Fans Comment
Peter Fearon

Last of the Corinthians
04/08/05

In a sport now dominated by mercenary players and even more mercenary agents, Alan Stubbs stood out as a footballer cut from a different mould. He was reminiscent of Dave Watson, even of Brian Labone in his physical and his emotional commitment. He only played for three clubs in 15 years - Bolton Wanderers, Celtic, with whom he enjoyed his most successful period, and Everton, the team he supported man and boy.

There are fans who disparage Alan Stubbs. He didn't have tremendous pace, it's true, and he could get himself involved in some howlers. But my memory of Stubbsy will always be his Corinthian performance against Liverpool when he kept the hated tribe out with grit, courage and immovable determination - and other courageous performances like it.

It was his willingness to put his body on the line for Everton that endears him to fans like me who believe he is under appreciated. I loved it when he walked off with a smear of blood at the temple or a lump the size of a duck egg. It meant that once again, Alan Stubbs had given his all.

When talk of his coming to Everton first surfaced he said, "There was interest from a couple of other Premiership clubs, but I never even considered them.

"If I sign for Everton I'll be playing for the club of my dreams. I've always dreamed of playing for Everton and this is my last chance to do so."

When Walter Smith eventually closed the deal, I was among the sceptics. He had just come through his second bout with cancer and Smith, who I despised, was busy turning Goodison into a retirement home for superannuated has beens. I was wrong about Stubbsy.

Fans had taken to Richard Gough because he was technically a great defender, but he had only a cool, professional dispassionate interest in winning and losing - and did the latter impassively. But in Alan Stubbs we had a man willing to dig a trench in front of the penalty area with his bare hands if he had to. He cared. There was an extra edge in his tackle that showed he was a fan. There was an extra delight in other player's goals that showed it too.

David Moyes called him 'a Colossus'. I'm reminded of Harry Catterick's characterization of Labone as "The Last of the Corinthians."

His time with Everton was always going to be relatively short. He was already almost 30 when he made his debut against Charlton Athletic at the start of the 2001/2002 season. He helped keep us up more than once and he made a tremendous contribution to Everton's Champions League place.

It is ironic that we complain about players' mercenary attitude to the game and to the clubs they play for, but we are ready to mistreat players who don't have that attitude. One of the reasons why loyalty is disappearing in football is that it is simply not rewarded. He should have been given the chance to end his playing days at Everton.

I'm sorry we have seen that last of Alan Stubbs but the manner of his departure disturbs me more. I would have liked to have seen a standing ovation, a wave from the center circle, in return for his contribution.

Hopefully we'll have one more opportunity to say thank-you. Unfortunately he'll be wearing red stripes that day and not his beloved blue.

Peter  Fearon

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