Royal Blue: Everton giving back to brilliant Blues
Everton reward travelling fans with free tickets to Lille Europa League clash
FC Krasnodar vs Everton FC at the Kuban Stadium Russia in the Europa League Group stages.
The Everton fans who made the long trip. As ever,
they were there.
Despite what sniping online nonsense suggested may happen to the contrary.
Despite the logistical headaches.
Despite the sky-high costs to watch a game which was on TV back home anyway.
The fans who Roberto Martinez once dubbed among the most loyal in world football didn’t disappoint.
Just under 400 made the arduous journey to Krasnodar on Thursday; with most having to travel via Heathrow to Moscow and then onwards to this relatively unknown city near the Black sea.
To anyone who knows Evertonians, and Merseyside football fans in general, it was perhaps no surprise that they still turned up.
But when some newspaper commentators, who should know better, decided to wilfully misinterpret Everton’s decision to cancel their official club trip to Russia as some sort of evidence that the People’s Club has fans who can’t be bothered, it rankled.
The fact is that articles like that one are click bait, to try and get supporters’ backs up and get hits for the website which peddles such tripe.
It doesn’t make it any more palatable, but Everton fans responded with typical good grace when they a) laughed at the silliness of it and b) turned up to cheer on their team during a drab contest which was memorable only for the last 10 minutes when the Blues suddenly looked like a side going places in the Europa League.
But as the hardy band of Blues began their long journey home, at least they were due to arrive back to some good news which suggests their loyalty and dedication isn’t taken for granted.
Everton confirmed all supporters who travelled to Krasnodar will be given a free ticket for the fixture in Lille on October 23.
The Toffees will face the French outfit in their next overseas trip, which is considerably less of an epic distance away.
Ticket information for the fixture was announced on Thursday, but, as revealed by Martinez at his Friday press conference, the club will reward supporters who completed the 5,000-mile round voyage.
The club looked after those who travelled while in Russia too, with friendly fan forum operatives dishing out tickets and special t-shirts to supporters. But now they’re making an added gesture.
He said: “The initiative from the club is to try and give all fans who travelled to Krasnodar a free ticket to our next Europa League away fixture in Lille.
“It’s a big thank you. It was a long time travelling around Europe. We found it tough and it was five hours for us, but then you speak to the fans and hear some of the stories they went through.
“One fan had to get two flights and then a train around the Black Sea before he got to the wrong hotel and eventually the right one!
“The journeys were incredible and worthy of some Hollywood scripts.
“It’s just giving a bit back to our fans and letting them know we appreciate everything they do and the support they give us. We can’t wait to see them in Lille again.”
Tickets will need to be purchased as normal at the advertised price before later being refunded. This is to protect the purchase history of each supporter. Non-Season Ticket holders who travelled to Krasnodar should contact the Fan Centre via everton@evertonfc.com from Monday.
Source: Echo
