Everton legend Adrian Heath has backed David Moyes to restore the club back to what he believes is their natural position in the top-six of English football.
When Heath won his second League Championship with the Blues in 1987, only neighbours Liverpool had lifted more titles. Although they have since been overtaken by Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City, despite enduring the longest silverware drought in their history, Everton’s historic longevity of success is borne out by the fact that only Liverpool and Manchester United can better their record of lifting major trophies across nine separate decades and the club having played the most seasons in the English top flight (currently 123).
Heath’s Approval of Moyes’ Return
Heath, who also won the FA Cup with Everton in 1984, told the ECHO: “It’s been a fantastic turnaround since David Moyes came back. I think there are certain people who get certain clubs and David gets Everton.
“When we got to the stage of what was going to happen for the rest of the final season at Goodison Park and then the first season at the new stadium, and whether it was going to be David Moyes or somebody else, I, along with a lot of other Evertonians, hoped it was going to be him.
“Whether we like it or not, the club is different to a lot of other clubs. If you’re in the gang, if you’re one of us, I think it helps. I was so pleased when David came back and he’s done an unbelievable job.”
Moyes’ Previous Success and the Changed Landscape
Although there were frustrations that Moyes was unable to win a trophy with Everton first time around – he subsequently steered West Ham United to their first major silverware in 43 years by lifting the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2023 – he led the Blues to nine top-eight finishes, including fourth place in 2004/05, their highest position of the Premier League era.
Heath, who took charge of Burnley and Sheffield United in this country before having extensive managerial experience in the USA with Austin Aztex, Orlando City and Minnesota United, believes that the Premier League landscape is very different to when he was playing for Everton in the old First Division and that Moyes has done really well in the circumstances.
The 65-year-old said: “I was fortunate enough to be part of two title-winning sides at Everton and almost 40 years on, I wouldn’t have thought we wouldn’t have won the league again. However, I know how difficult the Premier League is, and sometimes I think supporters forget that.
“We’re competing against the money of entire states. Look at Manchester City, I played for them, but this isn’t the Manchester City I played for after I left Everton.
“Back then, Everton were further down the road than Manchester City, but now you’ve got a Gulf state nation funding them, plus Newcastle United too. It’s a different world, but what David Moyes has done over the last seven or eight months has been re