ToffeeWeb Season Diary
Season 2008-09
 2007-08 |
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March 2009
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News Headlines & Features Vaughan starts for the ReservesHis knee fully healed, striker plays 68 mins 4 Mar - The good news from Goodison Park is that James Vaughan is finally fit again after another long injury lay-off, this time with torn knee ligaments sustained last November. His surgery was a great success and Vaughan is apparently kicking as strongly and as well as ever. He run out against Sunderland Reserves tonight after being back in full training for the past couple of weeks and played 68 minutes as the Blues' second string held the Black Cats to a 0-0 draw. Everton trio on the bench England 4 - 0 Slovakia 28 Mar - Ah... the glory, the honour... three Everton players playing for England... Or more likely: — you guessed it, sitting on the bench. Messers Lescott, Jagielka and Baines are all named as substitutes by Fabio Capello for an England friendly against Slovakia at glorious Wembley Stadium, where the score is 1-0 after an early goal from Emile Heskey, two substitutions already, and three more at half-time... and only six allowed. You do the maths!!! Last Sub: Carrick (after a rather crisp headed goal from a certain Wayne Rooney); no debut for Leighton Baines, one of only three outfield subs not used... all Everton players.
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Snippets & Rumours Cahill faces fitness test31 Mar - Tim Cahill is in Australia and has been training with the Socceroos but coach Pim Verbeek is uncertain about his fitness level and won't say how much (if any) of Wednesday's game against Uzbekistan our Tiny Tim will be asked to play in Sydney. Yak to see French specialist 31 Mar - Yakubu is expected to visit a top specialist in France as he nears the end of his rehabilitation after he ruptured his Achilles tendon earlier this season. Tranmere Rovers 0 - 3 Everton XI 30 Mar - An Everton side made up mostly of Call for Stadium Debate 27 Mar - KEIOC are doing their best to keep the Kirkby argument alive through the many long months Everton must wait for a decision from the Public Inquiry. The opposition group are calling for a Question Time-style debate to provide answers on issues of concern raised at the Inquiry. The 80s midfield 26 Mar - Here's a great article about Everton's fantastic midfield of the 1980s. Everton Res 2 - 0 Wigan Res 24 Mar - Everton Reserves’ nine-game run without a win in the FA Premier Reserve League Northern Section ended as they beat Wigan Athletic 2-0 at the Halton Stadium with goals from Kieran Agard and Karl Sheppard — in his first game at this level. Moyes on Money, 4th & Boys... 22 Mar - David Moyes was a guest on Sky TV's Goals on Sunday where he talked about money and how it does/doesn't make a difference... the chase for 4th... and too many foreign imports preventing English boys from getting a chance. Aussies confident on Tim 22 Mar - The Socceroos seem very confident that Tim Cahill's calf strain, which kept him out of yesterday's defeat at Portsmouth, will not prevent him from flying half-way round the world... and playing in their World Cup qualifier against Uzbekistan a week on Wednesday. Baines on standby for England 21 Mar - Leighton Baines' recent form has been recognised by Fabio Capello who has named the left back in a provisional 30-man squad for the upcoming internationals against Ukraine and Slovakia along with Phil Jagielka and Joleon Lescott. Jack Rodwell, meanwhile, has been called up to the U-21 squad. Goals on Sunday 20 Mar - We understand that David Moyes could be appearing on Sky TV's Goals on Sunday this weekend... let's hope he has plenty of Everton goals to talk about! Turner to Forest on loan 19 Mar - Iain Turner has gone on loan to Nottingham Forest for the rest of the season. Third in line after Carlo Nash, he has been splitting duty in the Reserves goal and is likely in need of a bit of decent competitive football. Hughes has hopes for Jô at City 18 Mar - Mark Hughes expects Jô to return to Eastlands a better player once his loan spell at Everton finishes in May. "What the lad needs is Premier League football," the Manchester City boss said as he dampened speculation that the Brazilian may join the Blues permanently in the summer. Ruleteros go joint top in Group 6 17 Mar - CD