Season 2011-12 Fan Articles

Nil satis...?

?I am an Evertonian and I am happy?. I realise that with those three words most of Toffeeweb have logged out and a quarter have sharpened their pencils or have typing fingers at the ready eager to write a scathing riposte. But to those still reading (hi to both of you!) I wanted to see if there are other Evertonians out there who don?t see our club as a wounded zebra on its last legs.

Born in Fazakerley Hospital in the mid 70s means I was lucky enough to have been born into a time of both glorious highs and perilous lows. As a kid, I experienced the highs of the mid-80s, the excitement of seeing our team put so many clubs to the sword every week. I remember watching Lineker playing like a Brazilian in ?85 and the awesomeness of getting his sticker one day in one of those Panini sticker things we all used to collect.

As a teenager, I recall biting nails down to the second knuckle watching the Wimbledon and Coventry games on the last day of the season. I blew out my voicebox when Rideout?s header somehow made it?s way goalwards and was in awe as mighty Nev then proceeded to swat away balls with those big paws of his like a tired but unrelenting bear protecting his cave in ?95. I have burned on my retinas the images of him slumped against the goalpost after giving his all in one of the greatest goalkeeping exploits ever. Likewise after a different game years later the image of big Dunc, fist clenched and teeth gritted ? every Evertonian knows the one.

I mention all this because these are not just my memories ? they are our collective memories of being Evertonian. Anyone of my generation knows what I mean when I say these memories are etched in my soul.

And the funny thing is, the strongest emotions have come from overcoming adversity. I know the exaltation of the Wimbledon comeback or the against-the-odds Cup victory in ?95 affected me more than the titles in the 80s. Evertonians of every generation take the good with the bad. My granddad saw Dixie?s 60 goal season, but also the relegation years. So too my dad, who supported his team through the lacklustre 50s but who climbed three stories high up a drainpipe to get into Wembley in ?66 after losing his cousin (and his ticket!) in the crowd. Or my older cousin who worshipped Latchford through the barren 70s and who now takes his kids to the ?old lady?.

His kids know what it is to be Evertonians. They felt the exaltation too when they saw their team come back from three goals down to equalise against a Man Utd team containing superstars worth more individually than our team combined. They have the pride of derby victories, against-the-odds fightbacks, the satisfaction of being the bane of the more highly rated Spurs and City. They too have talismanic idols ? for them it?s Cahill, who has blue blood running through his veins much like Ferguson, Latchford, Young, and Dean were for earlier generations. They try to emulate Beckford?s run and delicate chip against Chelsea just as I pretended to be Lineker all those years ago.

I hope that this season more Evertonians will look at the team with pride rather than criticism ? to finish 7th should have been applauded, not derided. We will not go unbeaten this year and will not win the title ? but is sport all about that? Have we become a club where merit is based purely on points scored? ?Nil satis nisi optimum? ? nothing but the best will do? does that mean we have to the treble and go unbeaten, or does it mean we fight with unbridled passion and leave with sweat on the pitch and heads held high no matter what the score? To take on much more fancied opposition and prove the punters wrong?

I live in Australia now but when I?m up at 2am watching the Toffees play this seaso,n I will support them from start to finish. I?ll be disappointed when we play a lacklustre nil-nil draw with Wigan but will cheer when Rodwell puts a rocket past De Gea in the 74th minute at home. Because that?s what Evertonians do.

Evertonians are born, not manufactured
We do not choose, we are chosen
Those that understand need no explanation
Those that don?t, don?t matter.

Good luck in the coming season, I hope we can all enjoy a ripper season and all Evertonians can celebrate the highs together in the coming months.

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