One of our visitors to the ‘Everton FC in Everton’ event on Saturday 17 May 2025 was John Smith, a man very well-known to fans past and present in the London area.
at the 2009 FA Cup Final
(photo: www.escla.org.uk)
It was on a train from London to Plymouth on 25 January 1975, while on their way to watch Everton play in the FA Cup, when travelling companions John Smith and John Collings decided to form a club, or association, which would help fellow Blues obtain tickets and arrange travel plans for Everton fixtures, both home and away.
(This author was also on a train that day heading for Plymouth, having arrived at Lime Street with many other Blues coming straight from a local night club in the early hours instead of heading home, to join the thousands of fans waiting for one of the numerous football specials (seven?) leaving that morning. But, sorry, I digress, this is about London!).
So from that fledgeling idea, the Everton Supporters Club London Area (ESCLA) was born, with John Smith as its co-founding chairman. Since then, John with the supporters club, has organised travel arrangements for thousands of fans, bringing supporters from the London area to Goodison for every home game including evening fixtures, while John Collings oversaw arrangement for away games. Back in the 1980s, John (Smith) even gave up full time employment to concentrate on ESCLA work.
Back in the early seventies, John’s commitment to travel to every game had already come to the notice of Everton Football Club, when he was prominently featured as ‘Fan of the Week’ in the pages of The Evertonian in 1973.
Well, that was fifty-two years ago, and the last we saw of John, was him spritely striding away past the site of the Everton Toffee shop, off towards Goodison Park for one more personal visit before the final game the following day.
Long may he continue supporting his beloved Blues!
‘Everton FC in Everton’ Day 2025, Saturday 17 May
Click image for the 2025 event
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