ToffeeWeb Season Diary

Season 2011-12

2009-10

Index

2011-12

October 2011

No imminent Everton takeover

31 October
The Liverpool Echo, often the unofficial mouthpiece of the club, has confirmed that internet rumours claiming Everton are in takeover talks with the Jain Group are wide of the mark. Stories talk up the group's supposed interest in making a land purchase in North Liverpool that has been linked by some to the stillborn "Football Quarter" concept. The Echo states that the Jain Group is one of several organizations Bill Kenwright "meets with regularly" but "they have yet to do anything to convince him their interest will materialise into anything substantial."

Earl in attendance at Goodison

31 October
Bill Kenwright was was joined in the Everton Directors Box by fellow director Robert Earl for Everton's 1-0 defeat by Manchester United on Saturday.

Jose Baxter sent off for Tranmere

31 October
Jose Baxter will likely get a three-match suspension after he was given a straight red card for a lunging tackle on Oliver Norwood in Tranmere's 4-2 reverse at Scunthorpe.

New chapter in Rooney / Everton history

30 October
At A Different League, Andrew Tuft thinks the relationship between Rooney and the Goodison crowd is changing: It appears, to the great majority inside the stadium, that Rooney is merely a name from Everton�s past. Rooney is no longer viewed as a former Everton player now plying his trade elsewhere. He is a United player who had a brief cameo with Everton. In that distinction lies an enormous difference.

Mucha's position at risk

29 October
David Moyes refused to criticise goalkeeper Jan Mucha, who he'd selected ahead of Tim Howard, for his horrendous error on Wednesday night, but insisted that, along with the acquisition of 39-year-old American veteran Marcus Hahnemann, it could force a future re-think.

Under-18s lose 5-goal tussle

29 October
A late goal by the Wolves captain sealed the 3 points for their Under-18s on a day when Everton�s defence were not at their best making costly errors as Everton lead twice until the death only to throw it away.

Moyes can't understand noon KO

30 October
�I can't understand why it's a 12 o'clock kick-off. I find it incredible we kick-off at that time in football these days." � David Moyes.

Everton 0 - 1 Manchester United

29 October
Everton struggled to compete with the wounded Champions in the first half, but limited the damage to just one goal, scored a little too easily by Hernandez. They almost came back before the break when a Baines free-kick smashed off the United crossbar. Barkley came on for Bily at half-time... Then Vellios and Gueye as Everton pushed United hard but could not find the equalizer.

Duffy loan extended again

28 October
Scunthorpe United have extended the loan deal for Everton defender Shane Duffy to a third month. The Republic of Ireland Under-21 international has made 10 appearances for the Iron. It is the second time manager Alan Knill has moved to extend the 19-year-old's spell at Glanford Park.

Carling Cup selection backfired

28 October
David Moyes has admitted that his team selection for the Carling Cup defeat to Chelsea "sort of backfired," though not because of the decision to play his poorer goalkeeper or an unfit Tim Cahill.

Everton vs Manchester United

28 October
Everton get the opportunity to heap more misery on Manchester United this weekend as the wounded champions come to Goodison Park for a fixture they haven't won now in three seasons. Tim Cahill and Phil Neville look set to miss out through injury while Royston Drenthe is suspended following his red card in midweek. KO is 12:00pm.

Cahill and Neville both out

28 October
David Moyes will be forced to rethink his starting line-up for Saturday's lunchtime clash with Manchester United after losing captain Phil Neville and Tim Cahill to injury. Neville has a hamstring while the folly of playing Cahill with an injury on Wednesday appears to have come home to roost.

Tony Hibbert: True Blue

28 October
The homegrown defender who came up through the ranks of the Everton Academy and won the FA Youth Cup for Everton in 1998, has been at Everton so long he was in David Moyes's first starting XI. He tells Simon Hart how he's seen the club grow, Wayne Rooney come and go, and why Ross Barkley will be a star.

Green settling in nicely

27 October
Everton Academy new-boy George Green is already making a good impression on coaches after the 15-year-old shone in a friendly for Everton's U-18 side.

Cahill again plays while injured

26 October
David Moyes has confirmed that Tim Cahill was carrying an injury during the Carling Cup defeat to Chelsea � it's not clear, however, whether he sustained it this evening or whether it was a pre-existing complaint.

Moyes � We should have won

26 October
David Moyes believes his side did not deserve to be knocked out of the Carling Cup against Chelsea, his side should have wrapped up the game before the 90 minutes were over.

Blues edged out in extra time

26 October
A late goal by Louis Saha gave Everton a lifeline in this Carling Cup tie, forcing extra time against 10-man Chelsea when he headed home Seamus Coleman's cross. But the Blues lost the initiative when Royston Drenthe was dismissed for a second bookable offence and Daniel Sturridge scored the winner to send Andre Villas-Boas's side through to the last eight.

