Wilf Chadwick - 1921 -1925:

Wilf Chadwick joined Everton as an apprentice and played his way through the various reserve teams to make his senior debut on 4th March 1922. He had boasted a record of two goals a game for the reserve side and this continued into his debut when he scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Bradford City. He was the club's joint leading scorer the following season but in 1923-24 he was to be not only Everton's top scorer but also the 1st Division's when he netted 28 times.

Chadwick never really establish himself as a favourite either with the Everton hierarchy or the fans and thus does not figure in many of the club's records. He was unfairly compared to the legendary Edgar Chadwick, who had left the club some twenty years earlier and was the player that was to make way for Everton's greatest goal scorer, Dixie Dean, when he was transferred to Leeds United in 1925.,

Everton playing record :

League appearances 102, goals 50

FA Cup appearances 7, goals 5

Hunter Hart - 1921 -1929:

Hunter Hart was signed from Airdrie during the 1921-22 season following a humiliating 6-0 FA Cup defeat by Crystal Palace and his first job was to help save Everton from relegation. He quickly imposed himself on the struggling side and relegation was averted by just four points and one league place. Hart was made captain and for a while the team had limited success, finishing fifth and seventh in the following two season. Two more poor seasons followed which included another relegation battle when the club finished just two points above the relegation teams.

Season 1927-28 was to be a complete turn around and Hunter Hart was part of the Everton side that won the League title for the third time. Hart was to retire during the 1929-30 season, which was to see Everton's first relegation from the 1st Division.

Everton playing record :

League appearances 289, goals 5

FA Cup appearances 11, goals 0

Bobby Irvine - 1921 -1928:

Signed from Denmurry, Belfast, Bobby Irvine was a superb dribbler, had great ball control and was amongst the most gifted attacking players of his generation. The fee to bring him in was £500 in September 1921 but he had to wait until November to make his debut when he played against the 1-1 at Anfield against Liverpool.

His style of play soon made him a crowd favourite and his brilliant skills enthralled the Goodison crowd for six years. Irvine was more of a creator than a goal scorer and usually played at inside-right but when he was called to play at centre-forward he proved an effective goal scorer.

Bobby Irvine left Everton in March 1928 and joined Portsmouth were he only spent one season before he moved to Welsh side Connah's Quay. He officially retired in April 1935 after he played his last game the year before for Watford.

Everton playing record :

League appearances 199, goals 54

FA Cup appearances 15, goals 3

Alec Troup - 1922 - 1929:

Alec Troup was signed from Dundee in 1922 and played on the left wing for Everton during the 1920's. Of slight appearance, only five foot five inches tall, he was noted for his courage and determination that was needed to overcome a handicap of a weak collar-bone which had to be strapped before every game. He had the best asset of all wingers, the ability to cross the ball with pace and accuracy, but Troup's specialty was that he could 'hang' the ball in the air, almost waiting for the centre forward to arrive.

Alec Troup was a member of the 1927-28 League title winning team, playing in all 42 league games, and is reputed to be responsible for supplying half of Dixie Deans's 60 goals during the campaign. Troup himself was the next highest scorer that season with ten.

Everton playing record :

League appearances 249, goals 32

FA Cup appearances 10, goals 3

Please follow the link to more Dixie Dean pictures and a brief narrative of his playing career.

Warenford 'Warney' Cresswell - 1926 - 1935:

Warney Cresswell joined Everton from Sunderland in 1926 for a fee of £7,000, having previously been the subject of a British record transfer when he joined Sunderland from Shouth Shields in 1922.

One of the games all-time great full backs he was noted as a renowned tackler and had the ability to deliver accurate clearances. It was surprising that he only won seven England caps. Cresswell captained the Everton side during their period of success in the twenties and thirties and during his nine year spell won two first division titles, one FA Cup, two Charity Shields and one second division title.

Warney Cresswell left Everton in 1935 aged 38 and joined Port Vale, first as a player and later as a their manager. In 1937 he joined Northampton as manager were he spent 2 years.

Warenford Cresswell died in 1973 in his native North East.

Everton playing record :

League appearances 290, goals 1

FA Cup appearances 16, goals 0

Ted Critchley - 1926 - 1934 :

Ted Critchley was brought in from Stockport County in 1926 as a replacement for Sam Chedgzoy on the right wing. Like Chedgzoy and Alec Troup he knew how to centre a football and soon became one of Dixie Dean's main supply of goal scoring opportunities.

