SAFE!!!

I hope I'm wrong, or we match them with 4-3-3.

Apart from that bombshell it's the team I expected.

COYBLUES!!!

He's picked the team, we have to back it now – lets frickin' go for it, Blues!!!!

I hope he knows what he is doing…

If there's any semblance of a two in the middle shape at any time, then Gomes is a horrifying choice.

If he gets it wrong tonight, he is history.

🙏 Palace on the beach.

Gomes isn't good on the ball. He misplaces passes regularly .

Allan must be injured.

Our injuries have totally scuppered us this season. Delph plays and I'm confident. I now expect us not to get a result.

Come on, Andreé, prove me wrong.

Look, I'm behind the team! But I'd be a liar if I didn't say I'd rather see Allan!!!!

Let's get this done ffs.

As is the ridiculous fact we concede from set pieces every damn match. Every match

It's not the toughest skill to master.

And now disaster.

Hard to see us scoring (at minimum) 3 goals here. Prove me wrong boys, please.

When Burnley hear our score whats the betting they go and win.

Bring Gray onto the left wing asap. He can't play on the right and it takes him 10 minutes to get into the game.

Doucoure and Gomes hopeless Both playing to the lowest levels of their performance.

Colman caught in possession.

Absolutely no clue how to defend a set piece.

Right Frank you have to change things for this second half, your original Football plan is not working.

Burnley up 1-0.

We might stay up if Leeds fuck it up, but it won't be on the merit of the players this season, that's for sure.

Get off the pitch you bluenatics

Never doubted it for a second 😎

BLUES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let's keep the manager and hope the takeover happens now, and a handshake for Bill (and a goodbye).

Never shall we ever see 3-4-2 ever again please. Iwobi into midfield and Coleman at right back was the first of 2 excellent decisions by the manager. Followed by Alli for Gomes. Alli was excellent. Then Grey fr the th knackered and battered Gordon. Won us the game.

COYB.

And big shout out to Richarlison. Our Brazilian Kevin Campbell, 4 goals in 4 home games. He hit form when we needed him to and his goals have kept us up!

Thank God it all worked out in the end. I had visions of Leeds beating Brentford and Arsenal battering Everton after watching the first half today.

Had to say that I wasn't surprised that Mike Dean almost screwed us today after what Oliver did in the Brentford game. Oliver going to the World cup--what a joke.

Finally we all get to relax !!!!! Well done Lamps and the team.

Send heart meds to 45 Aldridge Ave
Toronto ON
M4C 3W3

SACK THE BOARD SACK THE BOARD SACK THE BOARD !!!!

Relief!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But in Michael's excitement - you never said anything about our winning goal
🤣

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!

That second half has left me drained...but it was worth it! What a fucking game that truly was.

Frank must be given time like Moyes was, he's united us.

Sat here 5 am Perth time supposed to be getting ready for work but I think I'll have another pink gin instead!

If only we could start matches the way we went at that second half.
Once the dust has settled it has to be back to relieving this board of its duties, but for now I'm happy bask in the relief tonight has brought.

I have SO much more to say!!! Will post later tonight.

I LOVE EVERYONE!!

Sunday's gonna be dull, though!

Someone else predicted the same score earlier but my brain has gone in the melee, can't remember who it was. Enjoy the winnings.

Fair play to Frank, after all the criticism about his subs, he obviously came to today with a plan and saw it not work and changed it at half time. Job well done by him.

I think I forgive him every goal he ever scored against us. Now to slap Arsenal and see what Frank can come up with next season.

Frank got it dead right in the second half. Easy to say when you've won, but he did. We lack quality - it looked like he brought Dele on with the instruction of being the calm head. Get the ball, keep the ball, use the ball. I thought Dele was brilliant.

Then brought Gray on... we all love Gordon but the quality in the cross/final ball isn't there. Gray does have that... and showed it with that free kick.

Get your best players on the pitch.

Post mortem starts tomorrow. Elation has already passed. Currently feeling nothing but relieved. Thank God that's over.

Moshiri owns 90% of this club and how are you going to ask him to have no involvement in the decisions? DuH! 🤦‍♂️
Stupid comment.
And while we all have out knives out of Bill, whose choice was Benitez, Koeman and Marco Silva?

Not for myself, or for the club or the players… but for all you Merseyside Blues.

All of you who have suffered for so long, squirming in your seats in Goodison or spending hours traveling to the far-off corners of the country to sit in the cold and rain watching this club lose time after time and listening to the home fans sing derisively.

All of you who have taken so much shit for so many years from the RS fans at work, or at school, or in the pub, or just walking the dog – and then had to watch one take charge of the club for half a season.

Those of you with whom I've spent precious time at the Midland or the Winslow or just wandering the city, and so many more whom I've never met anywhere except on TW but consider dear friends all the same.

All of you who were born to Everton, to whom this club is life, love, family tradition.

You woke up this morning with a twisted knot of dread in your guts. You will wake up tomorrow wearing a smile of joyous relief. And I am (to borrow the favorite word of a fellow Yank) so fucking happy for every single one of you that I can't control the feeling. So I'm not even going to try.

Well in, fellow Blues. You did it.

Enjoy boys..altogether now... And if ya know ya history

Damn, I didn't spot that. I wrote up the goal but was paranoid about losing updates. That one must've got eaten!

What a great goal too. Calvert-Lewin's ultimate redemption for being utter shite since he came back from injury. I'll have to try to be nice about him now. Wonder if he''ll be staying....???

Though I watched the Wimbledon all those years ago. It was so unbelievable I thought for years it was a fix. But tonight I laid that doubt to rest, getting a second chance to see it happen again.

Everton had to survive, going down was not a option on football or financial terms for Everton. But a review of all operations at Everton is needed to sort out the failures that got this great Club into this situation and those responsible removed from the Club positions they hold and failed at.

If it was not for the Fans the Everton where gone. Frank Lampard can stay and learn and grow with the Club.

I hope the guy who kissed the centre spot after the Wimbledon game was there tonight, he deserved to be there.

I believe Lampard made a mistake again starting Gomes from his previous game, but was surprised at the difference that Dele Alli made.

It will be interesting now to see what happens in the future, but until then, thank you, Calvert-Lewin. Thank you, players, and thank you, Mr Lampard for realizing the mistake you made. Looking forward to next season.

To the board and owner. Sort your act out, there is no way an Everton team should be in this position at the end of the season. You are responsible for hiring and firing managers that put us in this mess.

Agree. Now is not the time for recriminations. We've done that all year. Let's just enjoy it for a few days then get back to that in the summer lol

Michael Keane, though, what a finish from a nothing chance.

Richarlison – pure determination.

Calvert-Lewin with a proper striker's header from a perfect ball in.

Brilliant.

A lifeline... still standing 2 foot in front of the TV, a second... Oh my GoD! Could they? Hang on – this is Everton...

3-2 – I think my head hits the ceiling as I shouted to the heavens, arms aloft, tears streaming down my cheeks...

The emotion of it all, on my own, some 14,000 miles away, with a huge smile looking at the celebrations... the relief, the joy, even if it's only one night in a season of hurt. It's why we love this club. Fabulous crowd, it had the fans around the world jumping too – well done, Blues.

Frank Lampard made early decisions and it made all the difference... Dele Alli, the difference in quality... Still drying my eyes..

Not a time now for reflection nor to look forward. Just to be grateful that you are an Evertonian and can experience such nights.

And finally. Alex Iwobi. Credit where it is due. What a terrific, brave, wholehearted and skilful performance. Holgate too. Bravery indeed. Fantastic. Sunday now will be joyful and relaxed.

Every fucking one of them!

I'm not getting carried away, but I think Frank was on the verge of 'welling up' in that interview. This battle could yet turn out to be the best thing that's happened to us in years.

We needed something to fight for, we needed unity and we needed to remember just how important Everton is to us all.

And one more, never give up. Especially not at half time. The top teams never do and its that mentality that makes them Top Teams. At Goodison, under the lights, we can give anyone game with the crowd behind us.

Iwobi on drugs, Seamus great second half on a tough opponent, DCL has no striker qualities but then……, Keane class finish.

Anthony Taylor with his hated Blues at his mercy at 0-2, DCL with a wild tackle on the sideline, easy red for the ref to send us down. No red. How can it be lads? What's going on?

Up the Blues.

Yeah for all the times Keane's mental strength has been challenged he was cool as a cucumber nonchalantly finishing as if he was having a kick about with his kid brother. Richarlison all about determination and Gray, for the first time since August, had a target for his cross and what an Andy Grayesque diving header from Calvert-Lewin.

Only negative is …. USA Network ended coverage after only 10 minutes of wild celebrations.

Iwobi on drugs, Seamus great second half on a tough opponent, DCL has no striker qualities but then……, Keane class finish.

Anthony Taylor with his hated Blues at his mercy at 0-2, DCL with a wild tackle on the sideline, easy red for the ref to send us down. No red. How can it be lads? What's going on?

Up the Blues.

In the last five games, four players have really stood up.

Iwobi – Absolutely changed my opinion, he's been uniformly excellent every week.

Holgate – After a tough time starting to show his potential.

Pickford – The best keeper in the Premier League.

Richarlison – No words, our best player by a mile and with Jordan the reason we've stayed up.

If you're out there I hope you survived the rollercoaster. What a year you picked to start going to games again. I hope you your wife and most importantly your poor old dog have a stress free summer mate.

We always do it the hard way!
So much adversity. Been shafted with injuries and refereeing decisions. Handed former Liverpool manager who tried to derail us who made some shocking decisions. Wouldn't be surprised if we have the other red lot complaining to the police looking for us to get points deducted for the Vierra pitch invasion incident.
Given the season they have had you think they would mind their own business but they can't help themselves.
Anyway, I digress. We said after Wimbledon that should never happen again and it has. We need a full clear out and rebuild starting at the top.
If Kenwright means these are the “good times” he is delusional. Please go now. Take your charity CEO mate, take your commercial team, take your old boys at Finch Farm and rebuild with the best we can get. I'm enjoying tonight but every one of you on here did that. The fans dragged those players kicking and screaming beyond their abilities to that. Enjoy tonight everyone and never forget how close we came (again) - if we don't use tonight as a warning flag it will happen again. Every home game should be like that!!

God knows where Danny O Neill and Paul Trail are. They have two days to get to Highbury ,

With all this compensation culture, do you think we could sue our dads for making us Evertonians? But there again, my kids could sue me and my grandkids when they are old enough. Maybe not a good idea. Why do we do it?

Roll on 2022/23. Thankfully I am in France so the Champagne is cheaper.

Give him some cash - get rid of the deadwood and rebuild!

I thought Alli made the difference. A class above even when he's half fit, he calmed things down and set a tempo.

Anyway, what a night.

I said to my son at HT this reminds me of the Wimbledon game when we were garbage till HT and the turned the 2-0 around to 3-2.

All those people that want to sell Richy and DCL reminded of how important their goal contribution is and how theyve been missed this season.

It was also lovely to see big Joe, Reidy and co all hugging Frank and giving him the recognition, he deserves.

Master stroke at HT to switch Iwobi into MF and take Gomes off.

I also lost a lot of respect for Viera with his antics in the second half.

However, the players who have been shocking all season remain not fit for purpose and there needs to be an inquest to this season and a mass clear out of the dead wood and malingerers.
Gomes, never want to see him again, Iwobi massive credit to the lad for his recent play.

It's in there - it's in these players, most of them. Dele Alli, who would've thought; right after TW discussions of that mystery over the last 24 hours.

