Everton

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OVERVIEW
Everton have maintained their place in the Premier League since its inception in 1992. The Toffees claimed a famous 1-0 win over Manchester United in the 1995 FA Cup final courtesy of a goal from Paul Rideout. Everton have often been overshadowed by their Merseyside rivals Liverpool but they have a glorious history of their own.

A fourth place finish under manager David Moyes in the 2004/05 campaign, coupled with sixth and fifth place finishes respectively in the 2006/07 and 07/08 seasons, cemented the club's status in the upper echelons of English football. Another fifth-placed finish came in 2008/09 along with an FA Cup final appearance.

In 2009/10, the side got off to a slow start in the Barclays Premier League, but rallied in the second half of the season to produce an eighth placed finish, narrowly missing out on a Europa League place after being pipped to seventh spot by Liverpool.

CLUB HERITAGE
In 1878, the club was founded as St. Domingo FC so that the people from the parish of St Domingo's Church could participate in a sport outside of the summer months, when they played cricket. The team began playing on Stanley Park with no dressing rooms, carrying their own goalposts out onto the pitch. When people outside of the parish wanted to participate, the club was renamed Everton a year later.

Players recruited from other clubs were allowed to wear the shirts of their former teams and this caused much confusion. The need for a unified kit led to the dieing of the many different shirts black in order to avoid purchasing a brand new strip. The first league title arrived in the 1890/91 season. Royal Blue was settled on for the 1901/02 campaign.

The signing of Dixie Dean in 1925 prompted the Toffees' first sustained period of success. His 60 goals in 39 league matches in the championship-winning 1927/28 season is still a top flight record.

A subsequent relegation and immediate promotion two years later, was followed by another title triumph on their return to the top flight in 1931/32. A second FA Cup victory was achieved with a 3-0 win over Manchester City a season after and the era ended with a title win in the 1938/39 season.

The appointment of Howard Kendall as manager in 1981 heralded the most successful period in Everton's history. The league title was claimed in the 1984/85 and 1986/87 seasons, while the FA Cup was won in 1984. The Toffees' only European trophy arrived in the form of a Cup Winners' Cup final defeat of Rapid Vienna in 1984/85.

PREMIER LEAGUE HISTORY
1993/94 - Mike Walker appointed manager
1993/94 - Peter Johnson takes over as chairman
1994/95 - Joe Royle appointed manager
1994/95 - Win FA Cup
1997/98 - Howard Kendall appointed manager
1998/99 - Bill Kenwright takes over club, Sir Phillip Carter named chairman
1998/99 - Walter Smith appointed manager
2001/02 - David Moyes appointed manager
2004/05 - Bill Kenwright takes over as chairman in 2004
2006/07 - Andy Johnson signs for club record £8.6m from Crystal Palace
2007/08 - Yakubu signs from Middlesbrough for a new club record of £11.25m
2008/09 - Marouane Fellaini joins from Standard Leige for club record fee of £15m
2008/09 - Toffees lose FA Cup final to Chelsea


Manager David Moyes
 

The term 'working his way through the ranks' has never been more appropriate than when used to describe the start of David Moyes' career in management.

The former defender made 143 appearances for Preston North End before becoming a coach at the club. He was soon named assistant to Gary Peters before replacing him as manager of the struggling Northenders in January 1998. A successful period under Moyes saw the side avoid relegation, win promotion to the second tier of English football in 2000, and miss out on Barclaycard Premiership promotion the following season, losing 3-0 to Bolton Wanderers in the First Division play-off final. In March 2002, after a reign in which he won nearly half of the 243 matches he presided over, Moyes left Deepdale to replace Walter Smith at Everton.

He arrived at Goodison Park with a big job to do, the club fighting against top-flight relegation. The Toffees' won their first match under the Scot's tutelage, a 2-1 victory over Fulham, with the team already signalling a vast improvement. Fine performances followed and the club maintained their Premier League status for the 11th successive year.

The 2002/03 season was Moyes' first full term in charge, and the Toffees got off to a fantastic start, with a run of six successive wins propelling them to third in the first half of the season. In recognition of their early form, Moyes received the Barclaycard Manager of the Month Award in November. Good team performances coupled with Wayne Rooney's emergence saw the Merseyside club maintain their push for a European place, until the final day of the season, where defeat to Manchester United brought their challenge to an end. Nonetheless, the improvement on the previous season was immense, and Moyes was recognised for his accomplishment with the League Managers Association's Manager of the Year Award.

