Some of the responses (not all) are head in the sand stuff and a whitewashing of history. Hooliganism was rampant throughout the game in England, at club and international level. A game that involved the English meant an increased police presence. The English weren’t alone in this (as the Howard’s Way doc mentions) as it was rife among Italians and some Eastern European nations, but hooliganism especially in the 1970s and 1980s was in the DNA of English football. I’ve mentioned Jack Charlton contrasting the Irish fans with the English when he stated “ours don’t give any trouble”. Those that lived through that era know it, and those who are ignorant of it should educate themselves and read about it. Did Everton have a hooligan firm? Err just one of the most notorious in the country, the head of which was at Heysel (according to his bio).
And what about the crowd in general? In his autobiography Jack Charlton called the Goodison crowd in the 1960s "the worst before which I have ever played … there always seems to be a threatening attitude, a vicious undertone to their remarks."
That nugget of historical trivia is just one chiselled from the archives by Gavin Buckland in his memorable chronicle of Everton in the 1960s "Money Can't Buy Us Love."
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk
One of our own:
“As an Everton supporter growing up in the 1980s, I watched what were always “all white” line-ups and endured widespread allegations that the racism found on some sections of the terraces was reflected in the club’s selection policy. I can still painfully recall the despondency and sickness I felt deep in my stomach on the occasion that large numbers of fans around me repeatedly chanted “Everton are white!” during a match at Arsenal in the early 1990s.”
Nowadays, you wouldn’t consider Everton a racist club. You wouldn’t give it a single thought. However, once upon a time, they had a bad reputation. Fans made racist chants more often th…
www.efcstatto.com
Les Ferdinand in his autobiography:
“The hat-trick at Everton [in 1993] was particularly pleasing because I had always had racial abuse at Everton from their supporters. Doing that to them gave me extra pleasure. There are certain things which stick in your mind during your career as a footballer and the racism at Goodison Park is one of them. Probably the worst thing I have encountered in my professional career has been racist letters coming from supporters – most of which, I have to say, have come from Everton fans. After I scored that hat-trick against them over the Easter period, the letters I got back were disgusting.”
The link above states: “The acquisition of Amokachi hoped to help Everton eradicate their reputation as a racist club”.
From The Guardian in 2000:
Racial abuse aimed at black or foreign players at football grounds is still rife, according to university researchers who carried out a survey of 33,000 fans.
www.theguardian.com
From The Telegraph in 2001:
www.telegraph.co.uk
This forum has been great for mental health with a thread devoted to it. What it could also do is ensure any whitewashing of the history of this club is not tolerated, especially given the era we are in with Southgate today having to state the England players will continue to kneel for racial equality despite being jeered by a mindless section their own fans. I’ve lived through tribal BS during the troubles in Northern Ireland, spending most of my life in a catholic ghetto, so have zero tolerance for it. Saying nothing when faced with toxic BS is as bad as those who partake in it.