During his time with Everton he won two first division titles, one Charity Shield and one second division title. However, despite scoring the winner in the FA Cup semi final, he was left out of the 1933 winning cup final team.

Ted Critchley's seven year stay at Everton ended in 1934 when he joined Preston North End.

Everton playing record :

League appearances 217, goals 37

FA Cup appearances 12, goals 5

Please follow the link to more Ted Sagar pictures and a brief narrative of his playing career.

Tommy White - 1927 - 1937 :

Tommy White joined Everton from Southport in 1927 and despite being brought in as a centre forward he was to prove to be an extremely versatile acquisition, as he was just as comfortable playing in defence as he was up front. As aforward his direct style of play endeared him to the Everton supporters and on occasions that he was needed to cover for Dixie Dean he coped with the pressure very well.

As his career progressed he reverted to centre half and played in that position in the 1933 FA Cup final, helping the club to only its second victory in the competition. So accomplished had his displays become in defence he earned a call up to play for England for their match against Italy in Rome in 1933.

Jimmy White left Everton in October 1937 when he joined Nothampton Town.

Everton playing record :

League appearances 193, goals 66

FA Cup appearances 9, goals 0

Other appearances 2, goals 0

Cliff Britton - 1930 - 1938 :

Cliff Britton joined Everton from Bristol Rovers in 1930 after making just fifty appearances, he was deemed to frail at first and played his first season at the club in the reserves. He soon established himself in the first team and became one of the cultured wing halves of his day, who could produce superb short or long passes. Bringing a touch of class to the Everton side of the early thirties, he was one of the stars of the team that lifted the FA Cup in 1933. The season after the Cup win Britton was to win the first of his nine England caps.

Britton missed out on a League winners medal in 1938-39 when he only played one game, but his career took off again during the Second World War when he became one of the celebrated England half back line which included Joe Mercer and Stan Cullis.

Cliff Britton left Everton in 1945 and in October of that year he became the manager of Burnley were he steered them to promotion from the old Second Division and the FA Cup final 1947. In 1948 Britton was appointed manager of Everton but success was limited and he was in charge when the team were relegated for only the second time in season 1950-51, he was to resigned as manager in 1956.

Everton playing record :

League appearances 221, goals 2

FA Cup appearances 19, goals 1

Jimmy Dunn - 1928 - 1934 :

Jimmy Dunn joined from Hibernian in 1928, to strengthen an Everton side that had just won league title but his first season did not go well, as the team finished a disappointing 18th. The following season saw the club relegated for the first time with Dunn featuring only twelve times in the campaign. There was only to be one season in the second division and Jimmy Dunn was to play a prominent part in the push for promotion, ending with 14 goals in 28 games.

If the last two seasons had been very disappointing 1931-32 was to be unbelievable, as the team followed promotion with a fourth league title. Dunn again played his part in the title success when he scored ten goals in just 22 games. There was more silverware the following year as Everton won the FA Cup for the second time, Dunn was on the score sheet in the final when he scored the third and last goal as Everton ran out 3-0 winners.

Jimmy Dunn left Everton in 1934 when he joined Exeter City

Everton playing record :

League appearances 140, goals 42

FA Cup appearances 14, goals 7

Other appearances 1, goals 0

Alert Geldard - 1932 - 1937 :

Albert Geldard joined Everton in November 1932 from Bradford Park Avenue for a fee of £4,000 at the age of just 18. Three years earlier he made his league debut for Bradford at the tender age of 15 years 156 days, a record that still stands today.

In 1933 he was part of the Everton side that won the FA Cup but his own personal triumph came two years later when he scored the winning goals in the epic cup tie against Sunderland. The first game had been drawn at Roker Park and the replay went into extra time with the score at 4-4, up stepped Geldard to score two in four minutes to win one the greatest FA Cup games of all time.

He left Everton in June 1938 and joined Bolton Wanderers after becoming unhappy at losing his place to the newly signed Torry Gillick. Geldard played just three seasons for Bolton because of the war and in 1947 retired from the game aged 33 in order to fulfill an ambition to become a sports writer. He working for six years with the Sunday Post before ill health forced him to give up journalism.

