Andy Johnson says he played with such an ‘underrated’ player at Everton, he was ‘top class’

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Everton, despite a recent history detailing their adversity to success, have still forged plenty of Goodison Park heroes.

Seamus Coleman is arguably their greatest that is still playing to this day, but even before Farhad Moshiri’s poisonous reign, there were many stars brought in by David Moyes who became revered by a fanbase unlike any other.

The numbers in which they continue to turn out, despite the club’s undeniable lack of success or progression, is mesmerising.

Just imagine if Everton were in Manchester City’s position!

Well, Andy Johnson has now sought to take a trip down memory lane, and aside from lauding that fanbase, he also had plenty of good things to say about a certain Leon Osman too.

What Andy Johnson said about Leon Osman

Having joined the club from Crystal Palace after failing to win promotion from the Championship, the in-form marksman was hot property in England.

The 43-year-old would actually detail how he had offers from Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic around the time he opted for Merseyside, but decided: ‘I just wanted to play for the biggest football club I could and that was the main reason I joined Everton.’

He clearly enjoyed his time there, and speaking to Everton’s official website, he took the time to laud Osman in particular: ‘There were so many good players in the squad.

‘We had quality and we had the right mentality with such a good togetherness. Leon Osman was probably one of the most underrated players in the country at the time.

‘He was top-class, but the one who really stood out for me was Mikel Arteta.’

How good was Leon Osman for Everton?

Joining Everton’s academy as a youngster, the 42-year-old spent his entire career in royal blue, making him one of those fabled Everton heroes who have actually never tasted silverware.

However, for a solid period he was one of the club’s most consistent assets, even if injuries often curtailed his progress.

Featuring 433 times, and only ever playing for a different club on loan, his loyalty was unwavering and unlike most things seen in modern football nowadays.

A technically proficient maestro with a wand of a left foot, his ability to crop up and score big goals was uncanny too, despite his best-ever Premier League goalscoring season only consisting of six strikes.

It was his ability to do it all that likely led to his longevity, and Moyes appreciated his versatility and sacrificial attitude towards the team. As did Johnson, clearly.