Happy 80th Birthday, Harold!!!

Happy birthday Harold, all the best mate.

A sage of wisdom for all on ToffeeWeb.

Happy birthday, Harold, hope you had a great day!!

Happy birthday Harold, have many more.

Congratulations Harold.

80 would be impressive under any circumstances, but to have reached this landmark while supporting Everton is truly remarkable.

To support Everton and reach 80 suggests a superhuman ability to process and nullify incredibly high levels of stress, anger and disappointment.

And itÂ’s the superhuman part that makes me think something...Â’unusualÂ’ must have happened along the way.

My guess is that at some stage, you were in a plane that went down in the mountains of Tibet (a bit like what happened to Stuart Damon, Alexandra Bastedo and William Gaunt in The Champions) and you encountered a sort of wise old bearded mystic (who was wearing a yellow dressing-gown type thing).

I believe it was he who bestowed the power – the ability to watch years and years of utter cack, without it having any detrimental physical effect.

I recently watched the first episode of The Champions so I know youÂ’re not allowed to talk about your special powers, but I hope this brings back some nice memories:

Link

(Alexandra – did you?)

Many happy returns, Harold – long may your words grace these pages. Always a pleasure to read your measured, erudite posts.

Well in, Harold! Many happy returns.

Cheers Paul, my friend in Chicago. Had a feeling you wouldnÂ’t let me hide today.

Yes, the brilliant Portsmouth with Reid up front and Dickinson midfield, were our bogey in those days... 5- and 6-goal defeats the norm.

The first games after the war were the most exciting. The result didnÂ’t matter. We went to see the stars. The great players we read about and idolised from the Football Annuals and the radio. Tommy Lawton, Billy Wright, Frank Swift, Stanley Matthews, Raich Carter, Joe Mercer et al. Great memories and massive crowds. Well over 70,000 and crushed like sardines in the Boys Pen.

Murder getting from The Wirral to the match. Everyone seemed to be Blue. The underground and ferryboats were jam-packed and the crowds waiting for trams at the Pierhead resembled St Peters Square on Easter Sunday. Amazing.

Anyway, have a lovely day in Chicago Paul. Will miss your chat on the live forum.

Cosmic grooves all the way Harold — best wishes and regards.

Happy Birthday, mate. Definitely one of the ToffeeWebbers whose opinion I hold in high regard.

Cheers H, happy birthday. COYB.

Happy birthday Harold. Have one on me.

Cheers boys. YouÂ’re all my friends despite the odd lighthearted disagreement. Try to see things the modern way but itÂ’s not always easy. Football is moving forward at a very rapid rate.

Happy birthday Harold!! Have a great day.

Happy birthday, Harold.

One thing that fascinates me is why we went from being a force in the 30s to a team that seemingly did not do anything in the 40 and 50s, for example, no trophies, no England caps.
What is your take on this, Harold? And indeed anyone else?

Happy birthday, Harold, always enjoy your posts, wishing you many more years of sending them in.

Mike (#14) KenwrightÂ’s grandad must have been on the board during those years!!!

80 years young, Harold, and still talking tons of common sense. Many happy returns!

Sorry Eugene. Never made it with Alexandra but have enjoyed many magic moments.

Yes, you need extra powers to support Everton over such a long period and your Tibetan theory is closer to the truth than you could ever imagine. Needless to say, it is highly classified. Maybe the powers come from standing in front of 3 Nuclear bombs at Monte Bello and Maralinga. My mum said I returned a changed person.

Truth be told, it was 1956-57, the beginning of Rock Â’n Roll and all young people went crazy. Happy days.

The doctors, nurses and relatives appear to be concerned about my health but I prefer not to think about it. IÂ’ve just had 100 sheets of watercolour paper delivered along with a big box of canvases and I have no intention of going anywhere for a while. When the guy next door puts me on-line IÂ’ll let you all know about it. I was once at the top but if youÂ’re not on the front line in the Art World, you donÂ’t exist.

