Player of the Season

David Weir

The clear favourite after a superb season, David Weir is the ToffeeWeb visitors' Player of the Season for 2001/02 by a country mile. The Scottish international cost Everton a mere £200,000 when Walter Smith signed him from Hearts in 1999, and he was one of the few bright spots in Smith's fateful last season at Goodison Park. The Player of the Season award usually signals the honoured player's departure from cash-strapped Everton, but Blues everywhere will be hoping that th club's defensive rock stays with us for a good few years to come!

Voting results:
Weir - 368; Unsworth - 40; Gravesen - 25; Pistone - 13; Stubbs - 11; Chadwick - 6; Ferguson - 6; Radzinski - 5; Blomqvist - 4; Alexandersson - 3; Carsley - 3; Watson - 3; Gerrard - 2; Linderoth - 2; Naysmith - 2, Gemmill - 1; Moore - 1; Pembridge - 1; Simonsen - 1

 April 2002

Nick Chadwick

Possibly the surprise package of the season, Nick Chadwick brought his goalscoring talents from the youth and reserve setups to the Premiership's big stage with three goals in April, two of them helping to secure priceless points against Bolton and Leicester. Not surprisingly, the 19 year-old is your choice for Player of the Month for April. Allessandro Pistone -- a candidate for most improved player after the arrival of David Moyes -- was a distant second.

Voting results:
Chadwick - 302; Pistone - 182; Unsworth - 66; Weir - 60; Gravesen - 24; Alexandersson - 17; Radzinski- 13; Ferguson - 10; Watson - 9; Moore - 8; Stubbs - 4; Naysmith - 3; Ginola - 3; Pembridge, Gerrard - 2; Linderoth, Campbell - 1

 March 2002

David Unsworth

Based on his enormous contribution to the first three games of David Moyes's reign, David Unsworth deservedly and unsurprisingly got your vote for PotM for March.  Goals in the wins over Fulham (H) and Derby (A) helped Everton clear of relegation danger. Rhino's contribution to the last days of Walter Smith's tenure was as good as anyone else's as well. Duncan Ferguson came in second this month, with Mr Consistency, David Weir, in third. Niclas Alexandersson (4th) deserves special mention as "most improved player" under Moyes.

Voting results:
Unsworth - 217; Ferguson - 100; Weir - 42; Alexandersson - 25; Stubbs - 18; Pistone - 10; Blomqvist, Gravesen, Radzinski - 7; Gemmill - 4; Carsley, Chadwick, Ginola, Hibbert, Simonsen - 2; Campbell, Gerrard (?!), Moore, Naysmith, Pembridge, Tal (?!) - 1

 February 2002

David Weir

This month's PotM vote was a little disrupted by problems with the voting page but we can still announce your choice from the smaller number of votes we received.  Even though Tomasz Radzinski scored important goals for the Blues in February, the rock solid pairing of David Weir and Alan Stubbs drew the most praise.  For the second month running, Davey Weir was your choice with Stubbs in second.  Radz was third.

Voting results:
Weir - 51; Stubbs - 31; Radzinski - 19; Unsworth - 9; Simonsen - 4; Unsworth - 18; Carsley, Naysmith- 3; Campbell - 2; Pistone - 2; Alexandersson, Blomqvist, Chadwick, Ferguson, Gascoigne, Gravesen, Hibbert, Tal - 1

 January 2002

David Weir

Last month's PotM upped and left for Anfield so every Blue will be hoping that the award of January Player of the Month to Goodison's unsung hero Davey Weir won't mean he'll be leaving any time soon!  After finishing as runner-up in November and December, the Blues's Scottish defensive rock has been voted as the main man for January.  His volleyed goal at Tottenham that put him level top goalscorer was probably what swung it for him over Paul Gascoigne and third-placed Jesper Blomqvist.

