Pickford takes top playing honours at 'Dixies'

Tuesday, 1 May, 2018 48comments  |  Jump to most recent

Jordan Pickford picked up the two biggest prizes at Everton's end-of-season awards this evening after being named Young Player and Players' Player of the Season.

Defender Morgan Feeney was named Under-23 Player of the Season while Wayne Rooney won for Performance of the Season for his hat-trick against West Ham at Goodison Park in November and Goal of the Season for the third goal in that game.

The People's Club award went to Seamus Coleman, Phil Jagielka and Leighton Baines received the Howard Kendall award, while the Chairman's Blueblood award went to Tom Evans, the father of young Alfie who passed away at Alder Hey Hospital a few days ago.

Mick Lyons introduced the latest player to be inducted as an Everton Giant, 1980s striking legend Adrian Heath. Joe Royle was presented with the inaugural Lifetime Achievement award.

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Angharad James was named Everton Ladies Player of the Season.

Pickford, who was also voted Players' Player of the Season by his team mates, was rewarded for being, by some distance, the outstanding performer in an otherwise disappointing season. The 24-year-old arrived from Sunderland last summer in a deal that will ultimately be worth £30m and quickly established himself as a fan favourite with some impressive early performances.

His form during a difficult period earned him the attention of England manager Gareth Southgate and he is the favoured candidate to start this summer's World Cup as his country' first-choice ‘keeper.

Pickford: "I've enjoyed my first season here and it's great to win this award at the end of it,” he said as he collected his Young Player of the Season award.

 

Reader Comments (48)

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Mike Jones
1 Posted 01/05/2018 at 22:05:06
No other player was nominated in either category.
George McKane
2 Posted 01/05/2018 at 22:05:11
More importantly, Dan El Magnifico, who I have mentioned many times in posts, won Fan of the Year... Well in, Dan — what a wonderful young man.
Steve Ferns
3 Posted 01/05/2018 at 22:18:37
They should have cancelled those embarrassing awards.
Tony Everan
4 Posted 01/05/2018 at 22:19:21
Well done to Jordan, he deserves some recognition for holding it together during a shockingly difficult first season. A very professional attitude for a young goalie, the lad has a great mental strength.

We have made a good few mistakes in the transfer market last year but at least Jordan was a bargain.

Dick Fearon
5 Posted 01/05/2018 at 22:28:28
There would be a growing list of nominations for Manager of the year
Minik Hansen
6 Posted 01/05/2018 at 22:28:44
Rooney's goal is definetely one of the highlights. Will live long in manys memory. COYB.
Ken Kneale
7 Posted 01/05/2018 at 22:29:17
I wrote to the club some weeks back to register incredulation this sham was going ahead given the paucity of performance and effort on display. I have no axe with Pickford but to stage this pantomime is shameful in my view.
Barry Thompson
8 Posted 01/05/2018 at 22:30:44
Allardyce won the Bazooka Joe award for blowing the biggest chewy bubble.
Gerard Carey
9 Posted 01/05/2018 at 22:36:20
Can't believe Morgan didn't get an award.
Ken Kneale
10 Posted 01/05/2018 at 22:39:31
Gerard, the club applied to have a statue of him in the middle of the pitch then realised they did not need it under planning laws for two 90-minute public viewings a month.
Jack Convery
11 Posted 01/05/2018 at 23:14:54
Well done to the winners particularly Pickford. However this is a ridiculous ceremony given the gobshite of a season we the supporters have suffered. FFS Efc get your act together you really have become the most embarassing Club in the EPL bar none.

Other awards were

Invisible Man Award - Klassen.
Absent Friend Award = Lookman.
Should Have Gone To Spec Savers Award - Walsh
Ego of the Season - Mirallas
Nothing to do with me - Ferguson
Square Peg In Round Hole - Martina
Can;t be arsed - Sliderin
Boy Doing A mans job - JJ Kenny ( thats a serious one )
Me and I - FS

there are others but I'm sure you can all make them up for yourselves.

Apparently the evening ended with FS doing Right Said Freds I'm too Sexy for EFC.

