In years gone by, the Merseyside Derby was hailed as ‘The Friendly Derby’, with stands unofficially unsegregated. When not competing for the same position or trophy, Everton and Liverpool fans would cheer each other on. Liverpool fans would go to Goodison on a Saturday if they couldn’t make the away trip and vice versa. Nowadays there is a new generation of fans going to the game and they don’t seem as intent on the brotherly nature of the fixture. Liverpool fans shouldn’t hate Everton. Why would you? The fact remains that Liverpool are a much better side. Everton have only three Premier League wins over the Reds this millenium, the last coming in 2010.
Liverpool is a city like no other. We are a different city, we have strength in unity – we look after one another. This unity has never been more apparent than in the fallout from the Hillsborough disaster, Everton fans have been unflinchingly steadfast in their support and activism. In fact, the bitterness of the Bitter Blues is a relatively new phenomenon, with millennial Toffees carrying their parents’ grudge over Liverpool’s behaviour having Everton banned from Europe during the peak of their powers. Young Reds fans have been only too happy to fight fire with fire, the friendly derby has gone sour.
What always set The Friendly Derby apart was the inexplicable, Harry Potter Sorting Hat way, in which fans chose red or blue. The fact that families were divided between Liverpool and Everton afforded a different dynamic to other rivalries, a sibling rivalry. In 1986 the city was in decline and the council was at war with M*rgaret Th*tcher. The two clubs met in the FA Cup final, filling Wembley with chants of ‘Merseyside’. The players took a joint team photo after the Milk Cup final a year before.
Merseyside has historically been at odds with Tory governments. Today there is a Prime Minister in power that referred to Liverpool as “self pity city”.
Now more than ever Liverpool fans shouldn’t hate Everton. The two clubs should remember what sets us apart from United and City, Newcastle and Sunderland, Arsenal and Tottenham – we are Liverpool, we are Everton, we are brothers and sisters, we are Scousers, we are united. We are Merseyside. Merseyside. Merseyside.
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