Everton went joint top of Group 6 with Chivas of Mexico in the Copa Libertadores thanks to an injury-time goal by Jose Munoz that helped the Ruleteros to a 2-1 win over Lanus of Argentina. Next up is a trip to Caracas in Venezuela next month. Jags to join high earners 17 Mar - Phil Jagielka is to be rewarded for his stirling efforts this season with an improved contract according to reports. The defender's current term still has three years to run but The Mirror reports that he could be offered a bumper pay rise of £15,000 above his current £25,000 salary. Politicians call for Wembley re-think 17 Mar - Sir Richard Leese, the leader of Manchester City Council and Joe Anderson, the Labour Party leader on Liverpool City Council, have written to FA Chairman Lord David Triesman in an effort to effect a change of venue for next month's FA Cup semi-final between Everton and Manchester United. Both sets of fans will be asked to travel down to Wembley on a Sunday and the councillors question why a neutral ground in the northwest couldn't be used. Vaughan nears end of recovery 17 Mar - James Vaughan could return to training at the end of this month after recovering from surgery on a knee injury that has wrecked his season thus far. David Moyes is typically cautious, saying that if all goes well, he may be able to call on the 20 year-old striker for a few games before the end of the season in May. Cahill substituted as a precaution 16 Mar - David Moyes has confirmed that Tim Cahill was withdrawn at half-time against Stoke as a precaution after the Australian suffered a slight calf strain in the first half. Further delay in Kirkby decision 16 Mar - Initially set for June, the Secretary of State's decision on the Destination Kirkby scheme is now not expected until 27th November, ending Everton FC's hopes of starting the 2011/12 season in the proposed new stadium. Blue sites flying the flag 16 Mar - ToffeeWeb and BlueKipper have been shortlisted with eight other sites for the Best Online Fanzine in the second annual Football Fanzine Awards, Everton being the only club to boast more than one finalist in the category. Columnist Joe Jennings is up for Best Writer. Zidane could grace Goodison 16 Mar - Zinedine Zidane is one of a host of top players and celebrities who it is hoped will grace Goodison in the first game of a three-match event labelled CAUSE — Children's Aid Using Soccer Events — on 23rd May. Gary Dunne's funeral arrangements 15 Mar - Three years after he was brutally murdered on the Costa del Sol, Evertonian and father Gary Dunne will finally be laid to rest this month. Fans are welcome to join the funeral party on March 20th starting at 12pm as it travels from West Derby to Goodison Park and on to Liverpool Anglican Cathedral. Motty's impressed 14 Mar - If he's anything like most old codgers, John Motson, BBC's Voice of Football is not easily impressed... so a brief compliment to Everton this season, buried in this University of York Student Website article, is something of a gem. Moyes still “motivated to succeed” 13 Mar - A nice piece over at the BBC marking David Moyes's seven years in charge at Goodison and how he remains determined to push on after stabilizing Everton as a top-six club. Police extend apology to Anichebe 12 Mar - Cheshire police have apologised to Victor Anichebe after he and a friend were challenged by officers for looking in a jeweller's shop window, an incident that the 20-year-old described as "totally humiliating." Police said they were "acting after a spate of robberies" in the Knutsford area but admitted that their reaction, which included trying to grab the injured striker's crutches to prevent him "escaping", was "less than proportionate." CD Everton 1 - 1 Lanus 11 Mar - CD Everton of Chile and Lanus of Argentina finished 1-1 in Group 6 of the Copa Libertadores on Wednesday. Lanus took the lead with a goal from Diego Gonzalez in the dying seconds of the first half, but Everton replied with a penalty by Argentine striker Ezequiel Miralles eight minutes after the restart. Sunday at Wembley 11 Mar - The official website has confirmed that Everton will play Man Utd at Wembley on Sunday 19 April with a 4pm kick-off and the game will be shown live on ITV in the UK. Welsh wonders lead Margate 10 Mar - Watch this BBC video of Neville Southall and Terry Yorath providing their unique style of football coaching to Margate in