In the past, fans were fortunate to witness many elite forwards don the Royal Blue shirt and reach magnificent goal tallys.
Sadly, there has been no obvious candidate for the prestigious number nine shirt since Duncan Ferguson’s retirement which has left some fans venting their frustrations at the club’s current management
In Everton’s illustrious history, there have been several prolific marksmen, and it’s time to go to the past and the top ten strikers in the Toffees’ history
1. Dixie Dean
Dixie Dean was the only player to receive almost every vote in Everton’s greatest team, selected in 2003. The Toffees even erected a statue outside Goodison Park to celebrate his achievements.
With 383 goals and 60 league goals in one season, (an unbreakable record) he is one of the greatest strikers not only in Everton but even in English history. Dean was an institutional number nine, inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002.
No player has scored even half as many goals for Everton as Dixie Dean and is truly their best striker ever.
2. Graeme Sharp
To mark Everton’s 125th anniversary in the 2003/04 season, fans gathered to select the greatest ever team ever and Sharp was included alongside Dixie Dean in the line-up. This surely demonstrates the contributions he made on the pitch.
As Everton’s second highest goal scorer with 159 goals, that enshrined in the Toffees’ faithful forever, especially the thumping finish at Anfield and several crucial goals in the trophy-laden 1980s elevates Sharps’ status above most Everton strikers.
3. Alex Young (The Golden Vision)
Nicknamed “The Golden Vision” Alex Young scored 89 goals for Everton. He played a key role during a very successful era at the Toffees and Young had a knack for creating opportunities as well in games he played in.
In 2000, Young was elected an Everton Giant in the year 2000, marking his role in the club’s history and was part fundamental in the 1963 championship-winning side, and also played a pivotal role in the Toffees’ FA Cup success in 1966. His 89 goals for the club have only been surpassed by 14 players so far.
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4. Tommy Lawton
The Second World War cruelly robbed the best years of Lawton but still, he made it as a striking sensation managing 70 goals in 95 games for the Toffees. His strike rate was only bettered by top Everton finishers like Dixie Dean.
Had he been able to continue in the early 1940’s at Goodison Park he would have featured far higher on the top scorer charts, perhaps even claiming second. Moreover, Lawton is among the 12 Everton players to be inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame.
5. Bob Latchford
Everton’s third-highest goal scorer of all time is Bob with 138 goals. He has several impressive goal-scoring campaigns to his name in the late 1970s. For five seasons in a row, he was the Toffees’ top goal scorer and the most impressive one was the 30 league goal season in 1978 which is Everton’s joint-highest post-war total.
Although his struggle to win a single trophy in his Everton career was tarnished Latchford is still viewed as one of the leading scorers of his generation.
6. Alex “Sandy” Young
This Alex Young is the second on the list and is Everton’s fourth-highest scorer of all time with 125 goals. He was an early twentieth-century marvel who was highly celebrated for scoring the winning goal in the 1906 FA Cup final. Moreover, He was Everton’s top scorer for half a decade from 1903-1908.
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7. Roy Vernon
Despite being Sixth on the all-time scoring charts, Vernon has the best strike rate of any of the top 15 scorers apart from Dixie Dean. Also named in the Top 100 list of Football League Legends as Alex Young, Vernon captained the glorious title-winning side of 1963 and with Young, formed one of the most reliable partnerships in Everton’s history.
8. Joe Royle
Standing alone as Everton’s fifth-highest goal scorer with 119 goals. Royle was inducted in as an Everton Giant in 2004 being the top scorer in the league winning side of 1970 at just 21 years of age.
At just the age of 16 Royle first played for the Toffees and remained the club’s youngest ever player until James Vaughan beat his landmark in 2005. He returned to the club as manager also winning the side’s last trophy in 1995.
9. Edgar Chadwick
Another Everton darling from the very primitive years of football was Edgar who played in the first ever football league season becoming the Toffees’ first ever top goal scorer and went on to win the Championship with Everton in 1891. He is one of eight players to have reached a century of goals in Merseyside Blue.
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10. Dave Hickson
The last member of this top 10 is Hickson who is another centurion, with 111 goals. Highly cherished for his love of the club and his fearless attitude during a frustrating period at Everton where the Toffees failed to lift any silverware. He is still a prominent member of staff at Goodison Park even in his eighties.
FAQ
Q. Who is Everton’s top scorer?
Ans: Dixie Dean
Q. Who is Everton’s best player ever?
Ans: Dixie Dean
Q. Who has the best performance for Everton?
Ans: Alex Young