A Brief Self-serving Article About Me and My Everton

You can change anything in your life. Religion, wife, gender, nationality, sexual orientation and even your features in this day and age.

But can anyone on this site even contemplate following another team other than Everton ?

Answers on a postcard to.

Glory hunting footy fans Inc.

Sorry Dan, but you're irritated because some fellas don't like watching the derby? My arl fella was at the game with on Saturday and said after we scored the third, "It's about now that I turn the telly off!"

Some people are that ingrained with the team shitting on their emotions that enough is enough...... obviously proved correct as he had to watch the shite equalise.

You gotta love the difference in American attitude toward team sport to our own.

To them and correct me if I'm wrong, they do not have the tribalism we have here, they can have a team one minute and no team the next. Didn't the Oakland Raiders become the LA Raiders overnight?

Can you imagine what would happen here (AFC Wimbledon apart) if all of a sudden teams where relocated and renamed!

It matters deeply and emotionally to us, to the point where it hurts so bad that your whole life feels it's crumbling and falling apart. I don't know why we feel like that, after all.

It's only a game......

Honest and interesting piece (we say "draw" rather than "tie" here btw) and most welcome you are as a blue.

I am intriqued by the modern fan and fascinated how not being from the area affects what people say and their attitude and perspective - "out of the mouths of babes and innocents" often comes to mind.

Not that it's wrong ("vive la difference" I say) but most definitely different.

As pointed out the whole ethos of sport USA style goes out the window compared to the irrational "religious" aspect of footy.

But I reckon that is changing the days of clubs guaranteed "local" support are well on the way out and a more american model could well be the answer. But I'll be dead by then so bollocks to it.

You inadvertently ruffled a few feathers re fans not watching the derby the hint being not proper supporters - got that one wrong mate in fact quite the opposite it's because fans care so much. It's one thing being at the game being part of the torture you can chant, vent your spleen and try and support the lads through it and make no mistake if I could have been there I would.

Watching it on telly just gets the remote thrown across the room.

Those days are over gentlemen, we are watching the next derby, all of us, we will win. We will bleed on the pitch to destroy them on their own turf! Rise up all blue-hued hooters, our day has come! Tiocfaidh ar la!

One of the hardest things to do when I left for Canada was knowing I would be missing Everton; even after all the years gone by, I still get goosebumps when I hear Z-Cars being played at the start of a game.

The first 2 hours I managed to cover about 50 miles - no, not because of traffic, no, not because of weather, and no, I didn't even get lost!

Believe it or not, I kept having to stop at every turn off to log on to the ToffeeWeb Live Matchday Forum for updates! It was absolute hell for the first half, to the extent that I missed 3 turn-offs deliberately NOT wanting to know how bad it had got and dreading the remainder of the journey if passing a red coloured car!

Oh the elation and ecstacy when that 2nd Lukaku goal went in, with fellow travelers wondering why I'm pumping the air and grinning like a cheesy pervert. End result, open my suitcase in the boot (trunk) to get my Everton top on. Pride, joy, great to be blue.

Another 7 miles later and misery as the comments rolled up about Distin giving a foul away, more abuse, more cursing - tell me what happened FFS.

Would I deliberately not watch a derby match? I've said it before and I've written an article about it before - without the ToffeeWeb crack, it saves me from hiding behind my couch.

Barry (129) - "As pointed out the whole ethos of sport USA style goes out the window compared to the irrational "religious" aspect of footy."

Good fun, the two of you. Had a laugh. Fucking Americans just don’t get it, is it? Keep em coming.

And could either of you help Gerry. Apparently he believes people in America are doing something, while driving, not happening all across England. Help him, would you. Judging by his posts here, he needs it.

You would have to experience the big game in person to understand what we mean.

I have had the privilege of attending a Mets baseball game and without wanting to sound condescending it appeared no more than a day out to eat drink and be merry, with the game coming secondary to the occasion.

I have also been to a Florida Gators game which I know is not on the same level as a Mets game but got the same impression.

Trust me when I say this, big game footy matches like the derby are totally different gravy.

Tut tut, think USA vs Russia Olympics 1980 ice hockey win.

The tension pre game and delirium of victory, I believe it's referred to as "the miracle on ice", THAT is the unthinking, irrational bonkers passion that footie fans in this country grow up with season after season

Brits would on the whole have been in support of the USA in that game but in a different way - locality, upbringing, culture, distance and tons of other stuff have a bearing it's just the way it is, crazy to get arsey over it.

Dave and Barry may have a point - unfortunately the Houston Texan fans have summed up a bad attitude to football here. They consider losing their remaining matches as imperative so that they grab first pick. WTF? Bring in promotion and relegation - I think that may improve their "Texans Forever" attitude.

