Everton

Everton Football Club – Club History

Everton Football Club is one of the founding clubs of the Football League, established in 1878 as St Domingo FC before becoming Everton in 1879. The club won the first ever Football League championship in 1890–91 and has since been one of the most successful clubs in English football history. Based in Liverpool, Everton hold the distinction of having spent more seasons in the top division of English football than any other club, a record they proudly protect.

The club's greatest era came under the legendary manager Howard Kendall in the 1980s. Everton won back-to-back First Division titles in 1984–85 and 1986–87, the FA Cup in 1984, the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1985, and reached a second FA Cup final in 1986. The mid-1980s Everton side, featuring players of immense quality, is widely regarded as one of the greatest English club sides of that era.

Premier League Era & Titles

Everton were founding members of the Premier League in 1992. Despite not winning the Premier League title, they have been ever-present in the top flight and achieved consistent top-half finishes through the 2000s and 2010s. The club won the FA Cup in 1995 under Joe Royle, their last major trophy to date. They reached the League Cup final in 1977 and 1984. Under managers such as David Moyes, the club finished in the top half of the Premier League with regularity and qualified for European competition. In recent seasons, Everton suffered financial difficulties and were relegated to the Championship in 2024, ending their record-breaking 68-year unbroken stay in the top flight – the longest in English football history at that time.

Stadium

Everton played at Goodison Park from 1892 to 2024 – a tenure of 132 years that made it the longest-serving major stadium in English football. Located in Walton, Liverpool, Goodison Park had a capacity of approximately 39,414 and was known as one of the most atmospheric and historic grounds in the country. In 2024, Everton moved into their new stadium, Everton Stadium (also referred to as the Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium), a spectacular 52,888-capacity waterfront ground on the banks of the River Mersey, making it one of the finest new stadiums in world football. The move represented a landmark moment in the club's history.

Most Famous Players

Everton's history is dotted with legendary names. Dixie Dean is perhaps the most iconic figure – his 60 league goals in the 1927–28 season remains a record that will almost certainly never be broken. Alan Ball was at the heart of the 1970 title-winning side. The Kendall-era greats include Neville Southall (widely regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world during the mid-1980s), Peter Reid, Kevin Ratcliffe, Graeme Sharp, and Gary Lineker, who won the First Division title with Everton in 1985. In the Premier League era, Tim Cahill was a popular and prolific midfielder, Wayne Rooney – who came through Everton's academy – became the most talked-about teenager in English football, and Romelu Lukaku was a prolific striker during his two spells at the club. Leighton Baines was a beloved full-back over many years.

Key Milestones

Everton's founding role in the Football League and their unbroken 68 seasons in the top flight (1954–2024) are defining statistics. The mid-1980s double title wins under Howard Kendall stand as the pinnacle of the club's modern history. The construction and opening of their new Bramley-Moore Dock stadium in 2024 is the most significant development in the club's history in decades, and a platform for a new era. Everton also hold the record of having played more Football League matches than any other club.