Toffeeweb - Talking Points - It's my first derby!

It's my first derby!

Okay, so I have been a Toffee since 1986 and I am ashamed (and pretty excited) to admit that this weekend will be my first ever derby!

I am one of those rare London-based Everton fans who support Everton for a completely random reason, mine being that, as an eight-year-old, Gary Lineker was my hero during Mexico 86 and my dad told me he played for Everton. Luckily my dad failed to tell me that Lineker moved to Barcelona after the tournament – otherwise I'd be stuck supporting Messi and Co, and who wants to watch that dreadful brand of football?! Give me the Mike Walker 90s era any day of the week...!

I get to as many games as possible when the Blues travel down South, and have been to Goodison Park on the odd occasion, but never a derby.

I'll be travelling down with my one and only fellow London Evertonian for the game, and we'll be making a bit of a day of it, so I wondered what sort of things I should expect, what pubs should we go to, etc.

And if you hear two cockneys standing next to you in the pub, don't worry – we're not a couple of Chelsea fans who got lost – so please be gentle with us!

Steven Scaffardi, London Posted 23/10/2012 at 12:48:45

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Reader Comments

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Tom Hughes
871 Posted 23/10/2012 at 14:08:37

Hopefully you'll have the best day of your life. Get a cab to the Dark House and soak up the pre-match atmosphere.... Hope you get a win, and then you'll see Goodison at it's best.

Kevin Tully
877 Posted 23/10/2012 at 14:48:29

Steven, all the boozers on County Road will be blue on Sunday – so you should be okay down there. Have a little pub crawl and soak up the atmosphere. Get yourself into town afterwards, if we win it will be great crack. (I am off home if we lose, can't stand to listen to the smug pricks.)

Domino Darkley
898 Posted 23/10/2012 at 16:13:45

Sreven, there are thousands of Evertonians in ,London, they have an associationa called ESCLA (Everton Supporters Club London Area) and they run coaches to every game.

(it used to be train travel but I think it they stopped the tian because the coach is way cheaper)

Look them up on the web and see if joining ESCLA would be of any benefit to you.

Steve Smith
899 Posted 23/10/2012 at 16:19:34

Derby days............. Brilliant if we win.....shit if we lose, even shitter if we lose because of bad refereeing, and even shitter than that if Gerrard scores.

Carl Sanderson
901 Posted 23/10/2012 at 16:24:21

Try the Leigh Arms on Barlow Lane (down the hill from the Royal Oak). Nice atmosphere pre-match, cheap-ish beer, decent TVs. And let's hope you're a lucky omen.

In fact, if we lose, don't fucking bother again! :-)

Darren Reeves
909 Posted 23/10/2012 at 16:49:09

Much like Steven, this will be my first Derby. The wife has a family pow wow on in Manchester, so we're flying in and I'm chipping off!! All good....
I've managed to get tickets- but only stinkingly expensive hospitality tickets- and the company which sold them said candidly they would not endorse hospitality at GP!!! I've heard it's not that great, but I was still shocked to be elbowed out to the 'Bar and Grill' at Halifax House!! It sounds far away- is it?
I want to make the most of the experience, so hopefully can get to a few of the pubs mentioned above......
COYB's and FTRS

Alan Williams
916 Posted 23/10/2012 at 17:36:29

I hate this game; I never enjoy them, far too nervous. I have made the decision to stay over in Liverpool Sunday night so I can have a drink... I don’t know what I’m going to do if the shite do us again.

Darren, EFC have won awards for the quality of the food served on the corporate section so take no notice. Yes, the facilities aren’t as good as others but the experience is excellent, enjoy.

I hope the shite aren’t in my hotel with all their stupid kits and badges all over their hats, well that is unless we win then I can take the piss all night and at breakfast because they still wear the same clothes every day, have you noticed that!

Norman Merrill
925 Posted 23/10/2012 at 18:42:30

Steven, one things for sure you will enjoy the experience & atmosphere.
Hopefully the result goes the Blues way, and the pubs that have been mentioned, in earlier comments will be welcoming.
Enjoy your trip up, and your stay in the home of football.

Paul Landon
927 Posted 23/10/2012 at 18:05:02

I hope you enjoy the day. I for one and I would say most die hards don't enjoy the day. My stomach is churning already, I hate the build up, I hate knowing they will be lucky in some way. It just fills me with dread.

Pienaar missing has already got me taking the tablets.

To be honest, there is nothing pleasant at all about the derby for me, even winning makes me start thinking about getting beat at Anfield. HELP!!!!!!

Andy Crooks
928 Posted 23/10/2012 at 18:53:03

Steven, I have seen a few derby games and, to be honest, I have been sick with nerves before every one. Get a few beers in you and constantly reassure yourself that we will lose and it doesn't matter. Salute every magpie you see in the next few days and go over every possible Liverpool victory scenario and steel yourself for it.
Then,...prepare to be cheated, unlucky and robbed. Go home and vow to never go again.

Enjoy!!!

David Hallwood
933 Posted 23/10/2012 at 19:59:43

Best of luck Steven, hope you enjoy yourself, sorry bout this but I've been to more derbys than I care to remember, and I hate them with a passion. I always seem to be sitting near some RS knob spouting shite for 90 mins. I won't even watch it in a pub, I'll just stay at home with sky and some liquid pacifiers

Steven Scaffardi
945 Posted 23/10/2012 at 21:44:53

Thanks guys, really looking forward to it!

@Dominio 898 - Cheers, my mate is actually a member of ESCLA and that's how we get out tickets.

@David 933 - Haha! I know what you mean! Hopefully it will be different on Sunday!

Mike Gwyer
947 Posted 23/10/2012 at 22:04:23

Darren 909. Who or what is FTRS?

Graham Mockford
949 Posted 23/10/2012 at 22:16:41

Mike only guessing but I assume Fuck the red shite!

Graham Mockford
950 Posted 23/10/2012 at 22:16:41

Mike only guessing but I assume Fuck the red shite!

Roberto Birquet
963 Posted 24/10/2012 at 00:04:30

Bloody Hell Mike 947, give yer brain a workout; that wouldn't have been hard to work out.

Nervous as hell for derbys, and sometimes am just not up for them. Anyone who lives outside Merseyside knows, the pubs are full of RSs. And they're all fucking ugly no matter what town, what pub. 'Orrible shower.

Col Wills
032 Posted 24/10/2012 at 12:21:47

roberto- its my honest opinion that 99% of the good looking girls (either at the ground or in the pub) on derby day are evertonian lasses.

Mike Powell
067 Posted 24/10/2012 at 15:58:09

Steven,

Go down County Road, you will love it there, we will all be in the Oak then we're all going into town after the game...

But I've got to admit I hate the derby: my stomach will be in knots Sunday... we just know that them horrible shower will get a dodgey decision that will win them the game.

You will soon find out how horrible they are... then you will know why we hate them so much.

Bill Griffiths
178 Posted 25/10/2012 at 08:24:45

Enjoy your day, Steven... thought I was the only one who dreaded watching derbies and felt sick with worry all day.

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