Everton: singing when they're winning [aka they've never felt more like singing the Blues].

The pre-match prediction poll pundits on this site were right. The Canaries had Norfolk'n'chance.

I had to go to Yaaaarkshire today and couldn't watch the game. It's safely committed to tape though and it will be screened chez-Chancellor tonight and no doubt at least once again tomorrow. A funny thing happened in Skipton [home of the legendary 'Stanford's pie shop,' - I had three pies off them for my dinner this afternoon!] ... I digress. So there I was, standing in a street in Skipton, making my umpteenth score-check 'phone call of the day. Exactly in time with my arl fella saying, "2:0, Kilbane and Bent," a fella, passing within 10 feet of me, said, to his wife, in a loud Scouse accent, "2:0, Kilbane and Bent!" In the middle of Skipton, I ask you! It was uncanny how both sentences were said in perfect unison. The fella in Skipton heard my reply to my dear old Da' and turned and laughingly acknowledged me as a fellow Blue, waving and disappearing off into a crowded Skipton market-day afternoon ... and possibly thence strolled straight back to the Twilight Zone.

Anyway, our cup runneth over at the moment. Isn't it great to see the Club thriving and so happy? Much additional delight should be taken from the disappointment of the jackals amongst the red-tops and certain TV/radio pundits, who'd have gladly seen us sink to Div. 1 post-Rooney [backing us all the way down]. Everton showed great strength and belief to come back after their HT 2:0 lead was lost within 10 minutes or so of the restart; apparently Norwich were on fire from the 45th minute on. Cue Ferguson, cue 2nd place and a slip in the odds for a League Title win. If it wasn't for Arsenal, I'd be both a believer and a backer in that betting market.

Enjoy the content of these links brethren:

On the banks of the Royal Blue Mersey.

I missed the NSNO Radio announcment today. Had I have been around to get their early notification I'd have certainly placed a notice on this site. In future, remember to check for NSNO Radio commentaries.

------------------
Sticky post
------------------

colin.wilkes@gmail.com

I’d be grateful if the webmasters of all Everton Fans’ sites would consider copying and pasting this open letter, to Evertonians, from Colin Wilkes. Feel free to publish it to your pages if you wish. No need to refer to the EvertonBlog if you don’t want to, although a Colin Wilkes ref. [incl. his e-mail address] would, I suggest, be in order. I [and Colin, no doubt] would like as many Evertonians as possible, to read this.

---------------------

THE PEOPLES CLUB - POWER TO THE PEOPLE

Upon first hearing David Moyes saying those now immortal words "This is the People's Club," I thought, ‘you'll do for me Ginge.’

Some two and a half years on I still wonder what was that he really meant. Was there some deep hidden meaning in what he had said? Did he see things as I did? Was he preparing himself and us for a football political battleground? Or is he just another dilettante. Or was the fact he wanted acceptance immediately. Like I said, you'll do for me Ginge.

For my part any notion of "a" or "the" Peoples Club implies; of the people, by the people, for the people. This in turn gives cognisance to the notion of people power. And as in this context "people" are the "supporters" of the club it therefore follows that people power is supporter power. This is then just basic logic a=b, b=c therefore c=a.

Events throughout the summer, all well documented and still there for your perusal can be found on the Toffeeweb or Toffeeblog, highlighted the fact that supporters of EFC have no collective power whatsoever. The only individual power they have, which some chose to exercise, was to withhold their monies from renewing their season tickets and not to attend matches. Yes I know there was one abortive attempt at collective action but once outside there you stay.

It is my belief we have reached the crossroads. The question now is do you the supporters of "The Peoples Club" really want to have collective power and hopefully all that that may bring. The transparency, a removal of the lack of trust, an option to buy into the club via a supporters share scheme and supporter share holder directors. A voice that will be taken into account on the issue of old ground, new ground, shared ground, the pricing of admission. To take a stance and have any payment to agents be made solely by the player and not the club. There are a host of other issues that I am sure you can all add to this list and for me there is nothing mutually inclusive or exclusive everything is open for discussion and debate.

However the overriding factor here is not we the supporters can get out of this for our collective good. Rather it is what we can put into the club for the for its growth, development and the fulfilment to move the greatest club the world has ever seen back to the pinnacle of English football and then onto Europe.

In 1995 the Labour Party published its document Charter for Football three of its key points stated:
(1) Local "core" support being Priced out of the game"; proposed investigation into more equitable pricing policies
(2) Fans views "should be accorded greater weight within the running of the game"
(3) Labour will undertake "to ensure that the views of the fans are listened to in all aspects of the game"

In the year 2000 the government, following on from the 1999 Football Task Force Report on Investing in the Community, established and funded Supporters Direct. This organisation offers funding support and guidance to fans who want to take a more direct involvement in the running of their clubs by setting up community focused mutual organisations. Having a set of principles similar to those of the CO-OP Society these organisations are run as an Industrial Provident Society (IPS).

