So Why Everton...

[Cisk]

Any of us asked each other - Why Everton?

Would love to hear the random reasons.

Mine was simply getting into football about 6/7 yes old and seeing an Everton football towel in a catalogue I wanted in the 86/87 season

 

[MikeO]

OK. Story (with no definitive answer apart from being born Blue).

In 1967 when I was seven my mum took my elder bro and I to the Ideal Home Exhibition at Earls Court. There was a "stand" selling football memorabilia and my brother decided he wanted a rosette with like a miniature player in the centre of it so got a Liverpool one; I actually opted for a Blackpool one because it was the only other rosette of the same design. Moving forward (or maybe back, I don't remember) bro got a red football shirt and mum "embroidered" a Liverpool badge on it (no club merchandise in those days). About the same time I got a green football shirt and can remember asking my dad who played in green and he honestly replied nobody.

Move on to 1968 and dad had two FA Cup Final tickets which he'd got long before the event and had told bro he'd be his +1. By then I was 8 and had become an Evertonian but I really have no idea what happened to make me see the light; can remember remonstrating with dad saying I should be going to Wembley because it was my team but he stuck to his word and took Mark, who celebrated Astle's winner by throwing a handful of peanuts in the air, bastard. I got a table football game as compensation.

In fairness to Mark, my big bro and best friend in the World, he's come to Goodison with me and my son and totally loved it; he really has no top flight affiliation (the Liverpool curse left him) and his allegiance these days is with Forest Green Rovers who are his local team on the rare occasions he's in the country. 

[Aidan]

Grandad played a few games for them in the 50s along with Wigan and Blackburn. 

And of course, Everton were the only team to touch his heart out of those 3 and he remained a supporter for the duration of his life (despite being from Wigan). 

Obviously he passed the curse onto me.

[MikeO]

17 minutes ago, Aidan said:

Obviously he passed the curse onto me.

Blessing.

[Matt]

It’s my dads fault and I’m addicted to everything that’s bad for my health...

[Palfy]

11 minutes ago, Matt said:

It’s my dads fault and I’m addicted to everything that’s bad for my health...

[StevO]

Don’t remember not supporting Everton, must have been my Dads influence. 

[Palfy]

I was born in Newcastle moved to Swindon aged 3 ( not my choice although it has served me well) then at 6 nearly 7 I started to take an interest in football because of the hype surrounding the up and coming World Cup.

If Everton hadn’t won the F.A Cup that season I wouldn’t have been an Everton supporter that was the first team and game that stuck with me, my parents god bless their souls were die hard Geordies and couldn’t understand why I would want to follow Everton, now I’m beginning to realise why

[Aidan]

1 hour ago, MikeO said:

Blessing.

Of course. I make the joke but I love this club to bits and that's all thanks to grandad Jimmy! 

[Shukes]

When I was at school I didn’t really like football, never played it. I was one of the quieter kids. 
One of the school sports stars was in the same class as me and went around the lads asking everyone who they supported. 
I could see it was my turn soon and was shitting myself as I didn’t even know any teams names.

Yvette Leurs was a few tables away from me and she said she supported Everton. And she was pretty fit for a 12 year old (that sounds so bad) so here was my chance to impress her, while not looking like a complete pussy at the same time. So I said Everton. 
 

That weekend I stayed at a friends house and his dad just happened to be watching the 1985 FA cup final. So I thought I should at least find out what colour they play in just in case I’m ever grilled about it. That day changed my life, as even though we lost..... I simply fell in love with Everton. 
 

I ended up trying football after that and found I was a natural at it, even though I started so late. I still play whenever I get chance now. I watch football, play football, and coach U8s and U10s. I have draws full of shirts, my car is even good old Everton blue. My missus even plans days around Everton matches. 
 

Provably not the beat reason to support a team, but since then, Everton have taken over my life, mind and heart. First and only team I have ever and ever will support.

 

 

 

And my missus’s name isn’t Yvette Leurs haha.

[MikeO]

7 minutes ago, Shukes said:

Yvette Leurs was a few tables away from me and she said she supported Everton. And she was pretty fit for a 12 year old (that sounds so bad) so here was my chance to impress her, while not looking like a complete pussy at the same time.

Get that completely, my nemesis (as for all the boys in class) was a lass called Frances Rogers; there was no football involved but we were all in love with her, she was just a nice person who had no idea numerous eleven year olds were totally smitten by her. I hope and trust she's had a good life, but I'd be very surprised if the Blues have played a part in it. 