Jay Wood
[BRZ]

12 Posted 01/05/2018 at 23:23:38
Well done JP. Thoroughly deserved

Delighted for the young man.

Lots more to come from him yet.

John Raftery
13 Posted 01/05/2018 at 23:28:47
Gerard (9) Morgan did get an award. Morgan Feeney won Under 23 Player of the Year.
Bill Watson
14 Posted 01/05/2018 at 23:33:46
Dick (#5),

That made me laugh and perfectly sums up this shambles of a season.

Steve: I agree this event was a complete embarrassment and shouldn't have gone ahead.
Nevertheless, it did and the only serious contender for Player of the Year won it, so congratulations to Pickford.

I spent last week scanning ToffeeWeb every few hours in the hope of reading Allardyce had been dispensed with but now the hope is he has just the final two games left.

This club sucks the energy and enthusiasm out of you!


Gareth Clark
15 Posted 01/05/2018 at 23:46:08
CONGRATS TO PICKFORD - well deserved, great player, great character & attitude & confidence.

Calvert-Lewin should have been in for a shout for Young Player of the Year.

Gueye has had another consistent season, especially with the confidence drop of the team.

Sigurdsson was the only one really competing with Pickford, until his injury.

Coleman was a huge influence on his return, so too Baines. Jags deserves a mention too for great end to the season.

Niasse should’ve won an “impact player of the year” award. He’s been so good in his limited time. He might not be technical or neat, but he gets he job done & has the best attitude on the park.

Walcott has also had a huge influence since his arrival.

Ernie Baywood
16 Posted 01/05/2018 at 23:51:10
It's easy to forget that besides being their employer, it's also a sports team. Sports teams bond, they recognise performance even in a shit year. Maybe especially in a shit year.

Jordan deserves his awards. A great confidence boost in a position where confidence is huge.

I might change my mind on awards if Sam gets manager of the month though.

James Hopper
17 Posted 02/05/2018 at 00:25:14
Clearly Pickford was the only sensible choice but I think it’s only fair to mention Walcott too. His pace, vision, touch and intelligence has are unique in this Everton side. He’s been great since he came in. I still can’t believe we got him tbh.
Mike Gaynes
18 Posted 02/05/2018 at 06:31:55
Recognizing those who have made special contributions is important to the club and the players, and I'm glad the awards went forward, if for no other reason than saluting Picks for his brilliance.

It hasn't been a good season, but without that young man, it would have been a whole lot worse. I'll be proud to cheer him on at the World Cup.

Paul Birmingham
20 Posted 02/05/2018 at 08:27:48
Well done JP and well deserved. It’s been a torrid first season bu5 he stands proud. If only the rest had been more focussed and put regular shifts in.

Let’s see what happens after West Ham, but hopefully there’s another x2 wins to be made.

I’m sensing there will be no changes on the coaching staff..

Martin Nicholls
21 Posted 02/05/2018 at 08:31:19
Great comment from Inchy about name on front of shirt being more important than the one on the back of it. Many of today's footballing prima donna's should take note!
Mark Wilson
22 Posted 02/05/2018 at 08:46:30
The Dixie’s and the utterances of the last few days are, even by our standards, bizare.

Almost every sports media outlet in the country has it that the club is urgently searching for a new manager, indeed “close” to appointing one. So again, even by our standards the Moshiri row back from his unspoken support for Allardyce staying, albeit delivered by the manager himself, would be both ruthless in the extreme and although clearly popular, a bit embarrassing. Why go to such lengths to meet him in London and give him another season ? Unless Sam has made it all up ? Meanwhile any managerial targets seem busy distancing themselves from the non vacancy at the club. Maybe all inside the club know Sam and team are off to West Brom?

Then there are the rumours about Bill Kenwright’s departure who to be honest has allowed himself to be over influenced by the whole Tom Evans situation. Alfie’s parents did what they did for their boy, which is what you’d expect up to a point, fair enough, and the lads death is so sad. But what went on at Alder Hey and the treatment of some incredibly dedicated professionals leaves a very bad taste in the mouth as far as I’m concerned and I don’t think drawing further attention to the situation with a “Dixie” award was the right thing to do. Meanwhile, is Bill leaving ? The words again suggest no.