I also need to see these new Everton faces. The ones who will make all the difference. Last season, TW was a million times more interesting and exciting than the football.

Happy Birthday, Harold. Always enjoy reading your posts. Keep them coming! Have a great day mate.

Happy birthday, Harold, have a good one.

80 eh.
Congratulations mate, I like a bit of a dabble with the brushes myself but havenÂ’t done so for years.

Maybe Eugene is right and you are superhuman. Octoman (see what I did there) would be my guess.

IÂ’ll raise a beer for you tonight in the Travellers Rest in Storeton. Happy birthday, Harold.

Mike. There were probably many reasons for the decline, not least the absence of a certain Mr Dean and his team-mates. Also, immediately after the war, we lost two of the greatest players ever to pull on a blue shirt. Joe Mercer to Arsenal where he became captain and led them to glory, and Tommy Lawton to Chelsea where he became a legend.

Happy birthday, Harold. Have a lovely day with your family.

Keep posting, your comments are always valid.

Might see you all later. People taking me out for the day.

Many happy returns, Harold. Have a great day.

Happy Birthday, Harold! I know you had one the other day but here’s another kiss from my girlfriend – she says you’re her favourite blue-nose after me! X

There are a few people on here whose contributions I make a point of reading. You are one of them. Excellent insights which shows IÂ’ve still got a lot to learn even after all these years!

Happy Birthday Harold.

Harold, your passion for Everton jumps out of every sentence, yet you are able to put it into the proper perspective. Happy Birthday, my unknown friend. I live in Cape Town but would love to have a pint with you next time I am home. Have a wonderful day.

By the way, thanks Paul Ferry – The George or The Birkey?

Harold, well done on reaching the big eight-0. I always enjoy your contributions on here – you often make me realise that I am over-reacting to the latest news, and a bit of perspective can be very important.

I visit my in-laws in Hoylake quite often, and sometimes have a pint with my Pa-in-law, Peter Briscoe in the Plasterers (he turned 85 on Saturday! Unfortunately he is a Red!)

I also do a bit of daubing, so I will be looking out for you, with your paints at Red Rocks!

Harold Happy, Birthday! Without question the most measured and intelligent contributor to TW!

May The Blue Mage of Merseyside and sometimes Red Sox fan enjoy this day more than all the others and may he enjoy many more to come!

TW Hall of Famer and Internet Diety!

God bless Harold – you’re a gem.

I don't post that often, but could not resist on this occasion.

Harold, I have always enjoyed your posts and your knowledge of your beloved blues, always a great read.

Happy Birthday, mate.

Nil Satis Nisi Optimum, and you're definitely one of the best.

All the very best to you, Harold, I hope you have a lovely day with your relatives/friends etc. You must have a few thousand on TWeb!!

I'm about 18 or so years behind you, but have supported the blues since we were beaten by Chelsea at the Bridge in about 1973 or so, so I was quite old before I became a full supporter. Last match live, I saw us beat West Ham just recently thanks to a generous offer from two friends and Carlsberg!!

You always have something interesting to say, so keep posting and have a drop of champagne for us all today. Best Wishes and let's hope the trophy room will need to be extended next season!!

Happy birthday, Harold, and keep the opinions coming!!

Happy birthday, Harold – that’s a very decent innings, keep batting on....

You put my 30-odd years as a blue to shame – I can only imagine what GP was like with 100k fans packed inside...

Hope you had a great day.

You share the same birthday as me, Harold, but I was just a youthful (not!!) 60. Hope you had a great day and continue as the voice of common sense here for many years to come.

Star man!!

Happy 80th Birthday Harold. Good to see that you have had 5 posts on here so far. Go on, go for your record!! You know it makes sense.

Happy Birthday Harold, letÂ’s hope we win the title again before you clock up 1 ton!

