Season 20-21 Opinion Columns
Column & Opinion Articles
Contributions from our editorial team and featured columnists.
Moshiri’s Big Gamble
Lyndon Lloyd
His prior association with Liverpool and diminished reputation mean the appointment of Rafael Benitez is fraught with difficulty and he will have very little margin for error with many Everton fans. It's either a hugely courageous or tone-deaf decision by Farhad Moshiri that could be mad enough to work or go the same way as his last four managerial appointments30/06/2021
Recruitment, Recruitment, Recruitment – The Answer to Our Problems
Paul The Esk
Five meddling years into his tenure as majority shareholder and financial backer, Farhad Moshiri should take note of words once said by Theodore Roosevelt.24/06/2021
Moshiri’s Everton Less a Museum Than a Hall of Mirrors
Lyndon Lloyd
Things may be under control behind the scenes with Marcel Brands assessing a list of managerial candidates but the impression from the outside is of a club wracked by indecision and internal conflict. Either way, in the vacuum of communication, frustration is mounting, with the Rafael Benitez speculation adding fuel to the fire of discontent18/06/2021
NES: Seal of Mediocrity or Hero-in-Waiting?
Lyndon Lloyd
With his seemingly imminent appointment as Everton manager, Blues fans are having trouble seeing past Wolves' sorry 2020-21 season under Nuno Espirito Santo. Worrying metrics thrown up in this past campaign are definitely pause for thought but observations from students of the game reveal a more complex, astute and driven man than his reserved demeanour suggests.12/06/2021
Christophe Galtier – A Gallic Gamble Worth Taking?
Lyndon Lloyd
Untried in the Premier League but with demonstrable success under his belt with Saint-Étienne and Lille, the 54-year-old with the piercing eyes has been described as France's hottest managerial property. In a field devoid of exciting candidates, might he be the outsider option to ignite Everton's revival?10/06/2021
Real Footballers' Wives – Dolly Sagar
Becky Tallentire
The next installment of Real Footballers' Wives features Dolly Sagar, wife of Everton's longest-serving player, goalkeeper Ted Sagar who spent 24 years with the club.09/06/2021
Reform in Football – Strategic Thinking Required
Paul The Esk
With Tracey Crouch taking fan submissions, time to think strategically. Independent regulation will enable a better future for football06/06/2021
Carlo, We Hardly Knew You
Lyndon Lloyd
Carlo Ancelotti appeared for all the world as though he had found home with Everton but, less than 18 months into a 4½-year contract, he is gone. Whether he's not the honourable elder statesman he paints himself out to be in his book, or is simply the embodiment of pragmatism, his departure might not be the worst thing for Everton.01/06/2021
Summer Targets 2021
Sam Hoare
Sam Hoare provides a comprehensive analysis of the players who might be considered to fill the gaping holes in Everton's squad for next season30/05/2021
Summer Spending?
Paul The Esk
With talk of £100m being available for summer transfers, a look at our projected cash position and how the close-season business might be achieved27/05/2021
Progress Stalled Again – 2020-21 Season Review
Lyndon Lloyd
A season hugely affected by the pandemic petered out with Everton winning just three of their last 12 matches and ending the campaign on the flattest of notes with a dispiriting defeat on the final day25/05/2021
Reform in Football, Part III – Alternative Structures to Protect Fan Interests
Paul The Esk
Some ideas for the future of fan involvement. The time is right for change but we shouldn't rush into something nor accept the first thing offered by clubs, the Premier League, the FA or the Government.18/05/2021
Evolution 2021, Part I: The Saleable Asset
Lyndon Lloyd
Moise Kean arrived at Everton as a symbol of a new transfer strategy focused on signing hungry, young talent that could form the bedrock of a new squad. All the signs are now that he has played his last game for the Toffees as they stand to make a tidy profit on a player who, ultimately, wasn't the right fit18/05/2021
Profit and Sustainability – The Rules & Everton’s Position
Paul The Esk
Following on from Carlo Ancelotti's comments regarding spending, Paul takes a more detailed look at Everton's financial position, what it means for compliance and importantly transfers this summer14/05/2021
The Murray Family – Mint Toffees
