It's not just the red side of Merseyside that shares a close affiliation with the Scottish giants...
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Andy Burnham believes Everton's relationship with Celtic Football Club came long before Liverpool's affiliation.
Kenny Dalglish's move to Anfield from Scotland back in 1977 sparked the Reds' personal love affair, but the blue side of Merseyside also boasts its own intrinsic links.
With 220 miles separating the two cities, many often wonder why the pair seemingly go hand-in-hand and the Mayor of Manchester details how many may have got the wrong end of the stick over the years...
Mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham bellieves Everton have a connection with Celtic (Image credit: Getty Images)
"I’m a lone campaigner for Everton and Celtic being the true and original partnership," Burnham recently told FFT. "My upbringing was, ‘These are the clubs you’re going to support’.
"When I see this cult and love-in surrounding the other lot and You’ll Never Walk Alone, I struggle with it. There’s a photograph of Pat Van Den Hauwe wearing a Celtic ski hat – that was my hat.
"I handed it to him as he went to collect the cup. I used to have a split Everton and Celtic ski hat and a full Celtic hat as well.
Having followed Everton's endeavours throughout the 1980s and beyond, Burnham is often seen at Goodison Park mixing it with his very own Merseysiders.
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But for him, a close second side always followed behind him and it is a connection he believes truly has stood the test of time...
"For me, it was always Everton and Celtic, and the links went back to players like Bobby Collins," he added. "John Collins also played for both clubs.
"There were at least as many Rangers/Liverpool supporters’ hats as Celtic/Liverpool. I remember going to watch Everton play a friendly at Celtic Park once – it was a great day."
Bio: Matthew is a freelance journalist and has currently racked up bylines for Manchester United, Manchester Evening News, GOAL and SPORTbible to name a few. A long-term sufferer of Scunthorpe United, he currently resides in the north-west after escaping the smog of North Lincolnshire.
