Everton Independent Research Data

 

FOOTBALLER-CRICKETER 
Liverpool Echo - Thursday 02 July 1931
In a cricket match at Ellesmere Port  last night, between Mersey Ironworks  and Ellesmere Port Town, which the  latter won by 91 runs to 78, Tommy  Lewis, the well-known Wrexham and  ex-Everton footballer, knocked up 42  for Ellesmere Port, for whom H. White  took eight wickets for 25 runs, including  the "hat trick."

FORMER IRISH INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL DEAD
Derry Journal - Friday 03 July 1931
We regret to announce today the death, which took place in New York of Mr. Chas, O'Hagan, a native of Buncrana.  he was well-known in Association football honours.  The older school of footballers will recall that he began his career with Derry Celtic.  He was subsequently across Channel and played for Everton, Aberdeen and Greennock Morton.  In his day Charlie O'Hagan was a popular figure, and the news of his death will be received with feelings of sincere regret by a very wide circle.  He was a brother of the late Mr. Philip O'Hagan, solicitor, and United States Consul.  

CHARLES O’HAGAN DEAD
Londonderry Sentinel - Saturday 04 July 1931
The death has taken place in New York of Mr. Charlie O’Hagan, a native of Buncrana.  He was well-known in Association football circles, and received international honours.  The older school of footballers will recall that he began his career with Derry Celtic.  He was subsequently across Channel, and played for Everton, Aberdeen, and Greennock Morton.  He was a brother of the late Mr. Phillip O’Hagan, solicitor, and United States Consul. 

STUB MARKS
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 04 July 1931
By Louis T Kelly

EVERTON’S TRAINER’S NEPHEW
Liverpool Echo - Tuesday 14 July 1931
Mr. Cooke, who leaves a widow and two young children, and awarded the medal and certificate of the Royal Humane Society for a rescue some years ago.  He was the nephew of Harry Cooke, the Everton trainer.  The inquest will be held by Mr. J.C. Bate, the West Cheshire coroner, this afternoon.

DIXIE'S BIG SURPRISE 
Liverpool Echo - Friday 17 July 1931
To Marry On Sunday 
“SECRET " GUESTS 
Don't Know Where It Is To Be 
BUT SUNDAY SURE 
A great secret has leaked out.  Never has one of the many  goals attacked by " Dixie "  Dean, the Everton and international  footballer, been an  jealously guarded as his forthcoming  wedding arranged for  Sunday—to a Liverpool girl  The man who showed no signs of  nerves when he faced a record crowd of  120,000 football fans at Hampden Park  as the leader of England's Soccer team  has, it is reported, gone to extraordinary  lengths to avoid the local crowd which  would gather to witness the wedding  ceremony of the local football " idol."  Where the wedding is to take place is not known even by the guests, who have received their invitations. They are to gather at the house of the bride’s parents, and from there they will be conveyed “to the appointed place."
TOLD WHERE TO MEET 
On their invitations, it is understood, they are informed that the wedding will take place on Sunday, and then follow instructions where they are to meet.  Echo representatives on the hunt found "Dixie” far more elusive than have many centre half backs during his football career. If he was expected home, he did not arrive. Nobody knew any details of the forthcoming event.  Attempts to communicate with the house by telephone only produced the laconic “No reply “from the operator.  Close friends of the prospective bridegroom, although not denying that there might be “some " truth in the report, refused to allow any details of the great secret to leak out. 
DISCOVERED!
Even Mr. W. C. Cuff, the chairman of Everton Football Club, does not know any precise details of the ceremony.  Dixie ' told me he was going to be married," he said. "But I do not know where, nor do I know who the bride is." Eventually, the “Echo " discovered that the bride to be is Miss Ethel Fossard, a pretty Liverpool girl of twenty.  Then was traced Mrs. Joe Callaghan, herself a great football fan, who has been superintending the bridal outfit.  “Yes, she did know something about a wedding, but until 'Dixie' authorized it she could not say whose it was or when."  While the talk was proceeding the bride-to he arrived for a final fitting, where the " lady reporter in the midst of a jolly little party, wished them health and happiness.  Ethic is a sweetly pretty girl of twenty, but looks even younger. She has soft suburn hair, and laughing brown eyes, and when she smiled at Dixie she revealed a set of pearly teeth.  With her fair hair and complexion she makes a nice contrast to her dark footballer.  A few moments after the arrival of the young couple Mrs. Fossard followed, and when Dixie said: “Here is my mother-in-law," and went to greet her, she gave him a tremendous hug.  No doubt romance has its attractions as well as football!  Mrs. Fossard said Ethel was a very good daughter, but she wished they would have waited a bit longer for the wedding, instead of rushing things so!”

GOOD MENU-LINES AT “DIXIE’S" WEDDING BREAKFAST
Liverpool Echo - Monday 20 July 1931 
Romance is fulfilled!  William Ralph Dean, Everton and England centre forward, took to himself a bride in Miss Ethel Fossard, at St.  James's Church, Birkenhead, early yesterday morning.  The secret had been well kept, and when we told you on Friday evening that the wedding was due, we kept a pledge not to say where or time of day.  But secrets of the heart, if not given away on the sleeve, are always apt to be stolen from their inmost treasure-house, and there is no shame among the thieves. The following day other newspapers gave the whole show away, and, in spite of the early hour, hundreds of people waited at the church.  After the ceremony, and when the party had disentangled themselves from  close attention; of their numerous  well-wishers, they journeyed to Chester  in four motor-cars, arriving at the city about 10.15, where they partook of the  wedding breakfast at the Bars Hotel,  the chief having provided a beautiful  wedding-cake.  There were four good lines in the  menu—Filet de Sole " Ethel," Poulet  de Grain " Evertonian," Pommes  " Goodison," and Salade "Dean." The happy pair are now motoring on the East Coast. We wish them every happiness. 

