Now playing for Colorado Rapids over in the MLS, Tim Howard left Everton as a hero for his ten years of service, but also, it seems, for his admirable appreciation for the little things that matter at Goodison Park.
After a difficult spell at Manchester United where himself and Roy Carroll found themselves in an awkwardly inconsistent battle for the number one shirt, Howard joined the club because David Moyes made him feel wanted. When he got there, he was determined to stay, and knew that an understanding of the club's culture would be vital to doing so.
While speaking to Sky Sports for a special feature on American goalkeepers in the Premier League, Howard explained that upon his arrival he noticed that only a few players touched the Goodison Park sign before entering the pitch, and fear of being viewed as a fraud prevented him from doing so.
I wanted to earn my stripes, I was never one to kiss the badge, and I never touched the sign because I watched Tony Hibbert touch the sign, I watched Leon Osman touch the sign, even Wayne Rooney at times when I would play against him would touch the sign.
That's what it means to them, I'm not just going to come in there as a stranger and touch that sacred sign, so it just became something I never did, I never wanted to be a fraud.
I thought that if I got my head down and worked and put in the performances over a number of years that I'd become a part of the fabric of that club, so that meant more to me.
That's an admirable attitude, and it's one that saw him eventually develop into a fan favourite, and part of the Everton family.
You see players doing their best to endear themselves to fans as quickly as possible when they sign for a new club, but Howard's desire to prove himself on the pitch first clearly struck a chord with the players and fans at the club.
His words should also serve as a friendly reminder to any new recruits, don't touch that sign unless you mean it.
