Season 2019-20 Opinion Talking Points
The A to Z of Everton
132 Comments Whilst contemplating the close season and tired already of the speculation about who is going where I idled away some time picking Everton teams using only one surname letter. I thought it might amuse some of you to try over the break and see which letter yields the best team.
I have started with A which most of you will agree yields a pretty rubbish side but not much choice for this letter. Hopefully people will pick up the thread and take on this challenge
Everton A-Team (4-4-2):
Jim Arnold
Ray Atteveld
Antolin Alcatraz
Graham Allen
Gary Ablett
Niclas Alexandersson
Alan Ainscow
Mikael Arteta
Christian Atsu
Victor Anichebe
Daniel Amokachi
I tried to pick only players I remember seeing, so I have omitted anyone from the really olden days... Some letters will be impossible!
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Reader Comments (132)
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2 Posted 01/08/2020 at 16:25:34
3 Posted 01/08/2020 at 16:30:17
Wright
Watson
Weir
Wilson
Warzycha
Whiteside
Ward
Whittle
Wignall
Wilkinson
Turner
Tansey
Todd
Tiler
Thomson
Thomas M
Telfer
Temple
Thomas E
Trebilcock
Thomas D
4 Posted 01/08/2020 at 16:31:13
Neil McDonald
Marco Materazzi
Craig Moore
Funes Mori
Cuco Martina
Mike Milligan
Aiden McGeady
Joe-Max Moore
James McFadden
Kevin Mirallas
I left out notable good Ms like Mountfield because the general trend was Ms aren't very good. This team would get slaughtered.
5 Posted 01/08/2020 at 16:37:19
I agree on the S-team but the A-team (Atteveld, Alcatraz, Anichebe!) seems a lot like the current team.
6 Posted 01/08/2020 at 16:45:49
7 Posted 01/08/2020 at 16:49:38
I would but, with so many crap players in there, I didn't want to tarnish Martyn by putting him in this group.
8 Posted 01/08/2020 at 16:59:54
9 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:02:57
10 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:07:57
11 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:09:48
12 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:12:41
Lyons
Labone
Linderoth
Lundstram
Lukaku
Lineker
13 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:13:12
14 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:16:14
15 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:18:57
16 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:20:22
17 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:22:24
Lyons
Labone
Linderoth
Lundstram
Lukaku
Lineker
Latchford
Lescott
Lookman
A'hem Li Tie
Just need a keeper!
18 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:22:53
Funnily enough, I remembered some years ago (50 odd?) in an Everton programme the same question, a team composed of players names beginning with "L". There was Lill, Lello and the, apparently, only goalkeeper, Harry Leyland.
19 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:23:02
20 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:24:50
21 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:31:39
22 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:33:01
23 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:33:18
M Ball
Bailey
A Ball
Bracewell
Jigsaw Barlow
Bilyaletdinov
Bob the Pole
Beckford
Bakayoko
Bingham player manager.
This team has zero consistency
24 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:33:50
25 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:34:43
26 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:36:53
27 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:39:52
28 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:40:18
29 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:44:00
30 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:44:45
31 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:45:57
32 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:47:06
33 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:47:09
34 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:52:39
Gough Galloway Gidman
Gueye
Goodlass Gosling Gemmil Gueye
Gordon
Gray
Some classics. Mostly bad...
35 Posted 01/08/2020 at 17:52:43
36 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:07:45
Instead of Gerrard try ‘Groundsman'.
37 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:08:09
Reid
Rehn
Richarlison
Richardson
Ratcliffe
Royle
Rodwell
Radosavljević
Rodrigo
Lads, anyone got a keeper?
38 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:08:12
Ball M
Bilic
Brown
Baines
Ball A
Bracewell
Beardsley
Barmby
Barlow
Bakayoko
39 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:09:02
40 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:09:49
41 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:10:15
Jordan Pickford
Matt Pennington
Neil Pointon
Alessandro Pistone
Terry Phelan
Stephen Pienaar
Joe Parkinson
Mark Pembridge
Preki
Paul Power
Fred Pickering
(Don’t remember the strikers, but couldn’t think of anyone else)
42 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:10:58
43 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:11:51
44 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:11:59
45 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:12:11
A couple of horrors in there. Thought of Beagrie, and Bernard too, even Baxter and Bailey. But certainly not Barrett!
46 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:12:38
47 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:12:53
48 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:13:33
49 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:14:01
John Willie Parker?
50 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:14:24
51 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:14:44
Check Fred's goals-per-game stats. You wouldn't worry with Fred up front.
52 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:15:30
53 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:18:42
54 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:20:25
Darracott Dunne Distin Digne - Darracott forced to switch to right back
Deulofeu Davies Dacourt Dobson - that's Tom, not Simon
Dean Donovan
55 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:24:49
56 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:28:29
Hauwe
Holgate
Holmes
Hibbert
Harvey
Stephen Hughes
Harper
Mark Hughes
?
?
57 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:30:56
58 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:33:15
59 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:33:26
60 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:33:45
61 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:35:03
62 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:35:56
63 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:38:44
I was gonna do a B-team with Fred Barber but you beat me to it. I wondered if anyone else remembered him, lol.
