Moyes reached the landmark in Everton’s 3-1 victory over Coventry City on 6 November, drawing level with Catterick as the club’s longest-serving manager by number of games. The Scot has overseen two spells at Goodison Park, first taking charge in 2002 and returning in January 2025.
Reflecting on his record, Moyes said the achievement carried considerable personal significance, although he remains conscious of what his teams might have won.
“Yes I am proud,” he told Everton’s official matchday programme. “The thought of being the Everton manager who has managed the most games is something I’m very proud of.
“I’d dearly love to have added trophies to that statistic. But during the times we’re talking about we didn’t have the kind of financial backing Harry had.”
Moyes recalled the financial limits he faced during his first spell, when chairman Bill Kenwright told him the club could provide £5 million a year for transfers.
“I told him, ‘That’s great, Bill, as long as I can do what I want with the players, as long as I can take them away and give them the best facilities’, and he shook my hand on it. He made good on that promise.”
Despite the restrictions, Everton regularly challenged the established Premier League sides, qualified for the Champions League and reached an FA Cup final. Moyes said he had not fully appreciated the scale of that achievement at the time.
“When you look back now and people tell me how many times we finished above Liverpool, how many times we got into Europe, we were in the middle of it and it felt quite disappointing at the time because I was trying to break the ceiling on the top clubs,” he said.
Moyes also recalled the atmosphere of Everton’s 2-0 win over Fiorentina at Goodison Park in the UEFA Cup, after losing the first leg by the same score. The Toffees were eventually eliminated on penalties, but the occasion remains one of his most emotional memories.
Returning in January 2025, Moyes took charge with Everton close to the relegation zone and guided them to safety. His first full season back brought a challenge for European qualification, although he acknowledged the current campaign has been harder because of a smaller squad.
“Everton has never left me, so getting the chance to come back was a great opportunity,” he said.
He added that the club’s importance extended beyond football, with his family sharing in the experience of his two spells on Merseyside. Moyes said his father had watched much of the journey and his son David had travelled with the team.
“I’m incredibly proud to be the Everton manager,” he said. “The Club gets you, and if you get the Club – then it’s so big.”