May 2001

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2001-02

May 31:  With an unnecessary and potentially destructive war of words developing in the media between Walter Smith and Michael Ball's "representatives", ToffeeWeb's Viewpoint warns of the potential explosion of supporter anger should the England defender be driven away from Goodison Park.

May 31 - In a fit of petulance that underlines his poor handling of younger players, Walter Smith says Michael Ball can leave "if he wants to" – an angry response to supposed "leaks" about the player's contract talks.  

May 31:  BBC journalist Phil McNulty provides a succinct portrayal of the increasingly bad situation facing Everton Football Club this summer, with a war of words now developing over Michael Ball's contract renegotiations. 

May 30 - An unidentified "spokesman" for Michael Ball (funny how they can't ask these people for a name) tells the Liverpool Echo of Bally's pain if it turns out that the Club have decided to sell him.

May 30:  Ian MacDonald is one of the fans who Bill Kenwright actually talks to directly.  This candid Season Review contains Ian's analysis of where we are as a club and a squad.  Ian then looks forward and makes a plea for positive change in this open letter to the Vice-Chairman.

May 30 - The Official Everton site reveals the extent of Everton's 2000/01 injury crisis: 178 separate incidents over the season and 19 players needing treatment on one day!

May 29:  Everton have finally given up on persuading Francis Jeffers to stay, and put him on the transfer list as of yesterday.  A surprisingly sensible editorial from TeamTalk – of all places – sums up this lack of ambition and failure of vision for the playing side that now bedevils this once-great Club.

May 28 - Gareth Farrelly did it again, scoring a 20-yd screamer too set Bolton on their way back into the Premiership after defeating David Moyes' plucky Preston 3-0.

May 28 - Colm Kavanagh's passion for Everton Football Club gets tweaked to the limit when rumours fester that yet another Player of the Season is about to leave.  The departure of Michael Ball would confirm Everton's newest tradition: selling off their best players.

May 27 - Ex-Blue Brett Angell remained an unused sub on the bench for Walsall as they beat Reading 3-2 to gain promotion to Division 2.

May 26 - Ex-Blues John Hills and Jamie Milligan helped Steve McMahon's Blackpool gain promotion to Division 2 by beating Leyton Orient 4-2 in the Third Division playoff final today.

May 26: The temptation is to reject out of hand speculation that Liverpool could step in and tempt Michael Ball to follow Nick Barmby across the stunted grass of Stanley Park...  But war-weary Evertonians know to their cost that literally anything is possible in football, and that Everton are developing a reputation for selling their best players.  The rumours of Ball's "excessive" £30k-a-week demands have already been floated by the Club.

May 25 - The season has ended but the injuries go on... Michael Ball missed the U-21 defeat of Mexico with a cyst in his knee.  Danny Cadamarteri played the last 3 minutes, though.

May 25: Following another season to forget, it's Walter-bashing time.  So, in an effort to maintain journalistic fairness, ToffeeWeb presents the case for Walter's defence – and only mentions his tactics void once!

May 25 - In his Season Review, Julian Cashen pulls no punches in this scathing assessment of Walter Smith's third season at Goodison. Walter Smith apologists should avoid reading this diatribe: it is not pleasant. ToffeeWeb has also produced a statistical review of the season, as well as updated the stats tables.

May 24 - Player of the Season-elect Michael Ball is in contract talks with Goodison officials, hoping to sign a new 5-year deal worth a reputed £30,00 a week.  No news on Jeffers, though...

May 24 - 16 year-old goalkeeping prospect Andrew Pettinger, signed for £45,000 from Scunthorpe last summer, has signed a two-year professional contract with Everton after impressing over the past few months.

May 23 - Bill Kenwright has been talking in glowing terms of how Kings Dock will be the key to turning Everton around.  But the opening date would be 2005, leaving another four years where something else must be done to avoid Everton's current problem: perennial relegation battles.

May 23 - In the Liverpool Echo, Len Capeling laments at what seems to be the new paradigm for Everton Football Club.

May 21 - Following Manchester City's relegation from the Premiership, they have sacked Manager Joe Royle.

May 20 - For the second time this season, Everton face a £50k fine after picking up six yellow cards v Sunderland; previously it was the the Goodison derby.

May 20:  Alex Nyarko spills the beans in abundance, to Paul Wilson of The Observer about his season of misery at Everton.  [Link to story]

May 19 - After "intense speculation" that Walter Smith would quit yesterday, the dour Scot has restated his intention of staying for two more years to see out his contract.  God help us.

