Everton chant exposed Newcastle reality as rivalry goes beyond Gordon & Pickford

Chris Beesley examines the dynamics behind Everton fans' long-standing rivalry with Newcastle United

Everton chant exposed Newcastle reality as rivalry goes beyond Anthony Gordon and Jordan Pickford

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Some football rivalries come more naturally and are more obviously than others. But nobody reading these words will not be aware of the bad blood that exists between many supporters of Everton and Newcastle United.

It’s a dynamic that has been in place long before Anthony Gordon departed Goodison Park for the Magpies in acrimonious circumstances in January last year and it even predates the Toon Army’s seeming obsession with England number one Jordan Pickford.

The two tribes went to war at Goodison Park for the final time on Saturday and while this encounter was also slightly different because it was the first weekend clash in front of fans after half a dozen consecutive midweek fixtures – Premier League planners in London might think ‘it’s all the north’ even though Tyneside to Merseyside is a six-hour round trip – but at least with the evening kick-off, the sides got to play under the lights for old time’s sake. Everton versus Newcastle United games at ‘The Grand Old Lady’ have produced many memorable moments over the Premier League era.

Alan Shearer’s debut as the world’s most expensive player being overshadowed by a 2-0 defeat in 1996; Michael Ball’s penalty proving the difference two years later as Duncan Ferguson was being sold behind the scenes; Tim Cahill sealing a 2-0 win in 2005 as Everton closed in on fourth spot; Romelu Lukaku’s first Goodison goals with a brace in a 3-2 victory in 2013; Ross Barkley’s last-minute ‘Panenka’ penalty in 2016 to seal a 3-0 romp; the ‘Just Stop Oil’ protester tying himself to Asmir Begovic’s goal post in 2022 and then Alex Iwobi’s 99th minute winner for the 10-man hosts; Newcastle’s 4-1 triumph in 2023 on a night when Everton looked doomed for relegation, and then last season’s 3-0 home success as part of a four-match winning streak, capped by a 29-pass move for Beto’s goal.

The action on the pitch is just a mere sideshow to the animosity here, though. Everyone knows that Liverpool are Everton’s biggest rivals, but unlike the feelings about the neighbours from across Stanley Park, who after eight decades of relative parity, have moved streets ahead of the Blues over the last half a century, the angst with Newcastle seems to surround a supposed chasm that exists between perception and reality when it comes to both followers of the Magpies themselves, and the wider footballing world.

While they might do so through gritted teeth, even the staunchest Evertonian cannot deny the incredible success that the Reds have achieved. But Newcastle’s supposedly elevated status seems to be a figment of the imagination for many. On paper at least, the Magpies are now the wealthiest club in the world, but PSR restrictions currently prevent them from replicating the kind of spending sprees that Paris Saint-Germain embarked upon in the not-too-distant past or other English-based nouveau riche outfits such as Chelsea and then Manchester City.

Even before the Toon Army embraced the lucre of the sovereign wealth fund of the House of Saudi though, they have attempted to cultivate a reputation that is rather more inflated than what their team has ever done. Put bluntly by the home crowd on Saturday night: “F*** all, you’ve never won f*** all.”

It was the Park End’s turn to house the Everton flags for Newcastle’s visit so the travelling fans in the corner of the Bullens Road stand had a close-up view of the “And if you know your history” banner that showed Everton’s nine League Championships, five FA Cups and European Cup-Winners’ Cup.

Although the Blues are currently enduring their longest silverware drought in their entire existence, they have still won major trophies across nine separate decades, a record that only Liverpool and Manchester United can better.

In contrast, Newcastle United haven’t lifted a domestic trophy since 1955 and they haven’t been champions since 1927, the year before Dixie Dean netted 60 in a season. Like their kit, the Magpies glory days were back in an era of black and white.

Even their most recent success the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1968/69 came on the back of an arbitrary ‘one club per city’ ruling that saw them sneak into the competition through the back door despite finishing 10th in the First Division the previous season as three clubs above them – Everton (fifth), Tottenham Hotspur (seventh) and Arsenal (ninth) were all excluded. When Kevin Keegan’s side first won promotion to the Premier League in 1993, they quickly became the darlings of many in the national media with their attack-minded play.

It didn’t matter that they’d blow 12-point leads in title races to Manchester United or get beaten 4-3 at Anfield in back-to-back seasons because they couldn’t defend for toffee, everyone seemed to love them. Everton in contrast, who had lifted a brace of League Championships in the previous decade and had brought the FA Cup home under 1995, were already being dismissed as being yesterday’s men.

And so it has continued. When Newcastle’s supporters descended upon Wembley for last year’s Carabao Cup final, many broadcasters would have kidded you into thinking they were the only success-starved outfit with a major fanbase, even though unlike most major conurbations outside of the capital such as Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield, Nottingham and Bristol, they’re a one-club city with their own regional rivals Sunderland some 15 miles away.

Gordon became the latest big name to have moved from Goodison to St James’ Park after Peter Beardsley, Gary Speed and the aforementioned Ferguson – who came back – but despite enjoying a few Champions League forays that have eluded the Blues, the Magpies are still waiting to hold major silverware aloft. Unlike Everton who have squandered millions under Farhad Moshiri, Newcastle still hope that their huge spending power brought about by their recently acquired financial muscle can power them to success going forward.

For now, though, the long wait for a return to the glory days continues for both clubs. The Blues won’t be able to match the current riches of Newcastle, but they must hope that with the potential acumen of the Friedkin Group and the move to the new stadium, that a brighter future will soon lie ahead.

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