Let the unbridled optimism begin

So here is the first post of my new Everton blog.

It may be the middle of June.

The World Cup may just be warming up.

But for most football fans this is the day that the build up to the new season begins. It is the day when the new Premier league fixtures are published. It is the day that sees the start of my wildest optimism. Every year I look down the list of games and am convinced that there is no team in the Premier League, that Everton cannot beat - 

http://www.evertonfc.com/match/premier-league-football-fixtures.html

This will be the season that we march relentlessly to the title leaving all others trailing in our wake.

And looking at the games there have been some great moments of glory over the years. 

We open on 16^th August against newly promoted Leicester City. I was at Goodison Park in November 1968 when we put 7 past them. I was standing in the raised section of the Gladys Street end with my gang on schoolmates. For about 5 seasons we stood in the same spot just by the Boys' Pen! I was just going down with flu and was off sick for a week after the game. But what a day it was. Joe Royle got a hat-trick with one from Alan Ball. The theme from The Good, The Bad and the Ugly topped the charts.

We follow that game up with Arsenal at home on 23^rd August – who remembers the 6 – 1 hammering we gave them in November 1985, less than a year after we beat Man Utd 5 – 0. We play them at home in April.

Then there is the game at home to Stoke City on Boxing Day. I was there in October 1969 when the eventual champions beat them 6 – 2 with Royle and Ball on target again. Interestingly, that was also the day I bought Abbey Road.

The nostalgia keeps on coming. 

In April and May we host Southampton and then Sunderland. We have put 7 past both of them in my time. In fact we banged 8 past the Saints in 1972 with 4 more from Royle - what a striker he was.

So you get my point. We have beaten all of these teams over the years. All we have to do is do it all during one season and the world is ours, with possibly a world record goal difference.

Now you might say that this is unrealistic, blind optimism from an old git who should know better. 

But I bet there are fans across the country who have similar dreams. It is the hope that keeps us going through the rest of the summer while we have to entertain ourselves with cricket, Wimbledon and, this year, the world cup..

Roll on August. Watch out world. Everton are coming!