Never Ever Stop Believing

I was shocked at scoring in the 1st minute, amazed we made it 2 nil, dumbfounded when the 3rd went in and even then I was still terrified that we'd find a way to F it up!

I finally relaxed at 4-1 with 30 seconds left to play then Dwight made it FIVE!! An amazing result and performance and hopefully this will see us kick-on and reach safety before the final day.

I've got my ticket for Wolves, hopefully I'll see you down there.

We've not had much to celebrate for a long time but to see the ecstasy on the faces of our Everton fans last night meant a lot to me and I bet the thousands of Everton fans all over the world who were watching and singing along with them, winning a game that will help us stay up is what we were celebrating, wait ‘til we finally get hold of a trophy then we'll really go to town with the celebrating.

I hope to see you soon Danny, look after yourself and let your dogs know why you look so happy they'll be wondering why!!

I don't get to many games these days but I can only imagine the atmosphere yesterday: you and the other 2,999 made yourselves heard thru the telly and especially on the pitch. You totally outsung the home support.

That was a performance to be proud of. Similar to the Arsenal game we were strong, inventive, cohesive and composed. I really fear that Michael Keane brings too much uncertainty to the side. Mina was immense.

Then again, they all were.

A proud night to be a blue

From before the match 'til after it, our supporters were fantastic. Roared our lads on and sung them off the pitch! I was chuffed to bits for all our Blue Lads and lasses who made that trip to Brighton.

Last night our team has given our supporters, hope! Our manager has given us a team; and we give them our support. That seems a bloody good recipe to me!

Whatever happens, a rebuilding job has to take place; and I think we saw the start of that, on the pitch last night...and in the stands. Every one of you was just brilliant! well done to all the blues, those who played their hearts out and all those supporters who sang their hearts out!

If it made such a difference, we wouldn't have such an appalling record at Goodison against Liverpool. Players playing to their maximum is the first thing and second is the hope better teams, such as Brighton, aren't "up for it". The Brighton manager admitted they weren't – "That was not Brighton" he quipped.

By all means have a pint, a sing-song and enjoy but in terms of results, it makes no difference – we would be in the top 4 every year if it did.

A great read Danny, full of joy, full of passion, and full of that great commodity – belief.

If we would have lost, then some of those who never believed we could win, would have been on here saying, "I told you so."

Who needs such realistic people when the team needs a win?

Watching that beautiful traveling blue army made last night even better. I only watched the match on the tele, but you could see how much it meant to our fantastic passionate crowd. 👏👏

We invariably were playing against teams with better players in those matches, which would not be conducive to belief in winning. Of course, true belief does not always need facts to support it but, for most of us, I think we do tend to base our beliefs on factual evidence.

Even Danny O'Neill, who encourages us to believe in our team, admits to looking at the ground in tense moments. Not a criticism of Danny at all, just an observation.

In reference to the Brighton manager's pathetic excuses after his team were routed, how about giving some credit to Everton?

It was Brighton, the same Brighton on the edge of European places. We were a different Everton last night.

Very happy for you and all the traveling supporters.

I watched the highlights last night, and I kept rewinding and re-watching the first goal. Not because of Iwobi's excellent ball to Calvert-Lewin, his absolutely sublime turn and subsequent service, or Doucoure's steady finish.

I kept rewinding to watch the fan's reaction to the goal.

Sport is such a beautiful thing when you see athletes gifted by God and good old-fashioned hard work, and the masses celebrating that beauty so passionately.

And that reaction by the fans for that first goal was simply beautiful – and I don't mean from a Blue prism, I mean from a human prism. Humanity celebrating what we're capable of through the beauty of sport. That's what I saw anyway.

Well, that and Blues going nuts with joy.

Just watch the crowd, not the play itself:

Link

Happy for you, Danny!

And I am so overwhelmingly happy for you and the rest of the traveling Blues who have endured such misery with fortitude, spirit and very loud singing all season long.

You all deserved this a thousand times over.

Palace at home last season, and Brighton away this season will live in my memory as long as the Bayern Munich semi-final. Assuming we stay up of course!

