Emails 40

Spurs..et al

Well, as I sat, post match nursing my Stella (A lovely girl) in the St Francis de Sales parochial club(Which always sounds like it should be on Craggy Island), I pondered....

Same shit, different season?

Like 'Mickey Blue Eyes', I was feeling very deflated. Leading 1-0 at half time and deserving it? Or was I kidding myself? Had Moysey been bold? Ummmmmm... 4-3-3? I remember that....... I think once or twice in Howard's first reign we played it. Walter played 5-4-1, or 4-5-1, or sometimes 5-5, whatever he told the press afterwards.
Big Joe played Duncan up front and everyone else aiming two feet above his head. Mike Walker was at his best when driving that skip wagon.

I'll not sully Colin Harvey's name with comments, other than his record now looks pretty good compared to most who followed him. (Not forgetting that he inherited the best team in the land, by some way.)

So, at least Moyes went for it. I had to explain to my lad ( who is 13, and a season ticket holder since he was 5 ) what 4-3-3 was, and I agreed with the decision to switch to 4-4-2 when he did, although it wouldn't have been The Duke I would have taken off. I'm left with the feeling he is one of that rare breed that can turn a game. I'd maybe have taken the Rad off, so what do I know? Great finish for the equaliser.

Li Tie shows promise. I thought he played like the new boy, under and over hitting the odd pass, but he seemed to have some vision. A couple of his diagonal balls (Is that an oriental thing?) and little flicks over the top could have been killer passes if anyone else had reacted more quickly. Other than that, he was always prepared to make himself available, although at times he seemed confused by Mad Dog's insistence on playing anywhere but in his position, but aren't we all?

I thought he (Tommy) did battle hard (and sometimes well) as always, but, as always overlooked the fact that if he leaves his position it leaves a gap in the midfield.

Contrary to Mickey Blue Eyes' opinion, I thought Davey made a couple of uncharacteristic errors which Stubbsy helped him out with, making me more prepared to forgive him his own errors afterwards. Overall, I thought we were less than solid at the back, with Hibbo a little shaky even before he tired. I like Hibbo, but I like Watto's gusto, too, giving us another attacking dimension. I do think it's inevitable that the 'Yob' will displace Stubbsy. Ten games ago, I thought he was starting to be another Davey, but a rapid spiral down has made me wonder over his health/fitness/well-being.

Wrightey has to put this one behind him. I had only blamed him for the second until I saw the TV, when I had to agree with Moysey. A couple of howlers....

Kev? Made less impact than he should had done, but battled more than he did last season, so we'll wait and see. The Rad worked hard and was well worth his goal.

The Duke? He looked like he had been playing Premiership football for 10 years and fitted in just fine. On this performance, I thought he maybe tended toward being a Whiteside rather than an Owen <coff-spit>, but I do know one thing, he's ready! I hope I'm wrong in comparing him with anyone. Maybe in 30 years my lad will be saying to his son, "Ahhhhhhhhh....this kid's good, but he's no 'Rooney' ". I do worry a little that Blue Bill will be caught giving him a blow-job in the showers one day, but we all have to deal with hero worship as best we can.

So, where do we go from here? Roll on three points. Let's look at things again then.
Paul (Cut me and I bleed toffee) Mc.(19/08/02)

First Game

I thought that today's game started well enough but then we need someone who can slide the ball through to Rooney and bring out the best in him, like Coventry's Thompson. Again does grav really want to play for us if so when is he going to start. I am sure Wright will improve in time, people always seem to have poor debuts for us in front of their old rivals. we just need someone to help les Ferdinand into the stands he must love playing us. Le Tie looks good and I don't think we have seen the best out of him yet. The pre match events like last week were very good its just a bit deflating when we throw away points. we have to bring in extra faces before august 31st transfer deadline or we might just have a winter of discontent.
Chris Simpson. (19/08/02)

Lard's Day Out

my mate played for the redshite in the same match as lard, he came on for john barnes, reluctantly, he is a blue nose and thought he was playing for the blues but got told to play for the 'shite' a minute before as they was
short. ...........needless to say, he didnt try hard and he was the guy on the line when joe parky scored ! then he told parky he let him score to get a bit of glory, ha, and parky bought him a pint !! good eh !! and he said
nev kicked him all over the park too !! James T. (19/08/02)

Redshite Echo

in regard to John Armitage's (13/08/02) piece on the Redshite Echo's pisstake of the Blues, I could not agree with him any more. I mean i bought it from an Echo stand in town, and there was only 1 "Everton" pre-season
paper left, compared to about 10 Res=dshite papers - so i thought fuckinghell it must be alright for once.So i spent the pound, and was impressed until the last HALF - where it started going on about the years events in which i havent got a fucking clue with what this has to do with everton since it said nothing about our beloved blues.It had a rather oversized picture of "No Forhead" Gerrard and Michael "In the shadows of Rooney" Owen in the England kit, in which it was debated on that day that shite beat Germany - so why the fuck is it doing in an "Everton" paper? And why did it have an article on Gerrard Houliier being sick and a picture of him? Why would any Evertonian want to see this or read this? It must be some sick arse Echo joke which is really meant to be flicking the V's at us Evertonians.

