Neville Southall

Neville Southall, MBE, transitioned from a highly acclaimed professional football goalkeeper to a vocal advocate for various social and charitable causes, leveraging his platform for positive impact. After joining Everton in 1981 for a fee of £150,000, Neville Southall established himself as one of football’s most iconic goalkeepers, making a club-record 751 appearances. His illustrious career at Everton included two First Division titles in 1984–85 and 1986–87, two FA Cup victories in 1984 and 1995, and the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1985. Southall also secured three FA Charity Shields (1984, 1985, 1995) and was recognized as the FWA Footballer of the Year in 1985.

Prior to this, he earned the Bury Player of the Year award in 1980–81. Southall’s exceptional talent extended to the international stage, where he earned a record 92 caps for Wales between 1982 and 1998, a national record until 2018. His individual accolades include two Ballon d’Or nominations (1985, 1987) and being named to the PFA Team of the Year four consecutive times from 1986–87 to 1989–90. The International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) listed him as one of the world’s top ten goalkeepers four times (1987, 1988, 1989, 1991).

His commitment extends to political engagement, notably endorsing Jeremy Corbyn for the 2017 UK general election and advocating for Welsh independence, solidifying his role as an impactful public figure and influential voice for positive change.