Gaddafi and Everton

[Lowensda]

Ok i was wondering the other sites, as you do and i came across a thread claiming Gaddafi was an Evertonian. If i'm honest i thought it was a joke but looking back through articles, there might actually be some substance.

 

The mirror put in a smal piece earlier this year as follows -

 

Everton's win against Sunderland will have provided some temporary relief for one of their biggest fans. That's none other than umbrella-wielding mentalist Colonel Gaddafi, who has been following the team since the late 1970s.

Gaddafi's love of the Toffees is said to have begun when Everton visited Libya on tour in 1979. The dictator was so impressed he immediately changed the Libyan national side's kit to all-blue, and rewarded each of Gordon Lee's side with a luxury Arabic carpet

 

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion/columnists/3pm/Colonel-Gaddafi-is-an-Everton-fan-plus-Newcastle-United-launch-fat-fan-T-shirts-in-honour-of-fan-Beefy-plus-Wolves-fans-Jamie-O-Hara-and-Danielle-Lloyd-chant-Steve-Anglesey-s-3PM-column-article707967.html

 

Then i did some more digging and found this arcticle -

 

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/sport-news/everton-fc/2009/06/13/guide-to-everton-fc-s-tour-of-africa-55578-23866201/

 

Extraction -

 

The pioneering trip to West Africa is not the Blues’ first visit to the Dark Continent, though.

 

Thirty years ago Gordon Lee’s squad enjoyed their first experience of Africa so much, they went back two months later!

 

In mid-March 1979, with the country still paralysed by the lingering affects of one the worst winters in living memory, manager Gordon Lee decided to take his squad away for competitive match action in Libya.

 

Ten years after Colonel Gaddafi’s revolution the Blues flew to Tripoli to take on the Libyan national side in their brand new stadium.

 

Everton’s 1-0 win made them the first team to beat Libya there after Borussia Moenchangladbach and Real Madrid had tried and failed.

 

Afterwards manager Lee described the trip as “a good experience” despite Bob Latchford coming back injured after falling on the then new Astrotruf playing surface.

 

George Telfer scored the only goal of the game and Lee declared: “It was good experience and a useful workout – especially with most of the games being snowed off in England.

 

“The game kept us sharp and younger players like Pat Heard and Billy Wright will have gained special benefit from it.

 

“The Libyans showed skill and were very competitive, but they lacked strength in their shooting.”

 

Captain Mike Lyons was more concerned by the quality of the playing surface, described as “a faded nylon carpet placed over concrete.”

 

Lyons said: “I can’t imagine this kind of surface being introduced in England because our style is so much more physical.

 

“In countries like Libya, it suits the conditions, which are normally hot and dry.

 

“There is less tackling in their game, but whilst saying that they did come in late from behind. On the other hand, there was no slide-tackling. But the experience of playing strange countries is always good for players.”

 

However, Charles Lambert – who covered the trip for our sister paper the Liverpool Echo – recalled an unusual postscript to the adventure.

 

“There were a few puzzled looks when the Everton squad flew into Heathrow last week after their friendly in Tripoli,” he wrote “because along with their usual baggage were half a dozen carpets.

 

“The carpets were presented to the directors and officials by their Libyan hosts and caused considerable head scratching on the part of the customs officers before the party was allowed through.”

 

Everton enjoyed the experience enough to make a post-season trip back to North Africa two months later for a two-match tour of Egypt.

 

 

Which all in all i find incredibly fascinating. funny. and quite confusing

 

 

[StevO]

oh great, another potential investor ahs gone into hiding!

 

could you imagine if he did take over "at least hes a real blue" could be used honestly in defence of a foreign investor.

 

suarez is through on goal, one on one with howard.

Snipper!

Done!

[Peter H]

Hm, Something for Everton to ponder, contact Gaddafi and help him hide some of Libyas funds by investing it into the club. A loan of a billion is enough for now. 0 interest of course.

[Louis]

Just our luck eh? He's had 100 billion worth of funds frozen.

[rubecula]

I remember the story vaguely. Geezus lets not spread this news around. Don't need more laughter at work.

[Louis]

I don't think it's true, I've read that Gadaffi snr. doesn't even like football but his advisor does, it was his he who had the game remain unbanned as he convinced Gaddafi of it's political significance. i.e. that people like sports, in particular football and banning it was counter productive for a country's leader's popularity.

 

Also the reason, why his oldest son was part of the Libyan Olympic Committee. One of his son's had a brief playing career in Italy too.

[holystove]

http://www.offthepost.info/blog/2008/12/football-lookalikes-marouane-fellaini-and-colonel-gaddafi/

 

maybe he paid that 15m ..