All the best Harold. HereÂ’s hoping for a bit of silverware at Goodison before you reach 81!

Happy birthday Harold and Dave. Hope you both have great days.

Happy birthday too, Dave. IÂ’m overwhelmed with all these kind posts but I guess IÂ’ll still upset a few when I get behind Kone and McGeady. CanÂ’t do it for Howard. IÂ’ll leave that to the manager and the man himself.

Happy Birthday, Mr Matthews.

[Just to make clear: that was said in a manly, offering a handshake... perhaps extending so far as a friendly pat on the back... kind of way. Definitely not done in a breathless Marilyn Monroe manner, more befitting of a squawky Megatron voiced tranny than a fifties Hollywood temptress.

Anyway, when it comes to wizened mentors of a more advanced age, with a name starting with an M and whose words make you go ’Mmmmm’, you stand proudly alongside such mighty luminaries as Mr Miyagi, Burgess Meredith’s ’Mick’ and... err... Grandpa Munster from the Munsters.  

Your thoughts and opinions on all things blue are always much appreciated and respected at my end.

Have a great day, Harold, and when you get those brushes in hand, always remember the wise words of the aforementioned trio: "DonÂ’t forget to breathe, very important", "Women weaken legs" and "FFS Hermann!! IÂ’m going down to my lab". Artistic brilliance is bound to follow.

Happy Birthday from just down the road in Greasby, Harold.

When I read a post and think, Â’Wish IÂ’d written thatÂ’, 9/10 times it has your name next to it.

Happy Birthday - also from the Wirral.

LetÂ’s hope we win some silverware soon.

It would be nice to add even the League Cup to our honours list next season.

That would be a nice first in your years of watching the Mighty Blues.

Harold, hope you are enjoying your birthday and donÂ’t be embarrassed by the many posts. After all, we enjoy the many posts you share on TW and respect and value your thoughts.
Best wishes

Happy birthday Harold. DonÂ’t spend that extra 25p a week all in one go!!!

80 years of watching the Blues — you deserve a medal, Harold.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

Harold, do you ever have to sign a card for someone? All the previous comments are witty and pithy and pertinent., well this kind of like it now. You always end up saying something like "many happy returns", So ,hope you had a great day and keep on posting the odd sensible comment, sorry many more wise comments. How about naming the Harold Matthews all time Everton eleven.

Many happy returns Harold.

Best wishes Harold. Hope youÂ’ve hd a cracking day. If you havenÂ’t, itÂ’s all Robertos fault x

Happy Birthday Harold! Hope you have a great day! Maybe you could confirm my dadÂ’s belief that the best opposing player ever to plat Goodison was George Best?

Harold, from one old fart to another - whatÂ’s the opposite of senile dementia?

Why, Harold Matthews, of course!

Good on yer, pal, hereÂ’s to 80 more...and a League Championship before ya disappear

Happy birthday Harold, hope youÂ’ve had a cracking day.

Happy birthday harold, have a wonderful day. CheerÂ’s, COYB

All the best Harold enjoy your day and I donÂ’t wanna see you on TW today.

Happy Birthday Harold. And many more of them mate, at least until we win the league again eh!! (youÂ’ll be the WORLDÂ’S OLDEST MAN BY THEN MATE)!

Happy Birthday Harold and congratulations for engendering more positive posts on ToffeeWeb than weÂ’ve ever seen.

Have a good one, Mate.

All the very best for your birthday Harold! YouÂ’re the type of Evertonian I love chatting to ! Seen it all - good bad and indifferent!!

I always look out for your posts, Harold......always very knowledgeable, measured and sensible.

Happy Birthday, Sir.

Happy Birthday, Harold, and, contrary to what Mark Riding @50 says, itÂ’ll be HibbertÂ’s fault!

Stephen (#58)...

ALL Evertonians saw good, bad and indifferent just this past season alone!

Happy birthday, Harold, hope you enjoy many more.

