Dec 31 - The Gravesen Saga  The Echo is claiming that Tommy Gravesen is staying in Denmark with his sick grandfather until Wednesday, when Smith told him to be back in training today — even though he is injured for tomorrow's game.  All building up nicely for the much-needed mid-season injection of cash to bolster Everton's yawning coffers...

Dec 31 - Win or be sacked?  According to The Sun, the Everton Board have told Walter Smith that he must beat Middlesbrough on Wednesday and secure victory in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup against Stoke on Saturday — or face the sack.  Doesn't say where Everton will find the £2M needed to pay off him and Knox! 

Dec 31 - Cup tie on TV overseas  The distinct possibility of an FA Cup 3rd Round upset has the TV cameras travelling to Stoke next Saturday for the visit of Everton.  The cup-tie will be broadcast live in most parts of the world (but not the UK); check your local listings.

Dec 30 - Royal Blue Mersey  Another of our columnists, Ian Mills is not too impressed with much he has seen from Everton over the Christmas period...

Dec 30:  Another fine mess?  Everton's current on-field crisis of confidence has its roots in endemic mismanagement that has dogged Everton off the field for the best part of the past decade.  Colm Kavanagh reckons it's time some action was taken to get the Club back on the right track... and no, he is not talking about Kings Dock.

Dec 30: Viewpoint: Let's go down A Swedish Everton fan, Thomas Green, has written to us summing up some of the many frustrations Evertonians the world over must feel following yesterday's woeful performance.  He thinks relegation may actually be a good thing, but for many, that would surely be too painful to stomach.

Dec 29:  Everton 0 - 3 Charlton Athletic  An utterly dismal day at Goodison Park.  Radzinski lasted for just one decent shot on goal before a groin injury forced his replacement by an unfit Ferguson.  Graham Stuart scored in a very poor first half.  The second half was no better, with Jason Euell scoring Charlton's second.  And for good measure, Stuart's substitute Konchesky added the third.  Charlton's first win at Goodison since 1949!

Dec 29 - Gravesen fuels the fire  More comments from Mad Dog in another Danish newspaper may well seal his fate with Everton, where such blatant honesty cannot be tolerated.

Dec 28 - Club reply on store closure  Everton have replied to a fan's e.mail request for an explanation of why the store was closed for the two days before Christmas. 

Dec 28 - Gravesen given a smack  If Ananova are to be believed, Walter Smith is upset about Tommy Gravesen's truth-telling to a Danish newspaper.  Phil McNulty makes some big-picture observations... but somehow, this all seems a little bit too contrived... 

Dec 27 - Gravesen's frustration  Tommy Mad Dog Gravesen moans that Everton will be unable to build a decent team because they have no money.  Somebody should tell him Everton are surviving only by selling their best players and replacing them with aging crocks.

Dec 26:  Everton 0 - 2 Manchester United  Toil and effort versus quality and skill.  It is only right which one should win out in the end, and that was down to two moments of magic from United.  They tore through Everton's previously resilient defence (commanded masterfully by Abel Xavier) with two superb goals to take all the honours.  That makes it three defeats on the trot, dropping Everton down four places to 13th.

Dec 26 - Smith still here in 2005?  In this interview at the Electronic Telegraph, Walter Smith reveals his desire to be the Everton Manager leading the Club into the new pastures of the Kings Dock.

Dec 25 - Megastore Holiday  No-one would expect Everton's Club store to be open on Christmas Day, but what about the two days before Christmas?  Peak shopping days?  Apparently not for Everton's megastore... unless they simply ran out of stock? 

Dec 24 - Pistone now crocked  Alessandro Pistone has suffered knee ligament and is expected to be out of action for the next six weeks.

Dec 22:  Sunderland 1 - 0 Everton  The game went ahead despite heavy snow in the Northeast and the Black Cats' new signing Claudio Reyna scored the only goal to see off a typically inept Everton.  Gravesen started but was withdrawn for Alexandersson after just 22 minutes following a hot-headed performance and a very early yellow card.  Moore and Tal were surprise inclusions in the starting line-up, but the American couldn't find his third successive goal.

