Everton's recruitment mistakes have culminated with them heavily relying on Seamus Coleman, a veteran brought in before they had Farhad Moshiri's financial muscle
Everton fan banners on the Gwladys Street carry the message "Fight for us" ahead of their game against Newcastle United
Everton fan banners on the Gwladys Street carry the message "Fight for us" ahead of their game against Newcastle United
As Goodison Park fizzed, banged and crashed like a huge bubbling cauldron about to reach boiling point when the Everton and Newcastle United players took to the field, one senior member of the Merseyside pack who has been all over Europe with his work was heard to utter from the press box that when like this, the Blues' fanbase are the closest thing to their counterparts at Napoli.
This must be taken as a huge compliment for loyal but long-suffering Evertonians. However, while both clubs endured their most-successful eras to date back in the 1980s, these two blue collar outfits from proud and fiercely-independent cities whose inhabitants often feel a breed apart from the rest of their respective countries are currently poles apart in terms of where their teams are currently at.
For all the pre-match passion from their supporters, Everton's 4-1 home defeat to the Magpies leaves them with just one win from their last 10 matches and in desperate need for a major upturn in momentum if they're to avoid their first relegation in 72 years while Napoli are on the brink of their first Serie A title since 1990 which marked the end of their glory days with Diego Maradona. Another significant difference of course is that Naples, like Newcastle upon Tyne, is one of European football's biggest single team conurbations unlike Liverpool where an intense rivalry across Stanley Park has fuelled two giants for over 130 years and despite the Reds' huge global appeal, many thousands of Scousers – for now at least – still choose to follow the city's senior club.
With Everton's new stadium currently being built at Bramley-Moore Dock, the loss to Newcastle United might well prove to be the last top flight game under the lights at 'The Grand Old Lady' but while Blues should be looking forward to an exciting new era by the Mersey waterfront, they're increasingly resembling an archaic football institution. Back in 1971 when Goodison's triple decker Main Stand was completed, the elite end of English football was in equilibrium with Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal all level on the most League Championships won with seven apiece.
However, in the half century or so since, while United have won 13 more, Liverpool a dozen and even Arsenal, who now look poised to be overhauled in this year's race (which would see Manchester City go level with Everton), have been crowned champions some six further times. The Blues in contrast have two titles in the corresponding period – the same as Derby County – and none since 1987 now, by far the longest such drought in their history.
Although Evertonians have begrudgingly had to come to accept the financial realities of 21st century football that have severely eroded their chances of challenging again, one badge of honour they have long clung onto is their record-breaking haul of top flight seasons, including an unbroken run stretching back until 1954 but even that now is in serious jeopardy. But how does it get there?
In less than 18 months, Newcastle United has shown how spectacular fortunes can turn a shrewd cash flow can do for a club.
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