Everton boss Ronald Koeman will be hoping that his team can end their long wait for a trophy this season
It’s a great source of frustration to Everton fans that the club have failed to win a trophy since 1995.
I remember fondly the day the Toffees won their last trophy by recording a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the FA Cup final.
Paul Rideout’s goal sealed a win, along with some superb goalkeeping from then veteran goalkeeper Neville Southall.
The fact that when Rideout scored a 25 stone man sitting next to me stood on my foot and brought me to tears (I was only 11 at the time) mattered not by the end of the game. I was too elated to care about the bruised foot.
Frustrating 21-year drought
The last 21 years have been highly frustrating for Everton fans and highly amusing for that lot across the park. To be fair the banter between the Reds and the Blues is quite even. Blues rib the Reds about not winning the title and Reds come back with the fact that Everton have not won a trophy for 21 long years.
It is the longest trophy drought in the club’s history. Believe it or not, Everton were once accustomed to picking up silverware. There have been close shaves, an FA Cup final and a few semi-final appearances including last season, but mostly frustration for Blues.
Every close call is music to the ears of the Liverpool fans, who themselves have had very little to celebrate in recent seasons. However, as Evertonian’s we have a coping mechanism that means we have had to learn to accept defeat and the ‘banter’ with it.
Everton have a chance of a brighter future
This Saturday Everton host league champions Leicester City at Goodison Park in the third round of the FA Cup. On current form, the Blues have to be fancied to emerge from the game with a victory, especially as Ronald Koeman’s side recently defeated the Foxes 2-0 at their home ground.
Things are slowly but surely improving for the Toffees under the no-nonsense Dutchman. No doubt reinforcements are needed. The clubs owners are working on that one with youngsters Ademola Lookman signing from Charlton and speculation that Morgan Schneiderlin is close to joining from Manchester United.
However, the fact that results improved over the festive period suggests that there is more to come in the second half of the season.
The Toffees look unlikely to break into the top-six, who are currently nine points ahead of Koeman’s side. Finishing seventh this season and strengthening over the next two windows would not be terrible.
With the Toffees out of the League Cup very early on, the FA Cup represents the only chance of glory for Koeman’s side this season. The Toffees have won the famous old trophy on five occasions and hopefully, Mr Koeman will take the competition seriously, unlike he did with the League Cup.
Everton outsiders to win the FA Cup
Everton as a club are desperately in need of a trophy. For Evertonian’s it would be a small reward for years of disappointment from their team.
The Toffees are regarded as outsiders to win the FA Cup at odds of 25/1 this season, behind the six teams currently above them in the Premier League table in the betting.
Everton have for too long been considered a sleeping giant of English football. Boss Ronald Koeman and new majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri are slowly shaking the Blues awake. The main long-term objective of the club is to challenge for the Premier League title. That seems a long time away.
However, it would be great if the team could win something, anything and the FA Cup is a realistic aim with a good draw and some luck along the way.
Everton being Everton though will probably exit the competition on Saturday at the first hurdle and us Evertonian’s will have to wait another year for a chance of celebrating winning a trophy. Who’d be an Everton eh?
Does Everton have a realistic of winning the FA Cup this season?
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