FOURTH SPOT
After a disappointing 2003/04 season ended with the club in 17th place in the league, Moyes' men impressed the following year. They secured fourth spot and with it the chance to qualify for Champions League football for the first time in the club's history. Despite Rooney's departure to Manchester United, Moyes' side exceeded all expectations with the Toffees manager awarded his second LMA Manager of the Year Award.

The start of the 2005/06 term came as a reality check. Failure to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League and getting knocked out of the UEFA Cup was disappointing for a side that had shown so much promise. Having brought in an array of new faces who took time to settle, Everton's league form failed to match up to the previous season's, with the side finishing 11th in the league.

The next season Moyes' side flourished, securing a sixth place finish in the Barclays Premiership and the return of European football to Goodison Park the following season. And in 2007/08, the 45-year-old used Everton's UEFA Cup place to prove he possessed the tactical expertise to succeed on the European stage, with his side reaching the last 16 of the tournament. Consistency was the order of the day, and in the Barclays Premier League Everton achieved a club record points total of 65, a fifth place finish and a second successive season in Europe.

After much media interest and speculation, Moyes signed a new five-year contract in October 2008, re-affirming his commitment to the club following an early exit from both the UEFA and Carling Cup competitions.

The highlight of the season was reaching the FA Cup final against Chelsea for the first time since winning it in 1995. Despite an early goal from Louis Saha, Moyes' men ultimately went down to a 2-1 defeat. The Toffees emulated the previous season's fifth place finish, albeit with two fewer points.

In the 2009/10 campaign, Moyes guided Everton to an eighth place finish and the last 32 of the Europa League, but they went out early in both domestic cup competitions.

PREMIER LEAGUE RECORD
2004: Manages 100th Premier League match (Newcastle United 1-1 Everton, 28th November)
2005: Wins 50th Premier League match (Birmingham 0-1 Everton, 29th October)
2007: Takes charge of 200th Premier League match (Everton 2-1 Wigan Athletic, 11th August)
2008: Takes charge of 250th Premier League match (Everton 1-1 Middlesbrough, 16th November)
2010: Takes charge of 300th Premier League match (Everton 2-1 Chelsea, 10th February)

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Baines commits to Toffees
Full-back Leighton Baines has signed a new five-year contract at Everton.
 

The 25-year-old, who moved to Goodison Park from Wigan Athletic in 2007 and still had two years remaining on his deal, was a member of England's provisional 30-man World Cup squad but did not make the final 23 for South Africa.

Baines was an integral part of the Toffees' squad last term, missing just one of their 38 Barclays Premier League matches.

STAYING HERE
Baines told the club's official website: "I'm more than happy to be staying here and committing to the club and it was nice for the club to want me to stay."

He added: "It was simple - it would have been done quicker if I hadn't been away on holiday.

"I still had two years left so I wasn't really thinking about it but the manager said to me at the end of last season that I had done well and he wanted to reward me with a new contract, which was great.

"It is nice to have it sorted before we go away (on the pre-season trip) to Australia because I can focus on the football and not have anything going on in the background.

"I'm fully focused on the trip to Australia and hopefully that will be a good trip leading to a good season."

The news came as the Toffees revealed they had also completed a deal to sign France Under-21 striker Magaye Gueye from Strasbourg for an undisclosed fee.

David Moyes' side kick off the new Barclays Premier League campaign with a trip to Blackburn Rovers on the opening day of the season, 14th August.


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Osman relishing derby
Leon Osman says Everton will look forward to next week's Merseyside derby against Liverpool with confidence.

 

The Toffees were more like their old selves as they overcame title-chasing Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 with a performance full of attacking intent in the Barclays Premier League last week.

They followed that up by delivering on their promise to take the FA Cup seriously by crushing Sblankhorpe United 5-1 in their third-round tie at Glanford Park on Saturday.

 
Their next fixture is away at fierce rivals Liverpool next Sunday, a match which will now mark the official homecoming of Anfield legend Kenny Dalglish as new Reds manager.


right result


It is sure to be an emotional occasion but Everton are keen not to let their new-found momentum slip.

Midfielder Osman said: "We are really looking forward to it, it is our next game.

"Hopefully with a little bit of confidence we've got now going into it we can get the right result.

"I am sure the change of manager will affect them in a way but there is nothing we can do about that.

"We have got to concentrate on ourselves, take no notice of what is happening off the field there and go there and put on a show that we know we are capable of."

Everton beat Liverpool 2-1 at Goodison Park on a tense afternoon in October.


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New deals for Everton duo
Everton pair Victor Anichebe and Seamus Coleman have both signed new four-and-a-half-year contracts.
 


The duo are now committed to Goodison Park until the end of the 2014/15 season.

