ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

What's an Evertonian?

I didn't get a vote on Kirkby. My reasons for opposing the move are entirely sentimental and in some ways I feel that my views do not count as much as those of Tony Marsh or Gerald Madden but maybe there are some people who read ToffeeWeb who are in the same position as me. Here's why:

May 1966, FA Cup Final, Everton 2-0 down. I think, "I want this team to win..." So, I'm hooked for life.1968, my dad saves a few quid and we go (at huge expense then) to see Everton play Nottingham Forest. My God, Goodison Park seemed like the Vatican and the Taj Mahal rolled into one. The best day of my life and the best memory of my Dad that I have (crap game as I recall).

Then, the seventies, playing in the school team... pick what player you want to be .Well,I(honest to God) said "I'm Terry Darracott." Each trip to Goodison Park was like the greatest adventure on earth.

Then the eighties, working in Manchester, going to GP every home game ? the best days ever. Nowdays, I can't afford to go so often. So, am I still an Evertonian? I realize this might seem to the pragmatists like sentimental nonsense, but what the fuck , sentiment is under-rated. Not every Evertonian lives in Liverpool. There are many who didn't vote who don't want to go.
Andy Crooks, Belfast Posted 25/06/2008 at 23:46:47

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Michael Kenrick

Okay, so you love GP and you don't want to go to Kirkby... Join the club, Andy. Why shouldn't your views count on an equal basis to those of Tony Marsh or Gerard Madden, or anyone else. We are all Evertonians if we claim to be Evertonians. I cannot abide this "am I still an Evertonian?" bullshit ? why even go there? How many Evertonians do you think there are in the world? Seriously! How many of those go to Goodison even once a year? Get a grip, Andy! If you don't wanna go to Kirkby, just say so!

Martin Cutler
1 Posted 26/06/2008 at 05:04:10

I?ve never been to Goodison (shock, horror I know) but I live and breathe EVERTON, my club!
I live in the States now and I?m jobless so the chances of seeing Goodison at all are extremely slim but I STILL live and breathe EVERTON, my club!
I couldn?t vote either way for Kirkby......... initially I thought it was a good thing, now I?m totally confused......... you hear so much bullshit (from both sides) it?s hard to decide.............. as the money situation is what it is I guess we have to do something but it?s such a huge, monumental decision it has to be right! Screw it up and we?re royally fucked for years to come!!
However, I STILL live and breathe EVERTON, my club!

Dave Wilson
2 Posted 26/06/2008 at 06:57:49

Sorry Guys I cant have this

I get really angry when someone from The States, or Australia or Portugal come on here demanding we move, ok they may be top blues in exile but, ffs

A move would be life changing for me and thousands of others, where as, only the images of thousands of empty seats flashed across their screens would tell them its not GP
Their match day experience would hardly alter at all, they could imagine we are still in liverpool
Travelling to Kirkby - driving past thousands of sniggering RS - would provide the match goer with a sharp reminder , that we are not

Evertonia is one family - you can tell by the fucking arguments - but on this issue the match goers have so much more at stake

I would love them to bulldoze the Rovers Return - now that would be progress - but I except Jack Duckwork should have a greater say

Ste Kenny
3 Posted 26/06/2008 at 07:46:42

Andy,

I went to every home game bar 1, 10 aways all the home Uefa Cup games and 2 Uefa Cup aways last season. It was a similar story the year before, I didn't get a vote. The point I'm trying to make is that there are thousands of Evertonians who don't get a season ticket who didn't get a vote; maybe we dont count as Evertonians either.

By the way my vote would have been a resounding NO!!!!!!! Simply because the new proposed ground is not fit to replace Goodison Park, not because of where it is.

Jason Lam
4 Posted 26/06/2008 at 08:19:28

I agree with Dave Wilson that match goers have more at stake, but from what I’ve been following I’m not sure if they have any say in the matter. Weird, we usually take the streets and riot when we feel aggrieved by the governing bodies. 30,000 home fans shouting BK out should raise a few eyebrows no?

