Gone Fishing – Farewell Blue Kipper!

IÂ’ve been meaning to add a note about this, so thanks for taking the time to post this, Chris.

As you say, TW and Kipper have always been very different sites and while we havenÂ’t generally had much of a relationship with them, I did post our good wishes to their lads on Twitter a few days ago because they deserve kudos for 15 yearsÂ’ service to the Blue cause:

.@bluekippercom, an irreverent counterweight to our straight-laced curmudgeonliness for 15 years, are calling it a day. Best wishes, lads.

— ToffeeWeb (@ToffeeWeb) June 11, 2015

I used to read Blue Kipper quite a lot for their funnies and fishies. They were always a good read and laugh. Well done to them.

Likewise, Lyndon.

The effort it takes to run sites like this, and theirs, and ours, is well worthy of a great deal of respect.

We (me and Kipper) had our ups and downs, but before I started NSNO I always enjoyed their forums, and I dare say we profited a bit from linking over there as well in the early days!

ItÂ’s a shame theyÂ’ve let it go, but hopefully itÂ’ll be kept somewhere archived so fans can continue to look back...

All the best to Bluekipper lads! When the negativity on TW was getting a bit too much, it was always worth a look! I also put my kids photos on there with their first Everton kits – they loved that!!!

Well done, TW, for putting a thread up!

First EFC site I really followed. Loved some (a lot) of their stuff; the Tatts were great, and I speak as one whoÂ’s ink-free. IÂ’d like to think that somewhere their stuff will archived. A site for a kinder, more gentle time perhaps. Or maybe IÂ’m just getting soft.

Good on them for their charity exploits. Far too heavily edited for my tastes and exposed as an extension of the club PR department in leaked e-mails. Refused to put both arguments forward regarding the running of the club so lacked any credibility really.

I imagine the site and Editors would have been more at home in North Korea.

I only read one piece on Blue Kipper (same initials as our dear leader!) and that was the last one and I found it a little condescending towards those of us who do moan and groan about certain aspects of the club. It was tantamount to saying put up and shut up and that we are where we are and there is little we can do about it.

That may be true to a certain extent but every Evertonian wants what is best for the club and keyboard warriors even those – who post to massage their own egos – should be praised for taking the time out to express a view positive or negative, which is why TW has stood the test of time, although what happens when Lyndon and Michael call it a day doesn’t bear thinking about.

I rarely read the homepage but the forum was very good and played a key role in a couple of fan movements.

Kevin (6) – Have to agree.

It wasnÂ’t for me.

I used to like Blue Kipper - I havenÂ’t fell out with them, just tend to be more on here now. Their Blues around the world and Redshite sections were very good. Sure thereÂ’s some photos on there of me with "Redshite" in Cypriot (Kokkina Skata btw).

Maybe LL and MK could utilise some of BluekipperÂ’s comedic features for this site. That would balance up the often serious threads. (diplomatic eh!) Good luck to the Kipper boys - I remember their Europa trips like Nuremberg etc with Snods and others.

I wonder, have our Football Collective overlords driven them out of town?

One less site to talk about Everton. That being said, wonÂ’t someone spare a thought for Micky Blue-Eyes?
WhoÂ’s going to employ that gobshite now?
Condescending, faux Marxist sociological beaut.

Like a couple of others, I wasnÂ’t a fan of their pro-club editorial bias (famously leaked in the Ross-gate emails). (Full disclosure, this had nothing to do with them refusing to publish a piece from me lambasting the mis-management of the KingsÂ’ Waterfront development, honest!)

It had a couple of good points, but whilst I could get past the apauling grammer and spelling (!) they also laid claim to the most condescending columnist ever. Most definitely not deserving of an MBE....

Was never for me. but fair play to them for 15 years worth of effort.

Jack (#11), Bluekipper was so far up the clubÂ’s arse that only an enema couldÂ’ve got them out!

Bluekipper used to be my first point of call years ago. Â’Me Â’arl fellaÂ’s shoutsÂ’ and the multilingual Â’RedshiteÂ’ photos always raised a smile.

Moved to TW when the Â’Moyes is GodÂ’ party line, and intrusive adverts got too much. As for MBE - what a self-opinionated bigoted twat!

I enjoyed the funnies but stopped logging on when I noticed any comments I posted that where negative towards the club were never posted.

Kev #12

I think you are being kind to him. You want to read his final farewell...... ItÂ’s right up there.

Graham (#18).

Thanks (i think) for pointing me to the article. Heavy going, to say the least.

HeÂ’s certainly gone out in the style to which we were accustomed! The amount of phony Bolshevism that guy can shoehorn into an article is incredible, he reminds me of Rik MayallÂ’s character in the Young Ones.

Loved all the MBE contributions. (Go back and read the one on the young Wayne Rooney, or the Kings Dock fiasco.) Always a great read and a change some of the semi-literate stuff that gets served up on these sites.