My wife is Irish, born and bred in Offaly and she and her family are Gaelic mad. Being married to her for 20 years ( she's a saint that woman ) I have been to a good number of GAA games both hurling and footy and have developed an affinity with her county.

When they get beat however my world does not fall apart, I don't refuse to switch on match of the GAA and I don't ban the Sunday papers from the house.

I do when Everton get beat though and it's the same with my wife. She goes to a fair few Everton games but never takes it as hard as me when we get beat.

During derby week especially she warns me in no uncertain terms to lay off the kids and think twice about what I'm saying as I'm totally unbearable the week before the game.

Unlike you I have attended jeez several thousand Everton games home and away but also many US games - baseball, MLS, and College Hoops for the most part - and trust me nothing remotely resembles the passion, larger-than-life commitment, and when certain teams play us the utter hate-filled-air.

You have no idea. I've been to Yankees/Red Sox, Duke/UNC, Seattle/Portland games to name but three and there is absolutely no comaprison. Hunch, it might be because our cities are so much closer together.

And I love your star-spangled-banner rush to defend US drivers. I spend approximately 8 months each year in the US and four in Europe and again based on my more than yours experience of the things you pronounce on there is nothing quite like the US driver/texter/caller in say England. Sure you find them but I am talking about scope and scale.

You have a habit of pronouncing about things you know less about than the people you address and here you go again. And this site is hardly the pace to defend your US of A.

Gerry trust me does not need help. On the basis of what I have read on this thread there is one contributor who needs a fair bit of help to understand about something before he dashes on to his keys to rattle something off.

Guess who?

It is, in my mind, unparalleled in sport.

I think an argument can be made that there are some in America who have close to this passion for their teams. Alabama Crimson Tide? Green Bay Packers? Boston Red Sox? But I have to concur with the sentiment by the English posters - footy fandom is on a different level.

And loyalty is another matter all together. Americans change teams like they change underwear - and it makes me sick to death. I despise it. Sports allegiances should be like a marriage. A bond never to be broken through good times and bad.

James, surely you can agree with this? The English have us completely and utterly dominated in this department.

Why the fuck would people watch, live, and die for Leyton Orient?

It's in their culture. And it's worth praising and admiring.

And nobody is saying that therefore North American sport is somehow this or that, this is a comment on what can I say the tribal passions I have met time and time again in English and European settings resulting in for this Ferry - but don't tell female Ferry she's squeamish and tender and american - nine hidings I think it is in five European countries following my beloved blues because sadly this rivalry is not just banter and again the point is surely that cities and countries are so close together on the euro side of the pond.

I truly didn't mean to offend. Sports here are different and to the very very few it is met with as much passion as football fans which is why I love it so much, because I fit right in. Thanks to all who welcomed me, EFC is a club to fight for and die with which is what I wanted to say... How foolish and stupid I was for thinking any other club would deserve my passion and love.

And by the way the US game is to be applauded for the relative lack of fan violence.

The closest thing the US has is college football (the egg ball kind). Quite a passion here in Georgia. The NFL is a bore. But I'd rather watch proper football most days.

They have this cool massive banner that is unfurled before the game putting down the opposition in a really punchy and funny way. During the game you see a guy walking round the ground revving a chainsaw. When they score he cuts off a slice of a huge tree and carries it round the ground urging the fans to cheer for it.

They have cool flags and some chants close to EPL standard. It was a great experience and I loved sharing it with my buddy, a real Timbers man.

He has adopted Everton as his second team and we watched the derby game together in his 'man-cave' on a huge TV.

He was stunned by the atmosphere, the commitment, the noise, the quality of play and the heart-stopping action. He was up high-fiving at each goal before I could get out of the lazy-boy.

I really enjoy supporting the Timbers with a genuine football fan, but there is nothing like being heart and soul with your Everton team during match time and the match day rituals. Only thing better is to be at the Old Lady on match day and revel in the experience with over 30,000 boisterous supporters. Oh, the banter, the chants (you don't get to hear on the TV) Z Cars.

The green, green grass of home. And to let out your excitement and frustrations like nowhere else on earth, standing behind the Gwladys Street goal.....

In Canada and the US, the fans don't travel to away games much. Its not because they don't care about their team, its just too damn far away.

Football(soccer) is trying to gain a following here, but it's tough sledding. Football(NFL, CFL, college), baseball, basketball and hockey are all established with large fan bases. For the most part, soccer is a game kids play.

Everton has become an important part of my psyche. One of my greatest wishes to get to Goodison for a home game. There's a YouTube clip called "Just hit the fucking thing". It's Jelavich's goal against City last year. Sheer bedlam... I want to be part of that.

