When Everton's fanbase first came together with smoke bombs and Spirit of the Blues they had one goal in mind - to save their beloved club from relegation.
It was a remarkable show of unity and passion that led to incredible scenes from Goodison Park to Finch Farm to Leicester City's King Power Stadium. In coming together in such a dramatic manner the supporters played a crucial role in keeping Everton in the Premier League.
Article after article has - rightly - been written about those heady May days, particularly in the aftermath of the famous win over Crystal Palace and over the summer weeks that followed. Yet now attention is on the new season it is becoming increasingly clear the supporters did far more than just inspire Everton's escape. They also showcased the very best of the club in such a way that players on the outside now want to be a part of it.
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Everton's displays of support appear to have been one of the club's most effective advertising and marketing tools during this transfer window. Along with a phone call from Frank Lampard - whose personal approaches to transfer targets have been key to securing their signatures - the thought of being greeted at Goodison by thousands of singing supporters desperate to inspire the players is clearly a powerful pull.
When I sat down with new signing Conor Coady this week, I asked him how he viewed the scenes from afar, while a Wolverhampton Wanderers player, and what that meant for him once he heard of Everton's interest.
He said: "I saw the welcoming of the bus. I saw the pictures and videos on Instagram, I saw pictures and videos on social media. Every footballer will tell you the same thing - you want to be part of that, and you want to be part of these things going forward - to make sure we bring those times to Goodison, we bring those times to Everton Football Club. While we are improving, while we are getting better, I think it's important we try and push that as much as we can."
James Tarkowski, the first of Everton's five summer signings so far, had similar thoughts when the Blues came knocking on his door. He had, of course, watched last season's displays from a rival camp. His Burnley side fell to relegation partly as a result of the on-the-pitch resurgence that followed the off-the-pitch work of Everton supporters.
After securing his move to Merseyside, he said: “I’m an ambitious person, I want to achieve, I want to win things and I’ve come here to be successful. And then there are the Everton fans. The support they gave the team last season was incredible. You saw just how big the fanbase is. Despite a difficult season, Everton fans got behind their team more than ever. I think they are a massive factor about this club. Hopefully successful times are ahead and, with the talent we have in the squad, we can give the fans something they really enjoy.”
Lampard has always been clear in his gratitude to the supporters who helped inspire the team to their relegation escape. He played an enormous role in supporting and harnessing those efforts as he forged a relationship with the fanbase that affords him a degree of patience while he attempts to rebuild the club. Now, it appears he is reaping what was, perhaps, an unforeseen benefit of that call to action. Not only did the Spirit of the Blues keep Everton up. It is helping the club build towards what should be a better future.
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