I’d like to think I’m of the same way of thinking as you. I’d have forgiven Rooney if he’d stuck with us for a few more years-at least give the club the chance to fulfill his ambitions. But he gave zero loyalty to the club he loved.
People will point to a short careeer and players will say it’s not about the money but I think he should have stayed around like Downing at Middlesboro, Taylor at Newcastle etc.

Mark, Seriously dude, you need to get over it. Its in the past, and who really knows the full story of what went on.

In any case, Rooney has won three Premier Leagues, Champions League and some other titles thrown in. Who can blame the lad? As far as I know, he’s still a blue at heart and so is his family. It's a different ball game out there being a pro so let's draw the line under the sand and move on please.

Its an impossible question to answer because we dont know what it is like to have all that earning power, all that adoration, and all that pressure off the others that make so much money from you! There aren't many players that are 100% loyal anymore, and Rooney’s dream was to play for Everton, which he did, and did well. The problem was that his other dreams were probably to win titles and medals, which he could probably never see himself doing at Everton! Taylor is a decent enough example of decent loyalty being shown, and willingness to help the club back to the premier league. Downing moaned when Boro refused Spurs and got a hefty new contract to stay, then jumped ship as soon as they went down! I’d like to think I would stay with Everton, but im really not sure. I would never go to Liverpool though!!

I have regular discussion with Manure supporters about this. My view hs always been that a young lad got his head turned by a leech of an agent.

My issues at the time were due to the way it all came about.

The Newcastle thing never bothered me, at the end of the day, Man Utd were always going to end up with him at some stage.

My gripe was the transfer request that he handed in and his reason for wanting to leave to experience ’European Football’ every season due to his enjoyment of the Euros in which he was the player of the tournament whilst still a blue.

I have always been along the lines of thinking that he was only 18 and that if he truly loved Everton the way we all did at 18 (and still do) then he would have wanted to stay whee he was playing for his beloved club, but Stretford turned his head with ££££.

I would like to know what his family had to say to him throughout all this. If it were my lad then I am fairly certain that I would have advised him to stay put for one more season and see where Everton were then (4th, and in ’European Football’).

As a player, I can imagine that it is hard not to listen to older, more experienced players and more to the point agents and it is clear that some of the older players at the Euros were telling him to switch clubs.

Overall, I think that I would have stayed put if I were him.

Problem with Lescott, is that his contract has already made him a millionaire, and had many years of increased contracts ahead of him at Everton. So at what point does having enough money become enough? He must be thinking from a footballing perspective that going to City was a gamble, so obviously £40k per week in a sport where your pay check is your ’cred’, he decided to move on.
Instead of a 6 bedroom villa in the Med, he can now get a 7 bed villa instead... well done JL.

Scott, and others, I am over Rooney. My question wasnt based on him - it was based on someone saying that he didnt blame Lescott taking the cash. I dont either but as a Blue I wouldnt have, I truly believe that.
I just want to know if I am in a minority amongst Blues.
Would you play for Everton for the love or would you leave for the dosh and the medals?
Perhaps I’m a bit Brian Laboney on this but I would stay, whatever the temptation.

Money is a key driver, but a footie career is a short one and no-one can blame players for getting the best deal they can, it’s life. Lescott and Rooney moved for money, but it’s not beyond the bounds of reason to suggest that they also moved on because of ambition. Whatever we think of City, they have demonstrated that they mean business and Lescott may just feel that they have a better chance of cracking the top four than we do.

I agree Marcus.
Money will be a factor in most players minds, especially when the jump in wages is THAT much. However, they will need other factors to justify the move to the outside world and even to themselves. In the case of Lescott, he could very well argue that Everton’s (lack of) transfer activity this summer decided it for him - we are obviously not equipped to go to the next level (we’ll even struggle to maintain our current position) whereas City, whether we like it or not, are.
Interestingly, Arteta made noises to this effect back in July (ie that Everton need to bring in some quality to show their ambition). The ground has been laid for Arteta and others to leave in the future unless we pick our act up.

Yes, but that doesn’t answer Mark’s question. Lescott isn’t an Evertonian.

When I was a kid I daydreamed about playing for Everton, even though in my imagination I had to overcome the twin handicaps of being useless at games, and a girl! No, money would never have come into it.

A few things i feel i have to coment on...

As for Rooney perhaps being adviced to stay put for another year and we finished 4th well, had he not left and some of the cash not been reinvested in the team (not to mention i think his departure acutally galvanised the team) i don’t think we’d have finished that high.

As for Downing and Taylor, well, it’s not comparable as they are not in the same bracket as Rooney. Their loyalty really stopped them from joining clubs that were in the Premier League but not serious contenders for the games biggest prizes.

No, i wouldn’t leave EFC if i were on good Premier League wages and got an offer to double them. Some would and maybe i inherantly lack ambition but if you earn enough and are where you want to be then all is well, grass not necessarily greener etc..

