Meet Myra — Goodison's Unsuspecting Dog of War
Richarlison may have been the hero on the pitch in Everton's 1-0 victory over Chelsea on Sunday but there was another icon who announced herself to the Goodison faithful ahead of kick-off… Myra the dog!
Richarlison may have been the hero on the pitch in Everton's 1-0 victory over Chelsea on Sunday but there was another icon who announced herself to the Goodison faithful ahead of kick-off… Myra the dog!
The pooch went viral before the Toffees' vital Premier League win after it appeared she was paraded among supporters as fans welcomed the Everton team to spur them on in their battle against relegation.
Footage of Myra being carried through the crowds on Goodison Road led many to refer to the ‘Dogs of War', Joe Royle's battlers who lifted the FA Cup in 1995, and as Everton scrapped in the same spirit for an important three points, the dog's presence prior to the big match proved even more memorable.
So, was that the plan all along for Myra — not named after former Toffees goalkeeper Thomas Myhre by the way — to be Everton's new mascot for the run-in?
Not at all, in fact, the canine's owners don't actually follow football.
Reece Van-Aston-Kerrigan and his partner Jasmine Priest live just two streets away from the Grand Old Lady in Walton and decided to take Myra, their 4-year-old Belgian Malinois, out for a Sunday stroll to Stanley Park.
What happened next, they were not expecting at all.
“Mate, it's been absolutely crazy!” laughs Reece, his dog now a superstar a few hours after Everton's triumph. “Everything has been a bit mad, considering we don't really watch football but it was such a big game!
“Our dog is quite a high-maintenance dog. They're working dogs, they need the exercise,” he explains. “We noticed the match was on but left the house at about 12 o'clock (2 hours before kick-off).
“There was a small congregation outside Goodison, maybe one to two-hundred people but nowhere near as many as when the pictures were taken.
“The stewards wouldn't actually let us down Goodison Road (with the coach set to arrive, unbeknown to Reece and Jasmine) so we had to go around before we had our walk in Stanley Park.
“On the way back we thought, ‘We'll just walk straight through' because there was nobody stopping us coming up from the other way.
“We were walking through 5 minutes after the coach arrived though so people were coming in and out of the pubs, taking pictures, cutting across our path… we got to a point where just everyone was coming towards us.”
Myra and her owners continued to try to navigate the masses amid a few squabbles and irritations.
“The dog stood on some fella's foot. I remember him saying to me and his mate ‘There's a dog standing on my toe!”
All was fine after Everton's win though it seems with Reece smiling: “I actually saw him tweet later: ‘That dog stood on my foot, hopefully it's worth something…'”
With the crowds getting bigger and noisier, Reece and Jasmine were now at a standstill.
“In all honestly, I thought ‘Fuck this' so I picked the dog up and started walking with her in my arms just to get through.
“She started wriggling though so I said to Jas, ‘grab the dog's front legs' and I had the dog's back legs.
“We've pushed her above our heads to get through and then we just heard this mighty roar! ‘Waheyyyy', everyone was clapping, everyone was cheering!”
“If you were to describe it, as soon as the dog went in the air, it was like the parting of the Red Sea.”
In this case, it was a sea of blue, as royal blue flares could be seen as far as New Brighton and a cacophony of Everton songs enveloped the L4 air.
“We got to the other side, managed to put Myra on her lead and did think we might see it online…”
Hours later, their pet pooch is a viral sensation and a possible good luck charm as Everton look to extend their stay in the top-flight for a 69th consecutive season.
“The response we've had is unbelievable,” says Reece, who Googled the result at full-time and actually had to create a Twitter account to see the gigantic response. Since then, his phone has been constantly hit with notifications.
The initial video had 300,000 views shortly after the game, while accounts with a million followers have shared the footage which has been viewed in places as far as Brazil.
“Someone has even done a watercolour painting of her being carried!” Reece exclaims, astounded.
After being brought over from Spain as a puppy, Myra initially moved from home to home until she found her forever home with Reece and Jasmine, just a stone's throw from Goodison.
