FORMER Wanderers favourite Alan Stubbs today completed a free transfer move from Celtic to Everton - the club he has supported, and initially played for, as a youngster born on Merseyside.

After signing a four-year deal he said: "When I went to Celtic (for £4.5m from Wanderers in 1996) everything to do with the move was massive and the more I played for them the more I grew closer to the club.

"But it is not the same as playing for your boyhood team. It is going to special when I do play.

"When I found Everton wanted me it was basically 'when can I come?"'

After being released by Everton in his teens, Kirkby-born Stubbs went on to make his name at Burnden Park.

He joined Celtic in 1996 for £4.5million and helped them win the title two years later.

However in the summer of 1999 a routine drug test after the Scottish Cup final revealed he was suffering from testicular cancer.

He fought back not once, but twice and returned to the side at the end of last season.

However when he heard Everton were interested in taking him back home, there was only going to be one winner, and he becomes manager Walter Smith's first signing of the summer.