With the two clubs meeting tomorrow afternoon in the Premier League, we take a look at some of the finest players to have graced both teams.
Between them, Everton and Middlesbrough have spent 175 seasons in the top flight of English football, and whilst Everton are by far the most successful of the two, Boro were a competitive Premier League team throughout much of the 1990’s and 2000’s, winning the League Cup and reaching a UEFA Cup final in that time.
It is little surprise then that essentially all five of these top players to have played for both Everton and Middlesbrough did so in that era. Some of the players to have donned both the blue of Everton and the red of Middlesbrough but missed out here include Abel Xavier, who was possibly better known for his various hair styles than his footballing ability, 1970’s England international Dave Thomas and current Middlesbrough star Adam Forshaw.
Paul Gascoigne
Celebration after Paul Gascoigne’s goal vs Scotland – Euro 96
Surely the finest player to ever play for both Everton and Middlesbrough is Paul Gascoigne. One of the most naturally gifted English footballers of all time, Gazza’s demons have been well-documented, but the midfielder was a magnificent player who lit up countless games over the course of his career.
Born in Gateshead, Gascoigne played in the North East twice, first for Newcastle and later for Middlesbrough. He transferred from Middlesbrough to Everton in 2000, but he was into his thirties and past his best with both sides. Gazza won 57 caps for England and also had notable stints with Tottenham, Lazio and Rangers.
Yakubu
Yakubu alongside Victor Anichebe and Mikel Arteta at Everton
A very different type of player to Gazza but arguably a more effective one for these two clubs, given that he played for them in his prime. Nicknamed the ‘Yak’, Yakubu was the top scorer for Middlesbrough in the 2005/06 season and the top scorer for Everton in the 2007/08 season.
The powerful and prolific Nigerian scored 35 goals in two years at Middlesbrough and 33 goals in three and a half years at Everton. The 33-year-old current free agent also played for Portsmouth, Leicester, Blackburn and Reading during his time in England.
Nick Barmby
Nick Barmby scoring for Hull City against Watford
Former England international Nick Barmby became both Middlesbrough and Everton’s record signings in the space of just over a year. Middlesbrough broke their record fee when they signed him from Tottenham in 1995 for £5.25m, before making a small profit by selling him to Everton for £5.75m in 1996.
The tenacious and talented international capable of playing either wide left or through the middle scored 10 goals for Middlesbrough and 24 for Everton, before controversially swapping the blue side of Merseyside for the red side of Merseyside after 4 years with the Toffees. Barmby won 23 caps for England and went on to become a legend with his boyhood club Hull City.
Paul Wilkinson
Paul Wilkinson in action for Barnsley
An old-fashioned centre-forward, Paul Wilkinson scored regularly for both Everton and Middlesbrough. Better associated with the latter, Wilkinson played over 200 games for Boro, scoring 65 goals. The former England U21 international played for Everton earlier in his career, scoring 16 goals in 42 games for the Toffees.
Peter Beagrie
Peter Beagrie whilst playing for Bradford
Not always an overly popular figure with Middlesbrough fans, Peter Beagrie was born in Middlesbrough and came through the ranks as an apprentice at Boro. However, when the club was liquidated in 1986, Beagrie was one of only two players to cut ties with the club, thus angering many Boro fans.
From Middlesbrough, Beagrie went to Sheffield United, and a few years later he ended up at Everton. Never a full international but capped at both U21 and ‘B’ level, Beagrie spent 5 years at Goodison Park, scoring 15 goals in 138 games.
Two ex-Everton and Middlesbrough players Peter Beagrie and Paul Wilkinson playing Masters football
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