Everton News, Season 2011-12
Royal Recognition for Dr Everton
25 Comments: 
The incredible devotion of Dr David France has been recognized at the highest level with the announcement that Everton's greatest fan has been awarded the Order of the British Empire in the New Year's Honours List. The award is for services to Football in the UK and Europe, elevating the son of a Widnes chemical process worker to heights rarely achieved by any Evertonian, living or dead.
The great man confided, on being notified of the award, how proud he was to achieve success in Europe — something well beyond the current Everton manager, that none since since Howard Kendall has achieved.
[Although his ever-loving spouse, 'Lady' Elisabeth France, who has witnessed this life of Blue Devotion, and suffered neglect in reciprocal proportion, was heard to mutter some disappointment that it was not a knighthood...]
The list of Dr Everton's accomplishments to glorify the name of Everton is legendary but bears repeating:
- The Everton former Players Foundation, working to improve the lives of former players from eras when they were not so well rewarded
- The Everton Collection which adds to the astounding lifelong accumulation of Everton memorabilia hailed as the greatest collection in the world
- No less than 13 wonderful books on Everton, from Alex Young Golden Vision, to Dr Everton's Magnificent Obsession
- Gwladys Street's Hall of Fame — another fantastic vision to recognize the efforts of players and other outstanding Evertonians from every decade of the club's existence.
Through a series of breathtaking initiatives — from commissioning exquisite portraits of Everton's Founding Fathers, to commemorating Everton players who gave their lives in the wars of the 20th Century with beautiful polished marble plaques in England a& Chile — he has succeeded bringing alive Everton's history and making it current not just for today's internet generation but for Evertonians of all ages, and in perpetuity.
Our hearty congratulations go to David for this wholly deserved recognition.
Original Source: The Guardian
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Congratulations David.
Best wishes for 2012 to all Evertonians from around the world. I often think of the 2009 FA cup final to appreciate the sleeping giant of a fan base that we have desperately hoping for some sort of success for Everton.
Dr France deserves much better than this,and I don't include any Establishment 'honours'
And the vast majority of awards aren't given to the establishment but if all people hear of them is from news headlines then you'd be forgiven for thinking so... not that I give a dam either way.
I don't think the magnitude of David's work has yet received the appreciation it merits, but it will.
To have such a detailed history to hand of the entirety of a leading football club, encompassing 130 years, is unique. I await the TV documentary. Only a matter of time.
Cheers, lad.
If it's any consolation, Terry Wigon is about as welcome as a turd under the Xmas tree here in Ireland to.
Pity coz the good Doctor deserves to be in better company.
Being born and raised for several years in Toxteth's slumlands during the 'Blitz' before upgrading first to the (then new) housing estate of Longview Huyton and progressing to Kirkby where we lived for many years before emigrating in 1980. I never once saw, nor wanted to see, a royal in the flesh.
One of my uncles served as a slave on the Burma railway after being captured in Singapore,and when 'she' welcomed Hirohito and reinstated all his 'honours', he slung his campaign medals into the Mersey.
So if anyone can see 'honour' in these royal gongs, they must be mentally ill.
Richly deserved !
From myself, and all at EFC Heritage Society
COYB
Elizabeth, you too deserve great credit for the steadfast support you've always given David. You've shared his joy and pain and helped make him the man he is, so now you can rightly share his honour.
Take a bow both of you and enjoy your visit to the Palace!
Very well deserved recognition for some fantastic efforts, mostly to the benefit of others and mainly within the Everton family.
It's people like David and Elizabeth who make you proud to be part of the Everton family.
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1 Posted 31/12/2011 at 05:14:23
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