Neville Southall

<p>Neville Southall was born on November 9, 1958, in Llandudno, Wales. Before turning professional, he worked as a binman and hod carrier, playing non-league football for Llandudno, Bangor City, and Winsford United before being signed by Bury in 1980.</p><p>In 1981, Everton manager Howard Kendall purchased Southall for £150,000, initiating a seventeen-year relationship that became legendary. Endowed with freakish feline agility, impeccable positioning, and lightning reflexes despite his stocky frame, Southall reached the zenith of his career in the mid-1980s. In 1984–85, he led Everton to the Football League First Division championship and the European Cup Winners' Cup, becoming only the fourth goalkeeper in history to be voted <strong>FWA Footballer of the Year</strong>.</p><p>Southall helped Everton win a second league title in 1987 and produced a breathtaking performance in the 1995 FA Cup Final to defeat Manchester United 1–0. He made an astonishing 751 first-team appearances for Everton and represented Wales 92 times between 1982 and 1997. Appointed MBE in 1995, Southall has in recent years earned widespread admiration for using his public platform to champion mental health awareness, LGBTQ+ equality, and support for the homeless.</p>