The spirit - the spirit of The Blues tonight was the difference. It really does come down to that. Same team, same players, ground, fans, all of it. I really hope the long-embedded demons are somehow exorcised over the summer and beyond. With even half of the energy seen and felt tonight, we'd really fly.

I would like to keep. Pickford, Keane, Iwobi, Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin. Then it is down to financial fair play.

As Lampard says in his interview, the board, the back room staff and others have highlighted the problems in balance in our squad. I trust in them for a rebuild in the summer.

I don't drink anymore. Could you just send me the money? Ta.

Seconded.

Rather than dwell on Palaces time wasting, goading, and shit tricks, and seeing the set of officials before the game, rising no hopes for good refereeing, let's thank the squad for digging deep.

What a come back and key was putting in Ali, to start the 2nd half, whom added some class and skill coupled with Iwobi tenacious appetite to hound Palace, Everton wore down Palace and cut through them easily in the 2nd half.

Doucouré looked more relaxed with Ali on. Gomes, I think has played his last match at Goodison, but he is just not good enough for Everton. Too slow and high risk on giving away needless fouls.

Tense 7 mins extra time and then the Carnival on the pitch, and Viera, getting stuck in, and an epic night for Evertonians to party and celebrate staying up.

Sadly early start tomorrow and covering, but Ill be on it Saturday night and Sunday to celebrate.

For me as close to Bayern Munich and Wimbledon in priority, in terms of atmosphere.

It's been a rotten season but let's keep the faith and belief, and rebuild in the summer.

“Whats Our Name?”

UTFT!

We're in a pathetic state. 39 points FFS!

If anyone at all can announce reason to hope for better next season I'd like to know.

Mega congrats to our lads for getting a win against a team with fuck all to play for.

Trebles all round Bill? Nah, thought so, not outside the boardroom/Monaco.

Pickford, Richarlison, and Calvert-Lewin should be playing in the Champions League; I don't think any of them are world class, but they are top players. I fear we may struggle to keep all of them.

There are a few others that are not bad, solid mid-table team players, players no big club would want, but players who shouldn't be in relegation battles. Mina, Godfrey, Mykolenko, Iwobi, Gray,

And then there is the dross. And to be clear, they're not shit, they're very good players, but they have fundamental flaws which teams know and exploit. Keane – can't turn, Coleman – can't run, Gomes – can't do anything.

And then there are players who I don't know where to place: Holgate, Allan, Doucouré, Gordon, Townsend. But given I can't place them, that in itself is worrying; none of them are close to the top group, or just dropping into the second group.

Essentially, what I am saying is we have three decent players who are all potentially about to leave. Without them, it could be very dicey.

I really hope we used today to reset and retain.

Quite surreal how similarly events unfolded tonight, only this time I kept my radio on, and the only tears have been happy ones (although it was a close call in that first half!)

Enjoy it my fellow blues. Soak it in.

Spirit of The Blues on repeat.

This match is going to go down as one of my most cherished sporting memories of all-time. And I watched my New England Patriots win six Super Bowls, and the Red Sox come from 3-0 down to knock off the Yankees.

I've never felt more connected to something special and transcendent than I did in the aftermath of that amazing win.

Up the Blues!!!

Andrew 183, So very true. However, you forgot Rondon lol.

A decent chance right after half time came and went, Michael Keane got a goal out of nothing, could we do a Wimbledon? Maybe.Pickford made a great save to keep us in the game, we were attacking better this half with Delle putting his foot on the ball adding some composure that was completely missing from the first half display, Richarlison snatches the equaliser and the already berserk crowd goes feral and wilder, Gray is on now and this crowd won't stand still for a lousy draw, willing, urging and demanding that winning goal.

A free kick awarded, Gray takes it and measures an inviting centre that DCL accepts with a DixieDean, Tommy Lawton, Davie Hickson brilliantly headed goal that sends the unbelievable Bluenoses into a frenzied celebration of screaming to the sky “ Safe, thanks for a miracle”.

Then the final whistle and the crowd paying scant attention to the police and stewards placed all around the touchlines invaded the field dancing and singing, hugging and kissing each other with hardly any space left on the field.

Outside the ground my granddaughter caught the scenes by the Brick pub on her phone with fans dancing in the street, on top of the bus shed outside the pub, they might be still there and on the pitch at Goodison.

Another fabulous, in the end, night at The Old Lady but please let there be no more seasons like this one.

It won't be replicated, but I hope BMD, can eclipse this, or at least be the same.

Come the last game, and then we move to BMD, there will be rivers of tears of joy, happiness and anguish, Blue water from Evertonians, and giving thanks for being an Evertonian.

The courage by Evertonians and some stand out players this past 6 weeks, has made the difference.

Pickford made a huge save in the second half, and tonight let's all be thankful, and celebrate well, for being Evertonians and helping keep this Team up.

Now to beat Arsenal.

UTFT!

Just wanted to add to the comments on Iwobi. He was utterly immense tonight. Thank you Alex. Will never give you dog's abuse again.

Plenty of water in the morning, Lad.

Enjoy and rejoice as our prayers were answered!! It's over and relax! Time to reflect but first enjoy. Emotionally, a painful season!

Like someone else just said, it was almost worth having a nightmare season just for tonight!!

At the end he said to me “dad, that's the best night of my life. I love this club.” Then hugged me like never before. That's a moment I will never, ever forget.

For all the pain, it's a once in a generation memory. Happy for it to be another 30 years tho too.

Fecking love this club. X

Frank Lampard gets us.
The future is bright.
Bramley Moore Dock, Pride of Merseyside.

(But please - no more seasons like this one!!! My nerves and mental health are shot.)

What a relief!
Proud to be Blue.

Thank you for tonight.
(We'll win at Arsenal).

COYB

Great to have a manager to relate to.

Looking to next season...

Need to keep Dele.

Need to ditch 5 at the back.

Let's hope this can be a new beginning for Everton FC, as supporters we've been to Hell and Back, umpteen times, over the last 30 years, and this season, severely scorched in context of the state of the club on and off the park.

Now for Arsenal.
UTFT!

What a game and night. Total mayhem. Very hoarse tonight. Was driving along Scottie Road with the car window open and singing loudly with the car alongside me and another couple of cars joined in - unforgettable. Then everyone started pipping their horns right up to and through the tunnel - fabulous..

Thank you blues, only you seem capable of providing so much joy from such desperation.

UTFT!

Brian #180, Well deserved for his consistency!

I will also let you all in on a little secret. These are the games I have been to at Goodison this season:

Everton Burnley
Everton Arsenal
Everton Boreham Wood
Everton Newcastle
Everton Leicester
Everton Chelsea
Everton Crystal Palace

That's it. Seen 3 injury time goals, one of them a winner against Newcastle and one a winner against Arsenal. And seen that today.

These blues hey.

Oh, I've also tried to find the post made by a lady called Eliieen or something where she was adamant Everton would not win tonight. I didn't reply to it early however now….. shame on you!

COYB!

By the way we must never forget that 2 refs thought the Ayew tackle was only a yellow. Yet Allans tackle which was a yellow was overturned to a red. No vendetta against EFC ? You must be joking !!

Sack The Board. ( I'll keep typing this til they go !!! ).

And best of all, still recovering from a serious illness, brother Charlie made his comeback.

Goodnight Godbless Evertonians all over the world.

Thanks Gary Jones (207).

Hooking Gomes was a given but the second half was so different it was amazing - everyone played really well, especially Iwobi, DCL and Doucourie, I thought. And if Delle continues his improvement, he will be a good signing.

The crowd were fantastic except for the idiot pitch invaders. I was disappointed with Palace, there were really nasty tackles going in. It looks like being an interesting summer with transfer activity

Incredible scenes at the end then, with months of worry over, a pleasant walk on a mild evening back to Kirkdale Station, where the celebrations were still continuing, and feeling of relief on the drive home from Maghull North.

An unforgettable night which must never be repeated and has got to be the catalyst for a total transformation at boardroom level if Moshiri decides to stay on.

Alternatively he must have noted that Chelsea received four plausible bids for their forced change of ownership. The three unsuccessful bidders may not get a better opportunity to buy a major Premier League club.

For the first time in a long time the fans have shown that they can inspire any individual player or group of players and lets be honest this current group were unable to do anything without our crazy and manic support.

The inquests as to why we found ourselves in such a position can wait until the coming months but the club has to tap in to that spirit that our crazy fans always have and should not allow half-hearted, or laxidasical players to take their places in an Everton first-team, Gomes and players like him is what we don't need at Everton, we need street-fighters and clever players who will put their bodies on the line for the football club. Much maligned players like Keane and Richarlison aren't the best in the league but they do have character and it was fitting that both got on the scoresheet tonight.

Stick with Lampard because he might not be the tactical genius that some may want to see, but he has overseen an upturn in results and created a better attitude in most of his team since he arrived and he has delvered the outcome that he was hired to achieve.

I don't think that tonight's drama quite matched the Wimbledon match, but that might be due to the fact that the Wimbledon game came only 7 years following Everton being champions of England and tonight's game followed a long period of decline where we almost expected to be among the also-rans in the league. The most heartening thing on display this last month or so, has been how many of the younger fans displayed their passion for the club and they have reminded the staff and players of how important Everton Football Club is to all Evertonians.

Enjoy tonight and allow yourselves to have some proper sleep in the coming days. but more importantly the club should realise that it is there to provide entertaintment and positive results and no matter who or where we play we expect both in equal measure, which is the way it should be.

Saw a blue coffin for sale on face book - apparently its no longer needed ! The RS they are so funny NOT !
They've even organised a parade on the anniversary of the Heysel Stadium disaster - you can't make it up !

Special mention to the fans on here - and in the stadium - who kept believing, even when the players looked like they were not capable of getting across the line. And I don't just mean tonight - I mean all season.

Colin (208) - Yes sir. I slightly think the constant derision you showed towards Iwobi has been somehow instrumental in his coming good. He's been terrific since Lampard arrived, after being very far from it under every previous manager.

Dele Alli was excellent when he came on. He looked up for it, took responsibility on the ball, made things happen, showed imagination and strength, and berated his team-mates into coming out of their shells. If Lampard can reawaken Dele Alli and get him fit and in form then next season will be interesting. And if not, then bringing him in for free and offloading him (for free or a fee) is still going to be great business as he just played a massive role in keeping the club in the Premier League.

UTFT

God, I shall miss Goodison.

We had to do it the hard way, but we did it.

Sorry I missed the guys in the oak, bus only got to the ground 7.20

Fantastic atmosphere, even all the way back to Kirkdale station, the fans were in full voice, even on the train back to town.

TWrs, have a great celebration and weekend, and let's beat Arsenal.

UTFT!

Well done all from Adelaide, Australia! But, what a way to squeeze every bit of emotion out of us all, eh?

Interesting TW pre-season up ahead with personnel changes, I reckon.
UTFT

Let's hope Carlo finished the job,
Flying the blue flag high in a sea of Red shite here in Ireland,

COYB...

Well done to Frank! And an even bigger we'll done to the fans!!

Some of the players came into the lounges after the game. Unplanned and no PR. Kenny sat quietly with his friends/family. I don't think many people actually noticed him.

Holgate was with his family too but was happy to pose for a few selfies with people.

Iwobi, Alli and Gordon were in aswell. I think all of them just had a beer each. They were all as you'd expect them to be. Grinning from ear to ear and relieved to have done it. They didn't get mobbed and it was nice to see them just being ordinary blokes without the veneer of PR they're usually surrounded by. It reminded me of days long past when the players would regularly mingle with the fans in the pubs around Goodison.

