Monday 24 January 2011
Women and football - the Keys to this Gray area....
Moments after FC Gateway's thrilling 1-1 draw with arch rivals Mosaic FC on Saturday ( ), I walked in to The Regent pub in Chapel Allerton, Leeds. I ordered a drink from the bar - well, actually, I got my mate Suggy to get me one as I realised I was cashless - and I went and sat down with some of the FC Gateway lads. We were gathered in front of the tv, awaiting the start of Wolves v Liverpool. It was a normal, happy, Saturday.
"You'll never believe this Butters", exclaimed Dave Britton, FC Gateway's keeper.
"What Dave?", I replied.
"Look who's running the line".
I turned and looked up at the screen.....
And. There. SHE. Was.
A woman. A WOMAN! Dressed in an official FA referee's kit.
In mock indignation, I slammed my glass on the table. "The whole world's gone MAD', I joked.
A few moments of normal, laddish banter ensued, and the issue was pretty much forgotten.
A similar conversation was, I guarantee, happening in pubs and living rooms up and down the country. Men were making jokey, sexist comments, implying that Sian Massey would simply not be able to function adequately as an assistant referee, purely because she is a woman.
Just 48 hours later, most of those same lads have been condemning Richard Keys and Andy Gray for making comments about Sian, apparently genuinely questioning her ability to officiate. How uncomfortable many of us may have felt, lambasting Sky's anchors whilst knowing that we were making similar comments on Saturday.
Except...there is a difference, I believe. The comments I made to my FC Gateway colleagues on Saturday were entirely in jest. Jokey, sexist remarks, made purely to score a few 'banter points' and get a laugh. In truth, I have no problem whatsoever with a female officiating an football match at any level, provided they are qualified to do so. But seemingly, there was a sense of genuine anger and indignation in the voices of Keys and Gray. They seemed to genuinely believe that Sian Massey was incapable of fulfilling her duty, purely because of what she didn't have down her shorts.
So why the indignation of these two long-serving football celebrities? Why do they and some others genuinely believe that Sian Massey - or any other woman for that matter - have no place in professional men's football?
I have a semi-theory. Although women have increasingly been welcomed into football - as both spectators and players - many men still see Association Football as their domain. It's their escape. It's their place of refuge - the place where they can talk knowledgeably and at length with their mates, without fear of being proved wrong or undermined by their relevant lady-folk. They can bury themselves in their love and enjoyment of the game, safe in the knowledge that football is one of the few things they will always be better at - both playing and understanding.
That's how many men think! For them, football really is a MAN'S game - it's not for girls. For a female to be present, to interfere in this manly world, is a serious challenge to their authority. Their small minds simply can't comprehend that a woman might know as much - if not more - than them. And perish the thought that woman might make a successful living from the game which most men only lose money on watching, playing and gambling.
How dare a woman break in and interfere where she's not welcome! How dare she try and be good at something that men are superior at!
In terms of actually playing the game, perhaps they have a point. Watch a game of international women's football - and you'll see that it just doesn't compare to the men's game. That's not controversial. Men and women are largely built differently. We're wired differently. Men are faster, stronger and often more agile (I'm generalising - just before someone asks me to take on Jessica Ennis at a heptathlon). It's only natural that we would be better at football - because it's a fast, physical and agile game.
However...in the case of Sian Massey, we are NOT talking about playing football. We are essentially talking about a profession. For that's what refereeing a football match is. It's a job. You don't have to be fast, physical or agile to be a referee (just look at Phil 'Moobs' Dowd!). You simply need to know the rules of the game, and be confident enough to apply them in the face of 22 men, half of whom you are likely to annoy with every single decision you make.
In my mind, there is absolutely no reason why a woman can not do that job just as well as a man can. Very often, male referees - I sense - are the kids who got picked last at school for football. They turn to refereeing as a form of revenge. A chance to participate in the game they were left out of, by killing the fun of those who ruined their play-times in school. It doesn't take any particular skill at football to be a referee. Just an understanding of the laws of the game - which anyone can learn. Sian Massey has done this, and has risen to the top of her profession. Hats off to her!
