EVERTON F.C. MEETING
July 3, 1942. The Evening Express
Pilot’s Log
Shareholders of Everton F.C. held quite a celebration annual meeting last night when accounts showing a profit on last year of £1,270 were adopted without a question being asked. It was the 63rd annual meeting of the club, and was president over by Mr. W. C. Cuff, Gibbins, who will complete 22 years service on the board in August. Mr. W.C. Cuff, president of the Football league was re-elected as a director for another period of three years, and two new directors –Messrs R.E. Searle and R. Turnbull –were elected. Mr. Gibbons joined the board in 1930 and is in his third year as Chairman, Mr. Cuff actually became a member of the club as far back as 1890, when Everton played at Anfield, before the formation of Liverpool, and so has 52 years service. That there was no opposition to the three directors elected was, announced Mr. Gibbins due to the splendid spirit of the shareholders. There were three vacancies said “Mr. Gibbins, “and we received several nominations. In these times, however, no one wanted any fight of any fuss, and I approached one or two nominees and then withdraw so as to avoid the necessity of an election, and so establish harmony and peace in the club. And I hope that harmony will last for a long time.”
Mr. Kelly’s Worth.
Mr. Gibbins in moving the adoption of the report, paid a high tribute to the work of Mr. Theo Kelly, the club secretary. “We owe a great deal to the work put in by our staff, and especially Mr. Kelly,” said Mr. Gibbins. Mr. Kelly has been untiring in his efforts. He works nights and day for the club, and even takes his share of the fire watching. If there is any club with a secretary like Mr. Kelly then they are lucky. A better man would be hard to find, and I cannot eulogise him too much. The chairman also paid nice tribute to the late Mr. Andrew Coffey and the late Alderman A. Gates, directors who had died during the year, and emphasised the loyalty of their own players in giving up their week-ends to play for their club whenever possible. They would be rewarded after the war and get their just dues –the benefits which were now accruing. Thanks were also due to “guest” players; in fact, the whole of the playing staff had shown honest endeavour and enthusiasm. The one snag in the season’s working was the Lancashire cup, in which they did feel they had been harshly treated. Messrs T. Theodore, Rodgers, Bowler and Co were re-elected auditors, and the whole meeting was over in exactly 17 minutes.

EVERTON FOOTBALL CLUB
Liverpool Daily Post - Friday 03 July 1942
DIRECTORS RE-ELECTED
Everton Football Club's annual shareholders’ meeting, held at the Law Association Rooms, Liverpool, last evening, was one of the shortest on record, the business being completed well under twenty minutes. Mr. W. C. Gibbins (chairman), reviewing the season's play, paid a tribute to the enthusiasm of the club’s pre-war players, many of whom had sacrificed personal convenience order to help Everton. The board was grateful for their loyalty, and hoped when happier times came to be in a position to repay them. They were also indebted to the “guest artists “ who had helped the club. Alter referring in sympathetic terms to the loss Everton has sustained in the deaths of Messrs. A. Coffey and A Gates, the latter of whom, he said, had given thirty years' valuable service to the board. Mr. Gibbins paid eloquent tribute to the work of Mr. Theo Kelly as secretary. “Mr. Kelly has been untiring in his work on behalf of Everton” said Mr. Gibbins. “I am certain no club has a better or more capable secretary, and we owe him a debt of gratitude for his splendid efforts.” The statement of accounts, showing a profit for the year of £1.270, was unanimously approved. Though it was decided there should be no dividend, the possibility was envisaged of a retrospective payment after the war. Mr. W. C. Cuff (retiring director) Councilor R. E. Searle, and Mr. R. R. Turnbull having been elected unopposed to the three vacancies on the board, Mr. Gibbins pointed out that Mr. Cuff thus commenced on a term of office which would bring his services to Everton up to fifty years. Mr. Gibbins added that there were originally several other nominees, but they had gracefully withdrawn In order to avoid any contest. Harmony had thus been restored, and he hoped it would last for a long time. Mr. P. W. Lake proposed thanks for the services rendered by the chairman, who had completed 21 years as a director, and his colleague on the board. Mr. A. N. Denaro, supporting, expressed the hope that the same spirit which had Induced nominees to withdraw would- permeate the board, and that would be happy and united body for many years to come.

BIG CHANCE FOR LOCAL JUNIORS
July 7, 1942.
Pilot’s Log
Merseyside’s leading football clubs are to re-double their efforts next season to developed the junior talent of the area –the idea strongly advocated by the Football League president Mr. Will Cuff, at Nottingham a week ago. Everton, Liverpool, and Tranmere Rovers intend exploiting every junior field, not only to find players to assist them to League game next season, but also to discover the tutor of the players who will be needed when peace returns. All three clubs have done excellent work in this direction since war interrupted the smooth running of football, but now comes the big offensive,” and there is no reason why any young lad on Merseyside possessing soccer talents should not reach the hightest pinnacle. Everton have been advertising for some days for junior players, and now Liverpool are inviting application from juniors between 16 and 19 for trails and tuition.

