There is plenty of positive spirits around Goodison Park this season as Everton have improved significantly under the guidance of Marco Silva.
The Toffees enter this weekend’s Merseyside derby in a fine vein of form after suffering just one defeat in their past seven Premier League matches, which came against Manchester United, and boosted their form with a hard-fought victory over Cardiff City at the weekend.
However, football took a back seat this week as fans paid their respect to former favourite Gary Speed on the seventh anniversary of his death, which sent shockwaves across British football due to the tremendous impact he had in his playing career.
Speed spent two years with Everton, joining from Leeds United, before joining Newcastle in 1998 and spending six years on Tyneside. He then spent a further four years with Bolton before finishing his playing career with Sheffield United.
Management soon followed and he is attributed with playing a key part in the growth of Welsh football within the last decade and many Everton fans took the opportunity to pay their tributes on social media.
https://twitter.com/thescarletbard/status/1067349798225887232
Class act, Gary Speed, player, manager, man – RIP
— Mike Wilson (@Redsmail) November 27, 2018
One of the nicest men in football!
— Emirates73 (@Emirates731) November 27, 2018
Remember those towering headers. What a wonderful human being. If anyone feels low, tell us here. Send messages to all the Evertonians. We’ll listen and try to get you help. We are a family.
— Stephen HH (@hh_stephen) November 27, 2018
7 years….that’s crazy. Tragic this was, RIP Gary
— Si Clark (@SiMan084) November 27, 2018
Must be some comfort for his family to see so many heartfelt tributes from across the football world. Not many can achieve so much love and respect in this way. Missed for many reasons. Bet thousands of blues wishing he was playing this weekend. RIP.
— longy24 (@longy0601) November 28, 2018
My absolute number 1 hero. Great player, future Everton manager without a doubt. Still can’t comprehend what could’ve allegedly happened that day.
— cjmarston (@cjmarston) November 27, 2018