EVERTON travel to Bolton Wanderers in great confidence and I’m hoping they will have better fortune than I did in this same meeting down the years.
At the old Burden Park in the FA Cup I was sent off twice, once playing for the Blues and then for Southampton.
My third red card on the ground came in a Premier League game.
The first of those dismissals came in Mike Walker’s first game in charge of Everton and though we drew the game 1-1, we ended up losing the third round replay 3-2 at Goodison.
My second red card against Bolton when playing for Everton was one of the most telling of my career.
Because it signalled the beginning of the end for me at the club.
I was shown red in a league game in October 1995 and with missing three games it forced Joe Royle to pick the side without me.
It started to change his mind and I left in May 1996 for Southampton.
But I’m confident the current crop will have far better fortune than me this weekend.
As I say Everton, despite the mixed performance on Monday, will be really positive about going to the Reebok Stadium and booking their place in the fifth round of the Cup.
