Today’s match kicks off an enormously significant week for our Football Club.
Monday’s result at Tottenham was a chastening experience. But we now have the opportunity to bounce back with two huge matches at Goodison Park this week, followed by a lightning quick turnaround and an FA Cup quarter-final at Crystal Palace next Sunday.
It’s a challenging run of fixtures - but the rewards for three positive results can be enormous, with six Premier League points and a trip to Wembley at stake.
As a result of the unsympathetic scheduling of the FA Cup fixture, kicking off at 12.30pm on a Sunday, the Board decided to pay for coach travel for our supporters as soon as it became apparent that it would be impossible for our fans to arrive at Selhurst Park in time for kick-off by train.
We felt that it was the right thing to do.
First we must concentrate on today’s match – and it’s vital that we continue to pull together and show the passion we have done in all of our home matches since Frank arrived as manager.
We have already witnessed the impact a partisan support can have on our performances and results here – notably during the visits of Brentford and Leeds – and we need that level of backing again this afternoon.
If we can harness the power of Goodison once more, it can go a long way to delivering the result we all want and need.
We never take the support of our fans for granted, but it is still heartening to see that Season Ticket renewals for next season have already been strong and I would like to thank everyone who has already taken that step for your continued backing.
You will be aware that we took the decision to suspend our partnership agreements with our Russian sponsors – which was undoubtedly the right thing to do – and we believe our newly restructured commercial team can fill the gap that decision creates.
The Club’s commercial strategy has now been refocused and our team is already embracing that challenge diligently and enthusiastically.
We were all saddened this week to learn of the passing of our former manager Gordon Lee.
In charge from 1977 to 1981, Gordon took us to Wembley, led us into Europe twice, was desperately unlucky in two FA Cup semi-final replays and was also the man who brought Club legend Graeme Sharp to Goodison Park in 1980.
More importantly he was a lovely, humble man who we will all miss dearly.
I should also reference that this weekend we celebrate becoming the first Premier League club to formally support the #HerGameToo campaign.
#HerGameToo was founded with the aim of fostering an ethos in football in which women are welcomed and respected equally. And on Boxing Day we became the first Premier League club to back the movement.
Brentford and Leeds subsequently followed our lead.
Today’s fixture is our closest home fixture to International Women’s Day and at our Women’s fixture against Leicester yesterday and here today we are hosting several activities to promote that link-up.
We are proud to add our backing of #HerGameToo to the long list of significant firsts achieved by Everton Football Club.
And hopefully we will also be proud of another stirring Goodison performance this afternoon - and three vital points.
COYB!
Denise