As of September 2004, 117 football clubs in England, Wales and Scotland have active running Supporters Trusts set up with initial help from Supporters Direct. Whilst most of these are clubs in the lower divisions and who have faced near financial catastrophe the wealthiest of the English clubs Man ure has its own Supporters Trust. Other Premiership clubs include Arsenal, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Middlesbrough, Norwich City, Tottenham Hotspur and West Bromwich Albion.

This is not the only route to take if we want a say in our club. There is the notion of Football Club Councils. To my mind these are just talking shops for paper tigers and should be sent to the dustbin of history or room 101.

My purpose in writing this piece is to:
(a) Stimulate some debate on the democratisation of EFC.
(b) Outline one of the possible routes to achieve democratisation.
(c) Receive some feedback on the subject of democratisation.
(d) Discover if there is a real interest in the democratisation process.

Whatever your thoughts on the subject maybe, please do not lose sight of the omnipotence of what underpins my writing. To paraphrase John F Kennedy "don’t ask what the club can do for you but rather what can you do for the club".

Individuals will come and go but EFC will carry on. The time is now right to move the club and supporters on to its and their rightful place at the top of the football world. This however will only be achieved collectively and in harmony.

Perhaps if you have a printer you could print a few copies of this piece and pass them on to your friends who do not have access to a computer and/or the net.

Many thanks
Colin Wilkes

For those wishing to do some follow up research try the following as a start:
http://www.supporters-direct.org/
Download the handbook in pdf format

http://www.le.ac.uk/fo/
Look for Fact Sheet 7: Fan 'Power' and Democracy in Football

http://www.co-op.co.uk/
Look for The ICA Statement on the Co-operative Identity

colin.wilkes@gmail.com

Everton at Norwich: betting and the rules of the games, all's fair in love and war [and football?]

Norwich v Everton

Some markets and odds on P2P exchange, Betfair.

There are a lot of markets for this game:

Asian Handicap
Bookings Index
Bookings Odds
Corners Odds
Correct Score
First Goal Odds
First Goalscorer
Half Time
Half Time Score
Half Time/Full time
Match Odds
Next Goal
Odd or Even
Over/Under 2.5 goals
To Score
Total Corners
Total Goals

Current prices for some of the events listed above:

Match Odds
Norwich, Back at 2.94, Lay at 2.96
Everton, Back at 2.82, Lay at 2.84
The draw, Back at 3.2, Lay at 3.25

Over/Under 2.5 goals
Less than 2.5, Back at 1.66, Lay at 1.67
More than 2.5, Back at 2.5, Lay at 2.52

Prediction poll.

This has now closed and the results is as follows:
Everton win 78%
0:0 6%
Score draw 0%
Norwich win 17%

Many a tear has to fall, but it's all in the game.

When I first started dabbling with the female sex, much of the advice from peers and elders was:

"Treat them mean to keep them keen."

It seemed like madness to me when I first heard it. But I followed it anyway. I have stopped short of being violent and have avoided inflicting unreasonable emotional pain but, on the whole, applying it in a gentlemanly fashion, it has thus far tended to work, only a very small proportion of the lovely ladies from yesteryear having managed to lead me along the Boulevard of Broken Deams and into Hell House. Watching and listening to how Moyes deals with all of those around him and reading that Keith Wyness is refusing to comment on the progress of contract talks involving several players at the club, puts me in mind of that old saying. The club's current 'clenched fist in a velvet glove' approach, when it comes to player management is, in combination with Moyes' 'tough-love' management style, certainly keeping the players keen!


------------------
Sticky post
------------------

colin.wilkes@gmail.com

I’d be grateful if the webmasters of all Everton Fans’ sites would consider copying and pasting this open letter, to Evertonians, from Colin Wilkes. Feel free to publish it to your pages if you wish. No need to refer to the EvertonBlog if you don’t want to, although a Colin Wilkes ref. [incl. his e-mail address] would, I suggest, be in order. I [and Colin, no doubt] would like as many Evertonians as possible, to read this.

---------------------

THE PEOPLES CLUB - POWER TO THE PEOPLE

Upon first hearing David Moyes saying those now immortal words "This is the People's Club," I thought, ‘you'll do for me Ginge.’

Some two and a half years on I still wonder what was that he really meant. Was there some deep hidden meaning in what he had said? Did he see things as I did? Was he preparing himself and us for a football political battleground? Or is he just another dilettante. Or was the fact he wanted acceptance immediately. Like I said, you'll do for me Ginge.

For my part any notion of "a" or "the" Peoples Club implies; of the people, by the people, for the people. This in turn gives cognisance to the notion of people power. And as in this context "people" are the "supporters" of the club it therefore follows that people power is supporter power. This is then just basic logic a=b, b=c therefore c=a.