EVERTON CHAIRMAN
July 9, 1942. The Evening Express
Pilot’s Log
Mr. William C. Gibbins has been re-elected chairman of Everton Football Club and so embarks on his third year in the position. This decision was made at the annual directors’ meeting this week, when the two newcomers to the Everton board, Messrs Dick Searle and Bob Turnbull, attended their first meeting and were given a warm welcome by Mr. Gibbins. Mr. Gibbins took over the chairmanship at the back end of 1940-41 season when the late Mr. Andrew Coffey resigned because of indifferent health and has made a brilliant success of the task. Mr. Gibbins and Mr. Theo Kelly, the secretary by their duel efforts have not only contributed towards the financial stability of the club, but ensured that the team has maintained a high standard of play. The chairman is now in his 22nd year as a director of the Blues –he joined the board in 1921 –and is the fourth chairman Everton have had in about five years, for Mr. Coffey followed Mr. Ernest Green, who took over after Mr. Will Cuff’s long term in office. Following the custom of recent years, the directors have not appointed a vice-chairman but would elect one if emergency demanded.
League Plan
No fewer than 47 clubs will participate in the Football league competition next season as compared with 51 last season. It has been decided to run West Lancashire, Yorkshire, Midlands, and North East –and there will be three separate championships. Secretary Mr. Fred Howarth, explained today that the South and West groups will have their own separate league –in the case of the West thus precludes the possibility of non-league club winning the main championship-but that the other four groups will be included in the North table. As far as possible fixtures will be confined to the area grouping, but where this is not possible clubs will go a little farther afield. Each side in the League (North) will play nine opponents home and away in the first half of the season, and the leading club at Christmas will be champions. Neither Preston North End nor New Brighton will complete, but Derby County, Aston Villa, Birmingham and Notts County resume playing. The Villa and Birmingham will both play at Villa Park.

MR. W. GIBBINS RE-ELECTED CHAIRMAN
July 9, 1942. The Liverpool Echo
Ranger’s Notes
Everton F.C. board of directors, at their first meeting since the shareholders annual gathering last week, re-elected Mr. W.C. Gibbins as their chairman for the forthcoming year. Actually Mr. Gibbins re-election was little more than a pleasant formality and with harmony, once more restored to the Everton board, I think we shall see him holding the reins for some time yet. They couldn’t be in better hand. For over 21 years now he has been on the Everton board and throughout that time has given invaluable service to the club. The honours of chairmanship have made no difference to him. He is still as easily approachable as ever, always anxious to be hopeful to all and to enhance the high reputation of the club. Apart from anything else, his work in the last twelve months in heading the directorial breach has been an extremely valuable contribution. Even for the annual meeting held last week there were originally twice as many nominations for the board as there were vacancies, and all the seeds therein of a possible domestic upset until Mr. Gibbins got to work. Thanks to the ready acquiesce of the nominees, however, he was able to smooth things out and avoid an election with all it might have brought in its train. Mr. Gibbins was first elected to the Everton board in 1920, has been a member of the Liverpool County F.A., of which he is a vice president for 20 years and chairman of Everton since June 1940 when he succeeded the late Mr. Andrew Coffey.

FORMER EVERTON F.C CHAIRMAN'S ESTATE
Liverpool Evening Express - Monday 13 July 1942
Mr. Andrew Coffey, provision merchant, a former chairman and for many years director of Everton F.C., of Warren-drive, New Brighton, who died in February this year, left estate to the value of £9,402 gross, net personally £8,363. He left his shares in Everton F.C. Ltd., in equal parts free of duty to his two sons, Andrew Russell and Norman William Coffey. To his daughter Nora left his presentation tray, and to his son Norman ms presentation silver jug, both free of duty.

WILL OF EVERTON F.C. EX-CHAIRMAN
Liverpool Daily Post - Tuesday 14 July 1942
The will of Mr. Andrew Coffey, provision merchant, an ex-chairman of the Everton Football Club, of 65 Warren Drive, New Brighton, has been proved in the Liverpool District Probate Registry. He left estate of the value of £9,402 gross (net personality £8,363). He gave his shares in the Everton Football Club, Ltd., in equal parts, free of duty, to his two sons, Andrew Russell and Norman William.

WILL OF EVERTON F.C. EX-CHAIRMAN
Liverpool Daily Post - Tuesday 14 July 1942
The will of Mr. Andrew Coffey, provision merchant, an ex-chairman of the Everton Football Club, of 65 Warren Drive, New Brighton, has been proved in the Liverpool District Probate Registry. He left estate of the value of £9,402 gross (net personalty £8,363). He gave his shares in the Everton Football Club, Ltd., in equal parts, free of duty, to his twp sons. Andrew Russell and Norman William. Mr. George James Moss, of Lowton, Lancashire, builder, formerly head of George Moss and Sons, of Leigh and London, left estate of the gross value of £5,995, with net personalty £3,237.

CASKIE’S MISFORTUNE
July 20, 1942. The Liverpool Echo
Ranger’s Notes
Caskie, Everton’s Scottish winger broke his arm in the match between Hibernians and the United Services at Hampden Park, On Saturday.

DEATH OF OLD EVERTONIAN
Liverpool Echo - Tuesday 28 July 1942
I have heard with sorrow the death Mr. Berney, father of Stan Berney, the Marine F.C. secretary. Mr. Berney, who was 86, was one of the oldest Everton shareholders, having taken shares when the club was first formed into a company. Prior to that he was associated with them in the old days at Anfleld, and when the spilt occurred and Everton crossed the Park was one the loyal band who devoted all their spare time to preparing and draining the pitch Park. He always maintained a keen interest in the Blues, but of recent years his - prevented him making the journey Goodison, and he had been an attender at the Marine ground, which club he was always a staunch supporter.