As her owners chat to ToffeeWeb on the phone about a crazy day, Myra wanders over.
“I'm sat here living my life as normal and my dog has made global media!” Reece laughs. “That's the funny thing… as she's been carried through she's probably thinking ‘What the fuck is going on?!'
“The fact it's put smiles on faces, lifted people's spirits and the team got a good result in the game is great.”
“Everybody's going to have a good bevvy tonight thinking about ‘that dog'” he jokes.
Despite not being football fans, Reece and Jasmine are already well aware the Blues are next in action at home against Brentford and have decided they will be doing their bit in the battle against relegation.
“We're more than likely going to do it again on the 15th,” Reece admits after a look at the fixture list. Any superstitious marginal gains will do and are most welcome.
This was far from just another ‘walkies' for Myra on Sunday, who will remain oblivious to the fact she is now forever written into Toffees folklore after an iconic journey home.
Richarlison may have scored the winning goal, but the pooch played her part too as the Everton supporters ultimately got the assist on a memorable day at Goodison.
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Reader Comments (54)
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2 Posted 02/05/2022 at 06:44:39
3 Posted 02/05/2022 at 07:38:51
4 Posted 02/05/2022 at 07:45:42
5 Posted 02/05/2022 at 08:50:03
6 Posted 02/05/2022 at 09:04:53
Two iconic images yesterday - Myra and then Richie holding the flare after scoring.
Just magnificent. Sums up what this city and this club is all about, mad humour and passion.
7 Posted 02/05/2022 at 10:47:05
8 Posted 02/05/2022 at 11:06:50
We are respected wherever we may go. Marching down the Goodison Road!
9 Posted 02/05/2022 at 11:25:50
Has she got a Ticket for all the remaining Away games? :-)
10 Posted 02/05/2022 at 12:08:34
Onwards to Leicester next Sunday, another 3 points eh lads... and any chance we can take Myra and her owners with us too? ðŸ˜
11 Posted 02/05/2022 at 12:10:31
12 Posted 02/05/2022 at 13:41:47
Only Everton could have an Ali as it's unofficial mascot
13 Posted 02/05/2022 at 15:52:18
14 Posted 02/05/2022 at 17:08:56
15 Posted 02/05/2022 at 17:55:38
16 Posted 02/05/2022 at 18:09:56
The dog, the old Man, the flair and the fireworks, ( ok so I borrowed part of the title )
The plot starts as Evertonians are dejected after the Anfield trip, the piss taking from our neighbours, the media throwing street parties for our departure, suddenly one guy who has seen it all, a quiet guy sat in the corner of the pub, in his seventies smashes his glass on his table.
70 years of being the quiet one suddenly snaps, the room falls silent, for this guy is mild mannered and only occasionally curses a mild swear word, but he his broken and angry of all the injustices, he has had enough and is making a stand.
The room still silent, shocked at first hear his roar, Ive had enough of this, I'm not taking it anymore, I'm going to fight back, I'm going to get some fireworks, head down to the hotel the night before, and make those Southern wide boys get a northern welcome in the night ( apologies to our South based fans) then I am going to stand in Goodison Road and greet our team bus.
Forget the Queens jubilee, this party on the Day, will make Goodison Road shake, now who is with me, a great roar goes out in the pub as every single Evertonian starts to chant as one, spread the word fellow Evertonians, tell your mates, tell others on social media about the get together on Goodison Road.
Out of a dark gloomy time, an unlikely hero stands up, he has become a legend, yet no one knows the name of the old guy, but an idea was born and belief and pride came rushing back to every single Evertonian.
The following Day, Evertonians returned to the pub, but no one had seen or known what had become of the old guy, he was not seen throughout the week, what was known that the fireworks did indeed go off at the hotel.
The following Day a mass crowd did indeed converge outside Goodison Road, but still no sign of the old man, but a new hero emerged, after a dogs of war cry, as if by miracle, a dog appeared over peoples heads, being passed through the crowds, the crowd parted as the dog passed over their heads, the dog then disappeared into the distance, with the party mood still in full flow.
