Volume 26 Number 4 ESCLA Everton Supporters Club London Area

Please note that all views expressed in this update are those of the respective authors of the pieces. All unaccredited pieces are the ravings of the editor.

Everton Are Still Paying the Price for Heysel by Martin Samuel

Daily Express January 31st 2001

To begin with, cards on the table. I have a soft spot for Everton Football Club. Perhaps because I saw Ronnie Goodlass audaciously lob Mervyn Day from the halfway line at Upton Park in the mid-seventies.

Day had a habit of standing 30 yards from goal when play was up the other end and east London spent most of the match imploring him to get back in position. When the inevitable happened, all club loyalty aside, most West Ham fans felt like laughing.

Maybe because my first job on a National newspaper in Manchester co-incided with the year Everton won the title by 13 points. I was staying in the Brown Bull pub in Salford and going to a match every night because the alternative was dinner for one or washing my hair in the cleaner's Fairy Liquid (I had run out of shampoo and kept forgetting to buy more). The game that most stands out was a European Cup Winners Cup semi-final: Everton 3 Bayern Munich 1.

I still remember the tremendous tension, the frantic pace of the game and the fact every time Andy Gray jumped up with a Munich defender the opponent went down clutching the side of his head. The referee must have been an Evertonian too, because I don't think he penalised him once.

A little while later, Everton won the league, the following month I watched them collect The European Cup Winners Cup on the telly at The Red Lion pub in Prestwich, where I was now renting a flat. And by the following week I had my own TV to view the unfolding horror at the Heysel Stadium, the disaster from which the blue half of Merseyside has never recovered.

Which is why I have a soft spot for Everton Football Club. Of course it should go without saying the real victims were the 39 Italian fans who failed to return from the European Cup Final in Brussels, their families and their dependants. But, beyond that, there was a club which, through no fault of its own, found its dreams shattered.

Everton were among the best teams in Europe and ready to fly. They had claimed the league by a record margin and would perhaps have been the first Treble winners had a draining fixture programme not contributed to F A Cup Final defeat by Manchester United. The following year they would have entered the European Cup with, many believed, a reasonable chance. Yet with the post-Heysel ban on English clubs the rug was pulled from under them. Players left to pursue the challenge of football in Europe, as did manager Howard Kendall. The money which would have taken the club to stage two by matching the finances of their biggest rivals never arrived. Everton slipped slowly, sadly, back into the pack until now they sit almost at the bottom.

Last week's 3-0 defeat by Tranmere Rovers must rank as a new low - and there must have been a few contenders. Remember Kendall, on one of his many ill-advised returns, all but scrapping with his players as they left the field after a midweek defeat at Coventry? And yet this weekend, while John Gregory left Villa Park and the scene of calamity against Leicester City on a motorbike with 10 minutes to go and Sir Alex Ferguson blamed defeat by West Ham on a rugby league match played on his pitch two months ago, outside Goodison an hour and a half after the final whistle, vice chairman Bill Kenwright was on the pavement absorbing the frustrated rantings of fans. His train to London was halfway to, well, probably Runcorn the way the service is these days, but you get the idea. And he stood and he listened and he clearly cared. Which is another reason I have a soft spot for Everton. Because there must be something right with a club which inspires that loyalty through thin and thin.

Joe Royle still has it. Talking last week after Manchester City's match with Derby he referred to Everton as "my club" and it was not a slip of the tongue. I remember the night his team beat Liverpool 2-0 at Goodison and I spotted him diving into the Winslow pub across the road to keep a promise made on the day he took the job. The place exploded with cheers which shook the street. That kind of direct communication is not commonplace. And then there is Walter Smith. Now suffering demands for his dismissal, with no money and a crippling injury list (nine first team players missing against Tranmere), he is not one for complaint. He rekindled the career of Nick Barmby, helped win his England place and was rewarded with a march across Stanley Park to his greatest rivals. He has a romantic notion that Paul Gascoigne has one great season left in him. He commands the respect of contemporaries who appreciate the constraints of his job. And given just a fraction of the advantages of some rivals - let alone £50 million of them - he could surely take Everton to a better place.

Which is not to say they are anything more than a lousy team playing lousy football right now. Just that they shouldn't be. And in all probability wouldn't be were it not for a terrible tragedy at a match in Brussels nearly 16 years ago. Which they lost grandly without even playing."

Martin's article has struck a chord with a large number of Evertonians and is reproduced here with the authors permission. In other articles on the same page he makes some astute comments on football. Firstly why was Barthez's attempts to distract Di Canio in the Cup tie referred to as clever and audacious by pundits when it was clearly blatant cheating. And consequently would Barthez object if an opponent shouted "mine!" or "leave it!" in a match.

Secondly when Kevin Keegan resigned the England post, he admitted not understanding what was going wrong on the pitch. So how can he expect to provide insight to us at home as an "expert?"