When most men make sexist comments about women in football, it's largely banter. But that's all it is. In the same way that women might comment on men trying to multitask! The key to sexist jokes is that both genders make them, and most people don't really mean them. They're effectively caricaturing some of the differences that make men men, and women women. Those differences ARE there, and shouldn't be ignored. But it's vital not to turn those difference into barriers that divide unnecessarily.
The difference between men and women might prevent a female from playing Premiership football, but absolutely certainly not from being a referee. Or a pundit, commentator, fan or director! If a woman is qualified to do those jobs, then she should do them. And simply being a woman does not disqualify them. Keys and Gray crossed a line that shouldn't have been crossed. They made themselves look petty, small-minded and stupid. They tried to keep women out of a part of 'their' world which, actually, women have every right to be in. And I think they'll be feeling pretty foolish right now.
Thursday 20 January 2011
Sports Podcast Episode 4
In this week's episode we look back on a surprising set of NFL playoff results, reflect on the Merseyside derby and talk about the magic of the FA cup. Our main focus though is on the Transfer Window as we discuss the impact of Darren Bent's move to Aston Villa and talk about the pros and cons of the system.
Monday 17 January 2011
Impending doom.....or not
Apologies for anyone expecting to read a list of 5 great Everton moments, or something similarly churlish and...well....fun. This blog post is going to be a slightly more serious and meaningful one. Many of you will know that any day now, my wife Debbie will be giving birth to our first child. She's 38 weeks and 3 days now - and she's doing absolutely great! It's dawned on me though that life is about to change in just about the biggest way imaginable for us. We've been married for over 6 years now - together for over 11 - and we've had a wonderfully blessed and happy time. We love each other's company, and while we have certain responsibilities which keep us very busy, we generally have gone through life together with a good measure of control and certainty about what's happening. We've trusted God for everything - money, shelter, food, warmth etc - and he has provided for us abundantly. When we've had a passion to do something or go somewhere, we've largely been able to do it - without fear of how it impacts on the lives of people around us. In short, it's been a blast, and we'd pretty much not change anything that we've experienced together.
So what on earth are we doing having a baby!? At some point during the next 25 days or so, my wife is going to emit a tiny little person, which will hopefully in some way resemble one/both of us, and who will change our lives forever. That freedom we've had which has enabled us to come and go as we please, to chase our goals and dreams, to live with relative ease - much of that is about to disappear. Lost somewhere, in a pile of dirty nappies, sick-stained muslins and a never ending assortment of tiny clothes and soft toys. Sleep is going to become very, very disrupted, our social lives are going to become much more difficult, and our energy levels are going to plummet. The house will at times be filled with screaming and crying, it will smell of poo, and Debbie is going to be getting through a massive stack of nipple-cream (ouch).
And that's not to mention the huge financial impact a baby has on a couple! I heard recently that the average cost of raising a baby from 0-21 in the UK is £193,000! That's over £9k a year we need to find - with my wife earning less than before!
In our church we have seen something like 20 new born babies enter the scene in the last couple of years - and our friends have let us know in no uncertain terms just how much life is going to change for us, as it has for them. Some have had babies who have been relatively predictable, routine-loving and easy to look after. Others have had much harder times. Every baby is different - we have learnt - and we have been so inspired by all of the couples we know who have had them recently, as we have watched them adapt and grow into parenthood. But it's impossible not to see the massive effect each baby has had on the lives of each couple - it's simply massive.
With all this expectation of upheaval, sleep-deprivation and financial ruin, it's little wonder that we have jokingly taken to referring to our forthcoming child as 'Impending Doom'.
So...why are we doing this? Why would anyone choose to give up a life of fun, freedom and comfort for a life of stress, tiredness and financial strain? Why have we chosen to give up that freedom we have had which has has enabled us to pursue our dreams and ambitions without much of a care in the world?
