STAN FAZACKERLEY LINKS UP WITH EVERTON
November 6, 1920.
The Liverpool Football Echo
A Scoop for the Goodison Club and Also For the Liverpool Echo “Today.”
A Famous Forward's Best and Worst Games
Why He Left Sheffield
Preston Disappointed –Liverpool Some Time Back Inclined to Sign the Sheffield Man
Stanley Fazackerley of Sheffield United has been signed by Everton F.C. The Scoop made by the Everton club will give great pleasure to its legion of followers. The news of the transfer was a tremendous scoop for the “Echo” whose great racing issue “The Sporting Echo” was alone in announcing this morning. Not only the signing, but all the news there unto including Photography of the player.
The Sporting Echo; On Monday will give a prize per coupon for the placing of the first four –or nearest thereto –in the Liverpool cup run on Friday.

Fazackerley Career
There will be two Fazackerleys in Liverpool shortly. One will be a player the other will be a district nearby Aintree. Stanley Fazackerley the player has joined the Everton F.C and he has made a wise choice. Similarly Everton have made a wise choice. Everton want inside forwards of class and height. They have been lacking an attack when the ball was in the air because the little men-serving Everton were not enough to gather the ball with his head. Fazackerley has six feet of height to carry him through and he has a wealth of artistry and ability that will delight the local spectators, be they Everton or Liverpool.
Fazackerley was signed yesterday by Mr. Tom McIntosh the manager of Everton F.C and Preston among other clubs go away mourning their los, for they were keen on their man and it was felt that Preston were well in the running because Fazackerley is a Preston man, and it was said he was “going back to the scenes of his childhood.” He isn't. He is coming to the glories of Liverpool's wondering city.

The signing was made yesterday which was that many local enthusiasts took to be a significant sign of “something to come”. Something was coming all right. As far back as weeks ago I went to Sheffield (writes “Bee”) and there saw things happening Mr. Nicholson the Sheffield United secretary was buzzing about.
He was approached by many people. In the offing was a tall, thinness fellow ruddy of complexion, the very picture of an athlete and a man looking years younger that he really in. It was Stanley Fazackerley. He was sought by many. I saw the Huddersfield manager Mr. Ambrose Langley, ex-player holding long converse with him – and they weren't taking golf. Hardy was nearby but with him conversation was not about the talk of the town. For Sheffield was taking about Fazackerley having Sheffield after years of service. The fact was Fazackerley wanted to get away. He did not feel at home at Sheffield where there had been some barracking.

The crowd “got at him” and he was in his own words “fed up.” He was tried in the first team last week and was relegated to the second team. That settled it. Fazackerley's request to be put on the transfer list was finally acceded to by the Sheffield directorate and Everton were apace to Sheffield to secure their man. I mentioned their mission when the League game was played at Sheffield and the later event have proved the story published in the “Echo” was correct.
Fazackerley was with Longsworth on tour in South Africa and when I mentioned the matter to Longsworth he said; “Stan is very fine played indeed and a nice fellow to boot in South Africa he played many striking games and showed ability and trickery alike to that shown by Buchan. He should do Everton a lot of good service.” Everton have been wanting inside forwards and now they have got one – not a marvel of a player, let me here say, but a player who should suit their style and should be the means of bringing the front line to a finer point of decision and solid attack, not to mention combination. Fazackerley is a much travelled man. He began life in Preston afterwards went to America on business and returning I am told, would have signed for one side but for a paltry ten shinning debate. He played with Accrington, Hull City and then Sheffield United, having a long service medal with Sheffield.

Liverpool F.C were in the hunt for his signature sometimes ago; but I believe I am right in saying that they gave up the chase –chase it was, for many clubs were in the running's, and the pace was hot. Now Fazackerley has become an Everton player. When he has settled down to his new club I am sure he will do well. He has felt the disadvantage of playing in a poor side and working desperately hard only to find one's work wasted through unexperience and incapacity of others. It will be remembered that he figured in the benefit games played at Anfield for Tom Bennett and shaped artistically to say the least I know that from experience he made afterwards he was delighted to play in that game for he said it had been a treat to play in such talented company. The fee must be high.
It is of no use pretending otherwise. But Everton's management has done well to refuse to be stalked out of their desire. They want men badly, and good men are few and far between so far as transfers are concerned. Only the lame and the halt seem to be on offer half the time. Hence when the good and the “known” man are in the market his bidding must be high and the struggle to obtain the signature hard. There are other Everton idea in the making and readers can be assured that they will be made to them through the medium of the Echo. How the news came to Liverpool is not hard to say. I had scouts working to get the information and those who read might read in last night's paper the promise of the definite news that was soon to come. Needless to say, Fazackerley was not in the side that appeared at Bradford but he is pretty certain to be welcomed next week at the home game. Here's wishing him a good journey in the city.