What an incredible night. Incredible atmosphere - apart for the last thirty minutes of the first half.

Some of the media seem to want to focus on the “pitch invasion.” The small one after the third goal was stupid and roundly booed but was cleared quickly without much involvement from the stewards. The one after the final whistle was good natured, aside from a few dickheads. It didn't look to me like anybody was in any danger. Our players and staff were still out there behind a ring of police and stewards to celebrate. Music was playing. I think there was a feeling that, on this rare occasion, the club were content to have fans on the pitch.

Although I hope we never see anything like this again, it was a night for the ages at Goodison Park. The reward may have been vastly different but it was up there with Bayern Munich in terms of atmosphere.

Paul Smith @174 - I can't tell you how much I appreciate your words. It's a weird dynamic, being the Yank in a sea of Scouse, loving a team, and trying like hell to respect and not overstep boundaries of the cradle-born supporter. Tonight was very, very special, and I appreciate your sentiments more than you can fathom. Cheers.

I played hooky from work today, knowing there was no way on earth I'd be able to watch this game streaming in my office. I worked from home in the morning and got very little done. Around 2 p.m. I went out back, opened me pub, and got ready for the biggest game of my life. I thought I'd drink a ton just to cope - only had three beers.

My son, Rendon, watched with me as he was off work today. My other son, Colin, got home around the 70 minute mark from school and joined in. My youngest, Quintin, was have a tooth extracted (nasty cavity) and actually texted us multiple times from the dentist office as he was hitting refresh with his phone over and over to keep comprised of the score.

At 0-2, I was despondent. I thought for sure we were going down. Nightmare scenarios of of 'our finances are shit, we'll be in League 1 in two years' flying through my head.

Keane's goal was brilliant. A loud shout from the Crowley's echoed through our quiet neighborhood, with yells of "C'MON NOW" shortly thereafter as Hope - that greatest gift of humanity - sprung to life.

Richie's goal resulted in a huge scream and a wild scene on a backyard deck-pub of a father and two sons going nuts. Hope grew. But that little voice in my head told me a draw didn't matter, we needed three points.

DCL. Cue three man bedlam in the Crowley backyard. The yells were so loud I can't believe someone didn't complain or call the cops. We went berserk.

Final whistle and again bedlam. Me and two of my sons jumping up and down and hugging. My third came about 10 minutes later, fresh from the dentist with a big silver fuck-off molar in his mouth, come through the backyard gate yelling "OOOOHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" Again, we all just jumped up and down like 5 year olds.

Time jump! About 5 minutes before the youngest got back, my phone rang. FaceTime call. It was the son of my Everton Academy friend Steve Ashcroft.

Now, I don't cry for sporting events. Never have, don't think I ever will. I've seen enough truly bad shit, as we all have, to put sport into perspective. But getting that FaceTime call, while watching the fans pour onto the pitch, and thinking how fucking cool it was that Steve's kid called at that point in time, and how happy Steve would be, made me well up very, very hard.

So why do I mention all this, and recount my personal viewing experience? Because it was an amazing day, one I will never, ever forget. The team I've inexplicably fallen in love with avoided death. And the game transcended sport receiving that FaceTime call as I recalled my friendship with my Blue "mate" Steve Ashcroft and celebrated with his boy. And, most importantly, three of my 5 sons were there to celebrate with me.

That, with apologies to those who don't like harsh language, is a GREAT fucking day. These don't come along too often, and I will never forget it.

SO HAPPY.

Got the live stream back on in the 2nd half so I could see the 2 we conceded. How did Ayew stay on the pitch?! Gomes shouldn't have been on the pitch. He is one of the one's that has to go this summer, even if it's a nominal fee. I thought Van De Beek would have been favoured in the first XI.

Bringing Dele on and playing a 4-3-3 completely changed the game.

I hope this can be the springboard for Dele now. He made a big difference for us and you can see he has the ability. A pre-season and being trusted to play in a team not in a relegation battle might be his making for us.

Lastly, DCL and Richie probably won't be with us next season, but I really don't mind them moving on now they've kept us up. I don't think any of us want them to go, but rationally thinking, their sales could let Frank buy 4, or even 5 of his own players.

UTFT

Thank You.

I've just finished watching the game for the first time and not read any comments. I thought we started off running around a lot but with little pattern to proceedings and about as much threat of scoring. After Richarlison's free kick I was wondering where he had been all season if he can take them like that.

Palace moved the ball around a lot better and looked like they knew what they were doing, it had a purpose and a pattern and you had to wonder about our marking for their first goal.

As for Ayew's tackle on Gordon, how can that not be worse than those that got Allan, after VAR, and Holgate sent off? Which then begs the question of where should he have been when he scored their second. And where was that bloke who understands football more than I do when Coleman certainly did draw one of their players out for their second. I also had doubts about the non-penalty as it came off the Palace man's knee or thigh and then his arm moved out and stopped the ball, which rule are we playing and can the offside flag go up any slower?

Then that second half which blows all thoughts out of the window. Two good crosses, Keane's coolness and Richi's good luck which seems to happen too often to be luck and then DC-L with a full a length header, I think, as delirium took over.

However, Palace helped us as they seemed to come out for the second half with an hold what we've got attitude instead of pressing on as they had in the first half. I don't think we can question Frank's substitutions which seemed absolutely right and while one or two players disappointed me it wouldn't seem right to mention that now but a word must be made for Iwobi who I thought had a magnificent game.

The ONLY way is up!

Actually I really hope you stay.

Still buzzing. Watching it again now with my daughter. At least I know the ending this time.

I like this guy. Enjoy the moment - it's felt horrible for me, I'm sure it's felt horrible for them. So enjoy it.

And in reminded of the words... “Once Everton has touched you, nothing will be the same.” I think Frank gets that now.

I haven't connected with a manager in a long time. There are no guarantees, but I'd love it to be him that gets it right.

...but as I said in post #117, it's you locals that I am so happy for. How you have suffered. How joyous you must be as the sun rises over England to see us still in the Premier League.

Had an ecstatic phone call with Andy Crooks after the game... and then went and refereed three indoor games on legs so wobbly I could barely move. I wore my old Chang Everton shirt as my ref uniform. Nobody said a word.

I often go to my Grandad's local, the Arkles as a ritual when I go to Goodison. It's a red pub but I do it out of nostalgia. Last night I didn't. Once I eventually left the ground, I went to the Winslow. Honestly, the floor was shaking to the tunes of Spirit of the Blues and Marching Down the Goodison Road.

I had a strange night. I couldn't download my ticket for the Upper Bullens so had to go to the ticket office. They kindly printed one off for me but it made me late. When I got in, the stewards pointed me up the stairs and I ended up in the lower Bullens sat amongst the Palace fans. Is it just me and away fans?

To be fair, they were a good bunch. By the end, they were applauding the Evertonians and making videos on their phones of the incredible atmosphere and scenes. More man hugs were made as those near me congratulated me and even celebrated with me when the 3rd went in. Fair play.

The match; I messaged my brother at half time to say that despite having watched those 90s teams, I don't think I'd witnessed a worse half of football by an Everton team as I saw in the first 45 minutes. We had no midfield and were being bossed by a very strong, physical and powerful Palace team. We had nothing about us and looked like a team resigned to their fate. Palace really do play to their strengths and use the diagonal balls to good effect. Coleman in particular was struggling with it.

Second half, we woke up and got on the front foot. Alli made a huge difference. Why haven't we used him more? Maybe this will be his moment to reinvigorate his career. I know I've been a fan, but Frank doesn't fancy Allan? I couldn't understand starting Gomes over him if he's fit. Calvert-Lewin looked like he got his mojo back and was up for it. Anthony Gordon gave everything even though he is running on fumes. Mykolenko continues to impress. And once again, a mention for Iwobi. As well as Jordan Pickford. Crucial save when we were still trailing at 2-1 and he is increasingly vocal; a captain almost.

Apologies if this is as scattergun as our transfer strategy of recent years. I can't offer much more as I'm still running on emotion and adrenalin.

I love you Everton. I live you and I breathe you.

That doesn't mean you're getting off the hook for this. Let's enjoy the moment, but it doesn't excuse what you've put us through and it's only because of us you got through this.

"One fan ran across the roof of the exec boxes with a flare. Another did it in his pants at full-time!"

Well I almost did when their second went in.

Andre Gomes = Portuguese Man Of (?) (insert the appropriate) Straw, Hide and Seek, Shit (Oops) never rated this player. He's like Schneiderlin with a beard. Pointing to various members of the opposition, then disappearing, ball watching with as little involvement as possible. I couldn't believe Frank had picked him over everyone including the Tea Lady, after his last dire contribution. I, like many others round me in Upper Bullens were so down come half-time, and failed to see any possible comeback with the same starting eleven.

Alas, our prayers were answered and a change at the right time, hitherto Frank has been leaving Subs till far too late. Only Dele firstly, to replace the Portuguese Donkey, instantly saw more joined-up football, and a glimmer of hope that we may even get a goal or two. Couldn't see us getting three to be fair, but Gray's introduction for the industrious Anthony Gordon moved us up another gear. No disrespect to AG but I think he needed a rest, and was probably trying too hard to impress, with the opposite being the outcome.

Such a contrast between the first and second halves, saw an incredible reaction from all corners of the ground, raucous support, and the now ubiquitous Blue Smoke Sticks, like a Mardi Gras on a Football pitch. I was somewhat fearful when the pitch invasion after the third goal for us, thinking we'll get points deducted or something worse from the hapless Anthony Taylor. How many blatant wrong decisions did he make?

No wonder Refs have a Specsavers Logo on their tops. I doubt if any of them have ever visited the place, and they all need to!

What fantastic scenes at Goodison Park, though I wish the fans hadn't invaded the pitch for a second time, which would have allowed the players to do a lap of honour and acknowledge both the fans and each other, but I can understand at the same time the euphoria and relief, at realising Safety/Survival come the Final Whistle.

Certain games leave an impression, which I think will endure forever, Bayern Munich, Wimbledon, Coventry, Chelsea 2 weeks ago, but last night will be up there and will hopefully be the starting point for the resurgence of the Sleeping Giant. I am praying for a Board clear-out, a restructuring of the playing staff with deadwood being jettisoned, the influx of some new blood, and being able to see it all materialise in the new B M D Stadium.

COYB UTFT 💙💙😂

I am delighted. Pass on my best wishes.

Lampard has created a special spirit in that squad – because none of our points have come easy.

The collective character to come back after the refereeing debacle (again) and kick in the teeth against Brentford and then the adversity of the first half. Just amazing.

But the players are finally playing as though it matters. They've been coasting for years because we're a mid-table side who drop out of the cups. Half the season has nothing riding on it.

The fans have made a huge contribution too, of course.

Genuinely excited about next season already.

He spoke humbly and honestly. Spoke of wanting to spend time with his family.

But when talking about Everton and the club, one word amongst the many stood out for me.

Unity.

That seems to have been his aim whether that was deliberate or subconsciously. But that is what he has achieved.

As well as keeping us up – having been thrown a hospital pass of the highest order.

I too am now very optimistic as to what he and his staff can do with this club of ours.

Those who put us in this situation are not getting off the hook, but that is not for right now.

I'm so glad that's over. For me at least, I'm now out. I really don't care what the RS say or do or win or don't. I needed to see us survive and then I promised myself a break. I can now do that.

