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John McFarlane Snr
1 Posted 25/05/2022 at 19:42:43
Hi Rob. I can't believe that a club which in later years was to become known as "The People's Club" could be so harsh, and the 'Supporters Club' don't come out of this situation smelling of roses.

Once again, thank you for another great article, it takes me back to when football was the working man's sport and fans, although they were biased, weren't as hateful as they are now.

Brian Murray
2 Posted 26/05/2022 at 22:27:12
it seems my brother got away with the politics of being a mascot just before Bernard.
Chris Hockenhull
3 Posted 26/05/2022 at 23:33:37
The club has an endless history of getting things wrong in a PR front… yet it took a new manager at the time to give them a strap line that they've milked ever since.

In September 1968, I approached the club for a “Junior Everton Supporter's Club”. I was 12 and Everton was my life. It took endless letters before I was told to go to the Supporters Club to meet the head man after a home game.

I saw this fellow (can't remember his name… could it have been George???) and I outlined some (12 years old) ideas to him but was quickly dismissed.

I remember him saying something like “We had kids in here some years back and they were a bloody nuisance running around all over the place.” I explained my idea was not for some young Evertonians Youth Club but his mind was set. I felt quite let down by his dismissive attitude.

Spin forward some years and the penny dropped regards embracing young supporters etc. I recall I said it was about young Everton fans who were passionate about the club but his attitude seemed to be that they don't contribute enough payments to club or supporters club so are not important.

Now we live in an era where young fans and family enclosures etc are the current fad… the full supporters of tomorrow. Looking back to 1968, it would have been quite a revolutionary thing of them to have embraced. But we all know how forward thinking this club has been…

Danny O’Neill
4 Posted 26/05/2022 at 00:09:55
I don't want such a fantastic and nostalgic article (as always Rob / Becky) to be hijacked, but shame on you Everton Supporters Club, whoever you were at the time.

I agree with John Senior but then it makes me wonder about this proposed fans advisory board. I'll stop, let's keep this on track. There's another thread for that.

Wonderful story on the back of the tale of John Murray (Brian's brother). How great would it be if we took a ball boy (not the staged one for every player) and the Toffee Girl to away matches?

Sadly it probably wouldn't wash in the modern game. Even by the mid-80s, she was having to turn at roughly the 18-yard line towards the old Park End to avoid the vile abuse from our loveable cousins. But why not now? If that's our choice of mascot do it.

Thank you as always. I didn't mean to distract. Wonderful read.

Karl Masters
5 Posted 27/05/2022 at 00:19:54
Amazing story. These days he’d be rugby tackled by two stewards and banned for life.

So, yes the Supporters Club behaved badly and the green eyed monster was at play, but also at least he got the chance to do it for a good few years, and up close and central in a special era for the Club.
Brian Murray
7 Posted 05/07/2022 at 20:43:52
So Toon are now on the trail of our Anthony Gordon. No one is irreplaceable. It’s the food chain and I’m sure we have a contingency plan. This is the new Everton, so I’m told.

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