[3] Everton had finished in a disappointing eighth position in the inaugural Football League season, having scored only 35 goals and the directors "were determined to improve upon their indifferent performances",[4] especially in front of the goal, by recruiting Geary, along with Scotsman Alex Latta (from Dumbarton) and Welshman Charlie Parry (from Chester St Oswalds).

He relied on his pace and acceleration to get away from defenders and, according to the Liverpool Echo, "his team-mates complained that he was sometimes too quick, leaving the ball or his strike partners behind with his turbo-charged bursts".

[2] Geary made his Football League debut for Everton on 7 September 1889 at home (then at Anfield) to Blackburn Rovers and scored twice in a 3–2 victory.

[5] He soon began to form a prolific scoring partnership with Latta, well supported by Edgar Chadwick and Alf Milward, and later in the season by Alexander Brady.

England easily overcame the Irish by a 9–1 margin, with Geary scoring a hat-trick, and a pair each from William Townley and Kenny Davenport.

In a close game,[11] England managed to hold on to a 2–1 victory with goals from John Goodall (Derby County) and Chadwick.

[12] Geary started the 1891–92 season well, with four goals from the first five games until injury put him out of action for several months, with Alan Maxwell taking his place.

In the summer of 1892, Everton move out of their original home at Anfield after John Houlding, the leaseholder of the stadium, purchased the ground outright and proposed increasing the rent from £100 to £250 per year.

[14] The team's first league victory at their new ground came in the next home game when they crushed Newton Heath 6–0, with Geary and Chadwick each scoring twice.

Geary played in the first three matches of the FA Cup run, scoring four goals before a leg injury resulted in him missing the semi-final against Preston North End.

Although Geary was now fit, he was not picked for the Final to be played at Fallowfield, Manchester on 25 March, with Alan Maxwell retaining his place at centre-forward.

Injury prevented Geary making an appearance at the start of the 1893–94 season, and he lost his place at centre-forward to Jack Southworth who had arrived from Blackburn Rovers during the summer.

The season ended with Everton in a disappointing sixth place, with Southworth top scorer in the Football League with a tally of 27 goals from just 22 games.