Everton playing record :

League appearances 167, goals 31

FA Cup appearances 12, goals 6

Jimmy Stein - 1928 - 1936 :

Signed from Dunfermline in 1928, Jimmy Stein was brought in to add extra scoring options from the wing to the championship winning side of 1927-28. His move did not start well as the team struggled in his first season and were relegated in his second. The club only spent one season in the second division and Stein was to play his part in the promotion when he scored 10 goals during the campaign.

After returning to the top flight Everton took the first division by surprise by winning the league title. Jimmy Stein played in 39 of the games and scored nine goals. The following season, 1932-33, saw the league form suffer as the team reached the FA Cup final, Stein was an ever present and ended the season with the distinction of scoring the clubs first goal at Wembley as Everton beat Manchester City 3-0.

Jimmy Stein left the club in October 1936 when he joined Burnley and he ended his career with New Brighton.

Everton playing record :

League appearances 199, goals 57

FA Cup appearances 16, goals 8

Other appearances 2, goals 0

Joe Mercer - 1932 - 1946 :

Signed form Ellesmere Port in September 1932, Joe Mercer was to become one of the most influential players of his time. In his first two seasons he only played nine times but claimed a regular first team place in the 1935-36 season, were he partnered Cliff Britton in the wing half position.

Mercer was an integral part of the Everton side that won the League title in 1938-39, during the season he won all of his five England caps. A bright future, and long England career, seemed certain for Mercer but cruelly the outbreak of the Second World War interrupted his time with both club and country. Although he played 26 times for England in war time internationals he never played for his country again in official games.

Upon returning to Goodison in 1945 Mercer was eager to continue where he had left off before the war, but things were never the same for either the player or the club. Disenchanted with life at Everton he left in 1946 and joined Arsenal determined to show everyone he was not finish as a player. This he did by winning the league title twice and the FA Cup once with the Gunners. He finished his playing career in 1952-53 following a broken leg and turned to management initially with Sheffield United and later with Aston Villa and Manchester City. In 1977 he took over temporary charge of England following the resignation of Don Revie.

Everton playing record :

League appearances 170, goals 1

FA Cup appearances 14, goals 1

Alex Stevenson - 1934 - 1949 :

Joining Everton in 1934 from Glasgow Rangers, Alex Stevenson was to become one of the outstanding inside forwards in the club's history. After joining the season after the club had won the FA Cup he soon became the brick that another great Everton side was to built around.

A Dubliner, Stevenson was to team up with fellow countryman Jack Coulter to form one of the best left wing partnerships in English football until Coulter left in 1937. In the 1938-39 season Alex Stevenson was part of the great Everton that won the League title. During his time with the club he was to win eleven on his twenty four Irish caps and following his retirement from playing was to manage Eire's national side for a few years

Everton playing record :

League appearances 255, goals 82

FA Cup appearances 16, goals 8

Jock Thompson - 1929 - 1938 :

Stating his playing career with Thornton Rangers in Fife, Jock Thompson joined Everton in 1929 after playing for four years with Dundee. Signed as a wing half Thompson enjoyed several successful years with the club and once Dixie Dean left the club he was promoted to team captain and led the team to the league championship in the 1938-39 season.

At the end of his first season, which was one settling in, the team were relegated for the first time but the next three were successful in the extreme. Thompson was to play a very important part in firstly helping the side gaining promotion at the first attempt and then winning the league title in the first season back in the top division. The following season, 1932-33, saw the team win the FA Cup for the second time and Thompson was again a major part in the winning side.

As his career with Everton was coming to an end he found it more difficult to hold down a regular place in the team due to the emergance of a young player called Joe Mercer. Jock Thompson's football career finished with the outbreak of the second world war in 1939 but ended on a high note with his championship medal. After the was ended he had a spell as the manager of Manchester City.

Everton playing record :

League appearances 272, goals 5

FA Cup appearances 22, goals 0

Other appearances 2, goals 0

Stan Bentham - 1935 - 1948 :

Stan Bentham joined Everton from Wigan Athletic in 1935 and scored twice on his debut in a 4-0 win at Grimsby. A hard grafting inside right, he was also extremely versatile and during his time at Everton played in every position, including goalkeeper.

Bentham missed only one game during the 1938-39 championship winning season but like so many players the war was to interrupt his career at its peak. He carried on playing after the war ended before retiring in 1948 but did not leave the club, joining the coaching staff and stayed at Everton for another fourteen years. He left the club in 1962 to become the coach at Luton Town.

