Premier League · Premier League · Liverpool, Merseyside, England · Goodison Park

Everton FC

One of only six clubs to have been ever-present in the top flight of English football since 1954, Everton are a grand old institution on Merseyside preparing to leave historic Goodison Park for a transformative new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock under new ownership from The Friedkin Group.

1878

1878–1970

Founding and Early Glory

From St. Domingo to the School of Science

Everton were founded in 1878 as St. Domingo FC, making them one of the oldest football clubs in the world. They were founding members of the Football League in 1888 and won their first league title in 1891. A dispute over rent at their original Anfield ground led to a split in 1892 - the club moved across Stanley Park to Goodison Park, while the remaining faction at Anfield would become Liverpool FC.

Everton established themselves as one of English football's premier clubs in the early twentieth century, earning the nickname "The School of Science" for their commitment to attractive, technically accomplished football. The great Dixie Dean scored a record 60 league goals in the 1927-28 season, a mark that has never been surpassed. The club won league titles in 1915, 1928, 1932, and 1939, as well as the FA Cup in 1906 and 1933.

The post-war period was more mixed, with relegation in 1951 ending a 21-year top-flight run. But Harry Catterick's side of the 1960s won the league in 1963 and 1970 and the FA Cup in 1966, re-establishing Everton as a major force.

Key Facts

  • Founded as St. Domingo FC in 1878
  • Founding members of the Football League in 1888
  • Dixie Dean scored 60 league goals in 1927-28
  • Won five league titles before World War II
1981

1981–1990

The Howard Kendall Era

The greatest Everton side of all

Howard Kendall's management of Everton in the 1980s produced the finest team in the club's history. After a slow start that nearly saw him sacked, Kendall built a side of extraordinary quality and character. The 1984-85 season was the peak: Everton won the First Division title and the European Cup Winners' Cup, beating Rapid Vienna in the final, while also reaching the FA Cup final.

The squad was built around homegrown talent and astute signings. Neville Southall was arguably the best goalkeeper in the world, Peter Reid and Kevin Sheedy dominated midfield, and strikers Graeme Sharp and Andy Gray provided the goals. The football was thrilling, powerful, and technically superb. Everton won a second league title in 1987.

The Heysel disaster of 1985, which led to English clubs being banned from European competition, robbed this Everton side of the chance to compete for the European Cup at the height of their powers. Many supporters and historians believe that Kendall's team would have been serious contenders for the continent's greatest prize. The ban, combined with the subsequent departure of key players, marked the beginning of a long decline.

Key Facts

  • Won the First Division title in 1984-85 and 1986-87
  • European Cup Winners' Cup winners in 1985
  • Neville Southall widely regarded as the world's best goalkeeper
  • English clubs' European ban denied Everton a European Cup campaign
2002

2002–Present

Modern Struggles and New Dawn

Financial difficulty, points deductions, and The Friedkin Group

The Premier League era has been largely disappointing for Everton. David Moyes provided stability and occasional top-six finishes during his 11-year tenure (2002-2013), and Roberto Martinez guided the club to a strong fifth-place finish in his first season, but sustained success proved elusive. A succession of managers - Ronald Koeman, Sam Allardyce, Marco Silva, Carlo Ancelotti, Rafa Benitez, Frank Lampard, and Sean Dyche - reflected chronic instability at boardroom level.

Under Farhad Moshiri, who acquired a majority stake in 2016, Everton spent lavishly but poorly, accumulating enormous losses that led to Premier League charges for breaching Profitability and Sustainability Rules. Points deductions in the 2023-24 season - totalling eight points across two separate sanctions - plunged the club into a relegation battle that tested supporters' resilience to the limit.

The sale to The Friedkin Group in late 2024 brought new hope. The American ownership group, which also controls AS Roma, inherits a club preparing to move to the Bramley-Moore Dock stadium, a world-class 52,888-seat arena on the Liverpool waterfront that is expected to dramatically increase Everton's commercial revenue and provide the foundation for a more competitive future.

Key Facts

  • David Moyes managed the club for 11 years (2002-2013)
  • Received points deductions in 2023-24 for financial rule breaches
  • The Friedkin Group completed their takeover in late 2024
  • New Bramley-Moore Dock stadium set to transform the club's fortunes