Everton dream team

A nice article in the Independent listing Everton's all time dream team

Everton dream team Not sure about the 3-5-2 but it's fairly impressive.

Southall

Ratcliffe
Labone
T.G Jones

Sheedy
Ball
Kendall
Reid
McKenzie

Dean
Young

Hillsborough : 96 footy fans...You'll Never Walk Alone

Frequent readers of this blog will know that I am not particularly fond of our red cousins. However rivalry is rivalry but blood is thicker than water. When it comes to things like Hillsborough and The Sun boycott then Stanley Park is barely as wide as a blade of grass. I took my scarf down to Anfield on Sunday and tied it to their gates, it was quite a strange goosepimple moment but I'm very glad I did.

96 fans who's only crime was loving their team and wanting to see them play, they never came home but they'll never walk alone.

New Everton song

There are often attempts at releasing footy songs, most of them are pretty toe-curling.

This one is miles above all that and is pretty goon once they get into their stride and lose the phlegm-laden overly Scouse accents

The St Domigo Song



Now Saint Domingo was our name
The founders of the greatest game
When we had our pitch on Stanley Park
In season eighteen ninety one the Toffees history had begun
We beat them all and the football league was won

Lets look at ninety twenty five
We signed the greatest man alive
Dixie Dean he came from Birkenhead
A god like man it has been said, with sixty goals he knocked them dead
You think that's good ? well most were from his head


and they gave us Dixie, Lawton, Alex Young and Kay
They gave us Harvey, Howie Kendall, Alan Ball, Sharpy and Gray
and now most of the football greats have passed through Goodison's gates
to play football the School of Science way

In sixty six in London town the Toffeemen were two nil down
and Harry Catterick had to earn his dough
so Gabby Westie and Labone they fought and brought the cup back home
with Temple one and two from Trebilcock
and they gave us Dixie, Lawton, Alex Young and Kay
They gave us Harvey, Howie Kendall, Alan Ball, Sharpy and Gray
and now most of the football greats have passed through Goodison's gates
to play football the School of Science way

The eighties side by far the best we won the lot forget the rest
with Tricky Trevor, Brace and Reidy too
we had Psycho Pat, Sharp, Heath and Gray
Big Neville's ma's put the spam away
in Rotterdam a sea of white and blue

and they gave us Dixie, Lawton, Alex Young and Kay
They gave us Harvey, Howie Kendall, Alan Ball, Sharpy and Gray
and now most of the football greats have passed through Goodison's gates
to play football the School of Science way

In ninety five we come of age the dogs of war took centre stage
Waggy lifts the cup up with the boys
Big Duncs no fear he'll never run
so step aside or you'll get done
The People's clubs on the march with Davey Moyes

and they gave us Dixie, Lawton, Alex Young and Kay
They gave us Harvey, Howie Kendall, Alan Ball, Sharpy and Gray
and now most of the football greats have passed through Goodison's gates
to play football the School of Science way

copyright 2009 : 1878 The Originals

Russell Brand: The thrill of how the Premier League mighty are falling | Sport | guardian.co.uk

Russell Brand: The thrill of how the Premier League mighty are falling | Sport | guardian.co.uk

Like this article by Russel Brand about being a footy fan.

When in my life am I ever so consumed with passion, I reflected? Will I ever live a moment with such committal and unquestioning verve? When at Upton Park the Hammers score as they dutifully did, twice, on Saturday briefly I am lifted but my goal celebrations as a fan are succinct. Typically I rise from my seat during the build-up play, the momentum lifts us all in unison and then as the line is breached I'll maybe punch the air, one fist, or two if the goal really demands it, then self consciousness is again upon me.

Often I notice that fans around me are still jigging about but I have been returned, deposited once more in the ordinary. Like in orgasm, the release, the presence of divinity is fleeting and all too soon all that remains is the mind and its undying question – "is this it? Is this it?" Well, yes, I'm afraid it is. In life there is no second leg.

Clare Balding apologises for insulting Grand National jockey's teeth

Quite right too, that was a proper *cringe* moment.

BBC presenter Clare Balding has apologised to Grand National winning jockey Liam Treadwell after making fun of his teeth while on air.

