Pinpointing a moment.....

[Glasshalffull]

The Moshiri era is littered with sliding doors moments where we screwed up and took the wrong route, but for me the biggest was Ancelotti leaving and being replaced with Benitez. It was a fast decline from that moment onward.

For me, the tipping point was Ancelotti arriving. Not that there was anything wrong with him, per se, but it heralded an era where 'top management' at the club seemed to think that chucking huge amounts of money at anyone with a name, or even half a name, in the game would automatically work wonders. Easy, peasy!!! Money is no substitute for intelligence, planning, organisation, and foresight, it turns out.

 

[Gilbert..]

I was just a kid when Smith was here but that was probably the era when I went to the game the most. I don't remember ever feeling any sort of hope or engagement with the team on the field. My major memory of the Smith years is that I always seemed to be cold and an overall feeling of "meh"

I wasnt a fan of smith's football. I went home and away every game around that time. Travelled all way down to west ham away one midweek game. He played david ginola up front on his own. And when i say we never got into west hams box once im not kidding. Not once.
Dire football most of the time.
Nothings changed ?

 

[Davideeyore]

I was looking post-Moyes, but yep, Heysel and the European ban saw several clubs overtake us leading into the premier league era.

This isn't quite how I read it. The ban yes. But in the early years of the PL Everton were Everton's worst enemy. Like now.

 

[Lobster Johnson]

I wasnt a fan of smith's football. I went home and away every game around that time. Travelled all way down to west ham away one midweek game. He played david ginola up front on his own. And when i say we never got into west hams box once im not kidding. Not once.
Dire football most of the time.
Nothings changed ?

I remember a 0-0 draw against Leeds when Dominic Matteo got sent off in the first half and we were still happy to play for a draw. It remains the worst game of football I can ever remember.

 

[Exeter_Gently]

Signing Michael Keane.

 

[Dancing Pat]

Such grim reading, as there are so many different moments to choose from over the decades?

We are definitely cursed.

 

[Joey66]

When Ancelotti did a runner on us, and then we hired Benitez as his replacement! I think if Carlo stuck around we'd be fine, but when he left we were snookered good and proper.

Benitez drove out players like James Rodriguez and Lucas Digne, and that whole period created this horrible atmosphere within the club and amongst the fanbase.

There was lot's of factors that caused this mess, but Carlo leaving was the final knockout blow imo.

Carlo IMO was head hunted to go back to the club he loved - at least he stopped the other lot winning another European Cup ...

 

[chippy1722]

Hiring Martinez, the start of the rot.

 

[BigMick]

Selling Alan Ball!

Seriously I agree with the OP and would add to it Giroud's missus not wanting to move 'up north'. After that Koeman seemed to give up and started turning up like he'd just staggered in from a night on the lash.

 

[Dancing Pat]

Carlo IMO was head hunted to go back to the club he loved - at least he stopped the other lot winning another European Cup ...

I think the break-in at his house probably contributed to his decision too.

 

[Muggins]

I was there. Feels like its just gone full circle. Away end was very toxic. Team just looked so shabby. That lad was about 3 rows away.

Me and my dad were sitting behind him. But didn’t notice he’d left his seat until he was on the pitch! Highbury ay ?

 

[PickeringBlue]

When Moshiri starting calling up Jim White to chat publicly about various issues. Told me all I needed to know that I wanted him nowhere near this football club. There will be no saving this club until Moshiri is gone.

 

[DanEFC92]

Koeman's/Walsh's idiotic splurge. That's done us in with FFP and we're still suffering from it.

 

[Abertonian]

 

[blue61]

Somewhere between him

And him