In a season that has fast become one to forget for Everton, one shining star has at least emerged from all the doom and gloom.
That is of course Anthony Gordon. The midfielder has worked his way through the club’s youth ranks to play in the Premier League, just like many top names have before him.
First handed his first-team chance by Carlo Ancelotti during the 2019/20 season, it was under Rafa Benitez when Gordon began to flourish. Since then the Everton Academy graduate has gone from strength to strength and has now established himself as a first-team regular under Frank Lampard.
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Speaking after his first game in charge of Everton, Lampard told how he believes Gordon has 'got what it takes ' to go a long way. Despite a number of abject performances from the Blues in recent weeks, the youngster has continued to receive plenty of praise from Evertonians.
But Morgan Feeney is not one bit surprised by what he has seen from his old team-mate this season. Feeney and Gordon were both part of the club’s Premier League 2 title winning team back in 2019, having joined Everton's Academy as youngsters.
“I’m delighted for Anthony. Everyone who has played with him knows how good he is and knows how good he could be,” he told the ECHO.
“To see him doing well and being one of our best players in the first-team at such a young age is incredible.
"I’m so happy for him and I’m so happy to see him doing well and playing with a confidence that I have sort of seen from playing with him in the youth side.”
Everton’s world-renowned Academy has produced a host of top footballers throughout the years and has received plenty of recognition for doing so. Names like Wayne Rooney, Leon Osman, Michael Ball, Tony Hibbert and Ross Barkley are all products of the club’s youth system.
And Feeney, who made his Everton debut in a Europa League encounter against Atalanta in November 2017, believes Blues supporters love nothing more than seeing one of their own come through from the club's Academy to play for the first-team.
“It is brilliant and great to see. And as a former team-mate and as a mate and as fan as well it is brilliant to see one of your own coming through," the now Carlisle United defender said.
“He’s really stepping up and playing for the badge. It is brilliant and it is what Everton fans want. They want to see one of their own coming though and playing for the badge.”
