Premier League - The Greatest: Everton

Eurosport - Mon, 22 Jun 18:47:00 2009

In our weekly series during the close season, we let you decide who is the greatest player to have played for some of England's top clubs. We continue with a selection of Everton legends.

1970 Everton Howard Kendall, Alan Ball and Colin Harvey - 0

Here is our shortlist of eight greats with the Eurosport-Yahoo! top three at the bottom.

So leave your thoughts below, vote in the online poll and we'll give you the fans' verdict on Saturday.

Alan Ball (pictured, centre)

Ball might be best known for his man-of-the-match performance in the 1966 World Cup final, but the diminutive midfielder enjoyed an equally illustrious club career spanning 22 years and over 800 games. During his five-year spell at Goodison Park between 1966 and 1971, Ball inspired a generation of young Evertonians to take a white paintbrush to their boots in an attempt to emulate their hero. As part of the Holy Trinity alongside Colin Harvey and Howard Kendall, he helped Everton to the 1969-70 league title and the 1968 FA Cup final, scoring 66 goals in the process. Ball died of a heart attack in 2007.

Dixie Dean

William Ralph Dean's catchier nickname is still synonymous with outrageous goalscoring prowess. Dean scored 383 goals in 433 appearances for the Toffees between 1925 and 1937, and still holds the record for most league strikes in a season - banging in 60 goals in 39 games as Everton won the 1927/28 championship. Another 45 goals four seasons later brought another title to Goodison Park, and the following season Dean lifted the FA Cup as Everton captain. He overcame his fair share of knocks too, fracturing his jaw and skull in a 1926 motorcycle accident and losing a testicle after a particularly brutal kick to the groin.

Colin Harvey (pictured, right - Howard Kendall on left)

The original 'white Pele' spent 11 seasons as a player at Goodison Park before going on to give nearly 30 more years of service to the club as a coach and manager. On the pitch, Harvey was one third of the Holy Trinity and a major contributor to the club's success during the 1960s. He scored the winner against Manchester United in the 1966 FA Cup semi-final. Alf Ramsey's unwillingness to experiment and the presence of Bobby Charlton meant Harvey made only one appearance for England. Now works as Bolton Wanderers' chief scout.

Brian Labone

Imagine the uproar if a player rejected Fabio Capello's call-up to the England squad for the 2010 World Cup because he was getting married. Yet this is precisely what Labone did in 1966. The central defender's decision cost him a place in English football's greatest hour, but seems somehow appropriate in the case of a player for whom Everton always came first. The central defender made 534 appearances between 1958-71, won two league titles and an FA Cup, and is considered the club's greatest captain - possibly because of quotes like this: "One Evertonian is worth 20 Liverpudlians."

Kevin Ratcliffe

The Welshman spent nine successful years as Everton captain, winning the 1984/85 and 1986/87 league titles, and leading the team to glory in the 1984 FA Cup and 1985 Cup-Winners' Cup. When not lifting trophies, Ratcliffe was establishing a reputation as one of the best centre-backs in English football. He combined old-fashioned grit and bravery with a turn of speed any modern defender would be proud of. Only scored two goals in 12 seasons at Goodison Park, but one of those was a screamer against Liverpool at Anfield.

Peter Reid

Younger fans might know Reid best for his nomadic, and frequently expletive-filled, managerial career and for getting skinned by Diego Maradona en route to 'that goal' at the 1986 World Cup. But that would do a great disservice to one of the best defensive midfielders of his generation. Reid joined Everton in 1982 after eight seasons at Bolton, and helped the Toffees to one of the most successful spells in their history. Reid's graft and determination provided a platform for more creative players like Kevin Sheedy and Trevor Steven to surge forward, and he was recognised by his fellow professionals when he won the 1985 PFA Player of the Year award.

Graeme Sharp

The big Scot was a constant presence up front throughout the glory years of the 1980s, forming deadly strike partnerships with Andy Gray, Adrian Heath and Gary Lineker. Although known mainly as a target man who laid on as many chances for others as he took himself, Sharp scored 30 goals in the 1984/85 title-winning season and found the net 159 times in 11 seasons, making him the club's most prolific scorer since Dixie Dean. Received surprisingly little recognition at international level, winning just 12 caps for Scotland.

Neville Southall

The former refuse collector joined Everton aged 22 in 1981 and went on to make a club record 750 appearances, as well as winning 92 caps for Wales. At his peak, Southall was one of the best goalkeepers in the world and won the 1985 Football Writers' Player of the Year award - the last keeper to do so. Southall was a key man throughout the 1980s, and picked up a second FA Cup-winners' medal in 1995 when the Toffees beat Manchester United at Wembley. He was awarded an MBE in the same year for services to football.

Eurosport-Yahoo! verdict

For sheer weight of goals, Dean has to be the greatest player in Everton's history. Southall's ability and longevity earns him second place, with 1960s legend Ball completing the top three.

1 - Dixie Dean

2 - Neville Southall

3 - Alan Ball

Eurosport

Comment 99 - 118 of 118

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  1. Not an Everton fan or supporter, but can remember that­ wonderful midfield of Ball, Harvey & Kendall. 3 of­ the best midfield players in 1 team at any time.
    Alan­ Ball was a legend for every team he played for.

    From steve, on Mon 29 Jun 11:36AM

  2. In response to jerosu or whatever your name is you are­ talking absolute nonesense we sold Wayne Rooney to­ Manchester United for £27 million pound when he was­ only 18 years of age.
    Everton have also spent longer in­ the top flight than any other club. Arsenal have been­ in the 'first division' for a long time but­ were only promoted when the league was extended prior­ to World War 1.
    Manchester United have not got a decent­ full back, have not had since Arthur Albiston, although­ the two central defenders are very good. And speaking­ of Chelsea they change their manager every five­ minutes.