In a post-race interview, Balding urged the 23-year-old to show his teeth and told him he could afford to "get them done" with his prize money.

A BBC spokeswoman said the presenter "had no intention whatsoever" of upsetting or embarrassing the jockey.

The BBC received 1,477 complaints from viewers over the remarks.

Treadwell won Saturday's race on 100-1 outsider Mon Mome. In the interview, Balding said to Treadwell: "Give us a big grin to the camera."

When he smiled, keeping his lips closed, she added: "No, no, let's see your teeth. He hasn't got the best teeth in the world, but you can afford to go and get them done now if you like."

Treadwell replied: "Well I could do, but I ain't complaining. It might be bringing on bad luck if I do that, though."

Evertonians, Win semi final tickets

Just seens this on Twitter so I thought I'd flag it up in order to help non-season ticket holders get their hands on semi final tickets

Win Man Utd V Everton Wembley semi final tickets

Best of luck blues.

Tim Cahill is ACE

Brilliant interview with Tim Cahill love the way he answers the liverpool question. No disrespect but letting everyone know that he gets what it's like to be a good blue. I think we'll heard that quote a fair bit.

DR: Can you explain why you've become such a cult hero at Everton?
TC: Every time I score, the passion comes out and I try to relay that back to the fans and to the players and the staff at how grateful I am to be playing for such a good football club. I am part of the furniture at Everton but I don't take it for granted.
DR: It could be argued that you embody Everton, in that you punch above your weight. Is that fair or is that a slight on both your character and that of Everton?
TC: It doesn't matter. I take compliments and I take constructive criticism. Not everyone loves you. It's the way you react as a footballer. I use it all to make me play better.
DR: Do you think you might have won more honours and recognition if you'd gone to a bigger club?
TC: Is the grass always greener? Is it the right situation for you and your family and you as a player? I feel that I am achieving a lot at Everton. It's unfortunate that I haven't won them big awards. But who knows? Maybe one day. But beating Liverpool is like winning an FA Cup. Once you've played for Everton and know what it is to be a Blue, then you know what it means to beat Liverpool.
DR: You've had good battles in the Merseyside derbies. Those games seem to really matter to you.
TC: Definitely. I hold the record with Dixie Dean for being the only Everton player to score three derby goals at Anfield. I still hope to better it. Things like that, the fans never forget. [Ex-Liverpool striker] Ian Rush said that games like that make you a legend and to me that means a lot more than going to a club and being part of a trophy but not really recognised.
DR: Would you ever consider a move to Liverpool if they came in for you?
TC: Never. Never, never. No money in this world could convince me to play for Liverpool. That's not a lack of respect for Liverpool supporters or the football club. It's respect for the Everton supporters. You just can't do that. It goes against everything that I stand for. No chance.
DR: Arsene Wenger is a big fan of yours. What about going to somewhere like Arsenal?
TC: It's a different story when it comes to things like that. Opportunities arise and you either turn them down or you take them. The best thing for me now is I'm at a club that really likes me.
DR: What's the story behind your trademark celebration of boxing the corner flag when you score?
TC: It's from [fellow Socceroo] Archie Thompson. Archie did a kung-fu celebration and I said: "That's quality, I love your celebration." And he said: "Do it. Take it to the Premiership." So I adapted it and it's stuck now. Archie's trying to buy it back off me but he can't have it.
DR: You like to dedicate goals. You dedicated your FA Cup goal against Aston Villa to the people affected by the bushfires in Victoria.
TC: People mourn in different ways. I just felt I had to put that [black] armband on and go on that pitch carrying Australia on my arm. And then when I scored, [Everton captain] Phil Neville is pointing to my arm and the lads are cuddling me and it felt so magical; it felt like the weight had been lifted off my shoulders just for those few seconds.

Obama's gift faux pas

I didn't read this at the time but it did raise a smile. There are few things worse than giving someone a gift only to find out the person returns a much, much better present in return.

Apparently Gordon Brown present President Obama with a pretty splendid & historic gift :

Mr Brown's gifts included an ornamental desk pen holder made from the oak timbers of Victorian anti-slaver HMS Gannet, once named HMS President.

