Everton Banter Archive February 08 2013

08 Feb 2013 18:49:07
Ed Took this from another website a bloke by the name of Simon Bradley. sums us all up COYB. My Dad said something that upset me recently as we left the match. He said "Listen Son, if it's getting too hard to take me to the match these days, I don't mind giving it a miss. "

Let me set the scene: Dad was 80 in December and I am 50 in March. Mentally I feel 25 and I suspect he feels about 60. However, he had a nasty accident 10 or so years ago, and now walks with a stick. Slowly, and in pain, but his blue badge helps us to park close to the ground, and a relatively slow walk to and from the car with him is the least of my problems.

My earliest Goodison memory is him having me on his shoulders for an entire match in the old Park End when I was about 5, for a game we lost to Spurs 2 -0, and I remember him saying ". that Greaves does nothing - except score bloody goals!" And he did. Twice. He often reminds me that the sun beat down hard that day and he sweated profusely for the 90 minutes.

After that he took me hundreds more times, usually on his Honda 50 which we used to park in Muriel Street, "Mind your helmets, mate?", and which even took us to some not too distant aways, Derby, April '77 (3 - 2 after being two down at half time) being a particular highlight. I can also remember regularly getting to Goodison Park stupidly early as a lad so I could get a decent spec by a barrier next to the Boys Pen, and stand on the little wooden box he had knocked up for me, often with Mum there as well.

My own lads are now 24 & 19, but the elder works in London, and the other is away at Uni, so we don't go as often as we'd like as a family but, on the occasions we do, I am the luckiest bloke alive. The minute that Z-Cars starts up, and I look along the row at three generations of Bradleys altogether at the match (including a 15-year old daughter on occasions) is absolutely priceless, and never fails to cause the eyes to moisten.

I told this story to my wife in bed on Sunday morning, and she didn't understand why I was getting emotional. But she wouldn't. she was never chosen.

My Dad took me to the match for years, and now that the boot's on the other foot, I will do it for him. Even if I had to carry him to the back row of the Top Balcony, I would do so.

I'm sure there are many of you reading this who would love to still be able to take their Dad to the match, so my answer to him is simple.

"Dad, as long as you want to go to the match, I will take you. "

George {Ed025's Note - great story that george, and a pleasure to read.. i just need "he aint heavy" playing in the backgound, and im in buckets... thanks for sharing mate..

Yes Ed, there's a moist keyboard here

Thanks Simon

Sorry Ed,
That was me about the moist keyboard

George {Ed025's Note - thats fine george...i see you were just thanking simon for the article..

Great post mate. I live in Devon now so don't get to many matches although usually try a few times a season. When we lived on the Wirral, my Dad was a part time red but we lived next to a Catholic Irish family. the Carews. Their Dad was Blue through and through and kind enough to take me the match with his boys after my Mum and Dad gave them some old wardrobes when they moved in. I don't remember the exact game, but I do remember the goals flying into the net at the Gwladys Street. The euphoria was overwhelming.
That was it for me. Hooked. I took my kids all the way from Gloucestershire for years too. The wife has now also switched and although we are hundreds of miles away, we get up as often as we can. I would mention some games too. Opposing players like George Best, Mike Sumerbee etc but to be honest you can't explain it. Yes you are chosen or it is something special. I know I can't make my kids follow on, but I know they will anyway. And that's good enough for me. If we were Blue Square Premier, I would support us just the same!!
Degsypulford

Thanks for posting George, that was beautifull read, and thanks to Simon Bradley, a very touching story that had all welled up.

TT

Lump in my throat, tear in my eye. Nothing can beat strong families.

Thanks
Toffee ace

I live in Sweden now so don't get to many games maybe 2 or 3 a season. I have a 2 year old son and took him for the 1st time to the spurs game. It was me my dad my sister and my son. I was very emotional when z cars started and the look of sheer amazement came across my sons face. Goodison is a truly special place reserved for truly special people.

Svenny

Toffee ace you make me cringe

JoeEFC

Joe efc (lfc)

If that makes you cringe then go and follow the yellow brick road and ask the wizard for a heart.

Toffee ace

09 Feb 2013 18:52:41
Great post mate

Degsy

08 Feb 2013 14:27:19
Hi guys. Hope he Ed's don't mind me mentioning another website but here's a great interview with Ossie on the Mail Online site. The address is www.dailymail.co.uk/sport. Check it out, he comes over as a great, down to earth lad - just as you'd expect. There's also a video of Rooney "interviewing" Ossie & Bainsey on the train to the England match. (No need for Jeff Stelling to worry yet!)

Toffee Tezza.

Any blue will know ossie has always been a down to earth lad

08 Feb 2013 09:12:36
Hypothetical one for you;

You win £160m on Euromillions.
1) Do you invest in the team and how much?
2) do you clear debt or invest in transfer funds?
3) do you put any conditions on investment?

For me it would be £40m, half on debt (so we can keep our stars) and half on players. I'd still want BK and DM in their current roles

Fluffy01016

I would not bother with clearing debt as we continue to make a small loss year on year, the debt is manageable and clearing it would not really solve any problems.
The money I did give would be given to strengthen the team or to build a new stadium which potentially could turn our loss in to profit and therefore keep the club going long term.
Sadly say I gave 40 million in this day and age its only really 2 quality players and their wages for 3-5 years.
So I would probably state that it had to go to the eventual development of a new ground.

Svenny

Id just buy us Fer and Dzeko an watch us fly. Rob Walker

Wait for Messi's contract to run down for 2/3 years, then stick it on him. ;D

Keith EFC.

Em hope you boys are single with no kids as spending that amount of money of a footbal club would probably lead to a divorce

£80m to the wife
£20m to child support

oh and family and friends will expect something so say 58m left.

which leaves you with £18m
2-3 houses 1 in the uk 2 abroad box at godison
1 car
not much change left but still comfortably well off.

But just think of all the crap you'd get for being a millionaire member of the board and not supporting the club when we have an injury crissis or there's a transfer window coming up.

SA90

I would build a stadium and rent it out to Everton, with financial fair pay around the corner the money would be best served boosting Everton's income. Because splurging 40m in the transfer market wouldn't help things as far as the new rules are concerned.

Building a new stadium would benefit me being an owner of prime real estate and Everton in boosting revenues considerably which could then be spent on building the squad without the risks of contravening new rules.

Speaking of which what does everyone think of the new financial rules unveiled yesterday?. With us losing money still will this mean no further team building for the future?.

Ha ha has that what its come down to? hoping one of you mugs wins the euromillions! build a new stadium? your only just about filling goodished for the first time in years this season, what's the point in a half empty new stadium?.