Today's younger supporters

[DualityNSNO]

Part and parcel of being a football supporter
There's worse teams than us remember
Thick and thin

Arsed about any of them though, honestly.

Is it worth the pisstake, anger and disappointment on a yearly basis from pretty much anyone, just because Leeds/Blackburn/Villa or something aren't in the Prem anymore? No.

I've come to terms with the fact we'll win something when I'm close to my dying days probably, at this rate, after seeing the same record stuck on repeat for 15-16 years now.

 

[ToffeeTim]

I hate the lot of them so so much right now but it's never gonna be anyone else

 

[Connor]

Born 96. Never seen a carrot from them. Not expecting to ever see anything from them.

 

[Walken]

It's the dinosaurs in the park end that are the issue

 

[Blackwell Livermore]

I'm not young but the only thing I've seen us win was the FA cup in 95 on live telecast tv. Recorded it and wore out the VHS tape soon after.

 

[Furey1878]

Tar Grouch

 

[Joey66]

Our young fans.

I take my hat off to them, I really do.

I was lucky enough to see some of the '80's, I've seen us win things and be boss.

However fans under 30 will have put up with some bad stuff, yet are still blue through and through. They've never seen anything truly great in blue, but follow us still.

Yes it hard @Groucho I am fortunate to have started watching them from 1963 seen the great days and some bad years, but the ethics of our club now reading a lot of history is way back before 1963 the School of Science of total football EFC were known for, and respected for - also it was once a working mans game home and away affordable to all to spend all those funds pre season and to see the style of play of yesterday is pitiful for any young fan - since money came into the club we have or for the time being going backwards - it will change one hopes for the younger fans!

 

[evo1878]

Almost adding insult to injury, the cost of going to the match is ridiculous compared to better times.

This. My brother and I are massive Blues. He’s got two little ones who’ve been going to the match literally since they could walk the length of Goodison road. They love Everton too. We can afford to take them every match if we want to (tho Theres not much change out of £200 for taking 2 adults / 2 kids these days). To put this into perspective these boys are obsessed with playing football indoors and outdoors at every moment. If they’re not physically kicking a football they’re playing a computer game kicking a football.

The sad fact is premier league football has huge PR and hype but it’s lost any soul it may have had. it’s just not good value anymore, and the kids see it. Apart from being fed only news about the premier league, they don’t actually relate to it anymore. How do I get to this observation? Well, in the last 2 seasons we’ve started watching our local non-league side (conference north) whenever the blues were away (In the past the 4 of us went to away games too) and the reality is that my nephews now love going there more than going to Goodison. We still take them occasionally to Goodison but it’s occasional as opposed to every game. We thought they’d be upset at missing going the game but they’re not. I can see they relate to Everton as much as they relate to playing a computer game as inthey know all the stats etc but they can’t relate to any human aspect of the game or club.

What’s different about their mom-league experience? Well obviously the standard of football. They get fed incessant premier league this and that but they don’t relate to the players whereas at the non league club there are no egos and the players are as likely to say hello to them as anyone. The local players are still local heroes. The kids feel special because they love playing football and they dream of being football players. But the non league players show an interest or even say thanks if one of the kids gives them the ball back. Gotta see it from the eyes of a 7 year old. For example he idolised lukaku but the one chance he waited for lukaku to give him an autograph, lukaku sailed last with his entourage and then left his club. To a 7 year old that was incomprehensible and his older brother couldn’t explain it rationally to him either - so he asked us why don’t the players love Everton as much as we do? Ouch!

The Everton players let him down whereas the Stockport County centre forward actually spoke to him - said thank you for him returning a football - and happily posed for a photo at the end of the game too.

From an adult perspective yes the football isn’t premier league standard but actually it’s a very competitive league and reminds me of the kind of pre-sky football I remember watching at Everton - more than half the league split by less than 6 points with no massive wealth at any of them. it’s a level playing field whereas realistically at the very top of the game money dictates that 7th is now about as good as it will ever get for us with the current regime. Spurs broke through the one season that Man U and Chelsea had a meltdown. That made the top 4, a top 6 - it’s unlikely ever to happen again and now due to their extra financial strength one of them is almost always likely to win both cups so it leaves 14 teams competing for 1 European space by default. there’s now so much money in the game that investors like Moshiri don’t need to win anything to make money and that’s the root of mediocrity and why I’m enjoying watching the excitement of my nephews watching a football match - even tho it’s conference north.

 

[JJK]

25 and seen nothing. Blind faith that keeps me renewing that season ticket.

Used to fight tooth & nail to swap shifts in work or book them off if I was due to work whilst we was playing, really could not be bothered now in the slightest if I can’t go. We just plod along same old year in year out and a good season is defined by beating Liverpool in a solitary game. We are crap.

 

[COYBL25]

They fall for us because of good parenting.

Or brainwashing

My two were indoctrinated from birth and they are doing the same to their offspring.

Despite the fact that one of them is married to a card carrying Kopite

Did this to my eldest :

Flag on the ceiling above his cot.

Club bed sheets and pyjamas.

Mini kits.

Even a car seat with the club crest on.

Dragged to the game, as soon s he could walk.

He's recently said something to me along the lines of " why did you make me support Everton ".

In saying that he still gives his best mate, who switched to the RS when he was about five, down the banks about being a plastic glory hunter lol

 

[Jamiednm]

The first season I can properly remember was 94/95 - a real epic rags to riches season.

But barring the odd highlight and the 2004/05 top 4 finish, it has pretty much been mediocrity as well as some extremely dangerous flirtations with relegation.

And now the R word has reared its ugly head again, it feels like no progress has been made in all that time. Not even a league cup win or a Europa League Quarter Final in 22 years. We're the very best stereotype of an average mid-table Premier League club. Absolutely no threat to the bigger teams, coupled with the odd relegation scrap. It almost feels inevitable that we'll do a Villa at some point if we don't shape up.

 

[Jamiednm]

There's a lot of pent up emotion in us Evertonians right now just waiting to be unleashed.

It's like a lifelong NoFap.

 

[ToffeeDevil]

joined ranks in 2014 after our 5th place finish

can't feel disappointed if this trending down is what i'm used to. but the team i truly follow (NHL team) has had rough years lately as well. i'm excited for when we do trend up again

 

[blue4eva77]

Grim times when you read the thread title and question whether this means you.

 

[Toffe3m4n]

Your dad was right. The 80s were great. And yes, that is 5 trophies in the picture.

A squad comprised of just 18 players winning the lot. Must've been sound back then.