ToffeeWeb Viewpoint
Thoughts from the Editor

Cutting the cord
24 December 2005

One of our Mailbag contributors, David C, submitted this dissertation with a rather startling concept that he later narrowed down into a challenge to Evertonians, and to us, the custodians of ToffeeWeb:

I imbibed a bit too much last night, and am consequently paying the price for it today. I must be a masochist because I came to ToffeeWeb to take my mind off the hangover and to {hoho!} feel a bit better.  Then I read at the end of Dan Compton's letter, "Just keep shelling out the money and keep your traps shut � that`s what we do, you know, us Evertonians."  The worst thing about the statement is not it's inherent cynicism and negativity, but the fact that it's the irrefutable truth.

Bollocks to that, I say.  Opening my mouth doesn't seem to help anyone, so perhaps it's time to stop shelling out the money.  Voting with your feet as it were.  After all, continued financial support of these tossers almost certainly indicates to them that the shit sandwich they've served up this year is not only palatable, it's actually a delicacy!  They don't deserve a penny, and until they've demonstrated that they MIGHT be worthy of support, they shan't get any off me.

After all, it's the only thing I provide to the club � thus the only thing I can withdraw � thus that's what I'm doing.  No more money from sucker #312431 until you've shown you might warrant it, boys!  Or even POTENTIALLY warrant it.

How does that help Everton?  I don't suppose, in a practical way, that it does.  BUT � firstly, it doesn't appear that my support up until now has actually helped in any way shape or form?  Secondly, the withdrawal of support might actually indicate to Billy Bullshit that the performances of himself, his manager and his players have been unacceptable.  Stumping up the cash for match tickets and Sky sends the opposite message � that, despite results and the manner results were accumulated, they are still worthy of financial backing from me, Joe in the Street.

I would argue that withdrawal of financial support of the club helps it more in the long term than buying a new replica kit for me nephew this Christmas, and handing over thirty-plus notes every other week does.  Football, thanks to Sky, is a product.  Sadly, the product turned out at Goodison is, for the most part, turgid shite, and so overpriced as to be beyond belief.  The product has to improve for me to return.  If it doesn't, I shan't.

I'm sweating, shaking and my head is pounding or I'd write some criteria as to what constitutes improved product.  The intelligent fans that come here can already guess what I'd say.  Anyone lambasting me for "abandoning the team" and other such bollocks fails aforementioned intelligence test.

We all have limits and I've reached mine.  It just took an almighty fucken' hangover and a throwaway comment to make me see that I've arrived at that point, and what I can do about it?

Is ToffeeWeb being overly negative again by publishing this?  More bollocks, it's the way I feel, and who's to blame for that?  This website is the only real evidence of our motto - continuous improvement, and a real representation of the views of the {ahem} "Peoples Club".  Rob Fox aside, the fellows who run the site here are astute, erudite and honest.  It's about time a lot more fans {and the club itself} try and live up to similar ideals.

I'm off for a lucozade and as many prescription painkillers as I can find.  The bastards have driven me to drink � actually can't blame that on them.  It's Christmas after all. And I wish a good one to Blues everywhere, god knows we deserve it.
David C (22/12/05)

Then, because I was a little slow publishing this rant, David followed up with this: 

Obviously things aren't that bad, that you're not prepared to withdraw YOUR support.  Or even broadcast that many Bluenoses feel that the time has come and gone.

My question is: Where is the line for you guys?  Division One?  Division Two?  I'll never stop being an Evertonian, but I'm through giving Kenwright and his cronies MY money.  I work too hard to get it.  Even if it was dole money, it would be unacceptable to hand it over to the powers that be.

Is there a point that you'll say the same?  Fair enough, if you don't.  But as a "fan", all you have is your support.  And when things become unacceptable, that's all you have to withdraw.  Can you visualise a point where Kenwright is beyond financially backing?