Rodwell attains manhood

25 October
Jack Rodwell feels more like a senior player now he has 100 senior appearances under his belt and is starting to take a more commanding role in the team.

Moyes explains Barkley's absence

26 October
David Moyes has explained withdrawing Ross Barkley from the front line for over a month, since the Carling Cup third-round win over West Bromwich Albion on 21 September.

Kenwright for Keeps

26 October
The Blue Union's aims were to awaken the media to the stagnation and neglect that the last 10 years of Premier League football have brought Everton through mismanagement under Bill Kenwright's Chairmanship. This sympathetic piece by Ian Ridley in the Express suggests there is no media groundswell to unveil Kenwright; far from it...

Everton vs Chelsea

25 October
Everton and Chelsea meet for the second time in 10 days � and the for the fifth time in cup competition in three years � for a Carling Cup Fourth Round tie at Goodison Park that will see the winners into the last eight. KO is 8pm.

Fellaini deal �very close�

25 October
David Moyes has revealed that negotiations with Marouane Fellaini over a new contract have been going well and that Everton are "very close" to agreeing terms with the midfielder. The Belgian international has under two years left on his current deal.

Man City (H) now Live on Sky

25 October
Everton's home game with Manchester City on 1st February will now be screened live by Sky Sports. The 8pm kick-off time does not change.

Baxter to extend Tranmere loan

24 October
Jos� Baxter is set to stay with Tranmere for another month after the formal details of his loan extension are ironed out on Wednesday.

More to come from Drenthe

24 October
On-loan midfielder Royston Drenthe has told Everton fans they can expect a lot more from him this season. "The fans can expect more," he said. "You can show a lot more when you start than when you come in from the bench."

Everton topple Fulham in dramatic finale

23 October
A grandstand finish in which Zamora smashed wide of an open goal saw Saha punish his profligacy with a 90th-minute strike and secure for Everton a match that was heading for a 1-1 draw. Ruiz's sublime chip had canceled out Royston Drenthe's stunning opener before Louis Saha struck and Jack Rodwell put the icing on the cake in injury time.

McFadden not a signing, insists Moyes

22 October
David Moyes goes to some lengths to counter the negative vibes surrounding Jamie McFadden's return to Everton, insisting he is not actually a signing!!!

Fulham vs Everton

22 October
Everton are back in the Capital for their visit to Fulham looking to arrest a run of three straight defeats before home games against Chelsea and United. KO at Craven Cottage is 1.30pm on Sunday.

Another Blue Union March next month

21 October
The Blue Union have announced they will be holding another rally and protest march before the Wolves game on 19 November from 2pm on the Council Fields, Spellow Lane.

No Fulham game for Jimmy Mac

21 October
David Moyes does not expect James McFadden to play for Everton too soon. McFadden will not be considered for Sunday's clash with Fulham as he is still regaining fitness after a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a knee injury. But he is working hard in training to get back into peak condition and Moyes hopes it will not be too long before he can be unleashed.

Time and tide taken their toll?

21 October
David Prentice has finally noticed that David Moyes ain't as chipper as he used to be. Fiery optimism and a determination to challenge the Big Boys has given way to a resigned sense of deafeatism.

Another player out on loan

20 October
Notts County have completed the signing of Everton winger Femi Orenuga, who has become a regular for the Reserves, on a one-month loan deal.

Finch Farm up for grabs

20 October
Hudson Capital Properties, the current owners of Finch Farm, are looking to sell the prime site, where Everton have a 50-year lease after selling the property to ROM Capital in 2005 for construction of their training complex by specialist developer AFL, completed in 2007. Everton have the option to purchase the site back on every 5-year anniversary of the original lease. The next opportunity comes in July 2012; the pricetag: �16,511,838.

Everton Res 2 - 0 Sunderland Res

18 October
Everton Reserves beat their Sunderland counterparts 2-0 at Finch Farm on Tuesday afternoon with McFadden, Stracqualursi, Barkley and Gueye all featuring.

McFadden out to prove himself

19 October
"It is up to me to grab the chance and to show the fans I am good enough to play for Everton again."

It's time for change at Everton FC

18 October
That's the title of a new video from the Blue Union, available on YouTube.

Big Dunc returns as Youth Team Coach

19 October
Duncan Ferguson clearly misses the game and wants to get back in � as a coach! What better place to dispense his special brand of enthusiasm and commitment at Everton's Academy. (Well, er... at the minute, perhaps the first team could benefit most from a good kick up the arse from Big Dunc!)

Ten future stars from the Academy

18 October
Over at the Bleacher Report website, Matt Cheetham has run the rule over the amazing array of young up-and-coming footballing talent in the Everton Academy to compile a list of players developing in the Everton U-18s and Reserves that may one day become "the next Wayne Rooney".