Rob Sawyer
Photos from the day the Toffees clinched the 1962-63 League title capture a 10 year-old boy, resplendent in Everton replica kit, sharing the moment with his heroes. The boy was John Murray – mascot to the champions. Rob Sawyer caught up with John and his family to revisit those halcyon days and discuss the family’s gilt-edged Bluenose credentials.08/05/2021
Reform in Football, Part II – Governance
Paul The Esk
Governance can be improved across the game through independent regulation, strong licensing and governance plus most importantly a proper structure for fan engagement, decision making and control08/05/2021
Reform in Football, Part I – Background
Paul The Esk
Setting the background for possible responses to the Super League debacle04/05/2021
One rule for some and another for the rest. End the hypocrisy and penalise England’s Shameless Six
Lyndon Lloyd
Docked points, hefty fines and governance changes should be on the cards at home but Uefa hold the greatest power29/04/2021
Doing nothing is not an option, the response to the Super League
Paul The Esk
If football sweeps the Super League and its plotters under the carpet, it will weaken and the six and their plans will return. The choice is stark. Doing nothing is not an option.29/04/2021
John Murray – Everton’s First Boy Mascot
Becky Tallentire
In one of the monochrome mementos that I post to Twitter once in a while, Roy Vernon stands in the tunnel at West Ham alongside a young lad with a beaming smile. Some of these youngsters look overwhelmed and some are painfully shy but this one looked like it was the job he was born to do. This is the story of Everton’s first ‘boy mascot’, John Murray.28/04/2021
Was there football pre-1992 – Part 5
John McFarlane [Senior]
Continuing with the theme that football was indeed alive and kicking before the TV companies hijacked it, Jon MacFarlane capture some of the highlights since he first visited Goodison Park in 1948 as a 10-year-old schoolboy.28/04/2021
Back to the 1990s
Robert Tressell
Robert reviews Everton's faltering progress since the day they survived a huge relegation scare in 1994.24/04/2021
Sometimes it Doesn't Matter How You Win
Lyndon Lloyd
In the Premier League era, this fixture has ranked up there among the most miserable on Everton’s calendar. So forgive Evertonians for revelling in a first win at Arsenal since 1996, one that provides another platform from which to resume the push for Europe23/04/2021
Live by the sword, die by the sword but change brings opportunity for a much better future
Paul The Esk
The collapse of the incredibly ill-conceived Super League will be viewed as a great victory for all stakeholders in football but unless there are significant changes to football in terms of ownership, governance, income distribution and fan engagement/participation the “victory” will be hollow and meaningless21/04/2021
A Battle Was Won but the War Against Greed isn’t Over
Lyndon Lloyd
On a night of high drama that saw the proposed Super League topple, euphoric victory for supporter power and the pressure of the "left-behinds" was claimed but without a co-ordinated, unflinching and punitive response from the Premier League and Uefa against the rebel clubs and their naked money-grab, it won't count for much21/04/2021
The Super League and its impact on Everton
Paul The Esk
For Everton, the timing of The Super League is about as bad as it gets. For football in general, it is a deeply worrying time, but we have to believe that acceptable solutions and/or a complete rethink are the way forward. It’s a watershed moment19/04/2021
Disgusting but inevitable, the Super League money grab shows too much is never enough
Lyndon Lloyd
Will Fifa, Uefa, the Premier League and governing bodies of the Continent’s other big leagues stand behind their threats? Will they even be able to in the face of legal protections boasted by the Dirty Dozen? Modern football faces its biggest crisis19/04/2021
Tom Fern – Everton’s Evergreen Goalkeeper
Rob Sawyer
The least celebrated of the nine Football League titles won by Everton was that in 1914/15 which was a disservice to the likes of Tom Fern who amassed over 200 outings for the Toffees despite the five-year interruption caused by the war01/04/2021
Everton have improved under Ancelotti but there's still a long way to go
Gary McCarty
Is major success finally on the horizon for the club?22/03/2021
How Will Brexit Impact the Transfer Market Moving Forward?
