When strangers meet...

Count me in, John.

Hi Peter, you were in pole position. If you log on to the "When legends were thin on the ground" thread, comment [24]. You'll find a bit more information.

Okay, thanks, John. 👍

I'm in too, but keep quiet about that if you want more people to show up!

Hi Steve, [4] I'm sure that you are doing yourself a disservice, if I am reading your post correctly. I for one am looking forward to meeting you.

Although we are of different generations and we appear to have a different outlook on football, the one thing that connects us is our love of football in general, and Everton in particular.

You are obviously into the technical side of the game, whereas although I am not as well versed in tactics and formations, I believe that I can determine if a team or individual has played well, or not so well.

If things go well regarding the proposed get together, I'm sure that we're in for an interesting couple of hours or so.

I know that I don't really need to say this, but you are entitled to express your opinions, so if you think you're right 'stick to your guns', but equally, if you should be wrong now and again, don't be slow to apologise.

John,

I live in the USA now and my son gets married here on July 7th so will be tied up that week.

However, I get back to Liverpool at least once a year and would love to meet up for a beer if possible when I'm next home.

I met up with another ToffeeWebber (Peter Lee and his family) when he was over holidaying in the DC area and enjoyed meeting and chatting about Everton. I should like to follow up with Peter as well on my next visit so maybe we can make it a belated Birthday drink!

Happy Birthday and have a couple of OJs on me!

Hi Steve [6], I would love to meet up with you when it's convenient, we can share memories, not necessarily the same, but memories none the less.

I'm still trying to tie up the birthday get together, I've had four responses and I will need to get my skates on, otherwise my birthday will have come and gone.

Perhaps your next visit will coincide with a home fixture, in which case we could have a [pre or post match] rendezvous]. Thanks for the birthday wishes.

John, it's six weeks off and things may crop up, but it's in my diary and I hope to attend.
I plan to ask you about Everton in the immediate post-war period and the 50s, so am forewarning you.

Not only is it World Cup Final day, but it is also St Swithin's Day, so if any of us get pissed, does that mean we'll be pissed for the next 40 days?

I'll see if Marco can make it too.

Hi Mike [8] I was beginning to think that there was a distinct chance of me being on my own, when I realised that it was the date of the World Cup Final.

I'm afraid that, if my new-found friends turn up, I'll be the only one sober, as because of medication issues, I had to give up my favourite drink, a bottle of Guinness, some years ago.

My recollections of the immediate post-war period, will consist of information that was relayed to me via my Grandad and six fervent Evertonian uncles; my more vivid memories are from 1949 onwards, although I was attending games (not every game though) since 1948.

If Dave Abraham turns up, I'm sure you will go home far more familiar with all things Everton. I would like to extend an invitation to anyone who wished me well following my 7 weeks stay in Southport Hospital, I would dearly like to thank them all personally.

ps: If you log on to the thread, When 'Legends' were thin on the ground, you will see that I have already covered the Everton careers of 6 players, with 43 more to come.

I have every intention of coming, John. The only issue for me is the health of my father. Can we arrange this so we can meet a good few hours before the final as I intend to watch that at my father's (all being well).

Also, Dave, look forward to meeting with you. I hope Tony comes along too. You too, Peter and Mike.

I'm down to work that day, John, but hope to sort something out so that I can pop over.

Hi Steve [11] I had no idea that the World Cup Final was scheduled for Sunday 15th of July, I always had it in my mind that a 12 noon get together would be an ideal time.

If the game is to be played around 4pm perhaps this would give you time to spend an hour or two, before watching the game with your Dad,

I'm quite flexible and would go along with any time that can be agreed on, I just wanted the chance to thank as many "ToffeeWebbers" who wished me well following my stay in Southport Hospital as possible.

As I said in a previous post, it would be nice to put faces to names. I'm just going to Google the World Cup fixtures, to see if there's any information that would assist us.

12 noon sounds good to me.

Hi again Steve, the match is indeed a 4pm kick off, which is just as well, because I'm hard to handle after four Diet Cokes, and I should be safely tucked away in bed by then.

