Dave Watson.

tommye · May 29, 2017

Legend. On and off the pitch.

CrustySack · May 29, 2017

He missed the birth of his first child because Everton had a game. When asked in later years why he did that his response was 'We had an important game'.

As Dario alluded to, he isn't given enough credit by Everton and Evertonians for his service to the club.

Neiler · May 29, 2017

Love Waggy, what a servent and the last Everton captain to lift a gong.

Week in, week out, legend.

Always felt he got a raw deal after cleaning up after the mess Johnson made with big Joe.

Bring him home.

everton2004 · May 29, 2017

Absolute legend of a CB. Led the team like a true captain should. We need someone like him now.

dave abrahams · May 29, 2017

Great player and as captain led by example, did he stay as a coach under Walter Smith for at least a season?

chicoazul · May 29, 2017

Foot Long Hot Dog said:
Great player, a great leader, and a sound bloke.

His testimonial when Rangers came down was a night that sticks in my memory as well.

That was a most friendly and pleasant day that testimonial. Full of goodwill and collective spirit.

tommye · May 29, 2017

chicoazul said:
That was a most friendly and pleasant day that testimonial. Full of goodwill and collective spirit.

Dario Terracotta · May 29, 2017

chicoazul said:
That was a most friendly and pleasant day that testimonial. Full of goodwill and collective spirit.

lollollol

tommye · May 29, 2017

chicoazul said:
That was a most friendly and pleasant day that testimonial. Full of goodwill and collective spirit.

In a...

kind of way.

banno · May 29, 2017

Dario Terracotta said:
Saw there is an article on him in the next edition of the Evertonian,just my opinion but possibly one of the most underrated players in our history,part of the glory days, had a tough time establishing himself in Degsys place initially, but what a skipper and not in a ranting type of way, led by example, on countless occasions I can recall him pushing his body to the limit with injuries, even playing with strapping for cracked ribs, yeah a title winner and FA Cup winner captaining the side but for me Waggys greatest achievement(alongside Big Nev and Peter Beardsley) was maintaining our top flight status with quite possibly the worst Everton side I've seen in the early 1990's.

Spot on about establishing himself. Always remember in the early 80's when Sharpy had a rich vein of form until Norwich and Watson came. It was a right battle and sharpy was a bit of a snide and gashed Watson eye but Watson owned Sharpy that day and Sharpy went on a big dip in form. It was Sharpes biggest battle to date and it knocked him for six. Thought we had bought a dud initially but soon came through as a no nonsense tough defender and the rest is history. Great player and a nice bloke and is up there with one of our greatest CB's in our history.

Alanbileysfeathercut · May 29, 2017

Always wore short sleeves
Tough cookie

DerbyshireAndHarper · May 29, 2017

Only Neville Southall (751) and Brian Labone (534) made more appearances than Dave Watson (528) for Everton.
He spent longer at the club than all three club ambassadors.
Is actually from Liverpool, unlike any of the three.
Played more games for Everton than any of them.
Won more with Everton than two of them, Snodin & Stuart.
Was actually caretaker player-manager of Everton for the last 7 league games of the 1996/97 season.
Is only the second player-manager in Everton history after Howard Kendall (in 1981/82).
Made more appearances as player-manager for Everton (7) than Kendall did (6).

When you really think about it, it's baffling how little the club talks up his contributions in our history.

He was a major club figure throughout the late 1980s and through the entire 1990s.

The ironic thing was, when he first came, many EFC fans hated him for replacing fans favourite Derek Mountfield and it took most of his first season to win them over. In the early part of the 86/87 season, there were times when his name was actually booed when the teamsheet was read out at Goodison.