Season 2011-12 Fan Articles

Second Team

By Alun   Willis  ::  23/09/2011   35 Comments (»Last) By 2nd Team I don't mean the Everton made up of those yeoman foot soldiers and squad players who are one mistimed tackle away from 1st team action (if not glory). No, I mean that other team (or teams) who you have a soft spot, and look out for on the teleprinter (there?s one for the kids) on a Saturday afternoon. When I was a tiddler and a toddler I had a whole division of "second teams" ranging from Dunfermline (still my Scottish team of choice) to Shrewsbury via Chelsea. Then puberty kicked in and for the next 20 irritable years I had no interest in any other team whatsoever. In fact my irrational dislike of all other clubs meant I wanted them all to lose every game every week (a physical impossibility I know but I lived in irrational hope).

Then from about age 35 to the present day (about 3 years hence) this loathing mellowed to the point where I could appreciate other teams once again and even cheer on one side against another when I had no connection to either and/or both.

For example, yes, I confess it publicly for the first time, I even got caught up in the "Newcastle?Everyone?s second favourite team" in their Keegan-led (first time around) heyday (you know, that time when Everton really were shite). I felt genuinely distraught for Wor Kevin (I?ll repeat that because I still can?t quite believe I?m writing it myself?.me, "distraught for Kevin Keegan") when he was slumped over the hoarding that fateful night at Ewood Park. Mind you, I can?t stand the Bar Codes now. Especially the media- driven overinflated self worth of their wobble bottomed fans "Ahm a real fan me coz ah teks me vest off wen its fookin caulld like".

So what?s the point to all this guff? Well, like most of the best things in life, there are two points.

Firstly, have you mellowed? Do you have a "second team?" I have. Couldn?t be another English team who could come up against Everton on a regular basis so I?ve gone all international and glory-hunting (something I think that I deserve after decades of supporting our beloved Blues) So I can officially announce that Barcelona are "by far the (second) best team the World has ever seen" (fact).

And what?s more, I?m going to see them for the first time ever tomorrow night (starts at 10pm for goodness sake). How excited am I? (Very. And you can probably tell I?ve written this after the odd ceveza or two).

Secondly, apparently and allegedly, since Man City became the worlds richest toy, there?s now a vacancy for "everybody?s" second favourite team. So why not us? And what would we need to do to take up this mantle? And would we want to? I do believe the potential is there. Anecdotally and a case in point, Dan Gosling not only became an instant hit in Blue households with his winner against our pesky neighbours in the FA Cup, he also became a bit of a cult to numerous fans of other teams who share our loathing of the "Red Shite". (Just a shame the ungrateful little sod dumped us for the Barcodes).

So to sum up, who are Evertonians' "2nd Team"? (it?s currently 1-0 to Barcelona) and could (and should) Everton take up the mantle of England's 2nd Team? Adios mi azul nariz amigos.

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