Take a Bow
Comments (21)
I stumbled across ToffeeWeb in 2008 by pure luck. Basically, the OS had fried my brain with its banality and I searched the web for something better. TW has satisfied my cravings for all things Everton for about 6 months now and Messrs Kenrick, LLoyd et al have much to be proud of.
The soul of the site I think lies in its contributors who provide a heady mix of passion, love for the club, intense visceral debate and, however bad things sometimes get, the inevitable humour.
So, as 2008 gradually draws to a close, maybe it would now be appropriate to pay tribute to those people whose contibutions on TW have stood out for you this year. Perhaps I should get the ball rolling by saying that I am often impressed by the comments of Christine Foster and Connor Rohrer. E J Ruane is a skilled wordsmith who is capable of great humour as he weaves words as a form of tapestry. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to Evertonians everywhere.
Michael Evans,
Shropshire Posted 30/12/2008 at 09:52:37
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Michael Kenrick
Good call, Michael. This would be a rather dull place without our contributors and it is primarily their varied interests that keep the discussion and the debate lively and interesting. Thanks to all of you, in 2008, and here's to plenty more to talk about and celebrate in 2009.
Agreed. The people who work tirelessly to provide the TW forum are owed a debt of gratitude from all of us who contribute to and read the site. Best wishes to all toffees for 2009. Thanks to Mr Kenrick et al for giving us a voice. Happy new year and up the mighty Everton!
Ricardo Humphries
Posted 30/12/2008 at 14:41:04
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Hi guys,
I?ve had a ball reading most of your comments, Connor Rohrer stands out the most I?ll have too admit!
Thanks for a great 2008 here on Toffeeweb, and let?s hope for an even better one next year.
To the Editorial team, great stuff guys! We love the new look site.
I heard recently that Alex ?Sandy? Young c 1906 was hanged for sheep rustling in Australia. If true, surely he must be the only top English league footballer to have ended his career this way.
Such a strange tale. Can anyone enlighten me?
The are so many contributers I find it it hard to single out anyone but have to confess to amazement at the omission of Tony Marsh who stands head and shoulders above everyone and who is as passionate as they come like him or loathe him. Of the editorial team they do a wonderful job and a big thanks to Lyndon in promoting the idea of fans posting directly. Apart from the occasional clown, I think the contributions are informed, lively and interesting.
One final note: we havn?t heard from Colm Kavanagh for some time. Colm did an excellent job of keeping us informed of developments at the club and I greatly respected his views. Is he still an active member of the editorial team? I do hope so as it would be good to hear his opinions once more.
Sorry, George. The Sandy Young story has cropped up here and there, but there’s no corroboration. Urban legend.
You do yourself a dis-service Michael. Sure there are some incredibly knowledgeable, funny and passionate blues visiting this site and they are a big part of TW?s make up. But its the bravery and willingness of the TW team to allow all views to be read, that sets this site apart.
I was at a seminar in London a few months ago with collegues from all over the UK, TW was running an article about a certain coach company and the behaviour of a section of so called Evertonians when they travel. I had seen the article the day before when it had first surfaced and could hardly believe you had decided this deeply unpleasant issue should be tackled head on and allowed the posts to run. I drew this to the attention of a guy from B/ham and before I knew it I was surrounded by people reading all the posts, everyone was impressed by the way this highly sensitive issue was monitored, but more so by the courage you guys displayed by allowing an OPEN debate on a subject 99 sites out of 100 would have run a mile from.
Top Site, take a bow.
Let?s just hope that that favourite son of Everton, Andy Burnham, does not get his meddling fingers into trying to put limits on the internet otherwise we all find ourselves in trouble for not acknowledging the Sky 4 their rightful place and for swearing at referees, Kenwright on Kirkby and all the rest.
This man?s ideas/plans must be resisted ? don?t forget to make the connections, lads, even though he claim he?s an Everton fan.
Alas, my literary merits do not merit a mention in Michael Evans? tribute but it provides me with the opportunity to thank Messrs Kenrick and Lloyd for at least allowing a positive view to be aired in our club?s less successful times.
Cheers, Dave. Some topics can be problematic, to say the least. The most difficult thing to manage, though, is the breadth of diversity among Evertonians viewing some of the more contentious issues, the inability of a minority to accept that views different from their own exist, and their insistence that views of others must change to fall in line with their own. As moderators who wish to promote reasonable discussion from all perspectives, we do not accept that.