Darryl Rigby
The pandemic has a significant effect on the transfer market and where English clubs are concerned, Brexit threatens to have its own impact on clubs dealings22/03/2021
How Everton can upset Man City in FA Cup
Gary McCarty
Everton have the unenvious task of facing Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals this weekend but here are a few things that may work in our favour this time18/03/2021
Singleton & Paterson – The Everton Mariners
Tony Onslow
Two Scots who had brief a association with Everton in 1901-02 before moving on to Grimsby Town10/03/2021
Alex Birnie – The Scotsman from East London
Tony Onslow
Signed as an amateur playing for Sittingbourne, Birnie would make three Football League appearances for Everton in 1905 before returning to the southeast and then finishing his career with Bury05/03/2021
Five Years of Farhad
Paul The Esk
As Everton have found out under Farhad Moshiri, just being better resourced financially does not necessarily lead to better outcomes. Are fans right to be frustrated that we’ve not made the progress we ought to have after five years under his stewardship?26/02/2021
Ted Surely Was Good for Everton
Tony Onslow
Ted Shaw had a successful amateur career with Great Marlow in Buckinghamshire but he turned out for Everton as a guest player in a couple of pre-season matches in 1891 and might have been good enough to join them full-time that year27/02/2021
Things Are Happening. Enjoy This Storied Everton Era
Ell Bretland
The Toffees are on a good track. This could just be the start and you’ll have a story to tell23/02/2021
Mentality Shift: Derby Milestone Can Define Everton's Season in the Right Way
Lyndon Lloyd
As momentous as it was, the triumph over Liverpool can't be the be-all and end-all of the Blues' season. Rather it should be used as the catalyst for a decisive change in the players’ belief against lesser sides, particularly at home23/02/2021
Resurgence of Richarlison and Rodriguez Gives Everton Hope of Stellar End to the Season
Matt Jones
Providing attacking variety, steel and silk to the team, the South American pair helped put an end to one of the most painful chapters of results in Everton’s history on Saturday. And they look ready to go and make a few more vivid memories.22/02/2021
''Unique And Special'': Kevin Campbell On Netting Everton's Last Winner At Liverpool
Ell Bretland
Kevin Campbell scored the only goal in September 1999 and Everton haven't won at Anfield since. In an article originally published by The Sportsman, the prolific striker describes what has become a famous goal on Merseyside and how eager he is to hand off the record of being the last Everton player to score the winner across Stanley Park.19/02/2021
Everton's Double Dichotomy
Jay Wood
Jay Wood analyses the seeming contradictions of Everton's record against the Sky 6 and the rest of the Premier League, and their perplexing home form contrasted with their impressive results away from home in this topsy turvy season.16/02/2021
John Dewar
Tony Onslow
The Scot played briefly for Everton in 1892 just as Goodison Park was being opened.13/02/2021
Ancelotti Teaching Everton a New Language
Dave Downie
Everton's comeback at Old Trafford was illustrative of a change in mindset that is underway under Carlo Ancelotti09/02/2021
'Music Was My Heartbeat'
Becky Tallentire
The latest installment of Real Footballers' Wives features Ann West, wife of one of Everton's most popular ever players, goalkeeping star Gordon West.08/02/2021
A Momentous Few Weeks (On and Off the Pitch)
Paul The Esk
The short, medium and long term future of Everton Football Club will be much clearer on and off the pitch in the coming weeks.07/02/2021
The Stanley Park Three
Tony Onslow
Thomas Marriott, Richard Morris and John Pickering played together at Everton in the 1880s29/01/2021
Thoughts on the 2021 Annual General Meeting
Paul The Esk
Paul argues that last night’s AGM wasn't an objective analysis of how the club is performing and the presentations didn't offer much in terms of future strategy15/01/2021
Harold Hardman – An Everton and Manchester United Hero
Rob Sawyer
An enterprising winger in the early years of the 20th Century and a key part of Everton's first FA Cup-winning team, Harold Hardman helped steer Man Utd to greatness nearly 50 years later14/01/2021
Staying the Course: Three Signings Everton Should Make
Gary McCarty
Things are still looking good at Goodison Park but, fighting for a Champions League spot, everyone at Everton is surely aware of the opportunity that faces them.13/01/2021
Have Faith Like Carlo Fantastico
Gabriel Ricci
Carlo Ancelotti is a man of faith and Everton were once again able to snag three surprising away points against Nuno Santo’s technically gifted Wolverhampton side, through belief and team-spirit.13/01/2021
The significance of Everton's Annual General Meeting and why it can’t be an opportunity lost….
