Each month during the progressively more miserable 1996-97 season, the faithful fans on Toffeenet voted for their Everton Player of the Month, with results compiled expertly by Nicholas Gard. Since the majority of voters probably didn't even get to watch many games, the results may be viewed with a full dose of disdain and skepticism. But these are they:
The same voting system was used to chose the first recipient of this cherished Toffeenet accolade.
There was not much suspense with regard to the outcome of the Everton Player of the Season voting. The only question was: could Gary Speed make it a clean sweep? Not quite, but he picked up 61 first place votes and appeared on 77 of 80 ballots. Several players who played less than half a season fared well, those being Hinchcliffe, Phelan and Parkinson. Dunne picked up a couple of more votes than Branch, so does that make him Young Player of the Season?
To the two people who voted Shearer or Zola in first place, sorry but your votes were disqualified, as this was for Everton players only – or was that just a bit of wishful thinking???
1st 2nd 3rd Pts* 1) Gary Speed 61 10 5½ 340½ 2) Duncan Ferguson 7 21 10 108 3) Dave Watson 5 12 11 72 4) Earl Barrett 4 8 4½ 48½ 5) Andy Hinchcliffe 2 10 8 48 6) Terry Phelan 1 7 13 39 7) Joe Parkinson 0 8 8 32 8) Neville Southall 0 4 7 19 9) Richard Dunne 0 0 6 6 10)Michael Branch 0 0 4 4 11)Nick Barmby 0 0 1 1 12)David Unsworth 0 0 1 1 13)Graham Stuart 0 0 1 1
* 5 pts/1st place vote, 3pts/2nd place vote, 1pt/3rd place vote
Based on match reports posted to Toffeenet, this is the way all players ranked this year, not adjusting for the number of matches played:
Southall 6.86 Parkinson 6.85 Rideout 6.83 Phelan 6.80 Short 6.78 Branch 6.75 Ferguson 6.73 Speed 6.69 Dunne 6.68 Barrett 6.67 Watson 6.62 Grant 6.61 Hinchcliffe 6.57 Barmby 6.54 Cadamarteri 6.50 Ebbrell 6.41 Limpar 6.41 Kanchelskis 6.39 Ball 6.36 Stuart 6.28 Unsworth 6.23 Gerrard 6.04 Thomsen 6.02 Allen 5.67 Hottiger 5.22 Hills 4.83
Perhaps Nev should feel slighted?
A good response for April, not surprising as voter turn-out is proportional to on-field performance. The good news is that at least one dyed in the wool blue won an election last week. Complete results:
1st 2nd 3rd Pts* 1) Gary Speed 16 7 5 106 2) Duncan Ferguson 12 7 6 87 3) Dave Watson 8 4 5 57 4) Richard Dunne 3 6 3 36 5) Terry Phelan 2 5 1 26 6) Michael Branch 0 2 5 11 7) Paul Rideout 1 1 1 9 8) Claus Thomsen 1 1 1 9 9) Neville Southall 0 0 4 4 10) Graham Stuart 0 1 0 3 11) Nick Barmby 0 0 2 2 12) David Unsworth 0 0 1 1
* 5 pts/1st place vote, 3pts/2nd place vote, 1pt/3rd place vote Total number of people voting: 43
Not even close this month, and in a fitting tribute to the recently departed Joe Royle:
Enough hyperbole. Complete results are as follows...
