Under the Blue Flag - Liverpool Everton FC
You either Red or Blue in Liverpool. In this case, we follow the blue signs - the club's home colours are royal blue shirts and white shorts and socks.
Nil satis nisi optimum (Nothing but the best is good enough) is Everton motto, seen on the Everton One store, opposite the stadium on Walton Lane.
Goodison Park, home to Everton F.C. is located on the edge of Walton area. The ground was opened in 1892 - the first major football stadium to be built in England. It has now the capacity of nearly 40,000 people.
In front of the Goodison Park is a statue of Dixie Dean, the most famous and cherished Everton player. He signed in 1925, and in 1927–28 season, he scored 60 goals, setting the record - still unbeaten by any other player.
Wayne Rooney, another famous footballer of our time, is a vivid Everton fan and his career in the Premier League started and ended in Everton FC. He was sold to Manchester United for a club-record fee of £28 million in 2004.
Everton was the founding members of the English Football League in 1888 and founding members of the Premier League in 1992. They have won 15 major trophies as of 2018, including nine League Championship, five FA Cups, and once the UEFA Cup.
Evertonians have one of the highest attendance in the matchday, the fanbase is mostly in the North West of England and quite a big fanbase worldwide.
Several pubs in Liverpool are solely dedicated to the Blues, most of the Evertonian pubs are located in Kirkdale and Walton. As we have noticed, they are always the loudest lot in any pub - middle-aged blokes gathering around a table, talking loudly and laughing wholeheartedly.
The Valley, on Everton Valley (below, left) leads to Liverpool FC Anfield Stadium and is packed with Red supporters on a matchday.
The rivalry between Everton and Liverpool supporters can be quite fierce, although there are some signs of regard and friendly banter. Liverpool is a small and cosy city, people know each other and work together.
The name Everton comes after a district in Liverpool. There are several historic buildings, including the old library (below, right), one of the first public libraries in Liverpool, constructed in 1896, with architectural Jacobean touches. Abandoned since the mid-2000s with great regret for many local who still remember attending. There were plans to restore it and use as a hotel or heritage centre.
Next to the old library is another interesting building, local pub, Mere Bank pub, from 1881 (below left). It is the LFC fan base.
Everton FC crest is Everton Lock-Up (above, left) constructed in 1787 for the use of muring up disorderly citizens such as drunks and minor thieves. We have always wondered who and why have come up with such an amusing and bemusing idea to get it as the club's symbol.
The water tower (above, right) is another landmark, dating from 1857 standing at the top of Everton Brow, sold recently to a private investor.
Everton's nickname is the Toffees. It has interesting historic origins. Port of Liverpool had been a dispatch centre for sugar in the 19th century and some local entrepreneurial spirit turn the overspill into sweets, selling them locally. It is recorded, a toffee shop was nearby the Everton lock up. Early meetings took place in a house named Ye Ancient Everton Toffee House located near local sweet manufacturer, who introduced Everton Mints. You can buy them to this day in much original design packs.
There is a tradition of a Toffee Lady tossing those Everton Mints into the crowd at Goodison at the matchday.
The Dublin Packet in Chester (above) has been managed for 16 years by Dixie Dean, after the war. He was a very popular landlord. There are memorabilia on the pub's walls to his name.
Dixie Dean played as a hero for his beloved Everton and had a truly heroic death - passing away just after watching a derby match at Goodison in 1980.
Sources:
evertonfc.com/club/history
dixiedeanhotel.co.uk/blog/everton-football-club-history/
toffeeweb.com/history/