Happy Birthday, Harold. I was looking at the Arsenal timeline the last time I was at The Emirates and Joe Mercer's was great. They said he ran a corner shop and also used to commute from the Wirral?

Hope you had a great day, and Everton can take it back to the eighties for us all, next season!

80... wow, what an achievement, all the best mate and may there be many more.

Happy Birthday, Harold. I'm sure you are elsewhere at this time of my post... Enjoy, fella.
COYB.

Happy Birthday Harold - you kept that one quiet :)

Many congratulations and what more could you ask for than a ToffeeWeb thread all of your own...?! Whatever next.....

I know that, and the affection everyone has shown on it, will have you smiling tonight.

Happy Birthday my racing friend,

Best wishes

Happy Birthday, Harold. I think this thread shows just how respected you are by us all and how your thoughts and comments are held in the very highest esteem. All the best mate, hope youÂ’ve had a good Â’un.

Also, best wishes to Dave Williams who has very much taken a back seat in this birthday love in!

Cheers lads. Your kind birthday wishes have knocked me for six. CanÂ’t quite believe itÂ’s happening. My cards failed to reach double figures but TW more than made up for it. IÂ’m lucky to have such good friends. May next season be one we will treasure.

Harold - many happy returns and best wishes for many more. I always look out for your comments in threads and even agree with most of them! Sorry if this is a bit late, but IÂ’m on the other side of the planet and half a day out of sync with most other contributors.

Happy birthday, Harold. Reaching 80 you have many ups and downs with Everton. Let's hope we are on the upward curve again. Best wishes mate and keep those insightful comments coming. They are well respected around ToffeeWeb.

I missed this thread - ThatÂ’s RobertoÂ’s fault.

Being eighty these days isnÂ’t that big a deal, lots of people get there... but how many of them maintain the enthusiasm of a teenager for their football club?

You Sir, belong to a very select group of people and deserve all the comments above.

Congratulations. Hope you had a great day!

Happy belated birthday Harold. Always enjoy reading your contributions, may the keep coming for many seasons yet.

All the very best, Harold lad! Have read every post and every one a tribute to your good self sir!

Times like these make me proud to be an Evertonian.

Happy Birthday Harold, havenÂ’t a clue who you are but youÂ’re blue so you will do for me!!!!!!

Happy Birthday and many many more.

A true gent. Hope you had a lovely birthday and I look forward to reading your posts for many more years. x

There is a one liner from a post on ToffeeWeb that I will never forget – "I’ve never felt important enough to call anyone a clown". No prizes for guessing who the author was.

Happy birthday Harold. My birthday wish for you is that you live to see the blues great again.

Late to the party.. :(
But hey ho. Happy Â’albeit belatedÂ’ Birthday Harold. HereÂ’s to many more o/

Happy birthday Harold! I read ToffeeWeb & the many posts from so many great posters regularly & I occasionally contribute myself, but not often. Your posts are some of my favourite posts I like to read. Always insightful & your knowledge of overseas football always impresses me. We could be linked with someone from some outpost somewhere in Europe who I know little about & you will give a mini dossier on your post about the said player, always helpful knowledge for us fans.
I look forward to reading many more of your posts in the future. Nice touch Paul!

Happy Birthday Harold. Fantastic contributor and long may it continue.

Mark # 51, I suspect Harold might be busy with cake and candles etc, so I hope he wonÂ’t mind me answering, in my view George Best is the best player who played anywhere.

Harold, I know you like a flutter, did you back Golden Horn? I backed him in the Fielden but was utterly convinced he wouldnÂ’t get a mile and a half. So convinced was I, that, come Saturday morning I was dispensing this wisdom to total strangers. So, while youÂ’ve had cake IÂ’ve been having humble pie.

ItÂ’s great reading all those posts, Harold, you deserve every one.

Darren, (71)

Nice one mate, pure class.