1st 2nd 3rd Pts* 1) Terry Phelan 18½ 5 0 107½ 2) Gary Speed 5½ 12 3 66½ 3) Earl Barrett 2 3 5 24 4) Duncan Ferguson 1 0 3 8 5) Joe Parkinson 0 1 4 7 6) Dave Watson 0 0 6 6 7) Nick Barmby 0 1 1 4 8) Paul Gerrard 0 1 0 3 9) Claus Thomsen 0 1 0 3 10) Paul Rideout 0 0 2 2
* 5 pts/1st place vote, 3pts/2nd place vote, 1pt/3rd place vote Total number of people voting: 27
Comparative ratings based on match reports posted to Toffeenet are:
Ave Soton Leeds Derby Mancs Phelan 7.5 7.3 8.0 6.5 8.0 Speed 7.4 8.0 7.5 6.8 Rideout 6.8 7.0 6.5 Parkinson 6.7 7.3 6.5 6.3 Barrett 6.7 6.7 6.0 7.0 7.0 Unsworth 6.5 6.7 6.0 6.5 6.8 Ferguson 6.5 7.3 6.0 6.5 6.0 Short 6.4 5.3 7.0 7.0 Watson 6.4 5.7 6.5 7.0 6.3 Branch 6.3 6.5 6.5 6.0 Barmby 6.2 6.0 6.5 6.3 6.0 Southall 6.2 5.0 7.0 6.5 Stuart 5.9 5.0 6.0 6.5 6.0 Hottiger 5.8 5.8 Thomsen 5.4 5.0 5.0 6.0 5.5 Gerrard 4.8 4.8
Definitely a two horse race for the February POTM honours with another poor response from Toffeenetters who doubtless were left more than uninspired by the team's lack of performance on the pitch.
However, the two horses in the race were the two most consistent nags, who despite being frequently barracked by Toffeenetters outperformed some of the thoroughbreds who never really left the gate last month.
1st 2nd 3rd Pts* 1) Gary Speed 8 3 2 51 2) Terry Phelan 4 6 2 40 3) Earl Barrett 0 2 1 7 4) Craig Short 0 1 3 6 5) Paul Gerrard 1 0 0 5 6) Claus Thomsen 1 0 0 5 7) Duncan Ferguson 0 0 2 2 8) Michael Branch 0 0 1 1 9) Joe Parkinson 0 0 1 1
* 5 pts/1st place vote, 3pts/2nd place vote, 1pt/3rd place vote Total number of people voting: 14
Congratulations to Gary Speed, another first time winner this month
Results based on match rankings paralleled EPOTM voting, with the ratings being:
Toon Forest Cov Arse Ave Phelan 7.8 6.4 7.7 7.3 Short 7.0 7.4 7.0 7.1 Speed 7.0 7.3 6.0 7.2 6.9 Parkinson 6.7 7.3 6.5 6.8 Barrett 7.0 7.5 6.2 6.0 6.7 Branch 6.7 6.7 Rideout 6.3 6.3 Thomsen 5.3 7.8 6.4 5.7 6.3 Watson 6.0 6.7 6.6 5.7 6.2 Gerrard 5.7 6.2 6.8 6.2 Southall 6.2 6.2 Barmby 7.5 5.8 5.2 6.2 Ferguson 6.0 7.0 6.2 5.3 6.1 Grant 6.0 6.0 Stuart 6.3 6.5 5.2 4.8 5.7 Unsworth 6.0 6.7 6.4 3.0 5.5
A smaller than usual response was received for the January voting, due in part to the less than stellar performances turned in by the club during the month, and in part to the mid-season break on Toffeenet. Despite the low turn-out, the winner was clear. For the second time this year the honours go to Big Dunc.
Our favourite Scot earned the praise of fans for his commitment and pride in wearing the blue jersey at a time when many of his team-mates apparently did not appear as dedicated. Runner-up honours go to Nev, to whom we can be thankful for ensuring that several embarrassing results did not turn into humiliating routs.
1st 2nd 3rd Pts* 1) Duncan Ferguson 6 3 1 40 2) Neville Southall 2 3 2 21 3) Earl Barrett 2 1 2 15 4) Gary Speed 1 3 1 15 5) Michael Branch 0 0 1 1 5) Graham Stuart 0 0 1 1 5) Dave Watson 0 0 1 1
The comparison with Match Report ratings will follow in due course.
We have our first two-time winner of POTM honours for this season, and it is everybody's favourite: Earl "The Pearl" Barrett. Like him or hate him, he must be doing something right.
A low turn-out this month, and many voters who felt, with much justification, that there were not 3 players worthy of votes. One respondent also gave votes to Gerrard and Limpar because they never made it off the sub's bench, and therefore couldn't be held responsible for the blue mess on the pitch.
