Jose Baxter

[Milkman]

Would be great to come back in 2020 after Baxter has captained us to another Premier League title and vault the hell out of some of you.

 

[Moomin]

Would be great to come back in 2020 after Baxter has captained us to another Premier League title and vault the hell out of some of you.

And when he leaves and starts slagging off the club again I'll vault you.

 

[orly]

Would be great to come back in 2020 after Baxter has captained us to another Premier League title and vault the hell out of some of you.

He had that vision in Mood about 3am Thursday

 

[hallamblue]

I don't know if any of you know the lad personally, but I'm guessing Unsworth does. It is too simplistic to state that because someone has made mistakes in their life they shouldn't be given another chance. I very much doubt his wages are any good. I have to be honest and say I thought Sheff Utd was his last chance, but let's wait and see.

 

[yakublue]

I'm happy that everton's identity is that we're a family. I think it's great for everyone at the club to see that we look after our own. He deserves a second chance if he's willing to work for it.

 

[Brendan Janus]

Only 24, Christ !​

 

[Alan Whittle]

As an outsider; this speaks volumes for the values and principles of Everton football club. Looking after one of your own with no guarantee of any gain, but because they need help. Be proud of your club, it is what sets you apart from many others in football today.

 

[everton2004]

Ok, so.....I've slept on it and - while it still seems a crazy hair brained idea - I can also see what the club is doing.

It could save his career and reputation, it also has the potential to backfire spectacularly. He'd better knuckle down, keep off the beak and sort himself out after a gesture like this - most people would not get a second chance to rebuild their reputation (never mind a third).

If it works, everyone's a winner - Baxter will end up with a contract somewhere and Everton will get the plaudits. If it doesn't...well......he's a fool and we end up with egg on our face. Let's hope (if this is indeed a genuine story) that it turns out for the best.

 

[joseph]

http://www.thetopbalcony.com/there-should-be-no-place-at-everton-for-disgraced-jose-baxter/822

Says it all really.

 

[Philw]

Doesn't this just throw a message out to our current crop that you can screw things up and we will have you back with open arms?

The message we should be sending out is work your socks off - you get one chance at this great club!

Don't make the grade/ act irresponsibly and you'll end up non league or working 9/5.

That's also one way to look at it I guess and a good point

Have to be careful of turning our academy into the footballing edition of the good samaritans, but think in this isolated case it is something well done by Everton.

Neither of those is a bad thing tho is it? It's like the story of the Prodigal Son.

...heard Unsworth being interviewed and saying "he's one of ours", "we look after our own but this is his last chance". It's clearly not an attempt to resurrect his Everton career, the club have given him a contract to see if he can sort himself out and attract a team from the lower divisions.

I don't know his salary except that it's not a "first team contract" but it appears an act of 'benevolence' and 'rehabilitation' in an attempt to help a troubled young man. I doubt many other clubs would do it but it's ok with me.

Actually depends doesn't it, could argue that Gibson had been given multiple chances by the club already before a new first team contract,

Ultimately this highlights that we look after our own, even when they screw up massively, because Everton are a proper community club

You can hate that or like that, it's up to you, but it's what we are, what we've been and what we will be for many years to come

What they said. One of our own went off the rails. We're trying to help him get back on them. Wouldn't you do the same for one of your kids, even if they'd been a bit of a bell and said mean things about you?

I'm not remotely arsed about footballers wages. I am arsed about the club giving (a suggested) 5k a week to a lad

This doesn't make sense...

If we're just using this to get him in to shape and move him on for a tidy profit in the Summer, then fine. I don't want him around the club, selling his 'ideals' to our youngsters.

He won't be 'joining' until June I believe.

Personally im all for giving people a second chance but when it comes to a third and fourth chance the door stays bolted and Jose should have gone to the bottom and worked his way up as far as I am concerned rather than being a massive shop window by Everton. Will be really disappointed in the lad if he messes this chance up but feel its almost inevitable.

We wouldn't be doing it if he hadn't started out with us, it's not like we're giving some random a chance, as has been said he's 'one of our own'.

http://www.thetopbalcony.com/there-should-be-no-place-at-everton-for-disgraced-jose-baxter/822

What must under 23 players, who have worked incredibly hard to get where they are and are pushing themselves to the limits to earn a contract, be thinking when a failed drugs cheat waltzes through the door and snags one at 24?

What must youngsters think when a man who frittered his career away and accepted no blame is offered what will be relatively lucrative terms to revive his career?

I imagine they'll be thinking that this is a club that looks after it's own and won't just give up on you and dump you out with the trash even if you make massive errors of judgement.

 

[bullybeef]

First of all he isn't an Evertonian.

Second he wasn't/isn't good enough for EFC and never will be.

Third he slagged Everton off when he left.

Fourth taking him on again after all of his 'problems' sends out the wrong message to everyone.

Everton's approach at trying to help lost causes is admirable but in this case and in the case of a certain Mr D Gibson I fear it's completely misplaced.

 

[Harryflashman]

I posted this in the transfer thread but probably belongs in here .


Baxter left the club in 2012 so not exactly last week and I'd suggest a host of youngsters have been released and found themselves in significantly more difficult times than Baxter in that intervening period . Are you suggesting they all are given the opportunity to return to the club on a salary , Or for some reason is Baxter a special case ?

Let's be honest about Jose I first remember a headline about him when he was about 17 and arrested for possession with intent to supply and possession of counterfeit cash with a couple of mates . Baxter was never charged and I'm sure it was wrong place wrong time but you'd think it'd be something you'd remember and shake you up to take care with your life and career .

The he failed a drugs test but got away without a significant ban because 'his drink was spiked ' with ecstasy . The lad actually gave interviews to the media talking about how hurt he was, how terrible it was and how he feared his career was over and it nearly ruined his life . No mea culpa, no mitigation but his drink was spiked so a chance to move on with his life and a wonderful opportunity to keep playing football . Apart from all but 2 months his ban was suspended and his only real penalty was the inconvenience of regular 3 week drugs tests . Given Baxter was spiked though , no real issue at all as it won't happen again you'd be certain of that .

How long later ? About 12 months he's again banned this time for cocaine , it's not like he's never had a chance the lad has had chances.

Our club looks after its own I get that but a lad who left four or five years ago having played half a dozen or whatever games then has had two positive drugs tests seems to me to maybe to the wrong recipient of the clubs generosity. There hundreds of former footballers arrested and sentenced many in prison and you'd imagine large numbers with alcohol and substance abuse problems . I love the work the club does for former players but I struggle to see the logic in this one if I'm honest .

If Josè turns his life round great I'd be delighted for him but the way we're doing it seems a little odd .

 

[MikeH72]

Would be great to come back in 2020 after Baxter has captained us to another Premier League title and vault the hell out of some of you.

So many of these posts get lost in the vaults. "Can't wait to vault everyone when Niasse scores a 40 yard overhead kick to win us the FA Cup" was one last year, they never actually get vaulted though when it clearly doesn't happen.

 

[hallamblue]

I look at Ronnie O'Sullivan. All that stuff in the Baxter piece could have been said by him over the years. In an interview last week he said he'd ditched the dozens of "friends" he used to have and now had 4 good friends he could trust. He also praised the other players and accepted his own faults. Now I love Ronnie the snooker player, but Ronnie the man was very difficult to like before. People can change, not saying this lad has, but they can.

 

[Baines' left foot]

Looking after our own eh.

I suppose we're going to give jobs and housing to all the homeless Everton fans in the city now? Why not build those dorms Martinez wanted at USM Finch Farm and put them up.

Christ almighty.