A GARDENER’S RECORD IN TURF-LAYING
Liverpool Echo - Friday 24 July 1931
By Blackstaff
When Everton footballers step on to their ground for the first time in the first week of August, their first impression will be of a billiard table that has been re-clothed.  Goodison has been largely returfed, as is well known, and I am able to say that a very successful job has been made of it. The ground has also been re-drained and that famous “Centre Splash” should be a long time reappearing.  I had the good fortune, yesterday, to drop into conversation with a member of Messrs. Rowlands, of Childwall, who  did the Goodison work, and gathered  some facts that will interest the sixty-odd  thousand Everton fans who want to  know all about their weekend resort,  and even now are guessing and arguing  about it in town.  The work was begun, it will be remembered, immediately after the last home League game on April 18, Monday, April 20 to be precise. It was finished in thirty working days, or five days under contract.  An area of 6,500 square yards had to be unturfed and the turf carted away, the land excavated to a depth of four inches, two main drains, and a herringbone system of three-inch drains laid to connect, a layer of coke breeze inserted, and the new turf laid. 
100-YEARS-OLD TURF 
The turf was brought from Halsnead Park, near Whiston, and was specially selected for its strong fibre and toughness. That turf is over a hundred years old, and each sod was cut two inches thick. On account of the lightness of the sub-soil, the turf is regarded as most suitable for football grounds, which are expected to drain quickly in order to produce the better game.  Hers are the facts pat for your notebooks: —  Goodison Park returfing and draining began April 20. 1931. Work completed in thirty working days.  The area dealt with was 6,500 square yards, of a diamond shape in relation to the ground.  The old turf was taken off, and the soil excavated to a depth of four inches.  Two new main drains were laid, with a herring-bone pattern three-inch drains connecting; 26 tons of pipes were laid. The main drains were five feet deep Turf, brought from Halsnead Park, near Whiston, over 100 years old. Each sod was two inches thick.  A layer of coke breeze was inserted, involving 150 tons.  The actual returting was done in record time at the rate of over 800 square yards a day. The first new sod was laid on May 11, and the last on May 20.  The new turf was cut a fortnight after the last piece had been laid. 

STUD MARKS
Liverpool Echo - Saturday 25 July 1931
By Louis T Kelly

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A WALK WITH A GOODISON PLAYER
Liverpool Echo - Wednesday 29 July 1931
TRIAL GAME DATES 
Bee’s Notes
Dates have been arranged; the grounds are looking their greenest.  You could gambit on ours, said one manager this morning, forgetful of my “covered wagon.” Trail games;-
Everton have taken the following dates;-
August 15 (Saturday)
August 19 (Wednesday)
It will not be surprising that there have been inquiries for Tom Griffiths, the Wrexham and Everton pivot.  Many a club would like to take him, his heights, his skill, and his heading ability.  There have been so many inquiries that one paper has gone the full length of suggesting Everton’s desire to Part Company with one of their stoutest hearts and most stalwart players.  This is sheer folly, and it is typical of some of the news we get from the Southern region. This is the position as vouchsafed to me days ago by Mr. John Fare, who is acting for Mr. Tom McIntosh, at the moment on holiday.  Mr. Fare says; the club could have sold Griffiths over and over again.  They are not so foolish as to imagine they can afford to do without him. Griffiths dropped out of the first team at Plymouth through injury.  He himself gave up the chance of playing, feeling he might not be quite able to do the club justice.  It was a fair thing to do, because we know there are times when a player desires to get set in a Cup team with a view to the final tie possibility.  However, Griffiths dropped out and Gee came in and stayed in for a long time.  But to say that Everton have thought of transferring Griffiths is not true; they rate the players high, and good pivots are not to be picked up every day in these days.
Oddly enough, no sooner had this converse taken place than Tottenham Hotspur took up their phone book and named a call to 63 Walton, Liverpool.  They asked for Griffiths.  He response was a tally of what I have named above.  It was curious that the message from Manager Smith should come within a few minutes of my conversation with Mr. Fare.  Spurs, I am told from Scotland have taken not only Colquohon who is described as “a young man,” but have also put out feelers towards the signing of George Stevenson, the crack inside left, who, with Ferrier, has made the most consistently brilliant left wing in Scottish football for many years- a parallel case to the case of Joe Smith and Vizard at Bolton.  ‘Spurs realise that they have got to dress their football window for the London fan, who is today struck upon sport personality and cannot live his sport-life without that personality.  Hence the desire for Stevenson, who may or may not elect to got to London, he has been wanted for years and the answer was always the same, “Not for Sale.”  However, money talks in these stressful times, and I think Stevenson will eventually make the plunge and ‘Spurs will provide him with the bath!

LATEST FOOTBALL TRANSFERS 
Liverpool Echo - Friday 31 July 1931
John Cock, the former Everton and Millwall player has signed for Folkestone. 

July 1931