Hi Bill Griffiths, wherever you are, I hope you're still up for a get together, 12 noon Sunday July 15th, at the Midland Hotel, opposite Central Station, and anyone else who may be interested in sharing Everton experiences, is more than welcome.

12 noon sounds a good warm up to the Final – still okay for me.

Time and date is fine for me.

Hi Bill [12], I have had a bit of trouble with my laptop, and in the end I had to buy a new one.

I hope you can make it but don't worry, if this get together is a success we may make arrangements for more regular meetings.

If everyone who has expressed an interest turns up that will give us a total of six, a nice number for a table of dedicated Evertonian's to exchange views and change the world. .

Hi Dave [17], I'm so pleased that you can make it, at least there will be someone I know. Let's hope that the reorganisation of the club isn't another false dawn.

You and I have experienced dire times, but I can't remember a season quite as bad as the last one, I honestly felt as early as October that we were relegation candidates.

I have no doubt that we will be exchanging views via 'ToffeeWeb' before the meeting of Sunday 15th of July.

John, I'd love to come but I'm in France that week.

I hope you have a great birthday and a good get together. Best Wishes and good health.

PS. I'd love to be included in any subsequent meetings.

John,
I thought I had responded already but I can't see my post.

Unfortunately, I am now based out in Florida and only get home once a year.

I can't make July 15th but hope you have the wonderful day you deserve, hopefully attended by a number of Blues.

I would love to meet up when I am over so I will let you know.

Have a great birthday anyway.

Best wishes,
Jay

Hi Bill [20] and Jay [21] if this venture has a positive response, I feel sure that any future get together will take into account the availability of people like yourself.

Although I have expressed my appreciation of the good wishes extended to me following my stay in hospital, I just thought that being able to thank those concerned personally, and anyone else who is interested in joining us, to discuss all things 'Everton' over a pint or two seemed like a good idea.

I have instructed my family to hold my Surprise Party on Saturday July 14th, because I'll have a more important engagement on my birthday.

We had better make your day enjoyable then, John! You've given us a lot to live up to. I hope Dave brings his best jokes, mine are all too rude!

John; it'd be great to meet some of these really knowledgeable Blues from ToffeeWeb.

Also, some, like yourself, who can talk about the '50s. My first game was October 1958 so I'm quite a new kid on the block.

Enjoy your day. Should be really good.

Hi Steve [23], just being in the company of fellow 'Blues' will make it an enjoyable day, I feel sure that both the young and the not so young, will learn something from each other.

For example, thanks to your good self, I now know that a player may be a Number 10, even though he is wearing Number 24 on his shirt, just another alleged improvement to the game, following the removal of the centre-forward who has been replaced by the 'striker', the wing-halves and inside-forwards who have made way for the 'mid-fielders', and the full-backs who have been made redundant by the introduction of the 'wing-backs'.

To quote Alice, I believe, when she was in Wonderland, things get 'Curiouser and Curiouser'.

Hi Bill [24], to continue the quotation theme, Charles Dickens could have been referring to your introduction to life as an Evertonian, October 1958, when he wrote "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" [A Tale of Two Cities].

It was in October 1958 that Bobby Collins joined Everton, that covers the first part of the quote, and Everton lost 10-4 to Tottenham Hotspur on 11 October 1958, which completes it.

At that time, I was serving Queen and Country in Cyprus, but 'football pain' knows no boundaries and I was as distressed as anyone back home.

I feel confident that you will get the opportunity to meet some of what you refer to as knowledgeable fans, I've always maintained that Evertonians know a bit about football, while Liverpudlians know a bit about Liverpool.

You missed out 'schemer', John, à la Bobby Collins.

In October 195,8 I was a paperboy for a red newsagent. He said he had some good news for me: Jimmy Harris had scored a hat-trick at 'Spurs!!

Steve (23), jokes !! jokes!!, we are talking about Everton here Steve, it is no laughing matter, especially after last years displays, then again we were a laughing stock for most of the season.