Then came the shite abar NOT Everton - Tranmere's bit in the shitty thing.I mean WHAT IS THE NEED? WHY ARE THEY VICTIMISING THE NUMBER 1 CLUB IN THE CITY ? i havent came anywhere near the redshite pre season paper but i know now for sure its jam packed full of Redshite shit and is ALL Redshite

So this has lead me to 4 points; 1.The Liverpool Echo should be aptly named "The Redshite Echo" because it rants on and on about Redshite and never has a good thing to say about THE NUMBER 1 CLUB IN THE CITY(even that fucking David Prentice gets at us and he's meant to be our correspondant); 2.We get victimised for fuck all, when strictly spekin we are not only the number 1 club in THE CITY but we are also the number 1 club in ENGLAND (I mean first team to reach 100 years says it all) 3.Liverpool are a load of shite,
they will win fuck all and will go into bad debt cos of their spending (have you noticed the way they havent gone ahead with the 70000 seater because it costs a few million more?This must mean they are in some sort of debt) 4.THAT WAS THE WORST FUCKIN £1 IVE EVER SPENT IN MY LIFE!!! the website is fucking amazing. i tell everyone about it and i go on it every day. KEEP IT UP!!!!
JOHN THE BLUENOSE (16 YEAR OLD WHO KNOWS HIS STUFF. ASK ANYONE). (19/08/02)

Can't Wait

I can honestly say that I have never looked forward to anything as much in my life. I have just returned from a few days in Majorca, which took my mind off things a little. But since I have got back I have not been able to do anything, but think about this coming Saturday. The thought of a packed Goodison this Saturday, your throat swelling with pride and emotion, as the fantastic Davie Weir leads our beloved team out into a new era, for what promises to be the most interesting season for us in years. I don't know about you guys but as soon as I hear the z-cars theme I am transfixed on that tunnel. Waiting in anticipation, eyes filling up, wanting so much for our team, `THE PEOPLES TEAM` to come onto that pitch and make us all so proud to be part of the `THE PEOPLES CLUB`.

We have seen enough half hearted football, taken enough stick from gobshites and, worshipped more than enough false heroes in the last 10 - 15 years, to last anyone a lifetime. But we now know, and I am not getting carried away when I say this, David Moyes and Bill Kenwright care for us. They want to succeed and, should they not, we will all know it will not be for a lack of trying, or for a lack of passion and commitment.

The pre season signings have been fantastic, refreshing a squad in areaswe really needed it. Not only that though, they are young players with something to prove and, hopefully players who will wear the blue shirt with the passion and endeavour it deserves. Then there is the Duke, Kevin McLeod and Tony Hibbert, players who have come through the ranks and will bust a gut for the club, because the club have given them so much already.

So come Saturday we will be there in force, chests filled with pride, hearts on our sleeves, willing and wanting our team to deliver the goods. Have a belief, this is a new era and, I know in my heart that this season, they will give us something to be proud of once again. Tom Coleman. (19/08/02)

Holiday Fun

just been to portugal on hols with the wife and kids.met a pub owner who informed me that he had only met 3 evertonians in his life, one being eamon o'keefe. i informed the cheeky b'stard it was his lucky day because he'd just met another five in one day. COME ON YOU BLUES !!!!!!!!!! Dave Brown. (14/08/02)

Lets Keep Posession

The one thing all of us learned from the world cup was that England could not keep posession and spent most of the game chasing around like headless chickens while the opposition coolly stroked the ball around searching for an opening. Even at school our PE teacher would drum into us, "As long as we've got the ball, they can't score!" Last year i believe that our beloved blues suffered from this same affliction week in week out. I can't remember us stringing more than 3 passes together all season, so i was delighted to hear that we had a new coach coming on board who after looking at last years videos would obviously make posession a
priority. Unsey's match scared me to death with Bilbao making us look like England against Brazil. I hope to God that it was just pre-seasonitis and that the glaringly obvious flaw in our style of play has been worked on
thoroughly throughout training. Let's hope we are all shouting out those "ole's" that come with pass after pass from our lads....come on you blues!... i'm getting excited now.
Cheers and thanks to the excellent BK for keeping us up to date with more than the propaganda of the rose tinted vision of the EFC official site. FLIPPER. (14/08/02)

Li Tie Looks The Biz

What the fck is Chris Simpson ranting on about? Fair enough, we weren't exactly world beaters in the first half, but the second half gave Evertonians plenty to be optomistic about, especially Li Tie. Chris, it was our last friendly for fcks sake!! Would you rather our lads go out and give it everything then come back injured? Rob Sutton. (14/08/02)