And on to Lescott. Well, i think he has made mistakes in all of this but he wasn’t born a blue, he joined us and gave his all for us and left us with a huge profit. I may not be the first to welcome him as yes, it hurts a player you idolise choosing to leave your club, but i certainly won’t boo him.

And no, i would never never never ever play for Liverpool. If i was ever lucky enough to be that good at football that they wanted to sign me i’d be pretty sure even if it wasn’t Everton that another club in the top division that i didn’t hate with a passion would take me!

Mark I admire your sentiments in this matter however I feel that the very nature of being a professional footballer means that all prior loyalties are rendered null and void.
Don’t ever let the badge kissing and other antics convince you that the club means the same to the players as it does to us.
We, the fans, have an emotional stake in the club that defies logic in many ways. If not we would have had no fan base in the 1970,s when the RS rubbed our noses in it regularly.
The players give that attachment up when they sign on the dotted line.
Would Peter Reid have clattered Souness so hard if he was still a kopite ? Wouldn’t Fowler and Rush have missed a few on purpose if they still held blue allegiance.
More recently the lovable pugilist across the park was on the verge of taking the Chelski shilling until persuaded ( ahem ! ) to stay at Castle Greyskull.
We support the club. They are employed by it.
Let’s show our class when Lescott, a good servant of ours when he was here, returns with his new employers....and let’s not resort to sickening personal insults that some, on other threads have done.
We can leave that sort of filth to the kopites.

I think a fair few of us would have to be honest and say it would depend on the team coming in. If you had a chance for regular CL football and possible honours, (League Champions/FA Cup), you’d have to seriously consider it or question your desire to be win.

Rooney went to one of the biggest clubs in the world, (however acrimonous it may have been), and Lescott has gone to City who are attempting to gatecrash the top table with mega money. Any other players we’ve sold in recent seasons haven’t made the grade and are playing for ’lower’ teams these days.

Whilst Labby was a one team man, it was with a very good team contesting for top honours on a regular basis. As for any Blue turning Red, I think only occurs for players who just play for either team without having that first love mentallity?

Before I had kids Mark I would have said no chance on earth. However things change and having 2 little one’s I would have no compunction about shitting on Everton from a great height if it secured a top education for my Children and Grandchildren.

I agree with you Mark, there are companies I wouldn’t work with my job for double the money. It would be my dream to play for Everton and that would be worth more than the weight of gold. Given I live comfortably on what I earn now, I’m sure 50k a week would suffice!!

Batistuta springs to mind, he stayed loyal to his club for years despite being one of the best players in the world who could go literally anywhere.

You know what happened?

You want to know how horrible and cynical football/Sky is?

They’ve actually tried to change the dream - YOUR/OUR/MY dream!!!

In fact, for many young’uns, they HAVE!!

It’s a fact..probably.

Every time there’s been a (DULL AS FUCK!!) ’Champions’ League game on for the past few years, someone (like Venebles) has mentioned "Well yeah of cose, it’s every kids dream to play in the Chaaaympions League..." blah blah.

LIE!!!!!!!!

As a kid, my dreams involved me playing for Everton and NOBODY else (usually in derbies but sometimes at the Cup Final). The point is, it wasn’t the venue, it was me playing (and scoring 4) for Everton.

Now all kids dream of is wrist-watches the size of Leeds, orange-faced scrubbers and cars with fat wheels.

I’ll be honest, death can’t come quick enough for me.

Fuck Sky and The ’Premier’ League!

Hi Mark,

it was me that made the original comment you refer to, and I’m going to have to stand by it.

Like you, I’m proud to be an Evertonian and it means everything to me.

But, were I a player and I had a chance to double my money - think about it: DOUBLE my money - I really, honestly, don’t think I would refuse.

I would certainly handle my personal PR a lot better than Rooney, or Lescott though, by being honest, gracious and appreciative.

I’ll always remember when I got my first Everton season ticket, back in 1972. It cost me £6s 3d and I hot-footed across Huddersfield to show it off to a friend of my grandfather’s, a grand old gentleman called Norman Lockwood - who was a close friend of World Cup winner, Ray Wilson.

When he’d listened to me ranting on about Joe Royle, Alan Ball, Colin Harvey, Howard Kendall and how much they must love Everton, he said something that has stayed with me ever since: "Nay lad, they only play for the money."

That was 37 years ago. They still had their E-type Jaguars and dishy blondes then - so try and apply some perspective.

Sadly, money motivates almost everyone and the obscene amounts offered to modern day footballers means loyalty is a meaningless concept, cherished only by supporters like you and I.

I’d take the money, and so would you.

I think some of you are looking at things through "blue" tinted specs...It’s fine to say "I’d never leave Everton"...when you know you’ll never have to make that decision. We’re bound to say that as supporters aren’t we?

You’re also looking at being well happy earning 25k a week and being able to turn down 50k a week, simply because you’re trying to compare that with the life and lifestyle you have now. You can’t do that, it doesn’t really compute. The lives of modern day top notch footballers are SO removed from reality it’s unbelievable.