Stan Bentham died at his nursing home in May 2002 aged 87 years old, he served Everton for 28 years and deserves his place in the club's history.

Everton playing record :

League appearances 110, goals 7

FA Cup appearances 15, goals 0

Jimmy Cunliffe - 1932 - 1938 :

Jimmy Cunliffe was signed from amateur football when he joined Everton for a £10 donation from Adlington, who played in the West Lancashire League. He was brought in by Everton as a short term replacement for the injured Dixie Dean but he ended up moving to inside forward and stayed for 7 seasons, his career with the club only coming to end with the outbreak of the second world war.

Cunliffe was a strong, fast and skilful player who won one England cap when he was picked to play against Belgium in 1936. He was also an extremely good Crown Green bowler and became well know as he won several handicap competitions in which he played off scratch.

Everton playing record :

League appearances 174, goals 73

FA Cup appearances 13, goals 3

Thomas Gwynfor 'TG' Jones - 1936 - 1949 :

Everton paid Wrexham £3000 in 1936 for TG Jones after he had only played six first team games. He made just one appearance during his first season but was to establish himself in the first team the following year. Jones was a defender who possessed the skill and composure of an inside forward. He was cool and relaxed in possession and very few defenders of his ilk had been seen before and his forte was to dribble out of trouble and spray passes to all corners of the field.

Jones, along with the likes of Lawton and Mercer, was instrumental in Everton lifting the 1938-39 League title. During the war Jones worked in a factory while still turning out for Everton while the Football League was suspended, he also played eleven times for Wales in war time internationals to add to his seventeen caps he won pre-war.

When football restarted Everton soon lost some of their star players from the pre-war years but Jones continued to illuminate Goodison Park despite Everton plummeting into mediocrity. So good was Jones that in 1948 Everton received and extraordinary £15,000 bid from Roma which would have made him one of the first foreigners to play in Italy. The deal fell through though due to problems with foreign exchange issues and TG Jones stayed an Everton player.

After differences with some of the Everton management, dating back to the war, the club agreed to his release in January 1950. It was an inauspicious end to the career of a player who had been nickname the 'Prince of Centre-halves' and had been described by Dixie Dean as 'the best player I have ever seen.

On leaving Everton Jones became the part-time manager of Pwllheli and also ran a hotel. In 1962. Thomas George 'TG' Jones died 3 January 2004 aged 86.

Everton playing record :

League appearances 165, goals 4

FA Cup appearances 10, goals 1

Tommy Lawton - 1937 - 1945 :

Tommy Lawton was signied by the club from Burnley in 1937, aged just 17, for a fee of £6,500 but only played two full seasons for Everton. He made his debut on 13 February 1937 against Wolverhampton Wanderers and scored in a 2-7 defeat, the goal made him Everton's youngest goal scorer until being overtaken 65 years later by Wayne Rooney.

The following season, still aged 17, Lawton was to become the countries leading marksman when he scored 28 goals. He also scored on his England debut the same season, a penalty against Wales, and added another against Scotland from a Stanley Matthews cross.

In the 1938-39 he topped the nation's scoring charts for the second time, this time with 34 goals in just 38 games, while leading Everton to the League title. Of all the top players careers affected by the outbreak of war was arguably Tommy Lawton's was the saddest, at just 18 he had been the countries top scorer two years running and won a league title.

During the war he played regional football for Everton were he scored 85 goals in 108 games and while on duty appeared for Aldershot scoring 66 in 43 games. His Everton career was under threat following several trips to London, the bright lights had turned Lawton's head and he made it plain to the club that he wanted a move.

In November 1945, with several southern teams after him, Lawton signed for Chelsea who paid Everton a record fee of £11,500 for his services. He became something of a football nomad and played for several clubs before retiring at the age of 37.

In 1972 a testimonial was held for Lawton at Goodison park between Everton and a Great Britain XI, which included stars like Bobby Moore and Bobby Charlton. After the game Tommy Lawton spoke about how he regretted leaving Everton, "My God, why did I ever leave Everton? So much of me still remains at Goodison", he was quoted as saying .

He died in November 1996 and three days later Everton paid a fitting tribute. Following a minutes silence the team proceeded to beat Southampton 7-1, a score line more fitting to Tommy Lawton's era, he probably would have approved

Everton playing record :

League appearances 87, goals 65

FA Cup appearances 8, goals 5