BIZARRE HISTORY OF... EVERTON

“YOU NEED US”

Everton – forced out of their Priory Road home by noise complaints – hosted Anfield’s first match in 1884. When rent rises resulted in the Toffees leaving to play at Goodison Park, Liverpool were formed solely to keep Anfield occupied. They did OK.

TRICKSY DIXIE

‘Dixie’ Dean’s boyhood nickname came either from ‘digsy’, as during Tag he would dig a fist in a girl’s back (which doesn’t reflect well on him), or from his skin tone matching those in Southern US ‘Dixie’ states (which doesn’t reflect well on anyone).

BADGE OF SHAME

The crest first featured Prince Rupert’s Tower, or Everton Lock-up, in 1938. It still remains today, though it’s just where criminals were taken before their trial – or, more commonly, where local drunks were dumped to dry out.

MERSEY BEAT

While St Pauli bellow Hells Bells by AC/DC, the Toffees’ walk-on ditty since 1962 has been the theme from Z-cars, a Merseyside cop show starring an unrecognisable Brian Blessed (below). Why? The cast went to

a game once...

LINEKER: CURSE?

In 1984-85 the Blues won the First Division. In ’85-86 Gary Lineker joined and bagged 30 league goals, including a trio of hat-tricks, but the Toffees came 2nd. In ’86-87 Gary went to Barcelona and Everton were champions once again. Bad luck, chum.