The much maligned and in my personal view poorly treated by the fans Robert Elstone looks set to leave, butvwhy the silence ? Why not announce it and be done? What’s the reason for the secrecy or is that too more nonsense ?

Is Brands on his way ? Is Walsh staying ? Do we have a right to know ? Sigh. I understand there’s a raft of complexity around such an appointment but frankly if Walsh stays then that qualifies as bizare as the utter failure of the clubs transfer Mgt.

In a very poor year Pickford stood out of course. But how Bill can announce that Sandro and Klassen are being given another chance and at the same time suggest Keane did well is beyond me. Keane has, thsnks to an excellent end of season showing by Jags, taken a breath and picked up, a bit. Just enough to suggest that he could stay, but only as a third centre back joining not one but two new, quality, experienced defenders. Sandro started ok on his loan but I see he’s struggled again and now even the idiot who bought him has come clean on the disasterous mess that is poor Davy Klassen. I would love them both to come good next season but these words from the Chairman feel more about the fact that nobody will pay anything like their purchase price in the summer, than us being canny.

All a bit weird, bizare Everton but then we are apparently the most depressing team to support. Normally I’d laugh that off but being honest, it really feels that way right now.

Kevin Tully
23 Posted 02/05/2018 at 11:02:04
A good post, Mark. If anyone thinks Bill will ever leave leave this club, I think they're very much mistaken. The man has an ego the size of Jupiter, and he cannot step away from the fame that being Chairman of EFC affords him;

"One night, I had a show opening at the Haymarket and I sat in the back stalls, listening to Bolton v Tottenham on my Walkman. That season, I felt 33,000 pairs of eyes turning on me whenever Tony Cottee missed a goal. I want 33,000 pairs of eyes turning on me and saying 'What a great bloke'. I want to be a hero here."

Christopher Timmins
24 Posted 02/05/2018 at 11:46:10
It would have been a fitting setting for Bill to say goodbye! Well done to all the winners on the night, hopefully next year we will have more reason to tune into them.
Bill Gienapp
25 Posted 02/05/2018 at 12:28:12
Kind of amazing there's literally no one else you could even make a case for for Player of the Season. You might have for Rooney, around the midpoint, when he was at least on pace for a 20-goal season, but obviously he's faded badly over the second half.
Brian Williams
26 Posted 02/05/2018 at 12:45:10
To put things into perspective (maybe) David De Gea won Man Utd's player of the year award and has done for four out the last five years.
Dave Abrahams
27 Posted 02/05/2018 at 13:16:41
By yesterday morning they couldn't give the tickets away to watch this sorry affair.
Paul Birmingham
28 Posted 02/05/2018 at 13:51:37
Mark @22, very well summed up. It’s like the U.K. weather, being an EFC supporter. It’s generally crap and unpredictable.

We only know and fear the worst as is second nature after decades of neglect, decline and bullshit. I don’t see anything changing with this board. It looks like another mirage...

It would be nice to think all was well but it ain’t, it’s rank at the moment.

Craig Walker
29 Posted 02/05/2018 at 13:53:33
These awards are so cringeworthy. Bill tries to bring a tear to a glass eye and take centre stage. No club does sentiment like Everton. Players who have underperformed all season on mighty wages start posing for selfies like they're movie stars deserving of the adulation. Meanwhile, our neighbours across the park are preparing for a Champions League semi-final with a 3 goal advantage: two good results away from being champions of Europe for a 6th time. Whereas our lads are looking forward to a lap of honour at the weekend and are only two games away from a luxury holiday somewhere.
Jim Bennings
30 Posted 02/05/2018 at 14:03:02
Paul 28#

I wouldn’t really even call us unpredictable, crap yes but unpredictable no!

I could have predicted last summer that Everton wouldn’t win a derby home or away and wouldn’t beat any of the top 6 away from home ( something you can quite confidently predict at the start of every season and virtually always get right).

