Season 2011-12 Fan Articles

Stepping Backwards

By Paul   McAllister  ::  17/10/2011   46 Comments (»Last) Monday 17 October 2011, the day Everton Football Club and its management found yet another way to anger and embarrass its already disillusioned and restless fanbase.

On Monday, Everton announced they had re-signed James McFadden. Yes, the same James McFadden who in 5 years made over a 130 appearances for our club in all competitions and only managed to scored 20 goals.

Yes, the same James McFadden we were all glad to see the back of when he was sold several years ago. Yes, the same James McFadden who since leaving Goodison Park for St Andrews has spent the majority of his time on the treatment table and not on the field. This signing completely spells out how far Everton have fallen behind the pack in the last few years.

One specific memory I have of McFadden during his first tenure was during what I believe may have been his last appearance for the club as at the time it was largely known he was going to be shown the door.

It was a game at Goodison Park in January 2008 but sadly I can?t for the life of me remember who it was against. Anyway, on the hour mark McFadden was hauled off by the manager after yet another under-whelming performance. The guy sitting behind me said ?I hope that?s the last we see of him.?

Several minutes later a plane passed over the ground and the same guy remarked ?that?ll be McFadden going for his medical at Birmingham already.?

In June, the Birmingham fans and management like Everton before them, lost patience with McFadden and he was released. Since then there?s hardly been a long line of teams waiting in line to sign him. This is because other teams feel he would bring nothing to their sides. Everton should be feeling the same way. But we don?t, that?s because our situation has become so desperate our manager and the majority of our fans will accept anybody.

Our re-signing of our former No 24 couldn?t make it anymore obvious just how dire the situation is. Who are we planning on re-signing next, Per Krøldrup? Kevin Kilbane? This situation can?t be ignored anymore and Evertonians can?t just try to pretend nothing is wrong. The team isn?t just stagnating ? it?s stepping backwards.

How is a player who couldn?t cut the mustard before going to cut it three years and several serious injuries later? This re-signing is embarrassing for us as a club. Hell, if I?m wrong and James McFadden is a whole new player who manages to bag around 10-12 goals this season then bloody hell I?m wrong and I?ll take back what I?ve said. But until I?m proven wrong, I?m afraid I?m right.

Don?t get me wrong though, if he features in our next game at Goodison Park I certainly won?t boo or heckle the lad, I?ll just continue to do what I?ve been doing for the last year or so. Shake my head and wonder how did it get to this?

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