He was educated at Liverpool College and was active towards the end of the 19th century, owning a brewery that left him in a comfortable financial state for the rest of his life.

A meeting held in the Sandon Hotel in Anfield, Liverpool, owned by Houlding, led to Everton F.C.

When the owner of this field eventually asked them to leave, Houlding secured a new pitch at Anfield Road, paying a small rent to John Orrell, a fellow brewer.

At Anfield stands were erected, attendance figures reached 8,000 per game, and Everton became a founding member of the Football League in 1888.

If his proposals had been accepted, Houlding would have made a lot of money from the purchase of the land and the club would have been run by a small number of large shareholders.

[6] At his funeral, players of both Liverpool and Everton carried his coffin as a mark of respect for all he had done for football in the city.

In November 2017, Houlding was officially commemorated with a bronze bust, which stands at just under 7 feet, outside Anfield, to mark the 125th anniversary of Liverpool F.C.

[2] Growing interest in the legacy of John Houlding led to a biography being published by historian Dr David Kennedy in 2022.