I have seen a few big wins in 54 years of attending away games but nothing like last night's when we came under such intense pressure. A 5-1 scoreline usually suggests a one-sided stroll. It was anything but that.

Given what was at stake, it was unsurprising many of us were nervous even with a three-goal lead. Every player played his part in a fantastic team performance. We controlled much of the game without the ball and, once possession was won, it was exciting to see our runners bursting forward with pace and purpose.

Undoubtedly other teams will analyse very carefully how we achieved this result and set up accordingly. I imagine they will seek to snuff out our counter-attacks, if necessary by committing niggling fouls, a tactic at which Manchester City are very adept without incurring yellow cards.

Doucouré, Iwobi and Gana are frustrating players but they were brilliant last night with so much energy and that will to get forward when an opening occurs. Garner also gave us a fine balance to go with the fight by the rest of the team.

Great to see the blue hordes smiling again and finally getting to celebrate something special. I can only imagine that journey home.

It's not over yet but that was top class and shuts those pricks up on the TV who love to have a dig at Everton.

I feel like this is written for me. I posted about a week ago I didn't want to share my thoughts as I hoped you, Rob, my mate Neil Copeland and co could muster enough positivity at away games to drag some life out of the team. You lads came through!

You and the travelling blues do us all proud.

The Brighton manager is bound to say that, as he was schooled tactically by Dyche in that game.

I am especially pleased for the brave souls who go on and on every week away from home and back the team to the hilt despite the results and, more often than not, the performance.

To hear the away fans singing Spirit of the Blues almost incessantly all game brought a blue tear to my eye. It is this level of support when it is most needed that makes you realise what being an Everton supporter is all about. Yes, our team is generally pretty shit, we often collapse against supposedly lesser opponents and, when all appears lost, we pull a performance like that out of the bag.

I have been particularly critical of Maupay and McNeil this season based on past performances. And whilst I still retain my reticence of Maupay I am more than happy to be corrected about McNeil, I just hope he gains confidence from that performance and can push on, the boys got talent. He just needs to add consistency to his game and a lot also depends on how he connects with the players around him.

We still need some more points and it would be a fool to predict where they come from. But we have drawn a line in the sand. A deep line. We will not go down lightly, we have momentum. Belief. If we can harness this epic support and keep the momentum going forward we could be safe with some to spare.

On to the next one. Man City? Let us assault them in the same way we destroyed Brighton. They have lost 4 games in the league already. Why not a fifth? They don't lose games from being outplayed and technically outmaneuvered.

The only way to beat them is to get straight down their throat and stop them from playing. We have some big, industrious players in our team who can physically impose ourselves and with the crowd's bear-pit backing make things very difficult for them.

Appreciate the relentless positivity, Danny, we are far from done yet. Let us channel the spirit of Seamus and claw our way over the line over broken and bruised limbs. We are Everton, we don't give up without a fight.

On a different note I was on the BBC sport website last night in the comments section which is usually full of RS Trolls spitting their bile. Last nights was totally different – real Fans from all over the country praising Everton and our fans and all wanting us to stay up. It raised the feel-good factor to another level.

Last point, Danny, after last night can you please start all future away days from Platform 13.

Danny mentioned that he was still nervous even at 3-0. I think we all were. Interestingly, so were Dyche and his co-coach. Just watch their reaction immediately prior to half-time when Garner's effort from 6 yards out was blocked.

I'm firmly back in the 'We can do this' camp again. I never really left.

Not taking anything away from the fantastic away win, but it would be great if, at some time down the future, we can one day take the game to the opposition and not rely on counter-attacking...

Two other things. I think the Brighton manager under-estimated us by leaving out 2 or 3 players who would usually be in the first team.

Also, fair play to Brighton as a club. It looked as if Brighton positions the away fans behind the goal as opposed to sticking them in the corner somewhere, out the way. I haven't been to an away match for years so assume this isn't usual.

I can remember the days in the late sixties and first half of the seventies when we could chose where to stand. Games were not ticketed and we just took over the terrace opposite the home end. More often than not those terraces were completely open to the elements.

