9. Dermot (Boston)
Everton 1-0 Norwich - 1987 - Dermot's first visit to Goodison
Bio:Dermot is the founder of Boston Evertonians, an Official Everton Supporters Club in the US. He is Irish and a scientist who grew up in Dublin before moving to the US to pursue a career in research (beyond the School of Science) around 2002. He has travelled to Goodison many times down the years and remains a committed bluenose despite the ~6,000 mile round-trip to Walton.
Q1.Why Everton?
Two main influences were at play for me. My older Brother was a Liverpool fan. My older cousin from a football mad household was and continues to be an Evertonian and regular visitor to Goodison. My brothers and I were always in awe of his room that was covered in Everton posters from the early 80′s. We also had family connections in Birkenhead. It was sometime during the 84/85 season that I started to support the Blues as a 9 year old. A neighbour in Dublin who was a hammers fan gave me some Everton posters from Shoot magazine & annuals including that famous pic of the 84 cup winning side. I think having a poster of that team and John Bailey wearing the big hat was probably the point of no return. My Brother has long since given up on the reds.
Q2.Favourite Goodison memory?
Well, without a doubt my first visit to Goodison still ranks as my favourite memory. It was the opening day of the 87/88 season against Norwich (1-0, Paul Power) and of course we were kicking off as League Champions. We were on a family holiday over in England in the Lake District and my English Uncle managed to pull a few strings and organize tickets in the Upper Bullens. I was so excited at the prospect of going to Goodison that I wore every piece of Everton kit I had – sweatbands, wooly hat, scarf, I even had a blue vuvuzela. The photo with the policeman was taken on Goodison Rd in the shadow of the Main Stand that day. Walking around the ground before the game was awe inspiring. Seeing the main stand and St Luke’s Church up close was really something after marvelling at both for years in Everton team groups (back when they had trophies in them). My Dad bought me the Le coq sportif jersey during Lineker’s season with us and I have it to this day. Other than actually being there my favourite memory of a game at Goodison watched on the box would have to be the 4-4 v Liverpool in the FA Cup. I remember thinking we were done for multiple times during that game and especially when Barnes curled that effort in off the far post at the Gwladys. I remember Big Nev throwing himself at that one but just unable to get there. Thankfully we clawed ourselves back for the fourth time and Waggy did the business in the replay only for us to then be knocked out by West Ham.
Q3.Favourite all-time player?
Much as I have read about great Evertonians before my time I feel I have to stick to those that played during my own era. Being Irish I always had a fascination with Sheedy and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone score twice where the retaken free kick went in on the other side of the goal. His World Cup goal v England during Italia 90 only heightened his status as a legend to me. Big Dunc restored our pride at a time when optimism among blues was scarce and Tim Cahill has been a modern day derby hero consistently banging them in against our neighbours. But, for me it has to be between Southall and Graeme Sharp. Sharpies legendary goals and his enduring presence throughout the 80s made him one of my favorite Evertonians. I had the good fortune or meeting him once as a kid in Dublin Airport after a
Scotland-Ireland 0-0 euro qualifier in Oct 86. I got his autograph and was so delighted with myself I unzipped my tracksuit top to show him my EFC jersey. I find it humorous to this day that Dalglish and Hansen were also there beside him checking in but even as a 10 year old I didn’t bother seeking an autograph. Neville Southall was another legend for me during the 80′s and well into the 90s. I used to love when he’d pluck the ball out of the air with one hand and just scan the horizon. I was delighted that his years with Everton were rewarded with another FA Cup win in 95 after an outstanding performance that glorious day.
Q4.It looks like the only doubt in Landon Donovan’s mind about returning to Everton is fatigue. How important is Landon to Everton and how big of a blow to MLS would it be if he left for Goodison permanently?
I’ve had to completely eat my words with regard to Landon. Before his move to Everton I had seen him play in prior World Cups and in some MLS games when Beckham first moved over to the LA Galaxy. I saw him as a very average player. I was very surprised when Moyesy secured him on loan and I was actually expecting very little. Its safe to say that I could not have been more wrong. He had a great spell and I would have been very happy if Everton held on to him after the initial loan spell. With that said though, he really sealed his own fate when he berated Beckham for sticking around at Milan too long. In ways that episode improved his standing as the poster-boy for the MLS, but I’m
convinced it influenced his decision to return after the Everton loan spell (we also couldn’t afford him I’m sure). If Landon continued to be as effective as he was last season he could be a very important player for the Blues. At this point though I’m pretty excited at what young Seamus Coleman brings to the right side of our midfield and don’t want to see him displaced either. As far as the health of the MLS is concerned I think a Landon move would be the equivalent of the Premier League losing Ronaldo to Real. Yes, a talented star player moves on and the glamour of the league is slightly diluted but the MLS is bigger than Landon alone. I also agree with the argument that more
US international players need to play overseas to improve the quality of what I felt was a pretty limited US national side who to some degree overachieved in the World Cup.
Dermot with Dave Watson
Q5.How big is Everton’s profile in Boston, compared to say Man Utd or Chelsea? Has awareness of Everton risen since John W Henry and co bought Liverpool?
