Everton blasted by commentator after ‘unprofessional’ Anthony Gordon development
Everton were unprofessional to dig out Anthony Gordon on social media after the Newcastle United winger took the Goodison Park hostility well, according to Ian Darke.
The TNT Sports commentator has criticised the Toffees’ media staff for their mocking video of Gordon [Everton FC on X, 6 October] even though went down very well with the majority of supporters, who still feel animosity towards their former academy graduate. Jamie Carragher, Dan Donachie and Bryan King have also jumped to criticise the video.
Gordon missed a number of chances to win the game for Newcastle including his first-half penalty kept out by Jordan Pickford at the Gwladys Street End, and Darke has given his view on the matter.
“Fans are entitled to give Gordon the treatment they want to, but I thought it was unprofessional for the club to post like that on social media,” the broadcaster exclusively told Goodison News.
“He took it all well, and the fans of course had the last laugh with him missing the penalty – they have long memories and they feel Gordon has treated the club poorly.
“The other way it could be flipped is that he was an academy product who got the club a lot of money, and was always going to move on with where Everton were at the time.”
Everton fans’ wrath at Anthony Gordon
The Gordon situation with Everton was as heartbreaking as any fanbase would find one of their club’s most valuable players leaving having spent years coming through the ranks.
Jude Bellingham’s squad number was famously retired by Birmingham City when his move to Borussia Dortmund was said to have saved the club financially; Gordon earned the Toffees a sizeable fee when he left for Tyneside, but it was admittedly quite different.
No one could really begrudge Gordon the move itself, but it was the way he went about it – the training boycott, the transfer request, not to mention his tunnel celebrations after returning to help the Magpies win at Goodison in April 2023.
Gordon and those defending him argue he has been entirely professional since leaving Merseyside, and that he has largely kept his head down away from any invitation to throw cheap shots at his old club.
It was certainly a small victory for the Goodison faithful, as Gordon immediately reunites with Pickford on England duty.
In other Everton news, four players could be welcomed back after the international break.
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