Everton fans are a fiercely loyal fanbase, but should a player fail to reciprocate those feelings, things can quickly turn sour.
Anthony Gordon is an outstanding example of the swift deterioration of such a relationship.
When he burst onto the scene, the 23-year-old was a shining light for the Toffees, expected to be their next big breakthrough talent.
Another scouser and boyhood blue in the first team, he impressed in flashes but never really captured the consistency needed to fire the Toffees up the table on his own.
However, he would never really stick around long enough to test himself, jumping ship at the first time of asking when Newcastle United came calling.
Although he has tried to dispel many myths regarding his acrimonious exit, Evertonians will not be convinced otherwise.
Anthony Gordon reveals Leighton Baines’s advice
Now speaking to Gary Neville on The Overlap, released earlier today, the former Everton winger opened up about his current career and the various peaks and troughs endured.
Naturally, his spell with the Toffees was largely shrouded in the latter, although it did stand him in good stead for the success he is currently enjoying on Tyneside.
It seems like one particular piece of advice gained whilst playing for his boyhood club he still retains to this day, as he told the Sky Sports pundit ‘the best piece of advice’ he ever received.
Full of praise for Leighton Baines, who he both played with and was coached under, Gordon noted: ‘The best piece of advice was from Leighton Baines. He said it to me when I was very young at Everton. He said never get too high and never get too low. I always remember that.’
Everton are crying out for their next academy breakout star
Although there have been a few since Gordon who have threatened to break through from the academy and into the first team, few have actually established themselves as a regular.
And, due to the financial restrictions imposed on the club, anyone with a shred of promise has had to be offloaded almost instantly for the pure profit academy sales bring in.
It is a sad state of affairs, but one that could well be healing in the coming years given the steps towards sustainability Kevin Thelwell has made.
However, this side is crying out for another academy breakthrough, not only to reignite a fanbase getting bored of relegation scraps, but also to hopefully save them a fortune by filling a key position without them having to spend.
At present, Sean Dyche has suggested there are none yet ready to make the step up.
Perhaps next season, in a far less pressurised environment, he could start giving some a chance at least.
