League Record
Played |
Won |
Drawn |
Lost |
Goals For |
Goals Against |
Points |
|
| Home | 19 |
8 |
5 |
6 |
44 |
29 |
21 |
| Away | 19 |
11 |
3 |
5 |
32 |
18 |
25 |
| Total | 39 |
19 |
8 |
11 |
76 |
47 |
46 |
Top Scorers
- Bobby Parker 36 goals - Joe clennell 14 goals - Billy Kirsopp 9 goals
Highest Scores
- 7-1 v Sunderland at home - 5-3 v Bolton Wanderers at home - 5-0 v Liverpool away - 5-1 v Aston Villa away
Two Photographs of the team and sqaud that earned Everton their second league title in 1914-15
It had been 24 years since Everton had won their first league title despite finishing in the top three on fewer than nine occasions and nothing from the previous season, were the team had finished a disappointing 15th, gave rise to much hope of a second title. Although optimism was raised a little in the summer when the club obtained the services of Jimmy Galy from Glasgow Rangers, who was immediately installed as team captain.
Europe, and the World, was on the brink of war. On 28th June 1914 in the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo, the Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie were shot dead. The assassination meant that the treaty system that had kept Europe at peace for more than fifty years fell apart and on 4th August the First World War began.
The Football Association had a dilemma, do they start the League program or do they postpone indefinitely. Throughout the country their was a feeling of ‘it will be over by Christmas’ so it was decided to start the season despite criticism from many quarters.
Everton did not let the allow the situation to distract them from the task ahead and got the season off to a good start with away wins over Tottenham Hotspurs, 3-1, and Newcastle United, 1-0. All teams seemed to have one eye elsewhere as hostilities intensified and all suffered from inconsistency. As the season entered the final stages Everton went on a their best run for some time, winning four games leading up to the final weekend of football. The run left Everton joint top of the table with Oldham Athletic, who had two games against just one for Everton. Athletic's first of their games was against local rivals Burnley and they lost 2-1, so the season was set to go right down to the last weekend of games.
Both title rivals were at home for the last games of the season but Everton were not scheduled to play until the Monday, so Oldham had the opportunity to take over the leadership in the championship race and put pressure on the Merseyside team. Athletic were at home to Liverpool, who had not been doing well in the league, but they would do their neighbours a favour by winning 2-0, effectively giving Everton the title on goal difference. On the Monday Everton played their last game and welcomed Chelsea to Goodison Park, the match ended in a 2-2 draw and the league was won by just by one point.
Dispite the inconsistancies that had blighted Everton, and the rest of teams in teh league, the partnership of Bobby Parker and Joe Crennell had worked a treat and Parker became the fifth Everton player to top the first division scoring table, when he scored 36 times. Crennell help himself to 14 goals as the team notched up their highest total for many a season with 76. Celebrations were, however, muted due to the catastrophe of the Great War which, despite earlier hopes, was not over by Christmas.