Fazackerley's Football Memories
In the bright little weekly, the Topical Times” Fazackerley tells the following concerning “My Best and Worst Games” –One game I shall always remember with satisfaction was the final tie of the English Cup at Old Trafford when we defeated Chelsea. What a game we played! I was bang on the top of my form and time after time I beat the backs, only to fall at the critical moment through rank bad luck and over-eagerness. I began to think that no matter how I played. Fate was against me and I wanted a goal in this match more than I had ever wanted a thing before. At last a quarter of an hour from the end, my chance came. Bob Evans sped away on the left and a glorious centre gave me the opportunity I had waited for.
Twenty yards from goal and a clear opening! I took deliberate aim, and the ball shot from my foot like a rocket straight as a die for the target. What my feelings were when I saw the leather splash the whitewash rom the crossbar with the goalkeeper hopelessly beaten can better be imagined than described. I was almost no stupefied to move. But the incredible happened. How my oblique shot, which by all known law's should have rebounded somewhere near the opposite touchline came straight back to me I cannot say, but I dashed at the falling ball as If my life depended upon it and this time there was no mistake I think I was the happiest man in England just ten. Another game which made a great impression upon me, and which I think ought to rank as highly in my estimation as the one I have just described was our Cup-tie in 1913 against Bradford Park Avenue as I believe they were then. The last two words have since been dropped out of their name.

Kicked into Action
For the first twenty minutes I did very little that was worth “writing” home to mother about and to crowd all at the end of that time somebody caught me a beauty of a kick which necessitated my being carried off the field.
I lived to be thankful for that kick. Whether it imparted to me the necessary “ginger” I cannot say but the fact remains that when I resumed about ten minutes later I was a different man. I played as if possessed and I really felt that I could have walked round our opponents myself. The times I was within an ace of scoring. I struck the crossbar the upright –anywhere but the back of the net but I was not discouraged for I felt somehow that luck would be with me that day.
As time went on I grew desperate with the desire to score the first goal of the match but something or somebody always seemed to stop me at the critical moment. Extra time was ordered. Soon after the cross-over I received the ball directed from a goal kick and for a wonder I caught the opposing backs napping. Out flashed the hair to Jimmy Simmons on the wing, a lightning dash down the line a perfect centres and yours truly hit that with just about the hardest and truest kick of his life. What a yell went up then and what a shock I had! When about four of our fellows dashed at me all at the same time I really thought my neck was broken. But it was worth it for had we not won?

The Reverse Side of the Picture

I have no idea that many readers rather envy a professional footballer his few crowded house of joy. How nice to be a popular hero and wear English Cup medals on one's watch-chain. But take it from me there is another side in his life which is far less enviable. Have you ever noticed that when you particularly want to show the advantage in some way the fates are often against you, and you duly succeed in making a exhibition of yourself? Well, that has happened to me more than once during my football career and generally at Preston, which happens to be my birthplace. I know the misery of feeling myself to be a passenger and most other players have felt similarly at some time or other during their careers. I think in electing my worse game I shall not be far wrong if I cite the match at Villa Park last November. I could do nothing right. Time after time Barson or Harrop took the ball from my feet when the chances were all in my favour and as my spirit sank to zero so did my deteriorate. No, a footballer's life is not always happy one.

EVERTON CAPTURE
November 6, 1920.
The Evening Express.
Stanley Fazackerley Signs For Blues.
Skilful and Elusive Forward.
Everton have made a big capture, the “Blues” having secured the transfer of Stanley Fazackerley, the noted Sheffield United forward, and he will undoubtedly prove a big acquisition to the Everton club. The news does not come as a surprise, as it was known that Everton wanted Fazackerley and the player wished to come to Liverpool, and it was simply question of terms as between the respectative clubs and the player. These have now been satisfactorily settled, and Fazackerley has signed the necessary papers. Fazackerley joined the United from Preston, of which team he is a native. He developed rapidly, and his style of play is moulded on Buchan.

A stylist, he is skilful as he is neat with his footwork, and his elusive movements are delight to watch. True he has not shone with his usual lustre this season, but he has not been “at home at Sheffield.” Now that he has taken a blue jersey he may expect him to show the form which made him a famous forward not only with his country but in South Africa. Fazackerley is a tall athletic figure, standing 5ft 10 ½ ins, in height, and weighs 11st 7lb. We understand the figure was a very substantial one, and there is a great possibility that an Everton player will also be exchanged. There was a gathering of football officials at the headquarters of the Sheffield United Football Club yesterday, the question of the transfer of Fazackerley being the object of the meeting.
Representatives from Everton, Bolton Wanderers, and Derby County were hot on the track of the player who, though only placed on the transfer list last Wednesday, has been considered as likely to make a move. The Sheffield United officials refused to communicate any information as to whether or not a transfer had been effected, but thoughts great secrecy prevailed the fact leaked out. When Everton visited Bramell lane for their return league match, the Everton officials were very persistent, in their overtunes for Fazackerley, but at the time the United were not in a mood to part with their player.