As Martin comments, will Des Lynam be saying at half time "Join us after the break when Terry Venables will be explaining the first half to Kevin Keegan."

More power to your pen Martin. It's no wonder you are the Chief Sportswriter at the Express when hacks such as Philip McNulty are still peddling cheap sensationalistic rubbish in the local papers.

Pearls of Wisdom

"I'd never say anything to blemish the name of the club" - Kevin Ratcliffe.

"Casting my mind back over the past ten years it is amazing how many of my best memories are of the fans, rather than the matches or the goals. Even during the lean years, there was a massive hard-core at every away game who lifted us more than they could imagine. And by the time we had lifted ourselves to Wembley and Rotterdam, they bought tears to our eyes. To play before supporters like that, to share their joy.... has been an honour" - Kevin Ratcliffe

Jimmy Mulville "God, I was sorry when you left Everton"

Andy Gray "You were sorry, I was f***in' sorry as well"

Jimmy Mulville " I used to try and emulate Alan Ball on the field just by shouting a lot. I had his temper but that was about all really. I used to try to run like him as well, that stuttering run with his head up in the air, a real hard-faced approach to things. My other heroes: Alex Young. I remember seeing him in the street once and I followed him for about a mile, at a respectful distance of course. I couldn't believe that this man actually wore a suit, he wasn't in his kit. He was going to the shops but I couldn't believe that this man wasn't supposed to wear blue and white all the time."

"The roar which greeted our first goal against Blackburn was the loudest I've ever heard" - Peter Beardsley

Uli Hoeness - "You are crazy men"

Andy Gray- "Why don't you just f*** off. We're in the Final, you're not!"

(1995 ECWC SF 2nd Leg)

"Alan Ball told me that there was no bigger club than Everton and the facilities are first class. Second to none." - Peter Beagrie on his move from Stoke City (then managed by Ball) to Everton.

(And there was no better player than Bally - ed)

"One of the finest team performances you could wish to see" - Howard Kendall after the 1985 ECWC Final

Pearls of Wisdom - the flip side

" Do you know who I am?" - Mark Higgins when stopped for erratic driving by the police.

"Why don't you put a red shirt on now you t*at." - Wembley pitch invader to Trevor Steven - 1989

"F*** the lot of youse" - Mark Ward to the Everton crowd (Southampton home 1991/92)

"Paul (Parker) would be mad to join Everton. It's an evil place" - John Fashanu

Reporter: "I haven't seen Everton play much this season."

Howard Kendall: "Neither have I" 1992

"It's so much easier to play well when the crowd are behind you" - Martin Keown (Unsworth barrackers take note)

Trainspotting

Did you know....that on the sad we sold Peter Beardsley (23rd June 1993) Howard Kendall made a bid for Duncan Ferguson at Dundee United? This means four different Everton managers bid/bought/borrowed big Dunc. Must be a record...

Best Post Goal Celebrations - Part 117

"The Blues challenge came from Ward and Cottee after the formers strike in the recent derby. Facing each other, hands on hips, headbanging to the left, then to the right, followed by a flying headbutt before sinking gracefully backwards unconscious onto the Goodison turf"

Unfortunately the MoTD cameras were focused on Grobbelaars altercation with McManaman

Quote of the Month

"Why do ALL Bill Kenwrights productions make me cry?"

A tearful Sue McCormack after watching "Blood Brothers"

Great Matches from the Past

The following match report should re-kindle memories of some great names amongst our more senior members.

Everton scored six times in the first half when Chelsea visited Goodison Park for a League game on March 20th 1960. That was in the days when teams played forward lines, and all five members of the Blues' attack got onto the scoresheet.

Everton opened so powerfully that Stan Crowther almost presented them with an own goal in the opening minute. Mickey Lill was tackled on the edge of the penalty area and Crowther, trying to turn the ball back to Reg Matthews, almost beat his own keeper.

A couple of minutes later, Jimmy Harris had the ball in the Chelsea net but was fractionally offside.

Dunlop saved from Jimmy Greaves and straight from his clearance, Bobby Collins whipped a long pass to Lill, who caught the ball inches from the line. He passed it inside to Vernon who wheeled around and shot, the effort being deflected wide of Matthews.

This was Vernon's sixth goal in four games and, after Matthews had made a good save from Lill, the Blues got their second at the 12th minute. It came from a magnificent header by Harris, who flung himself full length at a Tommy Ring centre.

Whittaker paid the penalty for a strong tackle on Ring, for from the free kick

Everton went three up at the 25th minute. Harris centred the ball, Mortimore missed it, and Collins flicked the ball passed Matthews.

Dunlop had only one shot to save in the first half hour and it came as no surprise when Everton got a fourth goal after 35 minutes.

Parker opened up Chelsea with a brilliant pass to Harris. He spotted Lill in the penalty area and provided an inch-perfect pass for the winger to smash past Matthews.