The answer is simple: this IS our dream and our ambition. We have longed for this moment - this chance to start a family, to raise a child together, to be parents. This IS what we've always dreamed of! We didn't want to do it straight away - these years gone by have been so important to us. I can't deny there's a twinge of sadness as we wave goodbye to a phase of life we have known and loved together. But we're just so excited to take this next step on our journey together. God has blessed us now with the amazing privilege of becoming parents - a privilege which not everyone gets to enjoy - and we don't take this lightly. We've put a lot of prayer and passion into getting even this far, and we've done a lot of homework! And now we're just so full of anticipation of what is to come. I simply cannot wait to see my baby's face for the first time - to hold it in my arms and to know that I am a father - and to know that I am a father married to an beautiful, wonderful mother. Inside I feel a crazy tangle of excited, nervous, impatient, worried and joyful! I just hope and pray that we have a safe birth, a healthy baby and many, many years of happiness together as a family.
The days gone by have been special - the days to come are going to be even more so. We thank God for blessing us with this baby, and far from being 'impending doom', deep down, we know that whatever befalls, this is actually forthcoming joy.
So what on earth are we doing having a baby!? At some point during the next 25 days or so, my wife is going to emit a tiny little person, which will hopefully in some way resemble one/both of us, and who will change our lives forever. That freedom we've had which has enabled us to come and go as we please, to chase our goals and dreams, to live with relative ease - much of that is about to disappear. Lost somewhere, in a pile of dirty nappies, sick-stained muslins and a never ending assortment of tiny clothes and soft toys. Sleep is going to become very, very disrupted, our social lives are going to become much more difficult, and our energy levels are going to plummet. The house will at times be filled with screaming and crying, it will smell of poo, and Debbie is going to be getting through a massive stack of nipple-cream (ouch).
And that's not to mention the huge financial impact a baby has on a couple! I heard recently that the average cost of raising a baby from 0-21 in the UK is £193,000! That's over £9k a year we need to find - with my wife earning less than before!
In our church we have seen something like 20 new born babies enter the scene in the last couple of years - and our friends have let us know in no uncertain terms just how much life is going to change for us, as it has for them. Some have had babies who have been relatively predictable, routine-loving and easy to look after. Others have had much harder times. Every baby is different - we have learnt - and we have been so inspired by all of the couples we know who have had them recently, as we have watched them adapt and grow into parenthood. But it's impossible not to see the massive effect each baby has had on the lives of each couple - it's simply massive.
With all this expectation of upheaval, sleep-deprivation and financial ruin, it's little wonder that we have jokingly taken to referring to our forthcoming child as 'Impending Doom'.
'Impending Doom' - at 20wks...
So...why are we doing this? Why would anyone choose to give up a life of fun, freedom and comfort for a life of stress, tiredness and financial strain? Why have we chosen to give up that freedom we have had which has has enabled us to pursue our dreams and ambitions without much of a care in the world?
The answer is simple: this IS our dream and our ambition. We have longed for this moment - this chance to start a family, to raise a child together, to be parents. This IS what we've always dreamed of! We didn't want to do it straight away - these years gone by have been so important to us. I can't deny there's a twinge of sadness as we wave goodbye to a phase of life we have known and loved together. But we're just so excited to take this next step on our journey together. God has blessed us now with the amazing privilege of becoming parents - a privilege which not everyone gets to enjoy - and we don't take this lightly. We've put a lot of prayer and passion into getting even this far, and we've done a lot of homework! And now we're just so full of anticipation of what is to come. I simply cannot wait to see my baby's face for the first time - to hold it in my arms and to know that I am a father - and to know that I am a father married to an beautiful, wonderful mother. Inside I feel a crazy tangle of excited, nervous, impatient, worried and joyful! I just hope and pray that we have a safe birth, a healthy baby and many, many years of happiness together as a family.
The days gone by have been special - the days to come are going to be even more so. We thank God for blessing us with this baby, and far from being 'impending doom', deep down, we know that whatever befalls, this is actually forthcoming joy.
Wednesday 12 January 2011
Love sport? Check out the Unnamed Sports Podcast, Episode 3
Episode 3 of the Unnamed Sports Podcast is here! Mark Dorey and I reflect on a very busy and exciting festive sporting period, taking in The Ashes, a Premier League update, The NFL Playoffs, and as ever, a look back at the 3 most impressive sporting 'plays' of the week! You can access the podcast directly below - or why not subscribe to us on iTunes? Just search for 'Chris Butland' or 'Mark Dorey' in the iTunes Podcast Store!