Darren Manning
5 Posted 26/06/2008 at 08:07:31

I’m with Dave, I’m a season ticket holder, went on every european trip, the carling cup run and only missed 3 league aways(mainly down to being brassic from europe!) and while I don’t think anyone is any less of a blue for not doing the same, surely this particular debate, or the end result, is going to impact me alot more directly. As dave says what exactly changes if you’re in a bar in Brisbane/Hong Kong/New York? I don’t doubt you’ll want the blues to win every bit as much as I do- but your barstool is still gonna be there, in the "Irish" pub- no ones making you move out of town to sit in Walmart car park to watch it on a milkcrate are they??

Mark Murphy
6 Posted 26/06/2008 at 08:54:52

I "served my time" in the 70s and early 80s, all home games and many aways, when we were crap! I live miles away now and don't have the dosh to get to games like I wish I could but I?m an Evertonian and don't feel any the less so for being in exile.
I hate the whole Kirkby project, I don't see how a new stadium will change us to a new superpower in football. It hasn't worked for any club but Man U & possibly the Arsenal - why aren't Sunderland, Leicester, Bolton, Derby etc etc top half, let alone top four?.
I know lots of blues who swear they won't go to Kirkby if we move but I?ve yet to meet one who will not go to Goodison if we don't!

Darren Manning
7 Posted 26/06/2008 at 09:28:34

You’re exactly right mark, also didn’t Man Utd and Arsenal get there first then spend the money from success on the field-first on strengthening there position and then on building the stadiums? Wenger won plenty of trophies at highbury.

Bill Green
8 Posted 26/06/2008 at 10:12:41

Terry Darracott, there?s a blast from the past! Local lad 178 games no goals! Chose to sign for Everton over Liverpool because of our youth poicy. Shame its all about money now.

Tom Campbell
9 Posted 26/06/2008 at 10:45:03

Ok I don't agree that just because you?re not from Liverpool you have no say in the move... I'm from Ireland and Im 15 years old and get to go to Goodison about twice a season if I'm lucky... And I even I know how ye scousers feel, I don't want my tean to move to Kirkby at all... But it wont stop me going to the Kirkby Dome every season because I love Everton and always will.....

And just because I'm not from Merseyside doesnt mean I done know how it feels.... As a GAA fan Croke Park was supposed to relocate to the city suburbs in Tallaght... which is more or less the same issue... but thankfully Croker was redeveloped.

Jim Moran
10 Posted 26/06/2008 at 10:51:31

The luddites still don't understand. What is Sunderland's spending power compared to ours? £50m a season is being quoted. Man City are maybe entering the Chelsea bracket, do you think Shinawatra would have invested if they were still at Maine Road? Yes Arsenal had to bite the bullet for a season for The Emirates, but that cost them £200m, we will not get a second chance. Middlesborough have more financial clout than EFC ! If you require a slow painful slide into obscurity while the RS look down on us from their new Stadium then that's what GP will mean in the long run. Don?t believe that suicide is painless.

Mike McLean
11 Posted 26/06/2008 at 11:34:22

Same old argument, Jim, trotted out on every occasion.

The new stadium idea is predicated on a wing and a prayer: that corporate buyers will snap up the boxes and that a few extra thousand fans will be attracteed.

Optimism may be a good thing, but please don?t dress it up as hard headed business. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Erik Dols
12 Posted 26/06/2008 at 12:20:09

Jim, GP can be redeveloped and Ian Ross was quoted recently admitting this. Stadiums can be redeveloped. Man Utd did it step-by-step and it didn’t hurt them. Staying at GP doesn’t necesseraly mean we will slide in obscurity. Only if we don’t change it it will become a holdback in time.

