On This Day In Everton History: August 24th

1990 - Mike Milligan and a short spell at Goodison Park

Everton haven’t done transfer business on this date since 1990; on this particular August 24, Mike Milligan of Oldham Athletic signed at Everton for £1million. The midfielder had been influential at Oldham in 198 appearances with the club across all competitions prior to the move; his spell at Everton would be significantly shorter, as well as less memorable, than his time with the Latics had been.

In 24 appearances with Everton, he would score only twice across all competitions; after less than a year as a Toffee, he would be purchased back by Oldham Athletic for £600,000. He would play there during this second stint until 1994, at which point he was purchased by Norwich City; he would play as a Canary before transferring to Blackpool in 2000, where he would play until his retirement in 2002.

2005 - David Moyes and a bad day on the pitch

Before 2017, the date had a less than positive connotation for Everton’s recent European ambitions; in 2005, even a goal from Mikel Arteta could not help Everton overcome Villarreal’s 2-1 victory in the second leg of the Champions League third Qualifying Round.

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Everton would then go on to bow out in the subsequent UEFA Cup against Romanian side Dinamo Bucuresti as well, ending their European ambitions for the season. As far as European opportunities are concerned, David Moyes achieved more than any in decades prior; his ultimate results in these opportunities were as unsatisfying, however.

2017 - Ronald Koeman and Everton’s Europa League Ambition

Everton last played on the August 24 under Ronald Koeman in 2017; that day saw Gylfi Sigurdsson score a remarkable 50-yard strike in the second leg of Europa League play-off draw against Croatia’s Hajduk Split.

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With this draw and the 3-1 aggregate it ensured, Everton would find themselves in the Europa League Group Stage drawing the following day. And while they wouldn’t make it out of their group stage featuring Lyon, Atalanta and Apollon, 2017 can be remembered as the last time Everton were in a European competition.