Everton Season Diary: February 1998

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EVERTON SEASON DIARY
February 1998

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FEBRUARY 1998

28th: Returning ex-captain and lifelong Evertonian, Gary Speed may have got a roasting from the doubting Everton fans but it did nothing to warm up a dreadful 0-0 draw against Newcastle United played in the blustery cold.
27th The transfer of Don Hutchison from Sheffield United is finally completed. Everton paid £750,000 plus Jon O'Connor for the services of the ex-Red bad boy. Full-back Terry Phelan suffered a reaction to a calf injury while playing for the reserves against Tranmere on Wednesday and is unlikely to be available for Everton's home game against Newcastle tomorrow.
26th: Neville Southall has gone on a month's loan to Stoke City.
25th: Everton reserves beat Tranmere Rovers reserves 3-1. Alan Mahon's goal was cancelled by goals from Richard Dunne, Tony Thomas and John Oster. Everton defender Graham Allen is holding talks with Wigan Athletic about a £250,000 move to Springfield Park.
24th: Neville Southall returns from his loan at Southend United with an unenviable record: not a single win. Danny Cadamarteri picked up a leg injury, leaving very few strikers available.
23rd: Its still Roy Evans CBE as Liverpool simply can't beat Everton. The Anfield derby ended 1-1 as Everton and Liverpool both could have grabbed the points in a pulsating match full of missed chances. Gareth Farrelly picks up his 5th yellow card and will miss one match. Earl Barrett finally moves to Sheffield – Wednesday, not United – to replace the injured Ian Nolan.
22nd: Gary Speed reveals in a Sunday Times Interview that he is bound by a confidentiality agreement which prevents him telling his side of the acrimonious end to his Everton career.
21st: An excellent interview with Howard Kendall is featured in The Times (see What the Papers Say).
17th: Everton are planning to sign Don Hutchinson from Sheffield United next week, after he has finished serving a two-match suspension. Jon O'Connor may move the other way, along with £750,000, putting their respective valuations at around £1.1M and £350,000... A critical review of Everton's Finances has been published on the Web by Tony Lloyd... Joe Royle gets back into management almost a year after leaving Everton: he takes over struggling Manchester City.
16th: Everton are accused of poaching young Wolf cubs! Everton's midland scout, who as since left the club, is charged with (unsuccessfully) enticing 4 Wolves trainees to leave Molineux, in breach of FA regulations.
15th: Tony Grant will be out for at least 6 weeks with yet another injury. Madar is in better shape, but Barmby is listed as doubtful for the Anfield derby...
14th: "It never rains but it pours..." Madar gets whacked, Dunc gets held, Grant gets crocked, but its all in vain as Everton crash and burn losing 2-1 at home to Derby County. Captain Duncan Ferguson's annoyance at Wanchope's illegal impedance took just 16 mins to reach boiling point. He was shown the red card for elbowing and will now miss 3 matches from Feb 28.
12th: Into the last eight of The Times FA Youth Cup, Everton have a home tie with Hull or Ipswich.
10th: Another player leaves Everton: John Hills returns to Blackpool, for £60,000... so much for Joe Royle's £90,000 investment in the future... Francis Jeffers must rest after a virus infection: he will be out for about 6 weeks! Everton Reserves struggle to a 1-0 home victory over Derby County in the Pontins Central League, Premier Division.
7th: Everton scrape a 2-2 draw at basement-team Barnsley with goals from new team captain Ferguson, and from Tony Grant.
6th: Gary Speed finally completes his long-touted move to Newcastle United, for a few of around £6M. Jon O'Connor is off to Sheffield United on loan, with a view to a permanent move.
5th: Everton play safe for the future by locking in 17-yr-old YTS trainee Francis Jeffers to a 5-yr contract. The stadium debate is set to resurface with strong rumours that the club are pushing for the sale and demolition of Goodison Park so that the site may be used for new shopping facilities...
4th: Howard Kendall wins the Carling Manager of the Month trophy (his 15th!) for January after pulling Everton out of the relegation zone on a shoestring budget... Francis Jeffers missed last nights match with a virus infection.
3rd: Everton's Youth team moved on into the 5th Round of The Times FA Youth Cup when they came from behind at Watford to win 3-2 with the goals coming in an 8-min blitz. Goodison Park come 70th in a Coleman's Football Food Guide survey of the 93 senior grounds (including Wembley): "sub-standard, poor food"... On a much more serious note, the club finally admits that Joe Parkinson is badly crocked: he needs another(!) cartiledge-replacement operation on his knee and is due to fly out to see a Fifa specialist in Sweden; he may be out for another year...
2nd: Nick Barmby is selected for the England B squad to play Chile B at The Hawthorns on 10 February... Gary Speed hints at a deep and unspecified reason for him wanting to leave Everton, but he is telling nothing more...

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EVERTON SEASON DIARY February 1998

EVERTON SEASON DIARY
February 1998