Mr Obama was so delighted he has already put it in pride of place in the Oval Office on the Resolute Desk which was carved from timbers of Gannet's sister ship, HMS Resolute. Another treasure given to the US President was the framed commission for HMS Resolute, a vessel that came to symbolise Anglo-US peace when it was saved from ice packs by Americans and given to Queen Victoria.

Barak Obama dvd boxset for Gorden Brown

To return the gift with something that could have been picked up in ASDA probably caused a few red faces in The Whitehouse.

South Korea Vs North Korea

The two Koreas are due to meet in the world cup qualifier, makes for an interesting fixture given the current political tensions.

Liked these bits in particular :

The two teams have played each other a number of times over the past year during the qualification stages for the next World Cup.

But North Korea's home matches have had to be played on neutral ground in Shanghai, because the North refused to allow the playing of the South's national anthem or the waving of its flags.

and

North Korea's travel restrictions on its own people make it impossible for fans to attend, even if they could afford it.

During past games, a group of South Korean volunteer supporters has been assembled to provide cheering for the visiting team from across the border.

Congratulations to Tim Cahill

Australia are the first side to qualify for the World Cup!

Offthepost : Australia Qualify

The Socceroos have become the first side to qualify for next year’s World Cup in South Africa after a 2-0 win over Uzbekistan. A goal from Josh Kennedy (no relation to Dr Karl) and a Harry Kewell penalty gave Australia the victory they needed to secure qualification with three games to spare.

The result will be a disappointment to Uzbekistan who were quite up for the game, you might remember!

We're going to Wembley! COYB!!!!!

Got my Wembley ticket this morning at 8:05am...had been in the queue since about 5:30am. Absolutely chuffed.

Am in Block 549 which is in the Upper Tier, am quite for back but who cares, there's not a bad seat in the place...Using the miracle that is the internet I've located a picture that's taken from row 5 of that block.




New Wembley Stadium, Block 549
With many thanks to Flickr user 'unruly chaffinch'

Here's my Twitter updates from the whole endevour

Tell me Ma, me Ma to put the champagne on ice. We're (hopefully) going to Wembley twice #everton
about 8:30am

Two Wembley tickets sorted. Sound as a proverbial pound. CoyB! #everton
about 8:00m

Queue growing rapidly. Don't think this club would know what hit them if we were ever actually successful. Steward's just brought me a tea...
about 6:30am

Ooh twenty in the queue now. I'm sure this makes for dull reading but it's keeping me awake. #everton
about 6:00am

At Goodison Park. Ten blues in the queue already. Birds singing. Could be worse. #everton
about 5:30am

I must be mad. #everton
about 4:55am

It has to be said that Everton have done really well on this whole thing, really fair allocation policy, loads of stewards keeping you informed (6am starts for them too), orderly queuing system and efficient service once you get there. Top marks to all the staff at Everton FC, they really looked after the fans on this one.

The Everton family

Now ordinarily I'd never bother with women's football but this surely is worth comment. Everton Ladies have brought Arsenal Ladies 108 game unbeaten record to a halt with a 3-0 win.

Everton Ladies brought Arsenal's 108-game unbeaten run to an end in sensational fashion on Sunday.

Arsenal's winning sequence, the longest unbeaten streak in the history of the Women's Premier League, was halted thanks to a shock 3-0 victory for the Blues.

The Gunners, champions for the last five seasons, had not lost in the league since October 2003. The victory leaves Everton six points behind leaders Arsenal with three games in hand.

That really is superb because Arsenal are basically untouchable. It gives Everton a realistic chance of taking the league title. On the flipside Everton Tigers have lost out to Newcastle meaning they basically have no chance of winning the league now.

Good times for the Everton family.

We also have people queuing up from 3am to get their hands on their Wembley ticket (even though the are guaranteed a ticket anyway. I have to wait 'til Wednesday, nice little 5am start for me there and then everything is sorted.

Couple pay 1 penny a month for mortgage

amidst all the doom and gloom, investment woes, personal loan repayment hell, unemployment figures and ads for debt consolidation I noticed this :

Couple pay 1 penny a month for mortgage. That really is impressive, apparently they are on an interest only tracker mortgage which is pegged on 1% below the base rate. It's gone down from £1500.