This carried on into the stadium, the old lady was rocking once more, the old guys words still ringing in Evertonians ears of fighting back, it was deafening, who was the old guy? No one had any idea, not even the locals in the pub.
A mighty roar went out out as Richarlison scored, the crowd were deafening, flares reigned on the the pitch ( not the seventies 28 inch flares) but royal Blue flares.
Richarlison stood there in awe with one in his hand, before throwing the flare into the crowd, out of the crowd rose the dog once more, he was curious and followed the crowd into the ground, as the flare took flight, the dog leaped up, and caught the flare in his mouth, before carrying it down, and dropping at a stewards feet to a tremendous roar from the crowd.
As the game ended Goodison erupted and partied on long after the final whistle, the dog went viral on social media, but what had become of the old man, who was he, was he the spirit of a past player, was he real.
Well I can finally tell you who that old man was, he was you and I, he was the voice of every single Evertonian, we have had him for some time in our heads, but chose to ignore the fighting back, the daring to sing at a game, to accept the media darlings putting us down.
He got into the head of all Evertonians, fight back, fight back, do not take it anymore, sing your hearts out, back the team, sing to your voice is Raw, play your part and the team will do the rest.
It is now up to all Evertonians to stick together, get behind the team and give it everything we've got for the remaining games.
Up the Toffees.
18 Posted 02/05/2022 at 18:57:44
19 Posted 02/05/2022 at 19:13:29
I had a couple of pints with my oldest son and his mates after yesterday's game, and the passion they have got for Everton, and the lengths they go, to attend any game, made me feel very proud.
Nothing manufactured, just sheer love for our football club, I can't wait for Kenwright to leave, because that old man has convinced me, that once he leaves, Everton will win the cup, and this city will explode with sheer unadulterated joy, and this is something I can't wait, for those younger generation Evertonians to witness for themselves🤞
20 Posted 02/05/2022 at 19:20:19
Spirit of the Blues belting out at the end. I didn't want to go home.
21 Posted 02/05/2022 at 19:34:37
The scenes yesterday were remarkable but imagine if we actually won a cup , the roof would lift off the whole city. May I live long enough to see it happen !
22 Posted 02/05/2022 at 19:51:23
I talked to my 10 year old nephew after the game and he was stoked. He proceeded to tell me all about how Gordon is his best player and how great he is. So I asked him "Do you think Gordon should be in the England squad for the World cup?" fully expecting an affirmative response. What I got was something that demonstrated an Evertonian pragmatism that defies his age. He said "yeah. . . well, maybe. . . as a sub. . . a spare sub. . . if there is an emergency."
23 Posted 02/05/2022 at 20:03:34
24 Posted 02/05/2022 at 20:08:17
25 Posted 02/05/2022 at 20:11:04
Great minds think alike
26 Posted 02/05/2022 at 20:19:36
27 Posted 02/05/2022 at 20:30:20
28 Posted 02/05/2022 at 20:38:17
But the 2 best games have been Chelsea away and home.
Forget we took 4 points from the 3rd place team. On both occasions I watched young Evertonians showing the passion and desire that I can only preach about. But to see it in the kids who haven't been privilleged to see what I have been blessed to is humbling. Fantastic.
They are the future. I take more notice of the football and watch the clock these days!!
29 Posted 02/05/2022 at 20:43:08
No shame.
Tell your lad to consider Mykolenko. Liking him too, the more I watch him and he settles in.
30 Posted 02/05/2022 at 20:53:29
31 Posted 02/05/2022 at 21:04:07
My biggest concern was that the people throwing the ball further into the crowd might have made us pay at the end, because I'm certain the ref added a couple more minutes because of this.
32 Posted 02/05/2022 at 21:12:06
I had those concerns yesterday.
Was it Bournemouth away a couple of seasons back that the celebrations added time that cost?
Not the same, but the ridiculous Chelsea away game where we snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
Regardless, just keep the ball and play the game.
