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EVERTON SEASON DIARY


June 2000
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 JUNE 2000
  • Jun 30:  Walter Smith completed the signing of his first acquisition this summer when Alessandro Pistone completed his medical and sealed a move from Newcastle United for a fee of �3M.
    Nick Barmby: he seemed to be such a good Evertonian; he kissed the badge with relish, he seemed to say all the right things... but the latest shocking kick in the teeth for long-suffering Evertonians is that Barmby wants to cross the park to join Liverpool!!!  
    Barmby was placed on the transfer list with immediate effect, and can expect only total vilification from the fans who backed him so faithfully for the last four seasons.  The price tag is between �6M and �8M; late on Friday, a Liverpool offer of around half that amount was rejected by Everton.

  • Jun 29:  Alessandro Pistone has agreed personal terms with Everton and is set to complete his �3M transfer from Newcastle United on Friday.

  • Jun 28:  Abel Xavier had a great game for Portugal in the Euro2000 semi-final against France... until the last few minutes of extra time, when he was adjudged to have handled on the goal-line.  The ensuing converted penalty was the Golden Goal that carried France into the final, after Xavier had so nearly headed the winner with just 5 mins left in normal time.  So near, yet so far.

  • Jun 28:  Steve Watson and Alessandro Pistone look set to become the first arrivals in a madcap close-season of the most fervent transfer speculation imaginable.  Everton have agreed fees of �2.5M and �3M respectively with Aston Villa and Newcastle United for the two defenders.  Transfers are now dependant on medicals and personal terms.

  • Jun 28:  Liverpool City Council are reportedly opening the door for Everton to have a prime new stadium in the Kings Dock area of Liverpool.

  • Jun 27:  Walter Smith has ordered six of his young guns � Francis Jeffers, Michael Ball, Richard Dunne, Peter Degn, Phil Jevons and Danny Cadamarteri � to report back for pre-season training one week ahead of the rest of his squad. 

  • Kevin Campbell has started light training earlier than expected following his knee injury.

  • Jun 26:  Bruce Rioch, who played less than a season for Everton in the 1970s, has been appointed manager of Second Division Wigan Athletic.

  • Jun 25:  Amidst a whirlwind of wild speculation, Nick Barmby is headed for critical talks with Walter Smith this week that should determine whether his future lies at Goodison Park or elsewhere.

  • Jun 24:  Injury kept Abel Xavier out of the Portugal team that beat Turkey 2-0 and progressed to the semi-finals of Euro2000, where they will meet France or Spain.

  • Jun 23:  Everton fans are up in arms over a clear case of favouritism and collusion (bribery?) between Liverpool City Council and Liverpool FC over their plans to build a 70,000-seater stadium in Stanley Park - an aspect of the story that won't be carried by the spineless local press...

  • Jun 22:  Either the world has gone mad, or new Leicester boss Paul Taylor doesn't know what he's doing, offering �3M for Birmingham's ex-Everton defender, Gary Rowett...
    Everton travel to Elland Road for the first match of the new season on 19 August 2000, where Olivier Dacourt will be keen to preserve the Leeds United hoodoo over The Toffees...

  • Jun 21:  Tommy Myhre kept his second clean-sheet of Euro2000 against Slovenia, but Norway paid the price for their lack of attacking flair as Spain scored twice in stoppage time to beat Yugoslavia 4-3, winning Group C, pushing Norway down to 3rd place, and out of the tournament.
    More details about the Dixie Dean statue, commissioned by Everton to stand in the area of Goodison Avenue, where the old houses (and programme shop) have been recently demolished.

  • Jun 20:  England had one opportunity to progress forward to the quarterfinals: they needed a result against Romania in Euro2000, and they blew it in the last 5 mins.  Nick Barmby showed why he should have been on from the start, after getting his usual 15 mins of fame at the end.  Sack Keegan!
    Injury kept Abel Xavier out of the Portugal team that beat Germany to put them bottom of Group A.

  • Jun 18:  Tommy Myhre picked the ball out of the Norway net for the first time in Euro2000 when Yugoslavia connived to open the scoring after just 8 mins in Amsterdam.  He didn't put a foot wrong after that, but Norway's limited creativity was no match for the spoiling tactics of the nasty cynical artisans from Yugoslavia.

