10) Steven Pienaar – Arriving initially on loan from Broussia Dortmund in 2007, many branded the diminutive South-African as too lightweight for the Premier League. He soon proved the doubters wrong though and his move was made permanent the following summer. An extremely intelligent footballer, he formed a formidable partnership with Leighton Baines, creating on the most potent left sides around. He upset many fans by leaving for Spurs in 2011, but as is the case with so many, he soon found the grass isn’t always greener and was back at Goodison within 12 months, and in doing so rediscovered his form quickly enough.
9) Mikel Arteta – He’s the best little Spaniard we know. Arriving initially on loan from Real Sociedad in 2005, Arteta quickly became a fans favourite with some outstanding displays. He provided some class and quality into what was very much a workman-like team and helped take the club up a level or two. Initially played out wide, it quickly became clear that Arteta was best centrally and he soon made the position his own. Arteta was sold to Arsenal in 2011 for £10m, nearly 10x the fee which he signed for, despite arguably his best years being behind him.
8) Phil Jagielka – An acquisition from Sheffield United in 2007, ‘Jags’ has been Everton’s best defender for several seasons. Now Captain, though perhaps not the most vocal, he has led by example when we’ve needed him. Over the past 8 years, he has played a fundamental role in teams that have consistently finished in the top 7.
7) Duncan Ferguson – Over two spells, the Scot achieved cult hero status amongst the Goodison faithful. He joined initially on loan from Rangers in 1994, before the move became permanent. He was controversially sold to Newcastle in 1998, but was back at Goodison two years later. He still stands as Everton’s leading scorer in the Premier League era, despite suffering numerous injury and suspensions. His goals were crucial to maintaining Everton’s Premier League status. Now on the coaching staff, many have touted him as a future Everton manager.
6) Nigel Martyn – David Moyes once described the former Leeds man as his “greatest ever signing”. Joining from Leeds in 2003, Martyn went on to make 86 league appearances for the blues until 2006, where an ankle injury forced his retirement. Despite being well into his late 30’s during his time at Goodison, Martyn produced some stunning displays between the sticks, to first prevent Everton from being relegated in 2004, and then provide a platform for gate-crashing the top 4 in 2005, where the Toffees often relied on 1-0 wins.
5) Leighton Baines – Quite simply one of the best full-backs the Premier League has seen. Signed from Wigan Athletic in 2007, Baines had to wait for his chance at first, but once it came he never looked back. Baines’ marauding runs forward have been a permanent fixture in Everton’s play. The quality of his delivery into the box from open play and dead-balls has made him the most prolific defender in terms of assists in Premier League history. His telepathic understanding with Steven Pienaar has also been a joy to behold.
4) Kevin Campbell – ‘Super Kevin Campbell’ joined on loan from Turkish side Trabzonspor in March 1999, and his impact was stark. With the blues right in the relegation mire, Campbell notched 9 goals in eight games to catapult the Toffees to safety. Naturally, his became a permanent player at Goodison in the summer, and consistently led the blues scoring charts over the coming seasons. He is 3rd in terms of goals scored in the Premier League era for Everton, with 45 goals.
3) John Stones – David Moyes’ last ever signing for Everton, Stones joined from Barnsley in January 2013 for £3m. It’s under Roberto Martinez though that he has established himself as a first team regular and his immense potential has become clear. He’s probably as close to the complete centre-half as you’ll find, and it remains to be seen whether Everton can keep hold of him in the long term. His value must surely be at least 8 or 9 times that of which we bought him for. Whatever happens, I’m sure Stones will eventually become a candidate for the number 1 spot on this list.
2) Seamus Coleman – An absolute steal at £60,000 from Sligo Rovers, Coleman was originally played as a right-midfielder by David Moyes in his early appearances for Everton. In recent seasons though, the Irishman has made the right-back spot his own, having honed his defensive game to complement his obvious attacking prowess. He has even become relatively prolific in front of goal, finding the back of the net 12 times in the past two seasons.
1) Tim Cahill – Surely one of the best pound-for-pound signings in Everton’s history, Cahill signed from Millwall in 2004 for just £1.5m, and went on to score 68 goals from midfield, many of them important and many of them with his head. Certainly for a generation of younger Evertonian’s who perhaps just missed out on Duncan Ferguson, he’s probably the player most idolised. He ‘wore his heart on his sleeve’ and was one of the few players in blue who managed to perform in Derby games, scoring 5 goals against Liverpool.
