The official Everton FC Supporters thread

[SHEEDY]

A fully fit james mccarthy would definitely have started the merseyside derby tomorrow especially with morgan schneiderlin being out injured. a fit james mccarthy has always done a good job for everton, unfortunately he's spent too much time on the treatment table. Thats why I think he might move on in the summer.
Scheiderlin, coleman, funes mori and mccarthy are big misses for tomorrow and for the rest of the season.

[imtommygunn]

Would he start but for schneiderlin injury though?

In the last derby everton were well on top until he had to go off to be fair. He has moved to cover now but would do a good job at a premier league club.

Worried gareth barry will start now. Pace could be an issue as jagielka has to play too and has slowed this year.

[SHEEDY]

Would he start but for schneiderlin injury though?

In the last derby everton were well on top until he had to go off to be fair. He has moved to cover now but would do a good job at a premier league club.

Worried gareth barry will start now. Pace could be an issue as jagielka has to play too and has slowed this year.

thats why mccarthy and schneiderlein being out are such big losses, barry wouldnt be starting if one of them were fit.

[imtommygunn]

Yeah i think his number is up under koeman. Has to be 4 in defense i suspect so guess the  5 in midfield will be davies, barkley, gueye, barry and maybe the likes of mirallis. Assuming they are all fit.

[The Stallion]

https://twitter.com/chris__1892/status/851359538565525504

[Fuzzman]

Can't believe Palace are beating Arsenal 3-0.
They're in free fall. We're only one goal behind them on goal difference now.
Arsenal TV will be going ape shit

[SHEEDY]

the sun newspaper really is just scum. who buys this shit...


Merseyside Police are investigating allegations that a newspaper article about Everton midfielder Ross Barkley constitutes a "racial hate crime".

Barkley, 23, was punched in a Liverpool bar last weekend in what his lawyer described as an "unprovoked attack".

In an article on Friday, Sun columnist Kelvin MacKenzie compared Barkley - who has a grandfather born in Nigeria - to a "gorilla at the zoo".

Police confirmed they were investigating the "full circumstances".

MacKenzie targeted both England international Barkley and the city of Liverpool in the article - which has since been taken off The Sun website - saying:

Barkley is "one of our dimmest footballers", also calling him "thick".
His eyes make him "certain not only are the lights not on, there is definitely nobody at home", adding: "I get a similar feeling when seeing a gorilla at the zoo."
Men with similar "pay packets" in Liverpool are "drug dealers" and in prison.
Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson told BBC Sport he reported the article to the police for a "racial slur".

Speaking to BBC Sport, Anderson said: "Not only is it racist in a sense that he is of mixed-race descent, equally it's a racial stereotype of Liverpool. It is racist and prehistoric."

Anderson later tweeted to say he had reported the article to Merseyside Police and the Independent Press Standards Organisation.

Alongside the article, The Sun published adjoining pictures of Barkley and a gorilla on their website with the caption "Could Everton's Ross Barkley represent the missing link between man and beast?" The picture was later removed.

MacKenzie was editor of The Sun when it published a front-page article headlined 'Hillsborough: The Truth' in the aftermath of the 1989 disaster at Sheffield Wednesday's football stadium.

The article claimed Liverpool fans were to blame for the tragedy, in which 96 people died. MacKenzie apologised in 2012.

Last year's landmark Hillsborough inquests recorded that the 96 fans were unlawfully killed and that Liverpool supporters at the FA Cup semi-final had played no role in causing the tragedy.

This Saturday, 15 April, marks the 28th anniversary of the disaster.

Burnley midfielder Joey Barton, who was an Everton youth player, tweeted: "Those comments about Ross Barkley, a young working-class lad, are disgusting. Then add in the fact he is mixed race! It becomes outrageous."

Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore tweeted: "Implied racism at its finest."

A Sun spokesperson said: "Columnists are supposed to have strong opinions that provoke debate among the readers. However their views do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper."

Football's equality and inclusion organisation Kick It Out said they had received complaints about the "insulting and offensive" comments.

"We will be contacting Everton and the PFA about their responses in providing support to Ross and his family," they said.

BBC Sport has contacted Everton and Barkley's representatives for comment.

[The Stallion]

Seems to be an awful lot of people being outraged about a paper they claim not to read. Apparently quite a few have chosen to read this Sun article at least.

[imtommygunn]

Mackenzie has been suspended.

By his boss who let the article through inthe first place....

I really wish people would stop buying that and the daily mail.

[Hotrocks]

Stallion back looking attention! Ignore! Poor lad must have a lonely life.

How Mc Kenzie gets employed is beyond me.

[The Stallion]

Perhaps you should follow your own advice and ignore my posts.

[Hectic]

To pull out the racist card in this instance is wrong. It is subjective and turns it into a debate about the implication of one sentence in what was an overall disgusting attack on a young man whose crime is being a public figure.

[johnneycool]

To pull out the racist card in this instance is wrong. It is subjective and turns it into a debate about the implication of one sentence in what was an overall disgusting attack on a young man whose crime is being a public figure.

I don't think McKenzie meant to be racist, although his constant jibes at Liverpool and it's inhabitants says more about the odious p***k that he is.
It's time the PFA stood up for it's members and canvas it's members to not give interviews to the Sun and it now should be a given that Everton ban them as well.

[laoislad]

To pull out the racist card in this instance is wrong. It is subjective and turns it into a debate about the implication of one sentence in what was an overall disgusting attack on a young man whose crime is being a public figure.

I don't think McKenzie meant to be racist, although his constant jibes at Liverpool and it's inhabitants says more about the odious p***k that he is.
It's time the PFA stood up for it's members and canvas it's members to not give interviews to the Sun and it now should be a given that Everton ban them as well.

They have.

[SHEEDY]

excellent news. well done Everton.


Everton have banned the Sun "from all areas of its operation" after the newspaper published "appalling and indefensible" allegations about Ross Barkley and the people of Liverpool.

The article, written by columnist Kelvin MacKenzie, appeared on Friday.

MacKenzie was suspended after comparing the midfielder, whose grandfather was born in Nigeria, to a "gorilla".

He also wrote that men with similar "pay packets" to Barkley in Liverpool were "drug dealers".

Everton said in a statement: "The newspaper has to know that any attack on this City, either against a much respected community or individual, is not acceptable."

Merseyside Police are investigating whether MacKenzie's comments constitute a "racial hate crime".

The Sun apologised "for the offence caused" and added that it was "unaware of Barkley's heritage".

In a statement of his own, MacKenzie reiterated the latter sentiment, adding that it was "beyond parody" to describe the column as "racist".

In February, Liverpool banned Sun journalists from its grounds over the newspaper's coverage of the Hillsborough disaster.

This Saturday, 15 April, marks the 28th anniversary of the disaster.

'The people's club have listened to the people'

Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson had led calls for Everton to ban the newspaper and he spoke with Toffees chairman Bill Kenwright on Saturday.

"Today of all days it's good news, " Anderson told BBC Sport. "We at Everton have always been proud of the fact that we have supported Liverpool FC and their fans through this.

"Everton prides itself on being called the people's club, they have listened to the people and I am delighted with how they have reacted. All credit to Bill Kenwright, he spoke to me this morning and understood that people had strong feelings on it."

Anderson had called for fans to protest at today's Premier League game at Goodison Park against Burnley.

But he now says that is not necessary, adding: "Everton have responded in a positive way. We will today remember and pray for those who lost their lives in the Hillsborough disaster."

Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore tweeted: "As we always knew. The People's Club. Nil Satis, Nisi Optimum. Thank you Everton, thank you."