Expat Evertonian The diary of a football fan working abroad

On Friday, 1 September 1989 Cliff Green boarded a plane from Heathrow to Nairobi to begin what he imagined to be a two year interlude to his teaching career in the UK. He was 27 and had never lived overseas before. In all respects he was very much a 'homeboy' being immensely attached to the British culture notably pop music, English pubs, Coronation Street and, most significantly, Everton Football Club. In all respects he was the last person on earth that anyone would have expected to live away from the shores of the UK. He even surprised himself with the decision. On 15 March 2011 he returned to England after more than two decades of teaching overseas in a journey that included Kenya, Bermuda and Uganda  and  a career path that led to his appointment in 2009 as Principal of one of the largest international schools in East Africa. There was also a personal journey of discovery and adventure loaded with humour and surprise and, while the pull of British culture diminished, the passion for Everton just grew and grew, no matter how difficult it may have been to 'get the result'.


Cliff Green was born in Andover, Hampshire on 27 September 1961. He developed a love for football from an early age and became besotted by Everton during the 1970 championship run-in idolising the Holy Trinity of Kendall, Harvey, Ball as well as his favourite centre-forward of all time, Joe Royle. Through the dire eighties of turgid football and an empty trophy cabinet, he clung onto the belief that Everton would once again become great. Determined to be a part of the revival, he left home to study for a degree in mathematical statistics at The University of Liverpool in 1980. After graduating in 1983, he worked as a trainee chartered accountant in Dale Street, Liverpool while watching Everton every week, including their most successful season in their history, and going to Rotterdam to see his team lift their only European trophy in 1985. The following year he left accountancy and studied for a PGCE at Bolton Institute of Higher Education while watching most of Everton's matches during their final championship winning season. After two years teaching at Shrewsbury Sixth Form College, he left England for a teaching career described in this book. On 21st December, 1996 he married a Ugandan lady called Violet. They have three children, Christopher, Vincent and Clair.