the Reds as a teenager, but he opted for the blue side in 1962 and began the journey to becoming one of Everton's greatest idols.

Colin Harvey, who grew up in a family passionate about Everton, made his debut for the club in 1963, aged 18, against Inter Milan at the San Siro Stadium in a match valid for the then European Cup - now the Champions League.

Even in front of 90,000 fans, the boy was not afraid. And over the years he proved that his good results were permanent until he became a starting lineup player in 1965. Since then he has written his name into Everton's history once and for all. Along with Alan Ball and Howard Kendall, he formed the club's Holy Trinity midfield, which has a statue in front of the club and is considered the best trio of midfielders of that generation.

Harvey was a midfielder who was excellent on the ball and a quality passer, showing skill and technique in matches. Everton fans, for example, nicknamed him “The Withe Pelé”, Pele Branco in Portuguese, although for the England national team he played only one game.

In total, the legendary midfielder played 380 games and scored 24 goals, as well as winning the FA Cup, the FA Super Cup and the English Championship.

Alan Ball

Alan Ball was already performing well at Blackpool, but it wasn't until after winning the World Cup with England in 1966 that he moved to the Toffees. At the time it became the most expensive transfer in English soccer: 112 thousand pounds. But that value was insignificant given his game: one of Everton's greatest idols.

Ball was a fantastic player with great qualities and had winning DNA circulating in his body. A complete midfielder with good technique, confidence and a huge desire to win. He wouldn't admit to losing and for that he would go head-to-head with anyone to achieve his goals.

On the pitch, Ball was a key player in Everton winning the English league title in the 1969/1970 season. Moreover, he also won the FA Super Cup a few months later. In total, he played 249 games and scored 78 goals - 56 in his first three seasons. For many, he is the most experienced of the “Holy Trinity” that has captivated the world and has a statue in front of Goodison Park. For England, eight goals in 72 games.

Howard Kendall

After his success at Preston North End, Howard Kendall signed for Everton in 1967 for £80,000. The midfielder was even in talks with Liverpool but was persuaded by coach Harry Catterick and signed for the Toffees. At the age of 20, the boy arrived to make history at Everton.

Along with Alan Ball and Colin Harvey, he completed the Holy Trinity with great skill and class. It was a trio that complemented each other, which is why he is hailed as the best midfield combination of that generation. Although his vision for the game and kicking were his main qualities, Kendall also contributed to the defense.

Everton improved with Kendall, culminating in winning the 1969/1970 English Championship, as well as winning the FA Super Cup a few months later. In total the player, who also has a statue in front of Goodison Park, played 272 games and scored 29 goals.

Years later as a coach, Kendall returned to Everton to make history again: twice English champion, once in the European Cup Winners' Cup and once in the FA Cup.

Kevin Ratcliffe

One of Everton's greatest idols arrived at the club in 1977, but did not make his professional debut until 1980, against Manchester United, at the age of 20, and did not become part of the main team until 1982. He started as a left-back, but it was in defense that Kevin Ratcliffe became the most successful captain in the club's history and one of the greatest captains ever to wear the Taffy shirt.

In 1983, under the command of the legendary Howard Kendall, Ratcliffe captained Everton, marking an era that was not only personal but also symbolic of the club's return to glory. Having won the 1984 FA Cup, he joined legendary defender Bobby Moore in becoming the youngest captain to lift the trophy.

With great solidity, leadership and simplicity, Ratcliffe collected trophies: in total he won the English Championship twice, the FA Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup once each. From 1980 to 1992, the Welsh defender played 459 games and scored two goals.

Neville Southall

After a good season at Bury, Neville Southall signed for the club in 1981. But the path was a difficult one until he became one of Everton's idols. This is because in his first year at the Toffees, the goalkeeper failed to play consistently and to top it off, he came into the starting lineup in the 5-0 defeat to Liverpool. After that game, he was loaned out to Port Vale.

But that loan went in the goalkeeper's favor. That's because he, more mature and adapted to the league, returned to Everton in 1983 to stay there permanently. Since then, he has written the chapters to become the greatest goalkeeper in the club's history. With impressive reflexes and honed technique, he has managed to prove himself as a complete goalkeeper.

In addition to his technical skills, Southall was also an excellent goalkeeper and leader on the pitch. He played an incredible 750 games for Everton between 1981 and 1997, and these figures give him the title of the player with the most games played in the club's history. In addition, the collective achievements are also great: two-time English champion, two FA Cups and one European Cup Winners' Cup.

Kevin Sheedy

It was August 1982 when Bob Paisley, then Liverpool manager, decided to sell midfielder Kevin Sheedy for £100,000 as he had no chance in the team. Seeing a good opportunity, the Toffees paid their rival and brought in the player who later became one of Everton's greatest idols.

Playing as an open midfielder on the left, Sheedy proved that the £100,000 paid to his rival was nothing compared to his talent. Possessing a sharp left-footed shot, the Irishman was a great creative player in Everton's winning team. In addition to the quality of his shots from outside the box, he also possessed the unpredictability that is needed in the attacking area.

Sheedy lived through one of Everton's golden eras, when the team managed to win two titles, as well as the FA Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup. In total, the left-back, who brought a lot of positive emotions to Everton fans, scored 92 goals in 338 games.

Andy Gray

In November 1983, when the 1983/1984 season was already underway, then Everton coach Howard Kendall decided to make a bid for Scottish striker Andy Gray, who was not experiencing his best days either physically or technically. However, this signing, which at the time cost £250,000 and raised questions, was one of the biggest in the club's history.

Gray's arrival at Everton has had an impact on the motivation of the team, who have returned to games with very successful performances since the striker's transfer. Despite his knee problems, the Scot impressed with his ability to score with both his head and feet. His impact was rapid and his partnership with Graeme Sharp led the Toffees to the 1984 FA Cup title, scoring a goal each in the win over Watford.

The following season, Gray was injured and missed several league games. On his return trip, he was left in Adrian Heath's reserves. But he regained his best form and, along with Graeme Sharp, led Everton to the English league title.

At the end of the championship coach Kendall wanted to strengthen the attack, inviting Gary Lineker. As a result, Andy Gray went to “Aston Villa”. In total, the Scotsman scored 22 goals in 61 games.

Conclusion

In this article, we told you about the 10 greatest footballers of the outstanding Liverpool club Everton. We have not specifically distributed them in places from the first to the tenth, as each of them stood out with their own style and performance, and accordingly - took a place in the heart of every fan of British soccer. Thank you for your attention.