Events throughout the summer, all well documented and still there for your perusal can be found on the Toffeeweb or Toffeeblog, highlighted the fact that supporters of EFC have no collective power whatsoever. The only individual power they have, which some chose to exercise, was to withhold their monies from renewing their season tickets and not to attend matches. Yes I know there was one abortive attempt at collective action but once outside there you stay.

It is my belief we have reached the crossroads. The question now is do you the supporters of "The Peoples Club" really want to have collective power and hopefully all that that may bring. The transparency, a removal of the lack of trust, an option to buy into the club via a supporters share scheme and supporter share holder directors. A voice that will be taken into account on the issue of old ground, new ground, shared ground, the pricing of admission. To take a stance and have any payment to agents be made solely by the player and not the club. There are a host of other issues that I am sure you can all add to this list and for me there is nothing mutually inclusive or exclusive everything is open for discussion and debate.

However the overriding factor here is not we the supporters can get out of this for our collective good. Rather it is what we can put into the club for the for its growth, development and the fulfilment to move the greatest club the world has ever seen back to the pinnacle of English football and then onto Europe.

In 1995 the Labour Party published its document Charter for Football three of its key points stated:
(1) Local "core" support being Priced out of the game"; proposed investigation into more equitable pricing policies
(2) Fans views "should be accorded greater weight within the running of the game"
(3) Labour will undertake "to ensure that the views of the fans are listened to in all aspects of the game"

In the year 2000 the government, following on from the 1999 Football Task Force Report on Investing in the Community, established and funded Supporters Direct. This organisation offers funding support and guidance to fans who want to take a more direct involvement in the running of their clubs by setting up community focused mutual organisations. Having a set of principles similar to those of the CO-OP Society these organisations are run as an Industrial Provident Society (IPS).

As of September 2004, 117 football clubs in England, Wales and Scotland have active running Supporters Trusts set up with initial help from Supporters Direct. Whilst most of these are clubs in the lower divisions and who have faced near financial catastrophe the wealthiest of the English clubs Man ure has its own Supporters Trust. Other Premiership clubs include Arsenal, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Middlesbrough, Norwich City, Tottenham Hotspur and West Bromwich Albion.

This is not the only route to take if we want a say in our club. There is the notion of Football Club Councils. To my mind these are just talking shops for paper tigers and should be sent to the dustbin of history or room 101.

My purpose in writing this piece is to:
(a) Stimulate some debate on the democratisation of EFC.
(b) Outline one of the possible routes to achieve democratisation.
(c) Receive some feedback on the subject of democratisation.
(d) Discover if there is a real interest in the democratisation process.

Whatever your thoughts on the subject maybe, please do not lose sight of the omnipotence of what underpins my writing. To paraphrase John F Kennedy "don’t ask what the club can do for you but rather what can you do for the club".

Individuals will come and go but EFC will carry on. The time is now right to move the club and supporters on to its and their rightful place at the top of the football world. This however will only be achieved collectively and in harmony.

Perhaps if you have a printer you could print a few copies of this piece and pass them on to your friends who do not have access to a computer and/or the net.

Many thanks
Colin Wilkes

For those wishing to do some follow up research try the following as a start:
http://www.supporters-direct.org/
Download the handbook in pdf format

http://www.le.ac.uk/fo/
Look for Fact Sheet 7: Fan 'Power' and Democracy in Football

http://www.co-op.co.uk/
Look for The ICA Statement on the Co-operative Identity

colin.wilkes@gmail.com

Global giants, Norwich previews and Blues to bail Liverpool out of stadium cash crisis, thus solving their own stadium problem too?

Last night's Echo.

Cahill: 'The size and stature of the club really opened my eyes. This club is a giant, not just of the English game, but of the world game.'

Also in last night's edition. The back page featured an article informing us that Moyes thinks Kevin Campbell is a model pro, apparently the way that he has handled being out of the squad this season has been impeccable. Younger players take note.

Ground-share: If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well.

Another article I read yesterday [source escapes me at the moment] suggested that a City club ground share is still very much alive. The costs of the 'new anfield' are galloping off into the distance and Liverpool [struggling in the League and in 'CL' cup competition] don't exactly have unlimited funds. In may step a newly empowered Everton, complete with the much-feared FSF goldmine behind them and the NWDA [themselves talking of a £40m contribution] in order to help pay for a SHARED development. My view is that whilst such a share would be upsetting and undesirable, it may be the only chance that both clubs get to 'do it right,' whilst not imploding financially. Kilfoyle [MP] is trying to ride high on the bandwagon too.

Previews.

Here, and here.

The usual prediction poll is on the right hand side of this site and betting will follow tonight.

