Everton Banter Archive March 07 2018

07 Mar 2018 19:49:37
I've been an Everton fan from a young age (since 1963) , but my actual recollections of matches are only since 1966.
From those 50-plus years, I could list loads of disappointing results, countless near-misses in our club's pursuit of trophies, plenty of injustices (bitter blue or what! ) , managers who came close (but eventually failed) , and way too many players who didn't live up to expectations or just weren't good enough.
Throughout all those years however - even when mediocrity was our level or (worse! ) when relegation threatened - I saw the players (whatever their limitations or lack of confidence) pretty much always trying and I saw the managers (whatever their eventual failings) trying to do what they thought was right. Our fans were great - Goodison Park was a bear pit and our away support excellent.
Now, despite Mr Moshiri's investment and the optimism and raised expectations of last Summer, there is an atmosphere of fear, uncertainty and doubt at our club - and many of the fanbase have lapsed into apathy.
It's going to need all concerned - club, players, fans - to rebuild confidence. A few wins will obviously help the mood, but there surely are far deeper issues to be addressed by Mr Moshiri in order for our club to become genuine challengers in the PL and in Europe and to progress as a 21st century professional football club.

07 Mar 2018 20:49:26
See where you are coming from mate, I too am a young 68 yr old and have supported Everton for as long as I can remember, and I too can recall the trials and tribulations of being an Everton Fan in the 60s and 70s and with all the good times that came with it, and yes its going to be a long hard struggle to get back to that, but I really think we now have a guy who can make it happen in Mr Moshiri, come hell or high water and hey WE ARE EVERTON.

07 Mar 2018 21:53:59
I remember watching the 66 cup final in horror and running up to our attic in tears at half time only for my Dad to coax me down to watch the second half with a promise of a glass of Jusoda and a jam butty! The rest as they say is history. I’d agree with the OP. What I’ve always remembered through all the low times is a club which had pride in itself and whose fans supported the team whatever dross was served up on the pitch. Am I getting old and nostalgic? Maybe. But what is probably true is the recognition that those days have gone and the days when HK would celebrate a win by taking the team out for a Chinese and s few beers are now in the past. We need to move on.

07 Mar 2018 23:17:20
I was 75 yesterday and remember the good and the bad times well.
The days we remember with fondness are gone now and I think we are going through a transformation. The Everton of old is being pushed aside and Everton as a business is now at the forefront.

We are at an age where fans want instant results and expect a bigger say into what happens, no longer do fans trust those with running the club, even though we have seen it all before and got through the other end unscathed. Todays fans demand a scapegoat at a whim and only talk about being patient, whilst at the same time making demands. Because of this impatience, I feel that the emergence of this new fan, has no respect for our history, I believe they want to be part of anything good that happens without experiencing the associated pain that usually pre lives success.

I am sure that we will have the glory days again, and I welcome that happening, I also think that the new type of fan we now find ourselves with is actually a good thing, We need to give our heritage the respect it deserves, but we also need to stop dining out on our past. It's been too long now and that, along with the fans, is forcing through changes are long overdue.

We the senior fans have become complacent, it is time to see what the younger ones can do.

{Ed007's Note - 75 yesterday! Congratulations and a very happy birthday to you mate. It's great to see old school friends of Ed025 using the site.}

07 Mar 2018 23:59:00
I remember Goodison being half full in the dark days. I remember the fans getting on the players back. I remember being furious at those fans for not bothering to turn up to matches until it was almost too late.

Thankfully, there were some of us that went to every game and tried to get them over the line.

I love our club but our away fans are 100 times better than our home ones and if you've been away then you'll understand what I'm saying. If you haven't then you probably don't.

It's never been any different. In every decade I've been going there has never been any generation better than the last or any worse.

There was more violence in the 70's and 80's and racism at Goodison was rife but it was a different era and we have learnt many lessons. Patience from fans is the same now as it was in 82/ 83 and late 70'S that I can remember. However, now fans wrap up much warmer for the winter games.

What I do love about us though is when the times are good we are amazing and when we play our main rivals or its that last game of the season and we need a result to stay up we really do become the twelfth man. Just wish we were like this at Goodison for 90 minutes and throughout the season.

08 Mar 2018 01:01:00
Grumpytoffee: Happy birthday, mate! You’re probably one of few fans who can remember Everton being relegated in 1951 and then being promoted in 1954. If anyone knows the emotion involved as a fan it’s surely you.

