Season 2011-12 Fan Articles

I'd rather keep the rags

By James   Martin  ::  12/07/2011   80 Comments (»Last) If I died today and was reincarnated tomorrow with a fresh choice of which club to support, I'd still pick Everton over Man City.

It?s because I enjoy being an Evertonian (for some on this site, it seems to be driving them towards manic depression and suicidal tendencies). I don't care how the media views us; I've never given a second thought to what an overpaid Sky pundit has to say about us. I don't care about our commercial appeal, revenue streams, and retail outlets. I don't bother getting involved in infantile 'our stadium is bigger than your stadium' rows.

I don't particularly care that we can't attract the calibre of player that Man City or Chelsea can. I don't particularly care if Everton's shirt sponsorship deal is worth less than Spurs or Liverpool's or whoever.

I wouldn't be particularly bothered if Man City won every trophy from now until the day I died. I still wouldn't want to swap position with them. Why? Because it?s a guilty unsatisfactory win. They've bought their way to where they are now involving precious little skill or talent. The world's largest chequebook and Mancini still only delivered them a Champions League spot and an FA Cup.

The joy of being an Evertonian is for the roller-coaster ride. Some days we lose 4-1 at home to West Brom and the next we're turning over Chelsea and Man Utd, beating City home and away, or giving Liverpool a spanking in front of their new owners. The thrill of winning is only a thrill if you've experienced the other side. It?s the joy of seeing our local lads mixing it with the best hired guns and media darlings City have to offer and still besting them.

Do you think Yaya Toure or Silva would be at City if they weren't being paid massive amounts? Do you think they give one for any of those City fans? They're the sort of glory-hungry money-grabbing players that glory-hungry fans are too stupid not to follow. Let?s leave that to the kopites who throw their toys out the pram if they draw their first game of the season.

Enjoying the game counts for nothing to the kopites: they'd pack their team with 11 Dirk Kuyts if it meant they'd grind 38 wins out a season; they'd hang King Kenny off the Liver Building if they could find someone better. They want to be adulated by the media, largely because they're a moronic bunch existing only to bathe in reflected glory. We're better than that. If we just won one trophy, it would mean more to us as a group of fans than all of City's trophies would because we would know that we earned it.

I like having Tony Hibbert at right back; yes he's a bit crap but he'd take a bullet for Everton, rather him than some over-paid Eastern European who would dump us in an instant if the money or trophies dry up. I'd rather have Beckford up front bursting his lungs to put a horribly average finish on an easy chance rather than a Torres sulking the entire match because he hasn't whacked out a few Play-Station finishes. It?s because as fans we can relate so much more to an underachiever transcending their ability through their passion for Everton, than a hired superstar who isn?t interested.

I'd rather see Moyes pick up an unknown Irish winger or take a chance on a young kid or maybe even an old nag who loves the game and just wants to play. Isn't that what we used to do, rather than bidding for someone who clearly doesn't want to play for Everton and wouldn't pick us over the sunderlands and aston villas of this world if it wasn't for a push from his agent or the proximity to his massive mansion.

The best example of this was the night against Fiorentina. Seeing the likes of Osman, Carsley and Arteta ? players who have dedicated the best of their careers to Everton ? turning in their best performances to dominate a top Italian side. Yes, we lost; yes, it probably earned us less money than Liverpool got for playing FC unknown Balkan state in the Champions League, but everyone remembers it, for being there, for supporting the lads, and for enjoying supporting your team.

Support works both ways. It all started because people had a vested interest in the players playing the game so would turn up at a field somewhere to watch how they got on. They weren't looking for entertainment on demand, they were going for support. The modern fan seems to think he has a divine right to be entertained every game of the season; every game must be a win, the best players must be playing for us, we must overhaul the squad every summer because it?s not entertaining enough to stand still.

You can't just pick and choose your support, "I'll come back when the current Board's gone and we've got a new stadium and we've pumped £100 million into the team and we're winning things." Well, we don't want you back. The real Everton supporters don't have that choice. They'd watch Everton in the fourth division if they had to because it?s inherent within their nature.

Basically, stop moaning because we're in (relatively) a bit of a dip. Yes, we're not Man City, we're so much better; going into every game not knowing the outcome is what keeps the real fans coming back. They go through the hard times so that the taste of occasional glory when it comes is all the sweeter. Packing mega stadiums with a large prawn sandwich brigade who have only come for a heated seat and the promise of guaranteed winning and seeing big football names is not what real support is about.

So what if we don't buy anyone this season? So what if it?s only some unnamed lower league player? Get behind the boys and instead of preoccupying yourself night and day with the accounts of Kenwright?s theatre company, actually enjoy supporting Everton. Leave the transfer frustration and the constant wanting to be a Manchester Club to those lesser mortals across the park.

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