Be seeing you?

At the end of his wick? When he scored that goal v Bolton, from Rad's cross, making it 3:1, a couple of years back, he must have thought he'd 'arrived.'

We could go 2nd for a spell this weekend.

------------------
Sticky post
------------------

colin.wilkes@gmail.com

I’d be grateful if the webmasters of all Everton Fans’ sites would consider copying and pasting this open letter, to Evertonians, from Colin Wilkes. Feel free to publish it to your pages if you wish. No need to refer to the EvertonBlog if you don’t want to, although a Colin Wilkes ref. [incl. his e-mail address] would, I suggest, be in order. I [and Colin, no doubt] would like as many Evertonians as possible, to read this.

---------------------

THE PEOPLES CLUB - POWER TO THE PEOPLE

Upon first hearing David Moyes saying those now immortal words "This is the People's Club," I thought, ‘you'll do for me Ginge.’

Some two and a half years on I still wonder what was that he really meant. Was there some deep hidden meaning in what he had said? Did he see things as I did? Was he preparing himself and us for a football political battleground? Or is he just another dilettante. Or was the fact he wanted acceptance immediately. Like I said, you'll do for me Ginge.

For my part any notion of "a" or "the" Peoples Club implies; of the people, by the people, for the people. This in turn gives cognisance to the notion of people power. And as in this context "people" are the "supporters" of the club it therefore follows that people power is supporter power. This is then just basic logic a=b, b=c therefore c=a.

Events throughout the summer, all well documented and still there for your perusal can be found on the Toffeeweb or Toffeeblog, highlighted the fact that supporters of EFC have no collective power whatsoever. The only individual power they have, which some chose to exercise, was to withhold their monies from renewing their season tickets and not to attend matches. Yes I know there was one abortive attempt at collective action but once outside there you stay.

It is my belief we have reached the crossroads. The question now is do you the supporters of "The Peoples Club" really want to have collective power and hopefully all that that may bring. The transparency, a removal of the lack of trust, an option to buy into the club via a supporters share scheme and supporter share holder directors. A voice that will be taken into account on the issue of old ground, new ground, shared ground, the pricing of admission. To take a stance and have any payment to agents be made solely by the player and not the club. There are a host of other issues that I am sure you can all add to this list and for me there is nothing mutually inclusive or exclusive everything is open for discussion and debate.

However the overriding factor here is not we the supporters can get out of this for our collective good. Rather it is what we can put into the club for the for its growth, development and the fulfilment to move the greatest club the world has ever seen back to the pinnacle of English football and then onto Europe.

In 1995 the Labour Party published its document Charter for Football three of its key points stated:
(1) Local "core" support being Priced out of the game"; proposed investigation into more equitable pricing policies
(2) Fans views "should be accorded greater weight within the running of the game"
(3) Labour will undertake "to ensure that the views of the fans are listened to in all aspects of the game"

In the year 2000 the government, following on from the 1999 Football Task Force Report on Investing in the Community, established and funded Supporters Direct. This organisation offers funding support and guidance to fans who want to take a more direct involvement in the running of their clubs by setting up community focused mutual organisations. Having a set of principles similar to those of the CO-OP Society these organisations are run as an Industrial Provident Society (IPS).

As of September 2004, 117 football clubs in England, Wales and Scotland have active running Supporters Trusts set up with initial help from Supporters Direct. Whilst most of these are clubs in the lower divisions and who have faced near financial catastrophe the wealthiest of the English clubs Man ure has its own Supporters Trust. Other Premiership clubs include Arsenal, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Middlesbrough, Norwich City, Tottenham Hotspur and West Bromwich Albion.

This is not the only route to take if we want a say in our club. There is the notion of Football Club Councils. To my mind these are just talking shops for paper tigers and should be sent to the dustbin of history or room 101.

My purpose in writing this piece is to:
(a) Stimulate some debate on the democratisation of EFC.
(b) Outline one of the possible routes to achieve democratisation.
(c) Receive some feedback on the subject of democratisation.
(d) Discover if there is a real interest in the democratisation process.

Whatever your thoughts on the subject maybe, please do not lose sight of the omnipotence of what underpins my writing. To paraphrase John F Kennedy "don’t ask what the club can do for you but rather what can you do for the club".

Individuals will come and go but EFC will carry on. The time is now right to move the club and supporters on to its and their rightful place at the top of the football world. This however will only be achieved collectively and in harmony.

Perhaps if you have a printer you could print a few copies of this piece and pass them on to your friends who do not have access to a computer and/or the net.

Many thanks
Colin Wilkes

For those wishing to do some follow up research try the following as a start:
http://www.supporters-direct.org/
Download the handbook in pdf format

http://www.le.ac.uk/fo/
Look for Fact Sheet 7: Fan 'Power' and Democracy in Football

http://www.co-op.co.uk/
Look for The ICA Statement on the Co-operative Identity

colin.wilkes@gmail.com

EBay watch: Football memorabilia and collectibles up for auction.

