When Tony Cottee moved to Everton from West Ham United in the summer of 1988, it was a transfer that hogged plenty of column inches.
After all, at £2.2m, the centre-forward had cost the Toffees a record fee for a British player, although that was to be eclipsed soon after by Ian Rush's return to rivals Liverpool from Italian outfit Juventus.
Nevertheless, when 24-year-old Cottee stepped out for his Everton debut at Goodison Park against Newcastle United 26 years ago today, the weight of expectation on his shoulders would have been huge. If there were any nerves, the diminutive frontman soon eased them.
There was just a mere 34 seconds on the clock when a hopeful punt forward found Graeme Sharp, who saw his shot from close range parried clear by visiting goalkeeper Dave Beasant. However, Everton's new number 10 was alert to the rebound, which he fired into the net to get his career on Merseyside off to a dream start.
It would get even better before the break when Peter Reid threaded a pass through for Cottee down the right side of the penalty area. The angle appeared to be against the centre-forward, but having fired a low shot across Beasant, the ball entered the net via the upright.
Rather than rest on their laurels, Everton went for the jugular after the restart and that positivity was further rewarded as the debutant completed his hat-trick.
Beasant rushed off his line to confront Cottee, but the Newcastle goalkeeper was caught out by the attacker's first touch, which created enough space for him to score his third goal of the afternoon - on this occasion in front of the famous Gwladys Street End.
That concluded Cottee's scoring for the contest, but the hosts were not quite done. This time Cottee turned provider as he flicked the ball into the path of his strike partner Sharp to convert the easiest of opportunities.
Understandably the headlines after the final whistle belonged to Cottee. He had already started to pay back some of what at the time was a hefty transfer fee and he went on to score 15 goals in all competitions that season.
It was also the first of six hat-tricks that he would score in Everton colours - only Dixie Dean and Bobby Parker can boast more trebles for the club.
Everton: Southall; Pointon, McDonald, Watson, Snodin; Reid, McCall, Steven (Sheedy), Nevin; Cottee, Sharp
Newcastle: Beasant; Wharton, Anderson, Jackson, Thorn; Tinnion, O'Neill, McCreery, Hendrie; Robertson, Mirandinha (Jackson)
Liam Apicella
