Andros Townsend talks briefly about how nobody at Everton wanted him apart from former Liverpool manager, Rafa Benitez | OneFootball

Andros Townsend: ‶Nobody in the club wanted me”

Andros Townsend has been talking recently on the Ripple Effect podcast briefly about how nobody at Everton wanted him apart from former Liverpool manager, Rafa Benitez.

Townsend was the first new player to come into the senior squad following the controversial appointment of Rafael Benitez as Everton manager in July 2021. He was brought in as a known quantity for the ex-Liverpool and Newcastle United manager, where he had had a good relationship with Townsend before the player moved on in 2015, to spend the 5 years at Crystal Palace.

At 31, Townsend signed a 2-year deal with the Toffees and brought with him many years of experience to a side short on numbers and in need of wide players with Bernard and James Rodriguez on their way out of the club.

In his debut season at Everton in 2021-22, he scored three times in a purple patch of four League games, including a screamer against Burnley, but as Everton's form eroded and eventually collapsed under Benitez, the veteran winger found it difficult to maintain that early-season form.

He scored seven goals whilst laying on four assists, and then unfortunately, he suffered a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury that stopped his Everton career in its tracks.

Speaking to the Ripple Effect podcast with James Lawrence Allcott, Andros Townsend revealed that everyone around Finch Farm was against his signing when he joined Everton in 2021.

“So we kept in contact. And when he got the Everton gig, my agent sort of said, Rafa’s asked about you. And at the time, Everton weren’t Newcastle, Everton weren’t Aston Villa.

“They were the best of the rest. So I was like, ‘yeah, no chance. Yeah, right. Like pull the other one.'

"But lo and behold, he calls me, he fights for me. Nobody in the club wanted me, but he fought for me, got me.

“I ended up for 4 or 5 months producing some of my best football. Those first few months at Everton. I really was the first name on the team sheet, which was bizarre.”

Another fresh start was promised when Frank Lampard came in to replace the sacked Spaniard at the end of January but Andros's season was ended prematurely in March 2022 on one of his old stomping grounds, Selhurst Park, where he tore his anterior cruciate ligament that put him out for the remainder of his time at Goodison.

That included the entirety of the following season when he was in recovery and rehabilitation; he would not play for Everton again before his contract expired in June 2023.

Anthony Hawkins 3 Posted 16/10/2025 at 12:25:21

I see this as a non-article and a rose-tinted spin by Andros's first 5 months with us. May be it was his best football, but I don't recall it that way.

That Rafa brought him in says enough for me.

Focus forward and what we can do now to kick on upwards.

Michael Kenrick 4 Posted 16/10/2025 at 12:29:08

What the fuck?

A fascinating insight into a unique aspect of Everton History, revealing the honest truth about the most despised Everton manager ever, and the ultimate demise of his star signing that nobody wanted?

Wokism may have died a death in the UK but I see it is still alive and kicking in the Aussie Outback!

Peter Mills 5 Posted 16/10/2025 at 13:06:35

Every time I see the name Benitez in the same sentence as Everton I want to vomit.Damn, there it goes again.

And Andros should be grateful for the money and care he received for the little he did for us.

Paul Hughes 6 Posted 16/10/2025 at 13:28:37

Strange headline. How does Townsend know what the people in the club, other than the manager, were thinking? The manager wanted him, so he came. He did okay for us, and scored a couple of cracking goals.

My abiding memory of Townsend is the view from the touchline when Calvert-Lewin scored 'that' goal against Palace. Townsend is seen hopping down the pitch, on his crutches, to join the pile on.

Tony Abrahams 8 Posted 16/10/2025 at 14:13:31

I thought it was very sad the way Andros Townsend's Everton career ended; I always thought he worked hard and put in a shift when he played for the club.

Surely people can read into things a little bit deeper and try and understand the situation when Townsend arrived?

Nobody wanted Benitez (except me), so any player that he signed was not going to be feeling wanted coming into the club around this time.

Andrew Merrick 9 Posted 16/10/2025 at 14:19:19

I remember how he contributed up to his horrible injury, I really liked him in blue.

Benitez was an astonishing appointment, but we saw many crazy bits of business done didn't we..

Ive no idea what went on but its a shame Andros has such bad memories.