I'm just so glad we're safe and I'll see you here next season at some stage. Take care guys and girls and talk soon.

Let the dust settle and then we begin the post mortem, as us Evertonians can never ever allow this club to be in this situation ever again.

Another game they gave it everything, and were rewarded with a 0-2 limp performance from our cowards. But they stuck at it, scored the important 3rd goal on the night, and the fans roared them on.

11 beat 12 men yet again, thanks to yet another display of incompetence or corruption. Ayew should have been in the stands for a red, but instead scores. Double punishment hot on the heals of Sunday...

But a fabulous win. It's brought unity. Unity that we have manager that gets us, and will be here for a number of years and clear the decks. Unity that we will sort out our terrible recruitment policy, and Unity that I hope stops the nepotism and that will do attitude.

This our 3rd survival following Wimbledon and Coventry. ‘Never again' is hollow words. Learn who we are, what the club DNa is, and recruit that excellence.

In what world wasn't that tackle by Ayew not a red?

Big shout out to all bluenoses everywhere for their incredible support and a big shout out to Calvert-Lewin for that diving header, I'm not his biggest fan but I will remember it as well as the other great centre-forwards' headed goals we've seen down the years in the Gwladys Street end.

Also, I thought Dele was great when he came on, what a night!! UTFT

Delph transformed our season. When he got injured, Allan should have replaced him and kept the system going.

Playing Doucouré and Gomes against Brentford and first half against Palace with a back 5 could have thrown all the good work away. I hoped Frank had learned his lesson.

I think now is not the time for analysis but we should simply enjoy the moment, re-watch our goals, and listen to Frank's post-match interview — pure joy… it doesn't come very often.

However, as we all know, the major questions (although how Gomes started is a question that is also up there) are at the top of the club and where there seems to be total delusion or acceptance that there needs to be change.

I would be even happier today if news came out that Moshri had sold the club, we had a new CEO, and the Board was being enhanced with some quality expertise. I also genuinely think we should sell every single central midfielder at the club and start completely over.

We do need to move on fast though, and these players are certainly not heroes - they've been shite all season and don't deserve hero status. They contrived to lose 20 games so last night merely papers over the cracks and nothing more. Yes it was a relief and I'm as happy as the next Evertonian this morning, but the reality is we just scraped it by the skin of our teeth and we need better. Celebrating staying up will be Kenwright's 'good times' no doubt but we need more.

I'm also really happy for Lampard, although still not convinced about his managerial ability long term, but would like to see him given a go at it with a clean slate next season. He's done well to ingratiate himself with Evertonians and that carries value to the club as a whole in a broad sense.

Without wanting to sound all blue tinted in my thinking, unity makes a big difference and that's something he's managing well. Whether this team of misfits can be better next year remains to be seen, but we do need something of an overhaul.

Well done to Lampard and his staff - not only for the win last night but also keeping us up this season. He is a decent manager who gets us and will only improve over time. To get us safe with this group of players and the state we were in when he arrived is something of a miracle.

Hats off to DCL too - he's not had the best season due to injuries/form but he came up with the goods when we needed a goal. Sign of a top striker that.

As others have said, Iwobi, Pickford, Richarlison, Gordon and Mina (when fit!) are all worthy of a mention too this year.

On the subject of Ali, he played well last night and is clearly a cut above people like Gomes. I wonder if he is not playing so much because we haven't got the money to give Tottenham if he goes over a set number of games? I know it's daft but you know what we are like as a club sometimes.

He moved Iwobi into central midfield and then we started to play as we should have done from minute 1. I have been a critic of DCL but scoring the winner showed he has that potential. I apologize to all those sitting round me in Upper Bullens as I went apoplectic when the fans ran on when we scored the 3rd, when will our fans ever learn to stay of the pitch. I also think there will be repercussions to the both pitch invasions and the incident with Viera.

So hopefully the sleepless nights will stop although they didnt last night but for completely different reasons. Frank you and your team have done a terrific job in uniting the fans and the team after having to follow the most toxic manager we have ever had who thanks to Moshiri nearly destroyed this club. And make no mistake with FFP and players leaving it may have taken us many years before we have returned to the top flight.

I am sure Frank and his coaches will have us playing with passion and flair but it make take a little while, just no more 5 at the back Frank.

Finally to all the magnificent Blues who crammed into Goodison last night, if this season has taught us one thing that when the Goodison faithfull are motivated like they have been for weeks they make this club an unstoppable force. They proved yet again that they are undoubtedly the best fans in football, as Frank said it was their support that was a major part in this club staying up. That now needs to be the norm for every game, upon our feet supporting the lads, and lets remember that West Ham where in a similar place last season and look how they followed that.

EVERTONIANS ARE AWESOME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Even though I was stuck in the parlour nursing a dose of Covid and listening to radio Merseyside (Great comments and support from Alan stubbs, by the way, a proper Blue alright!) It was like Wimbledon all over again. Only this time I didn't think we'd achieve the miracle again!

Well we just got up and achieved that miracle again!!

Robert Tressell, (282) I'd like to emphasise something here, The Supporters did more than make a huge contribution, Home and Away, the Supporters have dragged this club, kicking and screaming, away from Oblivion!!

Frank is our manager and a Blue, even if he is a Cockney and he's been a breath of fresh air and I hope he is given the support from the club and, equally importantly, has no interference from (I'm trying to be polite here!)
Chairman Kenwright or the owner. In fact, I think Kenwright deserves as a special thank you from the club; a Round the World Cruise...twice!

I'm really pleased (understatement that!) for our players, some who are plainly not good enough, but they pulled their tripes out. But I'm especially pleased for Dele Alli and Demarai Gray. Delle if he can get his head staright and believe in himself again, is a top class player, and I think Gray is too.

How many games have we been absolutely outstanding (the supporters that is, the home supporters and those that follow the team everywhere,

Take a Bow, Blues! You best supporters the world has ever seen!

Ps, stay off the pitch, those darlings at the Premiwer League and FA can't wait to deduct points off us.

Glad you surfaced. I do think we have the right manager. Young and able to learn and grow with the club from their present low point in the Premier League.

Frank does seem to have brought in the right people and stuck to his football plan, dependent on the players available. This is a strength, though it took some guts to stick with it given weak player performances and inconsistencies in preparation, an Everton hallmark long before Frank arrived.

Frank's changes at half-time transformed the game for Everton and saved them from the drop. Of course, the fans were strong throughout in support, contributing to survival, backing the manager they selected.

It is a time the celebrate but, when the dust settles, there has to be a look at and action taken to prevent the situation Everton are in after years of poor performance and self-serving mismanagement by those still holding positions in the club.

Wished I had been there, but your report made me feel part of that wonderful evening. Thank you. Enjoy, you deserve it.

1. Don't do Zonal at set pieces
2. Don't play open away
3. Don't play 3 or 5 at the back
4. Don't play 2 in centre mid
5. Don't keep changing formation
6. Don't play Gomes

It took him until half time to (re)learn numbers 3, 4 and 6. Thank goodness he did.

Derek Knox, great vocabulary and game description man!

Peter Carpenter, appreciate that mate! It's strange supporting a team that plays in another league in a faraway country. Mainly by the fact of probably not being able to share thoughts or whatever on game days. Thing was, I was so fed up but so caught up for the last couple of months constantly imagining Everton visiting Championship stadiums next season... it made me feel really bad!

Huge relief now and emotional still! Love reading all the posts of all so many long called Evertonians as well!

I'll try some sleep now!

Recruitment, recruitment, recruitment ! must be the mantra right through the summer we need to buy well, for a change, players who have heart, courage and skill and galvanize them into a winning team. It will take time.

Hopeful Lampard goes out and spends some coin on youth now. Guessing we will lose Richy and DCL (can't begrudge them) which should give Lampard some money to shape his own squad.

That was the difference. That is the first game in which Frank made early tactical decisions, even bringing on Kenny to bolster the defence and close down the game.

I think the difference is that Frank's decisions were being based on a consensus amongst his personnel and backroom staff sticking to an agreed game plan. At half-time, Frank – with his back to the wall – took the decisions himself, changing the game plan and players to do what he thought would turn the game. He was right, as you were weeks ago.

Some of the decisions this season have been outrageous and, if Everton are to achieve anything next season or thereafter, the match officials have to be better and more accountable for their decisions.

When was the last time we went 2 down and came back to win? I can remember a game away at West Brom under Martinez but no other one springs to mind.

They said it must never happen again after Wimbledon, it did; they said it must never happen again after Coventry, it did; it must never happen again!

Survival buys the manager time to put his stamp on the team. I expect a major number of players coming in and leaving during the summer.

The manager needs to take a well-deserved rest, he stopped the collapse when he arrived and we picked up 20 points in 17 games. He needs to come back after his break and start to carry out the necessary surgery. 39 points from 37 games is nowhere near good enough!

We can start to dream again!

Christine, good point re : Jay Wood (Brazil), I always enjoyed his perspective on Everton and the team, even if it didn't always concur with mine, and sometimes his posts were a tad long-winded. I do hope all is okay with Jay, or any regular TW'er who has gone AWOL...

I'm with you. He did look a young enough fella but the best thing for him would have been to get a punch in the face and hopefully learn his lesson. Every club has their idiots unfortunately and we're no different.

"Anyone heard from Jay Wood in Brazil? If you're reading this, Jay, hope you're all well and enjoyed last night!"

Yes, best wishes, Jay. Hope you're well.

I have absolutely no doubt in my mind Benitez would have taken us down. Lampard brought back my passion and it seems the passion of the players.

Lots still to do but we are in the Premier League and I am proud to be a Blue!

I expect those responsible to be held to account for their shocking mismanagement at every level as soon as possible and decades of lies and deceit not be forgotten because of one night of euphoria.

I am considering putting a article in under the title 'Jay Wood, I told you so'. Bet that would get him out of the woodwork. But seriously, I hope he is well. He is missed.

I wanted to say I disagreed with a poster who wanted Frank sacked yesterday morning but didn't dare in case I jinxed the result. We are nearly all as one now and hopefully we will stay that way for a long time.

"...the media reports — along with Lampard's failure to play him again despite serious depletion of the squad — all point to Everton having decided the experiment has failed and that the prodigious talent he once displayed for the London club may have deserted him permanently."

19th May: Dele Alli confounds all expectations.

And that's not a post against you, Michael. I also thought the guy had all but gone. A bizarre but welcome turnaround, as with Iwobi.

We have to kick on now for next season and not be in this situation again. We need to be astute in our purchases with little cash to spend and that passion has to continue through each game.

I was at the Coventry game in '98 and there haven't been many moments to enjoy since that afternoon, singing “Shit on the Kopites tonight” whilst diving around on the Goodison turf.

I wasn't there for this one in person, but millions of us were there in spirit last night. Our togetherness as a fan-base and club right now are a long way from what things were like just 4 months ago.

Onwards and upwards, and for God's sake, give Lampard some time to turn this ship around. UTFT

Our situation was so desperate last night that Frank thought "This is my last real throw of the dice to save our season" and he hooked Gomes and put Dele on.

For months, we have been asking for the Dogs of War and I think, like many on here, Frank thought Dele didn't fit the bill but talent always wins out.

I'm so chuffed for Dele and so pleased that Frank trusted his gut. We can build a team around Dele Alli.

As for last night and the season past, the fans kept us up with a little help from the Footballing Gods. The fans deserve to be on the beach. Now for the re-build… UTFTs

I looked at my wife who just smiled at me and said "It matters, doesn't it, love?"