Everton's fifth was an own goal by John Mortimore but the credit goes to Ring whose shot was saved by Matthews before the ball struck Mortimore and trickled into the net.

Chelsea scored two minutes before half time when Greaves touched a free kick to John Sillett whose ground shot from 20 yards struck an upright before bouncing into the net.

Seconds before the break Ring scored his first goal for Everton to make the score 6-1. It was a grand solo effort, which ended with him evading Matthews despairing last-ditch effort and placing the ball into an empty net.

After half time the 50,963 crowd settled in anticipation of more Everton goals. Matthews saved brilliantly from Lill and after this the Blues seemed to slacken off.

There was one incredible scene in the Everton goalmouth when Dunlop punched out a Harrison centre. Mick Meagan then cleared off the goalline, Peter Brabrook headed the ball against the bar and Brian Labone hooked it clear.

Strangely with their side 6-1 up, there were then shouts of "Get on with it" from some Blues fans, but their favourites were never able to find that superb first half rhythm.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The ESCLA AGM will be held on Saturday, 7th July 2001 at The Radisson Kenilworth Hotel, Great Russell Street, London WC1. This is the same venue as previous years. The meeting starts at 12.30pm and a buffet will be provided after the meeting and there will be a bar available. Formal notice of the AGM is included in the newsletter. It is hoped that Graeme Sharp will attend as Guest Speaker.

Members are reminded that if they wish to nominate someone for a post on the Committee, they should do so in writing to the Secretary, David Lanchester, together with a seconder by 1st June 2001. Any proposed candidate should also write to David giving their consent to stand by the same date. Anyone wishing to propose a motion for discussion at the AGM should also write to David with a seconder by 1st June 2001. David's address is 1 Holly Close, Buckhurst Hill, Essex IG9 6HT.

Great Expectations

"Goodison is haunted and Howard (Kendall) and I are two of the ghosts"

This was a comment from Joe Royle but when was it said? Actually it was after Everton's board gave Howard Kendall a vote of confidence in the bleak midwinter of 1983/84 and Joe was referring to the 1970 Championship team which supporters were using as a standard to judge successive Everton sides. The fact that this side was one of the greatest club sides in English Footballing History made them an unfair benchmark, and the supporters disappointment that the club were falling short of that mark was so vociferous that one succeeding player, Mike Lyons had cause to remark that the team preferred to play away from Goodison at one stage.

Joe Royle's remark might be considered applicable today, with himself and Howard being the only two post-Catterick managers to pick up a major trophy. However I don't think that the average Evertonian has that expectancy for the club at present, and that is due mainly to the fact that the club has flirted with relegation in all but two of the last nine seasons.

So is this a good or a bad thing for the club? Certainly it relieves the pressure on the manager and the players. One has only got to look at our "fiends" sorry "friends from across the park" to see how easily expectations run high when a few wins are strung together and how quickly players are poorly compared to their successful predecessors when things fall apart. There were some Manchester City fans at the start of the season who dazzled by their clubs meteoric rise over the last two years were expecting a challenge for a European place from their side this year.

At Goodison four years ago, an F.A.Cup win and a sixth place finish in the following season lead to some experts believing we were dark horses for the championship and it was 1985 all over again. These sentiments were testimony to how much the club had progressed in two years, yet injuries to key players in the team lead to a run of poor results and suddenly the "high expectations" turned into a "crisis level"

However on the other side of the coin, low expectations can result in low ambitions. Again using those bas..., sorry, Liverpool as an example commentators felt that in the fifties the Liverpool directors were happy to maintain a mediocre second division outfit, and Bill Shankly's greatest achievement was to change this mentality and turn the club into one with burning ambition. "To Everton it is about winning with style, but to Liverpool it is all about winning" became a maxim.

When Everton reached their first F A Cup Final for 16 years in 1984, Graham Taylor, manager of their opponents Watford said that their main priority was to enjoy the day. His counterpart Howard Kendall said that Everton were there to win the Cup.

At the start following season a Charity Shield win over Liverpool fuelled growing expectations among the supporters. Despite losing their first two league games, the club had the most successful season in its history, and many have cited the self-belief amongst the players as a prime reason for this.

As Graeme Sharp has said within these august pages "we went into games believing we couldn't be beaten". Some people might say that these expectations were high because the players were of high quality, yet if one looks at some of the mediocre players that won championship medals in 1987, this argument would not seem to hold water.

Howard Kendall clearly saw that the players believed in themselves and each other and the strong camaraderie that existed between them cemented this .The famous Chinese meals (which became infamous due to Mr Keown and Mr Sheedy) were a tool to boost morale, although a criticism that could be levelled at Howard Kendall is that this fixation on the team socialising together was detrimental to "loners" such as Pat Nevin and Andy Hinchcliffe.

Indeed the main problem Colin Harvey faced was the split into two factions of players which had won medals at the club and expected success, and the later acquisitions who were under pressure to repeat the success of their predecessors. They even had separate dressing rooms at Bellefield, a situation which persisted for six more years until Joe Royle came in and made it a first priority to "knock that bloody wall down."

