Everton FC

Founded in 1878 as St. Domingo FC, Everton changed to their current name in November 1879. The original team began playing at Stanley Park, taking part in their first match against a local side called St Peter’s on December 20th 1879, whom they beat by a resounding six goals to nil.

A few changes of ground followed, including a spell at Priory Road in 1883 and a move to Anfield, now the home of Liverpool FC, in 1884. They remained at Anfield until 1892, when they finally moved to their present home, Goodison Park.

Everton were one of the 12 founding members of the inaugural Football League, and for that they remain one of the oldest and most historical clubs in the country. They also have a modest record of success, holding nine League trophies, the last one coming in the 1986-87 season, and five FA Cups, the last of which came in 1995. They have also enjoyed one major success in Europe, taking the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in the 1984-85 season.

However, since 1995 they have failed to get their hands on any major trophies which, for a club with such a long history and such a large legion of loyal fans, is something that they will be hoping to change as the new season kicks off. Having finished fifth in the Premier League last season, they have managed to qualify for the UEFA Cup, and they will be hoping to make a real impact on the tournament.

For a more detailed account of the club’s history, take a look at this guide.

Goodison Park

Goodison Park, with a capacity of 40,157, holds a long and prestigious history as the first major football stadium to be built in England. In terms of stadia, Scotland was ahead of the game at the end of the nineteenth century, as Celtic and Rangers both already had similar grounds to boast about. However, it was Goodison Park which introduced a whole new category of stadium to England.

The stadium was nothing short of revolutionary. The way it was set out was far superior to anything that had come before it, and the stands were designed in such a way as to allow ease of viewing from any location inside the stadium. It was also home to the first covered dugouts in the country, which were built in 1931, again a concept copied from the Scottish. In 1958 it added to its list of innovations by installing under-the-pitch heating to melt the ice and frost before a match.

Located at Mere Green, it opened on 24th August 1892, and saw its first game in September of that year, when Everton beat Bolton 4-2. Constructed in a residential area, it is limited by the amount of buildings around it. One of the corners of the stadium is essentially formed by the church next door, St Luke the Evangelist, and all of this has made expansion very difficult over the years.

Its size and historical value meant that it was one of the stadia used for the 1966 World Cup, staging five matches including a semi-final. Even though it is dated now, it still holds a special place in English football history, and will continue to provide a home to Everton for many years to come.

Main Stand

The original Main Stand at Goodison Road was built in 1909, and lasted for over 60 years before being pulled down in 1971 to make way for the stand that is there today. When it was first built, the three-tiered stand was the largest stand in Britain until Chelsea claimed that honour by opening East Stand three years later in 1974.

It is here where the Family Enclosure and the Top Balcony are located, and it also contains a few corporate boxes. The players’ changing rooms are found inside the stand, and its current capacity is 16,347.

Park End Stand

Park End Stand was first constructed in 1907, and was originally built as a double-decker stand. It is located on the South side of the stadium behind one of the goals, with Walton Lane behind it. After the Taylor Report was released in response to the Hillsborough disaster, the lower tier of the stand became the last place in the country to hold standing fans.

In 1994 the ageing stand was demolished to make way for the new Park End Stand that is seen today. The new stand only has one tier of seating, and has a capacity of 6,000. It is from this stand that the scoreboard is hung, meaning this is the one place in the ground where the score cannot be seen.

Gwladys Street Stand

Gwladys Street Stand was originally opened in 1938 by the Queen Mother, making Goodison Park the only stadium in Britain to have four double-decker stands. It was also the most advanced of the stands in its day, holding up to 14,200 before seating became compulsory. It is now the second oldest of the four stands as two of the others have all been demolished and re-made. It also sustained some damages during World War II due to its proximity to Liverpool docks.

It is situated at the north end of the stadium behind the goal, with two tiers and a capacity of 10,155. Lower Gwladys, the lower tier of the stand, hosts the most ardent fans on match days, and therefore has a reputation for being the most vocal of all of the areas inside the ground.

Bullens Road Stand

Built in 1926, Bullens Road is the oldest stand at Goodison Park, although it has seen numerous changes in its time. It was originally a two-tier stand, with the upper stand seated and the lower stand a terrace, which also went by the name of The Paddock. In 1963 it became a three-tiered stand when the rear of The Paddock became seated.

It is located on the East side of the stadium, and now has a capacity of 8,067. The side nearest to Park End is also the location used to house away fans on match days.
The address of Goodison Park is:

Goodison Park
Goodison Road
Liverpool
L4 4EL

Getting to the ground

By Train

There are two choices of station when travelling to Goodison Park. The first is Kirkdale on the Northern Line, which is located about one mile away from the stadium. However, the better option is Sandhills Station, as from here you can catch the Merseytravel Soccerbus, which takes fans directly to the ground for all Premier League home matches.