And here are the videos of the 3 best sporting plays this week:
1. Marshawn Lynch's breathtaking 67 yard touchdown run for the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL Wildcard Playoffs.
2. James Simpson-Daniel's try against the Exeter Chiefs in the Aviva Premiership.
(Click on the 'Gloucester v Exeter link on the right hand side)
3. Sergio Torres' giant-killing goal for Crawley Town in the FA Cup 3rd round.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nTHg2rSKDw (4mins12 in)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nTHg2rSKDw (4mins12 in)
Saturday 8 January 2011
5 Everton FA Cup Upsets (in my lifetime)
The FA Cup 3rd round gets underway today, and Everton travel to Championship side Scunthorpe United, hoping to avoid an upset. This time every year, I can't help but think back to some of those horrible, dark moments when Everton played the role of giants being defeated by relative minnows. Sadly, it's happened all too often in my lifetime - both in the FA Cup and the League Cup. I've narrowed it down to just 5 here - all in the FA Cup. I'm hoping that I won't have to add Scunthorpe to the list later today! So, in chronological order....
1. Port Vale, 1996
Things were generally looking pretty good at Everton in the 1995/96 campaign. They were the FA Cup holders, having beaten Manchester United in May 1995, and were going well in the league too, eventually finishing 6th. Andrei Kanchelskis was playing some scintillating football down the right flank, and the likes of Joe Parkinson, Andy Hinchcliffe and Graham Stuart, amongst others, were having good seasons. So it was something of a surprise when Joe Royle's men had their defence of the trophy unceremoniously ended by Port Vale, of the 2nd tier (then the 1st Division). Vale came to Goodison in the 4th round, for what would surely be a routine win for the blues. But despite taking the lead twice (Amokachi and Ferguson), Everton were pegged back and held to a 2-2 draw, meaning a difficult looking midweek replay in the Potteries on Valentines day evening. Vale's 2nd goal in that first tie came from midfielder Ian Bogie. And wouldn't you know it, he would prove to be Everton's 'Bogie-man' (sorry) in the replay, slamming the Valiants into the lead with a cracking strike on 17 minutes.
The Blues were able to recover with a Stuart equaliser, but it was Jon McCarthy who had the final say, sending the home fans into ecstasy and dumping the blues out of the cup in the second half. McCarthy and his opposite winger, Steve Guppy, had caused Everton problems in both matches, and it was fitting that it was Guppy's cross which set up the winner. Guppy of course went on to have a good Premier League career at Leicester City.
2. Bradford City, 1997
Evertonians didn't have long to wait before the next FA Cup upset. The very next season, Everton were drawn at home in the 4th round again, this time against Bradford City, who were struggling in the 1st Division. However, Everton were in no great shape either. The wheels were coming off for Joe Royle's team. Andrei Kanchelskis was fading badly, and it was becoming apparent that he'd be moving on soon. The team was struggling for form, and this game came towards the end of a 6 game losing streak in the league.
Bradford, although not having a good season, arrived at Goodison with star veteran Chris Waddle enjoying the twilight years of his career. And it was his goal for which this game will be largely remembered.
John Dreyer put the Bantams ahead early in the 2nd half with a sweetly struck volley. And then came the moment which most Evertonians will remember as being the end of Andrei Kanchelskis. The Russian, trying to make something happen, inexplicably started running towards his own goal, trying to find a pass. He could have just laid the ball back to Neville Southall, but in a moment of blind panic, he attempted a silly pass, and succeeded only in playing the ball loosely to Chris Waddle, 40 yards out. The ex-England winger didn't hesitate and unleashed a wonderful, looping left footed shot, which sailed over Southall (another Everton man on his way towards the end of his Everton career) and into the back of the net. Kanchelskis was sold to Fiorentina days after this game - his last in a blue shirt.
