retired_embartl

Welcome to the forums This is a good start certainly, and well written - pity the results aren't so good eh? Still Wayne Rooney will no doubt save you as usual

Good luck :thup:

retired_exoticpanther33

Results have been... to put it mildly, ****ing awful. Perhaps should concentrate more on the actual matches rather than getting stuff written down for the story

nahhhhh

retired_exoticpanther33

Sun 14th September

Yesterday, it was announced that Wimbledon were going into receivership, and that the administrators would no longer turn down any reasonable offers for players. I took advantage of this to table a £250k offer for Lionel Morgan, who I had tried to sign on deadline day.

The offer was accepted late last night, and today Lionel came to Bellefield for a medical, and agreed terms on the move, which will occur on Jan 1st 2004.


FA Barclaycard Premiership

Tottenham 1 - 0 Everton

Starting XI
Martyn, Hibbert, Unsworth, Stubbs, Yobo
McFadden, Naysmith, Davis, Arteta
Rooney, Maccarone

Everton slumped to their 3rd consecutive league defeat today at White Hart Lane. Manager Mellor kept faith with the players who have been underperforming recently, giving them the task of making up for previous failings. The only two changes were the return from injury of Stubbs and Rooney.

Everton dominated this match from start to finish, but were unable to put away any of their 19 chances, and were undone by a 12th minute goal from former Liverpool player Jamie Redknapp. It was the only shot on target Spurs could muster all afternoon, but was enough to send them away with all three points. There was controversy at the end of the match, when referee Eddie Wolstenholme blew the final whistle, just as Wayne Rooney was about to pull the trigger from about 8 yards.

"I'm bitterly disappointed with the result," stated manager Mellor after the match, "I don't think anyone could have complained today if we'd come away winning by two, three or even four goals, and yet, we've somehow managed to end up with nothing. The only thing I can really say is that if we keep playing in that manner, we won't be at this end of the table for long."

When asked about the manner in which the game ended, Mellor replied, "I don't like to criticise referees, they have a really tough job. Let's just say that if Mr Wolstenholme would be willing to sit down with me for a few minutes, I'd love to have a little chat with him."

retired_exoticpanther33

Sat 20th Sept

A week of hard work on the training ground ended with the visit of current Premiership Champions Man Utd to Goodison. I was understandably nervous, given our recent form, and was desperate for a result to build upon.


FA Barclaycard Premiership

Everton 0 - 0 Man Utd

Starting XI
Martyn, Hibbert, Unsworth, Stubbs, Yobo
McFadden, Naysmith, Davis, Arteta
Rooney, Maccarone

Everton will hope to have turned the corner with this, a creditable draw against Champions Manchester Utd. It was a fairly scrappy affair, possibly due to a rash of early substitutions caused by injuries to Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs, Sean Davis and Massimo Maccarone.

Neither side could really get a grip on the game, and while both teams had chances to win, a draw was a fair result, and one Everton would doubtless have settled for before kickoff.

Mellor said after the final whistle, "Well, that was hardly the greatest spectacle ever, but i'm pleased with the way the lads have battled out there today, especially after losing two players so early on. Sean Davis especially is vital to us, he really runs our midfield for us. Thankfully neither of the injuries look like their going to be too bad, and both should be back for the Carling Cup match in midweek. Let's just hope this is where we can turn our season around, and kick on up the league."

retired_exoticpanther33

Tues 23rd Sept

Carling Cup Second Round

Everton 1 - 0 Cardiff

Starting XI
Martyn, Hibbert, Unsworth, Stubbs, Yobo
McFadden, Naysmith, Davis, Arteta
Rooney, Maccarone

Everton's players gave their manager his birthday present a day early, as they registered their first win of a so far difficult season, progressing to the second round by dispatching Cardiff. This was one of the most one sided 1-0 victories you could wish to see, with Cardiff not managing a single shot on target.