Dec 21 - Boa Morte Card rescinded  Boa Morte's red card picked up after the fracas he initiated with Davey Weir has been rescinded on appeal to the FA.  Davey Weir's second yellow in the same incident remains and Davey serves his sentence against Sunderland

Dec 20: Feature: What does he have to do?  Despite taking just 30 minutes to score the winner against Derby, Joe-Max Moore only made it onto the pitch at Leeds last night because of an injury to Allessandro Pistone.  Will his sweet left-foot consolation volley that sparked an unlikely comeback convince "Tictac" that to score goals you need strikers – irrespective of how they're built – and that Goodison's resident Yank can score goals.

Dec 20 - Paul Gregg's new focus  Everton Director Paul Gregg is leaving Clear Channel (previously SFX) to concentrate on other things, including his role at Everton in the Kings Waterfront Development.

Dec 19:  Leeds United 3 - 2 Everton  Joe-Max Moore made further mockery of Walter Smith's insistence on omitting him from the start with a cracking volleyed left-footer late on and David Weir struck in stoppage time from an Idan Tal corner to set up an exciting finish at Elland Road.  Mark Viduka (18') and two from, yes, you guessed it, Robbie Fowler (25' and 70') had Blues fans wondering how many (particularly after Smith had to withdraw Pembridge for Gascoigne and Pistone for Moore because of injury) but the late rally restored some respectability to the scoreline.  Report by Rob Burns

Dec 19:  At the risk of seeming ungrateful..  The cat-calls for Walter Smith have died down since mid-table mediocrity become the established norm for Everton this season.  So it is a little disconcerting to read that Thor Martinsson (an Evertonian in the Faeroe Isles) thinks the time is now to act on the manager's demonstrated lack of ability.

Dec 19 - Player Status update  As the injury crisis deepens after the Leeds game, keep track of the current status of players in the Everton Squad with our updated index page.

Dec 18 - Campbell back when?  Campbell will return 'next month' or 'in the New Year' after a presumably miraculous cure of his back problem some time between now and then...

Dec 17 - Reserves draw Mini-Derby  Everton Reserves drew 1-1 with Liverpool, Nick Chadwick getting on the scoresheet yet again, and hopefully nudging Walter with a little reminder that he is a striker, perhaps ready for his debut...  Reserves Apps & Stats — you can't get this anywhere else!

Dec 17 - No justice for Weir  It must surprise no-one that Everton's appeal today for referee Phil Dowd to review video evidence of Fulham's fracas ( where David Weir was unfairly given his marching orders for a second yellow card) fell on typically deaf FA ears.  Davie's dismissal stands and he will miss Saturday's match at Sunderland.

Dec 17:  Undercover action by Everton  It is good to see that the Club is planning to take direct and more meaningful action against the racist element, by bringing in undercover police officers and stewards (and Bill Kenwright?) to sit amongst the fans for the next away games.  

Dec 17 - Danny Cad on trial again?  No, not that kind of trial... he's gone to Barnsley so they can size him up for a possible transfer when his £10k/week Goodison pay packet ceases at the end of the season... or before?

Dec 16 - POTM November  There really was only one choice for ToffeeWeb Player of the Month last month and he swept the voting.  Take a bow, Steve Simonsen.  Do Everton finally have a safe pair of hands?

Dec 15:  Everton 1 - 0 Derby County  Everton toiled their way to a deserved victory over Derby, but the solitary goal by half-time substitute Joe-Max Moore was not indicative of the Blues' dominance.  Bad luck and profligacy in front of goal — Pistone twice headed against the woodwork — in the first half continued into the second as Gravesen (later withdrawn with a horrific head injury), Alexandersson, Gemmill and Radzinski missed good chances.  Moore, finally given his chance, tucked home the crucial goal with 15 mins to go.  New Report by Richard Marland

Dec 15 - EiFC 5 - 0 ToffeeWeb  Teams of Everton fans from internet mailing lists and our discussion forum took each other on for charity on Saturday, and to make a statement against racism.  The EiFC won again, that's 2 out of three in this continuing series. 

