The undercarriage of the Sydney Harbour Bridge echoed with the sound of the Goodison Gang as 150 Blues bounced on the waves beneath it.
They might have been unusual sights and sounds for the Parramatta River but for the tourists and locals mingling around the city’s iconic waterfront it could come as no surprise. The Circular Quay was awash with Blues.
Everton’s presence in Sydney extended beyond the harbour but it was at its most concentrated there. The shirts bore the sponsors NEC, Hafnia and Stake. Names on the back even extended to on-loan academy product Ellis Simms.
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Supporters unravelled a big ‘Everton The Gear’ flag and posed with it against the backdrop of the Sydney Opera House. A busker was asked whether he could play Spirit of the Blues - he responded with the Beatles’ Strawberry Fields. And then 150 Blues got on a boat and cruised between landmarks. And then after they got off two hours later, another 150 got on.
Those on the trips heralded from Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, from Dublin, Runcorn and, of course, Liverpool. All had stories to tell, none more than John Kelly - born in the shadow of Goodison Park and now one of the most influential figures of the Australian Everton Supporters Club - which has more than 2,000 members.
The group organised the boat trips and could have sold out at least one more before they had to stop taking queries. League winners Ian Snodin and Gary Stevens were among those on board, chatting to everyone who would listen to them.
The waterfront was the centre of activity after days in which Everton’s squad were the focus. More than 1,000 fans watched an open training session, after which Frank Lampard and his squad stayed to sign autographs and pose for pictures with fans. Tom Davies and Anthony Gordon were last to leave.
The players doing yoga on Bondi Beach also caught attention while James Tarkowski and Dwight McNeil were part of a greeting event on Thursday night. On Friday there was training ahead of the match against Celtic before Lampard, other members of his backroom staff and a sizeable portion of the squad watched England face Australia in a one day international at the Sydney Cricket Ground - though most left before England’s collapse. Tarkowski even went onto the Australian coverage of the match to co-commentate and explain to the audience why Everton were Down Under.
Of his experience so far, Tarkowski said: "It’s great to come to the other side of the world and meet Toffees fans. It’s a nice opportunity for them and for us, too. The football while we are out here is important but so are events like this. Everton is a massive club and it’s important we meet fans and engage with them like we have done. Hopefully they can get to the games and enjoy them as well.
“Events like this reiterate what a big club Everton is. Every day I learn more about this football club. I’m loving being here and I’ve really enjoyed getting the chance to meet our fans here in Australia.” It’s clear those fans are enjoying it too.
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