    From rblackhurst2004, on Sun 28 Jun 3:23PM

  3. when Dixie Dean was playing most of his career was­ spent under the "old" offside rules....in his­ days a player had to have TWO defenders and the goalie­ in front of him to stay onside, today it's ONE and­ the keeper. Stikers, or
    centre-forwards as they were­ then, had to be capable of beating an opponent with the­ ball ----much more difficult
    than just pushing the ball­ past the centre-back and beating him for speed,which is­ very much part of today's game.
    For that reason­ Dixie must be "the king". Besides all that­ ,he was a wonderful footballer, one of the best­ I've seen
    ( bit of a clue there about how ancient­ I am, AND before accusing me of being a Scouse--I AM­ NOT! Far from it!

    From ERIC, on Sat 27 Jun 9:51PM

  4. i didn't everton had ever had a great player.

    From jerosu, on Sat 27 Jun 6:15PM

  5. Why is Alex Young not on that list - the 'Golden­ Vision'

    Mozzer

    From pejmorris, on Sat 27 Jun 5:03PM

  6. Has anyone mentioned Bob Latchford?

    I'm not an­ Everton fan, but I remember him well because he was top­ scorer in division one for about 6 seasons. He­ regularly scored 30 or so per season and I think his­ overall strike-rate was pretty damned good.

    From Rock and Roll Machine, on Fri 26 Jun 3:00PM

  7. dont support everton but seen a few of their great­ sides from late sixties onwards never saw dean but­ would find it hard not to make him number one best­ everton players i ever saw were rooney ball and­ southall

    From CLIVE S, on Thu 25 Jun 7:56PM

  8. I've been an Everton fan for nearly 50 years.Never­ saw DEAN or LAWTON but accept they were true greats,but­ the best player I've seen is WAYNE ROONEY.Love him­ or hate him, he will go down as a true great,­ especially if England win a World Cup and or European­ Championship.
    Top 3: DEAN,ROONEY,LAWTON with ALAN BALL­ a close 4th.

    From colinbewley, on Wed 24 Jun 11:33PM

  9. Further message from Ray
    There are any number of great­ Everton players to choose from I believe we have­ produced more internationals for the home nations than­ any other club.
    Certainly in the 80's team­ Bracewell was outstanding for me a classy player he­ could dictate the pace of a game.
    And I believe at the­ time we signed him for just £300,000 an absolute snip.

    From rblackhurst2004, on Wed 24 Jun 3:44PM

  10. never a fan of everton but always a great fan of alan­ ball a true legend on and off the pitch i remember him­ at arsenal and at the end of his career at southampton­ he was pure magic, i had th privelege of meeting him­ outside the dell in southampton always willing to­ speak no primma donna just a great footballer definatly­ one of the very best in the modern game, he would have­ shown most of this current crop a clean pair of hills.­ the best attacking midfielder ever bar none.

    From chris l, on Wed 24 Jun 2:38PM

  11. Message from Ray
    As a life long Everton supporter I am­ surprised Paul Bracewell has never been mentioned in­ the poll for our greatest ever player.
    He was very­ unlucky with injuries but in the 1980's side­ managed by Howard Kendall he was my favourite player.

    From rblackhurst2004, on Wed 24 Jun 2:26PM

  12. I was a massive Kevin Sheedy fan, best freekicks ever.­ He took a freekick once, against Ipswich in the FA cup­ if I remember righty, he scored but the referee asked­ him to take it again, he did so and put it in the­ opposite corner...legend.

    From bruce, on Tue 23 Jun 1:07PM

  13. From the above choice it has to be
    1 DEAN
    2 BALL
    3­ HARVEY

    but should be
    1 DEAN
    2 LAWTON
    3 BALL

    From mark, on Tue 23 Jun 10:03AM

  14. PAUL11580
    TRY GETTING A LIFE YOU SAD SACK OF $H1T

    From mark, on Tue 23 Jun 9:58AM

  15. Just realised why is LAWTON not on this

    From mark, on Tue 23 Jun 9:57AM

  16. As Scots, we hated Bobby Moore, but despised Alan­ Ball.
    I'm showing my age now, but I do remember a­ guy called Jim Baxter playing "keepie-up"­ against England at Wembley in '67 and the world­ champions "cound'nae dae a thing aboot­ it".
    In spite of it all, I wish that wee red­ heeded guy had been a Scotsman....

    From LINDA M, on Mon 22 Jun 11:15PM

  17. From a Liverpool fan : Yep, that Dixie Dean is a legend­ !!!

    From Mervin A, on Mon 22 Jun 9:13PM

  18. Can't really disagree with the top 3 although as a­ boyhood fan of Ball I'd love to think he was the­ greatest Evertonian of my generation. I was heartbroken­ to come from school to find that we had sold him to­ Arsenal to fund the signing of Bob Latchford. I­ didn't paint my boots white: they were white - Alan­ Ball boots. Sadly I didn't have his skill or­ industry. A great player.

    From ALAN G, on Mon 22 Jun 8:44PM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I love to sniff Badger @#$%, mmmm smells n tastes soooo­ good !!

    From Barcelona 2 0 Manchester United, on Mon 22 Jun 7:15PM

  20. badger . . . appreciate you are trying to get noticed,­ why not try a job for a change, or are you Paul 1580­ too ? = your mummy will be annoyed if you're not­ asleep soon !

    From nuttacol, on Mon 22 Jun 7:11PM
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