Everton host Brentford in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday, with Frank Lampard aiming to get off to the perfect start as the Toffees’ new boss.
Cup action following a two-week winter break has given both clubs a respite from poor Premier League form, with Everton winless in five matches, and the Bees winless in seven.
When they met back in November and Ivan Toney penalty condemned Rafael Benitez’s side to a 1-0 loss, in what was the first meeting of the two clubs in a very long time.
In fact, you have to look back to September 2010 to find the last time Everton and Brentford went toe-to-toe before this campaign.
Under David Moyes, Everton experienced a familiar result as of late to the then-League One club at Griffin Park, losing out on penalties in Round Three of the League Cup.
A lot has changed on Goodison since, so sit back and relax for a blast of nostalgia, looking at the team that last played Brentford in a domestic cup tie.
Goalkeeper – Ján Mucha
Making a rare appearance, Ján Mucha was Tim Howard’s stand-in at Griffin Park.
Despite saving a second half penalty, the Slovakian was ultimately unable to prevent a loss in the shootout after extra time.
He only featured 10 times for Everton, and went on to play for Krylia Sovetov Samara, Arsenal Tula, Slovan Bratislava, Bruk-Bet Termalica and Hamilton Academical before calling time on 19-year career in 2019.
Now Mucha is a goalkeeping coach at Legia Warsaw, the side he moved to Merseyside from in 2010.
Defender – Séamus Coleman
Séamus Coleman remains the only player still at Everton from the last cup tie against Brentford, and coincidentally scored his first goal for the club in the sixth minute that day.
The Irishman has lived a career of highs and lows since, featuring in the 2013/14 PFA Team of the Year, fracturing his tibia and fibula on international duty in 2017 resulting in 10 months sidelined, before finally becoming club captain in 2019.
Defender – Sylvain Distin
A character remembered fondly by those on the blue half of Merseyside, Sylvain Distin enjoyed his best time in the Premier League at Everton after winning the FA Cup with Portsmouth in 2008.
The Frenchman was voted the clubs’ Player of the Year 2011/12 and played an integral role in helping the Toffees to their 5th-placed finish in 2013/14.
He retired from football in 2016 having amassed 469 Premier League appearances – the second-most by an overseas player – and now works as a consultant in the sport.
Defender – Phil Jagielka
Phil Jagielka will go down as a modern club legend for his 12 years on Merseyside – six of which he donned the captain’s armband, and there are not many more sweeter memories for those in blue than the centre back’s 30-yard half-volley equaliser against Liverpool in 2014.
The former Toffees captain continues to ply his trade at an elite level after leaving in 2019, first in the Premier League for boyhood club Sheffield United for two years, and this season has featured for Derby County under Wayne Rooney.
Due to the Rams’ ongoing financial troubles, Jagielka was unable to extend his six-month deal there, so moved to fellow Championship side Stoke City last month.
Defender – Leighton Baines
Another certified legend, Leighton Baines was a dependable option whenever he pulled on the blue shirt and knew how to make Goodison roar with a rasping free kick.
He called time on his 13-year Everton career in 2020, retiring with 420 appearances for the club.
Baines is still a familiar face around Finch Farm in a dual role as a development coach for the academy and as interim Under-18s Head Coach.
Midfielder – Phil Neville
Phil Neville amassed 303 for Everton between 2005 and 2013, and was a commanding club captain for six of those.
Since, he has transitioned his leadership skills into various managerial roles in football.
Between 2018 and 2021, he did a fantastic job as manager of the England Women’s team and took them to the semi-finals of the Women’s World Cup in 2019, and since has taken the reigns at former Manchester United teammate David Beckham’s new MLS franchise, Inter Miami.
Midfielder – Marouane Fellaini
Marouane Fellaini will be remembered by most for his time at Manchester United, where he followed David Moyes in 2013 with £27.5 million going the other way.
The former Toffees’ Young Player of the Year made 254 appearances in England, but despite being a difficult opponent to contain, will be synonymous with the Red Devils’ post-Sir Alex Ferguson troubles.
The Belgian left England in 2019, and now plays for Chinese Super League club Shandong Luneng.
Midfielder – Magaye Gueye
This list seems to mostly be comprised of players with either amazing or vastly underwhelming Everton records, and unfortunately Magaye Gueye slips into the latter.
Despite showing his obvious talent on various occasions at the top level after his 2010 move from Strasbourg, the now-31-year-old left Goodison by mutual consent in 2014.
Last month he signed for Greek second tier side Anagennisi Karditsas.
Midfielder – Leon Osman
An Everton player from academy level to retirement, Leon Osman made 433 apps for the club and retired as a legend in 2016. Another dependable option over many years, the midfielder notably crowned his 300th and 400th appearances for the club with goals against Manchester City and West Ham respectively.
His Everton career ended undairly – learning of his release via the club website alongside fellow longstanding teammate Tony Hibbert.
Nowadays, Osman is more commonly either seen or heard as a pundit on both TV and radio in coverage of the Premier League.
Midfielder – Diniyar Bilyaletdinov
Having signed as a promising attacking option after his involvement in Russia’s trip to the Euros semi-finals in 2008, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov ultimately left Everton with 77 appearances having failed to make the desired impact.
To add to the misery, upon his exit back to his homeland he criticised the clubs’ tactics under Moyes, however the Russian has since reconciled with the club, and revealed that he returned to Goodison to watch a Merseyside derby in with the fans in recent years.
Forward – Yakubu
The final entry on this list, Nigerian striker Yakubu has gone down as a cult hero in English football, known for his brute strength and accompanying chant, “feed the Yak and he will score.”
Having played for 14 clubs during his 20-year career, he was somewhat of a nomad, but found a home at Goodison for the longest of anywhere in his playing days, spending four years on Merseyside.
He notched 21 goals in the 2007/08 campaign – his best seasonal tally, and in the end left for fellow top-flight side Blackburn Rovers in 2011.
Playing for six more years, including stints at Reading and Coventry, Yakubu finally called time on his playing career in 2017.
(Main image courtesy of: Dom Fellowes. Used under Creative Commons license)
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