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09th Aug 2016

Everton fans claim ‘good riddance’ to ‘overrated’ John Stones

Stone hearted

Nooruddean Choudry

‘Good riddance…’

Anyone who has ever visited Goodison Park will know that Everton fans are ferociously protective of their own. As well as shouting “HANDBALL!” every time the ball is above knee height, they manage to create a caustic atmosphere that can inspire the home side whilst unnerving the opposition.

That said, like all strong loyalties, once someone betrays that affection, they soon become persona non grata in the strongest possible terms. Players come and go and that’s part and parcel of the modern game, but when you hanker for a move and stop giving your all, it’s not going to end well.

John Stones has finally got his move away from Merseyside, joining Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City for a fee that could reach £50m with add-ons. There is no doubting that the 22-year-old is extremely technically gifted and has the potential to become a very fine player indeed.

That said, there is a sense at Everton that the player’s form plateaued over the last 12-18 months, and that it wasn’t completely down to being managed by Roberto Martinez. Stones is young and will make mistakes, but some doubt the level of his commitment to the Toffees in recent times.

It is perhaps why many – although not all – Evertonians are happy to see him finally fly the nest, especially for a record sell-on fee. As you can see below, it’s a case of goodbye and good riddance for a player whose heart had been elsewhere for some time.

https://twitter.com/Wilfy_1979/status/762974668487856128

https://twitter.com/StevSteen/status/762956347033919488

https://twitter.com/Lewisfoster03/status/762960025652428800

https://twitter.com/HayGoree/status/762944761221222400

https://twitter.com/arthurwebber99/status/762953195765268480

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