Past, Present and Future

Everton!

Look at a picture from your younger years. You don’t have to share the photo with us, but try to describe it in as much detail as possible. What led up to the photo being taken and what happened after?

A fresh faced twenty-four-year old with a big smile on my face. Not a drunken smile, a natural smile. Proud and happy. All my hair (there’s a lot of it) is still dark brown, years away from the grey bonnet that it is now. I’m wearing a blue and white t shirt, horizontal stripes, it would probably be described as an old-fashioned sailor’s shirt. The colors of my football team, Everton. In an hours’ time I will go and watch them play our local rivals Liverpool.

Cradled in the crook of my left arm is my young son, Paul. He is six weeks old, eyes closed. Also dressed in blue and white. He has a white cardigan with small blue bobbles on the sleeves. (I’m guessing that my mum knitted it.) Pure white bootees and a blue and white bobble hat. The outfit is finished off with a blue and white bib saying, “I Support Everton”.

In the crook of my right arm lays my little girl Clare. Seven minutes younger than her big brother she is dressed identically. She has her eyes open trying to work out what all the fuss is about.

The photo was taken for prosperity, in the future the three of us will look at the photo and say, “That was our first Derby Day experience together.”

I feel as though I should explain that a “Derby Match” in England is when two local rivals play against each other.

Unfortunately, the game for Everton supporters was an absolute disaster! We went down to a humiliating 0-5 defeat. It was horrible!
I suppose the small crumb of comfort that I can take from the day is that that day will always be remembered by me. Mostly for a lot of wrong reasons. But it doesn’t take away the look of hopeful expectation on my face in that happy photo.

There have been a few times over the years when Paul has blamed me for brain washing him into being an Evertonian for the rest of his life. Hey, it’s a tradition, all dads do the same. In fact, he is brainwashing his own small son now.

Everton!