What a night.

There are various triggers in the money paid for Dele. 20 games is one of them but doesn't trigger £40M. The way the deal is set up, the only way we pay £40M is if he stars for us.

We are crying out for someone who can control a game in the middle. We would be crazy not to try and unlock his talent. Especially after what we saw tonight.

One thing about Richarlison. Whatever happens and if the club sells him as a commodity, the boy from Brazil has Everton in his heart. You can see it.

You'll have to excuse me because I can't remember which one and for different reasons than the past few weeks I've had little sleep, but when he planted his head into the Goodison Turf, it was like he was making a permanent imprint.

I left my seat and went and bought a hotdog (matchday tradition). I said to the lady, “I don't even want this, but I never bought one on Sunday and we got beat. The great thing is she fully understood my reasoning.
Back to my seat and as they say, the rest is history.
Although it was a fantastic night for so many reasons, seeing my grandson's reaction to it was absolutely priceless.
We drove him home through the tunnel, and on our way back the fans were still celebrating on County Road. Incredible.
This morning I am doing a very good impression of Lee Marvin. 💙

"I have a funny notion that fate has yet to play its hand for Dele Alli. This has all the hallmarks of a winner on Thursday night or one at The Emirates... Funny thing, fate, just when you think it would be absurd... "Infamy, Infamy... they all have it infamy."

So Dele, somewhere in those dreadlocks you had a wonderful football brain... go find it, even for just 30 minutes... prove it to yourself."

He did and not only that, may have found a new home. Well done son..

The narrative in the red-top UK media is mostly that Bill is the beating heart of the club, so why spoil our day out by negativity when Lampard and his backroom deserve to be celebrated for dragging us out of the abyss?

Personally, I feel a well-organised protest march to be co-ordinated by fans' groups with a walk route from Goodison Park (Stanley Park) to Bramley-Moore Dock and into the city centre would be a better way of conveying the message of the need for change.

I also feel that this can be achieved without too much personalised bile towards Bill and Denise, and indeed Mr Moshiri. I think we have enough wit and dignity in our fan base to carry this off?

Finally, I was there for Coventry, Wimbledon and for numerous other watershed games. I wasn't at Goodison last night, and I envy those of you who were; I have said before that this group of players are not to my liking, but I also feel that some individuals – like Iwobi, Keane and Holgate – have found new levels in recent weeks and have stood up to be counted. Fair play.

To those lucky enough to have a ticket for Sunday, stay safe, and be wary of the potential for some disorder with a reported 10,000 pissed off and pissed up Leeds fans descending at Kings Cross for their swan song in West London.

Past tense I notice – probably played his last, and only really important game for us? I think that'd be a shame, he's misunderstood in my view and one of the few top-quality players at Everton right now.

We should be looking at keeping Dele, as well as Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison and Pickford.

It all depends on the structure of the deal and how much we would have to pay Tottenham and Dele in wages. But I would not be getting too carried away with the emotion of last night and thinking, because he has had a good half, he can be our saviour.

I agree, we need someone in the middle who can control the game (we need about 3 or 4 new players in the middle) but it does not necessarily have to be him and we should not all be rushing to proclaim him as amazing because he played one decent half (there's a lot more evidence from his recent history to argue he is a busted flush).

It is this sort of thinking that led us to purchase Gomes (one decent game in the derby when on loan, though we seem to kid ourselves he was amazing before the broken leg – he wasn't!).

I think we need to start putting a large onus on character when buying and buying hungry up-and-comers rather than cast-offs from the better teams in the division that are trending in the opposite direction and being left with unsellable high earners. I know it is not easy buying up-and-comers but that has to be the way forward if we want to improve and also deal with our FFP issues.

I was at the Wimbledon game all those years ago so I can understand the feelings and joy of every supporter there. Looks much better at night, I have to say!

How did they do it?? Well, that's just football and, whilst a lot of shit has gone against us lately, last night just us getting our dues.

Lampard has handed all the credit to the players for that comeback but deep down I firmly believe that he is also angry at how so many footballers at this level and earning fortunes can be so limited in ability and also be so fragile.

I believe that he has struggled to cope with this squad's lack of anything meaningful. He has been stuck in situations with players on the field not performing and yet worried that the players on the bench, fit and unfit, could actually make things worse if he put them on in an attempt to change things.

Every player has mistakes in them and he knows it. We all know it. Some of them are also likely to break down after 10 minutes. Imagine trying to handle all of that shit? Hats off to him and I for one absolutely love him because he is a working-class guy who understands us and football of course.

So we are safe now and we all need a break from this energy-sapping stress-loaded relegation thing. Lampard in particular needs a good break as it has taken its toll on him.

Hopefully by the time the new season starts, we have a few fresh faces in the team who Lampard has given his approval for and also that we have offloaded a fair bit of rubbish.

Cheers to all you long-suffering Blues and I hope the drinks are going down easier without the stress. COYB

Regarding Jay Wood. I lived in Brazil and can read and write Portuguese. He may have a family email so, Michael, if you want to forward it to me, I can then send an email to him and his family to say Hi. Hopefully everything is okay with him and the family.

Before anyone says it was the fans, players etc... he gets the stick if we lose, so he gets the plaudits when we win.

Frank has probably saved this club from financial bankruptcy.

I salute you, Frank, and will forever be grateful. You turned it round in 2 and a bit months, we were toast until you arrived.

I feel like Lampard is experiencing something completely new with us (in a good way!) and emotionally he's now one of us. Hopefully Dele Alli too after last night.

Let's beat Arsenal now. Season isn't over. COYB

However, t'was not to be and finally the gods smiled on us and the likes of Dele Alli, of all people, led the comeback. The inquest and summer planning can get underway after Sunday but I'd hope not to see Gomes grace the pitch in blue again. The half-time sub (finally an early sub, albeit not sure why he started) seemed to galvanise the side and, after Keane scored, I had a good feeling we'd get a point – it was too much to hope we'd get all three.

There will be a massive clear out in the summer, at least 6 come to the end of contracts, so whoever the manager is he'll have a decent wage bill to play with, if not transfer funds. A lot or good 'frees' out there to be had. We desperately need some grit, pace and stability in the middle of the side. The squad is so unbalanced but we do have a good handful of players to work with already.

Onwards and upwards – still hoping we get sanctioned so the club is sold. Still amazed we've not been with our clear ties to Usmanov.

Just glad we're still in the mix for next season – everyone's really been put through the ringer the last couple of months.

Not sure if Lampard is the answer but I doubt he'll be gone this summer so I expect he'll be in the dug out in August.

He has been the answer... he was tasked with keeping us up, people asked if he was up to the job and he's answered that by keeping us up.

Like I said in my previous post, it goes a lot further than our Premier League status but more of our existence as a club, full stop.

I couldn't watch the match as my missus had friends over for dinner so I had to keep sneaking off to the toilet to check bbc and updates from a fellow TWer. I think her mates thought I had IBD untill I confessed what was going on at the final whistle.

I watched the whole match on the OS this morning. Amazing scenes!!

There's obviously huge questions to be asked in terms of the future of this club and what the players, management and ownership can do or change to stop this happening again. But for now let's savour the relief; not celebration because I don't think there's anything to celebrate this season, but the relief is palpable and should be enjoyed before the post mortems begin.

COYB!!!!

I said to my nephew at half time, if we can get an early one in the second half we'll win. He looked at me as if the white van was just pulling up.

I stood the whole game as I just couldn't relax.

At the final whistle everyone went truly mental and you were hugging everyone in sight. We stayed on for 40 minutes savouring the atmosphere and the relief, and physically feeling that relegation tension ease away like a busted saline drip.

The streets were still absolutely buzzing outside and a mate I hadn't seen in years handed me a much needed can of lager - the accrid smoke had my mouth and throat drier than a nun's whatsamacallit.

It will last as long in the memory as the Bayern game but for such different reasons.

Never again. NEVER.

As for the future, the grit in the oyster was seeing BK's fat smug face on TV, looking like he'd achieved something. We all agree this must never happen again (again) but until he goes, I can't see a big improvement in the club.

- Upon signing, all Everton took over financially was paying his £100k/week wages.
- Tottenham are due £10m once Ali makes 20 appearances. Given he was cup tied when he came, that was never going to happen this season (only 18 games left when he joined).
- The remaining £30m is only due after he's made 80 appearances (that takes us into a least the 23/24 season) and other milestones. It's highly unlikely, unless we suddenly have a fantastic 2 seasons and Ali has been heavily involved, that Everton will ever pay anywhere near the total £40m (if we do then we'd have been doing great anyway).

So in essence he could play for us all of next season and he'd cost us wages + £10m.

But we cannot keep gambling. Unless Frank and his staff are convinced Dele can perform over a full ninety minutes and do so week after week, an early sale would make sense both from a playing and financial aspect.

My previous doubts about Frank's lack of experience in a relegation fight were redoubled in that first half. He got it hopelessly wrong with the formation and team selection. He really ought to have switched Iwobi into midfield and to a 4-3-3 after the first goal instead of waiting for the second. He got it wonderfully right in the second half with the substitutions while the team responded with an all or nothing approach.

Having passed his first test, Frank, in tandem with Kevin Thelwell, can now start laying firm foundations for a brighter future. Hopefully the owner will resist the temptation to interfere, leaving football decisions to those employed to make those decisions. As for the Board, their role is to support those doing the front-line football work and gain assurance that decisions are being made with long term progress in mind rather than short term expediency. If they do that I don't care a cuss about who is on the Board.

In the meantime we can relax, sleep and celebrate, not necessarily in that order.

Everyone is just massively relieved we've stayed up but you can also ask should it have been left to the last home game? They've been some great results the last few months and some shocking ones too. Had it not been for a number of injury time rescue goals we'd be in the drop zone. Newcastle and Leicester spring to mind.

End of the day, I'll admit I was (still am) not convinced Lampard is/was the right choice and that he's learning on the job, which is dangerous for a club in our position.

However, that aside, the issues at Everton are much larger than the man in the dug out. Until the ownership and club management significantly changes the guy in the dug out is just putting plasters on a broken leg.

We can all enjoy the fact we're safe, for now, but without change is next season just going to be the same again?

I just fear non of the above will actually happen now...but it MUST HAPPEN or this season from hell will just repeat itself and before we know it,it'll be 30 years without any kind of silverware!

It is known that there was a clause in his contract that if we went down then the club could cancel his employment. So keep us up and you have a job.

2½ months he's had with a bunch of misfits, we've beaten some top teams and granted failed against some rubbish. But he got us over the line and has albeit written a new chapter in our history because the aftermath of us going down would've finished us off.

Jay loved Everton so much, he saw them in Blue-tinted glasses and rarely criticised them.

As for the fans, what we've done in the last couple of months has been incredible. It's one thing to back your club like this when there's a prospect of glory, it's another thing to do it when you're battling the drop.

What a night. I'm still buzzing and will be for some time to come.

Apologies to Mr Lampard, you're one of us now, with all the pain and stress that comes with it. "Once Everton has touched you, nothing will be the same."

After so many poor results, performances and poor decisions from board level to refereeing decisions we fans deserve a little celebration.

But keep in mind it changes very little. We have won nothing and the players and board are who have sucked all season.

So stop with the flares, stop throwing items onto the pitch, stop entering the pitch and stop over celebrating. Those fans are harming our reputation.

We need the board to change.
Mo needs to bring in someone who understands what it takes to successfully run top level sports clubs and improve performances both on and off the pitch.

