Tom Davies is the latest special guest on the Official Everton in the Community podcast. The Blues midfielder joins EitC deputy CEO Mike Salla and host Darren Griffiths. Tom is a regular and enthusiastic supporter of the Clubs official charity and he speaks about how some of the participants have helped him as well as him helping them. The podcast focuses on the brand new People’s Place facility on Spellow Lane and Mike explains just why such a venue is essential to the local area. It’s an insightful and honest conversation with Tom opening up on the mental side of professional football and how he feels on hearing what an impact his many EitC visits have had on programme attendees and staff alike.

Stadium Concept Design Guardian Dan Meis answers your questions about the project in this exclusive 30-minute podcast.

The latest Official Everton podcast is celebrating the life of our former manager Walter Smith, who would have been 75 years old today. Smith, who managed the Blues between 1998 and 2002, passed away in October 2021. In this podcast, host Darren Griffiths is joined by legendary Kit Manager Jimmy Martin and David Prentice. All three knew Smith personally. Along the way there are contributions from Richard Gough, David Weir and Kevin Campbell, who recall their time with the great man at the various clubs he was associated with as a player and a manager. We also speak to Chick Young, the broadcaster whose attempt to interview Smith at Ibrox after a European defeat for Rangers became an internet sensation! And we feature a lovely story that Ally McCoist told at Smith’s Memorial Service, held in Glasgow Cathedral, when he revealed a ‘special gift’ he arranged for the man he called his second father. Although his time at Goodison didn’t go as well as he wanted, Smith always retained his affection for Everton Football Club, and he thoroughly deserves his place amongst the British greats for his remarkable achievements in Scotland with Rangers.  This podcast is a reflection on his contribution to football with anecdotes that are insightful, poignant, and amusing in equal measure.

Gavin McCann is one of those rare breed of footballers who left Everton and later represented his country. Our latest Bred a Blue guest played 11 times under Howard Kendall during the frenetic 1997/98 season, before leaving for Sunderland where he flourished and was selected by Sven Goran Eriksson for an England international against Spain. McCann speaks about the experience of playing against the likes of Pep Guardiola, Luis Enrique, Iker Casillas and Raul – quipping that "they had an El Classico a week later so I think they were only at 50 per cent." The Blackpool-born midfielder also recalls his early days at Everton when he was under the tutelage of Everton legends like John Hurst and Jimmy Gabriel, and how Neville Southall was especially good to him. McCann’s first-team debut came at Newcastle United in September 1997 when he replaced Tony Grant late in the game, but his abiding memory is that, "Slav (Bilic) got sent-off and had a cigarette in the shower, there was smoke everywhere!" Unable to break through on a regular basis, "Earl Barret did me in training and I cracked my ankle and missed a load of games," McCann signed for Peter Reid at Sunderland and had later spells with Aston Villa and Bolton Wanderers. He can name Kendall, Reid, David O’Leary and Martin O’Neill amongst his managers and he’s currently a coach at Northern Premier League outfit Hyde United, where former Everton Academy and Under-21 player Manasse Mampala is one of his players.

Since 1988, Everton’s official charity, Everton in the Community has been serving the Merseyside community through its life-saving work. During that time, the charity has celebrated a number of notable ‘firsts’ – from being the first Premier League Club to address mental health with a dedicated programme, to being the first Club to host a GP on its premises. As the charity marks 35-years since it first began operating in a converted house close to Goodison Park, Evertonians can enjoy a special edition of the Official Everton Podcast as we celebrate the award-winning Everton in the Community. Hosted by Darren Griffiths and featuring guests, Men's Club Captain, Seamus Coleman, Everton in the Community’s CEO Sue Gregory, and long-serving member of staff, Michael King, the podcast provides listeners with an insight into the charity’s everyday impact in the community. "We’ve been doing it [getting involved in Everton in the Community] for years and I’ve heard stories from numerous Everton in the Community participants, male and female some really tough stories over the years, who are not necessarily over the worst of it but are coping and Everton in the Community is playing a massive part in that," Coleman said on the podcast. "Since I’ve been at the Club, being part of Everton in the Community has always gone hand-in-hand. You’d be asked to do something and slowly but surely you’d understand what it is all about. It’s so important to go out and see who needs help in all different types of ways, and when you’re there you really do realise the difference you make. "I often talk about this and I’m not sure who came up with the slogan, but it doesn’t just change lives, it saves lives." We also hear from a member of staff whose journey started at Everton in the Community 17-years ago, whilst CEO Sue Gregory also explains how a £1 donation to Everton in the Community generates £29.86 of impact to support the local community and economy.

