Ba Humbug!

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Tis the season to be jolly as the festive season quickly approaches. Following Saturday's visit to Arsenal who were proudly celebrating 125 years at the splendour of the Emirates Stadium in the company of a galaxy of stars and former greats, our very own David Moyes bore the look of a haunted man.

The BBC MotD2 coverage treated those of a Gooner persuasion to a glimpse behind the scenes at The Emirates and proudly showcased 'The Arsenal's' considerable achievements, history and reputable position within the greats of English football. The montage although interesting for me was tinged with a great deal of despair and anger as Everton were once considered equals to Arsenal within the standing of the game, yet the chasm in 2011 could not be greater.

Reading through the posts on ToffeeWeb today, it would appear that, given our current plight, although Bill Kenwright and his board are held responsible for the majority of failings at Everton, there is not much festive cheer amongst many Evertonians for David Moyes in the twelve days before Christmas.

The seasonal tale of a Christmas Carol could not be more true for David Moyes as he is pilloried from all quarters regarding our dismal form heightened by his desperate search for a goalscorer which is gathering pace.

Moyes, although usually having the appearance of a dour Scotsman, would appear to adopting the character of the clerk Bob Cratchit in the Christmas tale. It is obvious if comparing Moyes as Cratchit that Kenwright should then be seen as Mr Scrooge. Mr Kenwright's modus operandi of miserliness and misanthropy regarding support for the manager in the transfer market would have Dickens's observations of Scrooge as "...a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!" as an apt description of our Chairman.

I'm hoping that a Ghost of Christmas Past visits Scrooge (Kenwright) in the form of Sir John Moores and takes him to see his time as a schoolboy many years earlier during the days of uncle Cyril's handlebars and the Boys Pen.

Scrooge is then visited by the Ghost of Christmas Present, who shows him the happiness of Stoke, Swansea and Norwich and the impoverished Cratchit and Everton family.

Which brings me then to the final chapter of the tale, the Ghost of Christmas yet to Come... which shows Scrooge the final consequences of his actions one year later. Everton, after teetering on the brink of relegation, finally sucuumb, leaving Cratchit and the entire Everton family in mourning. No one will mourn Scrooge's passing as the Club is broken up, Cratchit is rescued from his nightmare, and Everton stare into the abys.

Scrooge then weeps over his own grave, begging the Ghost of Sir John for a chance to change his ways and re-embrace life, before awakening to find it is Christmas morning. He has been given an opportunity to repent after all. Scrooge does so and becomes a model of generosity and kindness, towards his Club, his neighbours, and even Cratchit, he sells Everton for what they are worth... and the spirit of Christmas is alive.
Peter Laing, Liverpool     Posted 12/12/2011 at 16:43:07

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