A United Front

All I seem to read, particularly where Tony is concerned, is the scenario where Tony makes a statement of opinion, gets attacked by someone, who Tony attacks, and then it's on for young and old. And the real shame of it is that there are some fantastic points and poignant opinions that get lost amongst the missiles being hurled. Yes, you read that right — for all his negativity, Tony often makes a good argument for his particular point of view. As do Dutch, Connor, Ken and the bulk of contributors to the site.

Let me lay it out for you all right now — we are ALL supporters of the Everton Football club!

• If you support Moyes blindly, you?re a fan of Everton Football Club.
• If you want Moyes out, you?re a fan of Everton Football Club.
• If you believe we play an awful brand of football, you?re a fan of Everton Football Club.
• If you believe getting Cahill, Vaughan etc back will fix that, you?re a fan of Everton Football Club.
• You want 4-2 wins with magnificent end-to-end moves? Or pragmatic 1-0 wins? Guess what? You support Everton!

You know, this might seem like a blinding flash of the obvious to most of you — and I sincerely hope it does. But take a read through old articles, mailbags and comments to find a comment about somebody not being a ?real? fan. It usually concerns one of two differing opinions — the style/makeup of the team, as encapsulated above, or what I?m about to discuss below.

Now, being from the other side of the world, this point drives me nuts ? when people (and there are quite a few) state on this site that if you don?t go to the games, not from Liverpool etc, you?re not a real fan. That is just crap!

Using myself as an example, why should the fact that I?m in Australia exclude me from supporting the team I?ve grown up loving? Yeah, I haven?t been to Goodison. I?ve never had the pleasure of Z-Carsringing in my ears. Does that not mean I jump up and down like a crazed chimp whenever we score an important goal? Does that not mean I bleed when we lose? Does it mean the jibes from Australian Redshites ? too many of the bastards to mention ? don?t sting?

It seems that whenever a slanging match occurs, a barb about somebody's location becomes fair play. There are plenty of passionate and knowledgeable Evertonians in Liverpool, Sheffield, London, New York, Melbourne, Tokyo etc. It disappoints me that this form of xenophobia can exist in a forum, where we are all pushing towards the same goal ? glory for Everton!

We all have our own set of eyes, our own brains, and our own football upbringing. These obviously impact how we see the things that occur on a football pitch. The beauty of a fan site like this, is it allows us all to converse with other Evertonians, of differing footballing knowledge, philosophies, expectations and hopes.

It allows us to see things from multiple points of view ? to expand our own knowledge and understanding of all things Everton. We all have opinions, and we are all right to some degree, but none of us are all knowing creatures. I?m all for lively debate ?in fact it?s perfectly healthy. But some of the slanging matches that go on are juvenile.

As stated earlier, this will be as plain as the nose on your face to the majority, and that pleases me to no end. However, I hope those of you that do partake in these slanging matches read this, think about why you and all the other contributors make the effort to write, and perhaps (hopefully), reign yourselves in a touch.

We all need to get a grip sometimes, and understand that it?s the different types of fans that make up the fabric of the club, both in Liverpool, throughout England, and all over the world.

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