It has understandably been labeled a dark day for Everton. But as a lifelong fan, I believe this could be the moment when the club regains its faith, its identity.
The last few years have been the bleakest since I first visited Goodison Park as a seven-year-old in late 1985 – a 3-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday.
In fact, they are among the bleakest for the club since my late grandmother made her first trip from Birkenhead to L4 to watch Dixie Dean in his debut season for Everton in 1925.
She was there too, 55 years later, in March 1980, when Dean died after suffering a heart attack in the stands after a match against Liverpool.
There have of course been ups and downs during my family’s 98-year love affair with Everton.
It has, quite understandably, been labeled a dark day for Everton following our 10-point deduction
However, I believe that this could be the moment when the club regains its faith, its identity
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But there have always been periods of enormous success, of great joy, of pride in a club whose identity is so deeply rooted in the local community, the city and the history of English football.
Until the last gloomy, painful years, when it seems as if the club is at war with itself. Not anymore. This deduction of ten points – the good and bad aspects of which I leave to others – can serve as a catalyst.
The club is united again. The fans – who have done so much to keep the team afloat over the past two seasons – have fire in their bellies once again. The team – already improving every game under the impressive Sean Dyche – will be galvanized.
Goodison Park will be a bear pit for the visit of Manchester United next weekend – with one of the six fined a paltry £3 million for his attempt to destroy English football.
The message to the Premier League is clear: we won’t let those bastards send us down.