Season 2011-12 Fan Articles

Youth is our Hope

I, just like 99% of Evertonians, also scour the internet looking for news of transfers in or out. The only constant being, there are none. I, however, do not subscribe to the fact that we are now a "small" club.

We are the club who have more years in the top flight than any other; we have won Division titles, FA Cups, European trophies and Charity Shields... and ? before you all start on about it being a hundred years ago, it does not change the fact. How many supporters of other clubs would like to say the same?

Are we, and have we been for some time, going through tough times? Yes... but not to the extent of other clubs. Just take a look at the lower divisions, and see which clubs would have been catergarised as "big" clubs just years ago (they won league titles etc): Forest, Leeds, Sheff Wed, Ipswich, Derby, Burnley... and many others.

Now you will probably take offense at the likes of Derby, Burnley and Ipswich, but truth is at one time or another they were the shit. Moving forward to the new millenium, "where are they now?"

Have other clubs passed us? Yes... But on a larger budget than we can muster. There are for example only three other Premier League clubs who have a combined owners' wealth less than ours: Bolton, Swansea and WBA. There are only seven in the championship that have less: Burnley, Birmingham, Coventry, Doncaster, Milwall and Scunthorpe.

So, when you put that into perspective, Kenwright (or wrong, whichever your leaning) and Moyes have not done a bad job. How many of the other Premier League teams that spend a lot more than we do, on average, finish ahead of us? Other than the obvious three or four seasons when we absolutely survived by the skin of our teeth.

Also do not forget that the likes of Chelsea, Man Utd, Man City and Liverpool have spent time out of the top flight, that I can actually remember.

The damage was done in the mid-eighties when the then board did not invest in an ageing team, and it obviously was not helped by the lack of revenue that we surely would have had, had we been allowed to play in Europe.

Yes we do have an ageing stadium; it is correct that we do not have the funds to spend big. But, more importantly, yes we do constantly "punch above our weight".

What we do have is an excellent fan base and week in week out fantastic group of supporters who spend their well earned money to follow the blues, home and away. Most pundits will agree that EFC is perhaps the best supported away team in the Premier League; we also have, regardless of its demeanor, a ground that, when rocking, is the only place to be.

I believe that we will rise again to the heights of the 60s and 80s, and we will do it with the present people in charge. The way forward is through our youth, with a sprinkle of loans and "lower division" gems. This coming season could be a defining season for us ? not in terms of winning the league, or even a top four finish, but rather in who we get to step up from the youth that we have.

COYFBB

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