The Hibbert

Every one is going on about how great Wayne Rooney is and will be, and hopefully that will happen, but someone who not many people are talking about is Tony Hibbert. I think he is a solid reliable right back who can get forward. I personally gave him man of the match in the dismal 0-1 defeat from Athletic Bilbao. Rionaldo. (14/08/02)

Athletico Game

Well were we poor, dire, sour or just shite today, apart from Wayne Rooney who distinctly lacked any kind of service to him. Until Moyesey made the changes we were fucking terrible the new people look good but they were already chasing a lost cause when they were introduced why does Moyesey still favour Walters old pile of shite, grav didn't want to fucking know and alexanderson what was he doing? bilbao were there for the taking only we couldn't take them. With less than a week to go before the start of the season this was worrying. I know it was only a testimonial but I have seen more organised teams under Mike Walker. What the fuck is going on! Chris Simpson. (13/08/02)

ONE DAVID UNSWORTH.....

Just read the Bluekipper meets David "Rhino, Rhino, Rhino!" Unsworth interview. What a guy!
Great to see we have players who both care about the club, and understand the fans as well!
Credit goes to him he loves Everton as much as the rest of us, and he tells it as it is. Looking forward to the season even more. Rhino mate, if you read this your a top bloke, a True Blue, well in la'. COME ON EVERTON! Make this year somthing to remember!! 100 Years...and counting. P.s. Lets hope he does kick Barmby 9 foot high!!! Once a Blue, ALWAYS a Blue. Toffee Man Dan. (13/08/02)

SPORT V POLITICS

The internet system is an invaluable tool for communication, but it can also be a screen behind which purrveyors of idealogical clap trap can hide. Another EFC fanzine website recently published an article which was 50% shite and 50% conjecture, this article was quite rightly answered and the website and the author heartily chastened. What does this have to do with BLUE KIPPER?
The site is excellent in content 99% of the time, there is one correspondant though who continually uses this site to sound off abvout his political persuasion, again most of it totally misinformed, and giving the impression to casual readers of the site that it is some form of offical comment.
So may I make a suggestion that ALL correspondance that carries a political comment be banned from the otherwise excellent site. Sport especially football and politics DO NOT MIX!!

P.S. Bill Kenwright, product of a Merseyside Grammar School making a donation to the Labour Party? Surprising that no one has commented on that, if it had been the Tory party do you think Mickey Blue Eyes would have died of apoplexy?
Peter Blue ALLOVER. (13/08/02)

Echo Special Guide to Everton

I don't buy the Echo anymore but happened to see this billed as "A special 28 page guide to everton's 2002-03 campaign" and priced £1
Against better judgement I paid up believing not even the Echo could perform their usual Efc mickey-take.

The reality - 8 pages are nothing to do with our club, they have managed to include photographs of Houlier on two separate pages with another photograph showing Owen and Gerrard.
Owen has a further photograph supposedly justified because it shows him being tackled by Joseph Yobo.
There are two pages containing reviews of Arsenal, Lverpool, Man United, Newcastle, Leeds and Chelsea. A whole page on the three promoted clubs, another page on Van Nistelrooy and Shearer and two pages on Tranmere Rovers.
Any child putting the centrepiece poster on their wall which includes the published fixtures will also be pasting up a photo of Houlier, Owen and Gerrard who appear on the back.

Does the trade description act apply to newspapers?

I have been conned again by our local rag which I stopped buying some time ago but is it possible for you to review this particular affront to our club as a warning to fans to leave it on the shelf?

I would guess anyway that the actual articles relating to Everton and their players will also appear in the next 'Evertonian' John Armitage. (13/08/02)

It's Just Like Watching Brazil

Now that we have Rodrigo some thoughts on the links between The People's Club and Brazil. (Both simply the best!).
I'm sure that your readers will know a lot more.
1 I think an Everton team toured Brazil in the early years of the 20th century.
2 I remember that Everton played Santos in New York in the early 1960s.
3 An early chant that I remember from the Boys' Pen is 'Everton cha, cha, cha.' About 1961 to 1963.
4 I think we nearly signed a Brazilian in the last five years but he wanted an huge amount of money.Whatever, happened to him.
5 We may have tried to get another Brazilian in the 1970s called Brabington - or something similar. Or was he an Argentinian? Cheers James in Sydney. (07/08/02)

Big Dunc

Surely this was the last season for Duncan Ferguson to prove that he was a top striker and, not the incredible injury prone false hero , that many of us Evertonians now think. Am I right in thinking that he was found to have a blood disorder last season, but that because this was discovered, that he could now be treated and, not be on the treatment table so much for the rest of his career?

