What if... England hadn't been banned from Europe

There's no doubt though, we had a great opportunity to establish our club as a global brand and become the dominant force in Europe, I believe we were the best team in Europe at the time. I'm sure Kendall would of added even more quality players to the 1985 team if we would of had the chance to play in Europe.

This was our chance to emulate the RS achievements in the years before Heysel. Imagine, we could of been the power house of European and domestic football going into the PL era.

I never thought Gary Lineker was a great signing for Everton, yes he scored plenty of goals, but Everton had to change the way they played to suit Lineker's game and even Kendall admitted it was detrimental to Everton.

I like to dream and think we would of had a history nearly as impressive as the shite accross the park if it wasn't for Heysel. Still, it wasn't just Heysel that got England banned, it was more the straw that broke the camels back.

I've never seriously gone along with the blame game against Liverpool or the powers that be – English football was a cesspit that needed sorting.

Our fall from grace was hardly unexpected – we have a history of fizzling out like a spent firework – the ban and it's effects have become a convenient excuse.

All clubs faced the same challenge and we were at the top of the tree, but history and massive fanbase means nothing if you're run like the local rotary club.

"Forward planning" to keep ahead of the game requires some foresight and professionalism – not a chance.

I don't think the ban mattered a jot.

I'm afraid if the roles had been reversed we wouldn't have gotten off so lightly either in terms of the ban - or by the media who would have attached that event to us at every given opportunity not to mention the Dark Side's supporters who would have campaigned to get us a permanent ban and relegated.

Yes, football was a cesspit but it had been for years, it's just typical of our luck, just as we had a team capable of conquering Europe events once again conspire against us. (Weren't we champions just before both World Wars).

You blame inept management of the club, but would Kendall, Lineaker, Steven & Stevens had all left if we were allowed in Europe??? I seem to remember that's the excuse they all gave at the time.

This was our moment and it was cruelly taken away. I for one grew up with the RS being rammed down my throat, this was our moment and I for one will never forgive them. Not so much for what happened, it was going to happen to someone, but for the mere fact they've never taken any responsibility for it! When was the last time anyone held a minutes silence for the 39? Oh sorry, I almost forgot 'it was Chelsea' 'it was the wall' 'it was to protect a 12 year old getting beaten up' (notice he was on his own - yeah right!!) & the best of all 'they should have stood'.

But let's get back to the point. IMHO we would have won the European Cup in 1986? (Did you see the final it was a joke?). That can only have a positive effect on the club. No matter what happened after that, we could have always claimed we were once the kings of Europe.

It's too late now, I don't think I'll ever see it during my lifetime - that's just part of being a blue.

Bitter?? You bet! JFT39...

We would have had Howie a bit longer, and the nucleus of the '85 title winning squad a bit longer, plus Gary Lineker.

We didn't cope as well as other clubs despite players choosing Goodison before Anfield, OT and anywhere else in that era.

We had the money but also the likes of Philip Carter (bluffer in chief) running the shop... nobody to blame but ourselves.

JFT39

The next decisive issue in our history... the Kings Dock fiasco.