The Official Everton thread - Vol 2

The Official Everton thread - Vol 2

Author
Discussion

Fast Bug

11,748 posts

162 months

Thursday 18th February 2021
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stuartmmcfc said:
I thought you certainly had moments .
Don’t forget you managed something that a lot of teams have failed to do, score a goal against u!
I thought we played pretty well. We really missed DCL though as he holds up the ball nicely allowing othe rplayers to find space. Against you we really needed that last night

Ruskie

3,992 posts

201 months

Thursday 18th February 2021
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I was a lower league player with a decent reputation in the early 2000’s thanks to playing some league games at a young age and playing for England youth teams. My contract was running out at the end of the season and my club were looking to cash in as I was not going to sign a new one.

Everton announced they were interested in looking at me in a trial situation. I went over and trained at Bellefield with the first team for a few days. David Moyes was the manager, with Chris Woods as the goalkeeping coach at the time with Paul Gerrard as the No1. Memorable highlights from the week, were saving a penalty from David Unsworth during a practice match and getting a lift to training with Lee Carsley who I was staying in the same hotel as, he had a dark blue Jeep Grand Cherokee for PH relevance!

A request was made for me to be allowed to play in a testimonial match in Scotland against Falkirk. I was beyond excited for the opportunity and I met the team bus at Carlisle, after staying the night in a hotel on my own the day before. I got on the bus and it was a mixture of first team and reserves in the squad with some very well known players involved.

The team was named and I was starting, the two Goalkeeper kits were laid out and before I could get to my seat Paul Gerrard had sat next to the number one kit. Despite him not starting he had pettily taken the number 1 jersey. A player with hundreds of premier league appearances was now making a point to me and attempting to put me off before the match, very weird and insecure behaviour given my age and where I had cold from.

As I put the shirt on my stomach literally flipped. The only thing that came close was playing for England. What a feeling that was. I didn’t care it was a meaningless friendly. It was special to me. The game went well from my point of view, good distribution, couple of saves and a clean sheet on a 3-0 win. Next stop was Glasgow for a night out. I remember a very surreal moment in the first bar where Kevin Campbell dressed in a suit, had a bottle of champagne to himself. As the night went on the team drifted apart and ended up in a night club with the younger reserve team lads.

Nothing ever came of the trial, my team wanted too much money and Everton weren’t prepared to sign me. Nevertheless as a lifelong blue, I can always say I played for Everton, even if it was just for 90 minutes.

TTmonkey

Original Poster:

20,911 posts

248 months

Thursday 18th February 2021
quotequote all
Ruskie said:
I was a lower league player with a decent reputation in the early 2000’s thanks to playing some league games at a young age and playing for England youth teams. My contract was running out at the end of the season and my club were looking to cash in as I was not going to sign a new one.

Everton announced they were interested in looking at me in a trial situation. I went over and trained at Bellefield with the first team for a few days. David Moyes was the manager, with Chris Woods as the goalkeeping coach at the time with Paul Gerrard as the No1. Memorable highlights from the week, were saving a penalty from David Unsworth during a practice match and getting a lift to training with Lee Carsley who I was staying in the same hotel as, he had a dark blue Jeep Grand Cherokee for PH relevance!

A request was made for me to be allowed to play in a testimonial match in Scotland against Falkirk. I was beyond excited for the opportunity and I met the team bus at Carlisle, after staying the night in a hotel on my own the day before. I got on the bus and it was a mixture of first team and reserves in the squad with some very well known players involved.

The team was named and I was starting, the two Goalkeeper kits were laid out and before I could get to my seat Paul Gerrard had sat next to the number one kit. Despite him not starting he had pettily taken the number 1 jersey. A player with hundreds of premier league appearances was now making a point to me and attempting to put me off before the match, very weird and insecure behaviour given my age and where I had cold from.

As I put the shirt on my stomach literally flipped. The only thing that came close was playing for England. What a feeling that was. I didn’t care it was a meaningless friendly. It was special to me. The game went well from my point of view, good distribution, couple of saves and a clean sheet on a 3-0 win. Next stop was Glasgow for a night out. I remember a very surreal moment in the first bar where Kevin Campbell dressed in a suit, had a bottle of champagne to himself. As the night went on the team drifted apart and ended up in a night club with the younger reserve team lads.

