Furey1878
Player Valuation: £70m
The wait is almost over, well, not really but pre-season games can at least be something different if nothing else. Personally, an Everton match is of course, an Everton match, and I couldn't possibly not look forward to a game less than I for most of last season's. I shall leave that temptation of fate where it is and summarise by saying that I'm actually quite looking forward to seeing the boys in Royal Blue back on the pitch on a sunny, summer day in Swindon.
We go into this campaign with the optimism of a teenager overcoming those terrible first few years of Senior School. Last year the other kids in school just didn't see the real us, we've got this fancy new cream our acne and that stomach bug that gave us hyper-diarrhoea in the middle of class might just have cleared up, and surely they've forgotten about that by now...
But enough of our post-poo season angst, as we move onto our hosts.
Swindon is a humble netherworld that is neither Bristol nor Oxford, nor is it, fortunately, Wales. They've spent a mere season in Engalnd's top flight, spending most of their existence playing Third-Tier Division Football. Our first competitive meeting with The Robins was a 2-1 FA Cup defeat way back in 1912, with our most recent being a 3-0 victory in the same competition. Arguably the finest moment in the club's history was winning the League Cup in 1969, despite having to face Division 1 Arsenal in the final whilst they themselves were in Division 3. Swindon will be looking to really be a force in League One this season as they fell short of promotion to the Championship in the play-off final last term to Preston, at the hand of a Jermaine Beckford hat-trick no less. It's been 15 years since they last played Second-Tier football and I'm sure fans and club alike will desperately be seeking promotion in the upcoming season, especially after coming so close last season. As we journey back to all things Everton, it is worth mentioning that Swindon were managed by the late Andy King for 5 years.
Our summer has started on a surprisingly positive note with two early signings. One being Tom Cleverly in perhaps the most predictable Everton signing for quite some time, and of course the return of fan-favourite Gerard Deulofeu. Hopefully the former can add composure, mobility and versatility to our midfield, and the latter will get us off our seats, assist, score, stretch defences with his pace and make full-backs re-evaluate their lives. While I personally would prefer to see the mysterious playmaking target our manager has alluded to be the next to come in, it is perhaps more of a priority to sign some experienced cover in central defence, because as things stand an injury to either Jagielka or Stones would leave us rather exposed. There is still plenty of time and I'd wager we won't see any major movement on our next transfer until after the Asia Cup. Things are surprisingly silent on whether any of our key players will leave this summer, with any luck things will remain that way and we can happily boast a stronger squad than what we ended last season with.
Last year's pre-season is, for many, was somewhat of contributor to our lacklustre 2014/15 campaign. The club have seemingly gone about putting that right with a tight, 7 match schedule with a decent variety of opposition. The full squad, minus Baines, Oviedo and that's right, you guessed it, Gibson will take to the South-West and then to the Far East in our quest for early season sharpness. Swindon is not too far an expedition for our many travelling fans, and if you will be among then I wish you a pleasant afternoon filled with drinking, mocking locals and Everton having it's way with Lower League opposition.
Obliterate these Bristol rejects please, Everton.
We go into this campaign with the optimism of a teenager overcoming those terrible first few years of Senior School. Last year the other kids in school just didn't see the real us, we've got this fancy new cream our acne and that stomach bug that gave us hyper-diarrhoea in the middle of class might just have cleared up, and surely they've forgotten about that by now...
But enough of our post-poo season angst, as we move onto our hosts.
Swindon is a humble netherworld that is neither Bristol nor Oxford, nor is it, fortunately, Wales. They've spent a mere season in Engalnd's top flight, spending most of their existence playing Third-Tier Division Football. Our first competitive meeting with The Robins was a 2-1 FA Cup defeat way back in 1912, with our most recent being a 3-0 victory in the same competition. Arguably the finest moment in the club's history was winning the League Cup in 1969, despite having to face Division 1 Arsenal in the final whilst they themselves were in Division 3. Swindon will be looking to really be a force in League One this season as they fell short of promotion to the Championship in the play-off final last term to Preston, at the hand of a Jermaine Beckford hat-trick no less. It's been 15 years since they last played Second-Tier football and I'm sure fans and club alike will desperately be seeking promotion in the upcoming season, especially after coming so close last season. As we journey back to all things Everton, it is worth mentioning that Swindon were managed by the late Andy King for 5 years.
Our summer has started on a surprisingly positive note with two early signings. One being Tom Cleverly in perhaps the most predictable Everton signing for quite some time, and of course the return of fan-favourite Gerard Deulofeu. Hopefully the former can add composure, mobility and versatility to our midfield, and the latter will get us off our seats, assist, score, stretch defences with his pace and make full-backs re-evaluate their lives. While I personally would prefer to see the mysterious playmaking target our manager has alluded to be the next to come in, it is perhaps more of a priority to sign some experienced cover in central defence, because as things stand an injury to either Jagielka or Stones would leave us rather exposed. There is still plenty of time and I'd wager we won't see any major movement on our next transfer until after the Asia Cup. Things are surprisingly silent on whether any of our key players will leave this summer, with any luck things will remain that way and we can happily boast a stronger squad than what we ended last season with.
Last year's pre-season is, for many, was somewhat of contributor to our lacklustre 2014/15 campaign. The club have seemingly gone about putting that right with a tight, 7 match schedule with a decent variety of opposition. The full squad, minus Baines, Oviedo and that's right, you guessed it, Gibson will take to the South-West and then to the Far East in our quest for early season sharpness. Swindon is not too far an expedition for our many travelling fans, and if you will be among then I wish you a pleasant afternoon filled with drinking, mocking locals and Everton having it's way with Lower League opposition.
Obliterate these Bristol rejects please, Everton.