Harold IÂ’m approaching 60, hope youÂ’ve got eyes in the back of your head. IÂ’m gonna go for your title. Please get to 150, ha ha you never know, we may even get to finish in the top six!! Happy birthday my fellow Evertonian.

IÂ’m thinking of the film "A Beautiful Mind" starring Russel Crow.

Allow me to be the first one to put my pen down on the table.

Harold many Â’belatedÂ’ congratulations on your Birthday but I donÂ’t suppose moving from septuagenarian to octogenarian held any problems for your good self.

I dearly hope that in a couple of decades we or most of us on here are around to wish you a happy birthday when you receive the telegram from what in all probability will be the King.

By that time we will all likely be able to see each other and talk directly to each other without the need for any typing, ItÂ’ll probably be best for all if this old-fashioned method of communication is maintained, seeing some of us at 3 oÂ’clock in the morning could come as a very great shock.

I hope you had a very good day and letÂ’s hope the BlueÂ’ on the pitch show as much spirit and speed of thought as you have over the years on this forum.

Happy belated birthday, Harold, and hope you have many more. IÂ’ve only just seen the thread, as IÂ’ve been trying to log in less and not torture myself on the speculation you get at this time in summer.

Mark / Andy. Probably correct, I wouldnÂ’t put any opposing player in front of George Best. However, I came away from one game in the 40s thinking Billy Wright, captain of Wolves and England, was absolute perfection. Won every tackle and every pass spot on. Left a big impression on me.

Others to mention were Jackie Milburn of Newcastle and Ian Wright, the little Gunner who could single-handedly rip us apart. There are probably many others but my memory is a bit dodgy these days.

Yes Andy. I backed Golden Halo ante-post. Twice.

Harold, hope you had a great birthday, maybe you are still recovering, and a little light-headed after all the excitement, please say you havenÂ’t forgotten the late great Tom Finney, but like you said there are many to recall.

Wish a happy birthday, Harold. Your posts are always something to look forward. Here is wishing Everton win 4 league titles, 2 Champions League finals and 5 FA Cups before your 100th! (No League Cups, I am afraid).

I am a bit late to this thread but would like to add my Happy Birthday and Long Life wishes Harold. You never cease to amaze me with your depth of knowledge of players playing in European leagues.

The Blues could use your scouting knowledge to suss out prospects. The quote attributed to you above re not feeling important enough to call someone a clown is a gem. Well said Harold.

Cheers lads. YouÂ’re a great bunch. I made 80 but the docs will be shocked if I reach 81. WeÂ’ll see how it goes. IÂ’m too busy to even think about it.

Dave. I wasnÂ’t really referring to the greatest players. Sorry about that. Just one or two who left a big impression on me long after the match was finished.

Harold — many happy returns for your 80th from a first time ToffeeWeb poster...

Not exactly a lot to do about Birthdays, more a passing away – sad to see the BlueKipper website saying farewell after all of those years too. Great site, incredibly humorous, gonna miss it lots.

Harold, I can remember watching the teletext on the BBC waiting for the Everton score back in the late 50s, early 60s???? When you were a kid, how long did you have to wait for a Saturday 3pm result with no iPad – when/how did you get the result you were chewing your nails for?

Happy belated birthday Harold. Always look forward to reading your independent, considered thoughts on Everton and life in general. Keep going!

What happened to BlueKipper, Gerry? I used to enjoy their rumour mongering. Why are they closing down? Sorry to butt in on your thread Harold.

Sorry, Michael and Lyndon, for using TW to announce this, but news is that Mickey Blue Eyes and the boys are shutting down business at BlueKipper...

http://www.bluekipper.com/fans/mickey_blue_eyes-41/b8161-a_cheerful_farewell.html

Hope IÂ’m not too late to the party. Is there any cake left?!

Very busy at the moment... so sometimes I donÂ’t have the time to read all the comments.