Unpredictable would have been supporting Leicester in say 2016 or to lesser examples a club like Bournemouth who are generally finishing in crap league positions but then go and win 3-0 at Chelsea .

For me one of the blandest boring things about supporting Everton over this last decade or more is how predictable we have actually become.

Lawrence Green
31 Posted 02/05/2018 at 14:05:55
Who needs silverware when we have the 'Dixies' to look forward to every year? Every year we think that Everton FC and its board are starting to show the same ambition that the fans crave, but it never happens.

It's also good to be informed that Wayne took a substantial pay-cut for the privilege of playing for his boyhood club and that many of the bad signings the club paid an extortianate amount for last summer, will remain on the gravy train for another twelve months. Thanks for that Bill, where would be without you and your theatrical overseeing of Everton FC?

Mike Gaynes
32 Posted 02/05/2018 at 14:06:31
Kev #23, that's a quote from 1998. A whole lot can change in 20 years, especially when you're 72 and in ill health. Definitely puts a dent in the ego.

Besides, didn't you note just yesterday that the agreement keeping Bill on as chairman expires in August? That seems to me to be much more significant than whether he departs the club entirely.

Andy Codling
33 Posted 02/05/2018 at 14:08:12
Who in their right mind would attend this bollocks?
Kevin Tully
34 Posted 02/05/2018 at 14:56:35
I doubt Bill's ego could ever be dented, Mike. The man has no shame, he still loves to be in front of a camera.

Whether the story about his agreement with Moshiri to move aside after two years has any truth to it, who knows? Even if it were true, I'm sure Bill could convince Moshiri he's still the best man for the job.

He stated publicly last night that no players who have recently signed would be leaving; that doesn't exactly give me any hope he's going to take a back seat anytime soon:

“I am part of the team that brings them in and gives them the Everton talk and all of those players, every single one of them who signed for us last summer, were determined, determined to wear that blue jersey with pride and become, hopefully, legendary Evertonians."


Mike Gaynes
35 Posted 02/05/2018 at 16:10:22
Could be, Kevin, you know a lot more about Bill than I do. But I don't think Moshiri got where he is today by being a poor judge of others' ability -- or by being easily persuaded. I fully expect Moshiri to take full control of his operation, and to appoint a new topkick who isn't Bill.

Regarding the truth of the August agreement, I researched my media databases after you brought it up yesterday, and I found so many media outlets that have stated it as fact (no qualifiers like "reportedly"), that I feel confident it's true.

Tony Abrahams
36 Posted 02/05/2018 at 16:20:46
That's fair enough Mike, but August just seems very bizarre, because it's the start of the season. Maybe he's gonna go out with a testimonial!? but people usually leave at the end, rather than at the beginning of a football season, unless it's been pushed back a bit, because of how bad this season has been?

Paul Brown
37 Posted 02/05/2018 at 16:33:56
Would you be arsed with all this?

After tonight the devil's club will probably be in there 8th European Cup final, that's the reality of where we are at, and we have a gobshite of a chairman latching on to the Alfie Evans story – how the father wanted him to be Rooney... You couldn't make this shit up.

Paul Birmingham
38 Posted 02/05/2018 at 17:20:41
Jim, I get your view all I'm saying is at Board level, there is no notion of any plan, direction for the club. The playing side is and has been garbage for Years, and I've no expectations any more of seeing a decent game for 90 minutes and for decades the mediocrity has festered. The board take no ownership and responsibility and on face value in my book, they have no respect and don't care about the suffering of Everton fans. Made worse in view of the masquerade of togetherness and happy families at The DIxies.

Sad to say that the shadow of the RS is greater now than for some time. But at the end of the day all we want is to see EFC set up in the right way, and what happens in the boardroom would reflect outcomes on the pitch and any stadium plans.

I've said 'rank' and it is the pits... The media published fans survey undertaken about the worst teams to follow may be wrong ranking EFC at 10th.

The definitions of this survey I don't know, but it could be it's worse than that, and it feels worse.

