Farewell Anfield

On April 30th, 1892, Everton played their last ever game at Anfield as the club’s home against Football Alliance side Burton Swifts. After months of conflict over rent and sneaky one-upmanship, Everton were evicted from Anfield. They said goodbye to Anfield by playing one last game in front of 5,000 fans.

Everton Burton Swifts
David Jardine Ted Hadley
Duncan McLean Billy Furniss
Jack Kent Jack Berry
Bob Kelso Will Hoose
Robert Jones Will West
Hope Robertson Donald Sutherland
Alex Latta Walter Perry
Fred Geary Sam Emery
Alan Maxwell Arthur Worrall
Whittaker Robert Macbeth
Edgar Chadwick Teddy May

Burton Swifts had the better start after Walter Perry and Arthur Worrall found the target, only to be denied by David Jardine. Everton then had a couple of chances through Alex Latta – his first went wide of the goal and his second cannoned off crossbar. Burton Swifts then surged forward and were intent on breaking the deadlock but David Jardine managed to cope with the threatening Burton attack and kept the clean sheet intact. Everton then had chances through Fred Geary, Alan Maxwell and Alex Latta again but their chances were well-handled by Ted Hadley. Everton then had more shots but they all went wide.

Both teams were vying to break the deadlock but had no success until Burton Swifts had a little help from an Everton player. After Teddy May passed to Arthur Worrall, there was a scramble near the goal and when Jack Kent intended to make a clearance, he instead kicked the ball into his own net. Everton got to the halfway stage a goal down.

In the second half, Everton pushed for an equaliser from Alex Latta and Alan Maxwell but their shots went over the bar. Everton’s chances of getting something out of this game were whittling away after Burton Swifts extended their lead with an unstoppable shot from Walter Perry. But Everton were determined to get a result and they made progress by halving the deficit following a cross from the unknown Whittaker into the area and the ball ended up in the back of the net following another scramble. The scorer is unidentified. Soon afterwards, however, Everton were two goals down again after a second goal for Walter Perry made the score 3-1 to Burton Swifts.

20 minutes were left to play and Everton were still two goals down, but the deficit was soon down to one again. Alex Latta brought Everton back into the game with the help of good pass from Alan Maxwell. A few moments later, Everton got their equaliser from Fred Geary after good play from Bob Kelso and Edgar Chadwick. Defeat was staring in Everton’s eyes but defeat seemed like a thing of the past as Everton tried to find a winner. They had chance after chance after chance, but the referee called time on the game and Everton’s tenancy at Anfield.

Full-time: Everton 3-3 Burton Swifts