The news gives Everton a lift following the loss of influential midfielder Steven Pienaar to Tottenham Hotspur earlier this week.

Irish winger or full-back Coleman, 22, signed his previous contract only last season but has been rewarded for his outstanding form during the current campaign.

Coleman joined the Toffees from Sligo Rovers for £60,000 in 2009 and, after a loan spell at Blackpool last year, has now established himself as a regular in the first team.
He has been one of David Moyes' most reliable players this term and has scored five times.

MORE FLEXIBILITY

Academy product Anichebe, also 22, would have been out of contract in the summer.

The Nigeria forward has been hampered by injuries over the past two seasons and had been linked with a move away from the club.

However, Moyes has acted quickly to tie him to a new deal following Pienaar's departure.

With Ayegbeni Yakubu having also joined Leicester City on loan, Moyes, who has little funds to recruit, can ill afford to lose many more players.

Moyes has said he must concentrate on the loan market in order to bring players in this month, but it remains to be seen if fees received for Pienaar and Yakubu allow him more flexibility.


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Rodwell out for a month
Everton youngster Jack Rodwell is set to be sidelined for a month with a groin injury.

 


The 19-year-old midfielder lasted just 12 minutes of England's Under-21 friendly defeat to Italy on Tuesday before he was substituted with the injury.

He underwent assessment at the club's Finch Farm training ground on Wednesday and used Twitter to suggest he would be out for "four to six weeks".

 
The club's website, however, said they expected to be without the teenager for a month.



first goal


Rodwell earned his first Under-21 cap against France in March 2009 and scored his first goal for the team in June of that year against Azerbaijan.

Although currently a midfielder, it has been suggested that he could ultimately move back into central defence.

Rodwell has made seven starts in the Barclays Premier League this season, and seven appearances as a substitute.

Courtesy of:   premierleague.com

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Fellaini out for the season
Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini will miss the rest of the season with an ankle injury.
 


The Belgium international will undergo surgery next Monday after aggravating the injury in Saturday's Barclays Premier League win over Sunderland.

Fellaini, 23, missed the FA Cup fifth-round loss to Reading at Goodison Park and manager David Moyes confirmed the news after the match.

The Scot said: "Marouane is going to be out for the season now, he will have an operation on Monday."
KEY PLAYER
It is the second successive year an ankle injury has brought a premature end to Fellaini's season.

Fellaini, a club record £15m signing three years ago, was out of action for around six months after an ankle operation in February 2010.

Moyes added: "Everybody who has watched us will tell you he has been a key player for us and Tim Cahill will probably miss two or three weeks as well."

Australia midfielder Cahill also missed Tuesday's match with a foot injury.

The absence of the influential pair will be a major blow as Everton look to improve upon their mid-table position in the Barclays Premier League.


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Arteta blow for Everton
Mikel Arteta is facing several weeks on the sidelines after becoming the latest player to join Everton's casualty list.
 


The Spaniard picked up an apparent hamstring strain in Wednesday night's 1-1 draw with Birmingham City.

Arteta had to be substituted within the first 10 minutes of the Barclays Premier League match at Goodison Park having pulled up sharply while in a chase with Sebastian Larsson.

The Spanish midfielder has been in impressive form of late and was named captain for the match in the absence of another hamstring victim Phil Neville, but soon had to pass the armband over to Phil Jagielka.
When asked about Arteta, Toffees manager David Moyes - who also has Marouane Fellaini and Tim Cahill in the treatment room - told the official club website: "It looks like a hamstring injury.

"It's too early to say - I'm not sure but I'm guessing he will be out for a few weeks."

BIT FRUSTRATING
Birmingham took a 17th-minute lead through Jean Beausejour's header but John Heitinga rifled in an equaliser from outside the box 10 minutes before the interval and Everton looked by far the more likely side to find a winner in the second half.

They were unable to do so, though, and Moyes admitted the loss of Arteta so early in the match was a major setback.

"It was a big blow for us because we needed some creativity and I knew that if we didn't have him, we would be struggling to create too much," Moyes said.

"Leon Osman did, but we were struggling otherwise really to make anything happen."

Everton dominated possession for most of the contest but Moyes felt his team did not show enough to deserve all three points.

"It was a bit frustrating," Moyes said.

"We didn't play well enough probably to win the game, but we had a few half-chances."