Just interested.  I equate you � the guys that run the site � as being at least half-intelligent human beings {it's Rob "Moyes is a Genius" Fox that brings you back to half}.  As half-intelligent beings, I hope you recognise that you have to draw a line SOMEWHERE.  My line was a 4-0 tonking by a Bolton side with less {paper talent} than ours at home.  Just wondering where your guys' "line" is?

If you're prepared to pay to watch Everton in the Conference, that's fine. But my feelings remain � to support turgid shit with financial backing indicates consent.  The only way to show the club that the dross we're being served is not acceptable is to withdraw support.  That's what I've done. What are you going to do?  Or is running a website enough for you?

This was meant on a level. I appreciate you guys doing what you do, and I know self-examination is difficult. But when is enough, ENOUGH?

Never? Or somewhere? If somewhere... where???
David C (24/12/05)

The question has some merit, even if the presentation leaves something to be desired. 

Where would I draw the line? 

I really thought the departure of Rooney would do it for me.  One of the things we started doing on this website that nobody was doing was following the fortunes of the Everton Youth and Reserves teams.  Starting back in 1996-97, we provided coverage of the Youth Cup and Reserves games.  When Everton finally deigned to enter the new FA Premier Youth League in 1998, we documented all those Youth Academy games as well.  The underlying purpose was to track the development of young players coming up through the ranks, with the unspoken dream that a gem of unparalleled talent would make his way into the first team. 

Wayne Rooney became the unique manifestation of that, and it happened on our watch.  The only occasion this will happen in our lifetime.  So it was all the more galling for me to document through the other key areas of this website � the news items, archived for posterity in each Season Diary, and the classically tantalizing Rumour Mill, not to mention some excellent articles from dedicated Evertonians like Colm Kavanagh � the initial murmurings that developed into Machiavellian machinations which eventually saw his acrimonious departure.  That sent a dagger through the heart of many a true Evertonian, spin or no spin.

But we persisted.  ToffeeWeb and it predecessors, especially Lyndon's Evertonia.com, have been around for a long time, and we are in it for the long haul.  Obviously we are ardent supporters of Everton (although some of our critics would question that!), and yet the Club could have argued that, once they finally got a half-decent website operating, we were drawing some of their traffic, and denying them revenue.  Indeed, there was a period a couple of years ago when it seemed the Premier League would mount a campaign to drive away all of the independent and unofficial websites.  That misguided attempt to monopolize the Internet failed, and credit to Everton FC for not going after us at that time.  In fact, we maintain a good relationship with the Club, and now there seem to be far more unofficial sites who are each doing their own thing and catering for their own groups of Evertonians.

That's getting off the point a little, but it's to illustrate two things.  We do this because we are first and foremost Everton Supporters.  And secondly, doing this does not involve much financial support that goes to the Kenwright coffers.  So we don't share the same rational underlying your stance: the withdrawal of financial support; it just doesn't apply.

Personally, I don't get to too many matches, but I do watch as many complete games as I can that are televised.  So again, I'm not shelling out directly for match tickets... although some of the money I pay for TV coverage likely finds its way back to Goodison Park.  But I know that's not your real point.

How bad would it have to become?

• Will we carry on if there is another 4-0 home embarrassment?  Of course we will. 
• Will we carry on if Bill Kenwright continues as Chairman?  Ditto. 
• ... If Moyes fails to get us up the table?  Yes.
• ... If Moyes gets us relegated?  ....

... now that would start to raise some legitimate concerns.  Would I personally carry on spending the time I do to run this website?  It could offer the chance to pack it in, and arguably spend my time on more worthwhile or profitable pursuits.  Unlikely, though. 

I think, David C, your main point is flawed. Your implication is that support of Everton involves providing implicit and continuing approval of Bill Kenwright, of David Moyes, and of all things Everton.  As this website has always maintained, we do not offer blind and unwavering sycophantic allegiance to all things Everton, and indeed not to the current custodians.  We provide instead critical appraisal that includes a recognition of the roles and responsibilities these men have, and attempts to provide an appraisal of their effectiveness in doing their jobs for Everton, and advancing the future of the Club.

