1878 to 1880 – The early days of the club

Everton FC, like many football clubs formed during the late nineteenth century, can trace its beginnings back to the church, in Everton’s case this was the Methodist church of St. Domingo’s. The church, which was situated on Breckfield Road North, Everton, was six years old when the then minister, the Revd. Benjamin Swift Chambers, decided that the boys from their cricket team needed something to occupy them during the winter months. Football was quickly becoming popular throughout the land so with the help of George Mahon, the church organist, St. Domingo’s Football Club was formed.

The team played on a pitch situated in the south-east corner of Stanley Park, the players had to carry the goal post from the park lodge and fixed them in place before marking out the playing area. The first games were played in a haphazard manner but soon the team became more organized and this enabled them to arrange matches against other local sides. All matches were played on a purely amateur basis and no admission charge was levied on the ever growing number of spectators, on occasions a couple of hundred people would witness the matches.

The following year saw great improvements in the teams playing ability and subsequently better quality players were being attracted to the side. As most of the new acquisitions had no affiliation to the church it was decided that a change of name was needed. At a meeting in November 1879 held at the Queen’s Head Hotel in Village Street, it was decided to adopt the name of the district in which St. Domingo’s was situated and so Everton Football Club was born.

Games continued to be played on the same pitch in Stanley Park and the first official game as the ‘new’ club was played on the 20th December 1879. The opponents that day were a local church team from St. Peter’s and Everton, wearing a blue and white striped kit, triumphed 6-0. The first line-up for Everton was:

W. Jones in goal, T. Evans and J. Douglas as defensive backs, C. Hiles and captain S. Chalk at half backs and R. W. Morris, A. White, F. Brettle, A. Wade, Smith, W. Williams all forwards.

More games were organised by the club’s secretary, Mr J.W. Clarke, against teams from the Liverpool area and their continued success meant that some of the top players from throughout the city were attracted to the club.

Although the club no longer sported the name of the church that had formed it, links with St Domingo’s stayed strong for many years and in 1928 a service was held at the church to mark Everton’s jubilee.