The service begins running two hours before the match, and lasts up to 15 minutes before kick off. For the return leg, bus trips are made up to 50 minutes after the final whistle has blown. The price for either a single or return ticket is £1.50, but you could also choose to pay an addition of £1 to your normal ticket by asking for Goodison Park when you make your purchase.

By Bus

There are a number of buses that will take you to Goodison Park from Liverpool. The following buses travel from Queen Square Bus Station in Liverpool city centre:

• 19/19A, 20, 21, 130, 311, 345, 350/351

There are also a further two buses that leave from Paradise Street Interchange:

• 102, 130

By Car

From the North and South

Leave the M6 at junction 26 and go onto the M58. At the gyratory, turn left onto the M57 at junction 7, and carry on until you reach junction 4. Here, turn off onto the A580 (East Lancashire Road) and follow the road over Queen’s Drive, where it turns into Walton Lane. Carry on for less than a mile until you see Goodison Road on the right.

From the East

Leave the M62 at junction 6 and go onto the M57. At the end of the motorway, turn left onto the A59 (Ormskirk Road). Carry on until the road turns into Rice Lane, then cross the roundabout into County Road. Take a left into Spellow Lane and then left again into Goodison Road, where you will find Goodison Park on the right.

From the West

Travelling on the M53, head to Wallasey and then go through the Kingsway Mersey Tunnel. At the end of the tunnel, take a left into Scotland Road, and then take the right fork onto the A58 (Kirkdale Road). You will find Goodison Park two miles down the road.

By Plane

The nearest airport is Liverpool John Lennon Airport, which is situated about 11 miles away from Goodison Park. If taking a bus from here, you should take either the 80A or 86A to the Liverpool South Parkway interchange, where you can then catch the Soccerbus (see ‘By Train’ section above) to the stadium.

Tickets

All tickets go on sale via the website or from the Fan Centre. For all the latest ticket information, visit this section on the Official Club Website. If buying online, you will first need to register.

Online

If buying tickets for the first time, you can go to this section of the club website to register online. You will then be able to buy tickets for forthcoming games.

If you have previously purchased tickets by phone, but not online, you will need to call the Fan Centre on 0870 442 1878 to get a customer number and password, or alternatively you could send an email to boxoffice@evertonfc.com. You will then be able to purchase a ticket through the website.

Once registered, you can purchase home games online here, and you can choose either the exact seat or the general area that you would like.

If you have any queries regarding tickets, you can contact the club by filling in the following online form. Note, however, that this is not for purchasing tickets.

Fan Centre

You can also purchase tickets from the Fan Centre by credit card either by phone or email.

• Tel: 0870 442 1878
• Email: customer.contactcentre@evertonfc.com

‘’’Opening Hours (Match Days / Non Match Days):'''

• Monday to Friday: 8am – kick off / 8am – 6pm
• Saturday: 9am – kick off / 10am – 4pm
• Sunday: 9am – kick off / closed

Season Tickets

You can purchase season tickets online here, or alternatively at Park End Box Office or by calling 0870 442 1878.

Note that there is a £5 charge for credit card purchases, a £10 replacement cost if the season ticket is lost, stolen or damaged and a £20 cancellation fee.

Ticket Prices

Tickets are divided into three different price categories: Adults, Under 16s and Over 65s. Games against Liverpool and Manchester United incur an additional cost of £4. The tables below display the nine different areas to choose from, and both the standard and season ticket prices available in each. If there are no tickets available for a particular category then this is displayed by an ‘x’.

First Team Squad

2. Tony Hibbert
Date of Birth: 20.2.81
Nationality: English
Having graduated from the Academy, Hibbert has now signed a deal which will take him up to the summer of 2012. Originally playing as a midfielder, he has now slotted comfortably into the right-back position where he enjoys a successful partnership with captain, Phil Neville. Known for his reliability, he made 35 appearances last season.

3. Leighton Baines
Date of Birth: 11.12.84
Nationality: English
Baines joined Everton a few days before the start of the 2007-08 season from Wigan on a five-year deal. The attacking left-back has previously been a regular for the England Under-21 squad, and made 29 appearances throughout the last season.

4. Joseph Yobo
Date of Birth: 6.9.80
Nationality: Nigerian
Yobo turned down offers from Arsenal and Juventus in the summer of 2002 to join up with Everton. The versatile player, who can play as a right-back, in central defence and in midfield, won the Young Player of the Year Award for the club in the 2003-04 season, and also played for his country in the 2002 World Cup. He made 39 appearances last season, getting one goal against Aston Villa, and has signed until 2010.