Chad Schofield
13 Posted 26/06/2008 at 12:24:57

Precisely Mike, and I wonder what collosal spending power Southampton have at St.Mary’s with all the corp’s clambering to be seen at their shiny stadium.

Don’t kid yourself Jim.

Sadest thing is that whatever we do, if RS build a super stadium on Stanley Park then of course they will be looking down their noses at us. If we’re at Kirkby though then who’s even going to know about us, the new yuppy Tesco shoppers?

Robbie Muldoon
14 Posted 26/06/2008 at 12:52:30

Age: 22
Religion: Evertonian
City of Birth: Liverpool
Do I want to go to Kirkby?: Do I fuck!

Andy Callan
15 Posted 26/06/2008 at 13:10:08

Evertonians aren’t made, they are born...

Once a blue, always a blue.

ALWAYS remember that...........

Phil Bellis
16 Posted 26/06/2008 at 13:56:25

Jesus, Jim! Talk about showing the white flag. Leaving aside your belief in the the obvious, enormous financial gains from corporate hospitality boxes in a mid-range stadium on a retail park in a small town... I presume you, personally, bailed out of Liverpool in the 70s to get away from our big-city neighbour?s success and their looking down on us?

Martin Cutler
17 Posted 26/06/2008 at 14:37:14

In reference to Dave Wilson?s comment (I hope he?s not referring to me) but I just want to clarify one point:
Yes, I do now live in the States but as far as I?m concerned the only one?s (outside of EFC management) who should have a say in if we go and where we go should be the thousands of fans who week-in week-out fork out the considerable sum of money and all the travelling involved to actually watch Everton play..........I would never put my opinion before any of them (regarding the move), but that does NOT in any way shape or form make me any less of an Evertonian than any of those thousands..........I actually envy them, that weekly match going atmosphere and camaraderie is not something I?ve ever experienced but in my own way I still live and breathe Everton.......so lets please separate the two issues.............everybody is entitled to an opinion, one?s level of support should not be questioned and truly those that are match-going fans are most definitely the one?s affected the most by the whole issue of the new ground.

Jay Capper
18 Posted 26/06/2008 at 16:27:35

I guess I just needed to pick up this thread as it will not go away, and I feel more and more annoyed, frustrated, and disheartened every day, about all things Everton. After 50 yrs of going the game I shouldn?t give a fuck, but I do! Kirkby being forced upon us, the JJB fiasco, the uncertaincy of DM?s future at GP, lies, deceipt and spin from the officials of the club and local press, and the apparent lack of sufficient funds to strenthen a decent team, and the complete lack of a quality image in the business world. I am convinced that so many EFC fans, who share most of my views cannot be wrong, and that those responsible have to be at the top of the chain, so fuck off luvvy Bill, and take lard arse Wyness with you, and give someone else a chance to run Everton Football Club in a proper manner.

Dave Wilson
19 Posted 26/06/2008 at 18:51:09

Martin Cutler

I can assure you I wasnt referring to you, I have no doubts at all about your support for the club, or anyone elses for that matter.

I dont believe for one minute you are any less an Evertonian than any one of us, but I feel this one issue is only for the present or future match goers

I would be envious too if I was in your position
I hope you can get opportunities to get across to GP for many years to come

roy coyne
20 Posted 27/06/2008 at 00:13:27

This thing about who is a Evertonian is just some more shit from the Kirkby farce,I have been going since Dave Hickson was our center forward I still live in the city does this make me more of a Evertonian of course not. do I think the move will affect me more than are far a way fans too true I do .I voted NO but It annoys me when guys from Aussie ect come on here telling me I’m wrong and they know best and where would we be with out Bill .to me and thousands of others this is a big part of our lives not a few hours on broadband and by the way I voted No because I was suspicious about not getting all the facts and now I am even more against if its possible simply because the deal is shit nothing to do with whether Kirkby people are scousers but I do wonder if all are fans will ever be reconciled as one again I doubt it