However, Everton's continued reluctance infront of goal, which prevented them from registering a more convincing scoreline, will trouble their manager and fans alike.

The match was settled in the 30th minute when, having beaten his man down the left hand side, Wayne Rooney crossed for Mikel Arteta to prod home his second of the season. Of further concern to Mellor will be the fact that Rooney hobbled off just after half time, with a suspected calf strain.

"I'm very pleased with the win," said Mellor, "it's certainly been long enough in coming. A decent cup run is important to us in a number of ways - both financially and in that it provides a possible route into Europe for us."

Asked about Rooney, the manager replied, "He's pretty sore at the moment, and it doesn't look like he's going to make the Birmingham game on Monday, but we're still keeping our fingers crossed. He's very important to us."


Fri 26th Sept

In the draw for the Carling Cup Third Round, we were paired with Wimbledon. The tie will take place at the National Hockey Stadium on the 29th October.

Late this afternoon, i received a knock on my door from veteran physio Gary Simpson. He informed me that after being involved in football for nearly 5 decades, he was going to retire at the end of the season. I thanked him for his many years of service to the club, and made a note to start looking for replacements.

retired_amyslack

Nice start - a very readable tale indeed :thup:

retired_exoticpanther33

442 Magazine Interview Everton Boss

Andy Stevenson: Good morning, thanks for talking to us.

Jamie Mellor: Good morning, thanks very much for inviting me in.

AS: No problem at all. You've had a pretty tough start to the season, haven't you?

JM: Yeah. This is definitely not where we wanted to be at this stage in the season, but I'm confident that we will turn it around sooner rather than later. There were some good players at the club when I came along, and I like to think I've brought in a few more. Sean Davis in particular I think has been playing well so far this season, and it's no coincidence that in the last couple of games, Sean has been more influential, and our results have improved somewhat. The main problem we've had so far is that we just don't seem to have been able to finish off the chances we've created. In our last match for example, against Cardiff, who, while a good side, are from a lower division, we had a great number of chances, but only managed to score one goal.

AS: What sort of expectations did you have when you joined the club in terms of achievements this season? And, how have these expectations changed after your less than stunning start.

JM: Well, when I arrived, I hoped that we could get ourselves firmly into the top half of the table, and maybe push on and claim a European place. On top of this, of course, I knew that we needed to cut the wage bill at the club. Having seen the start we've made, I still believe that a European berth can be achieved. After all, we are only 6 games into the season. Obviously, if we want to achieve what we've set out for, we can't keep get results like those we've had so far. Three points from a possible 18 is entirely unacceptable. It's ironic, I think, that our best performance of the season, and best result, came in our hardest match on paper, against Manchester Utd.

AS: What about long term aims?

JM: Obviously, I'd love to be at the club for an extended period of time. In that time, I would love it if we could eventually start to challenge the sides at the top of the leage... the Man Utds, the Arsenals... It's not something which is going to happen overnight, obviously, but it's got to be what we're aiming for, otherwise what is the point in coming to work each day?

AS: You mentioned the financial situation at the club. How bad is it?

JM: Everton are in a far better position than most clubs in the league at the moment, but we're still not in a position at the moment were we can go out and spend £20m or £30m on a single player. Our owner Bill Kenwright absolutely loves this club, and would do anything for them. However, he isn't the Roman Abramovich type who can bankroll a huge spending spree each season, and we're not willing to jeapordise the future of the club by excessive borrowing and spending. I think we need to try to emulate Manchester Utd, bringing players through from our youth system, and signing one or two as well, and building from there. Obviously if some mysterious billionaire were to come along and pour cash into the club, I might not complain too loudly, but I'm more than happy to go on as we are at the moment.

AS: Now, the question that you knew was coming... Wayne Rooney. You've now had the chance to see him at first hand each day in training. How good is he?