5. Joleon Lescott
Date of Birth: 16.8.82
Nationality: English
Lescott joined Everton in June 2006 from Wolves. He enjoyed a fantastic debut season, and quickly became a fans’ favourite. He is another versatile player, capable of playing as a left-back or in central defence, which is his preferred position. He is also a member of the England squad, making his debut in October 2007 against Estonia. He has signed a contract lasting up until 2012, and enjoyed a fantastic previous season, making 54 appearances and scoring 10 goals.

6. Mikel Arteta
Date of Birth: 26.3.82
Nationality: Spanish
Arteta arrived at Everton from Real Sociedad in 2005 with a wealth of experience under his belt, having already played for Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Rangers, with whom he won the treble in 2003. Although he initially arrived on loan, he signed permanently in July 2005 for £2 million, and has since become a crowd favourite, winning the Player of the Year for the 2006-07 season. Now he will be staying put until 2012, and will be hoping to make a full recovery by the start of the new season after undergoing surgery for a stomach injury.

7. Andy Van der Meyde
Date of Birth: 30.9.79
Nationality: Dutch
Van der Meyde arrived in the summer of 2005 from Inter Milan on a four year contract. His time at the club has been frustrated by injuries, and he didn’t manage a single game last season. However, he can play on either flank or as a second striker, which makes him a valuable commodity. His season was hugely affected when he was fined two weeks' wages after failing to turn up to a training session in August 2007, after which he did not play a single game for the club.

8. Andrew Johnson
Date of Birth: 10.2.81
Nationality: English
Johnson left Crystal Palace in the summer of 2006 to join Everton in a deal worth £8.6 million. He had made a name for himself at Palace, where he managed to come through the 2003-04 season as the top scorer in the First Division. He then added to this record in the 2004-05 season by becoming the top English goal-scorer in the Premiership. Everton were pleased to see that his goal-scoring abilities did not stop when he joined up with them, and he managed to get six goals in the first seven games that he played in. As well as that, he has also featured for England a number of times, making his debut against Holland on 9th February 2005. He racked up 10 goals last season, and has now committed to the club until 2012.

14. James Vaughan
Date of Birth: 14.7.88
Nationality: English
Vaughan joined Everton at nine years old when he became a member of the Academy. He quickly rose through the ranks and, when he came on in the 74th minute against Crystal Palace on April 10th 2005, he became the youngest ever first-team player for Everton at 16 years and 271 days old. As if that wasn’t enough, he then scored a goal to become the youngest ever player in the Premiership to do so. A knee injury in March 2007 ruled him out for that season, but he signed a new contract to keep him at the club until 2011. Before last season even started he suffered a dislocated shoulder in a pre-season friendly, which kept his contribution to a minimum, although he did manage to score two goals.

16. Phil Jagielka
Date of Birth: 17.8.82
Nationality: English
Jagielka has just enjoyed his first season for Everton after signing for £4 million in July 2007 from Sheffield United. He is capable of playing in central defence, as a full-back or in midfield, and after a tough start he took his opportunity to shine when Yobo went to the African Cup of Nations in January 2008. Since then he has played for the national squad, his debut coming against Trinidad and Tobago as second-half substitute where they managed to get a 3-0 victory.

17. Tim Cahill
Date of Birth: 6.12.79
Nationality: Australian
Cahill is one of the stars at Everton. He arrived in 2004 from Millwall and immediately went on to get the Player of the Season award. A strong midfielder who is good in the air, Cahill left Australia at 16 to pursue a career as a footballer, and has since proved himself many times over. He has also played in numerous international matches, scoring five goals in his first two games for Australia. He also scored twice against Japan in the 2002 World Cup to help them win the game. His last season was interrupted by numerous frustrating injuries, including a broken foot, but that didn’t prevent him from managing to bag himself 10 goals.

18. Philip Neville
Date of Birth: 21.1.77
Nationality: English
Arriving in August 2005 from Manchester United, Neville became captain of Everton in the 2006-07 season and it is a position he has never relinquished. A highly consistent performer, he also backs up his strong defensive displays with the odd goal, managing to score twice last season against both Bolton and Aston Villa. With 50 appearances last season and numerous England caps to his name, he is a worthy captain and a fundamental member of the squad.

19. Nuno Valente
Date of Birth: 12.9.74
Nationality: Portuguese
Valente became a member of the squad in August 2005 when he arrived from Porto. The defender came with a solid CV, having played in numerous international matches for Portugal, as well as winning a Champions League medal in 2004. He is known as a superb crosser of the ball, but has been plagued by injuries recently. Even so, he will be staying until 2009 after receiving an extension to his contract.

20. Steven Pienaar
Date of Birth: 17.3.82
Nationality: South African
Pienaar had been playing for the South African squad since 2002 before joining up with Everton at the end of the 2006-07 season on loan. He first got on the score sheet for the club in September 2007 when he scored in a 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough. It was one of two goals that he managed to get in 40 appearances last season, and he has now signed a permanent deal for £2.05 million that will see him stay at the club until summer 2011.