33 Posted 02/05/2022 at 21:19:17
I always sympathise with the younger supporters, I have been fortunate enough to have witnessed 4 League triumphs, 3 FA Cup wins, and the European Cup Winners Cup. On the downside, I witnessed relegation in 1951, at the age of 12, three months short of my 13th birthday. While relegation would be a disappointment to me, I have reached an age where I am able to handle it.
The attitude of the 'football fan' on Merseyside has turned toxic, and I wouldn't wish any young Everton fan to be exposed to the treatment they would receive if the worst was to happen.
Hi Kieran, [22] I have e-mailed a message to you, I hope it has reached you in Kansas, there's no need for you to answer it immediately, it's not a matter of life or death.
34 Posted 02/05/2022 at 21:38:51
Whatever happens, we'll still meet up next season. You should have seen the lump on my 50-year-old throat yesterday, let alone Josh's!!
35 Posted 02/05/2022 at 21:47:55
36 Posted 02/05/2022 at 22:46:33
37 Posted 03/05/2022 at 07:47:40
38 Posted 03/05/2022 at 08:03:34
The thing is, with the uncertainty hovering about whether we will be in the Premiership next season, and still not decided yet. Once I know we are safe, I can give the Bramley Moore Pub a call which I am confident they can accommodate us at short notice.
It would be fitting if the Arsenal game is to be televised, that we could all meet up for that. Now I know the Bramley Moore is not at present that easy to get to, quite a walk from Sandhills, not on the Bus Route, but I am sure being the last game we could get Taxis between us say from Lime Street, that is if there any around. Or, we could pre-book Private Hires at a pre-arranged time and place. Obviously the travelling faithful, Rob Halligan, John Raftery, Brian Murray and Danny O'Neill etc, will be at the match.
Food for thought but always open to suggestions, provided they are possible.
39 Posted 03/05/2022 at 08:06:55
I thought Bayern Munich was different because it was more about joy than relief, but Everton haven't won a cup for 27 years, and to turn up the way our fans did on Sunday was very special indeed.
I've written it on these pages many times but, for sheer noise, Munich wants some beating considering the crowd was heard by Pictor clock that night, (6.5 miles from Goodison Park) but the way the blue smoke was rising and could be seen clearly from the other side of the River Mersey, was a beautiful sight.
40 Posted 03/05/2022 at 08:14:45
41 Posted 03/05/2022 at 09:19:41
Or does that take the biscuit?
42 Posted 03/05/2022 at 09:22:03
43 Posted 03/05/2022 at 10:20:30
44 Posted 03/05/2022 at 11:05:21
45 Posted 03/05/2022 at 12:34:10
46 Posted 03/05/2022 at 18:37:57
47 Posted 03/05/2022 at 18:52:35
I would offer to bring my boy as a replacement but there's no way anyone is carrying him. He's closer to the Police horses in size and weight!
48 Posted 03/05/2022 at 19:15:57
49 Posted 03/05/2022 at 19:20:27
I can't complain. I don't have it too ruff.
Can't believe you dragged me in the the bad joke glitter and realise Brian be me to it. I'll leave it there and get my coat.
50 Posted 03/05/2022 at 19:52:38
Craig Pawson is the referee for the Leicester game on Sunday, while Lee Mason is on VAR duty! Mike Dean is the referee for the Watford game next Wednesday, with Michael Oliver on VAR.
52 Posted 03/05/2022 at 20:13:38
Fans make travel plans based on fixtures. Okay, they can change but the reasoning and timing is questionable and shows now consideration.
We are the gift that keeps giving and the FA keep taking.
53 Posted 03/05/2022 at 20:29:09
Forget Grand Old Team, when Spirit of the Blues was belting out, I thought I was going to pass out.
54 Posted 03/05/2022 at 20:37:44
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIEtWPCxcmA&ab_channel=SameOldEverton-EvertonFanChannel
2 minutes odd in.
55 Posted 03/05/2022 at 20:46:26
56 Posted 04/05/2022 at 16:42:15
Craig PAWson?
Too perfect.
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1 Posted 02/05/2022 at 02:18:08
Long live Myra!