64 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:39:23
Harris B, lovely bloke, excellent player too.
I don't really remember Harris J.
65 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:44:10
66 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:44:50
Kearton
Brian Kidd
Keown
Kendall
Andy King
Billy Kenny
Kanchelskis
Kilbane
Tony Kay
Daniel Kinsella
If John O’Kane counts Ill add him if not I will include myself at RB
67 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:45:31
68 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:45:32
Jimmy was a contemporary of Brian. Centre-forward who moved to right wing when Alex Young was signed. Great burst of pace, he scored the least remembered hat-trick in Everton history. When we got beaten 10-4!
Went to Birmingham for a decent fee.
69 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:46:31
70 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:49:54
71 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:50:55
72 Posted 01/08/2020 at 18:54:05
And the 10-4 debacle. I remember the effect on my Dad when that score came through on the BBC on the Saturday evening. And the piss-taking in school on the Monday.
73 Posted 01/08/2020 at 19:01:17
74 Posted 01/08/2020 at 19:01:48
I was standing outside the players' entrance when I was about 8 or 9 getting autographs in pre-Bellefield days. Jimmy came out and signed my scruffy bit of paper. He asked who else I wanted and I said Davy. He went back in and came out with Davy who signed as well. Just a nice thing to do.
So I've got a bit of a soft spot for Harris J (as the programme used to say).
75 Posted 01/08/2020 at 19:05:47
76 Posted 01/08/2020 at 19:09:14
It’s strange these things stay with us maybe 60 years on.
Small kindnesses.
77 Posted 01/08/2020 at 19:16:31
78 Posted 01/08/2020 at 19:23:07
79 Posted 01/08/2020 at 19:56:40
Jeffers
Jevons
Johnson A
Jelavic
Johnson T
Jacobsen
Junior
Jackson
John
Jones G
And I don't know if I'm allowed this sneaky one for the 'goalie':
Jagielka
80 Posted 01/08/2020 at 19:58:45
81 Posted 01/08/2020 at 20:21:21
Chamberlain
Coleman
Cleland
John Collins
Cahill
Carsley
Calvert-Lewin
Wayne Clarke
Cottee
Bobby Collins
Chedgzoy
Bench:
Peter Clarke
Castillo
Player manger: Catterick
82 Posted 01/08/2020 at 20:27:44
83 Posted 01/08/2020 at 20:46:14
84 Posted 01/08/2020 at 20:54:40
85 Posted 01/08/2020 at 20:58:10
86 Posted 02/08/2020 at 05:06:49
Kearton
Keane
Keown
Kenyon
Kenny
Kilbane
Andy King
Kendall
Tony Kay
Mosie Kean
Brian Kidd
87 Posted 02/08/2020 at 07:19:27
Midfield, what else, The Holy Trinity
Joe Royle upfront alongside Harry Catterick and the Golden Vision.
Joe Mercer in defence and/or Goalie in & out, for those old enough to remember that position
Alan Stubbs
What position did that bloke Saunders(?) who managed Villa to a European Cup (almost?) play
Just a couple of full backs and the usual problem possibly covered by Joe Mercer.
Did Davie Weir ever manage and could Arteta manage at full back?
88 Posted 02/08/2020 at 07:24:58
89 Posted 02/08/2020 at 08:46:15
90 Posted 02/08/2020 at 09:39:03
Arnold
Barrett
Chadwick
Distin
Ebbrell
Fellaini
Gravesen
Hartford
Irvine
Jeffers
Kanchelskis
Subs
Leyland
Marshall I
Neill
Osman
Parker JW
Rooney
Sharp
91 Posted 02/08/2020 at 10:10:38
Maybe with Kanchelskis?
92 Posted 02/08/2020 at 10:35:36
93 Posted 02/08/2020 at 11:46:39
94 Posted 02/08/2020 at 13:10:33
95 Posted 02/08/2020 at 15:46:17
96 Posted 02/08/2020 at 15:48:45
The guy at Wolves was a goalie wasn’t he?
97 Posted 02/08/2020 at 15:55:52
98 Posted 02/08/2020 at 15:57:21
99 Posted 02/08/2020 at 15:57:49
Mike Walker was a goalie, Southall managed Wales, Dino Zoff, Nigel Pearson, Peter Shilton at Plymouth,
100 Posted 02/08/2020 at 16:06:17
David Weir was sacked I think by Sheffield Utd, as they were rooted to the bottom of the table. Alan Stubbs had some success at Hibs but was sacked by Rotherham, and Neil Warnock did a miraculous turnaround to keep them up.
I think Peter Reid won promotion to the Premier League with Sunderland as Champions.
101 Posted 02/08/2020 at 16:30:02
Ron Saunders played 3 games in the 1954-55 season and it was your hero Dave Hickson who was the regular centre-forward. He played 39 League and 2 FA Cup games: Southend 3-1 and that disaster vs Liverpool 0-4.