I don't care about the Arsenal game anymore so use it to thank the players and coaches whilst demonstrating against the board.

Hopefully Frank only plays players that he plans on keeping whilst telling the others, (so many of them) thanks but your no longer required.

Every year is the same, it's a huge important Summer for recruitment and change. Each season we seemingly get worse. Roll on October and reassess.

If you're both reading Jay (BRZ) and Darren, I trust you are both well although feeling as worse for wear as I am today.

I don't think I'm coming down until Monday. It will have to be Monday as we've got the Emirates. A nothing match but if we win, I will probably faint again.

The reset is needed and we can talk about that in the summer Seems that Frank already is looking at his latest comments. But right now, let's enjoy the moment.

Marching down the Goodison Road. County Road. The road behind St George's Hall where I ended up. Any road you can think off last night. Some may not approve, but kids hanging out of car windows waving flags as horns sounded. The celebration lasted way beyond the final while and what was seen on the pitch at the end.

The young lad, no more than 6 years old dancing on the pitch in front of me. Priceless.

I did warn everyone even before the match, I'd be emotional this week.

Now for the letting off team, my view has always been, we win as a team and we lose as a team, and I defy anyone to find a post in which I have criticised individual players. I let my frustrations remain at Goodison Park, and I am writing this to remind those who said " I don't want to see Alex Iwobi, [along with others] in an Everton shirt again", he is now getting the plaudits that his performances deserve, and I for one, am grateful for that. I have players who I favour above others, I may display frustration to 'either group' but it's not in my makeup to vilify any Everton player but then, I suppose we're not all the same.

Regarding last night, let's savour it for what it was and put it in the 'Memory Bank', the future's for another day.

Life. Near death. Potential death. Everton. All have got in the way in recent months. Other things got prioritized over TW that were far more important and healthier for me and my loved ones.

I had two exceedingly good results yesterday. The first, around KO time. The second which has reverberated around the world with its epicentre in L4.

A big callout to Everton's match-going support. The revival doesn't happen without you. Awesome.

Spot on mate. Sadly a sign of the times.

I'm finding it increasingly hard if not impossible to defend Gomes, but I detest witch hunts and making scapegoats of individuals. I still believe that there is a talented footballer inside of him, although admittedly he has looked nothing like his former pre the Spurs injury self. Perhaps the time has come for him to move on, as he now has the hostility of most fans to contend with on top of whatever else ails him.

Let's be honest about it, Dele Alli has stunk the place out since his arrival by all accounts, yet in the space of 45 minutes, he's granted superstar status once more. Such is the fickle nature of the footballing public.

There still has to be a clear out of the dross but some may have warranted a second chance to adapt into a footballer. Hopefully Frank can charm a couple of decent loans with a view to buy off Chelsea.
But I certainly hope this is the last of relegation fights and the start of a new era.

I'm genuinely interested to hear of these accounts you know about of how Dele Alli has "stunk the place out" since his arrival.

I'm very much in favour of keeping the lad as I think he's a massive talent and potentially better than anyone we have in midfield. Having heard nothing derogatory about him since he came to us, I'm keen to hear the accounts. Tell us

I have no personal knowledge of what goes on in training. So you are right in as much as my terminology should have been a little more restrained.

I used the expression simply to accentuate how the fans' attitude towards players can dramatically change in a relatively short space of time. It was to illustrate a reversal of fortune in the case of Gomes as much as anything else.

Nonetheless, Lampard seemingly had seen nothing to justify his inclusion. Or for that matter had his previous employers at Tottenham.

Like I said previously, I don't like making scapegoats of players. I will be the first to applaud Alli if he can consistently produce performances like the second half last night.

Good to hear you're well! I actually thought you'd left for Goodison in the Sky. Cheers.

I've had a difference of opinion with you on these pages in the past but good to see you back on here. One of the best regular contributors to ToffeeWeb and always worth reading. Hope everything is okay!

Some, more important things in life put football into context. I've heard of and know of a few Evertonians recently getting test results from health issues and bereaving loved ones. It is only a game.

Hopefully everyone's spirits are lifted, we can enjoy the summer and start enjoying football again. I just hope we all get behind Lampard next season and continue the unity of recent weeks. Hope you can get back to contributing on here.

Derby 1977

I was at that game at the Baseball Ground but I can't remember much about it. I wonder how long it has been since we were 2+ goals down at Goodison and went on to claim all of the points - oh yeah - last night!

Seriously though I wonder when it last happened at Goodison prior to last night.

Ok Just looked - Richi scored for Watford that day and DCL scored our second.

Cant be sure though if it's the last time for sure - the only match that springs to mind though.

That was a comeback from two goals down but not at half-time, Richarlison and Kabasele put Watford into a two-goal lead in the second-half before Niasse, Calvert-Lewin and Baines from the penalty spot earned Everton the points.

My team (4-4-2):
Pickford
Coleman Holgate Keane Mykolenko
Gray Iwobi Dele Alli Richarlison
Calvert-Lewin Dobbin

Be brave and just give it a go, Blues!

I can say now Dele Allí was a great signing by Frank! Let the DoF and Frank decide who they want in the summer and no-one else involved.

Changing to a 3-man midfield changed the game also.

Not a word from Jonathan since we overturned 0-2??

You well researched and sincere posts are truly missed.

I hope last night was the tonic you needed and look forward to hearing more from you in the near future.

Best wishes to you and the family.

Burnt toast after the Norwich debacle! When you strip away the first 7 games and the last 17, we garnered 5 points in 13 games in the middle of the season, losing to the likes of Norwich and Watford.

Many factors affect performance, among them the shape and form of the team, suitability of the individual to the role allocated to them, mental and physical well being and at times pure luck. I believe one of the reasons Alex Iwobi has improved this season is that he has been given roles which have allowed him more freedom to use his athleticism, movement, pace and quality on the ball. He was never a winger hugging the touch line, always looking like a fish out of water in that role.

Likewise we have Gomes who looks out of place in an open midfield in which he is required to close down opponents, tackle and make interceptions. That was Gana Gueye's role which ideally complemented Gomes's passing ability and skill on the ball in tight areas. I can well imagine Gomes returning to his form of 2018/19 in the right team with a compact shape and ability to control the majority of possession.

Football isn't always about winning cups. Sometimes, like last night it's about being a small part of something much bigger than the individual fan. A shared experience and the release of weeks of pent up tension that we can never forget.

Amongst other things, Richarlison's goal last night and his equaliser against Leicester were gifts from the football gods – both scuffed shots that hit defenders and spun just out of reach of the keeper – but who cares?!

Everybody on here knows changes have to follow on the pitch and off it or the same thing will happen next season. I get the feeling that Lampard's team will know that too, even if Frank's hug with The Teary Thespian went on a little too long for my liking. Lampard has done what he had to do, even if it took him a while to realise the extent of the job. I think we are in good hands.

It is great to see players who have been written off by the crowd (and given plenty of abuse too) coming good and showing their talents. Alex Iwobi is the main example. I've always liked him, ever since he strode through our defence about 6 years ago to score for Arsenal.

I knew there had to be a reason why every manager has picked him. It's a lesson for us fans too – they've all got talent, even if it's not showing when we want it… don't write them off.

Mason Holgate also comes into that category and deserves praise for his performances since Anfield, especially as every centre-back partner he's had has gone missing for some reason or other in that time – Michael Keane returning yesterday and bringing a striker's instinct with him. Where did that come from?

It's horrible to see Andre Gomes struggling so much though. I guess that injury really did take too much away from him, but please let's not abuse him on here or at the ground. He's trying.

I wish the fans had stayed off the pitch last night. I would rather have seen the players go round the pitch after the game but that wasn't going to happen. Although Richarlison did come out late on, picked up a baby and did a mini walk round - was that a farewell?

The fan support over the past few weeks has been unlike anything I've ever seen before and played a huge part in reviving a team that I thought at several points this season was dead, heading down and waiting for burial. But there's a slightly manic element to it that made me fear for what might happen if things had not gone our way.

What a memorable night and a memorable few weeks. Recent matches will never be forgotten. I don't want to celebrate staying up but what a relief – that's all.

Shit! This is the longest post I've ever done. Need to lie down again and plan to watch some cricket for a while. Thanks for the entertainment, everyone.

Having done a bit more research, it appears that the last time Everton were two goals or more in arrears in a league game at Goodison and came back to win was way back in 1956 when Charlton Athletic were two-nil up only for Everton to score three goals in a five-or-so-minute spell to win the game.

Charlton 1956

I have seen the game a few times now and was so impressed with the fight and intensity. It wasn't very pretty at times against a much better Palace side than we have seen in recent seasons but they got the job done.

Alex Iwobi was just terrific but the defending of Seamus is not good enough anymore.

I'm so glad and relieved that all is okay with you now, no doubt you will have noticed that you have been missed, by certain posters, myself included. We go a long way back through TW though we have never met, maybe one day mate, even if it transpires Blue Heaven is a Place on Earth (Bramley-Moore Dock or Goodison in the Sky with Blue Diamonds).

I know there are a few on here who seem to take greater pleasure in disagreeing with fellow TWers whilst forgetting that we all support the same club and cause. I don't condone personal abuse, even if it is someone that I disagree vehemently with. Surely there is no place for that!

Without appearing to be contradictory, it is healthy for us to have different views about different aspects on managers, players and more importantly, the inept running of our club by the present Board of Misfits, for the last 30 years or so. Hopefully this hitherto poor season and the lessons (hopefully again) learnt from profligacy will bear fruit in the months to come.

I think most of the players will have learnt a valuable lesson too, there are certain players who have grasped what Everton is all about more than others – Mina and Richarlison certainly have, alongside 'our Seamus' and a handful of others. Speaking of the months to come, I just hope we can prune our 'Wage Expenditure Tree' and offload a lot of dead-weights too.

I sincerely hope that we don't have to sell Richarlison to fund other incomings and equally hope that he wants to remain with us too. With Mina, I think everyone agrees that, when fit, he is a major asset in defence and with his leadership on the pitch, without being captain, as well as being a talisman in the dressing room. Point being, that how often is he fit? Can we afford to keep him till the end of his contract being one in the upper echelons of the salary categories?

Richarlison has to be one of my favourite players of this era, his goals are often the difference between none, one and three points, he always gives 100% if he could only minimise the histrionics and going down too easily as it often goes against him like "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" with our very poor refereeing standards (if you could even call them that). Anthony Gordon is slowly following a similar trait, or am I seeing something different to everyone else?

I hope come Sunday, the attitude is, "Let's finish off in style and again break the away-day hoodoo," as opposed to, "We are safe now; let's just go through the motions." I believe Arsenal may have a few missing through suspensions and injury, so now may be a good time to play them, but not forgetting they are a decent side and will also want to give their fans a rousing send-off for the season too!

COYB 💙💙

They waited and battled on a little pedestrianly and a little like the tortoise who knew, the hare was all but there then doggedness, determination and refusal to be beaten. Fielding scored. Wild delight. Less than a minute later Lello scored. Wilder delight. And then, three minutes after wards Jimmy Harris scored. Pandemonium! I saw Dean get his sixtieth goal against Arsenal and hear the roar of acclamation which followed him whenever he went round the ground for minutes afterwards but this latest display of delight –from 44,000 people – was almost terrifying.

Looking down from the Press Box and to the accompaniment of a din which almost defeated, I saw hats and hands airborne and people leaping and dancing and hugging one another as though demented. In the space of four minutes Everton had performed a football miracle. Everton had plodded to a triumph where only disappointment had seemed possible.

