Dave Watson - 1986 -2000:

When Howard Kendall brought in Dave Watson he had to pay a club record transfer fee of £900,000 for his signature. Watson had been a reserve team member with Liverpool but moved to Norwich City in 1980 and spent six relatively successful seasons with the Canaries, gaining International recognition with England.

He had been brought in as a replacement for the injured Derek Mountfield but found the going tough as Everton played a totally different defensive formation to Norwch. When Mountfield regained his fitness Watson was dropped, but soon returned once he mastered the way the defence was set up. He was to play a full part in the club winning the league title and at the end of the next season was voted player of the year by the fans.

Not the quickest of defenders he made up for this with great aerial strength, ferocious tackling and the ability to do the simple things well. He also had the knack of scoring important goals, especially in the FA Cup.

In the summer of 1991 Peter Reid tried to take Watson to Manchester City when he offered Everton £1m for his services. But instead a new contract was signed at Everton and in January 1992 he was made first team captain, following on from Kevin Ratcliffe.

The early years of Watson's leadership saw Everton in the wrong half of the table and in the 1993-94 saw the club needing a victory on the last day of the season to remain in the top flight. They did it by beating Wimbledon 3-2, things had to change. After 14 games of the next season Joe Royle was appointed manager and the rot was stopped.

This season brought what was probably Dave Watson's proudest moment when he lifted the FA Cup. The victory was achieved thanks to an incredible defensive display and the inspirational leadership of the captain and the team were able to pull off a sensational victory against the massive favourites, Manchester United.

Watson lost the team captaincy in 1997 to Gary Speed but was made Club Captain in 1998 following Speed's departure from the club, at this time he also became Viv Busby's assistant with the reserve team. When Walter Smith became manager he made Watson Player/Coach but he was still to prove indispensable at the heart of the defence.

Age was starting to catch up and by the end of the 1999-2000 he had played his last game for Everton, although he remained on the playing staff at the start of the next season and retained the Club Captaincy. Dave Watson left the club in May 2001 when he took over the managership of Tranmere Rovers.

Only two players can boast more games for the club, Neville Southall and Brian Labone.

Honours won with Everton

League Championship - winners 1987

FA Cup- winner 1995, runners up 1989

Charity Shield - winners 1987 and 1995

6 England caps

Everton playing record (figures in brackets are substitution appearances):

League appearances 419 (4), goals 23

FA Cup appearances 47(1), goals 5

League Cup appearances 39, goals 7

European appearances 2, goals 0

Other appearances 15 (1), goals 3