Rob Jones 10 Posted 16/10/2025 at 14:20:21

Ditto, Tony. He scored some bangers, put crosses in, and was a good, serviceable player for us when there was precious little to be positive about.

I regretted that we didn't take a punt on him when he came back from injury, because he'd have done a million times better on the right than Jack Harrison did, and could actually provide a goal threat.

Michael Kenrick 11 Posted 16/10/2025 at 14:44:07

Paul @6,

I see the statement he made, that "Nobody in the club wanted me," as more of a perception he is sharing, than an absolute truth, because you're right — there's no way he could have known that nobody wanted him.

What's more, there's no doubt loads of staff at Finch Farm who would have been as respectful and appreciative of each and every professional player there — certainly to their faces.

So yes, a strange thing for him to say... but not a "Strange headline" because it's a direct quote.

Ian Jones 13 Posted 16/10/2025 at 16:10:10

Michael, if it's any consolation, I enjoyed the article. And Tony, agree with your comments.

However, I didn't realise you were happy with Benitez being appointed. That's a surprise. I would have thought you would have been against him but knowing your knowledge of the game, I assume you see the bigger picture.

This infamous 'nobody' character that didn't want certain people at the club has been busy.

Tony Abrahams 14 Posted 16/10/2025 at 16:29:02

I hated Benitez, Ian, but after hearing about his Zoom call, with Kenwright allegedly getting told to be quiet by Big Al, then I was hoping that the very divisive Spaniard was going to be the one who made everyone see through the man who kidded thousands.

I'm not sure I have got more footballing knowledge than anyone else, Ian, but anyone who knows anything about Everton and Evertonians knew it was destined not to work, especially when they saw the state of his transfer kitty.

Also. he was the one who got the blame for getting rid of Rodriguez, even though it was evident that the club simply couldn't afford to keep him any longer.

Dale Self 15 Posted 16/10/2025 at 16:29:43

Michael, I am on your side of things here but invoking woke is provocative.

This is obviously of interest. We get so much invective from TW about goings on behind the scenes. These insider perspectives keep us from peddling bullshit beliefs.

Positivity will come with results. We don't need to ignore history to get there.

Dave Abrahams 16 Posted 16/10/2025 at 17:05:40

Tony (8)

You definitely weren't the only one on here who was happy when Benitez was appointed manager, but as you say it was destined for him not to succeed at Everton.

I thought that Townsend put in some good performances for the Blues until he was injured at Palace. He was a good signing especially as he was free. We also got some decent performances from Demarai Gray who took a great free kick that helped to keep us up in that vital Palace game — and we made a profit on him.

Rodon was big and he let Benitez and himself down by coming here vastly overweight and unfit; he was a better player than he showed for us.

Robert Tressell 18 Posted 16/10/2025 at 17:33:19

We could do with someone like him now. Surprisingly good.

Dynamic, hard working and more talented than I'd given him credit for before he joined. Plus very much a good character in the squad. Shame he doesn't reflect on his time fondly. Mind you, we were a shambles.

Kieran Kinsella 19 Posted 16/10/2025 at 17:57:12

Tony

I always felt that cup game at Palace would've ended differently if he hadn't got injured as he was flying at the time. Who knows... maybe a surprise cup win that season could've revitalized us. But once he went off, we fell apart.

As to the critics of this article? Very bizarre. There is only so much news every day out of the club so I see no problem sharing the thoughts of a recent player.

The negativity stems from Townsend feeling like he wasn't good enough for us, hence the “no one wanted me” and his disbelief at being selected. He's not criticizing the club -- he's saying he got lucky essentially to get the opportunity.

Joe McMahon 20 Posted 16/10/2025 at 18:09:11

This is bring up old memories. I like Andros a lot, and he could strike a ball from distance (something we hadn't seen at Everton for a while).

I also didn't mind Benitez and things were going well until the many injuries kicked in. He took the jok knowing he'd be unpopular. He did the same at Chelsea, the fans also hated him, but in the end they had a good season.

The only Everton manager I've never warmed at to at all was Dyche. I'm a bit bored of Moyes also now.

Tony Abrahams 21 Posted 16/10/2025 at 18:50:50

Benitez started okay results-wise, Joe, and I remember Everton looking really impressive early in the season at Brighton.