A non-Everton oddity first.

A shirt signed by the team, incl Gazza [aka G8!]

A very short Short.

A ticket from a wonderful time.

Tax disc holder

Programme v the shyte from '70

Sheedy!

----------------------

Sticky post.

Another post [an open letter] from the prolific Colin Wilkes

colin.wilkes@gmail.com

I’d be grateful if the webmasters of all Everton Fans’ sites would consider copying and pasting this open letter, to Evertonians, from Colin Wilkes. Feel free to publish it to your pages if you wish. No need to refer to the EvertonBlog if you don’t want to, although a Colin Wilkes ref. [incl. his e-mail address] would, I suggest, be in order. I [and Colin, no doubt] would like as many Evertonians as possible, to read this.

---------------------

THE PEOPLES CLUB - POWER TO THE PEOPLE

Upon first hearing David Moyes saying those now immortal words "This is the People's Club," I thought, ‘you'll do for me Ginge.’

Some two and a half years on I still wonder what was that he really meant. Was there some deep hidden meaning in what he had said? Did he see things as I did? Was he preparing himself and us for a football political battleground? Or is he just another dilettante. Or was the fact he wanted acceptance immediately. Like I said, you'll do for me Ginge.

For my part any notion of "a" or "the" Peoples Club implies; of the people, by the people, for the people. This in turn gives cognisance to the notion of people power. And as in this context "people" are the "supporters" of the club it therefore follows that people power is supporter power. This is then just basic logic a=b, b=c therefore c=a.

Events throughout the summer, all well documented and still there for your perusal can be found on the Toffeeweb or Toffeeblog, highlighted the fact that supporters of EFC have no collective power whatsoever. The only individual power they have, which some chose to exercise, was to withhold their monies from renewing their season tickets and not to attend matches. Yes I know there was one abortive attempt at collective action but once outside there you stay.

It is my belief we have reached the crossroads. The question now is do you the supporters of "The Peoples Club" really want to have collective power and hopefully all that that may bring. The transparency, a removal of the lack of trust, an option to buy into the club via a supporters share scheme and supporter share holder directors. A voice that will be taken into account on the issue of old ground, new ground, shared ground, the pricing of admission. To take a stance and have any payment to agents be made solely by the player and not the club. There are a host of other issues that I am sure you can all add to this list and for me there is nothing mutually inclusive or exclusive everything is open for discussion and debate.

However the overriding factor here is not we the supporters can get out of this for our collective good. Rather it is what we can put into the club for the for its growth, development and the fulfilment to move the greatest club the world has ever seen back to the pinnacle of English football and then onto Europe.

In 1995 the Labour Party published its document Charter for Football three of its key points stated:
(1) Local "core" support being Priced out of the game"; proposed investigation into more equitable pricing policies
(2) Fans views "should be accorded greater weight within the running of the game"
(3) Labour will undertake "to ensure that the views of the fans are listened to in all aspects of the game"

In the year 2000 the government, following on from the 1999 Football Task Force Report on Investing in the Community, established and funded Supporters Direct. This organisation offers funding support and guidance to fans who want to take a more direct involvement in the running of their clubs by setting up community focused mutual organisations. Having a set of principles similar to those of the CO-OP Society these organisations are run as an Industrial Provident Society (IPS).

As of September 2004, 117 football clubs in England, Wales and Scotland have active running Supporters Trusts set up with initial help from Supporters Direct. Whilst most of these are clubs in the lower divisions and who have faced near financial catastrophe the wealthiest of the English clubs Man ure has its own Supporters Trust. Other Premiership clubs include Arsenal, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Middlesbrough, Norwich City, Tottenham Hotspur and West Bromwich Albion.

This is not the only route to take if we want a say in our club. There is the notion of Football Club Councils. To my mind these are just talking shops for paper tigers and should be sent to the dustbin of history or room 101.

My purpose in writing this piece is to:
(a) Stimulate some debate on the democratisation of EFC.
(b) Outline one of the possible routes to achieve democratisation.
(c) Receive some feedback on the subject of democratisation.
(d) Discover if there is a real interest in the democratisation process.

Whatever your thoughts on the subject maybe, please do not lose sight of the omnipotence of what underpins my writing. To paraphrase John F Kennedy "don’t ask what the club can do for you but rather what can you do for the club".

Individuals will come and go but EFC will carry on. The time is now right to move the club and supporters on to its and their rightful place at the top of the football world. This however will only be achieved collectively and in harmony.

Perhaps if you have a printer you could print a few copies of this piece and pass them on to your friends who do not have access to a computer and/or the net.