Their mortgage with Cheltenham & Gloucester tied their payments to 1.01 per cent below the base rate, which then stood at 5.5 per cent.

Since then it has fallen to 0.5 per cent, cutting their monthly bill from around £1,500 to zero.

But the couple from Hampton, south west London are being charged 1p because their building society's computers cannot deal with payments of nothing.

I mean I know they aren't actually paying off any of the equity but it's still an interesting sign of the times.

Stuey's song of the day The Longpigs - On and On

The Longpigs - On and On from the album The Sun is often out



Absolute fantastic album.

Stuey's place of the day : The Inca Trail

Not a great weekend of sport (although England played well enough), I suspected a result like that was due after a few weeks were the signs were there that was are on the ragged edge. Two defeats in 19 though...absolutely staggering considering our injury record.

Anyway here is my place of the day :


The Inca Trail, The Andes, Peru

It's the pass AFTER Dead Woman's Pass on The Inca Trail. You do a really sharp climb up from the second camp site and there is it, it is literally like being on the top of the world, all those mountains and clouds stretching off into the distance. If you look carefully there is some snow capped mountains pointing out of the cloud in the far, far distance. Stunning. God knows how many miles they must have been from where I was standing. Truly amazing if knackering hike.

This is what a football ground looks like

Everton's Goodison Park has appeared on Google StreetView

Goodison Park. Great stuff, lots of exploring to do there, pity they didn't put all the Beatles stuff in South Liverpool such as Strawberry Fields, Forthlin Road, Menlove Avenue in there too although Penny Lane does feature.

I also noticed some cheeky Streetview advertising by Qantas, wrote a story about for work.

Yay, The East Terrace returns...again

I do love The East Terrace, infrequent dispensers of top notch rugby satire...they are back with a properly sarcastic article about Martin Johnson.

The former England skipper, surrounded by senior management and several top players, spoke eloquently and sensitively as he revealed his dream to see England re-establish themselves at the very pinnacle of the world game - a position they have not occupied since 2003 when Johnson himself lifted the Webb Ellis trophy in Australia.

"We have suffered through the winter of our discontent," said a fired up Johnson, clearly holding back tears as he spoke. "I now see hope and promise waiting on the horizon. I will go root away the noisome weeds which without profit suck the soil's fertility from wholesome flowers."

On several occasions during the news conference Johnson was so overcome by the passion of his vision he frequently slipped into classical Latin without even realising.

Finally, Everton semi final ticket news! COYB!!!!!!

Everton have released ticket news for the semi final. Looks like a long wait for my ticket but I have got one....doubtless it will be up in the rafters but let's not complain about that now. The fact is that the loyalest fans will get the best seat. I only go to home games so can't moan. I could get on on the Friday but Anne has missed some cup games so I'll have to wait 'til Wednesday to allow us to stick together. Anyway here's the details in full from the Everton ticket news page

Tickets for next month's FA Cup semi-final with Manchester United at Wembley Stadium will go on sale on Monday, March 23, 2009 at 8am.

Blues officials have now agreed on how to allocate the 31,825 tickets made available by the Football Association and can confirm that all areas of the Everton fanbase will receive an allocation.

Priority will be given to the most loyal fans and that means every Season Ticket holder and Executive member will be given the opportunity to purchase a ticket for the Blues' first FA Cup semi-final appearance in 14 years.

Tickets are priced at:
• £24.50
• £34.30
• £44.00
• £53.80

The FA offers a £10 reduction for supporters under 16 and over 65 years of age (please note that with any concessionary ticket purchased proof of age will be required on entry into the stadium).

The stadium layout and pricing grid can be viewed by clicking here.

Club officials have agreed to release the ticket allocation based on match attendance history and first opportunity to buy the semi-final tickets, next Monday, will go to any Season Ticket holder who has attended 13 or more Home or Away Cup and Away Premier League games in the current season.

Tickets will also be on sale from next Monday to any Executive member who does not wish to buy an Executive package*.