  • Jun 17:  Nick Barmby finally made an appearance for England at Euro2000, coming on with 25 mins left in the second half as a sub for Scholes after Shearer had scored the vital goal that gave England a very rare victory over their old rivals.

  • Jun 17:  Abel Xavier failed to recover from injury and missed this game for Portugal, as the stars of Group A crept into the Euro2000 Quarterfinals, beating a poor Romania side with a goal in the 4th minute of stoppage time.

  • Jun 16:  Everton are to finally install a giant TV screen at Goodison Park.  The  6.4 x 4.8 m screen will be positioned between the Park End and Bullens Road stands.
    Representatives of Everton fans met with Chief Executive Michael Dunford yesterday.  Read Ian MacDonald's notes here.

  • Jun 15:  The latest names to be linked with moves to Everton are Alessandro Pistone and Steve Stone.  A �3M bid for Pistone has reportedly been accepted by Newcastle.  Probably more likely than the ridiculous idea of Chris Sutton joining Everton... Meanwhile, Leeds are vehemently denying making any bid for Nick Barmby at �7.5M.

  • Jun 13:  Tommy Myhre produced a confident display in goal for Norway as they scored a tremendous win over the "Cream of Europe" - a very average Spain side devoid of any bite.  He did become the first casualty of the new 6-second rule, giving away a free-kick inside his area, but made a handful of vital stops behind a solid and disciplined Norwegian defence.
    Youth and Reserve team player, Carl Regan, who turned down a new contract at Everton, has completed a move to 1st Division Barnsley for a nominal initial fee of around �25k.

  • Jun 12:  At 2-2 in a fabulous match, perfect punishment for Kevin Keegan's arrogance and stupidity came within a minute of his decision to snub Nick Barmby and send on Dennis Wise as substitute for McManaman, when Portugal broke quickly for Nu�o Gomes to hammer home a brilliant winner.  Abel Xavier played an excellent game at right-back for Portugal, who now lead Group A.  Heskey: total donkey!!!

  • Jun 11:  Ireland beat South Africa 2-1 to claim 2nd place in the US Nike Cup without Richard Dunne, who was injury in the first match.

  • Jun 10:  Abel Xavier, sporting his shocking new peroxide makeover, has been declared fully fit for Portugal's Euro2000 opening match against England on Monday, as the competition kicks off in Brussels today. 

  • June 9:  Everton Youth team goalkeeper, Dean Delaney, who was released by the Club, has been signed by Port Vale.

  • Jun 8:  Davey Weir is recovering from an operation on his Achilles tendon, which closely follows a hernia op.  He is, of course, expected to be fully fit in time for the new season.

  • Jun 7:  Nick Barmby has rejected a new contract offer at Everton, and is thought to be looking for a move, although he still has a year left on his existing contract, and ongoing negotiations are suspended until after Euro2000.

  • Jun 6:  Ireland, without Richard Dunne � who was sustained an ankle injury � but with ex-Evertonians Phelan and Farrelly, were robbed by a controversial equaliser from US hosts in the Nike Cup. 

  • Jun 5:  We have been reassured by the knowledge that Walter Smith is looking at least two players: a striker and a right-back.  But not Peter Lovenkrands of AB Copenhagen, who just joined Newcastle for �1.25M...

  • Jun 4:  Richard Dunne did something for Ireland that he has never done for Everton: he scored in their 2-2 draw with Mexico in the US Nike Cup in Chicago.
    Mark Hughes is expected to finalise his managerial contract with the Welsh FA that will allow him to see out his two-year playing contract at Everton.

  • Jun 3:  Nick Barmby played very well down the left side for England setting up Hesky's goal in their final Euro2000 warm-up match, a poor game against Malta, played in Valetta.  The score: 2-1, or 6-11 on substitutions!
    Tommy Myhre kept a clean sheet against Italy as Norway surprised their Euro2000 rivals 1-0 in Oslo.

  • Jun 2:  Wales manager Mark Hughes lost 3-0 to Portugal in Lisbon; Mark Pembridge was out injured and Abel Xavier was not fully fit.
    Walter Smith has firmly rebuffed the advances of Jean Tigana in his attempts to take John Collins to Fulham. 

  • Jun 1:  England Under-21s crumbled 2-0 to Slovakia tonight in the last Group B match of MiniEuro200.  Francis Jeffers, largely ineffective, was substituted after 78 mins.  England finished a poor third behind Italy and Slovakia and are now heading home.