The most convincing argument on this side however is the clubs motto. "Nothing but the best satisfies" implies that we should have great expectations for our club.

Players will tell you that they change clubs "to win things" (although the rise in wages does come in handy). Newcastle in the last few years could attract top players because although they constantly in the words of the song "win f*** all” the belief that this will change attracts them. Everton were the same in the seventies. Tottenham now have trouble attracting top class players because they are no longer seen as a club with the potential to win things. Their last big signing Sergei Rebrov said he joined Spurs because they won trophies, which can only lead one to believe that the Russian Rothmans Football Yearbook contains some substantial errors.

So Goodison is no longer haunted. But perhaps we need to exhume some of those ghosts in order to remind ourselves of the standards we expect, to remind our players what a great club they play for and to install the belief in them that to be at Everton they have reached a pinnacle in their career. We expect the best they can give us, and they should wear that sacred shirt with their heads held high, rather than bowed down with the burden of history upon their shoulders.

Ooh Aah Dixie Dean !

Dixie Dean, best known for his record 60 goals in 1927-28, once punched a fan at Tottenham. But he received a very different response from the one that hit Eric Cantona. Dean acted after his Everton team had lost an F A Cup tie in 1937. A Tottenham fan yelled at him: "We will get you, you black bastard.”

Dean told an approaching policeman: "It's all right officer. I will look after this."

Dean then punched the man, sending him flying. There were cheers, the policeman shook Dean's hand - and the matter ended there.

Blue Mail

It was interesting to read about the problems ESCLA Evertonians have been experiencing using various train services (if service is the right word) in the last newsletter and that there is even some debate as to whether train journeys should continue.

This got me thinking as I don't travel by train anymore unless absolutely necessary and I'd not realised things were so bad. I suppose you can always expect the odd nightmare, I remember a trip to the 1980 home cup tie against Wrexham being fabled in ESCLA folklore for this reason, but only occasionally surely!

From a personal point of view I've been an ESCLA member since 1981 and I must say part of the initial attraction back then, as a 15 year old, was a way of getting to watch Everton without paying over the odds. I remember my first game at Goodison was Howard Kendall's first as Manager (the very first one!) against Birmingham. We won 3-1, crowd was 33,045, yes it was, and always will be, a very memorable experience. My mum was just relieved that I'd got home safely, bearing in mind it was only a month after the Toxteth riots and Liverpool's reputation was at an all time low. She only let me go because of ESCLA. Later that season I lost my return train ticket at the Derby game and I was saved from being stuck 300 miles from home contemplating another defeat by the Reds by John Smith who demanded I be let on the train to a surly BR ticket collector, As the 80's glory years unfolded I had a lot to thank Everton and ESCLA's travel arrangements for (we even went to Rotterdam with ESCLA), but not much to thank British Rail for. I missed the FA Cup Quarter Final of 1983, being stuck on a train, a quarter of a mile from Victoria Station for no reason that was ever explained (the train just stopped) thus missing the ESCLA train to Manchester. I heard Stapleton's goal outside Highbury funnily enough, having met up with a couple of Arsenal mates who were going to their Quarter Final against Aston Villa.

By and large though, despite British Rail's permanent poor reputation they got us to Liverpool on time even if slowly, the journey time of two hours, fifty minutes being longer than an East Coast Express to Newcastle!

We experienced some cock-ups. Anyone on the train back from the 1986 Cup Semi from Birmingham would surely never forget an 80-mile detour to get a woman home who had got the wrong train!!! What she offered the guard and driver to do that is a mystery. Luckily, Wembley bound again, we were too happy to complain too much!

During the 90's ESCLA trips became less because we had access to cars. Andy Cope (who I first met on an ESCLA trip) and I would meet (and still do when we have the time) on the M1 and share the driving. With two or more it becomes more economical and means you can go usually uninterrupted straight to the match or into the city first. There are pros and cons with trains and cars: plusses for the train: - more relaxing than driving, you can have a beer (perhaps!), no parking, cheaper if you're on your own, meet up with other ESCLA members. BUT living in Whitstable I have to add one hour, forty five minutes of trundling along the North Kent Coast which makes it an early start and a late finish. That's if I ever get to the game (Chelsea this season!). I went to that Chelsea game by car. I left home at 8:30 (over an hour later than if I caught a train), despite poor weather, I was in Liverpool by 12:30 and had time to see my old school friend (who lives in Prescot), a quick pint, some food, a trip to the Souvenir Shop and a look at the Kings Dock before enjoying watching us beat the most over-rated club in Europe. I got soaked in the torrential rain at the end, walking to my car in Stanley Park, but I had the luxury of taking off my soaking wet jeans and driving home in my boxers - try doing that on a train!! A pretty straightforward journey home (even though the M1 / M25 intersection was blocked and I had to use the North Circular which was comparatively quiet that evening) and I had time to go home, put on some trousers (!), smarten myself up and make last orders down at the local including the obligatory reminder of the score to the local Chelsea simpletons.

