APRIL 2003

Wayne Rooney

Despite winning three of their five games in April, it was vital defeats against Liverpool and Chelsea that were crucial to the Champions League slipping from Everton's grasp. It was not for want of effort from Master Rooney, however, and he deservedly takes the ToffeeWeb PotM accolade for the second month running. Lee Carsley was also worthy of his runner-up spot, albeit by some distance.

Voting results (of 584 total cast):
Rooney - 61.0%; Carsley -9.6%; Yobo - 5.1% Stubbs - 5.1%; Campbell - 5.1%

 MARCH 2003

Wayne Rooney

Given his meteoric rise to fame, it was only a matter of time before Wayne Rooney earned the accolade of ToffeeWeb Player of the Month despite the fact that he is often employed as a substitute. The injury to Tomasz Radzinski gave Wayne one start in March against Arsenal and although a lack of other candidates in the team made the 17 year old a natural choice despite limited playing time, there's no doubt he deserves the title this month.

Voting results (of 846 total cast):
Rooney - 54.1%; Watson -11.6%; Yobo - 7.6% Radzinski -7.3%; Wright - 5.0%

 FEBRUARY 2003

Tomasz Radzinksi

There never really was much doubt as to who was going too walk away with this month's title! With three goals in as many matches, Tomasz Radzinski was always the front-running candidate but his match-winning brace against Southampton that included that stunning injury-time rocket ensured that the Canadian international, arguably the Blues' most consistent performer this season, snared over three quarters of the votes for February. Steve Watson with 9% was a very distant runner up.

Voting results (of 860 total cast):
Radzinski - 77.8%; Watson - 9.1%; Pistone -3.6%; McBride - 2.9%; Wright - 2.1%

 JANUARY 2003

Alessandro Pistone

January didn't start out too well, but Everton ended the month with to straight wins and you've voted Alessandro Pistone as the outstanding player of that period.  Goalscoring loan star Brian McBride was a very close second, though, thanks to his match-winners against Sunderland and his part in the narrow defeat at Spurs.  Steve Watson in third place deserves a mention for the impact he has had since moving to his preferred position in midfield.

Voting results (of 1005 total cast):
Pistone - 27.1%; McBride - 25.9%; Watson - 21.9%; Radzinski -17.8%; Li Tie- 2.9%

 DECEMBER 2002

Alan Stubbs

A turbulent month that saw Everton lose their unbeaten home record and crash out of the Worthington Cup at the hands of Chelsea, register just one win, and find goals hard to come by did feature some bright spots — namely the two players who garnered the lion's share of your POTM votes.  Wayne Rooney is the runner up to a defender for the second month in a row, Alan Stubbs taking the honour for December for a series of much-improved performances, exemplied by his towering display in the Anfield derby. Tomasz Radzinski was a very distant third choice.

Voting results (of 890 total cast):
Stubbs - 39.1%; Rooney - 26.4%; Radzinski - 8.4%; Hibbert - 4.1%; Pistone - 3.9%; Wright - 3.6%

 NOVEMBER 2002

Joseph Yobo

It's likely no one would argue if the November POTM award were given to the whole team after they won every match they played that month.  Unfortunately, though, only one man can take the accolade and that man is Joseph Yobo for the second month running. Radzinski, Campbell, and Rooney may have been the goalscoring heroes but it was the defensive rock that is J-Yo that provided the platform for that run of victories.  He was the most prominent member of a rearguard (that includes goalkeeper Richard Wright, who received the second highest vote total) that didn't concede a league goal all month long.  Tony Hibbert is rewarded for his sterling efforts with the third highest tally of votes.

Voting results (of 901 total cast):
Yobo - 36.3%; Wright - 21.3%; Hibbert - 10.8%; Radzinski - 10.1%; Campbell - 5.4%; Rooney - 3.6%; Li Tie - 3.1%; Stubbs - 3.1%

 OCTOBER 2002

Joseph Yobo

An outsider might have put their mortgage on Wayne Rooney landing the accolade of Everton Player of the Month for October, but there isn't an Evertonian anywhere who hasn't noticed the incredible impact that Joseph Yobo has made since finally making his debut at the end of September.  Master Rooney may have scored his breakthrough goals this month, but it was the Nigerian World Cup star's performances at the back — coupled with those of the rest of the team — that enabled results like that famous victory over Arsenal.  J-Yo scored 43.5% of the votes to Rooney's 27.2%, while Tomasz Radzinski —another goal hero — came in a distant third.

Voting results (of 584 total cast):
Yobo - 43.5%; Rooney - 27.2%; Radzinski - 8.2%; Wright - 5.0%; Hibbert - 4.1%; Lie Tie - 2.6%; Gravesen - 2.4

 SEPTEMBER 2002

Kevin Campbell

And to think we all thought he was past it! There really was only once choice for September and that was Super Kev himself who helped himself to four goals during the month and played a starring role as the Blues moved up to 9th in the table.  Joseph Yobo came in second on the strength of his debut at the end of the month and Thomas Gravesen was third choice, narrowly ahead of Tomasz Radzinski.

Voting results (of 1062 total cast):
Campbell - 46.9%; Yobo - 14.1%; Gravesen - 8.8%; Radzinski - 8.7%; Li Tie - 7.3%; Hibbert - 4.1%; Rooney - 3.7%

 August 2002

Tomasz Radzinski

After a mixed first season in 2001-02 following a big-money move from Anderlecht, Tomasz Radzinski hit the ground running at the beginning of this campaign and the single goal he managed in August against Spurs on the opening day does not tell the story of the impact he had up front alongside Kevin Campbell.  The Canadian international was, rightly, voted the ToffeeWeb Player of the Month for August, although new boy Li Tie and Campbell were very close runners up.

Voting results (of 753 total cast):
Radzinski - 24.4%; Li Tie 22.6%; Campbell - 21.5%; Gravesen - 10.1%; Rooney - 6.2%; Hibbert - 4.9%; Unsworth - 3.3%; Weir - 2.2%