94 was a better escape but you look at the players in that team and they should never have been in that position. The 98 was absolutely horrific so it was more of a worry before that game whether we’d be able to do anything.
I said the other night to someone, I always thought we would survive Coventry. I thought we would comfortably better Boltons result. Looking back I was 11 and it was my youthful naivety really.
The other thing I get looking back, was the formative experience I had watching Everton was quite a unique one. First season 94. You had Wimbledon (barely remembered at all), 1 win from 13 games in 94/5 and cut adrift bottom into November. 96 was fine. 97 bit of a mad dogfight. 98 Coventry, 99 Sheffield Wednesday at home, in the relegation zone and losing 4 on the spin at Easter.
So essentially 5 of the 6 seasons we were in relegation trouble, and all but one of them you would have said quite severe trouble.
It seemed to teach me to accept football wasnt e enjoyable, fun, relaxing etc. It was horrible, stressful, at times sickening, depressing and painful, but sort of the making of you.
I grew up down south (my parents moved before I was born) so most friends supported Manchester United and would watch them win the league every season. A splattering of some other teams, who'd all have their moment a bit.
Watching Everton was really hard, but it kind of toughened you not just to football but to life. You didnt give up.
I think now it also gave me perspective on Everton. I get frustrated as we all do, but rarely go as overboard as most fans. I don't think it is because I'm incredibly zen as I'm not, but when you have the formative experience outlined above, it just gives you a different outlook. Nothing since that point has ever seemed particularly awful, or worth getting massively stressed over.
For those born 10 or even 5 years after me, they probably grew up with the stability of Moyes. For those older they grew up with league champions as a first experience. I think fir the good of Everton they are both better, as just being happy you are not getting relegated is a poor outlook, but it is what it is really.
Looking back I dont know how we survived. I think we probably had 5 or 6 seasons where we essentially flipped a coin and called heads correctly. We were very fortunate. At the time though, I just felt we were invincible and couldn't be relegated.
My dad would always be more terrified than me. He could probably see the danger we were in. I just always felt we would get out, as that was Everton for me. They'd want till the last minute and get out.
After Coventry we brought Smith in and spent a lot of money, and I as quite excited. That's my memory really.