Season 2011-12 Fan Articles

This is what we?re all about

By Adam   Cunliffe  ::  02/09/2011   20 Comments (»Last) I was absolutely gutted when I found out Arteta had left. In my relatively few years as an Evertonian I?ve never seen a more talented player in the sacred royal blue.

Now that probably sound?s silly to the many people on here who?ve seen the like?s of Kendall, Harvey and Ball in full flow along with the fans who witnessed the all-conquering teams of the 80s. But I?ve not.

The closest thing to world-class I?ve seen at Goodison (Apart from Rooney, who in all honesty has only matured into the player he is now at Old Trafford) was Mikel Arteta before his injury curse struck two seasons ago.

To put it into perspective, my first heroes included the likes of Barmby, Campbell, Jeffers and Big Dunc. Apart from the big fella who I still love more than any other player, ever, Arteta knocks absolute spots of the others in terms of quality, skill and sheer ability. Technically he?s just outstanding. But this isn?t an obituary for our lost talisman. This is an article about hope in the face of adversity.

Our great club (I hate to say ?Once Great? because to me Everton is still the best club in the world) is on it?s arse. We know it, the media knows it, and Kenwright and Moyes both know it. Financially we?re up a certain creek without a paddle and on the field we?ve not looked much better.

The fan base is split. There?s the Blue Union on one side, and then the Kenwright and Moyes ?apologists? as they?ve been branded on the other. Personally I lean far more towards the Blue Union?s thinking, whilst not necessarily agreeing totally with the way they?ve gone about their business, I do think what they?re doing is for the good of the club.

We could (and have on this site) go on for day?s about who?s fault it is that we?re in this mess. Is it Moyes?s ?hoofball? tactics, Kenwright?s failings in terms of stadium, lack of investment and sheer incompetence or just plain and simple the player?s for just not performing. Either way, without trying to be too cheesy and quoting my younger sisters favourite film (High School Musical for those who are lucky enough NOT to have seen it), us as fans are all in this together.

Everton doesn?t do dynasty?s in the same way Liverpool and currently United do. We don?t do things the easy way. Are we a selling club? Probably if recent evidence is anything to go off. Rooney to United, Lescott to City, Arteta to Arsenal. Everyone does after all have their price ? everyone except Everton Football Club it seems.

Some (my dad being the major influence on this one) trace it back to Heysel; other?s the start of the Premier League and the Sky money. For me, it?s all I?ve ever known as an Evertonian. I?d love to see us win Championship after Championship, but that just wouldn?t be Everton.

Everton breaks your heart more than any girl could. Everton gives you hope, let?s you believe and then shits on you in the final hour. Everton takes away money, much like an addiction, and then, again in a similar way to an addiction, gives you some great highs but even worse lows. But we still keep coming back.

Dixie left, Ball left, Dunc (the 1st time), and Barmby all broke our hearts. But our heart?s still remain at Goodison. Winning the title in 1985 with the best team in Europe only to be denied entry thanks to the Shite across the park. Qualifying for the Champion?s League to be drawn against Villarreal, ?Don?t worry Dad, we?ve the best referee in the world in charge of our second leg? I naively said...

Scoring the quickest goal in FA Cup final history only to go on to bottle it against Chelsea. And more recently, beating Chelsea on pens in one round of the Cup only to be beaten by Reading next round. It?s a familiar story eh?

But it?s our story. A royal blue story. And the sooner we get back to the mentality of ?We are Everton, fuck the rest? the better. I?m going to buy tickets for me and my girlfriend for the Villa match tomorrow, and I?ll do so with a big smile on my face. Because we are Everton.

Thanks for the memories Arteta, you were the greatest player I?ve ever seen at Goodison. But we are Everton and life goes on. As it always has. We were there before, during and we?ll be there after. So, despite what?s going on off the field, and despite saying goodbye to a magnificent player, let?s get behind the lads. Double D? Drenthe and Denis!

Nil Satis Nisi Optimum.

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