May 19 - In a match that Everton really should have won, Unsworth missed a penalty before Phillips grabbed a late equalizer for Sunderland to bring an end to another dismal season at Goodison Park.

May 19 - Soccernet bid to second-guess Everton, claiming that Gazza is for the chop when his contract will be terminated "soon". [Link to story]

May 18:  To support the promising investment in the future, Everton Youth Academy now has its own Website.  However, they still lack permanent facilities worthy of the name after work on Nertherton site was halted.  

May 18 - Mark Pembridge has been called up to the Welsh National squad for World Cup qualifiers against Poland and Ukraine in early June.

May 17 - The injury list for Saturday includes Abel Xavier, Duncan Ferguson, Paul Gascoigne, and Francis Jeffers, with Gough and Jevons doubtful.

May 16 - Michael Ball and Danny Cadamarteri, who has been out for three months with an ankle injury, have been called up to the England U-21 squad this summer.

May 13 - Ibrahima Bakayoko scored both goals for Olympique Marseille in a vital 2-1 win over Bastia that keeps them in the French First Division.

May 12:  Midas Soccer lead with an unlikely story suggesting that Walter Smith will have talks about his future at Everton after another dreadful season at the helm.  

May 11 - The Club have granted Alex Nyarko's wish never to play for Everton again, and have placed him on the transfer list.

May 10:  Everton Reserves have won the FA Premier Reserves League (North) after Leeds United beat Sunderland 2-0 tonight - the Black Cats had to win to snatch the title from the Blues. 

May 9:  "This season has been miserable.  It has been miserable for every Evertonian.  Absolutely horrible.  I think even more so because we gave Goodison Park a lick of paint, made 10 or 11 signings over the summer and there was a lot of joy and expectancy around the club, but we have all failed to live up to that.  That is the sadness of it.  Everton cannot celebrate avoiding relegation.  However we can be thankful for it and grateful for it." – Bill Kenwright... "Never Again"???

May 9 - Paul Gascoigne had another operation – his third this season – to clear up some minor problems, and will now miss the season finalé against Sunderland.

May 9 - Richard Gough has rubbished stories that he turned down overtures from Rangers to manage their Australian feeder club, Northern Spirit.

May 8 - Everton Reserves went top of the FA Premier Reserves League (North) by beating Bradford 3-1 with youngster Nick Chadwick getting a hat-trick in their final game of the season. 

May 6 - The Sunday Mirror is reporting that Everton have given Phil Jevons a two-year contract.  Everton have denied the speculation.

May 6 - The results of the April 2001 ToffeeWeb Poll are in and the majority say Everton shouldn't break the bank to keep Franny. 

May 5 - A goal for SuperKev gave Everton the lead at Chelsea after just 71 s, but then Hasselbaink started... nabbing two before half time.  Everton rallied in the second half but failed to alter the scoreline.

May 4:  The announcement of the preferred bidder for Kings Dock (due today) has been delayed "indefinitely" while due diligence is carried out on the two leading bids. [Goodison Gazette]

May 4 - Dave Watson, a true living legend and wonderful Everton servant, will be leaving to take up the manager's post at Tranmere. [Page from History]

May 4:  The funeral for Gordon Watson was held today, shortly after the unveiling of Dixie Dean's new statue.  Fittingly, Gordon Watson was the last surviving Everton teammate of the great man. 

May 4:  A very special ceremony was held today at Goodison Park to unveil a statue of the greatest Everton player of all time, and scorer of the most League goals in a season: the legendary Bill 'Dixie' Dean.  Our new Player Profile is based on a wonderful article contributed by Ian MacDonald.

May 4 - Sir Desmond Pitcher, who did so little as an Everton Director, now sticks the boot in to Everton's Kings Dock bid, claiming big transport problems with the riverside site.

May 3 - The ToffeeWeb Player of the Month for April is...Michael Ball

May 3 - Duncan Ferguson, Richard Gough, and Paul Gascoigne are all ruled out of the trip to Chelsea.  Pistone and Xavier are suspended.

May 3:  Richard Gough, who announced that he is retiring at the end of the season, outlines how his first serious injury in football became his last, bringing to an end his glorious playing career.

May 1 - Everton Reserves beat Manchester City 4-2 to keep within a point of league leaders Sunderland into the final round of matches. 

May 1 - Midas Soccer claim that Richard Gough has played his last game for Everton, and will now be heading back to the United States to become player-coach of his former club, San Jose Clash.