102 Posted 02/08/2020 at 16:46:06
Goalkeeper: Southall
Full-backs: Reid & Arteta
Central Defenders: Mercer & Ratcliffe
Midfielders: Harvey, Ball & Kendall
Forwards: Young, Royle & Catterick
Subs: Weir, Stubbs, Saunders, Cliff Britain?, and the legendary AN Other.
I've got my doubts about Wales being a club but it's a line up like Brazil, who needs to defend with attackers like these?
103 Posted 02/08/2020 at 17:15:52
104 Posted 02/08/2020 at 17:21:34
105 Posted 02/08/2020 at 17:33:48
Does Duncan Ferguson qualify? And if so, does that mean Unsworth does also? It could be that the money is sat on the bench.
106 Posted 02/08/2020 at 17:47:36
Drop anyone but Tony Kay. Fantastic player. He would have been a World Cup winner but for the so-called betting scandal.
107 Posted 02/08/2020 at 17:54:29
108 Posted 02/08/2020 at 18:12:08
Maybe Uncle Joe to console Boys Pen Bill as he wipes away the tears.
109 Posted 02/08/2020 at 18:45:20
McDonough
McDonald
McNaught
McCann
McLaughlin
McBride J
McCall
McMahon
McFadden
McBride B
McKenzie
110 Posted 02/08/2020 at 19:46:05
Michael BaLL
John BramweLL
Stuart McCaLL
Cliff MarshaLL
Peter FarreLL [capt]
Micky LiLL
Alan BaLL
Frank WignaLL
Alec FarraLL
Jimmy FeLL
More than one 'L' of a team
111 Posted 02/08/2020 at 19:47:49
112 Posted 02/08/2020 at 20:01:33
Ferrari
Funes Mori
Farrelly
Farrell
Fellaini
Forshaw
Ferguson
Fielding
Ferguson
Bit stuck for a 'keeper. Is "Fuckin' Gerrard" permissable?
113 Posted 02/08/2020 at 20:08:20
It's probably outside your time of watching but a Goalkeeper by the name of Tommy Fern played for the club from 1913-1924 and I think he was the keeper in the Championship-winning side of 1915.
114 Posted 02/08/2020 at 20:09:15
115 Posted 03/08/2020 at 03:56:58
116 Posted 03/08/2020 at 12:59:54
Virginia
Van Den Hauwe
Valente
Valencia
Veall
Vernon
Vlasic
Varadi
Victor... (Anichebe)
Vaughn
Vellios
117 Posted 03/08/2020 at 13:09:38
At a push, you could have Andy Van De Meyde and one that I had to look up – the Icelandic Bjarni Viðarsson.
118 Posted 03/08/2020 at 13:28:08
119 Posted 03/08/2020 at 13:52:40
120 Posted 03/08/2020 at 13:56:25
Enner VALENCIA
Nuno VALENTE
Pat VAN DEN HAUWE
Andy VAN DER MEYDE
Imre VARADI
Alfred VAUGHAN
James VAUGHAN
Ray VEALL
Apostolos VELLIOS
Roy VERNON
Bjarni VIDARSSON
Albert VIRR
Nikola VLASIC
I hope that helps a bit.
121 Posted 03/08/2020 at 13:56:48
Not surprised, I still have nightmares of him in goal for us.
122 Posted 03/08/2020 at 14:36:44
I didn't realise there were two Vaughans. And no Virginia on your list although I don't think he's been seen yet. Does he actually exist?
I tried it with 'K' as well – some good choices there. i could put together a half-decent team but no goalie other than 'A Keeper'.
123 Posted 03/08/2020 at 15:02:13
124 Posted 03/08/2020 at 15:10:54
125 Posted 03/08/2020 at 18:11:01
126 Posted 03/08/2020 at 18:31:06
127 Posted 03/08/2020 at 23:35:15
Drew Brand is the last keeper at Everton to come through the youth or school boys to make an appearance in goal for the first team, making just two appearances. Since then, we have never produced a goalkeeper coming from the youth set up and playing for the first team.
Does anyone know what goalkeepers if any have come through our youth before Drew Brand who have made a first-team appearance for Everton, not including being an unused sub?
That's 45 years since we produced a goalkeeper to go on and make it in our first team; even then, Drew can be discounted with only ever playing 2 games for Everton.
128 Posted 04/08/2020 at 00:41:52
I can't help you in the quest to find a goalkeeper Everton produced prior to Drew Brand – but below is a full list provided by Evertonresults.com. Having looked at the list again it would seem that Andy Rankin may be the answer?
129 Posted 04/08/2020 at 12:48:02
130 Posted 04/08/2020 at 13:34:34
131 Posted 04/08/2020 at 16:57:00
Having said that, same could be said about other clubs.
Seems strange one of the most important areas of a team, yet very few make it at top level with their clubs.
132 Posted 03/09/2020 at 20:33:43
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1 Posted 01/08/2020 at 15:47:52
Playing a 4-5-1 formation:
Southall
Stevens Stones Stubbs Seargeant
Steven Stevens Snodin Speed Sheedy
Sharp
Sub: Stuart
I reckon this S-team would smash the A-team!