W. F. REED
Liverpool Evening Express - Thursday 07 August 1941
Lance Bombardier William Francis Reed, aged 21, R.A., of 17, Tarbet-street, Toxteth, Liverpool, previously reported missing while serving in Greece, now reported prisoner of war in Germany. He was a goalkeeper in the Everton B team, and formerly played for York House and David Lewis F.C. teams. He is old boy of St. James’ School, Liverpool.

EVERTON PLAYERS HONOURED BY ARMY
August 18, 1941. The Evening Express.
Pilot’s Log
Three Everton players have been selected for the British Army team which is to tour Ireland and Scotland in September. They are Joe Mercer, Tommy Lawton, and Cliff Britton. The tour opens on September 13 when the Army opposes Ireland. They then face the Irish League on September 15, and two days later play the Army lads who are stationed in Ireland. The tourists then go to play in Scotland on September 20.

L’POOL’S TEST STAR ASKED FOR TRAIL
August 25, 1941. The Evening Express
Pilot’s Log
A few weeks ago a 17-year-old Bootle lad receive a postcard inviting him to have a trial with Everton Football Club. Buy some chance he found himself at Anfield where Liverpool were holding their coaching “school.” The youth asked if he could have a trial. “get stripped and join in,” replied Manager George Kay. The lad did so and so impressive was his form that before he departed for home that evening Mr. Kay had induced him to sign forms for Liverpool. Yes the player is a goalkeeper –Phillips Keane. , former Bootle schoolboy star.

EVERTON LOSE STARS, MAY PLAY GUEST
August 26, 1941. The Evening Express
Pilot’s Log
Everton’s record of being the only club in the Football League not to have borrowed a player from another club throughout the two seasons of war-time will, in all probability, be broke within the next few weeks. The 1941-42 season opens on Saturday, and it is probably that Secretary Mr. Theo Kelly will have to enlist the aid of “guest” players in order to secure a representative side for some games. The Blues have more than 40 players with the colours, and during the close season they lost many of their most promising youngsters to the Services. The champions will also miss some of their first-team men of pace days, Tommy Lawton, and Ted Sagar definitely will not be available, and the two Royal Air Force lads, Tommy Jones, and Alex Stevenson, will be able to play only infrequently. Joe Mercer can be included among the probables, but Joe is such a star performer that he is expected to be so busy with representative games that he will have little opportunity for assisting his own club. Gordon Watson underwent an operation recently on the ankle which troubled him so much last term, and so will not be ready for the opening weeks. Caskie and Gillick are in Scotland playing with Hibernian and Rangers respectively, and Thomson is also in his native land. This leaves only three players of the championship side still at the service of the club –Billy Cook, Norman Greenhalgh, and Stan Bentham.
Hill’s Big Chance.
The absence of Tommy Jones provides Maurice Hill the young Liverpool lad, with his big chance. Hill will act as deputy for the Welsh skipper, and I am convinced the Blues will get good services from him. Hill is really a wing half-back, but last season he stepped in as pivot in an emergency at Oldham and operated in the position when Jones went to the R.A.F. Hill should fill the bill at right, especially with such experienced players as Cook and Greenhalgh behind him. It is possible that Mr. Kelly will have to utilise Bentham as a wing half-back in order to bring the required strength to the intermediary division. Lovett, the Shrewsbury lad who deputised for Sagar, so successfully last term, will once again be available for goal, and in attack both Harry Catterick, the centre forward from Stockport and 17-year-old Jackie Lyon, from Whiston, will be at the command of the club. The remainder of the side have to be filled by young amateurs or guest players.

SCOT IS EVERTON’S FIRST “GUEST” STAR
August 28, 1941. The Evening Express
Pilot’s Log
Everton’s first “guest” star of war-time football will be Alf Anderson, the Third Lanark, outside-left. It is possible that Anderson will make his debut as a Blue on Saturday when Everton visit Stoke City. The club and player have fixed everything up, and Mr. Theo Kelly, the Blue’s secretary, is just waiting for Third Lanark’s acceptance of the temporary transfer. Anderson is a capture, for he is a player of tremendous experience, having previously played with Hibernian and Bolton Wanderers. Other “up-to-the-minute” news from Goodison Park is that Jimmy Cunliffe, the international inside forward, who came to Everton from Blackpool as a youngster, will return to the fold after having been a “guest” player with Bolton, and Rochdale. Jimmy will, in all probability; fill the gap caused by Lawton’s absence. Lawton, by the way will be playing for Aldershot against Fulham on Saturday. Arthur Barber, the young right winger whom Everton secured from Weston-super-mare, is on leave from the Army, and is a certainty for the Stoke game. Barber is the lad who created a sensation by stepping into the Football league side at Anfield in the representative match in 1939 and bagged a couple of goals. Of the 1939 championship side, Mr. Kelly has hopes that Cook, Greenhalgh, Mercer, Bentham, Stevenson, and Boyes will be able to play. As anticipated Maurice Hill takes over the duties of centre half owing to the absence of Tommy Jones. Hill has the build and the ability to do this job well. Everton (from); Lovett; Cook, Greenhalgh; Jackson, Mercer, Hill, Jones (Jack); Barber (aw), Bentham, Cunliffe, Catterick, Stevenson, Lyon, Boyes, Anderson. Everton go to Burnden Park on Monday to oppose Bolton Wanderers but the constitution of the team is not known yet.

