EVERTON have just returned from a hugely successful tour Down Under. Successful in terms of PR, organization, players’ fitness – and even results.

Which is in stark contrast to one of the first tours I had the good fortune to enjoy as the Echo’s Everton correspondent.

Evertonians may recall the 1994-95 campaign for the abject start Mike Walker’s side made to the season, the worst opening sequence of results in the club’s history.

Those hardy souls who made the pre-season journeys to Sweden, Germany and Italy will perhaps understand why.

And hope that this season’s successful tour reflects in a flying start to the season.

I’d only enjoyed one pre-season tour prior to 1994, an engaging 13 day tour of Switzerland and Germany in the company of contrasting characters like Howard Kendall, Maurice Johnston, Mark Ward and Neville Southall.

If that was eye-opening, it was nothing compared to the following summer’s preparations under a new management team of Mike Walker and Dave Williams.

Tony Cottee’s engaging 1995 autobiography Claret and Blues offered a little insight.

“Mike Walker was a firm believer in the continental approach to football, but I still couldn’t understand why Everton arranged THREE pre-season tours abroad that summer,” he wrote.

“We spent nine days in Germany, seven in Sweden and three in Italy – doing the wrong things, eating the wrong things and drinking the wrong things. It seems crazy to me.”

All true. But for a wide-eyed young hack great fun.

What goes on tour stays on tour . . . but I’m sure the individuals concerned won’t mind one or two tales being related.

After all, it was 16 years ago. And TC’s autobiography carries a couple of the tamer tales anyway.

Everton kicked off their preparations with a short flight to Copenhagen – a lively experience in itself with notoriously bad-flier Paul Rideout mercilessly taunted and ribbed by his team-mates at every hint of gentle turbulence - then enjoyed a picturesque catamaran crossing to Helsingborg.

Well, most of the party did.

A couple of notable absentees became apparent when the team checked into the hotel.

“Right lads,” barked manager Mike Walker.

“On the training ground in 10 minutes for a loosener. Jimmy, Les, get the kit ready. Jimmy? Les? Where the hell are Jim . . . .”

The realisation dawned that poor old Jimmy and Les had been left to load the kit skips unaided at Helsingborg – and left behind.