If You Know Your History...
Steve Zocek speaks to More Than A Game.
In the first piece of a new series, Patric Ridge speaks with Steve Zoček, a lifelong Evertonian who is now committed to helping other fans and former players.
Steve Zoček sighs down the line as the conversation turns to Everton’s match against Sheffield United, where we had met the week proceeding this interview.
“I get more pleasure and excitement when I go and watch non-league football, because you feel part of something, you feel the appreciation,” says Zoček, who has supported Everton since he was a child, travels home and away, and is part of multiple charitable foundations around the club.
“Everton will always be a massive part of my life, but I’ve not got that same buzz that I used to.”
Zoček has written three books on Everton: Goodison Memories: A Lifetime of Football at Everton, and two editions of For The Boys In The Royal Blue Jersey. He is currently working on a fourth book, focusing on those players who played under Howard Kendall and already has a fifth in the works, too. He also writes for the Everton Heritage Society website.
But rather than looking for profit, Zoček directs any proceeds from sales to charity.
“I’ve done two versions of The Boys In The Royal Blue Jersey. The title says what it is — the proceeds go to the former players,” he explains.
“That’s £2,500 as it stands, there’ll be another £1,000 going in to take that to £3,500. I brought another book out called Goodison Memories, and the funds from that went to the Everton Heritage Society, of which I’m a member. I get a lot of pleasure doing the work that I do so the money’s irrelevant to me. I’d rather somebody else gets the use of it. The Everton Heritage Society is a non-profit business. We rely on donations and I couldn’t have thought of a better charity — I know how much it’s valued. I’m not bothered about the money.
“My plan after the Kendall book is to do a book about Mick Lyons. I’ve got consent from his family — from that one I’m hoping to raise money for the Alzheimer’s charity. I’m not attention seeking, I just think there’s more to life than taking. The money won’t buy me a yacht in Monaco, but I’d rather it go to somebody who appreciates it.”
Zoček also helps fans who can’t get tickets, get to home and away games for face value, and not a penny more.
“I get memberships through the supporters club and then I get tickets for people who can’t get tickets,” he said.
“I’m making nothing from it. A guy asked me to get him a Bournemouth ticket [in May] but the week before the game he said he didn’t need it. I must’ve had 100 people ask if I had a spare but I had to say no — even one of my heroes, Bob Latchford, got in touch with me. It wasn’t for him it was for a friend of his. I had to say no to everybody. I just couldn’t select one person.
“On the GrandOldTeam forum, I got in touch with the person who runs the site and I said I wanted to auction the ticket off. I put it up on the Thursday and the night before the game the highest bid was £600. So with the £600, plus some other donations, I had £625 — that could’ve paid for my season ticket — but I got in touch with the church and the vicar and said I’d like to donate it to the church, but I needed something in writing that would say that they’d got it, so I could put it on the forum. I sent that to the club [too], because if anything ever got out about me selling the tickets, then at least I have the proof. Everything about it is upfront.”
WHERE DID IT START?
So, how did Zoček manage to make so many contacts with former players? How did he get into writing about his heroes, and eventually befriending them?
“I was asked to do some work for the Blue Kipper site when it was going. My first interview was with Derek Temple, and bit by bit I started getting in touch with other players,” he says.
“Somebody said to me one day ‘Why don’t you put these into a book?’. I didn’t have a clue how, so I sought some advice, and since the money didn’t interest me, I decided to give it to the former players. I like a challenge.
“Everton played Keflavik in the European Cup in 1970, and I got in touch with two players who played for Keflavik that night at Goodison — the captain and the left-back — and asked what they thought of playing an English team, what it was like in Liverpool. In 1970 of course there were players like Alan Ball, Brian Labone, who also played for England in the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.
“I’ve built up trust with players — one or two don’t want to contribute but I understand. I spoke this morning with Colin Harvey, we were on the phone for a quarter of an hour. These people who are my heroes have become friends. It’s fantastic.”
WHAT’S GONE WRONG?
It has been a dismal few years for Everton. A new stadium might be rising out of Bramley Moore Dock, yet on and off the pitch, the Toffees have been in turmoil.
Successive relegation battles have been followed by a hugely difficult transfer window, in which Everton signed five players but spent very little money once again, and saw more players leave.
So, what’s gone wrong?
“I grew up watching when Kendall, Harvey and Ball were playing. It was owned by John Moores, an Evertonian and a shrewd businessman. A lot of clubs in those days were owned by local businessmen. These people who were involved in clubs as businessmen, they cared about it,” said Zoček.
“Since [David] Moyes left… there’s too many managerial changes. The club’s just lost its way. Managerial changes are a big problem, recruitment’s a big problem — but any player you buy is always a gamble. They’ve tried to make things right. When you make a decision, you rely on your instincts. Sadly we’ve made too many mistakes but we didn’t know they would be mistakes. I think managerial changes are a massive problem; what’s gone on at Board level, we’ll never know.
“It's just a shambles. I was interviewed before the Bournemouth game last season and was asked ‘How important is this game today’. I said: ‘As important as the other 37 that’s gone prior to this’.
“Before they appointed Rafa, the man for me was David Moyes. When he came in, he turned it round after Walter Smith had gone. He knows the DNA of the place. We didn’t win anything, but at the end of the day we got into the Champions League — got robbed in a qualifier. Moyes for me was the ideal choice. But the decision isn’t down to me. Sadly, Everton are paying the price for it.
“I’m not a Sean Dyche fan, but I think he’ll stabilise the club. After the Sheffield United game, we’ve got our first point, our first goals, we’re waiting for players to come in. Dwight McNeil, Jack Harrison and what a lovely problem to have when he’s eventually fit — who’s going to play up front out of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Beto.
“I think we’ll still be in the bottom six this year but I don’t think it’ll go to the last game. If it does go there, we’ve got Arsenal away, so you can basically flush the toilet. I don’t think it’ll come to that, though.”
A MESSAGE TO THE CLUB
Like all guests will be in this series, Zoček was asked if he had one message for the club he supports.
“Time,” he says.
“Time’s not something that you can but a definitive measure on. The people involved — [Farhad] Moshiri — leave the football side to people.
“It’s going to take time, a long time. With regards to Bramley Moore, I’ve got no interest in it whatsoever, but that’s just a personal thing to me with the memories from when I was young. When I go to Goodison Park, I think about my dad being there, so it’s for sentimental reasons.
“Are we going to get in the top four? I doubt it. Are we going to win a trophy? It’s possible, but sadly in this day and age the lower clubs don’t value cup competitions because it’s all about the Premier League. It’s all about money and not winning a trophy.
“Everton are a big name, but I wouldn’t say they’re a big club anymore, because they have lost their way. To me, Everton are a massive club, but if you asked a 16, 17-year-old the same question they wouldn’t be put up there with Man City, Man Utd, Liverpool — they’d say no, and they’d be spot on. I’d like to think Everton will get there again one day, but it’s all about how it’s done on the pitch.”
Steve Zocek’s works are available on Amazon.
By Patric Ridge