Season › 2012-13 › News Everton ban another life-long fan Michael Kenrick , 7 December, 0comments | Jump to most recent Another astounding story of Everton banning a lifelong fan. Steve, who writes fantastic match reports on Everton Academy and its players for the Grand Old Team website under the pen name 'Alan Ball', has been banned from watching Under-18 games at Finch Farm. At ToffeeWeb, we have gladly used these excellent reports for the unique records they provide on the development and progression of the club's youth players. We rely on these match reports for two reasons: because Everton insist on playing Academy games behind closed doors, and because the club's own reporting is so poor, incomplete and unreliable. The decision to ban the fan who provides these reports is simply beyond comprehension. We can't even begin to unwind the tangled web of claims and tale-telling that underlies it. There can only be deep and abiding sadness that the temporary custodians of this once-great club believe they should act in this way to protect whatever it is they are protecting. And from what? The fans they claim to be the very lifeblood of the club. It just defies understanding. Could the real explanation be some conviction that unsanctioned and independent forms of Everton coverage should be strangled, and that only controlled coverage that is 'on side' can be allowed? » Read the full article at Grand Old Team About these ads