JM: [Laughs] Well, I don't really know what else to say that hasn't already been said. He's one of the most naturally gifted players I've ever seen. He can do things with a football that most could only dream of. I think the thing that really sets him apart is his first touch. When he scored "THAT" goal last season against Arsenal, I thought the way he pulled the ball out of the air was every bit as impressive as the final shot. But I don't want people to forget that we have a number of other talented youngsters at the club. Players like James McFadden, Daniel Braathen, Mikel Arteta and Anatoli Todorov can all represent Everton for years to come. One of the things I wanted to do when I joined was bring in young talent... players who can remain at the club for a considerable period.

AS: Finally, is there anything coming up that you're particularly looking forward to in your future at the club?

JM: Well, obviously we have the Merseyside Derby against Liverpool coming up just before Christmas, and the FA Cup. I'd love to take Everton to a cup final this season, whether in the Carling or FA Cup, but to do that, obviously there's quite a few games that need winning first.

AS: Thanks for your time today Jamie, and good luck.

JM: Thankyou.

retired_exoticpanther33

Mon 29th Sept

FA Barclaycard Premiership

Birmingham 2 - 1 Everton

Starting XI
Martyn, Hibbert, Unsworth, Stubbs, Yobo
McFadden, Naysmith, Davis, Arteta
Rooney, Maccarone

Everton manager Jamie Mellor must be wondering what he has to do to turn his side around. After drawing with Manchester Utd, and beating Cardiff in the Carling Cup, Everton fans must have been hoping their bad start to the season was behind them. In this match, they had the better chances once again, but failed to convert. They fell a goal behind after a terrible mix up between Martyn and Stubbs gifted the ball to Figueroa inside the area on 27 minutes, and the Argentinian tapped into an empty net.

The situation worsened for Everton on 76 minutes, when David Unsworth tugged back David Dunn in the area, and Robbie Savage slotted home the penalty. Sean Davis scored a consolation goal on 83 minutes. As consolations go, it was a stunner. Joseph Yobo played a free kick to Rooney at the back post. The young England striker nodded the ball back to Davis about 30 yards out, and he took it first time, hammering a crashing volley into the top right of the Birmingham goal. This sparked a flurry of Everton attacks in the last 7minutes, but they were unable to find an opening to level the game.

"I thought we were unlucky to lose today, but at the end of the day, that is no excuse for the position we now find ourselves in," stated a depressed Jamie Mellor after the final whistle, "We've now slipped into the relegation zone, and the players need to know right here right now, that I won't stand for this underachievement any longer. You're going to see changes to our starting lineup for the next match, as I bring in some of those players who have been performing well in the reserves. Hopefully this will give us the spark we need to kickstart our season at last."


Wed 1st Nov

Sean Davis was today awarded the Goal of the Month Award for his stunning volley against Birmingham.

retired_exoticpanther33

****** Sorry about the massive delay in continuing this story - two things caused it - firstly i got too involved in PLAYING the game (and making notes) and secondly been busy with work and stuff********

PS. the last date in the above post should (obviously) be Oct 1st, not November. :p

retired_exoticpanther33

Sat 4th Oct

International call-ups today - Daniel Braathen, Gary Naysmith, Wayne Rooney, Sean Davis, Richard Wright and Anatoli Todorov were summoned by their respective nations.

Ahead of today's match against Fulham, i decided that something needed to be done, to halt our alarmingly bad start to the season. The fans had been getting restless, and I knew that I would really start feeling the heat. Sitting 18th in the table, i brought Richard Wright back into the side as he finally recovered from a longstanding injury. Dave Unsworth, and Steve Watson were dropped, being replaced by Naysmith (who dropped from ML to DL), Tony Hibbert and Kevin Kilbane. Duncan Ferguson also replaced Maccarone up front.

I instructed the players to go all out for a win, and let them know that I wouldn't accept anything less that 100% from each and everyone of them. More nervous than at any point since I started in the job, I took up my seat in the dugout as 3pm rolled round.


