The ToffeeWeb Poll

Arsenal chairman David Dein is leading the Premiership top clubs' fight to insitute a three-week winter break in the league schedule at the beginning of January, saying that the top players play too many games and could use the break to "recharge batteries". However, the likes of Southampton and Birmingham have come out and said that this is just eight or so of the elite clubs whingeing about the effect it has on their European campaigns and that the rest of the top flight are in "good shape" and that a winter break would short-change the fans. What do you think?

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2. The way we phrase the poll questions - indeed, the fact that we ask them at all - does not constitute us expressing an opinion on either side of the chosen issue. We are merely playing devil's advocate!

March 2002 Poll Result: With the danger of relegation escalating by the week, which offers more hope for survival: Smith stays or a new manager is brought it?

Coming on the heels of three miserable Everton performances against Leeds, West Ham and Middlesbrough, the results of this poll of ToffeeWeb readers illustrates that most of us felt Walter had reached the end of his time at Goodison Park and that a change migh provide the catalyst for a final push away fropm relegation danger. It also shows that 1 in 4 who voted felt that dismissing Smith was worth the gamble.

Which offers more hope for survival?

As it was, Smith was relieved of his duties three days after the poll was opened.

January 2002 Poll Result: Is now the time for Walter Smith to leave Everton, either by resigning or being sacked?

When we posed this question at the beginning of January, Everton had just lost their fifth successive league game and the next win was nowhere in sight. In the first few days of polling (i.e. the days leading up to the victory at Stoke City in the FA Cup, the voting was 42% in favour of Smith keeping his job and 48% thinking it was time for him to go (the remaining 10% were undecided). However, in a clear indication of how results can affect polling trends across the month, by the end of January when the poll closed, the result was as follows:

Is now the time for Walter Smith to leave Everton, either by resigning or being sacked?

So, as far as the fans are concerned, an endorsement for the time being of Smith's continued tenure, based as it was on a run of six games undefeated for the remainder of January, which included progress into the FA Cup 5th Round with a win over Leyton Orient.

December 2001 Poll Result: Is banning Everton fans from attending away fixtures the best short-term solution to the revived problem of racism?

It's not exactly clear where it came from or what prompted it, but the sickening spectre of racism reared its ugly head among Everton's match-going supporters recently and, thankfully, it seems to have abated in the wake of public statements by the club and maybe even peer pressure. Bill Kenwright shyed away from implementing a ban on away fans, threatening to put undercover stewards in the away section or sitting there himself to stamp out the problem. We asked you if banning away fans was the answer and you voted as follows:

November 2001 Poll Result: If the Everton Board chose to raise funds through a Share Issue, would you buy?

With the publication of Everton's latest fiscal reports and the revelation that the club are still in debt to the tune of £20m, the prospect of a Share Issue whereby the fans are able to buy stock to inject much-needed capital into the coffers is still a viable option. If anything, such a solution deserves more consideration now than ever given the fact that there is little more family silver to auction off for massive transfer fees. The example of Celtic's recent renaissance in the wake of a share issue is testament to the effects such a measure could have on Everton - but will the board sanction such a dilution of their own holdings?
We asked you if you would buy shares in Everton if a share issue came up and here is how you voted:

September 2001 Poll Result: Should Everton be spending?

This month's poll result is late but no less pertinent because while the Blues fortunes have markedly improved mid-September, injuries to key midfield personnel are threatening to undermine Everton's new-found swagger.

We asked whether Everton are right to sit tight with what they have rather than go out and buy either a creative midfielder or a goalkeeper? You, the fans, felt that the club is still short of a dynamic attacking midfielder and could probably use a star goalkeeper too.

The result of the poll: Should Everton be putting a freeze on strengthening the squad at this point in the season?

August 2001 Poll Result: What should the new stadium at Kings Dock be called and should the naming rights be sold to a corporate sponsor?

With Everton having been confirmed as preferred bidders for the development of the prized Kings Dock site on the banks of the Mersey, thoughts turn to more granular matters. Perhaps the most pressing for Everton fans - and one of the areas where we might have a voice - is what the ground will be called.

The result of the poll: What should the new stadium be called?

Should the naming rights be sold to a corporate sponsor?

July 2001 Poll Result: Should Ball be paid the same as top earners?

It's almost redundant with the player on the verge of signing for Rangers, but we asked you whether you thought Everton should have offered Michael Ball parity with the top earners at Goodison Park. Just over two thirds of the 742 people who voted said that he should have been offered the same as the likes of Kevin Campbell (believed to be on 30K a week).

The result of the poll: Should Michael Ball be given parity with Everton's top earners?

June 2001 Poll Result: Satisfied with Bill Kenwright?

It has been over a year since Bill Kenwright effectively took the reins at Goodison Park, but things have not been easy and the success thus far of the Kings Dock bid is seemingly not enough to impress those fans who voted in this month's poll. However, a record percentage of voters were undecided.

The result of the poll: Are you satisfied with Bill Kenwright's progress so far?

May 2001 Poll Result: Should Everton offer David Unsworth a new contract?

His style of play might not be pretty and his distribution leaves a lot to be desired but at a time when supposed Everton fans are deserting the Everton squad, David Unsworth wears his blue heart on his sleeve and all he wants is a new contract at Goodison.

It looks as though he isn't going to get it, which goes completely against what the fans think, if the May 2001 ToffeeWeb Poll is any indication.

A staggeringly emphatic majority of the 429 people who voted want "Rhino" to stay. And the club wonders why the fans are becoming more and more unhappy with the management.

The result of the poll: Should Everton offer Rhino a new deal?

January 2001 Poll Result: Is Walter Smith still the best man for the Everton job?

Back on Evertonia.com, we asked you what you thought of Walter Smith's credentials as Everton manager and whether he should remain in the Goodison hotseat.

The voting was carried out over a preiod of two months and that duration had a heavy influence on the final outcome. Had the poll been closed on January 31st, when the Blues were struggling, the voting for and against Smith would have been exactly even at 46%, with the remaining 8% undecided. Those voting patterns were swayed by the 3-0 home defeat by Tranmere in the FA Cup and the failure see off Tottenham in a 0-0 draw, but were tempered by the 3-1 triumph at Coventry.

However, as it was, the final outcome was significantly in favour of Smith thanks to a rally of votes for him in February thanks perhaps to home draws against Middlesbrough and Leeds, plus the home win against Leicester.

The result of the poll was follows:

April 2001 Poll Result: Should Everton offer whatever Francis Jeffers wants in order to persuade him to stay?

The first ToffeeWeb poll (the previous vote was carried out on Evertonia.com) drew an enormous response, with over 700 Blues having their say on the Francis Jeffers controversy.

The verdict was that while we would love to see the club's brightest home-grown prospect since Michael Ball stay with the club he says he loves so much, there is no point in the club either bending to accommodate a relatively unproven, injury-prone teenager, or bankrupting itself over one player.

There was also a sizeable contingent expressing their concern at Everton cutting off their nose to spite their face and becoming a selling club, but ultimately more than half of those who voted said that Franny cannot hold the club to ransom.

The result of the poll was follows: