It will be of no consolation to Everton fans to reflect that their plight is, looked at in a certain light, an indicator of the health of English football. Or at least is a healthy aspect of English football. Everton were one of the Big Five who led the breakaway to set up the Premier League in 1992. In the previous decade they had won two league titles, the FA Cup and the Cup Winners’ Cup. They are still the fourth-most successful team in English top-flight football (level with Manchester City on nine league titles but with more second-place finishes). They could, perhaps should, have become part of the self- perpetuating elite.
Instead, they are proof that with 30 years of mismanagement (although that has accelerated recently), even the great can find themselves teetering on the brink, staring into the abyss of relegation. While for many clubs the Championship can offer an opportunity for renewal – some fans, indeed, if they can adjust to the loss of status, may find the experience preferable – for Everton it really is something to be feared.
