Yank here, from NW Louisiana. I told part of my story in New Signings, but I’ll gladly tell it again. Not that I think my story is special, but Everton is to me. When I was searching for a team to follow I thought I was the one making the choices… you know the rest.
(Sorry, this is a bit longer than planned.)
I’ve lived some in Texas, but born and currently reside in Louisiana. Growing up, there was always a tension among sports teams to follow. I’m loyal to the local team, but there was only one local team, New Orleans Saints. And they were bad and never on TV, but they did have the distinctive Louisiana flavor. Fans were loyal even when the team stunk, and maybe even moreso when it was bad; fans frequently showed up to games wearing bags on their heads.
In NW Louisiana, which is closer to Texas than New Orleans, the Dallas Cowboys were always on TV, and they were successful. Many of my peers grew up Cowboys fans, but I hated the Cowboys and still do. Until the Saints won Super Bowl XLIV, there were few things that delighted me more than watching the Cowboys play mediocre football. But I supported teams in other sports as well; I lived in Dallas when the Stars moved to town and became a hockey fan; I’m a fan of the Rangers; least of all I’m a basketball fan, and my loyalty is split between the Pelicans (being new) and Mavericks. I have some lingering affection for distant teams, often for sentimental reasons (SF Giants, Les Habs de Montreal), but my local teams are
my teams.
I’ve got three boys and the oldest are playing youth soccer, and I needed to find a team to follow. I will follow MLS’ FCD, but they’re gash, as you say. Not that I won’t support a bad local team (see above, Saints) but I also wouldn’t recommend a Brit expat living in the US to only watch AA baseball. Sure, you can be a Durham Bulls fan if you want to see live baseball, but you need to follow a real team with real players and real history if you want to learn the game.
Since I had no local affiliation, I only had a few rules when I set out to “find” a team: I had to understand the language; I wanted to avoid sectarianism; I had to love the team. Players and managers come and go, but I was looking for a team that I would remain proud of. Also, I didn’t want to find that I loved a team whose shirt I was embarrassed to wear.
I understand that there is much about the history of the Isles and Europe that I won’t ever get. We have our own scars and racial tension here in America that we own and have to work through; we can’t really explain it (and who wants to?) and I understand the same is true for Europe. I understand that the
history of Sienna and Fiorentina extends well beyond what I can describe, and the hate between these teams is part of that. I understand that what goes on between Celtic and Rangers is difficult to explain and has been going on for a long time. But I don’t want any part of that.
And I don’t want any part of the other side of British footballing either. I understand that every team has had supporters firms, but some teams are different than others. I’ve never been to a US sporting event when I was afraid because of what team I supported. I couldn’t introduce my sons to following a team like Newcastle (
I want them to wear shirts in public) or West Ham (
box cutters are for opening boxes only). Honestly, one of the things that first caught my eye was
the civility with which Toffees treated the hated RS, including “
It is one of the few local derbies that does not enforce total fan segregation.” It’s right to hate the RS, but it takes a better man to treat them with the respect they don’t deserve.
But there’s more at work than that. Every club has a culture and identity, but few more beautiful than Everton. The school of science, with its appreciation for the beautiful game, is unparalleled. The history of
Dixie Dean, among many others, and the dominance of the 1930s, 60s and 80s, and finally
the story of Alex Young crossing to the supporter who scored with a header when the team were 1 man short at an away game caught me. I would like to think that it was his respect for Goodison and the history of Everton that caused
Di Canio to stop play that day. Maybe I’m too hopeful regarding Di Canio, but Goodison and her faithful Toffees share a certain level of respect not only for the history of the game but also for fair play that appears unparalleled.
It took a while to confirm, however. I learned quickly that you English are seriously loyal to your teams (which I’m ok with) and that if I found a team (or a team found me) I would be stuck for the rest of my life, waking early to watch the game streamed to my TV, hoping the kids were still in bed so they don’t witness my demise. I couldn’t bear to think of my sons growing up, walking in to see me on Saturday morning, saying “Leeds? Really, Leeds, Dad?” or “Oh, no, not Forrest again!”
I had watched a few teams briefly. I was romanced with the story of Swansea’s promotion in their 100th year, I was interested in what the American Lerner was investing in his club Villa (not changing its history, but trying to build up around it), and I was briefly intrigued by the Blues of London. But I’m not capable of the self-loathing required to be a Villain, I can’t be a Swan, and there’s something wrong in that part of London (and it’s not just the owner). There are other fine teams to follow across the English footballing landscape, but there are no other teams for me.
We’ve got a new baby in our house, so I couldn’t make any of the US games this summer. I will be proud to take my sons to Goodison and I’m looking forward to the day they’re old enough that this trip is not just a fantasy, but a real trip to take and a real experience to share. My oldest, who can read but is not great at pronunciation, wants to know if every blue team is “Ee”verton. His affection for the Toffees is already growing. The woman to whom I'm related by marriage has taken to calling me a full kit [Poor language removed] every time I mention proper football, which I take as a good sign. (She’s a Florida Gators herself, but would undoubtedly love to take in a game at Goodison). As for my younger sons, I’ll grow them up the best I know how. As for me, I would like to think I made the right choice in “choosing” Everton, but like most of you I realized I wasn’t doing the choosing at any point in the process.
They say, “If you know your history…,” we’ll I’m learning my history now. Up the Toffees!