Nothing ever came of the trial, my team wanted too much money and Everton weren’t prepared to sign me. Nevertheless as a lifelong blue, I can always say I played for Everton, even if it was just for 90 minutes.
Good for you mate. Nice story.

hilly10

7,166 posts

229 months

Thursday 18th February 2021
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Great story, a story every Everton fan on here would have loved to have lived out

alfa phil

2,106 posts

208 months

Thursday 18th February 2021
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Yes great experience for you ,

Fast Bug

11,748 posts

162 months

Thursday 18th February 2021
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Closest I ever got was pulling on my NEC sponsored shirt for my 6th birthday laugh

Blue62

8,926 posts

153 months

Friday 19th February 2021
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Good lad Ruskie, Gerrard sounds like a cock!

Your view of Pickford carries a bit more weight having read your post, would you prefer Olsen tomorrow?

CaptainSlow

13,179 posts

213 months

Friday 19th February 2021
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If you were out of contract at the end of the season why didn't you wait and sign on a free transfer?

Ruskie

3,992 posts

201 months

Friday 19th February 2021
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Blue62 said:
Good lad Ruskie, Gerrard sounds like a cock!

Your view of Pickford carries a bit more weight having read your post, would you prefer Olsen tomorrow?
I am not convinced he is the answer to be honest. I would stick with Pickford in the hope he rediscovers a run of form.

Ruskie

3,992 posts

201 months

Friday 19th February 2021
quotequote all
CaptainSlow said:
If you were out of contract at the end of the season why didn't you wait and sign on a free transfer?
I was under 24, so I was affected by the Bosman ruling.

CaptainSlow

13,179 posts

213 months

Friday 19th February 2021
quotequote all
Ruskie said:
CaptainSlow said:
If you were out of contract at the end of the season why didn't you wait and sign on a free transfer?
I was under 24, so I was affected by the Bosman ruling.
Of course, so what happened next?

Fast Bug

11,748 posts

162 months

Saturday 20th February 2021
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Both DCL and Allan fit for todays game. No Mina though sadly

Fast Bug

11,748 posts

162 months

Saturday 20th February 2021
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Both are on the bench, going to be a tough game!

TTmonkey

Original Poster:

20,911 posts

248 months

Saturday 20th February 2021
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We haven’t won this for a generation. Can’t see it changing today. Liverpool always raise their game, even when they have a run of bad form when we play. We always seem to have a problem and we rarely seem to raise it.

I’ve no idea what Everton team will turn up, I hope it’s not the one that prefers to pass backwards when there’s a decent chance of getting the ball forward. Infuriating tactic.

hilly10

7,166 posts

229 months

Saturday 20th February 2021
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Well we are winning 0-1 can’t bear to watch so do not know how we are playing or if we deserve to be in front. If we are still in front in the second half I await the inevitable onslaught.

Drabbesttunic

1,275 posts

41 months

Saturday 20th February 2021
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TTmonkey said:
We haven’t won this for a generation. Can’t see it changing today. Liverpool always raise their game, even when they have a run of bad form when we play. We always seem to have a problem and we rarely seem to raise it.

I’ve no idea what Everton team will turn up, I hope it’s not the one that prefers to pass backwards when there’s a decent chance of getting the ball forward. Infuriating tactic.
Its yours for the taking today.

Fast Bug

11,748 posts

162 months

Saturday 20th February 2021
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That was a great save from Alisson earlier

TTmonkey

Original Poster:

20,911 posts

248 months

Saturday 20th February 2021
quotequote all
Fast Bug said:
That was a great save from Alisson earlier
The one where Coleman could have put it anywhere else and scored?

I think the save by Pickford from Henderson was a stunner.

hilly10

7,166 posts

229 months

Saturday 20th February 2021
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Dare we believe

Fast Bug

11,748 posts

162 months

Saturday 20th February 2021
quotequote all
TTmonkey said:
Fast Bug said:
That was a great save from Alisson earlier
The one where Coleman could have put it anywhere else and scored?

I think the save by Pickford from Henderson was a stunner.
Yup, not talking about Pickford at the moment as there’s another 45 minutes to play...