Voting results:
Weir - 174; Gascoigne - 128; Blomqvist - 81; Stubbs - 58; Naysmith - 34; Hibbert - 25; Simonsen - 22; Unsworth - 18; Ferguson - 10; Pembridge - 5; Gemmill - 4; Gerrard - 3; Moore - 3; Radzinski - 3; Campbell - 2; Chadwick - 2; Tal - 2; Xavier - 2; Gravesen - 1; Pistone - 1

 December 2001

Abel Xavier

When he isn't suffering from a virus (has the man no antibodies?!), Abel Xavier has on occasion proven himself to be a world class defender, and this month he was a bright spot in an otherwise miserable series of games that saw the Blues finish the year with four straight league defeats.  What a pity Xavier has his eye on a return to the Continent when his contract expires this summer.  David Weir was runner-up for the second month running, Joe-Max Moore received praise for his return to the team and Kevin Campbell got votes for being injured the entire month!!

Voting results:
Xavier - 44 votes; Weir - 27;
Moore - 22; Blomqvist - 14; Simonsen - 13; Gascoigne - 10; Alexandersson - 7; Watson - 7; Radzinski - 6; Campbell - 4; Naysmith - 3; Chadwick - 2; Stubbs - 2; Unsworth - 2; Gemmill - 1; Gerrard - 1; Gravesen - 1; Pistone - 1

 November 2001

Steve Simonsen

Confidence is everything, it seems.  Before this season, Steve Simonsen had been restricted to brief substitute or League Cup appearances which were characterised by nervous, error-filled performances.  However, following Paul Gerrard's calamity against Newcastle, Walter Smith obviously decided it was the younger 'keeper's turn – and he hasn't disappointed. Two clean sheets in November and some confident displays behind an unpredictable Everton back line made Simo the clear favourite for this month's ToffeeWeb POTM vote.

Voting results:
Simonsen - 297 votes; Weir - 27;
Gravesen - 17; Naysmith - 14; Stubbs - 11; Gascoigne - 10; Radzinski - 9; Watson - 2; Unsworth - 2; Pistone - 2; Moore - 2; Gerrard - 1; Alexandersson - 1; Hibbert (?!) - 1

 October 2001

Thomas Gravesen

The renaissance of Thomas Gravesen continued during October as the tough-tackling Dane helped Everton to 4 points out of 9.  He was particularly instrumental in the 3-2 win over Aston Villa, a game in which the Blues were leading 3-0 but let two late goals slip to set up a nervy finish.  Thomas was the ToffeeWeb voters' first choice by a country mile. Improved wide-man Niclas Alexandersson was a distant 2nd; Alessandro Pistone was 3rd.

Voting results:
Gravesen - 376 votes; Alexandersson - 95;
Pistone - 32; Radzinski - 20; Weir - 20; Xavier - 20; Watson - 16; Naysmith - 8; Gascoigne - 4; Gerrard - 4; Simonsen - 4; Unsworth - 3; Campbell - 2; Ferguson - 2

 September 2001

Thomas Gravesen

Last season Thomas Gravesen was a frustrating mix of aimless aggression and sloppy passing but so far this season the Danish international has been a revelation and richly deserves September's PotM accolade.  Peaking with a masterful display in the humbling of West Ham at the end of the month, Thomas made an impressive early return from the badly gashed leg he sustained against Spurs in August.  Top scorer Kevin Campbell was voted 2nd, Paul Gascoigne 3rd.

Voting results:
Gravesen - 131 votes; Campbell - 108;
Gascoigne - 49; Watson - 26; Weir - 22; Alexandersson - 16; Gemmill - 16; Radzinski - 12; Pembridge - 8; Stubbs - 6; Ferguson - 5; Xavier - 5; Chadwick - 3; Gerrard - 3; Naysmith - 3; Tal - 2; Moore - 1

 August 2001

Duncan Ferguson

With three full games under his belt and two goals, Duncan Ferguson made a welcome return to the Everton line-up after another season of injury last season.  The Big Man helped the Blues to 7 points out of 9 in August 2001, but his aerial dominance is already showing signs of tempting his team-mates into the long ball game, something Walter Smith must nip in the bud if Everton are to progress this term.

Scott Gemmill was your second choice, with new boy Alan Stubbs coming in third.

Voting results:
Ferguson - 264 votes; Gemmill - 134;
Stubbs - 102; Alexandersson - 40; Gravesen - 38; Watson - 19; Campbell - 16; Weir - 12; Pistone - 7; Unsworth - 3; Gerrard - 1; Moore - 1; Naysmith - 1