You have to accept that while WE don’t have a choice in walking away from Everton, the players do.
While you’ll find the odd player who’s happy to stay at their boyhood club they are the "exception" rather than the rule.

The thing about Labone is that he was in a team that did win things.

Easier in those days to stay loyal.

People do look at it through blue tinted glasses.

Some people are naive enough to think that because he was a millionaire anyway and earning a great living he shouldn’t need to double his wages and could easily turn it down. The chance to double anyways money is too good for any one to turn down whether your on £200 per week or £40k per week.

He was an employee of Everton (not a fan) and I don’t blame him for going. Aside from the money, City have more chance of breaking the top 4.

Ella, thank you, I was about to answer the same.

Alan mcGuffog, the badge kissing is risible and I never get fooled by it. I lost my naivety re footballers loyalties long ago and I repeat that this thread wasnt intended as a pop at Rooney.

I’m just genuinely flumoxed that any Blue would willingly leave Everton. Maybe its an era thing? I grew up with Everton during the late sixties and through the seventies so maybe its the Sky effect as Eugene says.

Right on the nail Marcus. This was agood move by Lescott and Everton. Sure he has some good years left but consider this. His season last year was a bit spotty especially after he made is England debut which was none too good against Spain.His goalscoring catapulted him into stardom but last season there weren’t that many. Defensively Distan is just as consistant and dependable. One serious injury can end a top class career and all players must make hay while the sun shines.Loyalty is a thing of the past. Agents rule the roost and are constantly stirring things up. This was an excellent deal for Everton even after paying Wolves a percentage.

David, yes I know, and I’m not having a dig or anything but to my mind, half of 80 grand is still a hell of a lot of money and I’d rather the forty, thirty, twenty whatever than double and the feeling that i was doing my job rather than playing for my team.
I wish i’d had the chance to test this but in all honesty, sat here at my desk, i still believe I would have stayed at Everton if I’d been lucky enough in the first place.
I watched the Blues home and away in the seventies when we were mostly shite and lost my naivity when the Gordon Lee team threatened to strike for more money because they scored loads of goals but surely there must be still some Mike Lyons out there?

Mark once again I totally concur with your sentiments. Probably, like me, you were shite / average / not bad at footy as a youngster and were never going to be a pro.
My point is that the most ardent fan, once he becomes a professional footballer takes a different view on things.
To use the Fowler example again, I am told that when he was very young he would train with the RS wearing his Everton top under his shirt. Once you take the money that sort of thing has to change, obviously.
Take someone like Rodwell..he has more in common with the young players at Man U or City than he ever will with the likes of us.
They all play footy for a living and will do it wherever they feel they will benefit most.
And lets not forget that as soon as a club wants shut what price loyalty and boyhood support then. Hickson was sold, Ball was sold as was Kendall as was Lineker. Surely that has a bearing on a players plans >

I agree with Eugene, except for the death coming soon, part.



I am 26, just, and growing up all I thought about was playing for Everton, didnt even know what the champins league was, didn’t care.

I’d sleep in my Everton Kit, i’d never have it off, and I would kick a ball against a wall on my own for hours pretending i’d scored the winner in a Derby, Gwladdy end.

Rooney was offered the biggest contract in our history at 17 years old. Your talking £60k a week.

I have no idea why he left? all that money at that age?

I would play for Everton for free, I would never ever leave them for that money, even half it! I would be content in knowing I spent my whole career at the club I loved in the city I was from, Money and Champions leage would be secondary, infact Champions League would not even come in to it.

Although, I will say this, Rooney left us because he wanted out of the city, not just the club!

I would like to think I would stck around yes. But money talks. I have to say that two players that do give their all for the Blue shirt is Osman and Hibbert. And for all the stick they get (some justified) you have to amit that they do play for the Blue shirt.
And before anyone suggests it i do think there are other teams that would take them if they could. Osman in particular is admired by a couple of clubs.
Maybe we should give them a pat on the back for once.

I know you will all probably give me loads for this but I reckon Rooney will finish his career at Everton.

It maybe years and years from now but I reckon he will end it at us.

Despite what people think of him, I know for a fact he is still a massive Blue as our all his family, I bumped into a few of them at the Final who I knew from school. You may not think it and sometimes he may not act it but he reacts to the abuse he gets and sometimes it is out of order in what gets said, if he didnt get it I know he wouldnt do what he has done in kissing the Manc Badge and that.

Time is a healer, I’d like to see him back one day. It wasn’t all bad, the money we got for him really helped us.

You cant have it both ways.Slagging of Lescott for going then slapping Moyes on the back for bringing in the new players.It was the Lescott sale that allowed Moyes to buy without it we would of bought no fucker.<

Lescott did the club a favour moving< otherwise there would be no Billy,Distin or Hitenga so stop slagging JL off.He went for his own reasons and without his sale you would all be screaming blue murder at the lack of activity in this past window.

Benn fuck Rooney,he would be lynched if he thought he could strut around this city after what he has done.Rooney is the lowest of the low.
Look no further than Lieghton Baineswhen he scored the winner against Wigan on Sunday.