[markjazzbassist]

I played growing up but then stopped being involved in high school until I was in college and would come home every day and watch the World Cup while I ate my lunch.  I fell in love with the sport all over again and with players like Klose, zidane, Ronaldo, Christiano Ronaldo, etc. once club football started back up I looked to see which US players were in the PL.  Dempsey at Fulham and Howard at Everton we’re the 2 I followed.  I watched Everton and Fulham games for a couple years but Everton grabbed me and I just kinda stopped watching Fulham matches.  I really loved Howard, but I always say he brought me here but Baines is what kept me.  He and pienaar were electric.  The more I’ve learned about the club and how it gives back to the community has only strengthened my appreciate for Everton.

[rubecula]

why Everton? 1/ I was born there.

2/ my dad and his brothers were everton supporters.

3/ the redshite were bloody nothing to write home about back when I started going to th bames  (they still are not  LOL)

4/  i am a masochist?   lol

[Hafnia]

I was actually a Liverpool fan as I didn't know Everton was a local side..... as a 6 year old I knew Liverpool was a ferry trip away.

My brother is a massive blue, he wasn't having me being a Red, 2 of my other brothers are reds.  So he took me to a game..... 1984 top balcony, Nottingham forest 5-0 we won....... I was a blue from that day. 

 

[Wiggytop]

My dad was a blue, so therefore I am, as is my son, we are family

[c1982]

Born blue with 2 older blue brothers and  blue dad (1 of 6 brothers - 4/6 blue, 1/6 red, 1/6 doesn’t care) so the path was already set out.

Went to my first game as a 6 year old in 1988 - Everton vs Luton Town for mine and my granddad’s birthday (both shared with Big Nev) - I got the 1988 away kit (Beautiful top!) off my grandparents who lived in Crosby (which remained a big part of my prematch ritual throughout their lifetime)... and off we went. We lost 0-2 and things haven’t got much better since!!!

[Romey 1878]

Mum's a red and my dad (and pretty much all of his family) is a blue. Apparently I was a red when I was a very young kid but there is no photographic evidence of this and I don't remember it at all, so as far as I'm concerned it never happened. My dad is a massive blue - used to follow us everywhere and saw us win things (!) - and I think I just wanted to be like my dad and spend time with him I suppose, so would follow Everton too.

One of my earliest memories is the 95 Cup Final and my mum helped me make a scrapbook of the whole journey through to it, and I still have the game recorded on VHS .

My first game it was actually my uncle that took me (mum's brother) and it was Neville Southall's Testimonial against Celtic. It was 0-0 and boring as hell but going to Goodison was magical.

There weren't many (any really ) Evertonians in my Primary School class but any time it was 'wear your own clothes day' I would always wear an Everton shirt, and get the piss taken out of me. But I didn't care. My birthday was in August so I'd always get a kit for it - mostly my mum would take me over to Liverpool to get it and we'd make it a little day out and get the train and some food.

I live and breathe this football club and have done for as long as I can remember now.

[JimmytheJimster]

Could have easily be a red, my dad is a blue but his two brothers and his dad are red. For some strange reason there was five Liverpool season tickets in that house, with my dad having one of them. When someone couldn't go I ended up going, so by the age of 12 I'd seen a lot more of Liverpool than Everton. The thing that made me chose Everton though was the first game I went in 87, it was an Easter present and we beat Newcastle 3-0 and 6 year old me just loved the way everybody stamped their feet on the wooden flooring and the noise it made.  If it wasn't for that wooden flooring I'd probably be a red, thank you so much Woodison

[nogs]

My first experience at a kiddy football side when I was about 5, I was given a blue shirt to play in. I asked my dad who played in blue and, stupidly for a lifelong Liverpool fan, he said Everton and that was that. 

To be fair to him he never once tried to change my mind and even joined the family club and took me to Goodison several times a season. 

 

[Palfy]

Reading these stories I’ve realised two things. 

1) Most of us weren’t born Blues even if we come from around the area, we in someways accidentally become Blues. 
 

2) And this is making me feel older than I believe I am, with most of you remembering your first experiences from the mid eighties to the mid nineties. 
My only consolation being I have witnessed some of the better years of the club’s history, and hopefully you pups will get to see great times come back in your lifetime

[Wiggytop]

My first game at Goodison was Chelsea in the main stand  aged 10 in 1970 5-0, clearly remember someone shouting “come on Everton you haven’t scored for 5 minutes”  

Fell out of love with football late 70s early 80s due to the violence etc, fully back on board mid 80s and ever since, lucky to have got season tickets 3 years ago for me and my 15yr old  son.