21. Leon Osman
Date of Birth: 17.5.81
Nationality: English
Osman came through the ranks at the Academy, and is known as a midfielder with an eye for the goal. He proved this credential on his first start for Everton in May 2004, when he scored three minutes into the game against Wolves. He performed well in the second half of last season, despite breaking his toe in December, and he finally managed to make seven goals in 39 appearances, which included the Goal of the Season against Larissa of Greece in October 2007. His contract sees him staying at the club until 2012.

22. Yakubu Ayegbeni
Date of Birth: 22.11.82
Nationality: Nigerian
Also known affectionately as ‘The Yak’, Yakubu joined Everton at the beginning of the 2007-08 season from Middlesbrough for a record £11.25 million fee. A powerful striker, he made the fans happy by scoring on his Everton debut against Bolton Wanderers. He then went on to get 21 goals in 42 appearances throughout the season, which included two hat tricks. He now holds the record of the highest scoring African player in the Premier League.

24. Tim Howard
Date of Birth: 6.3.79
Nationality: American
Having previously enjoyed success at Manchester United, the American goalkeeper joined Everton in 2006 on a season-long loan. However, his solid performances led to him signing permanently for the club in February 2007 in a four year deal. He has since made the position his own, and enjoyed a phenomenal 2007-08 season, during which he almost managed to get 15 clean sheets in a row, which would have equalled the club record.

28. Victor Anichebe
Date of Birth: 23.4.88
Nationality: Nigerian
Anichebe worked his way through the ranks of the Academy, making his debut for the first team in January 2006 against Chelsea in the FA Cup Fourth Round. He made 41 appearances last season and managed to get five goals, including one on the last day of the season. This led him to be voted Young Player of the Season by the supporters.

37. Jack Rodwell
Date of Birth: 11.3.91
Nationality: English
Rodwell made his debut for the club at the tender age of 16 years and 284 days. As a result, he became the youngest Everton player ever to play in Europe. The defender, who can also play in midfield, has five England Under-16 caps to his name, and in March 2008 made his Premier League debut in a game against Sunderland. Despite his age, he will be hoping to make a real impact at the club this coming season.

Manager

‘’’David Moyes'''
Date of Birth: 25.4.63
Nationality: Scottish

David Moyes enjoyed a successful playing career before going into management, including spells at Celtic, Cambridge United and Bristol City amongst others. A successful centre-half, he finished his playing career at Preston North End, where he switched over from player to manager in January 1998.

Having always seen his career going into management after his playing days had come to an end, he managed to take Preston from the brink of relegation from Division Two to promotion to Division One in a couple of seasons, and then onto the playoffs of Division One the following season, which they unfortunately lost.

After his tremendous success with Preston, Everton soon came calling, and on 14th March 2002 he became the club manager, a move which delighted both him and the fans.

Since then he has won the LMA (League Managers Association) Manager of the Year twice for the 2002-03 and 2004-05 seasons, the FA Premier League Manager of the Month for February 2008, and has enjoyed six full seasons in charge at the club. Last season he managed to take them to the semi-final of the Carling Cup and the last 16 of the UEFA Cup, whilst also steering them to a fifth-place finish in the Premier League, meaning they will again play in the UEFA Cup this season.

Chairman

‘’’Bill Kenwright'''

Kenwright became chairman of Everton in 2004 after being a lifetime supporter of the club. He made his living as a successful actor and theatrical producer, and was behind such hits on the stage as Blood Brothers and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Popular with the fans, he does not take a salary from the club, and stands out from the multi-billionaire businessmen who currently head a number of clubs in the Premier League. His connection with sport does not end with Everton, however, as he has also launched a new basketball team, the Everton Tigers, to compete in the British Basketball League.

Club Honours

• League Champions: 1890-91, 1914-15, 1927-28, 1931-32, 1938-39, 1962-63, 1969-70, 1984-85, 1986-87
• Division Two Champions: 1930-31
• FA Cup Winners: 1906, 1933, 1966, 1984, 1995
• Charity Shield Winners: 1928, 1932, 1963, 1970, 1984, 1985, 1986 (shared), 1987, 1995,
• European Cup Winners’ Cup: 1984-85

Club Records

• Most appearances: Neville Southall (751)
• Longest-serving player: Ted Sagar (23 years)
• Top goalscorer: Dixie Dean (383)
• Record attendance: 78, 299 (versus Liverpool, 1948)
• Youngest League player: James Vaughn (16 years, 271 days)
• Record transfer fee received: £27 million (Wayne Rooney, from Manchester United)
• Record transfer fee paid: £8.5 million (Andrew Johnson, to Crystal Palace)
• Highest scorer in a season: Dixie Dean (60, 1927-28)