Everton FC and Liverpool FC fans join forces to revive the friendly derby
24 Nov 2009 - 00:00:00
SOME of the city's most passionate football fans stretched their hands across the park last night, to kick off derby week in a 'friendly' fashion.
Everton Shareholders Association extended an invitation to Liverpool supporters groups to attend a forum at Goodison Park to officially unveil six portraits of the founding fathers of Merseyside football.
And the invitation was enthusiastically accepted.
Former players Brian Hall and Graeme Sharp - now the Liverpool and Everton community officers - were joined by Tony McNamara, who played for both clubs, Blues chief executive Robert Elstone, Goodison life president Sir Philip Carter, members of the Hillsborough families, the chaplains of both football clubs and Catholic Bishop of Liverpool Tom Williams.
Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow had a prior engagement in Hungary, but sent a special message to the gathering vowing to build on the initiative.
'Thank you so much for your kind invitation. I feel passionately about the importance of re-establishing the friendly derby having family on both sides of the divide,' he said. 'I have discussed it with some of our players who agree and we have some ideas of how to progress this which we will reveal in due course.'
Chair of the Everton Shareholders Association Anne Asquith was delighted so many fans from the red half of the city attended the forum in the Alex Young Suite.
'There is something very special, something unique about the relationship between the clubs,' she said.
'We do have a shared history, almost a symbiotic relationship.
'This evening is all about celebrating the shared heritage that we've got.
'The history and the origins of both clubs are not perhaps as well known as they should be.
