Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Who is Everton’s greatest-ever player? That’s a question that is bound to split the Hill Dickinson fanbase.
Fans of years gone by would swear blind that Dixie Dean is the greatest footballer to ever pull on a blue shirt, while supporters of a certain vintage would tell you that Neville Southall is one of the most important players to ever play for the club.
Wayne Rooney was undoubtedly one of the top talents the club has ever produced, while Gary Lineker very nearly won a Ballon d’Or while representing the Toffees.
Speaking to The Football Historian, Tony Bellew has now named his greatest Everton players of all-time, and he included a rather recent name in his list.
Who has been Everton’s most successful academy graduate in the Premier League era?
You can't say Wayne Rooney 🤔
Tony Bellew lists Seamus Coleman among Everton’s greatest ever
Bellew was asked to name the five greatest Everton players of all-time.
Inevitably, names like Dixie Dean and Southall were mentioned, while Bellew also picked out Peter Reid from that famous 1980s team.
The former world champion boxer picked Seamus Coleman as his fourth choice, before refusing to name a fifth on account of the fact he’s friends with many former players.
Of course, Coleman only departed the club over the summer after a lengthy career.
@thefootballhistorian
Tony Bellew picks his top five Everton players… sort of 😂💙 His reasoning for the fifth spot is brilliant. Who gets your final place? 👇 Filmed at Game4Hope training, supporting Shelter and Everton in the Community. TonyBellew Everton EFC Football Game4Hope
♬ original sound – The-Football-Historian – The-Football-Historian
Picking Coleman as one of the four greatest Everton players ever is a bold shout, but it’s not necessarily wrong.
Yes, Coleman perhaps didn’t have the raw talent of a Wayne Rooney, a Gary Lineker, a Paul Gascoigne or even maybe someone like Mikel Arteta, who Tim Cahill recently named as the most skilful player he played with.
However, Coleman has an incredible Everton legacy, he has almost unmatched longevity in the modern era, and while he didn’t win any trophies with the club, he played a huge part in keeping Everton up in the darkest of days when relegation looked a genuine threat.
Who knows where Everton would be today without Seamus Coleman? There’s an argument to make that they wouldn’t be in the Premier League and they wouldn’t be in their shiny new stadium either.