Living in Saskatchewan for 10 years and going to the games, I can attest that the support does not just come from the city were they play but from all over the province and if anyone had seen the Grey Cup Final on Sunday, the fans who were interviewed came from all over Canada.

Being a Roughrider fan is like being an Everton fan: once you become a fan it is for life, even if like me you move from Everton to Saskatchewan and from Saskatchewan to New Brunswick.

Living in Canada with my accent, people ask me about were was I from and when I say Liverpool they say "Oh, you're a Liverpudlian?" and I politely reply "No, no, no — I am an Evertonian."

Do the Goodison tour, do the local bar tour before the match (mmmmm?) and then take a night match in to savour that Old Lady special atmosphere. I'm sure that quite a few U.S. fans, given that time period, could maybe save up enough to do it?

Maybe Michael and/or Lyndon could set some kind of a "visiting Goodison" page to help organize it on the ToffeeWeb site?

I, for one, would love to visit again, as it would be my first return for what is now far too many years ago!

That's an outstanding idea. My issue would be with 5 kids and a wife if I took all the available vacation money and spent it on traveling to England to see Everton... it'd be a small fortune and we'd be writing hot checks.

And for domestic bliss I'd absolutely have to take the family. My wife would be most unhappy if I saved money and went alone. She'd never allow it, and I haven't the stones to take her on with that one. We've got a retirement trip loosely planned in 15 to 20 years time that involves seeing multiple Everton games when the kids are grown. By then I hope we can afford it.

I often wondered why more TWers don't pick a spot in the country to meet for say the derby games. Think that'd be a blast. Find a good pub, good location, do it up the night before, watch the game the next morning. Much more affordable. Orlando is accessible (cheap flights), good weather, tons to do...

Just a thought.

But I think for those who can, a TW organized trip to see a game is an outstanding idea.

Some day Gerry I'll go... and I think after that game I'll look upwards and tell the Big Fella I'm ready...

Back in my Navy days I was Coxswain of a small Survey Ship named "HMS Woodlark" (ships company of 18). We found out there was a pub in Nottingham called the "Woodlark Inn", which we created an affiliation with. One year we looked after their visit to Plymouth by our families looking after their families for a few nights, and the next year for the visit to their pub in Nottingham, they arranged for us to be looked after by their local families. I am sure there could develop a situation whereby an Evertonian family would be more than happy to look after you whilst on Merseyside (much, much cheaper than hotels, and terrific fun trying to understand each others accents!!!!!). When Everton visit your area in the US of A, you have an option to return the favour.

That is why I feel we would need to set up of a webpage to try and arrange things like that together.

Unfortunately the flights would be the biggest cost, but there again, maybe a TW reader works for, or knows someone who works for a Travel Agent, or similar. I have booked flights for my family from Houston to Newark to Glasgow for less than $300 return each (yes, definitely not during school break when they shoot up in cost), so there are periods that really could facilitate a cheap option to go.

Not just America, but I'd love to be able to show Goodison Park to the world - COYB

How in God’s name could he retain his fanatical support of Everton, while retaining his fanatical support of the RS Henry Group’s Red Sox? Yet, here he is doing so. Fucking Crowley, if he only understood what true support of a club meant. Of course, like Jamie, I’m just an American only all-in Everton these last few years. Barry, enlighten me on what I lack as a supporter.

Jamie (345) – "And loyalty is another matter all together. Americans change teams like they change underwear – and it makes me sick to death. I despise it. Sports allegiances should be like a marriage. A bond never to be broken through good times and bad."

So, at the end of the 2012 season, you dumped your Red Sox? C’mon Jamie. And you and all the other Boston Bruins fans switch allegiance based on how the club is doing? You know that’s not so. Not to mention, you at the Boston Gardens and me at MSG when the roofs barely stayed intact at the fans trying to lift them?

Jamie, c’mon. Nothing going on in the EPL, supporter-wise, the two of us haven’t grown up on.

Even after over 55 years of following Everton, and when topics like this get argued about, these are the words I always remember... "

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

You don't "LACK" anything you're a blue and moreover you got on board during the crappiest period in our illustrious history; no glory hunting for you – that's front line troop stuff right there.

Look, rightly or wrongly, the perception of American sport over here is it's more a "day out" akin to the cinema or theatre experience; the fanatical lunacy built up over a century that pervades English football just seems absent.

The differences betwixt you and me are of the "you say tomarto, I say tomayto" sorta thing — it's not a "better or worse" or "lack of" argument, it's just different.

It's Moyes's fault anyway.

"It’s Moyes’s fault anyway". Haha. It’s been some time since our last back and forth. Appreciate, then as now, that you have a sense of humor about posting on this discussion board. Particularly about Moyes.

However, anything in here or anywhere that proposes American sport fans are less passionate than England footy fans? Wrong.