Ellis Simms’ school football coach insists he wasn’t surprised to see his former pupil net a first Premier League goal for Everton at Chelsea while lifting the lid on one of the striker’s hidden talents that Sean Dyche might be tempted to try and exploit.
Oldham-born Simms plundered his first senior strike for the Blues when he outmuscled the Londoners’ £33million defender Kalidou Koulibaly before crashing the ball past the world’s most-expensive goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga to earn a 2-2 draw with just a minute to go at Stamford Bridge on Saturday night. After spells with Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City in youth football, Simms joined Everton aged 16 but after making his senior debut for the club last season – also against Chelsea away – he was loaned out by the club for the third time last July, joining Championship side Sunderland.
Recalled to Goodison Park in January, the 22-year-old has subsequently made a further half dozen first team appearances for Everton but finding the net in a top flight match represents a significant milestone for the striker. Tim Norman, Deputy Headteacher at Mills Hill Primary School in Chadderton admits that Simms’ achievement has become the talk of the staffroom.
