The Friedkin Group have celebrated Everton’s rich heritage in a new video following the completion of their takeover of the club
Everton’s new owners have promoted their takeover with a 90-second video celebrating the club’s rich heritage. The Friedkin Group (TFG) struck a deal with Farhad Moshiri on September 23 to obtain all his shares in the club and the completion of their acquisition was announced on December 19.
On that day, TFG announced to the business world via their LinkedIn account: “It’s official! Everton Football Club is now a part of The Friedkin Group family. We are thrilled to lead this historic club into a new era,” complete with a 30-second video of highlights from Sean Dyche’s side this season.
Now, the Houston-based firm has taken to the same platform to display their enthusiasm for Everton’s glorious past, while looking to the future. TFG’s latest LinkedIn post reads: “You’ve got to know your history to be a true ‘Evertonian.’
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“The club earned its nickname ‘the Toffees’ from the home stadium Goodison Park’s close proximity to two rival toffee shops, Ye Anciente Everton Toffee House and Mother Noblett’s Toffee Shop.
“Based in Liverpool, Everton Football Club is one of England’s oldest and most-storied football institutions. The club formed in 1878 and was a founding member of the Football League in 1888 and the Premier League in 1992.
“With a rich history of success, including nine league titles, five FA Cups, and one European Cup-Winners’ Cup, Everton continues to inspire generations of football fans.”
As the words “This is Everton Football Club” flash up, the video starts with an aerial shot of Goodison Park before cutting to footage of captain Brian Labone and his team-mates holding the FA Cup aloft in 1966, Dave Watson lifting the trophy in 1995 and the Blues’ first Wembley winners in 1933 enjoying a triumphant carriage ride back to Liverpool, with the caption: “One of English football’s biggest clubs.” Everton’s nine top-flight league titles are then referenced as Graeme Sharp, who has scored more goals for the club than any other living man, is carried aloft after the last success in 1987.
The five FA Cups are then mentioned specifically against footage of Kevin Ratcliffe, the Blues’ most successful captain, lifting the trophy in 1984, with the European Cup-Winners’ Cup victory in Rotterdam against Rapid Vienna the following year also shown. Dixie Dean, Everton’s record scorer with 383 goals, including a record breaking 60 in the League in the 1927/28 season, is then displayed, receiving the FA Cup from the Duchess of York (the future Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mother) in 1933 as the Blues’ status as founder members of the Football League in 1888 is mentioned.
Wayne Rooney is then shown scoring his first Premier League goal against defending champions Arsenal in 2002 as the caption of “a proud history of top class players,” comes up before stills of Mikel Arteta, Leighton Baines, Dean, again; and James Rodriguez, Gary Lineker, Romelu Lukaku, Neville Southall, Richarlison, Jordan Pickford and Tim Cahill are flashed up. The statement: “Backed by world football’s most passionate fanbases” then appears as Evertonians are shown demonstrating their support both inside and outside Goodison Park.
Everton are then referenced geographically with the words: “A vibrant city” set against images of the Royal Liver Building and the other ‘Three Graces’ along with additional Liverpool landmarks, before the Blues’ Finch Farm base in Halewood is described as “a state-of-the-art training ground.” The upcoming move is addressed as Goodison and the new Everton Stadium are shown along with the captions “an iconic home,” “with a world-class stadium on the way,” before other famous goals are displayed, including Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s in the most recent Merseyside Derby; Kevin Sheedy’s strike against Rapid Vienna; Sharp’s in the 1984 FA Cup final against Watford; Duncan Ferguson’s diving header against Manchester United in 2005; and Dwight McNeil’s against Crystal Palace this season as the words “passion,” “history,” and “ambition,” flash up before closing by repeating the opening statement of “This is Everton Football Club.”