I liked to think of ToffeeWeb as the highbrow broadsheet and Blue Kipper as a bit of tabloid fun every now and again.

Shame to see them pack it in.

I donÂ’t think that Gerry (#21) would agree with your view, Paul #22.

ThatÂ’s a shame. Though I have not read the site for a while, it was the first Everton internet fan site that I read before I realised ToffeeWeb was better. As a left-leaning politics graduate, I will miss reading Micky Blue Eyes though.

Patrick,
Bluekipper was mostly fun. (There are lots of pics of my kids in their Everton kits, and me and my mates on holiday.) The MBE stuff was the exception. I think the fact that his articles were so out of place was one of the reasons why I enjoyed them so much.

Gerry - I used to enjoy reading WSAG and I enjoy a little bit of irony and fun stuff. I canÂ’t comment on the site because a) I barely knew of its existence and therefore never visited it on a regular basis; b) TW takes up so much of my internet time, I have no time for the family as it is. But it is a shame that BK has gone as any vehicle that promotes the club is most welcome and badly needed in these cash-fuelled times.

Cannot say I have read much of the MBE stuff but am curious what some of the references above are about. Whatever their stance (pro establishment?) itÂ’s a shame to see an Everton fan site fall by the wayside.

MBEÂ’s sentiment was usually spot on, just that he needed a good sub-editor to show him the way.

HavenÂ’t looked at the site for a long time now but I used to enjoy it. I think it was the adverts that finally forced me off.

I have a couple of Bluekipper tee-shirts – one from one of my best trips ever watching Everton, their organised day trip to Nuremberg with Dave Watson and Joe Parkinson. Being led around town by this duo looking for our pub was surreal. Had a fantastic day away.

If only for that trip – thanks, Bluekipper and good luck.

Glad to see the back of the arseholes. Stopped looking at BK after Rooney was sold. I wrote a long comment to the site regarding his sale, which was basically saying heÂ’d done nothing wrong by wanting to better himself, anyhow thatÂ’s been done to death. I checked the next couple of days but they never put my comment on.

Next day, Mickey Blue Eyes put his twopenneth worth on which was virtually word for word what IÂ’d already written, or should that be wrote.

DidnÂ’t bother that much, but then the cheeky fucker went on to win awards for his writing. I think he went to the same school as Craig Charles. Self-righteous prick.

Interesting comments re MBE from ToffeeWebbers. I think he was wasted on that BK site.

I could just imagine the reaction from the ’clever’, ’classless’ and ’free’ crew on here trying to bend their heads around such concepts as; ’We are all working for the ’American Pharoe’! or, the logical extension of monopoly capitalism – is, that in the end, one man will own the resources of the whole world!

(Yes, just like the board (sic) game of Â’MonopolyÂ’!)

Or maybe he has been writing in on here for some time?!

Kipper was always my first port of call when I got on the internet until I discovered this site. Since then, you could count on one hand how many times IÂ’ve visited the place.

Still, sad to see it go though.

It was probably the first Everton fans site I used. The format, right til the end, was so user unfriendly and generally very amateurish. Still, fair play, theyÂ’re Blues. Good luck to them.

The difference between BK and TW is clearly illustrated in this one thread: so many spiteful, uncharitable and simply nasty comments.

WeÂ’re talking about fellow Evertonians here and the demise of a fan site about the team we ALL support.

Is it beyond some of you to show some sympathy and support?

To all the habitual whingers, moaners and neÂ’er do wells on here: lighten up for goodnessÂ’ sake.

I remember reading some comments Hunter Davies made about Everton fans 40 years ago in his book Â’The Glory GameÂ’, in which he said we spent all our time fighting amongst ourselves. How right he was.

I wonder what people will say if ever this place closes its digital doors?

Tom #31 - As much as there may have been great merit in the musings of Mickey Blue Eyes, both TW and BK are football sites and the people who read those sites overwhelmingly visit to read about Everton F.C. There is sometimes a case to point out the vagaries of one political system over another, but as far as I can tell, whatever political viewpoint that MBE held it overshadowed a lot of the content he produced about Everton FC.

Some people are very interested in their club and politics, some are only interested in the club and have no wish to be preached to, some of us are very interested in politics and the club but choose to keep a lid on our personal political viewpoints.

IÂ’m not sure what you mean by Â’cleverÂ’, Â’classlessÂ’ and Â’freeÂ’ crew perhaps you mean that TW members are Clever and free-thinking or are free to choose and cannot be ascribed a class or perhaps you were being ironic.

Matt Traynor ~15

"Bluekipper was so far up the clubÂ’s arse that only an enema couldÂ’ve got them out!"

Surely you mean:

"Bluekipper was so far up the clubÂ’s arse that they could see Graham SharpÂ’s feet"....