FA Barclaycard Premiership

Everton 3 - 0 Fulham

Starting XI
Wright, Hibbert, Naysmith, Stubbs, Yobo
McFadden, Kilbane, Davis, Arteta
Rooney, Ferguson (c)

Everton finally recorded their first league win of the season today, and not a moment too soon, for under pressure manager Jamie Mellor.

The afternoon got off to the best possible start for The Toffees, with England striker Wayne Rooney celebrating his call up to the national squad earlier in the day, by slotting home from 10 yards, after good work from Mikel Arteta in only the second minute. The tension, both in the Everton players, and fans was visibly lifted, and they started to increase the pressure on Fulham even more. Rooney returned the favour after 28mins, flicking on a header, from Sean Davis's chipped pass. The header landed squarely in the path of the young Spaniard, who finished calmly past Van der Saar.

The victory was secured 10mins after half time. Kevin Kilbane, who impressed on his first start in an Everton jersey, beat his man down the left, and fired in a pinpoint cross. The ball was met on the volley by the left boot of Duncan Ferguson, and he buried his shot beyond the outstretched hand of the Fulham keeper, into the bottom right corner of the goal.

"Words can't describe how relieved I am to finally have that win under our belts." gushed Jamie Mellor after the final whistle, "I've felt for a few weeks now, that maybe we haven't been getting the results our performances have deserved, but today everything finally clicked for us. The lads who've come into the team today have all performed really well. Wayne's also had a brilliant match. Their defenders really didn't seem to know what to do with him, and he's a handful for anyone when he's in that sort of mood."

The Everton boss will now only wish that he and his side did not have to wait two weeks for their next match, after this morale-boosting victory.



Sat 11th Oct

England today fought out a 0-0 draw with Turkey in Istanbul, thus qualifying for the Euro 2004 Finals in Portugal over the summer. Liverpool's Chris Kirkland starred in goal for England, keeping the home side at bay as they pounded the visitors' goal towards the end of the match.



Sat 18th Oct

Thankfully, all my players had arrived back from international duty free of injury, and I had a full squad to choose from for today's vital match against Leicester. I decided to keep the same starting line-up that had performed so well against Fulham two weeks ago - telling them to simply do the same again.


FA Barclaycard Premiership

Everton 3 - 0 Leicester

Starting XI
Wright, Hibbert, Naysmith, Stubbs, Yobo
McFadden, Kilbane, Davis, Arteta
Rooney, Ferguson (c)

A second 3-0 victory in two games for Everton had the home fans in raptures, as they and the team finally look to put their horrendous start to the season behind them.

After 33mins, Wayne Rooney had the Goodison crowd on their feet as he scored a wondergoal to bring back memories of last season when Everton occupied a loftier position in the Premiership table. Rooney received the ball from Arteta just inside the Leicester half, and set of on a run. He beat 3 members of the Foxes' defensive line, before lofting the ball delicately over the onrushing Ian Walker from the edge of the box.

The game tightened up from there on in, until the 73rd minute, when Rooney turned provider, laying the ball on for the substitute Daniel Braathen, who beat Walker from 8 yards as the keeper came out to narrow the angle. Sean Davis capped an accomplished performance from Everton in the final minute of the match, when, responding to a thru ball from Yobo, Walker rushed from his area, to beat Rooney to a header. Unfortunately for the some-time England man, the ball only fell to Davis, who drilled home from 35 yards, past the stranded goalkeeper.

A delighted Jamie Mellor had this to say: "I'm very pleased for all the lads today. They worked very hard for the result, and thoroughly deserved the victory. Obviously it was a piece of sheer brilliance from Wayne that got us on our way today, but that's the sort of thing he can bring to the side. I'd also like to say a word about Richard Wright. He hasn't put a foot wrong since coming back from what was a very serious, even career threatening injury. Today he was again excellent - especially during the period after our first goal, when Leicester were really threatening to get back into the match."