Paul Birmingham
39 Posted 02/05/2018 at 17:27:16
Also I meant to say, it seems that any war kitty will be subject to generating cash via sales of squad players.
Any players we sell on, like Pennington, Schneider etc Bolasie, will be at minimum price and at loss to the initial purchase.

Let’s hope this isn’t the case but if so, then, I think the current manager and his team is here for next season.

Mike Gaynes
41 Posted 02/05/2018 at 20:37:21
Tony #36, beats me. I have no idea how any of that figures in. I would doubt that this season's problems had anything to do with it, because the Moshiri acquisition deal was closed in February 2016. I have no clue why the agreement specified August 2018 as the Kenwright transition date.

However, I would be very, very surprised if Moshiri waited until August to make whatever moves he plans. As I've predicted here before, I think it all starts with Sam's sacking a week from Monday.

Andy Meighan
42 Posted 02/05/2018 at 22:14:48
"Dixies"? — Only one gobshite could come up with a name like that for an awards "ceremony". No wonder we are a laughing stock in this city. It's getting to the point were I'm asked if I'm blue or red, I just say "Oh, I don't bother with football, never have done." Saves the patronising comments from you know who.
Ernie Baywood
43 Posted 03/05/2018 at 02:04:14
Paul (#37). I agree regarding the Evans award. We all have our opinions on what happened there but, regardless, the club latching onto it in this way is just so crass.

I'm usually pretty proud of the amazing things we do and recognise from our community. This wasn't needed.

Geoff Lambert
44 Posted 03/05/2018 at 07:18:58
Ernie (#43), "crass, latching on"?

The little mite is lying there in his Everton top fighting for his life, Maybe it would have been better if his Dad had put a Sunderland or RS top on him!!!!

Andrew Ellams
45 Posted 03/05/2018 at 08:39:55
Paul Birmingham, the RS are probably going to finish in the same place as last season with less points, we are probably going to drop one place with less points. Champions League run aside, and it hasn't exactly been the toughest in history they are all media hype.
Ian Pilkington
46 Posted 03/05/2018 at 08:44:21
Ernie's use of the word “crass” perfectly sums up the whole ceremony, orchestrated by the man who has shamefully presided over our great club for 20 miserable years. The very title of the event insults the name of our greatest ever player.

By far the biggest mistake Mr Moshiri made since becoming majority shareholder was to allow Kenwright to remain as Chairman; even if Allardyce departs in the next week or so, we can expect no revival in the fortunes of our club with the wretched Blue Bill still in a position of power.

Tony Marsh
47 Posted 03/05/2018 at 09:00:42
I think the reason Bill Kenwright christened this award ceremony, The Dixies" is probably because EFC have only really ever had 2 proper legends in the clubs history. Bill could hardly call the awards "The Balls" could he?

Every couple of seasons, them lot across the park seem to unearth a player who slots right in to their ethos , their DNA, and becomes a legendary figure with a trophy held aloft. Sad as it is Alan Ball was the last trophy-winning proper legend we had at Everyone. The 1980s team were fantastic but hardly legends.

Dave Newton
48 Posted 03/05/2018 at 12:59:49
Ernie @ 16 - "It's also a sports team. Sports teams bond". Not this group of wasters! West Brom's players looked more concerned about McCarthy's injury than his so-called team-mates.
Jeff Hough
49 Posted 03/05/2018 at 22:09:44
Geoff at 44.
I guarantee that Alfie wasn't the only 'little mite' fighting for his life at Alder Hey over the past few months.
But I'll bet the dedicated staff there didn't care what colour football top those kids wore, they just did all they could to help them.

Meanwhile the low life who abused those same staff, as well as the parents of other kids, inflated a bouncy castle outside a fucking kid's hospital for their own feral brood while smoking weed and getting pissed on cider.

Now that's crass!

Steve Ferns
50 Posted 03/05/2018 at 22:29:27
Tony, Big Nev was a superstar wasn’t he? Surely you’d class him as a legend.

I get the others were not at the superstar level, but Big Nev was a legend if ever I saw one.

And going back to between Dean and Ball, what about Tommy Lawton, he’s a Bona Fide legend, and he won the league here before achieving more plaudits for arsenal.


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