Dec 14 - Xavier stalling?  This Daily Mail story at Soccernet makes it sound like something has changed regarding Xavier's deliberations about his future... but the facts of the story remain the same: his is not going to decide until the New Year.  Are they just running a little behind the times?

Dec 14 - Bill the Boss  Bill Kenwright says that he will sit with the Everton fans at Sunderland to help weed out the racists.

Dec 13:  Being positive on Kings Dock  With Arsenal setting the pace by securing planning permission for their Ashburton Grove stadium, Ken Rogers of the Echo compares and contrasts their optimism with our doubters who think that Everton should be putting aside the dream and concentrating on strengthening the team.

Dec 12 - FA Cup: Stoke City v Everton  Everton will travel to Stoke's Britannia Stadium for the 3rd Round of the FA Cup on Saturday 5 January 2002 (KO: 3pm – All Ticket).  Stoke beat Halifax 3-0 in tonight's 2nd Round replay after drawing the initial tie 1-1 on Saturday.

Dec 12 - Willing investors  We asked ToffeeWeb's readers if they would buy shares in Everton if the board initiated a Share Issue. Click here for the not altogether surprising result.

Dec 11 - Cut-price match tickets  A cold December afternoon at Goodison against lowly Derby County hardly ranks as a Category A game... so Everton are cutting ticket prices substantially (£10 for adults; £5 for kids and OAPs) in an effort to get a few more people in through the turnstiles on Saturday.

Dec 11:  The wrong approach   Everton's management have made a strong statement against the racist element, but the only threatened action — banning all fans from away games — promises to punish the innocent while letting the guilty go free.  Prosecuting racists is notoriously difficult; but is this blanket approach appropriate?   Or does it represents an easy option that avoids tackling the real problem: the individual racists?  Vote in the December Poll

Dec 10:  More non-news about Kings Dock  Our old friend, Mickey Blue Eyes has provided Phil Pellow at the From The Terrace website with more direct non-news from Sir Joe Dwyer about the latest developments at Kings Dock.  But we can't tell you anything more due to "commercial confidentiality"...

Dec 10 - Club seeks justice for Weir  Everton will appeal today for referee Phil Dowd to review video evidence of Saturday's fracas at Craven Cottage where David Weir was unfairly given his marching orders for a second yellow.

Dec 9 - FA Cup: Halifax or Stoke  Everton will travel to either Halifax or Stoke in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup.  Ties will be played during the first weekend of 2002.  Halifax and Stoke drew 1-1 on Saturday, and replay on Wednesday 12 December. 

Dec 9 - Zamora Rumours continue  Rumours persist that Everton will close a deal with Bobby Zamora, Brighton's goalscoring sensation.  But don't be surprised if he actually joins West Ham...

Dec 9:  Viewpoint: Our Shame  Mindless racism and hatred from a section of the Everton support at Leicester two weeks ago was not an aberration.  Our match reporter describes a sickening continuation of this pathetic and cowardly behaviour that marred yesterday's game against Fulham, and poses a serious threat to the Club's future.  

Dec 8 - Disciplinary Woes  In one game, Everton's much-improved disciplinary record this season takes a knock, with Weir and Pistone now facing one-match suspensions.  "I thought the decision to send David Weir off was disgraceful - he's the only player that has ever been sent off for clearing the ball, being pulled down and stamped on by the opposition." — Walter Smith.

Dec 8:  Fulham 2 - 0 Everton  Paul Gascoigne started the game, but Everton were toothless as Fulham took control, Hayles scoring with a simple header before the break.  No changes at half-time, and Everton conceded a second to Hayles from a corner.  So much for 11 defending our corners!  Weir and Boa Morte were later dismissed after an ugly brawl caused by Boa Mote's dreadful challenge.

Dec 7:  Devil's Advocate  Bill Kenwright wants everyone to talk up the wonderful project that is Kings Dock.  But Paul Holmes has scratched below the surface and taken a closer look at the Money Trail...  In the continuing silence from Goodison Park he has more questions than answers about how it is all really going to work out.