Many thanks
Colin Wilkes

For those wishing to do some follow up research try the following as a start:
http://www.supporters-direct.org/
Download the handbook in pdf format

http://www.le.ac.uk/fo/
Look for Fact Sheet 7: Fan 'Power' and Democracy in Football

http://www.co-op.co.uk/
Look for The ICA Statement on the Co-operative Identity

colin.wilkes@gmail.com

Jolly Miller talk.

From J. Carson [of Walton], by e-mail:

"With club record signing Emile Heskey's departure from Anfield, I was wondering how many other such signings have left Premiership teams while still bearing that tag?" .

Quite a few, as it turns out. We'll kick off with Leeds United, who forked out a record £4.5m twice - for Tomas Brolin in 1995 and Lee Sharpe in 1996 before shipping them both off (to Palace in 1998 and Bradford in 1999 respectively). It wasn't until 2000 that Rio Ferdinand pitched up carrying a Gucci-made £18m price tag.

Fellow luckless side Spurs can count themselves among that number too, with current record signing Sergei Rebrov and his magic disappearing skills. In June 2000, spending £11m of Alan Sugar's money on the minute Ukrainian seemed like a good idea - but this month his Tottenham contract and Fenerbahce loan deal run out. Neither will be bothering his agent with a
phone call. Dean Holdsworth was Bolton's record £3.5m signing from Wimbledon in October
1997, and still was when he was sent to Coventry on a free transfer six years later, while Nick Barmby's £5.75m move to Everton in 1996 remains the club record, four years after he defected to Liverpool. Stan Collymore's move from Nottingham Forest to Liverpool in 1995 was not just a Liverpool record but a British one, with Roy Evans persuading the Anfield board to part with £8.5m for the stroppy flop. By the time he left for Villa for £7m, several scuffles and two years later, he was still Liverpool's most expensive asset. Just like Sylvain Wiltord, who, despite his recent release, remains Arsenal's most expensive signing at £13m from Bordeaux in 2000. And before you lick your thumb and head for a reference book, Arsenal Holdings plc's statement made it clear Jose Antonio Reyes only cost them £6.9m up front, with the rest of the £10.5m fee to follow after 75 appearances and a further £6m dependant on performance.

-----------------

Sticky post

Another post [an open letter] from the prolific Colin Wilkes

colin.wilkes@gmail.com

I’d be grateful if the webmasters of all Everton Fans’ sites would consider copying and pasting this open letter, to Evertonians, from Colin Wilkes. Feel free to publish it to your pages if you wish. No need to refer to the EvertonBlog if you don’t want to, although a Colin Wilkes ref. [incl. his e-mail address] would, I suggest, be in order. I [and Colin, no doubt] would like as many Evertonians as possible, to read this.

---------------------

THE PEOPLES CLUB - POWER TO THE PEOPLE

Upon first hearing David Moyes saying those now immortal words "This is the People's Club," I thought, ‘you'll do for me Ginge.’

Some two and a half years on I still wonder what was that he really meant. Was there some deep hidden meaning in what he had said? Did he see things as I did? Was he preparing himself and us for a football political battleground? Or is he just another dilettante. Or was the fact he wanted acceptance immediately. Like I said, you'll do for me Ginge.

For my part any notion of "a" or "the" Peoples Club implies; of the people, by the people, for the people. This in turn gives cognisance to the notion of people power. And as in this context "people" are the "supporters" of the club it therefore follows that people power is supporter power. This is then just basic logic a=b, b=c therefore c=a.

Events throughout the summer, all well documented and still there for your perusal can be found on the Toffeeweb or Toffeeblog, highlighted the fact that supporters of EFC have no collective power whatsoever. The only individual power they have, which some chose to exercise, was to withhold their monies from renewing their season tickets and not to attend matches. Yes I know there was one abortive attempt at collective action but once outside there you stay.

It is my belief we have reached the crossroads. The question now is do you the supporters of "The Peoples Club" really want to have collective power and hopefully all that that may bring. The transparency, a removal of the lack of trust, an option to buy into the club via a supporters share scheme and supporter share holder directors. A voice that will be taken into account on the issue of old ground, new ground, shared ground, the pricing of admission. To take a stance and have any payment to agents be made solely by the player and not the club. There are a host of other issues that I am sure you can all add to this list and for me there is nothing mutually inclusive or exclusive everything is open for discussion and debate.

However the overriding factor here is not we the supporters can get out of this for our collective good. Rather it is what we can put into the club for the for its growth, development and the fulfilment to move the greatest club the world has ever seen back to the pinnacle of English football and then onto Europe.