This wasn't the end of the action though, as the Blues set about launching a fightback. They quickly made it 1-2 with a Bradford City own goal - Andy O'Brien the culprit. But as they pushed for an equaliser, Everton left themselves open to the counter attack, and Waddle superbly played in Rob Steiner for the goal which effectively sealed the victory. Everton grabbed a late consolation when a Gary Speed cross flew into the far corner. But Bradford held on, and Everton went on to finish the season under the caretaker-management of Dave Watson, barely holding on to Premier League survival.
3. Tranmere Rovers, 2001
Things were generally crap for Everton under Walter Smith, but there were very few worse days than this. Everton and Liverpool fans generally have a bit of a soft spot for Tranmere Rovers of the Wirral (just the other side of the Mersey), and I certainly had always followed their yo-yo exploits with interest. At various times they've been either on the verge of reaching the top flight, or alternatively almost going out of existence at the other end of the Football League. They became famous for exciting cup runs under John Aldridge - and again, many Evertonians wished them well with their adventures up until this point.
When Rovers arrived at Goodison for this 4th round tie, though, you could sense something bad was going to happen. Smith's teams were fragile and low on confidence almost all of the time, and plucky underdogs like Tranmere were exactly the sort of opponents one dreaded to see the hapless men in blue face. Aldridge's 1st division side would finish rock bottom that season, and drop into the 3rd tier of English football. But they still had some decent individuals - including future Wales international and Premier League player Jason Koumas. They also had the pace of Andy Parkinson - and a host of decent old pro's like defender Steve Yates and former cup-winning Evertonian, Paul Rideout.
It was Yates and Koumas who would make the headlines that day - with the defender exposing Everton's dismal marking to score two headers, either side of a wonderful Koumas lob. Walter Smith was never a hugely popular man at Goodison - and even though he lasted another year or so, many saw this dismal 0-3 defeat as the final nail in the coffin for the dour Scotsman's reign.
4. Shrewsbury Town, 2003
With Smith now gone, Everton were resurgent under young manager David Moyes. In the 2002/3 season - the Scotsman's first full season in charge - the Blues would finish 7th in the Premier League, and had unearthed the most exciting young player of his generation....a certain Wayne Rooney.
So it was with some confidence that the team travelled down for a 3rd round tie at lowly Shrewsbury Town - who themselves were on their way to finishing 92nd out of 92 Football League clubs that season. Under the management of and Everton legend, Kevin Ratcliffe, few gave the Shrews hope getting anything out of the game at Gay Meadow (no sniggering at the back, please).
Everton fielded a strong team that day too. Young Peter Clarke made a rare appearance at the back, but aside from that, the team featured the likes of Rooney, Radzinski, Gravesen, Carsley etc. Moyes was taking this very seriously.
So he would have had that sinking feeling just after the half hour mark, when veteran Nigel Jemson curled in a superb free kick which beat Richard Wright (eeuuugh) all ends up to put the home side - at that point a full 80 places below Everton in the football league - into a shock lead. Everton managed to regroup, and in the second half, Niclas Alexandersson restored parity, and looked to have spared the blushes of his manager. The game was petering out towards a replay, when Jemson nodded in an Ian Woan free-kick two minutes from time, to stun Everton and seal a famous victory. Moyes would of course recover from this set-back and become a hugely popular manager for Everton. But this was a dark day and one which would take some beating.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/2607229.stm
5. Oldham, 2008
So finally, the most recent of Everton's cup upsets. Oldham Athletic arrived at Goodison in 2008 as a team of League 1 (3rd tier) play-off contenders. Everton meanwhile were thriving under David Moyes, on their way to an excellent 5th place finish. Yakubu was banging the goals in for the Blues in his first season. But Moyes shuffled his pack a little for this game, handing a start to German goalkeeper Steffan Wessels, and leaving The Yak on the bench, with Andy Johnson and James Vaughan starting up front. Everton were also without the influential Mikel Arteta. However, there was still more than enough talent on the pitch, one would have thought, to see off lowly Oldham.
