Dave Hickson was known as the Cannonball KidFormer Everton footballer Dave Hickson has died at the age of 83.
Hickson, who played at Everton during the 1940s and 1950s, was known as the Cannonball Kid.
Everton club chairman Bill Kenwright led the tributes to his childhood hero, who died on Monday after a short illness. He said he was a “colossus”.
Hickson, who scored 111 goals for the Toffees, also had spells with Liverpool and Tranmere Rovers but was best known for his time with Everton.
‘Gentle giant’
Everton FC captain Phil Jagielka described the centre forward as a “legend”.
Kenny Birch, who played with Hickson in the 50s, said he was a “gentle giant”.
“He could play football with the best of them and he could play the rough stuff if it needed to be played. He will be greatly missed.”
Hickson was spotted playing for a non-league club in Ellesmere Port by the manager at the time, Cliff Britton, in 1948.
He was inducted into the Everton Hall of Fame as a Millennium Giant in 2000.
He was still a regular face on match days at Goodison Park and looked after the man of the match.
Hickson famously said after his retirement in the 1960s that he “would have died” for Everton.
“I would have broken every other bone in my body for any other club I played for, but I would have died for this club.”
Everton FC has opened an online book of condolence on its official website for Hickson and said books would be open at Goodison Park later in the week.
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