A timely case in point is Chris Bridgen, who has just appeared today and perfectly exemplifies this uncompromising attitude. Chris, please back off your high horse and talk about the football issues and their merits. Thanks.
Thanks to all concerned at TW. You are a real life saver here for us ex-pats. I am in Kuwait and my first thought everyday is TW on the net!
Stanley Ashbourne
Posted 30/12/2008 at 17:40:57
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Thanks to everyone at TW. I would be lost without it.
John McFarlane [Senior]
Posted 30/12/2008 at 19:29:39
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George, Sandy Young was found guilty of the manslaughter of his brother in Australia in 1916, and served a three year sentence, it is reported that he died in an Edinburgh mental institution in 1959.
I do have a favour to ask of you all. One thing it is getting harder and harder to do is to find newsworthy items for the homepage. So, if you see something while you’re surfing the waves, please feel free to email me the story, with the full URL link. Even better if you want to write the TW headline and snippet text.
Full credit given for all news contributions! I only ask that they are (a) relevant to Everton; (b) interesting; and especially (c) not full of meaningless banalities. I’m also working on Lyndon to have each news item we carry automatically generate a discussion thread, as the mailbag items do.
I believe Toffeeweb to be justly described by an oft overused phrase, ?Different Class?. Just like Evertonians, a breed apart. ?Power to the people?...COYB!
Thanks Marco and John for putting Sandy Young to bed. Pity, because it seemed a good story. We really don?t have any knowledge as to what happened to the old timers after they finished playing. Did any ex-Everton players ever become well known as artists, actors, politicians, explorers, murderers, war heroes etc? Could be interesting...
Richard Dodd, its because you talk shit. Sorry.
John McFarlane [Senior]
Posted 30/12/2008 at 21:45:25
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George, in answer to your query, the one who springs to mind is Leigh Richmond Roose, the amateur goalkeeper who played for Everton in the 1904-05 season. At the outbreak of the First World War, he joined the Royal Army Medical Corps and was stationed at Rouen in France, treating injured soldiers before arranging their transport back to Britain.
In April 1916 he was transferred to the evacuation hospital at Gallipoli, before returning to London. He later joined the 9th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers and was sent to the Western Front. In August 1916 he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery while fighting at the "Battle of the Somme". The citation read, "he threw bombs until his arm gave out, and then joining the covering party, he used his rifle to great effect".
Roose was killed on the 7 October 1916 during an attack on German trenches at Gueudecourt. He was seen running towards the enemy at full speed in "No Man's Land" firing his gun, soon afterwards he was seen lying in a bomb crater, unfortunately his body was never recovered.
Can I please add my support and thanks to all of those at ToffeeWeb Towers for the fantastic work and committment in providing and maintaining this forum.
A wide and diversified if not unified set of views get on here and, agree or otherwise with some contributions, I for one feel better when I have had my daily read.
Thanks again to Micheal, Lyndon and the team.
Best wishes to all for the New Year, be it pro this issue or against that issue, as long as we remain united as Evertonians ? that is all that matters.
I love to add the occasional crap from time to time but certainly not this: Thank you TW and fellow contributors. You are like water to a thirsty Evertonian soul.
I?m a year and a half long Blues fan. USA citizen, found "soccer" and was hit with the lightning bolt. Decided to support the Blues with all heart and soul and LOVE this site.
Father of 5 sons, can?t wait to someday cross the pond and take the tikes to an Everton game at Goodison. Thank TW for their FANTASTIC site. Love the posts - from the hip-hip horray ones to the, shit we?re gonna die we just lost 2 straight and we?re leaving Liverpool ones. Hilarious when put in perspective, enlightening, intelligent, et al...
Keep your heads when we hit the Liverpool, Arsenal, Man U run.... It?s all good. This is a club with character, with great down-to-earth players, IMO a good manager, and it is, above all STABLE!!!!!
TY TW for all perspectives and keep up the sublime work.
COYB from a Damn Yank!!!!
Bleeding Blue till my death.
And an honourable mention must go to Tony Marsh, Richard Dodd, Neil Pearson and Gerrard Madden for their diverse views and alternative wisdom without which reading this website would be no different than reading the OS.
Hapy New Year to all.
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