Think again. Oldham were superb on the day, and were full value for their 0-1 victory. Gary McDonald scored the only goal, beating Wessels from long range with a looping left-footed effort. The defeat represented what many Evertonians viewed as an opportunity missed for the Blues. With the side doing so well in the league, cup runs still represented their best chance of gaining silverware and pushing on to that ever elusive 'next level'. Moyes' continuing failure to put such a run together was beginning to frustrate. That season though, they did at least manage to reach the semi finals of the Carling Cup. And the following season saw Everton go all the way to Wembley, reaching the FA Cup final.
This Oldham game though will serve as the most recent reminder that ANYTHING can happen in the FA Cup, and the Toffees will have to be on their guard this afternoon at Scunthorpe if they are to avoid a repeat of these 5 dismal days.
1. Port Vale, 1996
Things were generally looking pretty good at Everton in the 1995/96 campaign. They were the FA Cup holders, having beaten Manchester United in May 1995, and were going well in the league too, eventually finishing 6th. Andrei Kanchelskis was playing some scintillating football down the right flank, and the likes of Joe Parkinson, Andy Hinchcliffe and Graham Stuart, amongst others, were having good seasons. So it was something of a surprise when Joe Royle's men had their defence of the trophy unceremoniously ended by Port Vale, of the 2nd tier (then the 1st Division). Vale came to Goodison in the 4th round, for what would surely be a routine win for the blues. But despite taking the lead twice (Amokachi and Ferguson), Everton were pegged back and held to a 2-2 draw, meaning a difficult looking midweek replay in the Potteries on Valentines day evening. Vale's 2nd goal in that first tie came from midfielder Ian Bogie. And wouldn't you know it, he would prove to be Everton's 'Bogie-man' (sorry) in the replay, slamming the Valiants into the lead with a cracking strike on 17 minutes.
The Blues were able to recover with a Stuart equaliser, but it was Jon McCarthy who had the final say, sending the home fans into ecstasy and dumping the blues out of the cup in the second half. McCarthy and his opposite winger, Steve Guppy, had caused Everton problems in both matches, and it was fitting that it was Guppy's cross which set up the winner. Guppy of course went on to have a good Premier League career at Leicester City.
2. Bradford City, 1997
Evertonians didn't have long to wait before the next FA Cup upset. The very next season, Everton were drawn at home in the 4th round again, this time against Bradford City, who were struggling in the 1st Division. However, Everton were in no great shape either. The wheels were coming off for Joe Royle's team. Andrei Kanchelskis was fading badly, and it was becoming apparent that he'd be moving on soon. The team was struggling for form, and this game came towards the end of a 6 game losing streak in the league.
Bradford, although not having a good season, arrived at Goodison with star veteran Chris Waddle enjoying the twilight years of his career. And it was his goal for which this game will be largely remembered.
John Dreyer put the Bantams ahead early in the 2nd half with a sweetly struck volley. And then came the moment which most Evertonians will remember as being the end of Andrei Kanchelskis. The Russian, trying to make something happen, inexplicably started running towards his own goal, trying to find a pass. He could have just laid the ball back to Neville Southall, but in a moment of blind panic, he attempted a silly pass, and succeeded only in playing the ball loosely to Chris Waddle, 40 yards out. The ex-England winger didn't hesitate and unleashed a wonderful, looping left footed shot, which sailed over Southall (another Everton man on his way towards the end of his Everton career) and into the back of the net. Kanchelskis was sold to Fiorentina days after this game - his last in a blue shirt.
This wasn't the end of the action though, as the Blues set about launching a fightback. They quickly made it 1-2 with a Bradford City own goal - Andy O'Brien the culprit. But as they pushed for an equaliser, Everton left themselves open to the counter attack, and Waddle superbly played in Rob Steiner for the goal which effectively sealed the victory. Everton grabbed a late consolation when a Gary Speed cross flew into the far corner. But Bradford held on, and Everton went on to finish the season under the caretaker-management of Dave Watson, barely holding on to Premier League survival.