Everton have a pretty modest profile here in Boston in comparison to the big guns. Tim Howard’s presence in the side means that pretty much all native soccer fans here in the US will be familiar with Everton. Compared to a few years back the television coverage of the Premier League, Champions League and Europa League here now is incredible.
Every second EFC game on average is shown live although mostly on subscription channels like Fox Soccer Channel. Landon’s loan move last year meant that every fixture he played in was televised and there was certainly increased interest in the Blues from many US soccer fans.
I’m sorry to say that with the staunch and incredibly prevalent Red Sox support here in Boston, our efforts to expand the Everton supporters club now faces an uphill challenge. I would really like to see Everton play a pre-season friendly in the Northeast (Boston, New York, Philadelphia, DC). The majority of ex-pat Evertonians live in this area and a friendly game against the right opponent could substantially raise the clubs profile here.
Dermot with a young, and blue, Wayne Rooney
Q6. Wayne Rooney – is all the chatter about a potential return just wild fantasy, and would you have him back?
Yeah, its total fantasy. I don’t think he’s interested in the type of salary we could offer him and money was clearly the motivating factor behind that brief period of turmoil at Old Trafford. I think many Evertonians would welcome someone of his talent back to the team, but I think he lost our respect a long time ago as an Evertonian. I got a photo with him the day he made his debut against Spurs as he was entering the Main Stand and as a result I’ve felt sorry for him on occasion when he’s been in the media glare for the wrong reasons. I understand why people still want to think he’s an Evertonian at heart, but if you had that level of respect for the club I don’t think you could ever act the way he did on occasion at Goodison even under provocation. At the time of writing now it looks like he signed a new contract with United.
Q7.Is money necessary to compete at the highest level, and if so – should Kenwright step aside?
Yes, money is necessary to compete. Although, there is no doubt that the Champions League and to a lesser extent the Premier League have had a negative impact on the competitiveness of our domestic league competition. Its also clear that Everton missed the boat financially for many reasons that have been the subject of extensive debate down the years. I think the system run by the NFL with salary caps and a draft is admirable, but clearly unworkable in a multi tiered, multinational system like UEFA. The attempt to correct the balance in the NFL draft where the worst performing team gets to chose the best college football prospect is certainly a novel concept to European football. The current domination of all European leagues by the CL teams is not helping my enthusiasm for the game.
As for the Kenwright issue I have to say I’m pretty torn. There’s no doubt he’s a genuine Evertonian and personally I am appreciative of the stability and relative success that David Moyes and BK have brought to the club. I recognize that many Evertonians are unhappy about the 24/7 comments and other statements down the years. Real investment (rather than lip service) is needed to progress beyond where we’ve been lingering the last few years. I wouldn’t be averse to BK remaining in charge if the right investment partners could be identified, but we’ve had little progress on that front for a few years now. For his loyalty Moyes deserves the opportunity to compete and achieve something of real significance during his tenure.
Q8.You’re a busy man I’m sure, and you live in the States, how do you keep up with Everton?
Primarily Toffeeweb, the Guardian and BBC football. Toffeeweb has been an informed and well written source of news and opinion on all things Blue for many years. They get a lot of stick for being negative and like everything on the web, opinions expressed by ordinary fans aren’t always that well measured, but they have consistently provided objectivity in their analysis and are not afraid of calling it as they see it. In recent years Fox Soccer Channel have begun showing an hour of SSN a few times a day which helps us stay in touch with the latest drama too. For years when I lived in Philadelphia I used to go to the local Irish pub to watch the Blues on weekend mornings with only the local Celtic supporters club for company. A royal blue jersey entering the pub always earned a double take there until it was confirmed I wasn’t a Rangers fan. When I lived in Seattle the EFC squad trained there before their MLS All Star game in Utah and we got the opportunity to meet the entire squad. David Moyes was a gent and the entire management team seemed to really enjoy hanging out and shooting the breeze with a few local & ex-pat Evertonians. Meeting so many local Evertonians that night made me realize how many supporters the blues have here in the US even on the west coast, but it just takes a lot of effort to find them and bring them together as a supporters club. After I moved my family to Boston in 2009 I decided to set up a supporters club here. Bluekipper put a note on their front page and really helped me find a number of Blues in the area in a short space of time. We’ve been growing ever since and are now affiliated with the club.
Everton 3-3 Man Utd - The Boston Evertonians in the Park End
in 10 years time?EvertonQ9.And finally, where do you see
I don’t particularly like this question when I get asked it in job interviews and its even tougher when answering about your club because you have even less control over the outcome. 9 more league championships, 8 European cups in the bag and a new stadium in Stanley Park is being a bit optimistic I suppose. The fear would be that we don’t sufficiently progress and continue to linger in the shadow of United, Arsenal, Chelsea instead of competing with them on a level playing field. The way the system is currently set up I can’t see that changing unless the wealth brought into the game by from TV rights and the Champions League is redistributed in a more imaginative way. There’s always the possibility that a sheik will take a shine to us, but that type of ad-hoc investment is not healthy for the game either
if unevenly distributed. At the moment, the realist in me would hope for us to be consistently playing in Europe and make a good cup or European run count.
Boston Evertonians can be reached on twitter (efc_boston), facebook, bostonevertonians.com or via email bostonevertonians@gmail.com.