We then lost Calvert-Lewin, Mina and also Doucoure, (if my memory is correct) which was the entire spine of the team, and because we never had that many other players with a real backbone, the team suddenly fell off a cliff.

I can't remember much about that game, Kieran, and my overriding memory was talking to my son on the phone after he had just left Selhurst Park absolutely fuming.

I can still remember him saying that, for the first time in his life, he didn't really like or care about any of the Everton players because he thought they never had a pair of bollocks between them.

Christine Foster 23 Posted 16/10/2025 at 20:18:00

My football brain respected Benitez for his achievements but my emotional intelligence told me it would never work as he was and always will be a divisive figure because of his comments and past. Like Ancelotti, he was most likely never told the truth about funds availability, but his baggage was too much to bear for most.

It was a disaster waiting to happen and we didn't have to wait long. If the club had just publicly said they could not afford another season of James Rodriguez at his original Real Madrid salary after their contribution ended, then Benitez would not have been made the scapegoat, no matter what his personal feelings towards Rodriguez.

But it painted a them v us whereby anything or anyone associated with Benitez was despised. Hence why Townsend, who was in my opinion, a very good acquisition and excellent value, felt unwanted. He was Rafa's choice and so people painted him in the same way. Sad but true.

Peter Mills 25 Posted 16/10/2025 at 20:59:05

Like just about everything on here, this is just a personal opinion, but:-

Some months before Benitez was appointed, he was interviewed by Carragher on Sky, about how things were going for him in China. This was at a time when the world knew that Benitez was fed up there.

After a bland series of questions, “Carra” asked a question along the lines of “So, Boss, would you ever consider coming back to England. Even come home to Merseyside. For a real challenge. Would you contemplate managing Everton?”

Benitez put on his best coquettish smile and said he would always relish a challenge.

Subsequently, the idiot Moshiri appointed him.

We rescued him from China. Paid him a huge wedge. Benitez abused our club, talked utter shite, gave up on it, then received compensation.

One day, this will go down as one of the lowest points in the history of Everton FC.

Robert Tressell 27 Posted 16/10/2025 at 21:32:16

Tony, without checking I presume that's the fateful day Bill Kenwright bought Everton?

Whilst I was disappointed by your perspective on the Maccabi Haifa Fan ban (so much more to it - which I'm sure a bloke as thoughtful as you will know), I think you've hit the nail on the head with this one.

There's a lot of pantomime villains in Everton's Premier League history - Rafa, Dyche and all the crap players etc etc. The real villains aren't the managers or the players, they're the people who have used this club and failed to exploit the riches of the Premier League. This, miles beyond anything any manager or DoF etc has done, is what has left us in the wilderness for so long.

Christine, excellent post at 23.

Peter Gorman 29 Posted 16/10/2025 at 22:44:35

I must be reading Townsend's comments differently to most; him calling us "the best of the rest" and thinking he had no chance is just some humility in thinking that we couldn't possibly be interested in somebody like him (mad to think we were a step up from both Newcastle and Palace back then, I know).

But Benitez put faith in him and he mostly repaid him whilst he lasted. I think he was pretty decent for us, relative to what else we had.

Nothing to see here at all.

Both Townsend and Demmari Gray were both very good signings at what ? £1.7 million for both of them,…absolute bargains.Despite them being signed by (just about) the most unpopular manager ever to be employed by EFC,he did well with that massive budget that summer to be fair.Both were accepted and well respected by the fans at the time and both would receive a good welcome if they showed up at Bramley Moor now, whatever the occasion.Neither were, or have been since, tainted by the fact Benitez signed them.It’s rubbish to suggest Townsend wasn’t liked by the fans because Benitez signed him, it’s not factually true, look, there’s not one negative comment on this thread regarding Townsend’s efforts whilst wearing the royal blue.

Kevin Molloy 31 Posted 16/10/2025 at 23:21:43

I was delighted when we got Benitez, I couldn't care less about the 'small club' stuff. Insane club management to get a manager like him, and then say 'oh, we're not giving you any money for signings'. He did very well with Andros and Demarai, but then Dcl got injured. He made some very difficult but needed decisions, like getting a million quid a month back by getting rid of James, and it did make sense to get £25m for Digne (the only way we could raise money), but then he really did cock up by lashing it on the two fullbacks. I wonder whether by that time he had given up, but that really was a waste of money. unusual for him, he was normally pretty good in the transfer market. And then we booted him, and got Lampard. And it was downhill from there.

