Everton Firsts: A Fascinating Look at the Innovative Everton FC

There’s a lot more to Everton than the star players that have graced the pitch at Goodison and the shiny trophies in the cabinet, the Toffees have been hugely influential and innovative in the footballing world. From always striving to be the best, to establishing new rules, becoming one of the founder members of the League and being the original club to install dugouts, there have been a huge number of Everton firsts.

To celebrate how this amazing club has always been at the forefront of new ideas, we take a look at some of the most significant landmarks that Everton Football Club have accomplished since the club was founded.

Everton were one of the founding members of the Football League in 1888.

Founded in 1888, the?Football League?is the oldest competition in?world football. It was the top-level football league in England from its foundation in the 19th century until 1992, when the top 22 clubs split away to form the?Premier League.

They were also the founder members of the FA Premier League in 1992.

In 1990, the managing director of?London Weekend Television,?Greg Dyke, met with the representatives of the “big five” football clubs in England (Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham, Everton and Arsenal) over a dinner to pave?the way for a break away from?The Football League.

First club to be presented with the League Championship trophy.

The trophy was awarded to Everton in 1891. It’s one of the most remembered of the Everton firsts.

First club to present medals for winning the Championship.

This was a huge honour back in the day.

First club to stage an FA Cup final 1894, Notts County v Bolton Wanderers.

Goodison Park became the first Football League ground to hold an?FA Cup Final.?Notts County?beat Bolton Wanderers and was watched by a crowd of 37,000.

First club on Merseyside to win the FA Cup 1906.

The?1906 FA Cup Final was contested by Everton and Newcastle United?at?Crystal Palace. Everton won 1?0, with the goal being scored by?Alex “Sandy” Young.

First club to construct a purpose built football stadium.

Everton originally played in the southeast corner of?Stanley Park, then Anfield and finally Goodison Park which opened in 1892.

First club to have a four-sided stadium with two tier stands.

Walton-based building firm Kelly Brothers were instructed to erect two uncovered stands that could each accommodate 4,000 spectators.

First club to have a stadium with a three tier stand.

The third tier stand was requested to?accommodate 3,000 spectators.

First club to wear numbered shirts from 1-11 (1933 FA Cup final).

For the first time in a cup final, the players wore numbered shirts.?Everton were numbered 1?11, and Manchester City 12?22. Everton goalkeeper Sagar wore 1, with the forwards bearing the higher numbers. Manchester City were the reverse, forward Brook wore 12, through to goalkeeper Langford who wore 22.

First club to have a church attached to its stadium.

The church grounds of St Luke the Evangelist are adjacent to the corner of the Main Stand and the Howard Kendall Gwladys Street End.

First club to install dugouts in England.

Everton constructed covered?dugouts?in 1931. The idea was inspired by a visit to?Pittodrie?to play a friendly against?Aberdeen where they had a form of dugout by the pitch.

First club to install under soil heating.

In 1958 the Goodison turf was lifted up and about twenty miles, which is around thirty kilometres, of electric wire was laid down. It cost the club around ?16,000 to do initially.

First club to win a penalty shootout in the European Cup 1970 v Borussia Moenchengladbach.

English champions Everton and German counterparts Borussia Moenchangladbach had drawn 1-1 at home and away. The European Cup?s first penalty shoot-out was staged at Goodison Park and for once the Germans lost!

First club to have a player, William Ralph Dean, score 60 league goals.

Making history in?1927?28, Dean scored 60 league goals in 39 matches, setting a record that has stood ever since and almost single-handedly gave Everton the league title.

First club to break the ?100,000 transfer threshold when Alan Ball moved from Blackpool for ?110,000 in 1966.

Ball’s performances in the 1966 World Cup winning England team attracted the attention of a number of clubs bigger than Blackpool, but it was Everton who bagged the star.

First club to be featured in a TV game in August 1936 v Arsenal.

However, the game was not live, it was pre-recorded.

First club to sell tickets via text message.

The last in our fascinating look at some Everton firsts. That’s right, Everton FC were the first to come up with the innovative idea to sell tickets via SMS.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our fascinating look at some of the most innovative things Everton FC have achieved over the years. At Signature Living, we couldn’t be happier to add The Dixie Dean Hotel to this list of Everton firsts. Our luxurious hotel is set to open in the centre of Liverpool very soon and create a Football Quarter with The Shankly Hotel.

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