Coleman: Everton's 'leader and legend'

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Seamus Coleman. A leader. A legend.

It would be hard for anyone to disagree with those words, even if the man himself does.

When making the BBC podcast series Everton: Nothing Will Be The Same, he told me he couldn't be classed as a club legend because he hadn't won a trophy. But his worth to the Toffees was so great it is a big reason they remain a Premier League side.

I saw first hand in the 2022-23 season just what the captain did to help ensure survival when Everton were swimming against the tide. That was the season Frank Lampard was sacked and Sean Dyche came in, just before a first PSR charge hit and the board no longer attended games. Most had Everton written off - but not Coleman.

Despite leaving the pitch on a stretcher against Leicester with four games left to save themselves, he continued to lead. Living in the city, he would be stopped by fans genuinely concerned about their club's future. He relayed all those messages and stories back to the dressing room before insisting to the players they couldn't be the ones to relegate Everton - his Everton.

The final game against Bournemouth at Goodison Park, he was in the dugout with his leg in a brace to do anything he could to help.

Coleman has dragged the Toffees over the line on more than one occasion and became famed for his leadership qualities, but it shouldn't be forgotten what an immensely talented player he was too. He could have left Everton for a club fighting it out for league titles, but his loyalty meant more to him.