I do not entertain the train really at all now because driving is more flexible, cheaper if 2 or 3 go, generally much quicker plus you can have the radio, CDs etc on as you travel as well as talk. That is not to say I wouldn't use the ESCLA train option which I think is probably brilliant if you live in London and gets there on time. I have many fond memories of ESCLA journeys, but I also have memories of sitting in Faversham Station (one stop from home) for an hour, of hanging round Victoria late at night waiting for the snail-like hourly service back to Kent plus your usual selection of late night weirdoes. I hope you don't abandon this option as it is also a great way for younger members (like me in 1981) to get to a game economically when you have no other options. Rather, I hope that BR, Virgin, Connex and all these other profit rather than service geared cretins get their act together. I can't imagine how gutted the "grim reaper" must have felt arriving at Liverpool at 4:30 pm. Typically Everton that we should win that afternoon as well! Anyway that's my thoughts on the subject: keep the trains, use the coaches when you have to, try the car (it's not that far!) but most of all, keep on going - the Blues need us!

Regards

Karl Masters

ps. Sorry it’s a bit long but you did ask for contributions!

"Duncan McKenzie is just a Fancy Dan" - Tommy Smith (before the F A Cup Semi Final 1977

Fancy Dan's Diary

Leicester City

I honestly don't think I've seen a side play as badly at Goodison Park as Leicester City did on Saturday, and I've seen a few bad ones! Even before kick off they bemused me. Junior Lewis may be a good young prospect, but how can be keep Roberto Mancini out of the side? When Mancini came on as substitute he was the best player on the park by a million miles!

I thought we started very very well. Franny Jeffers ability was there for all to see, with his intelligent running, and Kevin Campbell's goal was the result of an excellent run by Davie Weir. Richard Gough played well, while Michael Ball was very good.

Conversely Leicester were a mess as the result of manager Peter Taylor changing the tactics of the side. The success of Leicester City is down to their specific style of play so why change it? Despite all this, times are difficult and you could feel the anxiety in the second half, and the relief at the final whistle.

Newcastle United

I felt we should have got more from this one, particularly as the Newcastle's back four were very poor. Indeed we would have got more had not everything that came to Franny Jeffers fallen on his left foot. Newcastle were there to be murdered. However we shot ourselves in the foot. The goal we conceded was Gerrard's fault (again) and Abel Xavier went to pieces after his lapse which led to the goal.

Evertonians (your editor to be precise) moaned about Alan Shearers gamesmanship but we didn't complain when Mark Hughes used to do the same in a blue shirt did we?

Manchester City

This was a strange game from an Everton point of view. City came out of the traps with all guns blazing and murdered us for the first twenty minutes. Then we took control of the game and once we went into the lead I couldn't see City coming back. Nicky Weaver had a good game until he made a howler and let the ball slip into the net for our third goal.

It topped off a good day for me, I took my son Andrew along, he's been following City with his mates for the last few seasons (although I'm sure he remains an Evertonian at heart) and I managed to get your editor through the reception area so he could see his friend and hero Joe Royle. Brian Labone invited us into a dining area to meet one of my old heroes Johnny Haynes, and I was called upon to give a rendition of one of my "Cloughie" stories which earned me a nice round of applause.

Tony Hadley Sings!

An e-mail conversation between Eileen O'Hare and the editor

Ed: They were talking about Tony Hadley's (from Spandau Ballet) vocals on "I Love 1983" and pointed out that his voice would always boom out whether he was singing a polemic type song or a ballad. Perhaps they could save money on the p.a. system at Goodison by getting him to do the announcements...........

Eileen: Yes I'd like to see Tony Hadley at Goodison. I think he could give us a fine rendition of "It's a grand oul' team to play for" especially the "what the HECK do we care" bit. I'm sure he could do it with plenty of feeling.

So the editor came out with a possible track listing for a comeback album for Tony. Imagine him belting out the following:

1 Sure It's a grand oul team to play for

2 Here We Go

3 If I had the wings of a Swallow

4 Oh we hate Bill Shankly

5 Kopites are Gob****e

6 Bobby Latchford walks on Water

7 Oh Andy is Our King

8 Forever Everton

9 Spirit of the Blues

10 Super Kevin Campbell

11 Everton, oh we love Everton

12 Robbie Fowlers Illegitimate

13 Duncan, Duncan Ferguson

14 We all agree, Duncan McKenzie is magic

15 Walter Smith's Blue and White Army

16 You'll never beat Joe Royle

17 Red and White S***e

18 Na na na na, heh heh heh Paul Rideout

19 Barry Horrrrrrrne

20 Everton, Everton, Everton

21 Die Die Nicky Nicky Die

Anyone know his agents number?

Social Secretary's Column

We've had a busy time on the social front lately with three events.