In 1995 the Labour Party published its document Charter for Football three of its key points stated:
(1) Local "core" support being Priced out of the game"; proposed investigation into more equitable pricing policies
(2) Fans views "should be accorded greater weight within the running of the game"
(3) Labour will undertake "to ensure that the views of the fans are listened to in all aspects of the game"

In the year 2000 the government, following on from the 1999 Football Task Force Report on Investing in the Community, established and funded Supporters Direct. This organisation offers funding support and guidance to fans who want to take a more direct involvement in the running of their clubs by setting up community focused mutual organisations. Having a set of principles similar to those of the CO-OP Society these organisations are run as an Industrial Provident Society (IPS).

As of September 2004, 117 football clubs in England, Wales and Scotland have active running Supporters Trusts set up with initial help from Supporters Direct. Whilst most of these are clubs in the lower divisions and who have faced near financial catastrophe the wealthiest of the English clubs Man ure has its own Supporters Trust. Other Premiership clubs include Arsenal, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Middlesbrough, Norwich City, Tottenham Hotspur and West Bromwich Albion.

This is not the only route to take if we want a say in our club. There is the notion of Football Club Councils. To my mind these are just talking shops for paper tigers and should be sent to the dustbin of history or room 101.

My purpose in writing this piece is to:
(a) Stimulate some debate on the democratisation of EFC.
(b) Outline one of the possible routes to achieve democratisation.
(c) Receive some feedback on the subject of democratisation.
(d) Discover if there is a real interest in the democratisation process.

Whatever your thoughts on the subject maybe, please do not lose sight of the omnipotence of what underpins my writing. To paraphrase John F Kennedy "don’t ask what the club can do for you but rather what can you do for the club".

Individuals will come and go but EFC will carry on. The time is now right to move the club and supporters on to its and their rightful place at the top of the football world. This however will only be achieved collectively and in harmony.

Perhaps if you have a printer you could print a few copies of this piece and pass them on to your friends who do not have access to a computer and/or the net.

Many thanks
Colin Wilkes

For those wishing to do some follow up research try the following as a start:
http://www.supporters-direct.org/
Download the handbook in pdf format

http://www.le.ac.uk/fo/
Look for Fact Sheet 7: Fan 'Power' and Democracy in Football

http://www.co-op.co.uk/
Look for The ICA Statement on the Co-operative Identity

colin.wilkes@gmail.com

Yer Blues.

'Yer Blues'
Titles are included with apologies to Lennon and McCartney.

'Hello Goodbye.'

Gary Naysmith is in a strange situation at the moment. He appears to have let it be known that he wants to move away, but it is contemporaneously being denied.

'Nowhere Man' / 'Help'

Michael Ball is hardly any better off than Nace. He is rumoured to want to return to England, with his injury record perhaps being a stumbling block for Moyes. We're talking about the situation with Rangers, apparently.

'I'll Follow the Sun' / 'Tomorrow Never Knows'

The in-form Gravesen is determined to grab some €uro action next year, whether that will be in the literal sense and/or in the colours of Hamburg or in Royal Blue, is currently known only to Henry J Fate.

'I Don't Want to See You Again' / 'I'll Be on My Way'

Andy Hosie, [Everton's Marketing Manager] left the club today.

'I Should Have Known Better'

Redknapp is seeking a personal hearing after being charged with violent conduct.

The People's Club - Power to the People [by Colin Wilkes]

Another post [an open letter] from the prolific Colin Wilkes

colin.wilkes@gmail.com

I’d be grateful if the webmasters of all Everton Fans’ sites would consider copying and pasting this open letter, to Evertonians, from Colin Wilkes. Feel free to publish it to your pages if you wish. No need to refer to the EvertonBlog if you don’t want to, although a Colin Wilkes ref. [incl. his e-mail address] would, I suggest, be in order. I [and Colin, no doubt] would like as many Evertonians as possible, to read this.

---------------------

THE PEOPLES CLUB - POWER TO THE PEOPLE

Upon first hearing David Moyes saying those now immortal words "This is the People's Club," I thought, ‘you'll do for me Ginge.’

Some two and a half years on I still wonder what was that he really meant. Was there some deep hidden meaning in what he had said? Did he see things as I did? Was he preparing himself and us for a football political battleground? Or is he just another dilettante. Or was the fact he wanted acceptance immediately. Like I said, you'll do for me Ginge.

For my part any notion of "a" or "the" Peoples Club implies; of the people, by the people, for the people. This in turn gives cognisance to the notion of people power. And as in this context "people" are the "supporters" of the club it therefore follows that people power is supporter power. This is then just basic logic a=b, b=c therefore c=a.

Events throughout the summer, all well documented and still there for your perusal can be found on the Toffeeweb or Toffeeblog, highlighted the fact that supporters of EFC have no collective power whatsoever. The only individual power they have, which some chose to exercise, was to withhold their monies from renewing their season tickets and not to attend matches. Yes I know there was one abortive attempt at collective action but once outside there you stay.