Head down smiled and walked back to the center pot.Pure class compared to Rooneys despicable behaviour.Fuck Rooney and his family.Sitting amongst the Mancs at Old Trafford as they slag off Scouser for 90 minutes.Council house hillbillies the lot of them.

I hope Wayne ends up in a wheelchair at the end of his career and not back here.He is not wanted and doesnt desreve forgivness.The Shithouse.

I think many of the people slating Lescott for moving focus too much on the money. Sure, it’s easy to accept a new job on double or so the money, but perhaps any footballer wants to ahve a few medals to show at the end of his career too. Lescott may, quite reasonably, have figured this was more likely if he moved than if he stayed. I only hope we manage to prove him wrong!

Tony,
have you ever considered anger management?

What about the question? If you were on 25 grand at Everton and, Villa, say, offered you 50, would you go or would you stay?

I don’t blame Lescott for going, just as i won’t blame Arteta or Jags for going next season unless things change concerning investment. The simple reason being that footballers want to win things. If they think they have a better chance elsewhere, so be it. Joleon gave us 3 good years and then got offered the chance to play for a team better equipped to challenge or even win the Premier league. Maybe not this year but in the next few years, with the money being pumped in, you can’t deny it. Rooney was different. He jumped ship as soon as he could even though he was a blue. Even though he had a good 17-18 years left of his career. A few questions i’d like to ask. How long should he have stayed? Would you have him back? Would he have gone to Liverpool if no-one else bid for him. He wanted regular European football after all. One more thing concerning football wages is the quote "Its only a short career." Give me a break. If your a half decent player these days, you’ll be a millionaire within 2 years to say the least. They earn in a week what it takes some 2 years to earn. Maybe 40 years ago or down in the lower leagues you can get away with that quote but not in the Premier league and not when your talking about a player who’s already had 7-8 years playing at a high level. It doesn’t wash. To finally answer your question Mark. I’d stay at Everton, but i’m a blue. A true blue.

While kids may dream of playing for the club they support, they also dream of fa cup winners medals, league titles, lifting the champions league, none of which they have a chance of getting in the future with us.

For me it is not about ’loyalty’. Loyalty is a dodgy concept anyway and people can be loyal to many discreditable things to which they may not even wish to admit .

What it is about for me is depth of personality. How shallow does somebody have to be to proclaim ’once a blue always a blue’ in one breath and then ask for a transfer the next so that you can win things (and get more money!)? Is this not a bit like deserting from the British Army in 1940 and joining the Werhmacht because it looked like they were winning?

Similarly, how shallow does somebody have to be to announce only a few months ago that if he was offered a place at Everton for the rest of his career he would bite the club’s hand off (Lescott) then a few months later he asks for a transfer and requests not to be picked for the first game of the season? Disloyal..treasonable...shallow?

The pursuit of a good standard of living is something we all have a right to but football is different in one fundamental respect. So different that it is like very little else in the modern world. The whole structure is built upon the ’loyalty’ and forgiving nature of active supporters whether via attending stadia to support their teams or in one way or another passing their cash to the game’s sponsors and enablers, to the clubs and from Chang to SKY and thereby to their hero’s pockets.

Without this loyalty the whole edifice would collapse to rubble and the biggest mistake players make in the modern game is failing to take account of that. They are estranging themselves from their natural support and this will come back to haunt them if they are not careful. John Terry has just been awarded a contract that makes him (allegedly) the highest paid footballer in the Premiership. What did he get that for? Is he playing better than he was? No, he’s fading as a player. He got it because he spat his dummy out when City offered him megabucks and Chelsea didn’t immediately offer him the same. That is the psychology of far too many of football’s ’superstars’ nowadays.

And this shit about football being a short career....well aren’t we all subject to the likelihood of short careers nowadays...but few of us have the advantage of being able to earn enough in 5 years to make us financially secure for the rest of our lives.

I don’t begrudge today’s footballers not having to run a pub after his playing days were over like Dixie did or Tom Finney having to go back to plumbing, or Alan Ball and Bobby Moore having to sell their medals in order to make things meet. But the pendulum has swung way too far now in favour of players who in many cases see themselves more as celebrities than footballers.

Ashley Cole nearly crashed his car when he heard Arsenal only offered him £55k a week. Ronaldo actually did crash his Ferrari in a tunnel without batting an eyelid because he could buy another one the next day. Colleen pronounced in a magazine, in the middle of a recession, that she wanted Wayne to buy her a new Bentley for her birthday...which he did. This, from a girl who would have been hard pressed to find a job stacking shelves in a supermarket in the real world that she came from.

Shallow indeed. These people are drifting away from their roots and those roots will pick themselves up and walk elsewhere one day. Not all players (or WAGS) are like that of course. I’m sure Arteta would like to win things too and earn the sort of money his skills deserve by today’s standards but he has said more than once he is happy to stay with us. And I have to admire Taylor of Newcastle. He wants to stay there to help them to get back up to the Premiership. I admire that although I am sure he will not be giving up his pay packet to do so.