When that is the case, Mr Harold Matthews is always one name I will stop at when I scroll down and take the time to read what is usually such a thoughtful contribution.

Mr Ruane is another name I look out for, but for completely different reasons (i.e itÂ’s usually completely bonkers... see post 4 above!)

So a belated happy birthday to you Harold. Keep up the good work. Best wishes from this Blue in New Zealand.

Never tried Blue K. The guy next door told me to give it a swerve. Said it was for young nutters.

There again, TW has been a very lively place this past season. Always is when things are bad or when a player splits opinions. There was nearly a war over Gibbo a few years back. People were getting banned left, right and centre. I think the editors had to do the nightwatch.

Cheers Jamie. Yes, Eugene is a very witty man. Wish I could write that kind of thing but each to his own. If I tried to be witty it would probably sound stupid.

I know IÂ’m very late to offer my congratulations Harold but I hope you had a wonderful day and hereÂ’s to many more.

I view you on here as a calming voice of reason in the impending storm of a nonsensical RM rambling or a defeat. You bring balanced, reasonable and nearly always spot on arguments to this site. And long may it continue.

Cheers Ross. I love it when youÂ’ve got a point to prove. Seem to remember you holding your own in the heated Gibbo exchanges. Great stuff. Things have calmed down a lot since then but another bad start to the season may see TW explode.

Happy birthday, Harold; may all your dreams be blue!

Thanks Joe. Long time since IÂ’ve had a blue dream but fingers crossed.

JD @ 41. Yes, youÂ’re right. As well as the Mayagi, Meredith and the Munsters, I have plenty of company in the Artworld with the letter M. All heroes of mine, especially the genius who did a nice paint job on a certain ceiling.

Eugene @ 4. My daughter phoned from Devon last night. She said that, thanks to your link, she and her husband watched the first episode of the Champions. She also said that you are obviously a true gent, a man of the world, and if she wasnÂ’t married she would be definitely making enquiries. Careful Eugene.

Andy @ 48. Cheers mate. I couldnÂ’t possibly attempt to name my best Everton eleven. Too many special players would have to be omitted and thatÂ’s something I wouldnÂ’t care to do.

James M. You have a very special girlfriend.

Jamie C. Up the Sox.

Would like to thank everyone individually but wouldnÂ’t be able to manage it. LetÂ’s hope a great season lies ahead.

Mr Parry. Thanks mate.

Slightly late, many happy returns, Harold.

Many happy returns, Harold, and the very best wishes from New Zealand. Others on this thread have already correctly said it, but your comments are something to look forward to as they always bring reason, a balanced viewpoint and a sense of calmness to the often angst-ridden difference of opinions!! And yes, itÂ’s wonderful to hear from a blue with so many years of experience supporting our club.

Just got back from hols.

All the very best Harold. A class act.

Cheers lads. Never got to New Zealand Craig. Was with the Air Force at Monte Bello and Maralinga for the Nuclear tests but returned to Blighty just before the Christmas Island stint.

Played for England versus West Australia whilst stationed in Perth. One of only two amateurs. Will always remember running out in the full England kit. The others were ex-pros from the homeland. Won 4-1. Still have the programme. Big stadium for those days, big crowd. Easiest game I have ever experienced. Always someone in support and shouting for a pass.

Disappointed I didnÂ’t get a medal. We were due to play the winners of Scotland versus The Rest of the World in the final but that match ended in a violent riot involving players and spectators and the whole thing was called off. Scots, Italians and giant Czechs on the one pitch is not a good mix.

Did okay in my young days. Played for Birkenhead and The Wirral U18s against Liverpool at their place, Manchester, Amsterdam and various other Dutch teams when we went on tour in 1953. Tranmere, Liverpool and Everton lads joined up with us when we played at home but they werenÂ’t allowed on tour. Truth be told, we were better without them. More of a team.

Harold - youÂ’re a star, mate. I love your posts, I really do. Peace and joy to you.

Happy birthday!