It is my belief we have reached the crossroads. The question now is do you the supporters of "The Peoples Club" really want to have collective power and hopefully all that that may bring. The transparency, a removal of the lack of trust, an option to buy into the club via a supporters share scheme and supporter share holder directors. A voice that will be taken into account on the issue of old ground, new ground, shared ground, the pricing of admission. To take a stance and have any payment to agents be made solely by the player and not the club. There are a host of other issues that I am sure you can all add to this list and for me there is nothing mutually inclusive or exclusive everything is open for discussion and debate.

However the overriding factor here is not we the supporters can get out of this for our collective good. Rather it is what we can put into the club for the for its growth, development and the fulfilment to move the greatest club the world has ever seen back to the pinnacle of English football and then onto Europe.

In 1995 the Labour Party published its document Charter for Football three of its key points stated:
(1) Local "core" support being Priced out of the game"; proposed investigation into more equitable pricing policies
(2) Fans views "should be accorded greater weight within the running of the game"
(3) Labour will undertake "to ensure that the views of the fans are listened to in all aspects of the game"

In the year 2000 the government, following on from the 1999 Football Task Force Report on Investing in the Community, established and funded Supporters Direct. This organisation offers funding support and guidance to fans who want to take a more direct involvement in the running of their clubs by setting up community focused mutual organisations. Having a set of principles similar to those of the CO-OP Society these organisations are run as an Industrial Provident Society (IPS).

As of September 2004, 117 football clubs in England, Wales and Scotland have active running Supporters Trusts set up with initial help from Supporters Direct. Whilst most of these are clubs in the lower divisions and who have faced near financial catastrophe the wealthiest of the English clubs Man ure has its own Supporters Trust. Other Premiership clubs include Arsenal, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Middlesbrough, Norwich City, Tottenham Hotspur and West Bromwich Albion.

This is not the only route to take if we want a say in our club. There is the notion of Football Club Councils. To my mind these are just talking shops for paper tigers and should be sent to the dustbin of history or room 101.

My purpose in writing this piece is to:
(a) Stimulate some debate on the democratisation of EFC.
(b) Outline one of the possible routes to achieve democratisation.
(c) Receive some feedback on the subject of democratisation.
(d) Discover if there is a real interest in the democratisation process.

Whatever your thoughts on the subject maybe, please do not lose sight of the omnipotence of what underpins my writing. To paraphrase John F Kennedy "don’t ask what the club can do for you but rather what can you do for the club".

Individuals will come and go but EFC will carry on. The time is now right to move the club and supporters on to its and their rightful place at the top of the football world. This however will only be achieved collectively and in harmony.

Perhaps if you have a printer you could print a few copies of this piece and pass them on to your friends who do not have access to a computer and/or the net.

Many thanks
Colin Wilkes

For those wishing to do some follow up research try the following as a start:
http://www.supporters-direct.org/
Download the handbook in pdf format

http://www.le.ac.uk/fo/
Look for Fact Sheet 7: Fan 'Power' and Democracy in Football

http://www.co-op.co.uk/
Look for The ICA Statement on the Co-operative Identity

colin.wilkes@gmail.com

I do like Chang beer.

Enough to drive a fella to drink.

The pre-match beer was two horrible Guinness. Uncharacteristic for the Spellow, they were straight out of the new barrel, with only ~2/3 of the first pint from the new barrel being poured away by the barmaid [ugh]. Best practice is to pour the first seven pints away from a new barrel, isn't it? Anyway, next came the Chang in the Lower Gwladys, nectar compared with the earlier, p/ss poor, black stuff.

1:0 ... again, naturally [isn't there supposed to be an average of '2.5 goals' per Premiership match?]

A hard-working and energetic Southampton frustrated our best endeavours for most of the match, quickly closing us down at virtually every opportunity, until Osman spun ever so slightly and plonked it into the corner, giving us the deserved 3 points.

Only 1 point behind Chelsea. Is £200m+ really the cost of an extra point by mid-October?

If we keep going at this rate and Moyes gets the promised cash in January, there is a serious possibility of pipping at least one of the red shytes to a 'CL' spot.

Some match reviews:

Here, here, here and here.

The latest table.

The result of the pre-match poll was:
Everton win 69%
0:0 4% [nearly!]
Score draw 0%
Southampton win 27%

Rangers

Rangers are trying to re-negotiate the terms of the Ball deal. No harm in asking, but really, can you see any point whatsoever, in Everton literally throwing cash away like that? The only way that I can see Rangers getting any satisfaction out of it, is if they sell him back to us and that would, of course, be entirely dependent upon Moyes. I'd like to see him return though.

In the January sales?

A raid on the shyte perhaps?

Make the most of tonight, for the Devil may take tomorrow.

Moyes words of advice to the young and the old of the squad.