Thereafter remaining tickets will be available to Season Ticket holders and Executive members as follows:-

Date Ticket Eligibility
Monday 23/03/2009 Season Ticket holders with 13+ and AutoCup and Executive members
Tuesday 24/03/2009 Season Ticket holders with 8+ and Executive members
Wednesday 25/03/2009 Season Ticket holders with 6+ and Executive members
Thursday 26/03/2009 Season Ticket holders with 5+ and Executive members
Friday 27/03/2009 Season Ticket holders with 4+ and Executive members
Saturday 28/03/2009 Season Ticket holders with 4+ and Executive members
Monday 30/03/2009 Season Ticket holders with 3+ and Executive members
Tuesday 31/03/2009 Season Ticket holders with 3+ and Executive members
Wednesday 01/04/2009 Season Ticket holders with 2+ and Executive members
Thursday 02/04/2009 Season Ticket holders with 2+ and Executive members
Friday 03/04/2009 Season Ticket holders with 1+ and Executive members
Saturday 04/04/2009 Season Ticket holders with 1+ and Executive members
Sunday 05/04/2009 Season Ticket holders and Executive members

Officials expect a small number of semi-final tickets to be available after the allocation to Season Ticket holders and Executive members. These Wembley tickets will go on sale to supporters with a purchase history for home games from any of this season's fixtures. Details of priorities and dates will be published no later than Monday, April 6.

SUPPORTERS ARE REQUESTED NOT TO CONTACT THE CLUB UNTIL YOUR ALLOCATED PRIORITY PERIOD, AS TICKETS WILL ONLY BE PROCESSED TO THESE GROUPS AT THE TIMES SPECIFIED.

Shareholders

Any Shareholder requiring a ticket should apply to Lee Newman at the Fan Centre. Shareholders who hold a season ticket or Executive membership can purchase a ticket during the sales priority period outlined above or alternatively apply to Lee. Shareholders should note that they will only be entitled to one ticket whether purchased as a Season Ticket holder, Executive member or Shareholder.

Supporters' Clubs

Supporters' Clubs Secretaries should submit their applications by Friday March, 20, 2009. Applications received after this time can not be accepted. Season Ticket holders who normally purchase their home cup and away match tickets via their supporters' clubs should submit their request with the Supporters club applications, giving name and customer number, and the staff at the Fan Centre will endeavour to allocate tickets together.

* Executive packages

Details of Executive packages for the FA Cup semi-final will be announced later this week, and any Executive members or Season Ticket holder wishing to purchase a package should contact the corporate sales team on 0151 530 5300 or email corporatesales@evertonfc.com

Postal information

Please note, all tickets posted will be sent via Royal Mail's Special Delivery service and will therefore be subject to a postal fee of £4.95. Any supporters wishing to collect their ticket from Goodison must bring the payment card used to purchase this order and proof of identification before any tickets will be released.

Tickets can be purchased by visiting the Park End Box Office during normal opening hours or by calling 0871 663 1878**

**Booking fees apply

Essentially it all boils down to : Tell me Ma, me Ma, I don't want no tea, no tea...we're goin' to Wem-ber-lee. Tell me Ma, me Ma.

tick tick tick ticket news

Well Everton did well to edge past Stoke at the weekend, we were cruising in the first half and Stoke look awful but Everton being Everton still managed to contrive to give us a nervous afternoon. Stoke scored early in the second half after Cahill has gone off with the strain.

That left the new braided Fellaini attempting to do the disrupting in midfield and he just isn't that sort of player. As a consequence we were living on our nerves until the 90th minute when The Player Formerly Known as The Divine Afro made the game safe.

So now we are just waiting for semi-final ticket news...how hard can it be, we have the same number of tickets as Utd and less season ticket holders but they've finalised their arrangements whilst we are still in the dark. They don't need to actually sell them, just tell us where we stand. Surely season ticket holders should get one. Hope so.

Stuey's place of the day

New feature seeing as YouTube is busy toaking down all the music of it's site :

Stuey's place of the day : Sanjūsangen-dō, Kyoto, Japan

Absolutely amazing temple, you just walk into this dizzying, seemingly endless room full of golden statues. One of the most amazing things I've ever seen.