When I was younger, I used to read it a lot. I particularly liked the fishy whispers (You haven’t lived as a blue until you have seen 5 fishes next to Yobo’s name in 2002 – pure excitement) and funnies, and even posted some stuff on there.

I gave my AC Milan friend from uni an Everton shirt who wore it in Athens when they beat them lot across the park. They did a whole story on me and my friend. But overtime as I got older I just thought their material was quite juvenile and I think as layouts of websites got better, theirs did not.

I also used to see the odd sly dig from the Blue Union about them posting what the club told them to... and their interviews not being cutting edge enough. But as always, I have read some good stuff on there in the past and wonÂ’t begrudge anyone who wishes to spread the name of EFC. Best of luck to them.

"And you think youÂ’re so clever and classless and free
But youÂ’re still fucking peasants as far as I can see"

Gone but not forgotten Johnny boy.

CouldnÂ’t agree more with David Booth #34. This site has more than itÂ’s fair share of nasty, opinionated, arseholes who sadly seem to have more time on their hands than the more fair-minded types.

Blue Kipper I think lost itÂ’s way a couple of years ago but IÂ’m guessing the motivation was waning as the editorial team aged. Understandable. I for one, thank them for raising a few smiles over the years and wish them well for the future.

Loved the My Arl Fella Shouts but I havenÂ’t logged on there for years

David Booth (34) - "I wonder what people will say if ever this place closes its digital doors?"

Well I canÂ’t speak for others but IÂ’d say "Well itÂ’s a blow certainly, but... at least I wonÂ’t have to read anymore of those Â’why canÂ’t you be nice?" posts.

You know the sort – those epitome of passive-aggressiveness posts that seem to be nothing but a roundabout way of saying "Hey I’m really nice and if you don’t think like me, you’re not."

I also wouldnÂ’t miss any post from a regular poster accusing others of having too much time on their hands for... er... posting regularly.

And if I went to my grave never hearing the pointless and meaningless Â’lighten upÂ’ again, that would be fine.

As I suggest, many of those telling others off for how they express themselves (and what they express), are in reality, walking clench-fists ("Oh he was always very nice and polite, we never thought heÂ’d...")

If people think Bluekipper was great/hilarious, fine. But if others think it was stuck up the club (or puerile or unfunny as fuck) thatÂ’s fine too.

"Spiteful, uncharitable and simply nasty comments"? Nothing at all wrong with any of these things imo, if thatÂ’s how someone feels and they say WHY they feel that way.

Finally you write - "WeÂ’re talking about fellow Evertonians here."

So what?

Let me state I find this attempt at Â’righteousnessÂ’ genuinely insulting and it cuts absolutely NO ice with me.

It was Â’EvertoniansÂ’ who wanted us to fuck off to Kirkby.

It is Â’EvertoniansÂ’ who applaud Bill Kenwright.

IÂ’ve seen Â’EvertonianÂ’sÂ’ at away games giving nazi salutes and singing Â’Everton are whiteÂ’.

Am I not allowed to say I think they’re complete fucking morons because ’’We’re talking about fellow Evertonians here’’? (I’m a human being too – doesn’t mean I’m not going to knock other humans when they behave like pricks.)

Seriously, behave yourself and knock the Mother Theresa act on the head – I for one don’t believe or buy it for one second.

Thank You, Eugene.

I was half-composing a response in my mind to the duplicitous and self-righteous hypocrisy exhibited by the two Daves... and you nailed it far better than I could, in your own imitable fashion.

Perhaps one of the differences you spotlight is that we try not to tell our readers what to think about EFC. But we do ask our posters to show some respect and civility to each other when they disagree about Everton stuff. Hence the sanctions taken over those who think others on here are "nasty, opinionated, arseholes" — when of course they’re not???

Not too clever, Mr Brierley.

Kev (#12),

You made me log in to agree with your comments, bang on!

QED

Which of these comments is the more/less respectful I wonder?

"duplicitous and self-righteous hypocrites"
or
"nasty, opinionated, arseholes"

How lovely of you to say David B (34)

Dave (45) Link

I consider one of my lifeÂ’s greatest accomplishments was being named one of Blue Kippers famous fans!

Eugene, thanks for the pic. I do enjoy your little insights although IÂ’m not totally convinced youÂ’ve always got both oars in the water.

Dave (49) - "Eugene I'm not totally convinced you've always got both oars in the water"

Oh so IÂ’m mental am I?

A big, off-my-cake, mental insane..loon!

Michael, can nothing be done about posters like this?

It is an outrage that one canÂ’t post a picture of a man clutching at staws, without being accused of being a lunatic.

In my opinion, posts like this are from Â’nasty, opinionated, arseholes, who sadly seem to have more time on their hands than the more fair-minded typesÂ’ (like me)

Link

Does anyone really know who MBE is. I have my suspicions. One DH perhaps.

Hey Alan, is that our old pal Richard Head, occasionally known as Dick?