Kieran Kinsella 32 Posted 16/10/2025 at 23:30:54

As far as Benitez goes I might be in a minority of one but my opinion of him declined after his time here despite two astute budget signings (Gray and Townsend) plus pushing Gordon along from seeming like he was going nowhere to a 50 million pound player and England international.

Like many, I thought the move was ill fated based on ill will towards him. But while that stuff didn’t bother me as much as others. What I came to realize is that he’s a really toxic, negative guy. His way of playing is dull and defense first. Plus when he fell out with Brands, it was a repeat of what has happened with him at every club falling out with DOFs, owners, chairmen. Always portraying himself as the never wrong, righteous victim, who’s under valued and misunderstood somehow. His treatment of James was completely unprofessional. He pushed Digne out as well. Yes, there was a financial aspect but then we wasted that money on two terrible fullbacks. I just feel like Rafa is like an even older and more bitter version of Jose Mourinho. There are some good ideas in there but he’s so bitter and angry he just wants to watch the world burn and then act like lighting the match was just his act of mercy on an unsalvageable world.

Lester Yip 34 Posted 17/10/2025 at 01:38:56

I remember he scored that wonderful goal from the distance. I re-watched it a lot of time. After James left, he's the only one who can whip in a decent cross.Yes, Gray and Townend are both good buys given the financial situation who both did well for the $ spent.

I still think it's a bit unlucky for Rondo. Even a player at his prime, to get back into EPL would take some time to adjust. He's being thrown right in when he had played into a much lesser league. Definitely takes time to get back into shape. He's been unlucky in front of goal but his hold up play was decent. Well, he's free and possibly the only striker with EPL experience would come to us at that time.

Mike Gaynes 36 Posted 17/10/2025 at 02:29:52

Benitez is a stain on the memory of this great club, Moshiri's greatest mistake and the one time he definitely should have listened to Blue Bill. Benitez didn't belong here and the way he drove Digne and James out of the club was an absolute disgrace. The memory of the man disgusts me to this day.

But he does deserve credit for signing Townsend, who I thought did very well for us before his injury and scored not one but two great goals I will never forget -- the screamer against Burnley and the right-foot rocket at Hull that put us through.

Robert #18, we do have someone like him now, in McNeil. Not a great goalscorer, but someone who scores great goals.

The Spanish sociopath.

By the time he came to Everton, Benitez was already finished as a manager. It is symptomatic of how dysfunctional the club was that we hired him.

Terrible man manager, rigid defensive tactics, a power-obsessed bully who wanted control of all aspects of the club, He sold, sacked or forced out anyone who disagreed with him and created a toxic culture that took a long time to recover from.

After leaving Everton, his only managerial job was Celta Vigo where he didn't survive his first season, leaving the club sitting two points from the relegation zone. Sound familiar?

I liked Andros. He had ability, he could create and score, and he seemed like a good egg.

Under Benitez (and then Dyche) we seemed to have an aversion to incorporating anyone with actual footballing talent, preferring runners or 'reliability'. Townsend was a bit of a happy medium, and therefore we got to see an actual footballer. Which was good at times.

Andros is alright in my book. It's not at all surprising no-one wanted him... who saw that transfer and thought "yes, we've found one!"?

Shame about the injury. He had a bit to offer.

Kevin (31) Agree with a lot of that, Rodriguez was going no matter who became manager but who really signed the full backs, Kenwright who didn’t want Benitez did all the negotiating for the transfer of Patterson, the Rangers chairman congratulated him for the way he conducted those negotiations, Mylenko, who knows who wanted him and signed him is anyone’s guess and Inthink there was a foreign player we got on loan from Villa who Benitez had rejected three times before he finished up here, was he part of the deal when Digne went there, I think he got a few minutes in one game under Lampard!

Benitez had a very thick skin, he was hated and not wanted by the fans at Chelsea but turned then round and won a real European trophy for them, he still lived on Merseyside so Everton suited him at the time although he was warned by those close to him not to take the job but he truly believed he could get Everton back on it’s feet again but was let down by broken promises.