Everton F.C. supporters

Lore & Background

Everton's nickname, the Toffees or Toffeemen, comes from one of two toffee shops located in Everton village at the time the club was founded. The Merseyside derby with Liverpool is called 'the friendly derby' because families and households in the city often contain fans of both clubs, and off-pitch fan behavior is largely amicable, making it one of the few Premier League match-ups without total fan segregation. The club has fan clubs worldwide, with the three largest outside England being in Ireland, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man.

Reader's Guide

Everton supporters have a distinct demographic profile. A 2003–04 survey found 71% of fans earned under £30,000 a year, the lowest average income in the league, and a 2002–03 report showed the highest number of season ticket holders from the two lowest social classifications at 16%. Houses around Goodison Park were the cheapest of any Premier League club, averaging £66,000 in 2012. Despite these economic factors, the fan base is geographically concentrated near the stadium, with fans living on average 44 miles away, far less than rivals Liverpool and Manchester United. The club draws support from Merseyside, Cheshire, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, and North Wales, with notable numbers in Australia, Ireland, South Africa, Thailand, and the United States. In 2009, Everton became the first Premier League club to set up an official Facebook page.

Did You Know?

• Everton had the highest average league attendances in England for the first nine seasons of the football league.
• In the 2016–17 season, around 7,000 Evertonians travelled to Lisbon for a match against Benfica.
• A 2006–07 fan survey found 15% of Everton fans were unhappy with sight lines at Goodison Park.
• Notable supporters include journalist Roger Bennett, former Tesco CEO Terry Leahy, and poet Roger McGough.