ToffeeWeb - Season 2008-09

The Mail Bag

Everton Xmas Party

I just thought i would like to write this article to give our club a bit of good press because there is so much negativity out there at the moment regarding Kirkby, money etc.

My eight-year-old son is an Evertonia Fan Club member and about two weeks ago recieved a invitation through the post to attend the Everton Christmas Party, to be held at the Alex Young Suite Yesterday (18th) 4-6pm. It mentioned the normal activities but also mentioned players would be attending. As you can imagine me son was over the moon and was really looking forward to it.

We arrived at the ground at 4pm and were taken through to the suite. The kids played musical statues etc and were then given food. Each child was put in to a group numbered 1 to 6. Each group of about 20 kids was then taken through to the changing rooms to meet all the players (except the Yak, Vaughan, Rodwell, Castillo) individually. The lady who accompanied the children took our cameras in and took pictures of the children whilst they got autographs.

My son was over the moon and said every player spoke to him except Fellaini, who can't speak English. He came away after meeting Everton Santa with a goody bag and a full autograph book along with pictures of him and every player.

Everton have made him very happy and he will remember this day for a very long time. I think 150 kids were selected at random from the Evertonia database out of about 3000.

Well done Everton. The only negative side of things was the parents couldn't meet the players! Never Mind.
Andy Ferguson, Wallasey Posted 19/12/2008 at 08:28:18

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Comments

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Ray Burn
1 Posted 19/12/2008 at 14:16:21

It?s the thoughtful little touches, like this, that make Everton a great club. IMHO

It makes me wonder if we were to be bought out by a billionaire investor and moved out of the city, would the new KFC franchise still be willing to invite the young?uns to the Tescodome and hand out little buckets of fried chicken and let them meet Saracen Santa?

If they did, the parents could while away the time in-store with some autographed 'buy one, get one free' vouchers.

Christmas wouldn?t come any better than that, would it?

Erik Dols
2 Posted 19/12/2008 at 14:33:00

I know several Belgians and they all speak English to some reasonable extent ? I always thought it was an obligatory subject at schools there. Strange that the Big Fella doesn?t speak it!

But all in all a very, very nice gesture and a brilliant experience for the little ones. This is the way to keep them from turning RS!

Dave Wilson
3 Posted 19/12/2008 at 14:57:27

Terrific post, Andy.

David Alexander
4 Posted 19/12/2008 at 15:56:27

Fellaini, like most of the best European players, is African ? I don't know but maybe he didn't go to school in Belgium until it was too late to join the English class...?

Brian Lawlor
5 Posted 19/12/2008 at 16:20:56

Fellaini is of African descent, Morrocan to be exact.

However, he was born and bred in Belgium and has lived his entire life there.

The reason why he doesn?t speak English is because he probably used to bunk off class and play footy instead.

Kevin Jones
6 Posted 19/12/2008 at 16:25:40

Ray Burn. Get a grip, nice article about something Everton are very good at and you turn it to have a go about DK

Tut tut tut tut tut. (While shaking head)

David Marsden
7 Posted 19/12/2008 at 16:34:57

@ Erik Dols, I love the way you totally make something up to put in some bad press. You don?t have any idea about the circumstances, so don?t comment for the sake of commenting!! Please.

Marcus Dawson
8 Posted 19/12/2008 at 16:45:06

It?s good to read something positive on here about the club, we?re not the only club who reach out to the community, but few look after former players or employees better than us and I hope we carry on that tradition, wherever we end up. Merry Christmas fellow blues, let?s get behind the team at Goodison.

Timothy Maher
9 Posted 19/12/2008 at 17:48:02

Thanks for the nice read, it's nice to read something good that the club does.

Paula Baddley
10 Posted 19/12/2008 at 19:03:05

My 8-year-old also had an invite to this party. He had a great time and has been able to brag to all his friends about meeting the players. He was also chosen to be mascot at the SK Brann game in February so it's been a good year all round for this little Evertonia member. It?s reaching out to the kids now that will continue our strong fan base in the future.

Nick Entwistle
11 Posted 19/12/2008 at 19:10:39

There was nothing negative about Erik?s post David, other than the potential for people to have a ?Channel 4 moment? and panic because they read something pertaining to Africans and imigration. Quick ToffeeWeb, distance yourselves from these remarks and say they do not represent you as individuals or your website! Phew, close one!

David Barks
12 Posted 20/12/2008 at 00:45:10

What a great thing for your son Andy, that’s fantastic that he had such a great time meeting the players.

Lue Glover
13 Posted 20/12/2008 at 09:25:13

Well done the Blues! Re the big Felli, well, maybe he has learnt some English but regional accents are quite hard to get used to, so he may struggle a little with understanding some of the words, especially from youngsters, they speak so quickly!

Anyway, give him a break, he’s great.

Erik Dols
14 Posted 20/12/2008 at 10:38:24

David Marsden: Wait, what? What the hell are you talking about? I just wondered why the lad doesn’t speak English. I’m not making things up to put in some bad press. I love the lad and I was just curious why he doesn’t speak English (well enough) as I know several Belgians (yes, I said Belgians and nothing about Africa/Morocco/immigrants as some others do) who speak English quite well.

Lue Glover is probably spot on. And Lue, I do give him a break, I always defended the signing of him! I saw him play from inside the stadiums several times before he went to us and I always loved him. He will come good.

David, YOU are the one making things up, not me.

Rich Jones
15 Posted 20/12/2008 at 12:37:26

Wow, absoluntly brilliant story! What I would have given as a kid to have met Bob Latchford and Andy king, your son must have been star struck. Terrific!!

Jim Reardon
16 Posted 20/12/2008 at 17:27:53

Well said Burnsy lad.

David Marsden
17 Posted 21/12/2008 at 11:44:20

Erik
Your posting was simply not needed in this thread. You didn?t need to question why he did or doesn?t speak English.

I simply thought your comment was out of subject and negative in your questioning, considering the author's intention (a positive comment) when posting the original message. I just think it?s funny that you felt the need to post it at all, it's like to talking for the sake of talking but not giving any value to the discussion. Maybe you just like the sound of your own typing.