For the Hall of Fame Dinner on the 29th March we had three tables booked. Despite what you read in the Sunday People there was no standing on tables and the main table did not cower as Evertonians sang "Die Die Nicky"- they were joining in!

Unfortunately our chairman had to be in London early in the morning for a lecture and went to bed early in order to get up and five the following morning about quarter of an hour before your social secretary and newsletter editor retired for the night!

This event is extremely popular and should you wish to attend next year you should contact me soon as the event is sold out well in advance.

On 4th April a group of sixteen ESCLA members attended the musical "Blood Brothers at the Phoenix Theatre in Charing Cross Road. I would advise anyone who hasn't seen it to go, I've seen it twice now and it is a terrific show.

On the 6th April we had our golf day, which comprised a trip round 18 pubs in the Holborn area with a drink specified by the scorecard at each location. The winner was Natalie Watson, considered the red-hot favourite by many. My thanks to Nick who helped organise the event.

I am still taking bookings for the weekend of our final game of the season at home to Sunderland on May 19th. We will be staying at the Moat House, where we get a special rate of £40 for a single room and £60 for a double.

At the time of writing we have no confirmations of pre-season friendlies but we will hopefully be organising a trip to watch them. A game at Ibrox against Rangers has yet to be confirmed but should you wish to attend this game or any other pre-season friendlies let me know and I will contact you as soon as the club release details.

If you have any ideas as to future events you would like to see us set up then please get in touch. Sometimes events are organised and take place between newsletters so let me know if you wish to be notified of future events as we set them up. Phil Lee has suggested we organise a day trip to Paris in the summer so let me know if you're interested in going too.

My number is 0207-283-6622

Sue

Fans Liaison Officer Graeme Sharp - In conversation with the editor.

The last few months have been very busy for me with many charity events, hospital visits etc. In fact this afternoon I am attending a monthly meeting that we have with our various fans associations where we discuss the events occurring within the club, such as season ticket prices for next season, the ground move etc.

Although I'm not involved that much in the Kings Dock bid, I've been very impressed by the clubs presentations.

The rest of my time is taken up with Century radio which I do co-commentaries for Clubs in the North West. It's good because I enjoy watching games anyway and it gives me the opportunity to catch up with old friends such as Reidy and Inchy, Kevin Ratcliffe, Kevin Sheedy, Paul Bracewell etc on occasion.

As far as Everton are concerned, at the time of writing prior to the Easter weekend I would say we are more or less safe, with one more win needed to guarantee safety. West Ham away was an important win and the victory over City along with their home defeat against Arsenal should ensure that we finish above them.

With the amount of injuries we've had this season our position becomes understandable. I defy any team, even Manchester United to have nine players out and not suffer accordingly.

There is a theory that City came up a year too soon. I saw them at Goodison at Joe Parkinson's testimonial and thought then that they would struggle this year. It is clubs like Sunderland, Charlton and Ipswich, which are the few that have come up in recent years and done well. This is due to the fact that they were in the promotion hunt for a few years before coming up and maintained a stable squad (in Charlton's case they learnt their lessons when relegated and came up better prepared. All credit to Curbishley , Burley and Reidy for that. Hopefully if City do go down, they will have learned valuable lessons too.

These are extracts from the Official MUFC Maths Workbook

Fans, and perhaps just admirers of the World's Greatest Club, will doubtless enjoy the release of The Official MUFC Maths Workbook, which covers sums for practising Key Stage Two maths for 7-11 year olds which has been introduced as part of the Governments maths campaign.

1. Roy is 78 yards away from the referee at Old Trafford and Jaap is 65 yards away. If Roy can run at 21mph and Jaap can run at 16mph, who will be sticking their vein-bulging forehead into the hapless whistler's face first, assuming Roy does not stop to stamp on an opponent on his way?

2. If one minute of time is taken up in a game for substitutions and one minute for injuries, how much injury time will be added on by the referee if Man Utd are losing at home?

3. Ryan is a Welshman. Express, as a percentage, the number of internationals he has missed on a Wednesday evening compared to the miraculous recoveries he made for the following Saturday.

4. Manchester United are one of the giants of world club football. How many more European Cup Finals have they appeared in than Steaua Bucharest? (For one extra mark; How many more than Reims?)

5. Phil has 30 international caps. If you take away the number of appearances when he was the only adult male in England who could just about kick the ball with his left foot, how many are left?

6. You are the referee at Old Trafford. How near to a visiting defender does a tumbling United forward have to be to earn a penalty if he goes down in the box? (Note; Round your answers down to the nearest 20 metres.)

7. Chris lives in Guildford. How much does it cost for him and his two sons to travel to the Theatre of Silence every other weekend, including limited edition matchday programme, a few drinks and prawn sandwiches all round? How much could he save per week if he watched his local team instead?

(Note; round your answers down to the nearest thousand pounds).

