Club ledgers David France Collection

a page official club ledgers detailing team selected board 1933 f.a. cup final against manchester city.

often referred everton scriptures, , dna of everton, official club ledgers chronicle minutes of weekly scheduled , emergency meetings of management committee, , latterly board of directors, , provide details of decisions of directors @ on 5,000 meetings recorded in on 10,000 handwritten pages.

the collection boasts unbroken sequence of 29 volumes 1886 through 1964. prepared , signed famous club chairmen, including john houlding, george mahon, cuff , sir john moores, ledgers provide complete documentation of development of professional football club.

also, because everton 1 of last professional clubs appoint manager, directors responsible scouting appraisals, transfer negotiations , team selections during first 6 decades, documenting details of players’ wages, bonuses , benefits. ledgers provide these details on number of stars club’s history, including nick ross, jack southworth, bert freeman, dixie dean, warney cresswell, cliff britton, joe mercer, tommy lawton , alex young.

however, ledgers not deal club’s players; include important decisions on overall running of club. of notable events recorded, history of club, in ledgers include:

the founding of football league , subsequent preparations inaugural season (ledger a: 1886–1891)
the winning of league championship, awarding of first ever league championship medals (ledger b: 1891–1892)
the buildup of rent dispute , departure anfield goodison park, subsequently led formation of liverpool f.c. (ledger 1: 1892–1898)
the first fa cup final hosted league club, annual selection of team colours – before everton settled on royal blue shirts , white shorts in 1902 (ledger 2: 1898–1903)
the first overseas tour english league club (ledger 3: 1903–1905)
the first fa cup triumph merseyside club (ledger 4: 1905–1907)

there more recent historical events:

ground improvements accommodate on 78,000 spectators @ goodison park; installation of state-of-the-art floodlights , under-soil heating , elimination of maximum wage professional footballers. (ledger 24: 1956–1959)
the first participation of merseyside club in european competition, initial preparations 5 1966 world cup matches @ goodison park, including 1 of semi-finals. (ledger 25: 1959–1964)


a gatebook match versus bradford city on 3 april 1909.


financial annals

in 1895, amount of cash taken @ turnstiles @ goodison park seemed lower expected attendance predictions of club’s directors, , local newspaper reporters. @ home match against sunderland year, turnstiles double-checked prior kick off , found have been tampered with, ensuring everton had been defrauded of approximately 15% of gate money taken.

following implication , arrest of 15 employees (including turnstile operators, equipment mechanics , groundsmen), everton introduced meticulously detailed gate books new turnstile equipment.

the collection includes 2 of these gate books, detailing receipts each individual turnstile every match played @ goodison park 1907 1911 , 1916 1921. each home fixture has single page dedicated , every entry signed turnstile operator , verified club director.

the collection includes 2 cash books, 1892 1894 , 1897 1900, providing details of expenditure following move goodison park , initial construction work there.