But here we are again, less than 2 weeks to go before the big kick off and surprise, surprise, look who is not going to make the opening day again. Lets be brutally honest here, since we signed the big man back from Newcastle, he has nothing but a total waste of the clubs limited cash resources. Even when he was at the top of his game again at the back end of last season, he went and let us down again, by getting sent off against Bolton in a game we had to win.

He has given us some good times, but these are far out measured by the times on the treatment table. Worth mentioning that world class footballer Redondo, who was injured immediately after signing for AC Milan, thus not playing for a year and a half, gave half his salary back to the club, as a token of his appreciation of them nursing him through his injuries.

Time to move on folks and find a new hero, this bloke just doesn't measure up. Tom Coleman. (07/08/02)

Buy The New Everton CD

Having not been particularly interested on the creation of a new musical addition to add to the already heaving piss-taking book the redshite friends regularly throw my way during many a football argument, but having read the Official website saying we only need 5000 copies sold to get into the charts, I think it would be a great idea to see us being played on radio stations throughout the country forcing Everton Football Club down the throats of every other football supporter. I am expecting it to be naff, but then aren't 99.9% of them anyway. Even so thinking of all the other footy supporters cringing every time it sees some airplay time, yes, I can
just see it now. An ideal way for some other twat to mention our dodgy song and then for me to verbally attack with a 'in your face with a hundred years, hundred years, hundred years, in your face with a hundred years, fuck off red shite!

In the case of it being a decent song, well, maybe there will be some unsuspecting young'uns waiting for the calling and be converted. Maybe not, but if we get 1, well you know what they about small acorns and the like Here's looking forward not backwards. Barry G. (07/08/02)

SNAP SHOTS

JUST FLICKING THROUGH THE JOGGER'S SNAP SHOTS AND SAW MY OLD MATE BRIAN WITH BIG DUNC AND THE GAFFER. HE IS OFF HIS HEAD AND FUCKING NUTS ABOUT EVERTON. GREAT SITE KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. JUST CAME BACK FROM CORNWALL FUCKING PAPERS NEVER HAD NOTHING ABOUT US IN THEM SO I FOUND AN INTERNET CAFE AND WENT ON THE B K WEBSITE TO KEEP UP WITH WHATS GOING ON, SAVED MY FUCKING SANITY. John. Top Balcany. (07/08/02)

Appreciative Blue nose

I'm an exiled scouser up in Geordie land, I get to as many games as poss, you're website is my lifes blood so long may it flow. Esp like the Chester reports and photos!, good idea why not get some for all matches? Keep up the good work. Bring on the reds- let the Duke loose, then they can sing "who let the Duke out!!!!"
Mickey Brew eyes

"you miserable git!"

I recently returned from Cyprus, visiting a mate who works out there.I was pleased to discover that the majority of his mates who work with him over there, are also avid blues and read Bluekipper daily.However, I was shocked to be told by them that on reading previous e-mails I have sent to Bluekipper, I sound like a miserable,cynical boring twat (of which I'm not honest, honest!!!!).
So, to Jordo, Twitchie and Dave, a big "fuck-off" to you, I can't wait for the new season and I know the boys won't let us down. Regards.Wazy.(07/08/02)

Half Price Kit

so the new home kit is only gonna last one season, so why the fuck does it not cost half the price?. Anyway several weeks ago i was on holiday in Portugal and PSG were playing sporting lisbon live on tele. i was in a portugese bar full of sporting fans when that muppet Nyarko scored for PSG. Since id had a few Large Super Bock lagers i began educating the locals on what a muppet Nyarko is. I taught them all how to say in perfect english 'Nyarko is a dickhead muppet' I left the bar content knowing that from now on in a small corner of Portugal Nyarko will always be known as 'THE DICKHEAD MUPPET' . Brian Morgan Belfast (07/08/02)

Sheedy and Ablett at the People's Ground

This is all true. Honest.

Down here in Melbourne, Aussie Rules rules as it were. But there are a number of spooky links with "Real Football" and with the Mighty Blues.

The highest paid coach in the AFL, and walking legend, is called Kevin Sheedy. One of the best players in recent years was Gary Ablett (OK so that's not the same). And the de facto home of Aussie Rules, the MCG calls itself.....wait for it.... the People's Ground.

Oh and my team Collingwood ("The Magpies", and yes they play in Newcastle shirts) has a player called Chris Tarrant...

And the man who has the meat pie concession is called Bill Kenwright*

Gregg Ainsworth. (07/08/02)* Not strictly true.

FourFourTwo

Congrats to all at Kipper for the further recognition of OUR site before a ball's even been kicked. (Havin' said that, I havn't seen what shite you've said yet !!!!).
Yobo....fucking great news.
Dunc......"Time to go..."
Gerrard and Dunc for Koumas ? Would it be such a bad deal......sad really.
Keep it up boys. Park End Bill (07/08/02)