If ever I had been fortunate enough to have sufficient talent to play for Everton FC, I like to think they would never have been able to get the shirt off my back. If, on the other hand, I decided I would prefer a new Bentley every year and enough cash in 5 years to make me financially secure in perpetuity then I might have been rich, but I wouldn’t have liked myself very much. I am just a little deeper than that.

Unfortunately, I think there was far more to the Rooney transfer than just what Rooney wanted. Not to mention the politics and finance of the club, then as now. That said, I think it’s fair to say that if any player has ever had the power to stop it dead at any point, he did. He didn’t stop it, and has never hinted that he really wanted to stay at any time since as far as I know.

I also think his reaction when playing against us is more than youthful petulance, afterall he’s no longer a kid..... and combined with his decision to leave and continuous declared love for all things Man Utd is possibly far more indicative of his Evertonian-ness (not his family’s). Compare it to say Paul Power’s attitude when scoring against his former club and the gulf is cavernous. Or indeed the likes of Gary’s Speed’s reaction in the face of abuse.

As an Evertonian, could you imagine ever taking such delight in scoring against us, or rubbing our noses in it in front of your new mancunian friends, kissing their badge..... on a red shirt of any description. (and no, I don’t fall for player’s badge kissing antics, but I get the sentiment in his case) No, nor could I! Which proves the point that not all "fans" are real fans. It’s far more than wearing the shirt or having a few posters on the wall as a kid. I don’t condemn him for that, we don’t all "get it" and we are not all worthy.

Tony, using Baines as an example is not quite like for like is it?

Baines left because he wasn’t good enough and Rooney.. well he wanted titles, monies, trophies.. old women. So now Baines has a bit of a point to prove.

Once Rooney has been there and done that.. got tired of warming the bench for the next best thing. Everton will be a step up and he will want to come back, like Baines.

It’s all so different when a club wants a player and a player wants the club.

"I’d sleep in my Everton Kit, i’d never have it off, and I would kick a ball against a wall on my own for hours..."

Maybe if you stopped sleeping in your Everton kit at the age of 26 you might start having it off Benn Chambers! ;-)

Sorry mate, couldn’t resist that!

Brett I am on about goal scoring celebrations against your old club when I compare Rooney and Baines.

Mark Murphy I would leave Everton like a shot in its present form if I had no connection to it other than a player who happens to play there.A manager
who plays me out of position and a chairman who keps telling lies are good reasons to leave.£90k a week
is another.Double my money any day of the week.

Those who say they wouldnt go because they support EFC are acting daft.Once the dosh was wafted under thier noses they would soon change thier tune.Money has a habit of eating away at peoples moral fibre.Dont assume anything unless you have the chance to make this decision.

Tony, you shouldn’t assume we’re all money grabbing bastards. I’d take £40 grand a week to play for MY club any day. How far do you go though?Would you play for Liverpool for £80 grand a week if you were getting £40 grand at Everton? Would you play for Spurs for £5 grand more? How much more than £40 grand do you need to do what you want in life?

Bit of a daft question Mark, and I think Tony M puts it well.

Whilst loving Everton personally, all that can change when you’re actually employed there and if you have issues with manager, tactics or anything else. In a career you’re motivated by success and, to a large extent, by income.

if I could dream... I’d have played for Everton from 17 to 24, then joined Barcelona for 3 years, then Milan for 3 years, then (if they’d have me) back to Everton for 3 years, before retiring to Italy or Spain.

If I was happy at Everton there isn’t another English club I’d leave for. My moves to Barcelona & Mlan are solely for the beautiful experience as they’re fabulous places to be. Money would be secondary.

There’s a lot of humbug talked about players being greedy for money. Why do you think Heitinga has joined us? Because he loves Merseyside? Because he wants to play in the Champions League with Everton? I’m not picking on him by the way, he might just be moving just for genuine reasons. The point that I’m trying to make is that Lescott was probably disloyal to Wolves but he chose to move onto us to further his career. We only slag the players off who leave us (naturally) but the players who join us have disappointed another club’s supporters by leaving. It works both ways.

I cannot believe someone tried to insinuate Labone only stayed with us cause we were 1 of the top sides or that those mentioned by David Booth were greedy. Hang on a moment they weren’t getting the mega contracts they are on nowadays so money did matter then whereas nowadays no matter who they play for they are multi millionaires.
Lescott is a shitbag and as for Rooney well to anybody who thinks I should get over it well as far as I am concerned they can kiss my arse. I dream of the day Rooney comes crawling back to Everton begging for forgiveness. And I hope the club reply with a big "FUCK OFF".

This is the first time I’ve been compelled to comment on here, I’m usually happy enjoying reading others views however, I couldn’t not comment on this as it’s something I often consider.

Firstly, I also don’t blame Lescott at all, I was gutted at first but as it went on I can’t help but see it as a great deal for the club and for him. I just wish he could have been a bit more gracious in his press conference: just a ’thanks to Everton for giving me a chance to play in the PL, get into England squad; thanks to Moyes for taking a chance on me etc’ (is that too much to ask?).

