The fans didn't keep Everton up, the board sacking Benitez did. A coach who didn't fit the club and didn't have the backing of the fans, sound familiar?

Exactly. Our fans like to portray themselves as some sort of loyal, barmy army, when, in reality, since the move away from Wilderspool & the increase of attendances, we have become the most entitled, deluded bunch of supporters in Super League, all on the back of us being the rich kids, who splash the cash about and so, in theory, becoming the Chelsea/Man City of RL.

I suppose the good thing about relegation will be that it will sort out the real fans from the bandwagon jumpers?....

Perhaps Everton stayed up because Frank Lampard's skills in man management, coaching and media engagement with supporters, are far superior than that of Daryl Powell?

Benitez had as good a record as Lampard, didn't he? .....

The fact was, Lampard's appointment changed nothing and it took the fans to actually get behind the team to change things....

There’s one tiny flaw in your Everton argument and that is that Everton had got rid of their ‘Powell’.

I’ll be there against Toulouse and I’ll be cheering them on, as will 99.9% of the fans. I’ll be cheering them on if we go behind but if at the end we have lost to Toulouse and our SL status is in real jeopardy I’ll probably be lobbing eggs at the Warrington Fabrication box.

I know plenty of Everton fans and they would’ve been at Benitez’ throat right up the point of relegation had he still been there.

I don’t think fans expecting the most expensive squad in SL to NOT to get relegated is entitled!! I’ve been home and away for 40 years I just expect better than this coach, he’s rotten in every way and blind faith helps no-one.

So you really think fans don't make a difference? Another of many posts based on a one dimensional viewpoint. To quote the great Obi Wan Kenobe, 'only a sith deals in absolutes'.

I'm comparing fans, that's it. I'm not debating the Powell thing anymore.

Refer to my last comment. I didn't say Lampard didn't make any difference. But imo, the fans backing pushed them the extra mike and kept them up.

Btw, Lampard hasn't got a particularly strong coaching cv, or have I missed something.

Did you go to any of Everton’s games last season, in particular any of their last ten?

Yes. In the main, the performances were just as bad as under Benitez. The fans basically made a huge difference.

Under Benitez, those performances made the fans negative. In that final run-in, the fans actually supported them even when it was e.

The fans that were there yesterday were more bothered about singing “how sh*t must you be” when they were in front yesterday— bonkers. I mean if you were on the field and hearing that- who is that going to gee up? The wire players or the opposition?
At the end of the game most of the wire fans left either just before or at the final whistle. A few remained- including the guy with the drum.
They started a rendition of “what the f*cking hell was that” as the players started walking over to the fans, so the players just stopped and walked away again.
It’s no wonder you say they aren’t playing with any heart. Think you are part of the problem.
Compare that to wakey who are fighting tooth and nail to stay up.