Everton are one of the most successful teams in England and here we learn about the top 10 Everton players of all time.
10. Kevin Ratcliffe
Kevin Ratcliffe spent the majority of his career with the Toffees, rising through the ranks of the youth squad before moving on to other teams such as Nottingham Forest and Dundee. He was promoted to captain after a year of joining the club due to his exceptional accomplishments on the field. He won the European Cup Winners’ Cup, the FA Cup, and the First Division title, among other notable honours.
9. Graeme Sharp
Graeme Sharp was the ideal striker, able to create chances as well as score goals, and helped Everton win league titles in 1985 and 1987. He also played a key role in Everton’s 2-0 FA Cup final victory against Watford in 1984, scoring the game’s first goal.
Sharp equalised against Bayern Munich in the European Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final the following season, and he finished his career as the Toffees’ highest post-war goalscorer with 150 goals in all competitions.
8. Brian Labone
Labone, the embodiment of a one-club guy, joined Everton in July 1957 at the age of 17 and rapidly established himself as one of the greatest centre defenders of his period, famed for his hard tackling, pace, and aerial skill. Between 1958 and 1971, he spent 23 years with Everton.
7. Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall‘s tenure as a player was similarly spectacular, and he is now considered as one of Everton’s best managers.
Kendall began his football career at Preston North End before joining Everton in 1964. During the 1960s, Kendall was an important component of Everton’s success.
In midfield, he was a member of the ‘Holy Trinity,’ alongside Alan Ball and Colin Harvey, who helped the Toffees win the First Division title in 1969/1970.
6. Alan Ball
The Englishman only won one major award during his tenure with the Toffees, but his impact was so great that he was regarded as one of the finest midfielders of his period, with Colin Harvey and Howard Kendall, who were known as Everton’s Holy Trinity.
Ball, the youngest member of England’s 1966 World Cup-winning squad, scored 78 goals in 250 games for the Toffees, establishing himself as one of the top midfielders in the country.
5. Peter Reid
During his playing days, Peter Reid had a good career. Before joining Everton in 1982, he established himself as one of England’s most talented midfielders. He had the most successful and outstanding period of his career, leading the team to domestic and European titles, as well as the Football League thrice. He is still regarded as one of Everton’s legendary defenders.
4. Gary Lineker
Gary Lineker‘s short-term success with the Toffees will be remembered fondly despite his just being at the club for a year.
Lineker arrived from childhood club Leicester City in 1985 and scored 40 goals in all competitions in his first and only season at Goodison Park. Everton finished second in the league with 30 goals (three of which were hat-tricks).
It’s no wonder, therefore, that Lineker went on to have a great World Cup campaign with England the following year.
3. Bob Latchford
Latchford was a complete centre-forward, capable of scoring goals and creating opportunities for teammates with his feet or his head. Despite his height, he was a lightning-quick short-distance runner, a trait he used when scoring many of his goals.
Latchford’s £350,000 transfer from Birmingham City to Everton came with great hopes, and he did not disappoint. In 289 appearances for Everton, the free-scoring striker scored 138 goals, making him the club’s top scorer in 1975, 1976, 1977, and 1978. During the 1977-1978 season, he was also the league’s leading scorer.
2. Neville Southall
Neville began his football career as a semi-professional soccer player in 1980. He transferred to Everton a year later and quickly established himself as one of the club’s most important players. Neville guided the team to success in the mid-1980s, winning two titles and their first-ever European trophy. Since his debut, he has made a total of 750 appearances.
1. Dixie Dean
Dixie Dean is without a doubt Everton’s greatest footballer of all time. Dixie Dean, Everton’s all-time leading scorer, still retains the record with 383 goals. Dixie Dean became the Merseyside club’s best goal-scorer throughout his 12-year career, with 383 goals in all competitions. He also retains the English national record for most goals in a season, with 61 goals in the 1927-1928 season.
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The words ‘Footballer, Gentleman, Evertonian’ are carved onto the base of the Dixie Dean statue outside Goodison Park. There are no words that adequately describe this magnificent man.