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Phil Jagielka signs four-year contract with Everton


Jagielka has been capped seven times by England

Everton defender Phil Jagielka has signed a new four-year contract with the Merseyside club.
The deal will keep the 28-year-old England international at Goodison Park until 2015, replacing his existing agreement which expired in 2014.
Jagielka said:"I can concentrate on the football and hopefully there are exciting times (ahead)."
The Sale-born player joined Everton in 2007 and has made 117 first team appearances for the Toffees.
He won Everton player of the year in the 2008/09 season, despite suffering a serious knee injury in the second half of that term.
"I'm really pleased," he added. "We had talks a while ago and I knew it would only be a case of getting it signed and sealed, and you can tell by the smile on my face that I am absolutely delighted to commit my future to Everton.
"I had a little while left on my last one but it is obviously nice to get a new one," he added.
Jagielka, who started his career at Sheffield United, has attracted interest in a number of other clubs, notably Arsenal - who reportedly had an offer for him rebuffed last summer.

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Saha reveals injury woe
Everton striker Louis Saha claims he may not play again this season due to an ankle injury.

 


The France striker suffered the injury against Fulham on Saturday, and says he may be finished for the campaign.

Saha's injury means manager David Moyes has just one recognised striker to call on in Jermaine Beckford, with Yakubu out on loan at Leicester City.

think positive

"I'm on crutches, I don't feel good," he said. "I don't know whether I will have this ankle problem for days, weeks or months.

"But it's going to be difficult for me to play again before the end of the season.

"It's tiresome to get all these injuries. They all come along just when I'm starting to get a run going. It is hard. It sucks. But I'm trying to think positive."

 
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Saha set to sit out the season
Everton are likely to be without top-scorer Louis Saha for the remainder of the season.

 


The French international fell awkwardly in the Merseysiders' 2-1 win over Fulham in their last Barclays Premier League outing and has since had an operation on the injury.

Manager David Moyes now fears the striker has played his last match of the campaign.

He told the official club website: "Louis has had an operation this week which will probably rule him out for the season."

injury problems

Saha has scored 10 goals for the Blues this season, with nine of them coming since the turn of the year.

The former Manchester United striker joins a list of absentees which includes midfield duo Mikel Arteta (hamstring) and Marouane Fellaini (ankle).

The Spaniard injured his hamstring against Birmingham City last month and has been recovering in his homeland.

Moyes also has doubts over Tim Cahill, Seamus Coleman and Jack Rodwell with all three players missing international commitments over the last 10 days with injury problems.

Moyes added: "We have got a lot of injuries. It is football isnt' it? You pick up injuries and we try not to talk too much about them but we have a spate of them at this present time.

"Mikel has been away in Spain for a few weeks, recuperating and recovering from his hamstring problem. He is due back over the weekend and we will see how he is."


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Howard Hopes Felaini stays
Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard says it is vital the club retain Marouane Fellaini and other key players.

 


Manager David Moyes has revealed that talks over a new deal with midfielder Fellaini have begun.

The 23-year-old Belgium international, who is out for the rest of season with an ankle injury, is one of Toffees' most prized assets and has been linked with a host of leading European clubs.

With Everton having spent little money in the last three transfer windows, there has been speculation over whether the club might be tempted to sell - but Howard hopes that is not the case.

The United States international said: "He is tremendous for us. He really helps us build and he calms things down the middle of the park.

"We have missed him dearly, along with other players.

"He had a terrible injury last year and has had another this year.

"We hope we can tie him up for another few years, get him healthy over the summer and he'll be raring to go."

new players

Recent injuries have highlighted the lack of depth in Everton's squad.

Moyes named a seven-man bench for last Saturday's Barclays Premier League draw with Aston Villa without a single minute's experience in the competition between them.

Howard recognises new players are needed in the summer but also feels it is crucial the existing big names remain at Goodison Park to maintain spirit.

The 32-year-old said: "We need a few fresh faces, I think everyone would agree with that.

"And it is vital we stay together.

"I think we have got a tremendously talented core of players with a lot of quality and we don't seem to be a club who can just let players go willy-nilly and try to replace them.

"There is heartbeat and a passion about the club the players understand."

 
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Everton fixtures 2011/12
All of Everton's provisional fixtures for the new Barclays Premier League season.

 

Everton will travel to Tottenham Hotspur on the opening day of the season.

The Toffees then take on Queens Park Rangers and Blackburn Rovers.

After taking just three points from their opening six fixtures last season Everton will be aiming to shed their tag as slow starters.

 
The first Merseyside derby of the season will take place at Goodison Park on 1st October with the return on 25th February.


David Moyes' side will end the Barclays Premier League campaign against Newcastle United.

Matches on 5th May will not clash with the FA Cup Final and may accordingly move to a different kick off time on the Saturday or to the Sunday. A further announcement will be made closer to the date.