8. Alex has a hotel room booked in Cardiff for the FA Cup Final weekend. How much money will he lose when cancelling his reservation? How much will he lose by cancelling for the entire team?

Great Toffee Lady Stories - Part 58

The Toffee Lady walked past the Manchester United fans, apparently keeping her cool, ignoring the chants and whistles and "get your tits out for the lads". However as she nears the end of a certain group, someone shouts something which hits a nerve with our heroine. Taking a quick peep out from under her brolly to check the police aren't looking, she indicates to these fans (using a well known hand signal) that suggests they are members of the banking industry!

- Mike Chubb - WSAG

Kenny Evans asks....

A track (unknown, but I'll find out) by the Super Furry Animals, has the line, "got stitched up at Everton"

Can any of our readers throw any light on it????

I must admit I don't know anything about them, but I had to replay the track when Everton were mentioned, as you do.

Competition Winners

Everton Shirt - Dave Wilson - Membership Number 4122 - Answer - Dumbarton.

Book Prize - Keith Machin - Membership Number 263 - Answer Gordon West.

EVERTON SUPPORTERS CLUB, LONDON AREA

Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the Club will be held at The Radisson Kenilworth Hotel, Great Russell Street, London WC1 on Saturday, 7th July 2001 at 12.30pm for the following purposes:

1. To receive and, if accepted, to pass the accounts for the financial year ended 31st May 2001.

2. The election of the Committee.

3. Any other business.

BY ORDER OF THE COMMITTEE

D J LANCHESTER

SECRETARY

From the Sunday Times................shall we have a whip round? (sent in by Kenny Evans)

Soccer club shares are easy to net

J T writes: How can I buy shares in Everton football club?

Everton is a private firm, which means its shares are not quoted on any stock exchange. But you may be able to find a seller via Blankstone Sington, a broker in Liverpool, which arranges deals for Everton shares - as it does for Liverpool FC - on a matched-bargain basis.

According to Neil Blankstone, shares in Everton are about £1,750 each and he has some willing sellers. Tel: 0151 707 1707.

Kendall hands Barnet a Lift - Observer 1992

Football managers, especially in the fire sale atmosphere generated by the transfer deadline last Thursday, normally spend their money on players, keeping their hands resolutely in their pockets anywhere within falling- down distance of the bar.

Howard Kendall, though is not of this breed. And his generosity extended last week to a worthier cause than the after - match lubrication of football hacks when he donated £10 on behalf of impecunious Barnet FC to the charity, Action and Research for Multiple Sclerosis.

But why Barnet? ARMS, it seems are keeping tabs on every League club's performance in the fund raising stakes. Kendall's contribution lifts Barnet off the bottom of the table, condemning to last place one of the richest clubs in the country - Everton's Merseyside rivals, Liverpool.

What's in Name -Everton

The name derives from the Anglo-Saxon word "Eofor" meaning "wild boar" and was a complimentary title or nickname given to the most prominent or strong person in the area. People would naturally look towards this person for protection in times of attack, so the settlement which grew around this "Eofor" eventually took his name, and became the highest and most easily defended ground overlooking the River Mersey.

See No Evil

There are many Evertonians who regard the Liverpool Echo as being biased towards the red side of the City. Indeed the leaflet from those promoting the Kings Dock campaign enclosed with the last newsletter, urged Evertonians to write to the Echo if they felt the paper was not supporting the bid. The editor wrote to the Echo on this matter and received an eloquent reply from Ken Rogers which satisfactorily explained the Echo's stance on the proposed move. Rogers is clearly an Evertonian and he dismissed any assertions of favouritism of the paper towards Liverpool as "ridiculous." He also countered your beloved editors complaints that inflammatory articles about Everton exacerbated problems within the club, pointing out that these were necessary as the papers readership wanted it to "tell it as it is."

I would consider the papers tantrums when banned from Bellefield as opposed to the fact it made no big deal of being banned from Melwood as a prime example of differing standards. However one need look no further than its editorial of February 14th 1992 for an example of its pandering attitude towards the reds.

Now Manchester United have quite rightly taken heavy criticism for the numerous number of changes in shirt design in recent years forcing parents to shell out cash they can ill afford for shirts at inflated prices by their offspring who are under peer pressure to have the latest design. Indeed a shirt consequently would be a high-ranking item on Santa’s list. So it would take a callous club to change their sponsors six weeks after Xmas. Guess which club did this in 1992? Yes, our neighbours.

So what did the Echo make of this. It's editorial pointed out that parents paying out over £100 for a kit at Christmas which was now redundant had the right to feel cheated. So who cheated them?

They said:

"It is hard to be critical of Liverpool Football Club. The club needs money from firms like Carlsberg if it is to remain at the top. The real criticism must be directed towards the game as a whole...."

The Echo - telling it as it is.

Worst Everton Chant of all time - Part 36

Ooh Ahh Warzycha !