A few minutes remained for play. A cheering crowd could not have cared what happened. But in the gloom of this now joyful January day Charlton were nearly hit for two further goals. Happily they weren't I don't like to think of the trouble Farrell and his team would have had making their way throngs of people who would certainly have leaped the barriers to place a “Well done” pat on the backs of their heroes.

As it was hundreds of small boys crowded the pitch like an army of invading ants to mob Everton players and give patrolling police more work than they could handle. But there was no hint of trouble. None who saw this epic revival to a match superlatively clean and good could be out of sorts.

The people I pity are those who were unlucky enough not to be present –among them, manager Cliff Britton (who went to see Port Vale play) and the thousands who were so sure Everton were to be beaten they left the ground when Everton were 0-2 ad chance of recovery seemed out of this world and well nigh out of the next.
Source:Everton Independent Research Data

Jamie, amen. I thought the postgame pitch invasion was glorious, barring the morons who confronted Vieira (who should themselves be barred). The knuckleheads who jumped on after DCL's goal made fools of themselves, but at least they were ushered off quickly.

Danny, loved your accounts of your interactions with the Palace fans. Odd that you wound up amongst 'em, but that should add to the memories of the day.

"...Everton have never come from 2-down at half-time in the Premier League, to win. It was 75 attempts before yesterday..."

A few other media outlets picked up on that interesting stat.

Great time to break that particular record – and who would have thought, just a few weeks/days ago, that we'd be praising Alex Iwobi and Dele Alli for changing the game?

It is – as Greavsie oft reminded us – "a funny old game".

I, amongst many others, have truly missed your posts and insight.

Hope all continues to be okay at home.

Personally, I'd like to see an attacking line-up:

Pickford
Kenny Keane Holgate Mykolenko
Doucoure Allan
Gray Dele Iwobi
Calvert-Lewin

Give Richarlison and Gordon an early break and take Dobbin as back-up. Give him, Price and Welch a go off the bench if we are not being slapped.

I think the summer needs 2 absolute mega CDM signings to replace Doucoure and Allan in the starting 11. Need to find that next Barry - McCarthy pairing somehow. Also need to replace Mina with a version of Mina who stays fit. Not sure we will or can pull those 3 moves off, but if some of the kids can come through too (Patterson, Nkounkou, Simms, Dobbin, Price, Warrington, Onyango, Broadhead?) we really don't need as much tinkering as the position suggests.

So good to be talking fantasy formations and transfers again, and not simply praying on permutations and other teams results. A few weeks ago, we were gone. At 8:35 pm yesterday, we were gone… maybe that low point is the turning point too. I absolutely love this club!!! COYFBs!

But special mention has to go to young Mykolenko. At 22 years old, coming to a new country to a relegation-threatened team. His performances have been improving over the weeks as he's gained confidence. All this of course with the horrible decimation of his home country happening day by day.

If I search TW posts for "worst footballer in the world", only one post comes up – yours, as in YOU calling Iwobi that.

If you're gonna bitch about stuff posted on here, make it specific, or, well, just stop bitching and be happy!

Thank you.

I waited for 10 mins. I couldn't wait to know! "3-2" she showed me, "Everton won the game!" What a relief……..

After a few hours of the final whistle, we stopped by a village for approx 30 minutes, the only time we have connection to the internet, so I had to skim through the game for highlights, and what a riot!!!

I was afraid, the game might be cancelled and of what I was seeing, I begged the fans to go back to their seats quick, so we would absolutely be safe with these 3 points!

Happy I didn't watch it live, my heart would've skipped a few beats in the process!

Congrats all Blues, we're safe!!! COYB

I checked out the link to the Newcastle fan site. In fact I have been on quite a few of the other fan forums and they all seem to be written by angry uneducated morons, who can't type more than two lines at a time.

Well, at least we can type three lines of coherent thought here on TW. 😂😜

Joe Mc #148, amen to that. I cautiously endorsed the signing at the time, having seen the kid play once against Bayern Munich, but I've been blown away by how good he has become so quickly... and under such difficult circumstances.

I have been to cup finals and seen them win the league numerous times and seen over half a million Everton supporters at St George's Hall for the FA Cup victory parade, but I am so proud of fellow supporters for uniting and dragging this team over the line and making Blues around the world happy and proud despite a very poor season.

It was good to see Frank saying there were things the players were or weren't doing that were unacceptable to him but he decided to say nothing until pre-season and then deal with it one way or another, so hopefully we will see a real turnaround in the squad before next season.

We have the single most knowledgable fans on planet earth, with a smattering of WTF comments, most of which come from Americans.

Yet the team bounced back and won the game, yes we avoided relegation, but to see so many youngsters thrilled to bits, that was extra special for them.

That is what last night was all about, your post is valid and certainly worthy on another thread, when we start asking questions, but certainly not for this thread. Let's fans, especially the youngsters enjoy the moment.

Massive shout out to our fans – absolutely immense!! Love the fact about our 1878th top-flight victory. Just thought of this on way home from work:

Remember what happened the year after the Wimbledon match? Can history repeat itself? Let's hope so!! But not the same stress 4 years later…
COYB!!

Just like my English grammar my Portuguese is not the best either. 😁

Welcome back my fellow blue and hope you and your family are okay. We've all missed your great posts and I'm sure you would have plenty to say about last night and the past few months in general.

Not sure the fireworks are anything new to you of course as that's a regular thing in Brazil streets.

Great to see you back. Saudades de voce.

The latter is returning to Everton next week after completing his loan spell in Moscow, where he played ten games -- very well by available accounts -- and didn't miss a minute. He sat out his final game there with a yellow card suspension.

I'm going to move the 'Pitch Invasion' posts to a new thread, if you will bear with me, and post anything new on that topic over there.

Thanks

UTFT!

To the rest of you, I've been celebrating hard since the Blues secured safety and my other Blues dominated the Avs last night and I just want to express how delightful it has been being miserable with you all season long.

Let's enjoy Sunday, speculate on Dele's place and just enjoy the football for a little while.

We are going down and if we go down we will never be the same again. My mind was running through we are going into administration and this club could be dead. It's over.

The roller coaster of last night was horrific, scary, and beautiful. Love you Everton. You'll usually let me down - and just when i've had enough you'll will pull me back.

Looking down at the final whistle, I was wondering why I love this club. It's those fans. The passion, the sense of humour, the knowledge, the love of the game.

Last night I couldn't of been anywhere else. Utft.

Now about those stains, were they Biological, Intentional or Accidental ? :-)

The Everton Shop are doing commemorative Survival Staying Up Bladder Leak Underwear. 😜

Darren, I know you're reading this thread and I know just how made up you are. Tell us!!

I could end up picking up £170 notes, surely he must be in the running for the May award.

There is probably nothing I can say that has not been said already in this thread, except for one thing. Those two stewards who tried to throw out the young lad sitting next to me because he had a flare in his hand following DCL's goal, Get A Fucking Life!! Sorry for the language Bernie.

Anyway, it's onto Arsenal on Sunday morning for a stress free day out, safe in the knowledge that my biggest fear was that of a RS welcoming party at The Rocket as the coach arrived back into Liverpool. Only two more results matter for us now, so it's over to you, Pep and Carlo. By the way, has anyone else heard that Villa stand to gain £20M if city win the league, part of the add on's in the Grealish transfer? I can see the Villa owner telling slippy to take things easy on Sunday if this is true. Seems an awful lot though, for an add on!

Will call again soon.

And I was thinking about how so much worse it would be for you and your traveling posse if your trips next season were to the Den or Loftus Road or St. Andrews instead of the Prem venues... all the while experiencing the sneers of the local RS every time you went to the pub or just took that dog for a walk.

I am unreservedly ecstatic for you. All the Merseyside Blues, but you in particular.

PS... were you on the pitch after the game? I was looking for you in the TV coverage.

Yesterday, sitting by myself here in Bangalore from about midnight until 2:30 am and going through all those emotions was a surreal experience. I believe my superstitions played an important role in the outcome of the match :-)

1. Did not post on the pre-match thread with my usual starting line-up prediction (I have been unable to bring myself to do it anyway for the past few weeks – because, what was the point?)

2. Did not drink water during the duration of the match! (don't ask me why)

3. Watched the match with the volume fully muted. Was convinced that we would win if I watched the match in silence. I was tempted to turn on the sound when the 1st goal went in, I could barely control myself when we scored the equalizer and my hand came so close to the mute button when Dominic headed in the winner, but I told myself – NO – there are still 10 minutes to play, and anything can happen with Everton. I could never forgive myself if I had turned on the volume and we conceded an equalizer.

Crazy? Absolutely!

Nothing much to add to what has already been said on this thread, but I think the football world is stunned to see the extent of emotional attachment between a football club and its fans – just no words to describe it. And it was great to see the players so emotionally involved at the end – even those who were not in the squad – Branthwaite (how relieved must HE be feeling), Davies, Tosun, Mina, Allan, Patterson - were all celebrating like we had won the league. We fans like to believe that all the players care about is their pay-checks – that is simply not true! Some of them may not be good enough PL players, but they do care, very deeply.

I feel so happy to read all the posts on this thread and relate to all the emotions of fellow Evertonians, especially the expat fans – Christine, Mike Gaynes, Jay Wood, Nicolas, and so many more. I am proud to belong to this fantastic community and it is my fervent desire to visit the great, glorious Goodison Park next season – will be a once-in-my-lifetime experience before EFC leave its hallowed grounds for BMD. And now… I am going to replay the game at FULL VOLUME with a few glasses of cold beer to give me company :-) God bless you all!

Most of all the Everton fans are simply the best!

Last thing, all the Refs will be gutted that we survived as they wanted us down, why was that not a red card on Gordon?

I don't think Darren (ToffeeWeb's resident Black Hat) has posted on here since Lampard got the job... though I've heard he still makes cameos on the Live Forum.

I still miss Steve Ferns, though I see him on Twitter.

Ajay, enjoy that cold beer. I'm fighting through to Sunday now as I have barely slept and the dogs will have me up at half 5 anyway.

Come on, come on, get down to Goodison Park Ajay. You know the rest of the words!!

"Yep I know exactly how good that feels!"

I hope you get to Goodison soon. I salute you and all the other fans outside the UK. You are essential - and in a way that the RS tourists cannot imagine.

I'd like to thank every single Evertonian for creating the atmosphere that made our revival possible, Frank Lampard for “getting us” and the players for dispelling the “lazy” accusations that they didn't care. They may not be good enough to advance us but they're clearly a genuine bunch.

So glad to see so many young supporters celebrating at the end, including my daughter with whom I shared a never to be forgotten experience. We oldies have seen a relative amount of success but they follow in our footsteps with so little to sustain them. Hopefully that will change soon!

Finally, I can't condone what Viera did but it's exactly how I think I might have reacted. Why can't fans just be happy for their own team?

Onward Blues!

I just listened to the 5 Live commentary on the second half. Brought back the excitement all over again. Radio is so much better than TV sometimes.

… well done everyone! We are Everton fans, and we have certainly helped keeping our beloved club in the Premier League! We have done brilliant!

Everyone on ToffeeWeb, week in week out, you have also done brilliant. Regardless of our opinions, good or bad, we are a funny old group! But great nonetheless!

COYB! UTFT! FTRS!

Tunnel Access

Billy grew into a young man last night, and the next generation of Evertonians do appreciate what it is to be born a Blue, live a Blue, and die a Blue!

But let's savour the victory, these next few days, and then focus on pre-season, and hopefully no more relegation dog fights next season.

