Getting a trial for Everton

[johnh]

When you are nearer 80 years old than 70, memories are one of the few pleasures you have left (other than women, drink, sky-diving, tombstoning etc) so I hope you will humour me by reading this true story.

In about 1949, I would be 13, I was an avid supporter of Everton. Along with my brother who was a year older we never missed a home game at Goodison. We had an Uncle, our mother's brother, who used to visit us as our Dad worked away a lot. Our Uncle Charlie was very good at giving advice and we used to hang on his every word. One visit he asked us what we wanted to do when we grew up. We immediately said 'play for Everton'. He thought for a few minutes and then said 'if you want anything in this life it wont fall into your lap, you have to go out and grab it'. 'What you need to do' he went on, 'is go to Everton and ask for a trial. If they say NO then tell them you're going to Liverpool, they will then be worried about losing out to Liverpool and offer you a trial'. The following Sunday me and my brother went down to Goodison Park and behind the main stand we found a door open. We went up several flights of stairs and came to a window with 'Enquiries' written on. There was a bell which we pressed and after a few moments a woman opened the window and asked what we wanted. We said we'd come for a trial. She said 'wait here' and went away. A short time later she came back and asked our age. My brother who was 14 said '15' so I added a year to my age and said '14'. She disappeared again and eventually returned and said 'come back when you're 18'. The window closed and disappointed, we trudged down the stairs. Halfway down we remembered Uncle Charlie's advice and shouted 'We're going to Liverpool'. We shouted it about three times but no one responded. We were most disappointed in Uncle Charlie as his advice was usually so good and on his next visit we told him the tale. He had a good laugh (which puzzled me) but he gave us a shilling each which eased the pain.

We never did go back for our trial as at eighteen we were both doing our National Service. My brother was in Hong Kong and I was in Malaya.

[MikeO]

Great story John.

[Romey 1878]

Great story John.

Agreed, it gave me a good laugh.

[Shukes]

Great story!

Your uncle paid two shillings to get you to shout " were going to Liverpool " classic.

That's the type of story that should be passed down generations.

 

I onc. Had a trial for stoke city lined up when I was 14.

On the day of my trial my parents went down to the local and never made it back in time to take me. They wouldn't give me another and I ended up playing for our local team.

I often wander if I would have made it, we lives in an area where scouts were never seen.

I won a lot of trophys at amateur and semi pro level though and surely if I was goon enough someone would have spotted me... So maybe i was just shit!

[Guest Nikica]

Fantastic story mate.

[rubecula]

Brilliant story Johnh