When it comes to why Everton are nicknamed the Toffees, obviously candy is involved.
Everton are the fourth most successful club in England’s top division, winning nine league titles in their history. Being established in 1888, Everton boast a very rich history in English football, winning numerous trophies. But have you ever wondered why, and how, that became their nickname?
There are a few reasons, but legend has it that a toffee shop located in Everton village called Mother Noblett’s.
The store was based between Everton Brow and Brow Side, which is opposite the Everton lock up which is the castle depicted on their badge. Which brings us to, why Everton are nicknamed Toffees.
Why Toffees?
Though “The Blues” has taken hold in recent years, The Toffees (or The Toffeemen) is the established and traditional nickname for Everton FC. It originated very early in the history of the club, by association with not one but two local Toffee Shops that figured in Everton’s early history:
- Ye Anciente Everton Toffee House was located within a “mint ball’s throw” of the Queen’s Head Hotel in Village Street, where much of Everton’s early development as a Football Club occurred. The Toffee House was the operation of Old Ma Bushell, who was the original Toffee Lady, and actually invented Everton Toffees. This confectionery was sold in huge quantities to the hungry hordes as they journeyed from far and wide to watch Everton play in the new Football League, firstly in Stanley Park, and Priory Road. Then at Anfield, Everton’s third ground.
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- Mother Nobletts Toffee Shop was located near Goodison Park, and figured prominently after the move from Anfield in 1892. Old Mother Nobletts was placed on the horns of a dilemma when that momentous decision was taken to move the great club from Anfield to the new Goodison Park. But, being the mother of innovation, Mrs Nobletts hit upon a great idea as direct competition for the Everton Toffees patented by her arch rival, Old Ma Bushell. Mother Nobletts invented Everton Mints.
Everton Mints were a great success with the crowd. The black-and-white stripes of the new sweets reflected an older strip that Everton had worn some years earlier… Meanwhile, sales of Everton Toffee from Ye Anciente Everton Toffee Shop declined rapidly, mainly due the long distance that now separated Old Ma Bushell’s tasty goods from the crowds milling around Goodison Park.
Not to be outdone by the inventive Mrs Nobletts, Old Ma Bushell pulled a masterstroke of marketing acumen. She gained permission from the leaders of the Club to distribute her Everton Toffees to the crowd inside the ground as they waited patiently for the kick-off. Her beautiful young granddaughter, Jemima Bushell, was persuaded to perform this honourable task. She dressed in her best finery, and donned a broad hat before carrying around her basket laden with individually wrapped Everton Toffees.
And so was born the tradition of the Everton Toffee Lady, a pre-match feature at Goodison Park that has lasted remarkably well down the years. In previous years, one Toffee Lady did the job week-in, week-out: Mary Gorry fulfilled this role in the mid-Fifties. Nowadays, for each home match, a different teenage girl is selected from the ranks of Everton’s Supporters Club to perform this time-honoured task.
Toffees history
Everton FC started off as a church team – the team of St Domingo’s FC formed in 1878, two years after the church had established a cricket club. The church happened to be in the Liverpool district of Everton, which was then an affluent merchants’ suburb. Within a year, the club changed its name to Everton as it was attracting the interest of “folk beyond the church”.
The November 1879 decision was made at a meeting held in the Queen’s Head Hotel, Village Street, which was coincidentally situated very close to “Ye Ancient Everton Toffee House“. From there the club was always going to be referred somewhere to a candy or Toffee and so it has been.
The modern-day Toffee Lady mascot, a young girl in a blue and white dress who throws sweets to the crowd before every home match, is a nod to that tradition.