Everton v Fulham

A landlord's rent dispute gifted the world two rival clubs from a single disagreement.

Founded as St Domingo FC by the congregation of St Domingo Methodist Chapel in 1878, the club adopted the name Everton the following year. They played their early matches at Stanley Park before moving to Anfield in 1884. A dispute over rent with landowner John Houlding led to a split in 1892; Everton crossed Stanley Park to a new ground at Mere Green Field, which became Goodison Park. Houlding, left with an empty stadium, founded Liverpool FC.

Nine years old and already changing its name; Fulham were never a club short of ambition.

Originally formed as St Andrew's Cricket and Football Club in 1879, the club went through several name changes before settling on Fulham FC in 1888. They moved to Craven Cottage, their famous riverside ground beside the Thames, in 1896. Fulham spent their early decades in the Southern League before being elected to the Football League's Second Division in 1907.

Everton arrived at this fresh rivalry already boasting a league title and an FA Cup to their name.

Fulham's election to the Football League in 1907 set the stage for competitive meetings with Everton. Though the two clubs often occupied different divisions in the early decades, their paths crossed regularly in cup competitions. Everton were already established as one of the country's leading sides, having won the league title in 1891 and the FA Cup in 1906.

Catterick's Everton lifted two league titles and the FA Cup in under a decade; Fulham were scarcely in the same division to witness it.

Everton claimed the First Division title in 1962-63 under Harry Catterick, the first of two championships during his tenure. The FA Cup followed in 1966, and another league title in 1970. This was a period when Everton were genuine contenders at the top of English football, and their home fixtures at Goodison Park drew enormous crowds. Fulham, meanwhile, spent much of this era in the lower divisions, meaning league meetings between the two were relatively scarce.

Kendall's side claimed the league and conquered Europe in a single season; Goodison Park has not seen its like since.

Howard Kendall's Everton side of the mid-1980s remains one of the finest in English football history. The 1984-85 season brought a league title, the European Cup Winners' Cup, and a run to the FA Cup final. They added another league championship in 1987. This was the last great Everton team to win the top flight, and Goodison Park was a fortress. Fulham were deep in the lower divisions during this period, languishing in the Third Division.

Al-Fayed's millions lifted Fulham from obscurity to the top flight, and Goodison Park was suddenly on their fixture list.

Mohamed Al-Fayed's investment transformed Fulham from a struggling lower-league club into a Premier League side. Promotion in 2001 under Jean Tigana meant regular fixtures against Everton for the first time in decades. The two clubs became familiar opponents through the 2000s, with Everton typically the stronger side under David Moyes, who took charge in 2002 and built a team that consistently challenged for European places.

Fulham beat Juventus and Wolfsburg to reach a European final; Atletico Madrid alone stood between Hodgson's side and immortality.

Roy Hodgson guided Fulham to the Europa League final in 2010, a remarkable achievement for a club of their size. They lost to Atletico Madrid in Hamburg, but the run, which included victories over Juventus and Wolfsburg, put Fulham on the European map. Meanwhile, Everton were also competing in Europe under Moyes, and the two clubs' Premier League meetings during this period were competitive, closely fought affairs between sides punching above their weight.

Fulham lifted the Championship title and finished a comfortable 10th; Everton spent those same seasons glancing nervously at the trapdoor.

After several seasons of yo-yoing between divisions, Fulham won the Championship title in 2021-22 under Marco Silva and returned to the Premier League with real stability. They finished 10th in their first season back. Everton, by contrast, were fighting relegation battles, narrowly surviving in both 2021-22 and 2022-23. The fixture regained its regular place in the calendar, with both clubs occupying very different positions in the table.

After 132 years, Goodison's ghosts make way for glass and steel on the Mersey.

Everton's new 52,888-capacity stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock on Liverpool's waterfront is set to open for the 2025-26 season, ending 132 years at Goodison Park. The move marks the most significant moment in the club's modern history. Fixtures against Fulham at the new ground will carry a different atmosphere entirely, trading Goodison's tight, atmospheric terraces for a state-of-the-art arena on the banks of the Mersey. It is the beginning of a new era for one of English football's most storied clubs.