Didn't realise it was a fan group behind it yesterday, rather than the club.
Firstly any fan group should be applauded for trying to improve the atmosphere and engage the fans. If that there is no doubt.
I think they got the application wrong slightly there, by copying the likes of Brighton City and Wigan with the free flags. Granted it can look good at grounds for a short time but it will always be looked down on as a bit of a plastic club gimmick.
However it's encouraging that there's a fan group willing to try. Hopefully next time they will get it more appropriate for a historic club like Everton but you can only be thankful they have started so ring and will look to improve it.
Man United have a fan group similar and they tried creating a singing section. Initially it looked ridiculous, they attempted to recreate flags, scarves and banners that the likes of palace and the neighbours do - however they got it wrong in the sense that the flags they did were all the same size and shape (like a postage stamp) and there were several of the same design made. It looked silly at first but they have refined it somewhat to look better at old Trafford. For it to look good you need to have different shapes and styles and some smaller flags like what we had yesterday.
Back to the blues and I don't expect them to do something for every game but now I know it's a fan created effort rather than a horrible club produced effort I'm a lot more tolerant towards it as I'm sure most fans will be.
Lastly the flags can only do so much. The effort these lads and lasses will have made only goes so far and it's down to the fans who have waves the flags before the game to keep the atmosphere as lively as possible. Yes it's down to the action on the pitch too but yesterday after a lively first 20 mins the atmosphere stopped to a silence. That's when the fans who have waved the flags red to stand up and push it on again. I'm looking at the fans in the GS here as the fans in our traditional "home" end. The onus is on you to contribute to keep the atmosphere alive after the initial fervour has died down.
There's nothing worse than some suit coming up with an idea for the sake of it, to justify its own existence and paycheck
while the thought police are herding, the ninny nannies tut tutting, the crowd baa baaing.
That's not Everton, it has to be real, has to be organic.
Who leads this stuff? much better for it to be a supporter group, but they can end up in'corporate'd as well.
The thing is, when they walk out on that pitch, it's the players, manager (and now the dof) that lead
they represent the spirit of the club and the supporters respond - discourse between supporters and players
things may have got a bit a toxic, went a bit far at times, but it was at least real
(off the pitch its a bit more club and community that lead)
You wouldn't have had the last derby if it wasn't real.
I wasn't at Goodison for the derby, so tell me I'm wrong, or for stating the obvious, but everyone is up for derby day.
Had only won 4 of the last 14 and chance to turn the season around and gain back some spirit.
Toxic discourse put aside, players and supporters united, energy and intent as one
(and the chance to scupper the RS chances of a title as a bonus)
And the behind the scenes came to the party as well with the sirens/zcars.
In that moment it wasn't contrived, rather the idea of the sirens, uniquely, creatively, rose up to meet and match the existing energy
In that moment the fume wafted away and imo a bit of folklore was left in its place.
And 6 wins and 2 draws out of 9 followed.
Point is, kept it real, allow for these moments to happen.
No corporate should seek to control it. Other clubs have lost their way and its very hard to get it back.
Brands nod to supporters re Gomes is shows a healthy discourse all round.
We need corporate to run a healthy business. And it can done without supporters being treated as consumers, commodities and as things to be herded around. Going by the twitter clip the flags thing looked fun although the flame thing looked a bit of a farce. Whatever the case, we should be vigilant things don't go south...or east or across the park.