Secondly, as Ella said, I’m female and therefore could never have had a dream of playing for Everton proper (no offence to Everton Ladies). However, if I were a young lad growing up and got the chance to play for Everton I just cannot conceive of ever leaving, really I can’t. To be earning £30-£40k a week playing for my boyhood club - I really think that would be enough for me. And Rooney was in the England squad at that time too. What more could you want??

Call me crazy but I wouldn’t be able to pull on the shirt of another club let alone kiss the badge. Yes I know that I can never get close to knowing what it is like to be a professional footballer but I’m not that money motivated that I could look past Everton - it would be enough for me.


Once a Blue ALWAYS a Blue.

As someone who used to, ok, still does from time-to-time dream about scoring the goal that clinches the league title for Everton, I like to think I would stay a Blue. But doubling your money is something else. Then what about the other hand, what about Blues who get sold and don’t want to leave. According to everything I’ve read, Alan Ball didn’t want to leave when Catterick sold him....

Of course i would go if offered double my wages!

Loyalty is a two way street. The club will release a player that is no longer needed, be they Evertonian, Red, Geordie or Brummie. They will not keep you just because you had a Dave Watson shirt as a kid.

You’re a professional player, and you do what’s best for your professional career. I have no issue with what Lescott did.

’I hope Wayne ends up in a wheelchair at the end of his career and not back here.He is not wanted and doesnt desreve forgivness.The Shithouse’

it doesn’t matter what you think of the man in Rooney, Tony Marsh.....to say the above is just ridiculous...and completely not warranted. We don’t know all the reasoning behind why he left, but left he did. It probably helped us survive in this league a lot longer than we could have. Wayne Rooney has gone, he didn’t really help us achieve anything, other than get us some cash to improve what was a poor team then.

Please if you have a reasoned argument thne by all means bring it on, but what you have said above has completely devalued anything you might want to say about anybody connected with Everton Football Club, and i can’t condone that at all. Its pathetic.

Interesting thread. Perhaps it should have been called ’What WOULDN’T you do to double your money?’

Perhaps you’d let Robert Redford shag your wife for £1million? or your daughter for £2m?

At what point does money stop ruling your actions?

Wow...this is deeper than the usual ’Osman is crap’ fare isn’t it.

Lets look at it from another perspective, that of the supporter,fan...etc. You’re a great supporter. Week in, week out, you give your all. Listen to the transfer gossip, read the papers, watch the sports reports, go to the games, dissect it at the pub afterwards. Why ? because you love Everton. The club has given you a chldhood full of football dreams,and sustained a passion like few things do into adulthood. Now, if we take 40k pw (real money -not hypothetical) as ground zero, if you were offered an additional 40k pw - now we’re talking 80k pw - could you support another club, purely for the money, because in your heart of hearts, you’ll always be blue? What would it take 20k? 10k? 400? 200? Just think, the reality of this, is that for some gifted ’footballers’, this is not a hypothetical. If they offered this sort of money to you, who has undeniably god given talent as a supporter, and clubs would move heaven and earth to gain your support, what would you do?

I have to side with Gareth Humphreys on this. Anyone who’s married and have children know that the paycheque never really goes into your bank account. It goes straight to your children’s welfare fund and groceries.

You’re a supporter but also a supporter for your family. I would not hesitate to play for another club if it meant more in the coffers for my lads - other than Liverpool FC. I’ll never be able to look me boys in the eyes anymore. Fine balance between money and integrity I suppose.

I don’t blame Lescott for leaving because he’s not an Evertonian. Once a blue always a blue is a fucking traitor if I ever saw one. Even if the club sold him against his wishes, they didn’t incite the cunt to kiss the manure badge. Gutted about Lescott, was never an Evertonian but gutted nonetheless. Rooney, Nick Barmby any other deserting cunt can kiss my royal blue ass!! IMWT!! Toffeeweb rules!!

First off, sorry, haven’t read any more than Shane’s comments - because I’m in the same boat.

If I was in the same position as Wayne, I’d have given Everton a fair crack of the whip to prove they’ll match my ambition then probably moved elsewhere. I think to deny it would be folly.

But who’s to say it was entirely Wayne’s decision? Or can blame Wayne’s advisors? Who’s to say it wasn’t the Club cashing in and Wayne being pushed out to help our debts? or any number of unseen reasons?

All of it is hypothetical. There is no way us average schlubs will know the true ins and outs of the transfer - no matter how many autobiographies published - so speculating is pretty useless. The only people who know the details are player, manager and chairman. Maybe not even all of those parties.

Does it matter? He’s gone. Long gone.

And kids education my arse, an extra 10k a week and you could send them to the best fucking schools in Cheshire. You guys are kidding yourselves in you think Shrek left for the better of his future family. Players with the sentiment you have and we’d be back to the best!!!!!!!