UTFT!

The atmosphere, before, during and after the match was on par with Bayern Munich.

“What's Our Name?”

My red mate said that he thought Ayew should have went, but when I asked him about Lewin's tackle, he told me he'd got the ball?

My own view was that Ayew's was a dreadful tackle, and Dominic's was cleaner because of the angle in which he came in. I thought Ayew's angle was badly wrong, coming in from the side and also behind, and was surprised you never mentioned this before saying you thought DCL was very lucky not to receive a red?

If every player that played the second half, last night is in a blue shirt again next year, I will have no complaints.

The second half was a blueprint of everything I love about this club and how the game is played.

I thought Dominic slid in really powerfully, but once he's got the ball? (If he did) his next impact is more likely to put his opponent up in the air, which definitely isn't as dangerous, as being caught in a vice?

The Toronto Evertonians are meeting on Sunday to watch the Arsenal match at the Queen & Beaver Pub on Elm Street, Toronto. We'd like to invite you to join us for a beer or two to celebrate(?) the fact that we will be in the PL next year! :). Actually, it's any excuse for a few beers! LOL Hope to see you there Neil!

I tried calling your phone as well.

Our email address is: torontoevertonians@gmail.com

Cheers.
Michael

I broke my leg, both ankles and done my ligaments playing football.

I know its part of the game but when I see tackles like that it gets my back. Anthony Gordon doesn't seem to be getting protection even though he's being targeted because he's a threat.

I'd have to see DCL's again too but getting the ball is irrelevant if you're off the ground as far as I understand. It's the reason Allan got his red against Newcastle, I believe.

DCL got the ball.

Ayew went over the ball & fell on it.

Completely different.

My issue is how you define that as a red. As I said, two feet off the ground, out of control is almost written in stone as a red. Ayew's is harder to nail down if you get me.

As far as the match fixing goes, yeah we had ten lads arrested and released over here. Some are current players. But as I said last night, we're 0-2 at half time. If Taylor wanted us beaten it wouldn't have taken much. Send Dom off. Don't give the frees that led to the first and third goal.

Gilt edged chance to send us down, but we win 3-2. C'mon

My fear is Anthony is now being targeted and could get injured. He's a good player; a threat. And teams know it.

Some will say part and parcel of the game, but not when he's being singled out and not being protected by incompetent officials.

It's gone, we won, I was just surprised at my red mate saying the Palace player should have gone, even after reading Jamie O'hara, who was working on the game, say exactly the same thing, although you not sticking up for Everton players, didn't really surprise me, mate!

Some laws are definitely wrong though Shane, I'm trying to visualize two-feet off the ground, and I'm certain it's a much easier tackle to avoid, than one of those dreadful scissor tackles?

Tony, you might want to start your sentences some other way. I immediately read that the wrong way!

Also said that when they have a man sent off they never lose so it worked in our favour with Ayew. Must admit it didn't feel like that at half time.

Now to more important matters. Has anybody any inside info on the new kit ( and kit sponser ) ? That should be all fairly straightforward with our status now assured.

So personally I'm glad Taylor choked on that call. Even though I was in a rage for an hour.

A game for the ages.

... Yes, we shouldn't have been in this situation, and people will say we shouldn't be celebrating survival after a horrifically bad season. We'll be mocked for celebrating like we won the World Cup.

But where each year, other team's fans meekly sit head in hands as their team slides into the relegation abyss - Evertonians refused to die with a whimper.

These last ten games, the flares, the singing, the dogs hoisted high, the smoke bombs, 3am fireworks, the Goodison Roar, the Gwladys St, the Dogs of War...

And yesterday. 2 nil down, staring into disaster, where other club 'fans' would be heading for the exit - instead, those glorious, passionate fuckers packed into Goodison sang even louder. And even though we're on a different continent - My dad & I sang with them.

Last time Everton were relegated, 1951, my dad was nine years old. Now 79, but watching him squirm thru the first half, followed by the exaltation of an iconic three goal comeback to win 3-2 to preserve our top flight record, seeing tears run down his cheeks... was a game I'll remember forever. 🙂 💙

Thinking of my bluenosed cousins, my friends, my family, my fellow toffees - others my have won a cup more recently than us, but no matter how long they live they'll never quite know the passion that comes with being an Evertonian. 💙

But once we move to Bramley-Moore Dock, what is to become of her? I can't bear the thought she will be demolished – does anyone know? I would love to buy a small piece of the Park to remember her by.

My dream from a little boy was destroyed by Covid after years of saving to finally see the Old Lady before she goes, left unemployed for 6 months – all of it gone, so hopefully when they demolish her they let the fans have the chance to take part of her home.

To be completely honest I pulled a Colin Glassar and due to stress stepped outside for a few minutes into a forest in fact which is kind of like space — no one can hear you if you scream. When I returned I saw we'd conceded and then saw Ayew do an obviously red card worthy foul. The rest as they say is history but …Gomes out. Seriously though, there are three certainties in life: death, taxes and Gomes making petulant fouls in dangerous areas. I don't want to go down the Darren or Ian hate filled rant route so I'll say this. I'm sure Gomes is a lovely man. I'm sure if you're filming a commercial for Dos Equis and want some suave guy silkily knocking a ball about on a white sand beach then he is your man. But in the windswept NW of England in the hurly burly of the EPL, he's about as useful as a wooden desk in a nuclear attack.

similar story to me mate give it take a year (7 to 45) sorry to hear about your hardship with Covid. Hope your fortunes have turned for the better. But whenever you eventually get over mate, it's the fans the people that make Goodison what it is so if your first game is at BMD it'll be special not because of the concrete and wood but because you'll be alongside the John McFarlanes, Abrahams, Rob Halligans, Brent Stephens, Derek Knox's etc. Trust me. I'd seen Everton play a few times in London before my first trip to Goodison and from the moment I bade farewell to John Aldridge's Dad on the bus (my mate was an RS so knew him although in fairness he was a nice old man and said John was shite compared with Rushy) it was like a homecoming. All those Everton scarves and shirts. A feeling of community like a prodigal son returning home. It's the fans that make it what it is mate. Good luck to you

Juventus and Rangers went down, Leeds Utd in the finest Premiership hour and all their fans would understand.

A relative of mine who is a City fan remembers being in the division below watching Fergie clean up on the trophies.

Most fans understand why the celebrations and only the media are trying to create a story.

Maybe a lot of journalists didn't feel any pain when their Premier league or 1st Division team got relegated?

But then I haven't experienced a relegation in my lifetime so I can't say if the media journalists are right or wrong about what it's like to be relegated like them and whether going down hurts or not and we should have celebrated in hindsight.

Whatever the journalists who are fans of other teams say about surviving verses going down, I'll take their word for it :)

That is definitely an issue among some fans - I have heard and read comments like "is this really us?", "we are better than this", "we are turning into them'". By that, I assume we mean perennial losers? The conflicted mentality was shown after the match with the angst about the pitch invasions - do me a favour. Football is emotion and the second and third goals were moments of unbridled ecstasy after months of pure stress and churning tension. Take that out of football and what is the point?

As for backing Viera for decking one of our fans who was winding him up. A perfect case of the shit hitting the fan, and he was lucky he didn't get battered as far as I am concerned.

The new approach means our fans in the face of the opposing players, creating a hostile atmosphere for visiting teams. It means a management team who will not accept or stay quiet in the face of diabolical refereeing, VAR decisions or double-standards. It also means ex-players who are pundits being as partisan as the multitude of ex-redshite players whose bias would put Putin's propaganda machine to shame. Most importantly, it means a team who have confidence in possession but are also committed and aggressive every game.

One thing I would like our fans to do is to stop the relentless criticism that our players face if they put in a poor performance, make a mistake or, god forbid, get injured. It is completely counter-productive and demotivates them. Iwobo and DCL for example, have been targeted and it affects them - Dominic referenced it in his post match interview. If its aim is to improve the team, it doesn't work.

Still buzzing and looking forward to watching a match tomorrow without that hideous knot in my stomach. UTFT!

And Kiaran, whilst accepting what you say, my Dad took me to that first game in 1946. We arrived early and sat in the Goodison Road Stand. The ground was nearly empty so the Fans were not influencing - but to see The Grand Old Lady in all Her majestic glory - well it was just magic. I was in the record attendance of 1948 and, yes the fans gave her an added flavour. I miss her right now, and it will be worse when the club moves. Sorry – I'm like Danny; very emotional and I know I ramble...

I live in a Sheltered Housing Complex, a bit remote outside Chester, but they have a Guest Room, at a ridiculously low rate which I would cover provided it was available (usually is). Andy Crooks has stayed there, and am sure he can vouch that it is better than most expensive Hotels in Liverpool. I can sort food out and I hope between us we can get you a Ticket or two for the Old Lady. I have applied for a move to Frodsham (not far away) but these things take time to organise and come through.

Can't guarantee the atmosphere will be like Thursday at GP, depends who we are playing of course, but just the experience of visiting the Old Lady must be done before it is demolished. We tend to take things for granted having been so many times over the years, but it is showing it's age now. I am confident too that Bramley Moore once completed will generate a different, but equally good atmosphere. After all said and done, there will be a greater capacity, so more in the Choir and Vocal Support.

Anyway Wayne, food for thought, we always try to accommodate Members of our Blue Extended Family wherever we can. Be great to see you or any other Overseas Blues.

COYB 💙💙👍

Thank you! Onwards and upwards COYB.

Apologies to Patrick Vieira for the actions of the idiot on the pitch.

Fuck off, Burnley and Leeds – sour grapes. Please, Everton, I don't think I can go through that again.

Good luck to all ToffeWebbers, and thank you.
COYBB.

Wayne #470, don't give up on your dream. I too thought I had lost my chance to ever get to Goodison, but with a huge dose of luck and some great support from the fine folks on TW, I made it, and so can you. Put up your contact info, and you just never know what might happen.

Now, out of it, Marine have been promoted.

We had the joy of Thursday night, which my brother managed to attend for his first game after illness.

Today, his grandson scored in a 2-0 victory to win the Cup for his team. On an adjacent pitch, my grandson scored the winner to clinch the Cup for his team.

This may be the best season ever.

Football. Bloody hell.

Warmest congratulations to the Mills family. Finest kind.

I have been asked by several TW'ers to try and organise another out of season TW Get Together. I would like it to be like the last one, at Bramley Moore Pub. However the only thing that worries me a tad, is that it is either a longish walk from Sandhills or Moorfields, in the other direction. If weather is fine it shouldn't be a problem, though taxing on the ageing limbs. No Buses on that route yet, so it is either a Taxi, (or Shanks's Pony, as an alternative). Not too bad if sharing with a few others. Anyway I will put a post up later once I have made a few enquiries.

It's going to become more symbolic too.

I left it late, so had to get on my toes and role back the years to walk / run to Lime Street mind. Dipping for the line I made the last train to Euston by about 3 minutes.

But that was just my bad.

(I'm little used to finding old messages that come off first news titles very little, so that's why a week's gone to answer back, haha!)

My love for Everton began in 2008 by seeing Mikel Arteta play. As a younger amateur footballer, I used to play as midfielder and was quite a wannabe so I watched Everton at first mainly to watch the Spaniard play.

I never really got to play that good but at least tried some things he did for the Blues. Those were Moyess times so the good performances, plus Goodison appearing so "mystic" on TV, made me follow the team.

I also always had a big attraction for the English culture (music, movies etc) as well. So, well, those were kind of the reasons... haha!