60 Evertonians: #37. Mark Sadler
Bio: Mark Sadler first came to my attention as being named as a famous supporter on the Blue Kipper website. Mark is an up and coming novelist, writing in the thriller genre. His first novel Blood on His Hands was published a few years ago, and I understand a second novel is close to publication. You can keep up with, and order his books, by going to his website www.markpsadler.com.
I grew up in a non-football family in the West Midlands. I had an uncle that rooted for the Wolves and I heard a lot of talk about Billy Wright but by the time I was old enough to make up my own mind I had become a blue through and through. After moving to America as a university student in 1974 I have done my part to promote the sport of football and coached all three of my sons. I am happy to see the sport progressing so well and am proud to have been associated with the local Tucson football scene by acting as stadium announcer (they’ll give anyone with an English accent that job) for the first two MLS Spring Training sessions.
Q1.Why Everton?
In 1966 Everton won the F A Cup and England blew away Germany in the World Cup finals. I was ten and just getting interested in the sport. I was a ten-year old curly-headed ginger and about the same size as Alan Ball so with his exploits for England and being bought by Everton I watched the man first and got hooked on Everton for life.
Q2. I remember standing amongst a glum chain gang of fans at Kirkdale train station in the late 90′s, we’d just been beaten at Goodison, the rain was pissing on us, and some cheeky Liverpool fans were laughing and mooning us from the top of the stairs. That was the lowest I felt as an Everton fan. What is your all time high/low as a fan?
Lowest moment was losing to Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1974 and getting set upon by a gang of skin heads from Stafford on the train on the way home. I was lucky to escape with no more than a black eye.
Best was picking up the ‘pink’ on a Saturday night in 1971 and reading Everton 8 Southampton 0. Two hat-tricks (Royle scored 4) and Bally got one, too (turned out to be his last for the club – but that’s a different subject)
Q3. What player from the past would you sign for our current team?
Bob Latchford. We need an out and out centre-forward to score some goals.
Q4. Who is your favourite all time Everton player?
Alan Ball. I wept like a baby when I heard he died.
Q5. What’s your take on our motto Nil Satis Nisi Optimum?
It is a phrase the players need to consider every day. When millionaires play this game I sometimes wonder if they forget to give 110 percent for 100 percent of the game. I know we, as fans, expect it of each and every player that steps out on the field every game.
Q6. We've had a pretty miserable season, at least in the Premier League, what do you make of *some* people asking for Martinez' head?
As long as we are not in relegation danger the guy has to be allowed to see the season out. Everyone can easily be a coach in the stands or sitting on their backside at home watching on the telly but it’s a different story working on the field in practice day in day out.
Q7. Leon Osman: underrated or overrated?
Most underrated. The only player I rate as going above and beyond expectations, He never stops ‘til the final whistle blows. Check and see how many last minute goals have come from him.
Q8. Bill Kenwright: scheming General Secretary or blue hearted fan-chairman?
Rich, but certainly not the richest. Does the best he can with what he has and truly bleeds Blue.
Q9. Where do you see Everton in ten years’ time?
Better have won at least the FA Cup by then.
Q10. Tim Howard at the World Cup (and in 2013/14) seems to be a completely different player from the man whose primary job seems to be picking the ball out of the net for Everton this season. What's happened?
He aged a little, picked up a couple of acute injuries and perhaps needs a little more rest time in the off season. The type of injuries he had (broken bones in the back) slow you down, make you think twice as you sacrifice your body for the game, sublimely, and goalkeepers tend to do throw themselves at on-rushing opponents, more than the average player, on a regular basis. It’s time to get a decent replacement as he will become slower and slower over the next couple of years – like Brad Freidel did. Great servant to the club but getting closer to putting him out to pasture and giving him the odd trot out when needed.
Read more of our 60 Evertonians interviews below:
1.Joe Jennings - Editor of Everton website SOS1878 and a proud member of the Blue Union.
2.Zach “The Ginge” Woosley - A prolific online presence in the USA.
3.Ped McPartland - Co-host of the Followtonians Podcast.
4.Liz McClarnon - Celebrity & former Atomic Kitten
5.James Corbett - European Correspondent, World Football Insider. Founder of fanzine Gwladys Sings The Blues.
6.Matthew Harrison - Nottingham blue.
7.Paul Wilson - Guardian journalist.
8.Ian Hart - Actor, played John Lennon twice.
9. Dermot (Boston) - Founder of Boston Evertonians.
10.The Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP - A staunch blue presence in the Houses of Parliament.
11.David Prentice - Liverpool Echo journalist, author.
12.Eric Howell - Co-host of the Followtonians Podcast.
13.Steve Johnson - Author.
14.Kirsty McHale - Fervent blue with a dry wit.
15.Paul Dargan - Followtonian & freelance journalist.
16.James Coyne - Australian & Followtonian.
17.Liz Forster - Die-hard blue.
18.John Hill - Yorkshire Evertonian.
19.Thomas Mallows - Writer at RoyalBlueMersey.com.
20. Paul Gleeson - Up and coming Everton blogger.
21. Dr David France - Dr Everton, a legend of the club.
22. Megan Durham - Prolific online writer, journalist.
23. Rev. Harry Ross - Everton club chaplain.
24.George Orr - Editor of Blue Blood fanzine.
25.Neil Roberts - Author.
26.Mark Ellis - Big Kanchelskis fan.
27.Dave Martin - Founder member of Evertonians for Change.
28. Albert the Blaugrana - Evertonian from Catalonia
29. Gary Naylor - Cricket blogger and legendary Guardian commenter
30. Stephen Maunder - Journalist & writer from Shropshire
31. Simon Paul - Founder of NSNO.co.uk
32.Russel Davies - A ‘loud-mouthed, opinionated, condescending know-it-all’
33. Greg O'Keeffe - The Liverpool Echo’s Everton F.C. correspondent
34. Ben Cordier - A Toffee in Tokyo
35. Jake Mills - Stand-up comedian and writer from Liverpool. Watches Everton. The jokes write themselves.
36. Roger Bennett - One half of the Men In Blazers. Evertonian. Fantastic.