EVERTON’S ADDITIONS
August 28, 1941. The Liverpool Echo
Ranger’s Notes
Everton hope to have the services of Walter Boyes in their side against Stoke City on Saturday, as he expects to be on leave this week-end. In addition to the probables already announced Everton have now added the name of George Jackson, Barber, Cunliffe, and Anderson (Third Lanark) as well as Boyes, and taken out that of Tommy Lawton, who is due to play for Aldershot against Fulham.

LONGEST JOURNEY
August 28, 1941. The Evening Express
Pilot’s Notes
Everton begin the season by undertaking their longest journey –to Stoke City. They are taking a side boasting plenty of experience, and it will not surprise me if they secure a point. The defence is good enough for anything for I am convinced that Maurice Hill will fill the centre-half position all right. He did finely in the position at the back-end of last season. The side is still in doubt, and may not be known until tomorrow morning. Mr. Theo Kelly, the secretary has three backs and seven forwards on his team sheet. Unfortunately Jimmy Cunliffe cannot get away to play. Everton (from); Lovett; Cook, Greenhalgh; Jackson, Mercer, Hill; Jones (je); Barber, Bentham, Catterick, Bromnew (Arsenal), Stevenson, Boyes, Lyon.

EVERTON’S FOURTEEN
August 28, 1941. Liverpool Echo
Ranger’s Notes.
Everton probables include former championship members in Cook, Greenhalgh, Mercer, Bentham, Stevenson, and Boyes, so that even if all cannot play Everton will still have a strong side out. They open their programme with a visit to Stoke. Team from Lovett; Cook, Greenhalgh, Jackson; Mercer, Hill, Jones (Jack); Barber (A), Bentham, Cunliffe, Catterick, Stevenson, Boyes, Lyon, Boyes.

Transfer puzzles
August 30, 1941. The Evening Express
Pilot’s Log
Both Liverpool and Everton have been puzzled this week regarding the playing of “guest” players. For instance Mr. George Kay, the manager of Liverpool, received permission from Newcastle United to play Pearson, the United winger. Mr. Kay included Pearson, in the provisional side for the Wrexham game. Then word was received that Pearson was to play for Blackburn Rovers at Southport. Everton had come to an agreement with Alf Anderson, of Third Lanark to play for them, but his name had to be taken off the team sheet because no word had been received from Third Lanark. As a matter of fact, Anderson is, I am assured am insured Tranmere Rovers player. The Rovers apparently hold Anderson’s transfer –granted last season –and they have the player insured. Certain it is that there are a couple of real puzzles here. And I suppose similar instances will crop up again as time goes on.

PLAYERS’ WAGES QUESTION
August 30, 1941. The Evening Express
Pilots Notes
There is an urgent task facing the Football Association. They should at once place a maximum on players wages. The League have ruled that clubs may play professionals no more than 30s a week. That is purely a domestic matter as affecting the League and does not need ratification by the F.A. Now, however, I think the F.A., should take a hand. The London clubs have broke away from the League and so the League rules do not apply to them. What is to prevent the London clubs from raising their wages maximum to say, £5 a week or, if it suits them, imposing no maximum whatever? From my point of view, I would like the players to receive as much as the clubs can afford –I am in favour of bonuses, for instance. It has been hinted that the breach will not affect the inter-change of players. League club players now stationed in the South will be permitted to assist London league clubs, and vice verse. Both sides have agreed that players shall not be penalised. But it could react against the Football League clubs, for their players might prefer to play for London clubs if their remuneration was higher. Therefore, I think the F.A should take a hand and themselves fix a maximum wage. Of course, if the two competitions could reach an agreement between themselves the F.A. need not be brought into it. That is the best way out.

STOKE CITY V EVERTON
August 30, 1941. The Liverpool Echo
Everton:- Lovett, goal; Cook (captain) and Greenhalgh, backs; Mercer, Hill, and Jones (JE), half-backs; Barber, Bentham, Catterick, Boyes and Lyons, forwards. Stoke City:- Herrod, goal; Brigham and Glover, backs; Hamlett, Mould, and Caton, half-backs; Liddell, Bowyer, Sale, Blunt, and Basnett, forwards. Stoke spectators saw their favourites score in less than five minutes. Sale finding the mark after some slack work on the part of the Everton defence. This was a grand start for the City, but Everton attacked with a will even though the Stoke goalkeeper was rarely called on. At 17 minutes Stoke went further ahead, with a penalty goal by Brigham. Sale rounded of some grand play by Liddell with a fine scoring shot, and Liddell also scored. Everton reduced their arrears through Catterick.
Half-time; Stoke City 4, Everton 1
Boyes scored for Everton and Basnett and Blunt for Stoke.