The title tells you all you need to know about what this post entails, so without further ado...1) First and foremost, supporting Everton is a privilege and a blessing and we should always be proud to be able to say that we are Evertonians. We are born, not manufactured. We do not choose, we are chosen. Those that understand need no explanation. Those that don't, don't matter.
2) We have the best left-back in the country. Back in 2005 a certain Leighton Baines was plying his trade in the second tier of English football with Wigan Athletic, before being signed by David Moyes for an initial fee of £5 million. Now he has played for his country, captained his side in Europe and been crowned Everton's player of the year. His exclusion from the PFA team of the year was a disgraceful show of ignorance from his fellow professionals as his 11 assists (a total only bettered by Drogba and Nani) and 6 goals, coupled with solid defensive displays, have been a major highlight of our campaign.
3) It seems to happen to us every year but we've been blighted by injuries - and we surely can't have the same bad luck again next year, can we? Fellaini, Saha, Cahill, Arteta, Jagielka to name but a few have been out with long term injuries but should be fit and raring to go for the start of next year. Although, in Saha's case, it will probably only be a few games before he's out again.
4) We might have a bit of money to spend. We won't have as much as the teams around us, but Vaughan has already left for a decent amount of £2.5 million and Yakubu, Yobo and Mucha look set to follow. This could raise as much as £10 million for players that we didn't have last season - so they would not be a big loss - and with our manager's eye for a bargain, the money will be well re-invested.
5) Our season wasn't too bad. It was disappointing, yes. Frustrating, definitely. But we ended up a place higher than last year and in most other years 7th would have had us reaching for our passports once more. Add to that the fact that all the teams above us have spent much more money and our season doesn't seem so bad.
6) From 2011/12, UEFA are introducing a 'financial fair play' system that requires clubs to break even over a three season period. If they fail they will be banned from European competition, and so the introduction of the system should level the playing field and allow cash-strapped clubs like ourselves a better chance. It is the brainchild of UEFA president Michel Platini and you can read all about it here. At present Man City, Man United, Chelsea and Liverpool would all be ineligible to enter the Champions League or Europa League, although our neighbours would probably be able to bend they rules again like when they finished 5th in 04/05 but still managed to wriggle their way into the following year's Champions League. Not that I'm bitter or anything...
7) We have an excellent youth system. The academy that has produced, amongst others, Jeffers, Osman, Hibbert and Rooney, continues to churn out bright young talent. Jack Rodwell and Seamus Coleman are established members of the first team, whilst players such as Vellios, Gueye and Duffy are on the fringes. Add into the mixer Luke Garbutt, Ross Barkley, Jose Baxter and Joao Silva, and the under-18 side that were recently crowned champions of England, and there is plenty of scope for the future.
8) We have players coming back into form. Mikel Arteta has produced some performances towards the latter end of the season that have reaffirmed Evertonians' faith in the Spanish magician. John Heitinga had his best game of the season against Chelsea on the last day, whilst the return of Phil Jagielka has brought a renewed solidity to the back line. Jermaine Beckford looks like he's finding his feet at the top level, whilst even Victor Anichebe has put in a few good performances towards the end of the season.
9) There's no football this Summer. Whilst this may mean a few months of boredom for us fans, it's a positive for the players. They can all have a rest (except Rodwell, who is involved at the U-21 Euros) and be in peak condition in time for August. Tim Cahill has not had a proper rest for years, so it is especially pleasing that he has asked to be left out of Australia's Summer friendlies, choosing instead to concentrate on Everton.
10) Our manager is a genius. He has transformed the club from a mediocre side that twice narrowly avoided relegation from the top flight into a side that expects European football and is disappointed to finish seventh. He is more important than any player and in my eyes he is the next best thing to God.
Come on you Blues...
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