3. Tranmere Rovers, 2001
Things were generally crap for Everton under Walter Smith, but there were very few worse days than this. Everton and Liverpool fans generally have a bit of a soft spot for Tranmere Rovers of the Wirral (just the other side of the Mersey), and I certainly had always followed their yo-yo exploits with interest. At various times they've been either on the verge of reaching the top flight, or alternatively almost going out of existence at the other end of the Football League. They became famous for exciting cup runs under John Aldridge - and again, many Evertonians wished them well with their adventures up until this point.
When Rovers arrived at Goodison for this 4th round tie, though, you could sense something bad was going to happen. Smith's teams were fragile and low on confidence almost all of the time, and plucky underdogs like Tranmere were exactly the sort of opponents one dreaded to see the hapless men in blue face. Aldridge's 1st division side would finish rock bottom that season, and drop into the 3rd tier of English football. But they still had some decent individuals - including future Wales international and Premier League player Jason Koumas. They also had the pace of Andy Parkinson - and a host of decent old pro's like defender Steve Yates and former cup-winning Evertonian, Paul Rideout.
It was Yates and Koumas who would make the headlines that day - with the defender exposing Everton's dismal marking to score two headers, either side of a wonderful Koumas lob. Walter Smith was never a hugely popular man at Goodison - and even though he lasted another year or so, many saw this dismal 0-3 defeat as the final nail in the coffin for the dour Scotsman's reign.
4. Shrewsbury Town, 2003
With Smith now gone, Everton were resurgent under young manager David Moyes. In the 2002/3 season - the Scotsman's first full season in charge - the Blues would finish 7th in the Premier League, and had unearthed the most exciting young player of his generation....a certain Wayne Rooney.
So it was with some confidence that the team travelled down for a 3rd round tie at lowly Shrewsbury Town - who themselves were on their way to finishing 92nd out of 92 Football League clubs that season. Under the management of and Everton legend, Kevin Ratcliffe, few gave the Shrews hope getting anything out of the game at Gay Meadow (no sniggering at the back, please).
Everton fielded a strong team that day too. Young Peter Clarke made a rare appearance at the back, but aside from that, the team featured the likes of Rooney, Radzinski, Gravesen, Carsley etc. Moyes was taking this very seriously.
So he would have had that sinking feeling just after the half hour mark, when veteran Nigel Jemson curled in a superb free kick which beat Richard Wright (eeuuugh) all ends up to put the home side - at that point a full 80 places below Everton in the football league - into a shock lead. Everton managed to regroup, and in the second half, Niclas Alexandersson restored parity, and looked to have spared the blushes of his manager. The game was petering out towards a replay, when Jemson nodded in an Ian Woan free-kick two minutes from time, to stun Everton and seal a famous victory. Moyes would of course recover from this set-back and become a hugely popular manager for Everton. But this was a dark day and one which would take some beating.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/2607229.stm
5. Oldham, 2008
So finally, the most recent of Everton's cup upsets. Oldham Athletic arrived at Goodison in 2008 as a team of League 1 (3rd tier) play-off contenders. Everton meanwhile were thriving under David Moyes, on their way to an excellent 5th place finish. Yakubu was banging the goals in for the Blues in his first season. But Moyes shuffled his pack a little for this game, handing a start to German goalkeeper Steffan Wessels, and leaving The Yak on the bench, with Andy Johnson and James Vaughan starting up front. Everton were also without the influential Mikel Arteta. However, there was still more than enough talent on the pitch, one would have thought, to see off lowly Oldham.
Think again. Oldham were superb on the day, and were full value for their 0-1 victory. Gary McDonald scored the only goal, beating Wessels from long range with a looping left-footed effort. The defeat represented what many Evertonians viewed as an opportunity missed for the Blues. With the side doing so well in the league, cup runs still represented their best chance of gaining silverware and pushing on to that ever elusive 'next level'. Moyes' continuing failure to put such a run together was beginning to frustrate. That season though, they did at least manage to reach the semi finals of the Carling Cup. And the following season saw Everton go all the way to Wembley, reaching the FA Cup final.
This Oldham game though will serve as the most recent reminder that ANYTHING can happen in the FA Cup, and the Toffees will have to be on their guard this afternoon at Scunthorpe if they are to avoid a repeat of these 5 dismal days.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)