Our latest Bred a Blue podcast guest, Jake Bidwell, is still the youngest player to ever make a European appearance for Everton. David Moyes handed him a start against BATE Borisov in the UEFA Cup tie at Goodison Park in December 2009 when Bidwell was just 16-years-old and 271 days. Indeed, only Thierry Small, Jose Baxter and - by just 24 hours - James Vaughan have been younger when playing for the senior team in any competition. “I went in the day before the game expecting to train as normal and then got the shout that I was playing,” he told the Official Everton Podcast. “It was a bit of a whirlwind, but I remember going through set-pieces in training. “Leighton Baines and Tony Hibbert told me to just relax and enjoy my game. I was so young that I didn’t really understand the magnitude of it and I just wanted to get out there and do the best I could.” LISTEN TO BRED A BLUE AND COLLECT EVERTON REWARDS POINTS In Bred a Blue Bidwell speaks about he started off at Everton as a goalkeeper, how he played against Danny Welbeck when he was still at school, and how he just wanted to go home to bed after his first senior team training session because he was so tired! After that European night, further senior run-outs proved elusive and, by his own admission, he was never really likely to oust Leighton Baines and so took the decision to go to Brentford on loan when he was 18. “It would have been difficult for anyone to get Bainesy out, let alone me,” said Bidwell. “I agreed to go to Brentford and then I asked ‘where is it’ because I had no idea! I went for six months and ended up playing more than 200 games for them in five years. “There was no role for me at Everton but I had become an important player for Brentford and was playing week-in, week-out so I didn’t want to go back to play reserve team football.” From Brentford, Bidwell moved to Queens Park Rangers, although despite racking up more than 100 appearances for them across three seasons he says ‘that one didn’t work out as well.’ His next port of call, Swansea City, was far more enjoyable. “I loved it there and can’t speak highly enough of the place or the city. It’s a one-club city and everyone wants the team to do well. We had two play-off campaigns but just couldn’t get over the line.” Despite not turning 30 until March of this year, Jake Bidwell, currently in the Championship with Coventry City, is closing in on 500 career appearances. However, he still looks back on that one for Everton with a great deal of affection. “The upbringing I got alongside the likes of Phil Neville, Sylvain Distin, Leighton Baines has stood me in good stead throughout my career.  I only played once but I know there are lots of Evertonians who would give their left arm to make an appearance for the team. “It’s something I’ll always be proud of. If I have a son who is good enough to play football I wouldn’t want him to go anywhere other than Everton.”

Everton Under-21s Head Coach Paul Tait has hailed the excellent attitude from his players over the first half of the season and expects them to reach new heights in 2023. Tait was promoted from his position as Under-18s boss last summer and says he's thoroughly enjoying the new challenge. In an extensive interview, the young Blues boss discusses the positives from the Under-21s' run in the Papa John's Trophy, where they reached the third round, the development of forward Tom Cannon, the recognition his players have received from Frank Lampard, and his eagerness to continue to raise standards.

It’s always one of the most exciting days in the football calendar and the latest Official Everton Podcast looks back over some special memories from the third round of the FA Cup. Which Merseyside football legend scored the only ever ‘golden goal’, which tie was our first ever appearance on Match of the Day, which one was delayed when a chip shop by Goodison caught fire, why did we play 12 cup-ties in 14 games in 1987/88, why was the 1999 tie against Exeter City played in December and what Everton FA Cup record does Leighton Baines hold - even though he tells us that he didn’t know it! Everton legend Kevin Ratcliffe tells us what David Moyes said to him after THAT game at Shrewsbury in 2003, John Connolly speaks about the horror tackle that broke his leg in the 1975 tie against non-league Altrincham and we catch up with former schoolteacher Phil Smith, who played centre-forward for the Northern Premier League outfit when they took the Blues to a replay. And Ian Snodin insists that he’s still peeved that his team-mates didn’t celebrate his goal at Sheffield Wednesday in 1988, although it was the fifth of a 5-0 victory! Host Darren Griffiths is joined by Dave Prentice and Gavin Buckland for a light-hearted stroll down FA Cup third round memory lane.

All key milestones were achieved following a stunning year of development at Everton Stadium. Chief Stadium Development Officer Colin Chong revealed that the project at Bramley-Moore Dock remains on schedule for completion in the 2024/25 season, ahead of a crucial few months. And in an exclusive Club podcast, reflecting on an eventful 2022, he hailed the Everton fans for their input into the final design.

It’s just over 20 years since a 16-year-old boy left school in the summer and smashed his way into Premier League folklore in the autumn! Wayne Rooney was a once-in-a-lifetime talent who came through the Academy ranks at Everton to become England’s greatest ever goalscorer. In this latest Official Everton Podcast, Darren Griffiths, Dave Prentice and Gavin Buckland discuss his famous emergence, his contribution over two spells and his legacy. Contributors include James McFadden, Mark Pembridge, FA Youth Cup team-mate Steven Schumacher, and former Academy Director Ray Hall. We also speak to Paul Whitfield - the first goalkeeper to ever concede a senior goal against Wayne Rooney! He was between the sticks at the Racecourse Ground when the boy-wonder netted twice in a League Cup victory against Wrexham. Rooney was one of our own. A scouser, a prodigy, a world-class performer who conquered the world. But he still divides opinions among Evertonians.