1st 2nd 3rd Pts* 1 Earl Barrett 13 4 2 79 2 Neville Southall 9 6 1 64 3 Graham Stuart 2 4 1 23 4 Dave Watson 0 3 7 16 5 Gary Speed 1 2 4 15 6 Duncan Ferguson 3 0 0 15 7 Paul Rideout 1 0 0 5 8 Michael Branch 0 1 1 4 9 Tony Grant 0 1 1 4 10 Andrei Kanchelskis 0 1 0 3 11 Paul Gerrard 0 1 0 3 12 Anders Limpar 0 0 1 1 13 John Ebbrell 0 0 1 1
Below are the average player ratings calculated from the all Match Reports posted to Toffeenet:
Chel Derby Leeds Boro Wimb All Southall 8.00 8.25 8.00 5.67 6.75 7.33 Watson 7.50 6.92 7.33 6.50 7.06 Short 7.00 7.00 Branch 7.00 6.83 6.67 7.33 6.25 6.82 Rideout 6.67 6.75 6.71 Barmby 6.67 6.33 7.33 6.25 6.65 Ferguson 7.00 7.42 6.00 7.00 5.25 6.53 Ebbrell 6.50 6.50 Stuart 5.50 6.92 6.00 7.50 6.48 Kanchelskis 7.00 5.83 6.33 6.39 Parkinson 5.00 7.17 7.00 6.00 6.29 Grant 6.25 6.67 5.67 6.25 6.21 Unsworth 7.00 6.33 6.00 5.33 6.25 6.18 Barrett 5.00 6.08 6.00 6.33 7.25 6.13 Speed 6.25 6.50 5.67 5.67 6.50 6.12 Hinchcliffe 6.50 6.08 5.67 6.08 Hottiger 6.00 6.00 6.00 Allen 5.67 5.67 Hills 4.50 4.50
Once again, poor old Neville is not fully rewarded for his efforts. Judging by the match ratings, he was far and away better than anyone else on the team. Surprisingly, Barrett is near the bottom of the ratings based on match reports, and Barmby and Branch – who were relatively consistent – failed to receive any/many votes. This just goes to show that as Toffeenetters we're just as inconsistent and unpredictable as the team we so dearly love.
Another close race this month, with the top two players being named on 27 of 38 ballots, the difference being one additional first place vote for... Nick Barmby! Congratulations, Nick, on winning this most prized and coveted of honours in your first month as an Evertonian. May it be the first of many.
This month's voting produced a good turnaround of respondents (38). It's a wonder what a few good performances do for everyone's morale.
1st 2nd 3rd Pts* 1) Nick Barmby 14 8 5 99 2) Gary Speed 13 9 5 97 3) Tony Grant 5 7 6 52 4) Earl Barrett 4 2 6 32 5) Neville Southall 2 2 2 18 6) Dave Watson 0 2 3 9 7) Andy Hinchcliffe 0 1 2 5 8) Graham Stuart 0 1 1 4 9) Andrei Kanchelskis 0 0 1 1
By comparison, the following are the average player ratings calculated from the all match reports posted to Toffeenet.
Cvntry Sotton Lvpool Lester Sundld Average Grant 6.2 9.0 8.5 7.7 6.5 7.6 Barmby 7.3 8.8 7.0 7.0 6.8 7.4 Southall 7.0 6.4 8.0 7.3 7.5 7.2 Barrett 7.3 7.3 8.0 7.0 6.3 7.2 Watson 6.3 7.0 8.0 8.0 6.5 7.2 Speed 6.4 8.8 7.0 7.0 6.0 7.1 Short 6.7 7.7 6.7 7.0 Stuart 6.6 7.5 7.5 7.0 6.0 6.9 Hinchcliffe 5.9 6.8 7.0 8.0 6.8 6.9 Unsworth 6.7 7.3 7.0 7.7 5.8 6.9 Branch 7.2 6.5 6.9 Parkinson 6.3 7.5 7.0 6.7 6.3 6.8 Kanchelskis 5.6 8.5 6.0 5.8 6.5 Gerrard 6.3 6.3 Ferguson 6.5 5.3 7.0 6.3
Again, there is a generally good comparison between the voting and the match report rankings, although on the basis of his performance in the matches against Southampton, Liverpool, and Leicester, a case could be made that Tony Grant should be higher than third in the rankings. Also, perhaps Gary Speed's hat-trick against Southampton produced a few more votes than his overall performance would merit.