I'd love to see a return to away ends, but not at Bramley Moore of course - we should stick the away fans in the Mersey at our new ground!

Anyway, I thought why should I let a few moaners stop me posting, best to just totally ignore them, and communicate with those who see things for what they are. Since the Leicester game, the moaners seem to have disappeared, although one or two are still posting, obviously upset that we seem to be fighting our way slowly towards safety, although still a long way to go before we can all breathe a sigh of relief, well most of us anyway.

Regarding Mondays game, there's only Danny and Mike Gaynes know this (Well everyone will now), but to due mitigating circumstances, I was unable to attend Brighton, the first game I've missed in nearly seven years, home, away or in Europe, and boy was I absolutely gutted to have missed it. I watched it on TV, and I'm a nervous wreck at the best of times when in a stadium, but watching on TV really is not good for your health. You're up and down kicking every ball, heading every header, nearly throwing thing at the TV, and worst of all, the ale is on constant tap. Some might say that's a good thing, but not when you're dying for a Geoff Hurst every five minutes it's not!

This team is good enough to get us out of this mess, as has been proven by the last two games. It will take time, of course it will, but let's get this season out of the way, retain our premier league status, which we will, spend our last season at Goodison in the premier league, and then kick off season 2024/25 in our brand spanking home on the banks of the royal blue Mersey.

Here's to the next seven years!! 🍺🍺🍺

During some really horrible periods this season you have kept me going, when the pragmatic boring accountant that I am was telling me to stop believing.

The performance at Leicester gave me hope, real hope, and Monday night added to that sense of hope.

We have a manager who gives guys a chance and if they are not performing then they are left out. Keane, Holgate and Godfrey cannot complain, they got opportunities and they did not perform.

If we keep everyone fit we will see the same starting eleven for our remaining three games.

I suspect our American friends will be wondering why you were dying for a Geoff Hurst every 5 minutes, but will be relieved you got one with Dwight McNeil's final goal!

Rob Halligan - Great post. As above I don't post to much and at times I can be negative on our situation but I think that stems from how we have been 'run' over the last god knows who many years. I'll never voice is as there is little to no need. Player wise on paper and now a manger who is not afraid to fire a rocket up the players arses, I believe we will be OK.

NSNO

I can imagine your feelings after not missed an away game for 7 years which is remarkable and to miss us scoring 5 away must be galling for you. I understand perfectly your feelings about watching the game on the TV, obviously for home games I am at Goodison and I don't have the same nerves as I get when watching the away games. I watched the opening 10 minutes, but nerves got the better of me and I kept walking round the house and just popping in for 5 minute segments. Seemed every time I ventured in we had scored another it was unbelievable. I watched them play the goals I had missed live during the half time segment. Even 3-0 up I still feared they would somehow get a draw out of the game. Managed to watch 10 minutes of the 2nd half before going walkabout again, just popping back in to see the score, then couldnt believe we had scored a 4th, but still couldnt stay in the room to watch the game. Went back in to see Brighton had scored but it was now into the 78th minute. Thought I wont tempt fate and stayed out till it was 85 minutes on the clock started to feel confident and stayed to watch and saw McNeil score the 5th.
Surely no 75 year old having watched Everton since I was 6 should be carrying on like this. Just that it means so much to me for us not to get relegated.
I posted on another thread the day after the game, my biggest delight with the result was for our amazing away fans. I thought of Danny and his positive posts even when things look precarious. I imagine his dogs were wondering why he was smiling so much on the day after the game as he is never this happy after a game.

Yes John, standing wherever you want! And at half time, switching ends so you would be behind the goal that we were attacking. I just hope that we don't place the opposition supporters behind one of the goals at Brantley Moore. We saw the other night how our away support gets the best out of the team, we shouldn't be giving the opposition any help. Top corner like the Skunks do.

Barry 8. How many players over the years have said how hostile and difficult it is to play at Goodison.

The fans do make a difference. Encouragement at any level of sport can improve performance.

If only we had a team to match the fans passion and expectations.

Monday's performance was right out of the Ancelotti text book. It's the only way we can play given our limitations in midfield and up top.