All fixtures are provisional at this stage and subject to change.

Everton




 

August
13 Tottenham (A)
20 QPR (H)
27 Blackburn (A)

September
10 Aston Villa (H)
17 Wigan (H)
24 Man City (A)

October
1 Liverpool (H)
15 Chelsea (A)
22 Fulham (A)
29 Man Utd (H)
November
5 Newcastle (A)
19 Wolverhampton (H)
26 Bolton (A)

December
3 Stoke (H)
10 Arsenal (A)
17 Norwich (H)
21 Swansea (H)
26 Sunderland (A)
31 West Brom (A)

January
2 Bolton (H)
14 Aston Villa (A)
21 Blackburn (H)

February
1 Man City (H)
4 Wigan (A)
11 Chelsea (H)
25 Liverpool (A)

March
3 QPR (A)
10 Tottenham (H)
17 Arsenal (H)
24 Swansea (A)
31 West Brom (H)

April
7 Norwich (A)
9 Sunderland (H)
14 Stoke (A)
21 Man Utd (A)
28 Fulham (H)

May
5 Wolverhampton (A)
13 Newcastle (H)

Reproduced under license from Football DataCo Limited. All rights reserved. Licence number NEWMEDIA/PREMLGE/110083a.

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Coleman set for lay-off
Everton defender Seamus Coleman faces a potentially lengthy lay-off with an ankle injury.

 


Scans have revealed the full-back has suffered ankle ligament damage which could sideline him for several weeks.

And Mikel Arteta is set to be another high-profile absentee for the Toffees' Barclays Premier League opener against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

Republic of Ireland international Coleman was forced off by a bad challenge from Carlos Marchena during Friday's friendly against Villarreal.

already suspended

X-rays confirmed he had not fractured the joint but further scans have revealed the ligament damage.

Head physio Danny Donachie told the official clubwebsite: "Seamus has torn the lateral ligament in his right ankle. He will be visiting a specialist in London later this week for further assessment."

No timescale has been put on the 22-year-old's recovery.

Coleman, named Everton's young player of the year last season, was already suspended for the opening two matches of the new campaign after a red card against Chelsea on the final day of last season.

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New deal for Neville
Everton captain Phil Neville has signed a new deal to keep him at the club until 2013.

 


Neville's previous deal was due to expire at the end of the current season and the club have moved to offer him a 12-month extension.

The 34-year-old, who joined Everton from Manchester United in 2005, has established himself as a key player in David Moyes' side since arriving on Merseyside.

Neville was delighted to pledge his future to Everton and praised the club for rewarding him with a contract extension.

really proud

"I feel really proud and this club has never let me down. It's shown faith in me again and for the next two years I'm going to give my all for this football club," Neville told the club's official website.

"That's what I've done for the last six years and that's what I'll continue to do."

The new deal will see Neville up to the age of 36 and he admits he hopes to continue his career beyond that.

"I want to play beyond that. But for the next two years I'm going to give my all.

"I love playing for Everton. I love the spirit in the club, I love the togetherness, and that's going to continue."

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Hahnemann joins Everton
Everton have signed experienced goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann on a short-term deal.

 

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers and Reading stopper has signed a contract with the Blues until January.

The American will provide back-up to fellow countryman Tim Howard and Slovakia international Jan Mucha.

The 39-year-old was released by the Molineux club in the summer and will now link up with the Merseysiders ahead of their trip to Manchester City.

experienced campaigner

Hahnemann has nine international caps but has largely been a back-up to Howard, who has emerged as the USA's first choice.

Manager David Moyes said the experienced campaigner would bolster the keeping ranks.

He told the official club website: "We have only got two so I felt we needed someone before the window closed and I have been on the look out for a keeper.

"He is experienced and will give us that bit of extra cover we were after."

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New deal for Fellaini
Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini has signed a new five-year contract.

 


The new deal ties the fans' favourite to the Merseyside club until the summer of 2016

Speculation over the Belgium midfielder's future had been growing over recent weeks even though he had 18 months remaining on his existing deal.

But Toffees manager David Moyes was always confident he could keep the 23-year-old on board.

remained positive

"We are delighted to have secured the services of Marouane for the long term," chief executive Robert Elstone told the official club website

"As everyone is aware these negotiations have been ongoing for some time but both parties remained positive that we would reach agreement.

"Marouane has been a hugely influential player for Everton since his arrival in 2008 and we hope that remains to be the case for the next five years."

Fellaini signed from Standard Liege for £15m in 2008 and has impressed in central midfield this season, having overcome injury problems in the past two campaigns.

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