Apologies, don’t mean to be offensive. I just mean you guys are far too intelligent than you give Shrek credit for; The guy’s a retard. Personally I think his transfer saved the club. Moyes is the legend, In Moyes We Trust!!!!!!!!

Mark- For Gods sake move on, get over it. Lescott has gone to play with the likes of Tevez, and to play for a team that will play in the CL, with ambition and in a good stadium.. He has left playing with Osman and one upfront, and wooden staduim falling to bits. Can you blame him? Under Kenwright Everton will never play in the CL, and Kenwright will be here for a long time.

Mark, and another thing if we hadn’t sold Lescott, we wouldn’t have signed anyone. Do the maths and Everton have spent no extra on transfers again.

Joe McMahon

’Under Kenwright Everton will never play in the Champions League......’

Under Kenwright we already have. Not for long...but we have.

As a player you want to win things and be the best you can be . Sadly Everton couldn’t offer that. Think of Le Tissier stayed loyal to Southampton , great player ,but if he had left and challenged himself at one of the many bigger clubs who wanted him maybe he would have been up there with Platini , Zindan etc or maybe not but at least he would have tried.
As for those who say if he had stayed he would be just as good , they have never played football with great players the ones who pass the ball at the right time and pace , the ones who move into space for a pass so you’re not closed down and look a twat for losing the ball, the ones who have vision to see you when your in space, I’m sorry but at that time WE didn’t have those players and didn’t look like we would ever get them.

Lads a few points.
We are all not players – we are fans. Big Difference.
Players are individuals with very different backgrounds, dreams and ideals.
We cannot judge anyone for choosing to move or to stay –
‘Should I stay or should I go now’… ‘If he stays he will be trouble – or has no motivation’ –
‘If he goes we + he will earn double’…..
Fact is JL or even Shrek are the same people now they were when they played for us.
Just because you play for a certain team or support a certain team doesn’t mean you’re a wonderful or good person, or the opposite.
It means you’re human. You may or may not like prawn sandwiches –but who cares ?
Make yourself happy – especially you Mr. Marsh – or are you eternally dammed to not be happy because of our NSNO motto ?
My suggestion – play a game of footie on a wet and dirty pitch and dive in for the ball to make sure you get soaked and
filthy and make a fool of yourself in front of your mates if you have any. And then laugh at yourself, and be happy.

As fans we’ll stick like toffees to the club, but as a player the criteria are numerous and very different.

Regards - Poppsycho

Tony, Joe, and others who havent read my post properly, I repeat - I have NO problem with Lescott going anywhere for the money. He is NOT and never will be an Evertonian!
And I am not, directly, having a pop at Rooney. The only problem I have with Lescott is that (I think) he should have asked for a transfer earlier rather than hang on for the extra percent! But I wont boo him when he comes back with Citeh.
I read a comment by David saying that we would all move for double the money and I simply believe that as an Evertonian, if the club wanted me, I wouldnt move. I asked how many other Blues would leave or stay?
Simples!

After all I think Lescott took the money. The players city have signed are not world beaters. Adebeyor is at best very good, Barry is OK, Toure no better than Richard Dunne. If city had signed Kaka then we might have a different out look but all of these good players have joined for one reason. Money (Kaka would have had the same reason)! I guarantee you all that if any out of United, Liverpool, Barc, Real Madrid Arsenal, Chelsea, Milan, Inter, other clubs mentioned (apart from the arsenal players of course) came in for cities new signings they wouldn’t be at city now and wouldn’t be earning what they are now and not one of them would be bothered by it. After all how much more money than £40k per week do you need to live on?

Fact is JL or even Shrek are the same people now they were when they played for us.


Kev, personally I don’t think for one minute Shrek is the same person he was when he played for us. Remember the "once a blue always a blue" then has the fucking gaul to kiss the Manure badge at Goodison. I don’t blame him for going to further his chances of trophies etc and I even defended the twat on Century FM Legends programme at the time of his transfer when he was getting roundly slagged off by EFC fans, but he has become so indoctrinated into Manure culture that It wouldn’t surprise me if he tippexed out the place of birth on his passport and changed it to Manchester. With regard to the post, yes I would leave Everton if I was a player and the right opportunity arose for me to further my career (whatever those reasons/opportunities were) but believe me it would be a wrench to go and I would treat the club and the fans with dignity and respect upon any return visit

Think I agree with Tony Marsh, Rooney is a shithouse! To walk out on the club he supported as a boy, the club that help his talent grow in to the player he has become, and the fans of the club who adored him... just for a bigger pay check, maybe understandable, but do it with some fucking grace, dignity and respect for the club that make you the player you are! To say I'd want to see Rooney in a wheelchair though are the comments of lowlifes — there’s no need for that.

If I were playing for my favorite club that I supported I and was offered double the cash to play somewere else, I possibly would move but I think I'd rather go down as a legend than a mercenary. I hope Rooney achievements at Utd are tainted in his own mind with a sort of ’if only’ I could have done something like this for my favorite club Everton.

So you don’t mind doing it for the kids (turning your back on your beloved club that is).

