Alan Ball: The great player who changed Everton

Alan Ball, the player who helped England win the 1966 World Cup, will always be remembered by Everton fans. As BBC Radio Merseyside's Mike Hughes recalls, Ball often said that Everton would always be his team. He joined the club from Blackpool in August 1966 for a then-record British transfer fee. During his five-year stay at the club, he played 248 matches and scored 78 goals, becoming a true Toffees legend. According to Hughes, many Everton fans from that era consider Ball to be the best player they have ever seen in a blue shirt. He was a player who could change the face of the game and raise the level of the entire team. Colin Harvey, a former teammate, recalls how Ball made an immediate impression in training at Bellefield, with impressive ball control and passing.  Ball's surprise transfer to Arsenal in December 1971, for a record fee, was a shock to many fans. Everton, who had won the Premier League title in 1969-70, would dominate in the following years, but Ball's sudden departure destabilized the team. Ball himself admitted that he never wanted to leave Everton, but the club's decision and Arsenal's offer were impossible to refuse. Ball always maintained that Everton would remain his team and his influence on the team was invaluable. He was a player who raised the standards of the game and turned Everton into a team of great quality. His legacy as a football phenomenal figure will live on forever.