Paul The Esk
The significance of Everton's Annual General Meeting and why it can’t be an opportunity lost.11/01/2021
Brands’s value to date and the scale of the challenges facing him
Paul The Esk
A look at the challenge Marcel Brands faced when he arrived at Everton, what he's done to resolve it and the big issues ahead in the summer05/01/2021
Edward Turner – The Carpenter from Lancaster
Tony Onslow
Discovered in Kendal, Turner made two Football League appearances for Everton at the end of the 19th Century before joining Portsmouth05/01/2021
Cash flow, Moshiri’s capital injections & the potential placement of new shares
Paul The Esk
What factors influence cash flow, how do clubs deal with negative cash flow and what is the situation at Everton under Farhad Moshiri, particularly in view of the mooted issue of new shares?28/12/2020
George Sharples Remembered
Rob Sawyer
George Sharples, who passed away on 14 December 2020, aged 77, had been one of nine surviving players to have played a part in Everton’s title-winning season of 1962-6328/12/2020
“Nothing Really Daunted Us”
Becky Tallentire
This chapter from Becky Tallentire's 2004 book featuring the stories of the women behind some of Everton's greatest ever players features Carole Dobson, wife of 1970s favourite Martin15/12/2020
Record losses, partly attributed to Covid, Moshiri’s funding plans & stadium finance update
Paul The Esk
An assessment of Everton's accounts for 2019-2012/11/2020
Goodison Park, a Greyhound Stadium and Walton Hall Park
Rob Sawyer
This December marks a centenary of one of the most significant football matches played at Goodison Park – but it did not involve Everton FC.11/12/2020
Allan Could Prove to Be A Player Ancelotti Builds His Team Around
Gary McCarty
A lot of plaudits so far this season have gone to James Rodriguez and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. but arguably Everton's most important player has been Allan11/12/2020
Passion Play – Can Carlo Provide the Spark to Ignite Languid Blues?
Lyndon Lloyd
Coming close to a year to day since Chelsea's last visit to Goodison Park, this weekend's clash with Frank Lampard's team offers an interesting contrast between the personalities in charge of Everton and, perhaps, the performance from the team09/12/2020
A Fair Assessment of Marcel Brands
Dylan Joseph
A look at the performance and role of Everton's Director of Football as he enters the last 6 months of his 3-year contract09/12/2020
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum, the governance and cultural changes required for it to become a reality at Everton
Paul The Esk
"Corporate culture eats strategy for breakfast". A look at the governance and cultural changes required at Everton for NSNO to ever become a reality once more:08/12/2020
David Henry Williams – A Lad From Shropshire
Tony Onslow
He was to play a major role in the development of Everton Football Club before they established a permanent home at Anfield.08/12/2020
The Three Best Results of 2020
Gary McCarty
Here is a look back at what have been Everton’s best three results over the last 12 months.07/12/2020
How will Everton fare in December?
