Beloved Everton physio to return to the club

Former Everton first-team physio Mick Rathbone is set to make a return to the club.

Rathbone, who celebrated his 60th birthday on Tuesday, will rejoin the Blues to work with David Unsworth in the club’s youth academy.

His time on Merseyside began in 2002, when he arrived from Preston North End with David Moyes after the manager left Deepdale for Goodison Park.

He became head of sports medicine at the Toffees, before leaving in May 2010 after a season which Rathbone described as “a perfect storm” of injuries.

Since then, Rathbone, nicknamed ‘Baz’, returned to Preston on a part-time basis, and has also had stints with England under-17s, Blackpool, Wigan Athletic and most recently Nottingham Forest.

He also published his autobiography, ‘The Smell of Football’ in 2011, which was longlisted for William Hill Sports Book of the Year.

Rathbone was extremely popular among players and staff during his time with the Blues; Moyes described him as his “best ever signing”, and former Everton striker Yakubu this week praised the way Rathbone helped him recovery from injury while at the Toffees.