Everton will play Ruzomberok in Europa League qualifier

Flying to Krakow seems the best/only option – then a couple of hours on a coach/train. That's assuming one can grab a ticket from what will be our tiny allocation.

However, with a decent pair of binoculars, you'd get a good view from the mountain that overlooks the ground (stadium would be too grand a description)...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Futball_stadium_Ru%C5%BEomberok.jpg

We will surely have too much for the Ruzzers.

I've just been on Google maps too. From my house, it's a 14-day walk and my car's at the garage at the moment so I'm quickly packing a rucksack now...

However, the best news is that I have sold the house here in Houston and will be back in Aberdeen looking to buy a house in Turriff on the 20th August - YES! Oh for a sausage butty! mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

You big in oil, Gerry?

BTW, I watched the game today and they really deserved the win. They had a lot of the ball and put in a lot of effort. Brann just seemed to want to hold that 1 goal lead from the first leg and never tried anything until after they went 2 down, with 10 minutes to go; too little too late. And didn't threaten much even then.

I was surprised; I thought Brann were supposed to be the better team with a European pedigree.

At least we won't have to run through any more Brann jokes!

Silly offshore humour!

Not too concerned apart front the fact the place is in the middle of nowhere. Hopefully we can get a big win at Goodison Park in the first leg that renders the return leg a bit meaningless so a few of the senior players don't have to travel out.

Their stadium holds less than 5k!

Is it on Freeview?

Everybody assumed, including myself, that Brann would go through, how wrong were we all?

If they've pulled off one upset, who says they can't lift their game, and do it again.

They are an unknown quantity!

Unless anyone tells me any different, I will consider them as a genuine contender, and treat them with respect as such.

Complacency has been the undoing of many sides in European Competitions.

Let's face it they are not exactly a team of part timers, and even if they were, this is their chance on the television, to prove something.

Beware!

A few people on here fearing a repetition of Bucharest. Apart from the fact that 'History happens first as tragedy, and repeats itself as farce', Dynamo Bucharest, for all their shortcomings, were probably a much better team than this outfit whose name I have yet to memorise, and we were certainly much poorer and with a much poorer manager (in more ways than one).

Five-nil at Goodison is my prediction. Ronald to rest most of the team for the away leg, where we'll get an honourable 1-1 draw.

Both my sons were born in Scotland, the eldest was born in the old Kincardine O'Neil War Memorial Hospital and the second one in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. The youngest is also sadly buried in Banchory Cemetery so we have strong links with your beautiful part of Scotland.

I really miss the morning rolls from the bakers up there. Can't get them down here.

If anyone has seen the video of Sandro Ramirez banging in absolute rockets from all angles in training then I am quietly confident we may already have such a striker.

However, we do definitely need at least one more front man, probably two, for what will be a long tough season, starting next week.

Planes, trains and automobiles always makes for a lot more adventure, but I think I'll see how the first leg goes before I make any plans!

A long hard season, is what all the big teams plan for Jamie, so hopefully our squad isn't finished just yet?

He is gutted, had looked forward to finally see his heroes Baines & Davies in real life. Hopefully some young Slovakian Blues will have a great night with their favourite team in town.

Feeling so optimistic!

We moved here a few years ago, from Warrington, because of the oil industry, but I'm now retired. So I don't see the blues as frequently. When folks find I'm from Liverpool, they often ask if I'm blue or red, and being blue seems to get a warm response, so they seem to like Everton up here.

It is indeed a small world, I grew up in Stonehaven, Father still lives locally in Drumlithie.

It's much easier being English, when you're an Evertonian. :)

Tim, my local, the Marine Hotel on the harbour, has a head chef who's an Evertonian. We use a plumber, a local lad, who's also an Evertonian. The only 'reds' I'm aware of are Aberdeen supporters!

Seriously though, the aim for the 17-18 season must be to finish top 4. I'd use this competition to give squad players / kids a chance. We have bigger fish to fry.

The reward for winning this cup is the same as finishing top 4, a Champions League place.

I think it's our most realistic chance to get Champions League. Difficult to get past three clubs this season. I would target this cup.

They wear outfits like Wolves based on the request of their sponsors but used to have outfits like Norwich. No big story about being bankrolled by a billionaire. No big name players. Mostly Slovak players with a Bosnian striker.

We are some way off Chelsea, Man City, Spurs and Man Utd too now, with their signings and the likely upturn in Mkhitaryan's form. Liverpool and Arsenal have more class and goals in them too, even if our defensive part of the team can compete and better them, especially in Liverpool's case.

On the other hand, we could get into the latter stages of the Europa League playing teams that will be weaker than us. Then it is a lottery; United had it easy this season but Liverpool had it very hard the season before.

Whatever happens, if we can get into the later stages then we can win it. It is more likely than top 4 in a much improved Premier League. (It would have been more likely 2 or 3 seasons ago but the quality is picking up again.)

I'm in Fyvie (originally from Wallasey) which is a spit fae Turra!

We're also unavoidably linked to Aberdeen via Andy Nicholls's literary classic "Scally", detailing hi jinks following a friendly in the mid nineties. It gets its own chapter.