Gary McCarty
Everton are aiming to finish in the top four of the Premier League table this season, and the fixtures in December are going to be key.01/12/2020
The improved Everton star who is ready to perform at the highest level
Gary McCarty
There is always a player that surprises fans and pundits in the Premier League as the season progresses. In this campaign, it’s been Dominic Calvert-Lewin.23/11/2020
James Morris – A Shropshire Lad
Tony Onslow
The Trefonen-born player represented Everton during the inaugural Football League season in 188818/11/2020
‘Tosh’ – The Tommy Johnson Story
Rob Sawyer
Tommy Johnson's most memorable goalscoring feat may have come as a Manchester City player at Goodison Park but he would go on to help Everton back into the top flight in 1931 and lift both the title and FA Cup in successive years16/11/2020
William Wilson – The Last of the Originals
Tony Onslow
At the time of his death, Billy Wilson was the last surviving member of the Everton team that had taken part in the first season of the Football League14/11/2020
Richarlison: Growing into One of the League’s Best Wingers
Gary McCarty
Few can argue that Richarlison doesn’t have the right environment around him to become world class. Throughout his managerial career, Ancelotti has coached and developed some of football's biggest stars, and there’s no reason that he can’t do the same with the Brazilian04/11/2020
Walter Brown, the Kirkcudbrightshire Blue
Tony Onslow
Another of the Scots who played for Everton in the inaugural 1888-98 season, although he is believed to arrived on Merseyside with no knowledge whatsoever of the association game03/11/2020
Lewis the Fire Bobby
Tony Onslow
Bangor-born and a regular Wales international, Billy Lewis joined Everton for their inaugural Football League season in 1888 but his time with the club was short-lived29/10/2020
Review: A Grand Old Team To Report
Lyndon Lloyd
As a slice of Everton history, David Prentice's new book is a fascinating and frequently humourous skip down memory lane; an insider’s insight into the way football used to be recounted with the enthusiasm and love of a devoted Blue.29/10/2020
A simple but fair redistribution of football revenues
Paul The Esk
A look at a possible solution to the massive imbalances that exist in the professional football game in England and a simple solution29/10/2020
Saints defeat and selection problems throw up early-season issues for Ancelotti
Lyndon Lloyd
Injuries, suspensions and, perhaps, an emerging dilemma over how best to accommodate James Rodriguez are some of the things that will be on the manager's mind as he prepares for Newcastle27/10/2020
Can Dominic Calvert-Lewin Become Everton’s Harry Kane?
Gary McCarty
The striker is fortunate to be working with both Ancelotti and Ferguson who, between them, will positively refine elements of his game. Should the 23-year-old surpass the 20-goal mark this season, then he’ll have undoubtedly put himself in the frame for a Euro 2020 call-up, as well as being in with a shout of winning the sought-after Golden Boot.23/10/2020
Red Myopia and An Embarrassing National Outcry
Lyndon Lloyd
The levels of pearl-clutching and near hysteria that has dominated the aftermath of Saturday’s controversial Merseyside derby really have been something to behold21/10/2020
Keane’s Emergence from his Comfort Zone One of Ancelotti’s Early Everton Triumphs
Matt Jones
It didn't always look as though Michael Keane would become one of the first names on the Everton team sheet but the England international is emerging as a consistent and dependable presence in Carlo Ancelotti's defence.21/10/2020
Big Picture proposals put the emphasis on Everton’s international development
Paul The Esk
Despite the initiative being rightly canned, the issue of international broadcast rights will be back. It is almost certain that the largest clubs will want to see an element of selling exclusive rights off their own platforms in this next round and those with the greatest numbers of overseas supporters are going to be the initial winners.15/10/2020
Short-sighted and hubristic, the Cabal's grand plan would kill the goose that lays the golden egg
Lyndon Lloyd
The "Project Big Picture" proposals cooked up by two of the big six and their Trojan Horse in the EFL, Rick Parry, would slowly and ironically erode what has made the Premier League the exciting competition it so often is today13/10/2020
'Project Big Picture' exposing the self serving interests of MUFC and Liverpool
Paul The Esk
The proposals have exposed the these two clubs' seek to secure their current economic advantage and protect their future revenues.12/10/2020
Richard Williams – An Everton Goalkeeper
Tony Onslow
The Bromborough Pool-born player played over 70 times for Everton after joining them when they were reigning Football League Champions in 188112/10/2020
The Finnis Family – An Enduring Everton Love Affair
Rob Sawyer
Harold Finnis is one of 90 players, to date, to make a solitary first team appearance for the Blues in peacetime football.09/10/2020
Everton’s Midfield Revamp: What Counts as Success for the Toffees?