[MikeO]

3 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

My birthday was in August so I'd always get a kit for it

When is it now?

[Zoo 2.0]

Quite a boring reason in the sense that my Dad supports Everton so naturally there was no other option as I absolutely idolise him. To be fair my Mum who wasn't really into football turned into an Everton fan after going on a date to watch Leeds and being blown away by the atmosphere. My first game was a 4-0 win over Wimbledon where I cried my eyes out after the first two goals because the cheers were so loud, I had an uncanny record of never seeing Everton lose which lasted for a good few years until we were beaten 1-0 by Charlton, Matt Holland with the goal. Since becoming a ST holder 12 years ago I've seen a few defeats now, but wouldn't give up my ticket for all the money in the world. 

I went to primary school in the era that Manchester United were winning everything so had a phase when I was around 5-6 where I followed United, pretty much because literally everybody was obsessed with them. I remember watching the '99 cup final against Bayern Munich and going to Old Trafford to see them beat Derby 5-0 in 2001 but pretty quickly I realised that Everton was different to any other club I had seen either on the TV or in the flesh. A couple of my mates from primary school also followed Arsenal because of the Invincibles era but again, nothing came close to Everton. 

I've played football since I could walk and my footballing career has coincidentally entwined with Everton too, from being scouted at the age of 13 and spending some amazing times at Finch Farm representing the club that I hold so dear. It ultimately didn't turn into me playing professionally and there was a lot of regret and negativity afterwards but after coming to terms with the rejection I can look back at those days with such fondness. I'm now going through my coaching badges with the FA and funnily enough spent some time with one of the coaches who has now left the club but for who I directly played under when signed to the Academy. It seems as though myself and Everton were meant to be and quite frankly life would be so much different without them. 

Win, lose or draw I love the Blues, you honestly can't put into words the feeling that you get walking up the stairs and seeing the Old Lady. The buzz that you get from going the game is second to none and although in my lifetime I haven't seen us win a trophy (I was 2 in 1995) I couldn't follow anyone else. Everton is just different and will always be the club my heart beats for. 

[Romey 1878]

2 hours ago, MikeO said:

When is it now?

Cunt. When I read it back I knew someone would say that  

[MikeO]

48 minutes ago, Romey 1878 said:

Cunt. When I read it back I knew someone would say that  

Glad to oblige

[MikeO]

My lad had literally no choice in the matter; his first kit from when he was 2/3 is in a frame on his bedroom wall, and he was wearing my shirts even earlier! He wore them more to humour me initially but slowly the influence grew. Now he's 23 and is determined to move north one day so he can get a season ticket; he takes it even worse than me when we lose or play badly. Evolution pics including one from his first visit to Stanley Park. Last one is with me and my brother.

 

[Gwlad]

World Cup final, first full game I ever watched on TV with my Blackburn Rovers supporting dad. Mesmerised by Alan Ball, became a Blue then. 

[MikeO]

51 minutes ago, Gwlad all over said:

World Cup final, first full game I ever watched on TV with my Blackburn Rovers supporting dad. Mesmerised by Alan Ball, became a Blue then. 

Passed me by that; not sure why because I was six and my dad was footie mad so I'm surprised I wan't sat down in front of the telly by him, maybe I was but I took no interest. Too late to ask him now, must ask bro if he remembers it, he was coming up to eight; not something we've ever talked about.

[Gwlad]

Always think I could have been a Glory Supporter and supported West Ham especially as we lived in Essex then!!

[MikeO]

1 hour ago, Gwlad all over said:

Always think I could have been a Glory Supporter and supported West Ham especially as we lived in Essex then!!

Moving on from that I had a newspaper headline which read (in big letters) "ENGLAND OWE IT TO EVERTON" on the wall in my studio at work in the '86 World Cup when "crab" Wilkins and golden boy Robson were out of the side in Mexico due to injury and suspension and we got Reidy and tricky Trev and we were transformed (along with Stevens and Lineker) in the group. Bobby Robson great manager but the changes he he was "forced" to make were totally obvious for every Blue; all very sad that the serial cheating Maradonna cost us what could have been a second win.