It's a free hit against City. Hopefully Wolves will have their flip flops on.

I just hope we don't need to a result against Bournemouth as we are very vulnerable once the midfield is out of shape.

You can have your free hit Sunday, as Mark implies.

Most important thing now is to finish the job off, then the great reset for Everton FC. A breath of fresh air with a new chairman as prerequisite , a new look board , new investment, professionally run on and off the pitch with solid incremental progress.

With a jewel like iconic stadium on the banks of the Royal Blue Mersey , and our unrivalled support , our club can get back to where we want it to be.

Most people recognise that the whole future of the club is at stake, in the remaining matches of this season, therefore, the win at Brighton has given a huge boost to the players and the fans to have some hope that the worst scenario can be avoided.

It may prove to be false hope, but if those traveling fans who hadn't seen a victory on the road since October, who had only witnessed a total of three victories away from home in two seasons, can't jump around and sing and dance with joy, when can they?

The club is nowhere near the position we would wish it to be, but moaning about how our fans reacted to a win at such a 'lowly' club as Brighton, is part of the reason we find ourselves in this position. There is no divine right to win matches for any club and each victory should be enjoyed for what it is, when it happens, although the less exuberant and practical amongst us may feel that it is beneath them to celebrate a mundane victory such as Monday's.

I feel really gutted for Rob, having to sit at home watching the game unfold on TV. Such a memorable moment for the fans and the club. I hope the team does the same at Wolves, because you deserve to see it live and in the flesh Rob.

Brighton are also a very good team and incredible performance. Sean Dyche and his training team have somehow changed the mindset.

As Monday proved anything can happen and at long last we had the team we have been asking for. Mina back in, no Keane. Garner keeping his place a fit DCL and Doucoure up there supporting him. His second goal was superb.

I have one game left this season Citteh on Sunday then I can't see anymore.
Wolves game I will have just left Hong Kong so can't see. B'mouth game I will be in Auckland looking after my grandson and they don't have footie package otherwise I would be doing what others do and get up at silly o'clock. Might try and get a dodgy stream but I would probably wake the little fella up.

So come Sunday if Danny get leave from platform 13 and Dave Abraham bring his lucky coal that would be great.
Because we are going to beat Citteh and surprise a few more people

COYB # UTFT

Looking at the Champions league last night, Sunday is going to be much tougher. I can't see us keeping City scoreless. That's why I think it will only be a 4-1 home win.

As for the fans of course many are realists and they voice their opinion, Andy ( Crooks ) is honest enough to admit that he thought it, I bet plenty did the same, I wouldn't let myself believe that we couldn't stay up but if I was asked, which I was, I said yes we can can go down but we can also stay up which I think will be the case.

As for the supporters absolutely different class and some of them are well into their seventies and still making these long journeys to follow the Blues and coming home must have been a miserable experience for them and all of those who had travelled, on Monday night no matter what their age I bet they felt like dancing all the way home, as Jamie ( Crowley ) said have a look at the fans celebrating those goals at the game, makes you proud to be an Evertonian, lads you were admired by neutral fans all over the world on Monday night, take a bow. Wish to God I had been there with you.

A collective mindset and standards will make this club successful and everyone has to buy in and play their part. Cynicism, negativity, pessimism and moaning - sure they are justified on occasion but they rarely improve things. I can also see why they are the default for many after the last 30 years.

Personally, I find such sentiments expressed repeatedly by the same posters pathetic and f*cking boring. Same applies to those who commit more energy to slagging off the club they claim to love than supporting it.

Despite the decline at this club, I never thought we would get relegated for two reasons.

First, I posted on here a couple of weeks ago that we were the form team in the bottom 6 since Dyche took over, too much derision from some. But factually it was correct- 4 wins, 5 draws and 5 defeats. That form over the season would place us mid-table and was better than our main rivals for relegation. The problem is that we are so accustomed to disappointment, that every defeat results in despair and over-reaction from fans.

Second, I posted that none of our main rivals would get more than 33 points based on their form and fixtures. That is now playing out and hopefully will see us through.