Gary McCarty
The recent additions of Abdoulaye Doucoure, Allan, and James Rodriguez have sparked something of a competitive revival at Goodison Park.09/10/2020
Shrewd moves and decisive action: Everton can view summer window as a big success
Lyndon Lloyd
Everton have emerged from the close season with an impressively upgraded squad and go into the international break sitting on top of the pile having far exceeded expectations and infused long-suffering Toffees with overdue optimism08/10/2020
‘Football Is Simple’: Ancelotti Can Be Everton’s Anchor to Calm in a Chaotic Premier League
Matt Jones
Although the circumstances are undesirable, Carlo Ancelotti feels like a man who will come into his own in them and Everton’s high-class performances indicate he’s doing just that.07/10/2020
The 2020 Summer transfer window from a financial perspective
Paul The Esk
Analysing the business done across the Premier League and a nod to the turn-around in the overall levels of the squad at EFC with such relatively small increase in costs07/10/2020
Opposition View: We Are Brighton
We Are Brighton
Speaking with Scott from We Are Brighton to see get their fans' take on their start to the season and this weekend's clash at Goodison.02/10/2020
Eddie Wainwright – A Bright Light in Dark Days
Rob Sawyer
The immediate post-war era for Everton was one of austerity which made it hard for local youngsters to through the ranks to develop to near their full potential. Eddie Wainwright was, perhaps the sole exception.28/09/2020
Football Shorts – Part V: The Reality of Reducing Income and Fixed Costs
Paul The Esk
A look at the impact of virtually no crowds in the Premier League this season, the impact Covid-19 is having on broadcasting revenues and the volume of transfer business23/09/2020
Graft to Goals: Calvert-Lewin’s Changing Tastes Offer Everton a Fresh Edge
Matt Jones
Saturday against West Brom it felt like another significant step forward for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who fired in his first hat-trick for the club which felt like a rubber stamp on this section of his development at Everton.21/09/2020
A Knight of the Round Table at Inside-Left?
Jamie Yates
Did you know that Everton once employed a player with the Christian name of a mythical legend?21/09/2020
Toffee Soccer – Everton and North America
Lyndon Lloyd
Lyndon Lloyd chats with David France ahead of the release of his new book14/09/2020
The Man Who Created Merseyside Football
David Kennedy
In his new book, David Kennedy recounts the sporting legacy of John Houlding, the former Lord Mayor of Liverpool who was responsible for the rise of two of English football’s biggest and most successful football clubs — Everton and Liverpool.10/09/2020
Summer 'Evolution' Primes Everton for Better Things
Lyndon Lloyd
After last season, Evertonians have been understandably cautious in their optimism and outlook for the new campaign but with a significantly strengthened midfield and Ancelotti at the helm, there is hope that 2020-21 will be a season of marked progress10/09/2020
Brazilian dynamo Allan promises to be Ancelotti's midfield linchpin
Lyndon Lloyd
Allan Marques was unveiled as part of an anticipated £70m worth of incoming midfield talent today, with James Rodriguez and Abdoulaye Doucouré expected to follow shortly — a trio of moves that promises to radically overhaul the Blues’ massively under-performing mid-section05/09/2020
How do we fund squad improvements this summer?
Paul The Esk
An over-sized, over-priced, mostly under-achieving squad, financial constraints, and the impact of the Covid-19 crisis pose significant challenges to Everton this summer. Where is the money coming from for new signings?30/08/2020
The Short Life of an Everton Blue
Tony Onslow
Isaac Roberts would play just once for Everton in February 188929/08/2020
Brands's Challenges Make for Slow-Motion Summer
Lyndon Lloyd
Where recruitment is concerned, the buck stops with Marcel Brands but, ultimately, his efforts will continue to be hindered by a number of factors, some of them beyond his control26/08/2020
Can Richarlison and DCL Get the Goals That Fire Everton Into the Top Six Conversation?
Gary McCarty
If Everton are to achieve any hopes of a top ten….eight….six finish, clearly there is a need to bring in a more prolific goal-grabber.14/08/2020
“Van Den Hauwe – One Last Throw Of The Dice…”
Pete Jones
Without the benefit of the visual image, the unique medium of radio means that live football commentary comes to life in an entirely different way than television. Pete Jones recalls some of his most memorable moments experienced that way13/08/2020
Another Season Wasted Amid Continuing Instability at Goodison
Lyndon Lloyd
Marco Silva became the latest casualty of Everton's managerial merry-go-round, Carlo Ancelotti arrived before historic disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic ensured that fans just wanted 2019-20 to be over as quickly as possible08/08/2020
The Financing and Accounting of Transfers and How We Operate in this Window
Paul The Esk
A detailed look at the financial implications behind the transfer options open to us, how it's financed and what it means for Everton04/08/2020
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