ToonTom

Don't know where else to post this so have gone for the thread with the most recent post. We have just lost our mantle of least successful FA Cup Finalists in a set period: 1905-1911 saw us win one and lose four FA Cup Finals out of seven - this evening, Chelsea topped it at last by winning one and losing four finals out of the last six. Thought it was something worth noting ...

Ah - I'll let my friend Mandy know! Cheers.

Bit off topic, but just reading on BBC Football about Citeh apparently about to buy Haaland for £60m plus endless fees plus endless wages. How do they fund that with FFP? They bought Grealish for £100m last summer. How can they not fall foul of the rules with these kind of crazy outlays? Just asking for my friend Mandy.

I think Alex Neil is a really savvy manager. I liked him when he was at Hamilton and performed miracles there. I've got a bad feeling he's going to do the business tonight. This reminds me of May 16, 1990, and a train journey from Aberdeen, a 2-0 defeat in (as I recall) pouring rain, and then possibly a train journey back again (or may have gone to my mum's). Probably the worst I've ever felt at a football match (and that includes Newcastle 0, Spurs 4 at half-time in the Seventies).

It really does look like it. Bluebindipper Park seems to be where Everton arse themselves to turn up so their two home games are likely to save them. It's a shame because no team has a right to be in the Premiership, and their fans talk as if they are entitled to be there. I guess today's result might inspire Leeds and Burnley to push on that extra level, but I agree that Leeds look as though they are going to fall short.

Just Googled it and it was Crystal Palace in a 42-game season (1992-1993) with a whopping 49 points (1.16 per game) who earned the most points whilst being relegated. You're right about West Ham - they went down in 2002-2003 (I think) on 42 points in a 38-game season (1.10 points per game) for the highest tally in a 38-game season. 5under1and and Bolton went down in 1996-97 and 1997-98 on 40 points (38-game season). Bolton went down on goal difference from Everton who - if I remember correctly - beat Wimbledon in the final game of the season 3-2 after being 2-0 down. There's something about them that just doesn't seem to be relegatable!

Chelsea wanted 2-3 seconds each time they had the ball but Everton gave them less than a second. Time and time again , Chelsea gave up possession. Everton defended excellently (it's got to be said). They got blocks in time and time again. Much worse, Pickford made some good saves. I take on board what an earlier poster said - perhaps Everton can only raise themselves in Liverpool and against the top clubs? Will they be able to play like this at Arsenal and Leicester and will they create more gaps to be exploited at home to Brentford and Palace? They also have Watford away which presumably is an away win given that Watford have contrived to lose a horrendous eleven consecutive home games in the Premiership? I think the bindippers are going to safe, sadly. All-in-all, they have it in their control.

Yep, like I said earlier, in which other city do half the houses shut their curtains when the trophies go past the window?

Well worth watching the game this afternoon (if you have access to Sky or one of those dodgy sticks - wish I had one). If Everton don't win, they are really in the doo-dah. After that fireworks trick, is anyone out there rooting for them other than fellow blue bindippers or mackem bindippers?

It's hard to credit it (yes, I'm still reading that Everton thread) but someone has actually posted the following: i agree mate. the players have to want this and show it us fans deserve to be in this league Thankfully, someone with a brain has replied (just the one word): entitlement? Honestly, we have taken that slap in the face for years from other fans and from the media and the has-been pundits, when all along the delusion and entitlement was sitting in the seats at Badison Park.

Presumably Chelsea will be motivated to do that now!

I've just spent a while on one of the Everton chatrooms and followed a 1,600-page thread about relegation which started in October last year after they lost 5-2 at home to Watford. I obviously didn't read all of the posts, but the level of delusion and entitlement which grew as results went against them was horrific. Along with their vain motto ("Only the best is good enough"), you had comments like "The fans don't deserve this". Astonishing. I suppose it's because they've seen so many trophies drive past their windows despite trying to close all their curtains, but the level of expectation by the blue bindippers is right off the scale. If they had had a fraction of the [expletive] we've had over the last 14 years, or - let's not be too parochial - Norwich, West Brom, Fulham, Sheffield Wednesday, Wigan fans (where do you stop?), they'd be a bit less up their own [expletive]. For reasons solely of them learning they have no God-given right to be anywhere near the top, I want them to experience the agony of relegation and what it feels like to play at Burton on a Tuesday evening.