No More Boxes - says Eric Moonman

Once or twice a year I am invited by a business colleague to watch Everton play - from an opposition directors box. It sounds great. But the reality is somewhat different.

You imagine healthy meals, fine wines and lively, non-stop soccer conversation. It doesn't happen. Usually the food is a couple of biscuits (Arsenal); much better at Leyton Orient (the chairman's wife used to prepare an incredible East London buffet with pickled herrings and all) whilst at Coventry you get a team sheet. At West Ham, however, in the Geoff Hurst lounge is a cracking' pre-matchtime spread.

But I want no more of it. I'm not impressed with the general quality of food - but more important, you are in real difficulties if you're an emotional Everton supporter and you have to keep calm. After all, who can be suddenly placid when you win a corner, never mind a goal!

It all came to a head for me at the recent Ipswich game at Portman Road where I was invited to the Directors box. The mood was distinctly East Anglian (calm, discreet, no ribald remarks in fact nobody said anything). The nearest I got to any intercourse (??????? ! - ed) was when one of the Directors kept me supplied with toffees (he owns a large sweet factory!). Mind you, as it did keep my mouth tied up I suspect his generosity was largely to prevent me screaming some obscenities (all this sounds far too salacious for a wholesome publication such as it ESCLA Update Eric! I'll forward it onto "Forum." And this Houllier like character who offered you his packet of sweets. Did he have a cheeky smile too? - ed)

I do admire Bill Kenwright for having the patience to be in this hot seat at every game. Good behaviour is one thing but my fix for years and years is to get into the ground, scream support for the boys in blue; disdain for the linesman and shout hell at the referee and the opposition. Now that's a good Saturday afternoon; who wants the grub anyway?

From ESCLA's Archives

Everton - Pioneers in Europe by Frank Keegan

At the end of the 1904/05 season, Everton undertook a tour of Europe to play exhibition games against select sides in Vienna, Budapest Prague and Haarlem in Holland. Association Football was still in its infancy in Europe and the games were very much one-sided, and in order to give the spectators an opportunity to see "proper" football, Spurs accompanied Everton on tour. The sides played matches in Vienna and Prague, Everton winning both games 2-0 and 1-0 respectively.

The two clubs again toured together as footballing ambassadors in 1909 when they became the first two professional teams to tour South America. Again they played each other twice, Everton winning 4-0 and drawing 2-2, both games being played in Buenos Aires. However, local opposition on this tour provided sterner opposition than those on the previous tour, no doubt due to English railway workers having already established football and formed leagues whilst working in the Argentine. On June 1 1909 Everton beat the Uruguayan league side 2-1 and then followed that by beating the Argentinian League 4-0.

So, between 1905 and 1909 Everton had certainly played their part in developing interest and enthusiasm for football across two continents, playing 13 matches, without losing one.

Greatest Tackle of All Time?

The highlight of my career was playing at Wembley before the Tottenham / Coventry Final. Tarbuck played and I went straight through him. There was no need for the tackle at all but I had to, I'd promised the lads I would. Right through the bastard".

Simon O'Brien (in a WSAG interview)

From the letters pages of Viz (1993)

Its unusual to see the mighty Liverpool lingering so near to the bottom of the Premier League this season and a lot of critics are asking why. I'll tell you why. It's because they're s***e .

K Dixon

Manchester

Pulitzer Prize Winner - ed

Happy Derby Memories -

Mike Bernard laying out Kevin Keegan in the Derby (1973)

After Colin Harvey had earlier gone past Tommy Smith with ease Smith went right into the back of him. Harvey jumped up and grabbed Smith by the neck and had to be restrained by his team mates. (1971)

After Joe Harper fouled Larry Lloyd, Emlyn Hughes grabbed Harper by the back of his shirt. Harper turned and punched Hughes. Hughes started crying. (1973)

After Maurice Johnston hits the post an anguished voice from somewhere in the Upper Bullens can clearly be heard screaming "You jammy red bastards!" (1992)

Former England star Mark Wright's career has slipped somewhat with the passing of the years. But so, too, it seems, has the quality of his insults.

The ex-Liverpool skipper is in a spot of bother for a verbal assault on referee Neil Pollock during an FA Trophy game involving his club Southport and Chester City.

The official's report, which had prompted a disciplinary hearing, included details of his dissent. The ref suggested that Wright described him as an utter disgrace. But it gets worse.

In the heat of the moment, Wright accused Pollock of being.........an Evertonian.

The Wrap Up

Another season nearly over and bar a run of disastrous proportions we can look forward to another season in the premiership. How expectations change...

Thanks to all contributors especially "Dan" McKenzie and Claire Gray. and our photographers at the Hall of Fame Dinner Andrea Jones and Eric Moonman You may have noticed the lack of articles from the Scribe in his various guises. Sadly he has decided to hang up his pen. This means that unless others of you start writing in you'll have to put up with more of the inane ramblings and reminiscences of the editor. So get writing!

Barry