Dec 7 - McNulty Rant  Journalist Phil McNulty ignores the pleas to avoid negative press about Everton, pointing up the Club's abject failure to strive for anything other than mediocrity on the field until Kings Dock becomes a real money spinner.

Dec 6 - Xavier looking elsewhere?  Fears that Abel Xavier will simply walk away for free at the end of the season have been strengthened by this less-than encouraging piece at the Sky website.  Everton feel Xavier is only worthy of a pay-as-you-play deal, so you can hardly blame him... 

Dec 5 - Player of the Month  A not too surprising winner, Thomas Gravesen was your choice for October.  Now vote for your November POTM by clicking here.

Dec 5:  Communication is the key  The Independent Supporters Association are an important bridge between the Everton Board and the general fanbase and, as usual, they were represented at this week's AGM.  Their main plea was for better communication, especially between the club and fans, but also in the local press.  Read their presentation.

Dec 5 - Bid on a signed football  UCL Hospitals Charitable Foundation is running an auction of footballing memorabilia to benefit its cancer appeal and they have a football signed by the Everton team up for bidding.  Check it out if you're interested.

Dec 4:  Cash crisis deepens striker worries  With Duncan Ferguson injured again and rumours surfacing that Kevin Campbell could be facing another lengthy lay-off or even that his career could be over, thoughts turn to who Everton can acquire as replacements. Attempts to draft in a loan striker have yielded little success but media reports suggest that the club are looking to squeeze some cash out from somewhere to buy Brighton's Bobby Zamora.

Dec 4 - Reserves draw with Bantams  1-1 after 90 seconds... Everton went on to draw this Reserves match 2-2, with Jesper Blomqvist playing for the first half.  Read the excellent coverage now available (finally!) at the new Official Website.

Dec 4:  The return of Gazza fever  Paul Gascoigne is back in the Premiership spotlight after his introduction in the second half against Southampton inspired Everton to a hitherto unlikely 2-0 victory. His dreams of representing England in the Far East next year may be far-fetched but Walter could offer him another year at Goodison.

Dec 4 - Transfer windows are coming  Europe's 11 leading football leagues have agreed in principal to restricting player transfers to two calendar windows, one in the summer close season, one during January.

Dec 3:  Everton AGM  Everton FC Co Ltd held their Annual General Meeting this evening, in the positive atmosphere created by a much-needed win.  Little of any substance was really discussed or revealed, which has become the norm for these meetings, as this report confirms.

Dec 3 - Kings Dock Developer  Everton have signed up prestigious developers Bovis Lend Lease as construction partners for advancing project planning as part of their preferred bid that will include a new stadium for Everton. 

Dec 3 - Goal of the Week  Tomasz Radzinski's excellent strike against Southampton has been chosen as Goal of the Week by the BBC.

Dec 3 - Bela Lugosi?  The 27-year-old Argentinian midfielder Gonzalo Belloso has been handed a four-day trial at Goodison Park.  Belloso joined Strasbourg in 1999, and was on loan with Mexican club Cruz Azul earlier this year.

Dec 2:  Everton 2 - 0 Southampton  Following another turgid 45 minutes, Everton burst out of the starting gates at the beginning of the second half and took the lead when Radzinski latched onto a Watson flick on and buried the ball past the 'keeper.  Lively substitute Gascoigne was denied a penalty, Gravesen missed two complete sitters and cleared the ball off the line at the other end before Pembinho made the game safe late on.   

Dec 2:  Put the fans in charge!  Defenders playing up front is all well and good in a dire emergency but with two fit strikers available for selection in form of Cadamarteri and Moore, Walter Smith is persisting with Watson up front and the recent goal drought (today's result aside) has been testament to the success of that tactic. The latest ToffeeWeb Quick Poll shows how much the fans agree with the manager's strategy!

Dec 1 - Belt stays just as tight  Another searching analysis of Everton's dismal corporate finances – this one by Paul Walker of the Press Association – concludes that Smith must continue to operate frugally in the transfer market, with the likelihood that more players will be sold to finance modest squad restructuring for the foreseeable future.