Also, spare a thought for poor old Neville Southall. The match reports give him the third best ranking, but in the four editions of Everton Player of the Month so far this year he has never finished higher than 5th place. I guess we all expect Big Nev to be outstanding and only notice him when he fails to be so.
For the rest of you, Persistent Barrett-bashers will be writhing in agony when they read this...
you've probably guessed that Earl Barrett wins the honours for October (and deservedly so I might add). It all started part-way through the West Ham United match. Earl has performed on a different plane since Joe Royle switched to the 3-man central defence, bringing Barrett and Hinchcliffe forward into wing-back roles in which both have excelled.
1st 2nd 3rd Pts* 1) Earl Barrett 14 3 4 83 2) Michael Branch 5 4 6 43 3) Craig Short 1 5 1 21 4) Joe Parkinson 1 2 1 12 5) Neville Southall 3 2 11 6) Andy Hinchcliffe 3 2 11 7) Dave Watson 1 1 6 8) Andrei Kanchelskis 2 2 9) Graham Stuart 1 1
A poll based on only two games is perhaps somewhat meaningless, but Barrett was voted Man of the Match by many punters (including the Carling folks) against Nottingham Forest. At least we will have five games to consider in November (and more if it weren't for York City).
A much closer race for September than for August, and August's winner, Duncan Ferguson, didn't receive a single vote this month. Voter turn-out was less than half of last month's show (23 v. 49 people voting), which is probably reflective of the team's overall poor showing and no consistently outstanding individual performances.
The winner, probably largely on the strength of his enthusiastic performance against Sheffield Wednesday is Michael Branch with Joe "Pieman" Parkinson nipping close at his heels.
1st 2nd 3rd Pts* 1) Michael Branch 9 6 2 65 2) Joe Parkinson 10 4 2 64 3) Andrei Kanchelskis 2 3 6 25 4) Craig Short 0 3 3 12 5) Andy Hinchcliffe 1 0 3 8 6) Neville Southall 1 0 0 5 7) Earl Barrett 0 1 1 4 8) John Ebbrell 0 1 1 4 9) David Unsworth 0 1 0 3 10) Gary Speed 0 0 1 1
Several people have pointed out that the player ratings given in the Match Reports by Guy, Dave and the rest of the faithful Toffeenet match reporters might be a fairer way of selecting a Player of the Month. This is a more objective ranking scheme as it is less influenced by one outstanding match or one stinker than Toffeenet voting. However, it doesn't let the rest of us exiled souls participate.
In the interest of comparison, I present the player ratings I have calculated from the all match reports posted to Toffeenet. Because home matches have more people filing reports than away matches, it is not fair just to total all scores. Instead, I have taken an average for each match, then an overall average for all nine September matches (7 League, 2 Fizzy Cup). Average player ratings are:
Rideout 7.3 Branch 7.2 Kanchelskis 7.0 Parkinson 7.0 Short 6.8 Barrett 6.6 Ferguson 6.5 Ebbrell 6.5 Unsworth 6.4 Grant 6.4 Hinchcliffe 6.4 Southall 6.3 Limpar 6.3 Speed 6.2 Stuart 5.9 Hottiger 5.0
The ratings are comparable to POTM voting, with the glaring exception of Rideout who rated highly in both York City (home and away) and in the Blackburn match, but who did not pick up a single vote from Toffeenetters.
Results for the August edition of the Toffeenet Everton Player of the Month are in, but you've probably already guessed the winner.
In a landslide, it was King Duncan Ferguson, following his early domination of defences, and two brilliant goals to put the willies up those Old Trafford moaners. Big Dunc captured 41 of 48 first place votes and being on every ballot except one which listed only one nomination..
1st 2nd 3rd Pts* 1) Duncan Ferguson 42 5 1 226 2) David Unsworth 1 14 9 56 3) Earl Barrett 3 8 7 46 4) Andy Hinchcliffe 1 5 13 33 5) Neville Southall 1 6 8 31 6) Joe Parkinson 1 4 5 22 7) Gary Speed 0 3 3 12 8) Graham Stuart 0 1 1 4 9) John Ebbrell 0 1 0 3
Thanks to all 49 people who voted, and start thinking about your vote for the September competition. Hopefully the team will turn in at least one decent performance during the month to give us all a reason to want to vote.
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