08 Mar 2018 08:40:04
Thanks Ed007 I'm sure Ed025 was my teacher,

I remember those times Bobby with trepidation, it was the worst day of my young life when we went down and one of the best when we went up, It was genuinely a different system back then, one where you did not have to wait for transfer windows or the such, personally I think it was better that way.

BJU is right the mid 70's until the early 80's saw the violence and racism both inside and outside of Goodison, and sadly that is also a part of our history, not a part to be proud of but non the less it's still there. The fact it went on at every club does not make it right, thankfully views regarding racism have changed and it is frowned upon these days.

{Ed025's Note - belated birthday wishes for tuesday grumpy mate, i would think i am maybe your long lost son than your teacher though, i am becoming miserable and a real moaner so your DNA is being carried on down the line.. :)

08 Mar 2018 10:26:31
Trust me I have never christened any of my son's Ed025, although the figure is probably close. Thanks for the Birthday wishes and try to get used to being miserable and a moaner as it only gets worse, even our cats give me a wide berth when I'm in a grump.

{Ed025's Note - im sure they do mate.. :)

07 Mar 2018 12:03:55
{Ed's Note - WYred has posted a new article entitled, VAR and why it is so close to being right

07 Mar 2018 08:33:47
Watching last nights Champions League game between PSG and Real Madrid something other than the football grabbed my attention. In these times of heightened security in most areas of our daily lives I find it incredible that people are still able to smuggle flares/ pyrotechnics into football stadiums, especially when you consider the obvious dangers they can pose. Is it something that's accepted in other parts of Europe as just part of the game? Are those who smuggle them in really that clever at avoiding detection? or is the security at these venues simply inadequate to cope with the numbers involved?

07 Mar 2018 14:49:25
if the sort of flares psg had last night where at goodsion the whole gwladys would go up in flames.

07 Mar 2018 16:06:02
Exactly wblue. The potential for major damages and/ or, more importantly still, fans getting seriously injured or killed is real as far as I'm concerned. I just hope it doesn't get that far before something is done to stamp it out. If that means longer queues to allow thorough searches of fans before they are allowed entry to stadiums so be it. Safety for ALL has to be the priority.

08 Mar 2018 10:37:32
English football is better at regulating these sorts of things. Fans seem less wild than some countries aswell. Health and safety rules in general are stricter here aswell. Spains health and safety rules seem to be less strict in my experience.

07 Mar 2018 00:03:38
A question for everyone but i would like the Eds view aswell.
With us having a DOF would it not work better with a head coach, rather than a manager? Someone who works closely with the players and what they need to do on the pitch.

I hear a lot from Allardyce about the players being able to speak to statisticians, or coaches and not too much about his advice to them personally. It sounds from the outside that He instructs his team and they carry out the training for the players. He brought a big team with him and that's ok if that's how he works but, is it not a case of too many chefs spoil the broth?
Especially with a DOF to contend with.

{Ed001's Note - I think so yes. DoF always works best with a head coach because they are otherwise doing almost the same job as a manager. If you look at what the old school managers did, mostly, they were DoFs in all but name. The likes of Ferguson, Redknapp, Paisley, Kendall, they were not often taking training as they had so much other stuff to do. They would oversee it and the other coaches would report back to them, but they very rarely took training. That was the key to Ferguson's longevity, as his assistant would be replaced every few years and so brought fresh ideas to training and tactics.}

07 Mar 2018 07:03:18
Thanks Ed.
Interesting what you say about Fergie as most managers like to keep the same team and take them wherever they go.

{Ed001's Note - yep and that is why they go stale so often.}

07 Mar 2018 07:42:13
That is very insightful Ed and makes real sense for me.

{Ed001's Note - cheers.}

07 Mar 2018 22:06:23
question ed, how do you think mourinho has managed such longevity? i think he's kept rui faria and co since his time at porto.

{Ed001's Note - he has done it the same way Pep has avoided going stale, he doesn't stay in one place for long enough.}

07 Mar 2018 23:50:35
do you think the lack of freshness was the reason for rjikkards decline in barcelona as well? just curious about your thoughts.

{Ed001's Note - there was a lot more to it with Rijkaard. He was a bit weak with the players and Ronaldinho was getting away with doing bugger all training as he was off partying all the time. That led other players to stop putting in the effort as well.}