Barkley to get lots of reserves games

18 October
With the Premier League big boys circling like vultures and growing bewilderment among many Evertonians that he's not playing more regularly, David Moyes dampens hopes that Ross Barkley will be in the first team any time soon.

New deal for Barkley � in December

17 October
Ross Barkley is expected to a agree a new five-year deal with Everton... but not until December, when the highly promising young attacking midfielder turns 18.

McFadden rejoins Everton

17 October
James McFadden has sealed a return to Goodison Park with confirmation from Everton that the free agent has inked a new contract with the Blues for the remainder of the season after being released by Birmingham City over the summer.

�We made a good fist of keeping it tight�

15 October
David Moyes thinks his players did everything they could to stay in the game against the better team in this evening's 3-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge.

It's all about damage limitation

15 October
David Moyes's tried and trusted formation played quite well for periods of this game but poor defensive work saw them give up the requisite two easy goals against a moneybags side before half-time. Chelsea scored easily again in the second half before Vellios was finally risked in the 80th minute � and duly scored a classic predator striker's goal with his first touch inside 18 seconds!

Moyes admits McFadden talks

14 October
Quizzed on the topic during his pre-match press conference this afternoon, David Moyes confirmed that talks have been held with representatives of James McFadden who is currently a free agent.

Shrewd Moyes deserves a big shot

14 October
Kevin Keegan recounts the conventional media view of Everton under Bill Kenwright and David Moyes.

Red card still a very sore point

14 October
David Moyes has stressed that no amount of support for his view that Martin Atkinson got it wrong when showing Jack Rodwell a straight red after Luis Suarez's playacting will make up for the referee's atrocious decision, which ruined the Goodison derby a fortnight ago.

Villas-Boas praises Moyes's work

13 October
Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has guarded against any complacency ahead of the visit of Everton on Saturday and has pointed to the Toffees' recent record at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea vs Everton

13 October
Everton travel to Stamford Bridge this weekend for the late afternoon televised kick-off to face Chelsea where they haven't lost in five seasons in the Premier League. Leon Osman appears to be the only additional injury doubt beyond Victor Anichebe.

Hahnemann plays in Reserves friendly

11 October
Marcus Hahnemann got a run out with a young Reserves/Senior Academy side on Tuesday, behind closed doors at Finch Farm. The side took on a "fringe" selection from Crewe Alexandra, and came off winners, with goals from Conor McAleny and John Lundstram.

Cahill looks for fighting spirit

12 October
Tim Cahill believes Everton must show their fighting spirit at Chelsea this weekend as they look to bounce back from two successive defeats in the Premier League.

Jagielka looking to keep a clean sheet

12 October
Phil Jagielka is desperate to keep a clean sheet against a free-scoring Chelsea side, and he accepts that his own form has to improve if he is to help achieve that aim.

No action against Atkinson

11 October
Referee Martin Atkinson has predictably been spared a temporary demotion to the Championship by Professional Game Match Officials Limited.

Bily helps Russia into Euro2012

11 October
Diniyar Bilyaletdinov scored within six minutes of coming on as a 72nd-minute substitute for Russia as they qualified for Euro2012 as winners of Group B. Ireland must play off, while Marouane Fellaini and Belgium missed out.

Rodwell an injury worry

11 October
Jack Rodwell pulled out of the clash with Norway on Monday, which England won 2-1, as a precaution after picking up a groin injury in training.

Everton vie for regional awards

11 October
Everton have been shortlisted in three categories in the MBNA Northwest Football awards, including a nomination for Leighton Baines for Player of the Year.

Barkley debuts in England U21 win

10 October
Ross Barkley made his first competitive start for England's Under-21s on Monday evening as they beat Norway 2-1. Barkley crossed to set up Henderson's goal, and was substituted after 54 mins.

Woods adds USA coaching role

10 October
Everton's Chris Woods has been signed up by Jurgen Klinsmann as the United States' national team's goalkeeping coach. David Moyes has given permission for Woods to take the job while continuing in his Goodison role.

Why have Everton not been sold?

10 October
One of the few mentions made today in the national media regarding Saturday's Blue Union meeting has David Anderson wondering "Is Bill Kenwright asking too much or is he standing in the way of a potential deal?"

Not punching above our weight

10 October
Leighton Baines believes the fact many of Everton�s players are targets for rivals clubs suggests people should not be surprised by their level of performance.

Gueye patiently awaits his chance

10 October
Magaye Gueye can count his appearances for Everton on two hands but the Frenchman is hopeful that he can get more playing time at senior level in the coming weeks.

Coleman prepared to fight for Ireland place

10 October
Seamus Coleman admits that he was disappointed not to make the bench for the Republic of Ireland's squad to face Andorra but says he's not one to sulk about it.