the Ryman League. Moyes inspires Everton renaissance 9 Mar - An article on David Moyes summarizing the positives of his seven-year reign at Goodison Park. Wembley only for the FInal 9 Mar - David Moyes has spoken out over the use of Wembley as host stadium for the FA Cup semi-finals. "It's great to be in the semis but I'd prefer the match was away from Wembley. I don't think anyone likes it. Wembley should only be used for the final." Times Top 50 Everton Players 9 Mar - It's Everton's turn to get the Top 50 treatment over at The Times. No prizes for guessing who is number 1 but see what you think of the rest of their selection. Limpar above Cahill? Rooney above Arteta? The debate could run and run... Players needed half-time roasting 8 Mar - David Moyes has talked of how Steve Round beat him into the dressing room at half-time against Boro to give the players a right royal dressing down after their dreadful first-half performance in the FA Cup quarter-final. Anichebe out until next season 5 Mar - Victor Anichebe has become the latest player to be ruled out for the remainder of the campaign, joining Yakubu and Mikel Arteta on the long-term injury list. The Nigerian international will undergo surgery on knee ligament damage that was a direct result of the horror lunge perpetrated by Keith Nolan last weekend at Newcastle. Baxter signs professional contract 4 Mar - Hot Academy prospect Jose Baxter, who has already made four appearances at first-team level, has signed a 2½-year professional contract with Everton, tying him to Goodison Park until June 2011. A bit rich from Big Sam 4 Mar - Sam Allardyce made his name at Bolton for his team's uncompromisingly physical style but he isn't letting that reputation stop him from inviting the match referee to keep a close eye on Tim Cahill "playing the man before the ball" when Everton meet Blackburn at Ewood Park this evening. Arteta operation a success 3 Mar - Mikel Arteta underwent surgery in Spain today to reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee and Matt Connery, one of the Club physios, reports back that the surgeon feels the operation "couldn’t have gone any better." The player himself is in "very good spirits" and preliminary estimates suggest a recovery period of around six months. JP Kissock returns 3 Mar - John Paul Kissock has returned from a month-long loan spell with Accrington Stanley, where he played five games in League 2. Across the Park 3 Mar - A new book Across the Park, by Peter Lupson, head of English at Kingsmead School in Hoylake, charts the historic links between Everton and Liverpool, starting from Everton's origins in St Domingo Chapel. Golden Vision on SportBlog 2 Mar - The Golden Vision, Ken Loach's BBC Play for Today film from 1968 about Alex Young and his adoring Everton fans, is lovingly reviewed by Martin Kelner in his SportBreak blog at The Guardian. Jacobsen eager for playing time 2 Mar - Now that he has recovered from a dislocated shoulder, Lars Jacobsen is hoping to get some first-team playing time but he has been an unused substitute in recent matches and still awaits his debut. Injury to Tony Hibbert may usher in the chance for the Dane before the end of the season; if not, he says he will be forced to look elsewhere for regular action. Wellington discussing Everton friendly 2 Mar - The Wellington Phoenix have emerged as potential opposition for Everton on their proposed tour of Australasia this summer, but whether the friendly will come to fruition will come down the financial viability of the game for the New Zealand club. Clubs in Sydney and Melbourne in Australia are also interested after Everton agreed to play Perth Glory if they could secure at least one more match Down Under to justify the long haul. Hibbert now injured 2 Mar - Tony Hibbert is the latest injury worry after coming off in the first half against WBA with an injury "out of the blue" — he has a thigh strain and may miss the next couple of matches. Anichebe out for at least 3-4 weeks 1 Mar - Victor Anichebe faces at least three to four weeks out with lateral knee ligament damage thanks to Kevin Nolan's ugly tackle in the goalless draw at Newcastle the weekend before last. The swelling in his leg is still preventing a full diagnosis of the extent of the injury and he could yet be ruled out for the remainder of the campaign. |
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