Your rant also assumes that these key people in charge don't seem to know what is happening to our club, and that your actions will somehow help to bring this home to them.  Nothing could possibly be more misguided.  No-one is more submerged in this mess than David Moyes, whose task it is to redress the failures and disappointments that have brought you as a supporter to this awful nexus.  His latest words today say as much.  To think otherwise is plainly silly.

Your gesture may make you feel better about the confusing personal dichotomy of supporting a once-great club with a motto that is now palpably redundant.  Yet your gesture will go largely unnoticed and its effect on things will be negligible.  Almost everybody else (with some exceptions who you should really get to know) will continue supporting Everton in our own individual ways.  For 30,000 or so, that will continue to involve attending the game, only a fraction of them paying out fresh monies... only a fraction of which will go to any budget over which Moyes or Kenwright has discretionary spending power. 

Of course you are unhappy about the results of the last two games.  And you are not alone.  We are all upset... who isn't?  But to rant and rave and stamp your feet in this tizzy is really just a bit sad.  The much-maligned Blue sub-motto comes to mind:

Once a Blue, Always a Blue.

Michael Kenrick
ToffeeWeb Editor

Responses:

I'm not going to take too much time here, I feel we both agree this debate has well and truly ended.

I did want to make a few points, for my benefit rather than to appear in the mailbag.

I'm not advocating abandoning Everton. I even said in there - somewhere - that I'm an Evertonian. Born one, will die one.

I'm advocating withdrawing financial backing for a board of inept tossers, and a manager who {with every game} one suspects may be in the same boat. That doesn't mean shutting down websites. It doesn't mean ignoring debates in the alehouse about tactics, the uselessness of Kilbane and whether Atlantis will be found before Kr�ldrup plays a game.

It means stop giving the club your money. No more replica kits, no more coffee mugs, no more overpriced tickets to watch shite.

Whether that affects the club or not is beside the point. Boycotting the Sun is much in the same league. If you don't support it, don't fucking buy it. I'm not sure Murdoch misses our loose change either. But it doesn't mean we should go buy it.

My question was - when would you advocate a mass action like mine? When would you be willing to follow my course of action yourself? Id there a line there? If so, where?

The club cares not about us - as long as we keep turning up. 0-4 tonkings by sides that would seem inferior on paper doesn't mean the ticket prices will go down for the next match. That's because people keep stumping over the cash.

I think the current regime is a disgrace, and is running the club at best, into nowhere, and at worst into the ground. I can't make change. The only way for me to indicate my disapproval - as far as I see it - is to withdraw my financial support of the club. As you so rightly point out many times - it ain't Kenwrights money going to Weir, Pistone and Bent - it's ours. Yours, mine and Tony Marshes.

Except you can take me out of that loop now. I won't pay for shite. They made football a "product" {vomit}, I choose not to buy. Whether that makes a difference to the club or not is irrelevant. It makes a difference to me. I'm not rich, I work fucking hard for everything I get. I'll spend it something that warrants it - until I see evidence of realistic sustainable change at Everton. {Which almost certainly means Kenwrights departure}.

That was my point. I still look for the results on the net, I still visit your web site, if the games on in the alehouse when I'm there I watch it. But giving Kenwright and Co my money reinforces the central problem with Everton. We're so fucking loyal, we'll pay to watch any old shit. More this season than ever before - significantly more. both shite and money actually}

Count me out is all.

I obviously touched a nerve there somewhere, and I'm not sure how or why. But that doesn't matter either. You were big enough to publish my contribution, and big enough to debate it. I really appreciate that, and it's more evidence that this website is the only fucking thing deserving of a certain Latin inscription. {Except for a certain naive and verbose Moyes apologist} It's over, let's leave it at that. Merry Xmas, may all your hangovers be transitory.

All best - for Everton and yourselves -

David C

�2005 ToffeeWeb