Christopher Beesley, the Everton correspondent for the Liverpool ECHO, has completed his final shift after more than 26 years at Reach PLC. His time in the role included four years covering all of the Blues' matches home and away.
Beesley, who reported on Premier League football for 21 years, described the last four years as the pinnacle of his career. He first aspired to become a sports journalist at a young age, interviewing then Preston North End manager David Moyes for his university newspaper as a student.
A Long-Standing Dream Role
His ambition was shaped partly by a 1989 publication written by his future boss at the ECHO, David Prentice, for Macdonald Children's Books. The introduction read: "Winning trophies may be enough for the Liverpools, Arsenals and Manchester Uniteds of the football world – but not for Everton Football Club. Nil Satis Nisi Optimum is the club motto, which translated from Latin means 'Nothing but the best is good enough.'"
Beesley noted that Everton had two more League Championships than Manchester United when those words were written, but he acknowledged that the club's subsequent slide down the football ladder has tempered such lofty ideals. He expressed hope that beleaguered Blues fans would gladly embrace another scruffy winner to break their League Cup duck this season.
Covering a Tumultuous Era
The past generation has been the toughest in the club's history, with the longest trophy drought in their existence combined with three final-day escapes from relegation. The most recent came in 2023 when Abdoulaye Doucoure's goal against Bournemouth saved them from a first relegation in 72 years despite posting their lowest ever equivalent points total.
Beesley worked alongside Joe Thomas, who took up his role as Everton correspondent on April 6, 2022. Their first game together was a 2-1 comeback win at Southampton on October 1 that year, which proved to be a false dawn as Everton suffered two thrashings at Bournemouth the following month, marking the beginning of the end for Frank Lampard.
During their spell together between 2022-26, Beesley and Thomas drove over 12,000 miles between them, further than the distance from the United Kingdom to New Zealand. They often recorded on the road podcasts and wrote copy as they travelled late into the night.
Memorable Moments and Farewell
They reported on two unique moments in Everton history: the final game at Goodison Park and the first at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Beesley also wrote two books, Spirit of the Blues and On the Banks of the Royal Blue Mersey, to mark those occasions.
His proudest project was the Goodison Park: My Home series, in which he conducted video interviews with major Everton figures. Notable coups included David Moyes before his return to the club and the Blues' last trophy-winning manager Joe Royle. The series finished with a 20th instalment from inside Goodison itself, speaking to club captain Seamus Coleman on the eve of the farewell fixture against Southampton.
One of his last articles was with Dennis Marsh, who travels 2,000 miles from Zurich to watch the Blues play home and away. Marsh told him: "I have built a wonderful life abroad, but I love Scousers, they bring me back to earth and remind me who I am." He added: "I've had so many good times, even when Everton have lost, just talking to people over a pint – it's very special."
Beesley left a parting gift in the shape of one last big exclusive ahead of the fixture at Brentford, expressing hope that readers would enjoy it and appreciate his efforts.
