Its a Grand Old Team to play for!

Toffees@LionCityCup11-103, originally uploaded by Lobinhoot.

When was the last time any Everton team ever came to Singapore for a football match? According to my good friend, and fellow Toffee supporter, it was way back in the 1970s. That’s really a long time ago. Well, I wasn’t supporting Everton in the 1970s. I was just borned, in 1973 to be exact. But ever since I laid my eyes on footie on TV, there was only one club in the world that I will be supporting – EVERTON FC.

It has been awhile now since Singapore hosted the Lion City Cup, a football tournament for the youth team to pit their skills with teams from around the world. And so this year, it has been organised once again! And to my surprise, though I won’t be complaining, Everton FC was invited to send their youth team here to compete. =D Much to the delight of the 120+ Evertonians in Singapore. (I got the figure from the “Singapore Everton Supporters’ Club” fanpage on facebook). We may be a minority group in Singapore who support Everton, but I was sure the crowd at the Jalan Besar stadium on wednesday during the match against the Singapore U-16s could hear us loud and clear when we sang “Its a grand old team to play for”. And I never felt better singing that song with the top of my voice in public (the last time I sang it was at home while watching Everton play on tv).

We needed to win in order to progress in the tournament, but we only managed a 1-1 draw. And so we were knocked out. But the lads were really playing their hearts out. It was great to see the “future” of the Everton FC team in Singapore. And it was a great honour to have shook their hands and taking some memorable photos as well. In a couple of years to come, I am sure some of the lads will be in the senior team. And I will be singing the song in the comfort of my home as the blue half of merseyside play on saturday. Thank you, lads! For shwoing great sportsmanship and professionalism at such a young age! Good job!