But the thing that WILL definitely see us over the line if things are on the line is the passion and fervour of our fans. Particularly, those who attend the games home and away.

I take my hat off to you.

BBC "reporting" that Docouré does not know if he wants to stay at the club. Contract ends summer, with possible 12 month extension.

We can activate the one year option on Doucoure's contract at any time before that. Mina will definitely leave due to his 125K salary and injury record.

Plus we have Braithwaite returning from PSV.

Steve @ 54. Perhaps some of the moaning and negativity can be forgiven especially as we were promised we wouldn't be in the same position as last season. People need hope and Dyche proved with the win over Arsenal that we had potential. He has copped some unfair stick and has now installed Patterson and Garner into the first eleven. Mina too was called for and has been included, so Dyche is running a meritocracy.
The win at Brighton has reinvigorated the players and supporters. Now we can see light at the end of the tunnel and we must all push to get to safety.

The usual great report from Danny - a deserved cracking night for you and the other loyal travelling fans.

I've always thought we'd stay up, and have invested accordingly. We're not there yet, but it's in our hands and we've hit a good bit of form.

All I'm hoping now is that Softlad doesn't bin Dyche for Bielsa in the summer. Wouldn't put it past him, he's thick enough to do it.

Too early to be anything but realistic about Sunday but 1-1 in Spain and a big match for City next week may play into our hands. We did well (potentially crucially) to assist our goal difference against Brighton and against ManC besides obviously hoping for a win or draw we need to keep it bum-hole tight and if we do lose, may it be only by the odd goal.

I was in the camp that had us surviving the season and after Monday that is reinforced (my early prediction had been to draw or lose that game), but it still remains that it might be a bloody close call come 6:20pm on the 28th.

Dyche has got a tune out of a poor quality squad and without a striker. He hasn't always got his tactical set up right - switching to 4-4-2 when Doucoure was suspended - but he has done enough to justify remaining as our manager whatever the outcome this season.

Not sure we could get a transfer fee for Doucs if he's out of contract and doesn't want to extend?

This is generally a very positive thread following Danny's original post. We have to accept the path to survival was never going to be smooth given our position in the table and the lack of options in some positions. But Dyche has more often than not made the best of what he has had available. He has achieved an average of more than one point per game which over a full season would have been more than enough to keep us above the relegation pack.

The manager earns particular credit for his patience in making sure DCL was fit to sustain consecutive appearances. There must have been a huge temptation to throw him in a week or two earlier. He also made a big call restoring Doucouré to the team after his exile under Frank. What a difference those two have made to our attacking play.

Off topic, I see the RS have requested that their first game of next season be played away, due to the final touches being added on their current loft extension. No doubt this will be granted, and so our first game of next season will be at home.

as unusual a result as Saturday's was (by extent), it does provide a reminder of what we've missed with essentially no proper forward. Surprise, surprise, we've scored goals again.

It's almost like we've played a majority of the season with 10 men and perhaps the biggest surprise is that we're still in the fight.

With regards Doucoure's own comments, its one way to get a good contract, he probably wants to stay and its a hurry up to the club to make him an improved offer.

As for moaners, there are one or two who never have a good word for anything and anybody.

In defence though there has been plenty to moan/criticise about over the last years, though but not all the time.

As I've said before now, what I do dislike is too much 'climb on the bandwagon' criticism of individual players especially when they are called shite and the like.

As for some who are saying we are certain to stay up, thats way too confident, anything can happen and very often does.

I have already bet we will be in the Prem next season but theres a few twists and turns to come, I'm not counting my chickens just yet.

Dyche has given him license (like Carlo did with Gomes) and we can see the rewards. If we are staying up, and can't spend big, seeing whether we can tie him up for 3 more years not a bad idea at all. Especially if we can get a lower wage and appearance/performance top-ups added in.

Everton win - 8/1
Draw - 15/4
Man City win - 4/11

That being said I will have a go if the compensating rhetoric gets to be too much but Paul Ferry is there to tap me on the shoulder when needed.