Howard: Ross needs to be insulated

9 October
In the face of weekly speculation linking him with some of the top teams in the Premier League, Tim Howard hopes that Ross Barkley will elect to stay with Everton where he can be protected by "people who will tell him the right things and keep his feet on the ground."

Finance is the primary focus

9 October
The Blue Union held their second public meeting at Zeligs in Liverpool One on Saturday afternoon. The meeting featured a detailed financial presentation by Colin Fitzpatrick, information about a Fans Parliament, and a talk by Howard Kendall.

Howard helps Klinsmann to first win

9 October
Tim Howard made a number of key saves in the USA goal as Jurgen Klinsmann claimed his first win as coach of the American team with a 1-0 margin over Honduras.

Loanee settling in at Prenton Park

8 October
According to Tranmere Rovers manager Les Parry, Jose Baxter (in on loan from Everton) is having a greater impact with every game he plays.

Under-18s draw with Liverpool

8 October
Chris Long came to Everton's rescue, firing home in injury time to deny Liverpool two of their three points after the reds had scored earlier from the penalty spot.

Vellios picks up ankle injury

7 October
Apostolos Vellios played for Greece Under-21s in their 2-0 win over San Marino on Thursday but came off after 58 minutes with an ankle injury.

Blue Union meeting at Zeligs

8 October
The Blue Union are holding a second public meeting today at Zeligs in Liverpool One. Howard Kendall will make a special guest appearance and so will the FA Cup.

Sky's New Year's Day Surprise

7 October
A new batch of live games on Sky and ESPN in December and early January have been announced... and Everton feature just once.

How George Green chose Everton

7 October
The Echo delves behind the history leading up to Everton landing 15-year-old midfield hot-shot prospect, George Green from Bradford City's school of excellence.

Bily wants to play his part

6 October
Diniyar Bilyaletdinov was linked with a return to his homeland in the summer but he wants to stick it out on Merseyside.

Moyes has best price-per-point ratio

6 October
A new study shows that in terms of value for money David Moyes is the best manager in the Premier League with a price-per-point ratio of just under �50,000.

Everton still bitter over red card costs

5 October
Everton have accused referee Martin Atkinson of costing the club a potential �1 million due to his erroneous dismissal of Jack Rodwell last weekend.

Bill Kenwright BBC Interview

5 October
Bill Kenwright talks frankly to Christian Purslow, former managing Director of Liverpool FC, about Everton finances and the 24/7 search to find a buyer in what the Chairman believes is an almost impossible economic climate.

Rodwell red card rescinded

4 October
Jack Rodwell has had his ridiculous red card in Saturday's Merseyside derby against Liverpool rescinded following a successful appeal, and the three-match ban hanging over him has also been removed.

Blues look to secure Barkley

4 October
Everton are hoping to secure hot teenage prospect Ross Barkley to a long-term contract when he turns 18, according to The Guardian.

Everton vow action against missile-throwers

3 October
Everton have condemned the actions of some fans who threw coins and bottles at Luis Suarez and Craig Bellamy in Saturday's derby.

Cahill played through the pain

3 October
Cahill now needs 10 days' rest and rehabilitation after playing in the derby while still injured. Everton medical staff have insisted he needs more time to recover from the ankle injury he received after Manchester City defender Vincent Kompany stamped on his leg.

Everton 0 - 2 Liverpool

1 October
A horrendous refereeing decision destroyed the 216th Merseyside derby as Martin Atkinson forced Everton to play 68 minutes with 10 men following the wholly unwarranted dismissal of Jack Rodwell.

Remember the Name: George Green

2 October
Everton sign 15-year-old prodigy from Bradford CIty for �300k... rising potentially to �2M! But he won't join Everton until next Summer.

Blue Union announce Public Meeting

2 October
The Blue Union will hold their second public meeting next Saturday at Zeligs in Liverpool One.

Everton to appeal red card

2 October
Everton have lodged an appeal with the Football Association against Jack Rodwell's contoversial sending off in Saturday's Merseyside derby defeat to Liverpool.

Atkinson was the wrong choice

1 October
Moyes was 'surprised' by the choice of Atkinson to referee this game, saying it was the wrong decision by the FA.

Rodwell red card a total travesty

1 September
An unbelievable red card for Rodwell in the first half destroyed this match as a fair contest, with Howard then saving a penalty to get the Blues fully wound up. But the response to such crass injustice failed to come in the second half as Everton once again went behind after crucial substitutions on both sides gave Liverpool a thoroughly undeserved victory.

Werner: Groundshare idea �dead�

1 October
Despite renewed calls for fresh talks from the likes of former Culture Secretary, Andy Burnham, Liverpool chairman Tom Werner has quashed the idea of a shared stadium with Everton.

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