Match Preview: Everton v City. 3rd. January 2000.

City Try To Get Out Of 'Sticky Patch'

Peter Gilbert . 31.12.99

And so it was that the first team Leicester City should play in the new Millennium was Everton FC, an away fixture.  We had a rather poor run at the end of the last thousand years but we find ourselves in a strong position overall and we can feel optimistic about the way ahead.
Our battle weary troops assemble up in Liverpool looking to turn over a new leaf, to make a fresh start .......basically to win.  We need to break that 30 point barrier and quick.
They're no great shakes Everton, we could turn them over, on a good day we could give them a good hiding but..........they're experiencing something of a renaissance at present under the dour manager Walter Smith.   I suppose he does smile......it's just that I've never seen him do it and I've never heard him make a light hearted comment, not exactly the life and soul of the party type, not the sort of person you might want to bring a piece of coal round to your house dressed in a kilt at midnight on New Year's Eve. They gave Spurs a 6-1 drubbing the other week so they can't be all bad I suppose.
The league games we have lost recently,  4 on the trot, have been by the odd goal and that goal was more often than not a bad one, an error, a moment's misjudgment which resulted in disaster.
We have lost our heart and soul,  that which makes us tick,  have self belief - something that gives us fight. In short; our midfield is not there. Without Lennon, Izzett and Guppy,which we will be, we lose the ability to take a game to the opposition and to stand firm when they fire missiles at us.

We are of course a better team than Everton FC ,  but only when we have all our players fit and that is not the situation at the moment, so anything could happen really.  They only secured Premiership survival in their penultimate match of last season with a six goal thrashing of West Ham. In fact they've had some very close brushes with relegation over the last recent years, one which will forever be a 'mystery' to me. They can of course claim divine intervention as they have a church in one corner of the ground.
Last season it took them until October 31st to score a Premiership goal at Goodison Park and that came in a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Man Utd.
They sold fan's favourite Duncan Ferguson to Newcastle last season in a move that almost lead to Walter Smith's resignation and spelt the end of Peter Johnson's controversial reign as chairman.  This time last year the club was in a mess(You see it's not only us who have problems)
The team were terrible to watch but their commitment never wavered and an inspirational signing of Kevin Campbell on loan on transfer deadline day from Turkish Club Trabzonspor lifted their fortunes. It took him three games to score but once he hit the back of the net neither he nor his team mates looked back.

I am hoping for the best fearing the worst and expecting a draw.

Did You Know?

1. After being formed in 1878 as St Domingo FC by a Sunday School, the club changed their name to Everton just over a year later.
2. Everton were founder members of the football league in 1888.
3. They have won the league title on nine occasions.
4. They have won the FA Cup five times.
5. They have never won The League Cup which as City fans all know is really the only cup worth winning.
6.They have competed in Europe on 11 occasions, winning one trophy;The European Cup Winners Cup in 1985.
7. Everton have been in the top flight since they were promoted in 1954 - the second longest period of any club currently in the Premiership.
8. Since the introduction of three points for a win, Everton hold the record for the biggest winning margin in the league, they finished 13 points clear in 1984 - 85.
9. In 1924 Everton's San Chedgzoy took a corner to himself and dribbled past the Spurs defence before scoring. The law was subsequently changed to force players to pass to a team mate at a corner.(Oh dear if it wasn't Spurs I might have had some sympathy)