At Brighton, Everton fans (including me) did everything that they normally do when watching Everton away (and as only fans watching the game away can); did they win the game for us? No idea – and I didn't say that they did – only that they believed and it was fantastic.

Did I say that nobody was to believe? Of course not. Have I had a swipe at anybody? No, you fabricated that so, while I'm sure that you have a point somewhere in that little mind of yours, you need to give a clue what it is.

Liverpool are a counter-attacking team as I said and for sure they press higher than Everton normally do but not like they did Monday. Did you not understand what I said on that?

So, in your silly rush to score a point, you haven't taken into account what was said, the difference between before and after the last game and that, if I want to I, can change my mind with or without your say...

They were still amused and bemused today that we were winning 1-4 with two minutes to go and I was still anxious.

I'd never tell another Evertonian how they should or shouldn't show their support, I always pose things as what seems right to me. I suspect crowd influence varies greatly but I'd never suggest supporters just sit back passively.

I think the suggestion that you are a ‘talisman' has gone to your head if you can't see the innate negativity in your post from 5 days ago where you clearly try to instruct the rest of us on how we should support our team.

Any team can counter-attack in any given game; using it as a tactic means something different. Suggesting sides that largely dominate possession are simply counter-attacking teams is bizarre.

Is that how you remember the performances in the eighties? Everton soaking up wave upon wave of opposition attacks and only being able to cause them trouble when they've over-committed?

I remember performances where we seemed to hardly break sweat snuffing out the opposition's attacks and then swept forwards with unstoppable fluidity. Not exactly chalk and cheese to Monday's game, but a world away in terms of Everton bossing it.

I'll enjoy every win until it happens but what I'm really looking forwards to is Everton getting back to a much higher level of performance than we've witnessed for many a year.

Find somewhere I commented on that. That was ‘Bitter Barry' as the other Martin Mason posted at 24.

“Did I say that nobody was to believe? Of course not.” Well someone posting as Martin Mason basically did.

“We say anything can happen but the bookies odds tell us that most things that can happen are not good.”

I don't know why you question my grasp of the language if you don't see that comment is anything but a rallying cry to accept that we are probably doomed.

“Have I had a swipe at anybody? No” – absolutely unbelievable comment after what you or your imposter posted at 24.

Gobble, gobble!

I was the same way. I was thinking to myself “Well, at least we should get a point” at 1-4. This season has been so disappointing, I was afraid of getting false hope.

Taking the emotion out of it, the game was won at half-time.

Here's to a fighting draw on Sunday and another glorious away day at Wolves to secure survival!

I'm positive, Danny boy!

UTFT!!

But, I could be wrong!

Because they will all be the ones playing at home to Real and will be conserving themselves but also so fearful of getting injured they will not compete for 50/50 balls as much as we will. A City side of the above will only play to around 75% whereas one stuffed full of "reserves" playing at 100% will still be more than good enough to beat us. Pep, please play your strongest team, it gives us the best chance to at least not lose to you.

Apologies in advance for going soppy. I'll take my medicine from those who shout at me!

We have spirit. We are marching. We are forever Everton. Always have been. Always will be.

We will do this.

Genuine supporters help each other out at face value as many on here do with each other.

There is a massive difference between helping friends, family and fellow supporters out as opposed to touting.

If true, shame on them.

3 points plus 4 goals towards our goal difference. Who would have expected this before the KO.

We know we can hold Citeh, so let's go one better this weekend and gather the 3 points!
UTFT

If you're worried about being intestate just draw up a Will

However we got stuck on the River Weaver at Saltersford Lock. The lock gates jammed and wouldn't open, so that added another 2 hours to the journey. Another Engineer on board, a Season-Ticket Holder, was trying to get a decent signal for updates on his phone.

When he shouted down to the Boiler Room that we had scored after 34 seconds, I thought "Here we go, they will sit back now and absorb the pressure." Signal was poor then Colin picked it up again just before half-time 0-3, what was going on here?

To end up 1-5 was beyond any of my expectations, basing that on recent performances. Let's just hope the last 3 games yield more positivity and we escape any further torment. I'd even settle for being the place above the Bottom 3, but we can do even better than that.