Honourable, but allow me to examine this for a moment. 1 year at Eton = £24,000; For arguments sake let’s say you do the impossible and send the kid to an equally expensive nusery and junior education. So 14 years x £24000 = £336,000

Let's also imagine that you don’t consider Oxbridge to be exotic enough for your offspring, so you foot the bill for a Harvard University place at £35,000 per year for lets say 4 years: £140,000.

Let's also imagine your WAG is really fit so you have 3 kids. Total education costs for a lifetime = £1,428,000! Or about 9 months work on your measly Everton wagepacket of £40,000 per week.

Nah, kids education/future is not a good enough reason for an Evertonian to hypothetically turn his or her back on the Royal Blues (in my humble opinion).

Dave Roberts, we never acctually played in the Champions League; we played another team, and the winner then gained entry into the Champions League.

I won’t bother going into Rooney as it’s been done to death and opinions are clearly polarised. For me the Lescott issue has proved one thing about the industry of football. It’s all geared towards the player.

Ever since the inception of the Bosman Rule (which I agree with in essence) players have held all the power and contracts serve as nothing more than a way for clubs to get some sort of financial recompense when a player is transferred.

This is how I saw the whole saga. Man City make an offer for Lescott. It is rejected out of hand with a club/manager line of "we don’t want to sell so go away". Lescott signed a deal that keeps him at Everton FC until 2012 so we have no need to sell and why would we want to deconstruct an improving squad.

Man City make a further offer and are again told "not for sale, go away". Players head begins to get turned and he puts in a transfer request which is rejected.

Now this is where football differs from most other industries. Lescott then throws his toys out of the pram and effectively downs tools by asking not to be selected to play. That is a breach of his contract surely, but what can the club do? Sack him? Obviously that would mean we get no money and Mr Lescott is a free agent and goes to City anyway! Fine Him? With the money they’re on that’s just pointless and further alienates a player you want to keep.

For me, when Lescott’s transfer request was rejected, he should have done what Barry did and get the fuck on with it. Who is he moaning at? He’s the dickhead that signed a new contract until 2012, so how can he feel agrieved?

Everybody keeps banging on about the money and how we’d all have our head turned by the offer. Of course we would and I don’t blame Lescott for being interested, but IMHO once the transfer request is rejected and your still under contract then you have to get on with it. Trouble is players just have to throw a sulk and the club’s position is made untennable and they are effectively backed into a corner where they have to negotiate the sale!

I couldn’t believe an article I read on Football365 basically saying why didn’t Moyes just say right at the start that he wanted £24m and get it out of the way early. BECAUSE HE DIDN’T WANT TO SELL HIM!!!! Is that so difficult to understand? Sheesh. Moyes has his faults but I honestly believe he never had any intention of selling Lescott and I don’t believe the board pressured him to.

To conclude my rant and respond to the original post, I would leave EFC if the right opportunity came along, it’s different when it’s your job regardless of how much money you earn. However, I’d like to think that I wouldn’t manipulate the club and force a move by refusing to play. That is just out of order. If JL’s so good then if he’d stayed another season and done well the offers would come flooding in next window or the one after that etc and at some point Everton would have to think about cashing in before he became a free agent.

This just proves that the club really has no control over whether a player goes and can only try and get as much money as possible.

I bet you feel better now that you have got that off your chest Neil. In essence I agree that I don’t think that Moyes did want to sell JL however given that Moyes spent only £5m of his transfer fee on a direct replacement, where would the money have come from to strengthen other areas of the team given that the general consensus of opinion on TW is that we haven’t got a pot to piss in and the fact that only the Lescott money was actually spent.

It would be interesting to see what would have happened had Moyes stuck to his guns and told Lescott that he wasn’t going anywhere so get on with it, so no money actually came in to spend on players. How much would Kenwright have made available to Moyes for strengthening the team. Guess we will never know but it certainly pulled Kenwright out of a hole.

Right, think about it, you're A MANAGER and an offer comes in for one of your better players. You think "I don't want to sell him i’ve stated in the past i wont sell players if i didn’t want to" but the offer that's come in is well over the odds and you reckon they will pay more? Everyone has their price and someone has just offered you £10m to £12m more than that player's worth... what would you do? Me — I’d snatch their fucking hands off.

Double my wages? TAXI !!!!!!!!!!

Anyone who thinks Lescott left for the money is kidding themselves. We showed absolutely zero ambition over the summer, just like we have probably every other summer Lescott has been with us. We bought no-one 'til he left, and it’s pretty obvious we won’t be breaking into the top 4 at any point soon.

Man City are intent on playing Champions League football and are buying players left, right and centre. They might be in the top 4 before the season’s out the way things are going.

Lescott did us a favour by going — we wouldn’t have bought anyone if not. We are stronger now with the new signings, but brace yourselves for next summer if we show zero ambition again — I can’t see Arteta, the Yak, Cahill, Jags etc being too keen to hang around if it looks like we are happy to plod along anywhere betweek 5th and 10th...