Its the hope that kills. Fact.
Nah mate.
Neil Atko on TAW had it right... It's the hopelessness that kills you.
Ask any Evertonian.
It's the hope that keeps you going, season after season....
I am quite sure that this thread reflects the emotions of some of our younger and less experienced players. Thankfully we have some born winners and leaders in the team to guide them through.
Likewise, the 'old hand' fans will see you all through. Grab a hand and let them pull you along.
This is on and all the crying in the world won't change that fact. It's on. Get on board.
Believe you me mate, us older lot are going through the fucking ringer here too. It's not just about getting on board or being a believer. We're well past that stage now surely.
I've seen us win half a dozen titles during my teenage years in the 80s, but they weren't nearly as nerve shredding as this, with the possible exception of the last game of '89. And it was only in the last 15 minutes of that season where I started thinking we could possibly lose it.
I always felt if we didn't win the league, we'd win it the year after (which we always did). I was 20 years old by the time I'd experienced 2 consecutive seasons without a league title ('91 and '92). Never did I think we'd have to wait at least 24 years to win it again.
There's been times since then that I thought we might never win it again in my lifetime, but you keep believing regardless because that what you do. All that success you experienced growing up becomes part of your DNA. You can't help yourself.
Over those 24 years, the expectation, the belief and hope never dies. You've grown up with it and it never leaves you.
And 24 years of expectation, hope and then disappointment, does strange things to you.
24 years of 'deffo our year this year' every August.
24 years of 'fuck it, there's always next year' every May.
That's why this title means so much. And that's why these games have been so hellish at times.
I've never, ever been so desperate to see us win a trophy as this one, and put those 24 years of frustration and disappointment behind us, and lay those ghosts to rest.
If we win this, I would be so much calmer if we're in another title hunt over the next few years.
But this one is.... the one. Just to win this, and get it out of the way, is
everything.
Yesterday was absolute murder to watch. I can't ever remember a game which we won, that I enjoyed less than yesterdays. I was begging them to score a third, just so I could breathe again.
Winning this would be so special, so unlikely and so satisfying, it would break my heart if we didn't win it now. There's so much at stake in every game, and there's no guarantee we'll get a chance like this again for god knows how long. Not that you'll stop believing anyway...
I barely made it to the end of the West Ham and Sunderland games and was almost in tears and shaking with relief at the end. But fuck it, we're in it to the end now, come what may. And it's been an absolutely fantastic season, one of the most enjoyable ever for me, despite the heart attacks.
