Right Back - The Unsung Heroes

Let’s be honest, not every kid wants to grow up to be Right Back. It’s hardly where the glamour is, nobody remembers the right back, although throughout modern football history it has proven to be one of the cornerstones of the game. There is always a right back, centre backs and a left back in most teams these days. Everton of course have had their fair share of good ones and a few that have to be put into the greatest category.

 

Here are my picks.

 

Number Three – Tony Hibbert

I grew up watching him at Right Back through the Walter Smith and David Moyes eras. He was ever present and a part of the club establishment. He is a cult hero who has played in an FA Cup final and played in Europe for Everton on a number of occasions.

 

His career ended with no silverware other than an FA Youth Cup; alongside the likes of Leon Osman, Francis Jeffers, Richard Dunne and Danny Cadamarteri. However few could argue with the impact the one-club man had on the Toffees over the years and the sight of him finally scoring a goal in blue in his Testimonial game was enough to melt the hearts of more than a few Evertonians.

 

As previously mentioned, Tony Hibbert holds a cult hero status among Everton fans of a certain age, those of us who grew up with him, who knew nothing but the sound of the stadium announcer saying “Number Two, Tony Hibbert” and the roar that followed it. The man himself is now happily retired, running his carp fishery in France.

 

Number Two – Seamus Coleman

This might seem like a cop-out but genuine I don’t think Everton could have asked for a more ready-made successor to Tony Hibbert. Seamus is and always has been a humble lad from the tiny village of Killybegs, County Donegal. Signed for the criminally low sixty-thousand pounds in 2009, Seamus’ journey from young, promising winger/right back to Everton’s and Ireland’s Captain is astonishing.

 

He was playing Gaelic football until he was 16 before signing with Sligo Rovers and eventually hoping over to Merseyside. He has been plagued by injuries in his career, some horrific ones too. Seamus’s forward thinking style of playing made him a nightmare for opposition wingers and full backs as his goal scoring tally will indicate, he is also dependable in defence as well and it is a testament to his ability and his stature within the club that he is on this list as an active player.

 

Seamus was very recently asked if he would consider himself a club legend, to which he said no, simply because in his mind, legends of Everton Football Club have won things and he hasn’t done that, yet. For me though, Seamus should be considered a legend.

 

Number One – Gary Stevens

I feel like this one had to be; Gary Stevens is THE Everton right back. He is the most successful in terms of silverware and also an England international as well. Gary Stevens is mentioned in the same breath as the likes of Kevin Sheedy, Graeme Sharp and Neville Southall from that great 80s side.

 

While his role was more defensive than most in the very recent years, he was a superb supporting act to “Tricky” Trevor Steven just in front of him on the right side and complimented everything about that team incredibly well.

 

Stevens is a product of the Everton youth setup of his day and was trusted by the Toffees’ greatest ever manager Howard Kendall to bring glory back to Goodison Park, which he did. Gary played in both league title winning sides, as well as the FA Cup winning and Cup Winners’ Cup sides. It was his assist that led to the Andy Gray’s goal in the FA Cup final of 1984. It was Gary Stevens 40 yard pinged pass to Graeme Sharp that led to the latter scoring one of the most famous Merseyside Derby for Everton.

 

Gary Stevens had the lot and rightly takes his place in the Everton Giants.