Davies opts to leave Everton as a free agent

Not that far from the fashion centre of Milan…

Took a high level of stick that should have been reserved for some of the pathetic senior pros in squads since he broke through under Koeman.

Probably lacked the physicality needed for the Premier League, so could prosper if he does go to Italy.

Although he hasn't kicked on in the way we all hoped he would, he leaves yet another gap in the squad to be filled. Let's hope the idiots who run our club will sort themselves out sooner rather than later.

If Iwobi goes next, this could be the beginning of a decent(ish) window.

Kenwright Out!!

Seems like a lovely lad. Best of luck, Tom. 💙

Now all we need to do is look to replace some of these players with better ones… shouldn't be too hard, right?

I'm sorry to see him go and there'll be a few on here whose contributions will now halve until they find a new whipping boy.

Wishing him nothing but the best of success.

Hard to know if he could've cut it with a consistent manager and better players around him, or what his best position is, but regardless he seems a helluva teammate and community member and a model pro.

It's also particularly sad for me because that Man City game was the one that made me a Blue forever. I'll never forget his arrival on the biggest stage.

Hopefully he finds the right level and can contribute wherever he ends up next.

I really hope he can get his footballing career back on track wherever he ends up. Best of luck, Tom.

Let's hope a move will get him back on track to becoming a better-than-average midfielder.

Good luck, Tom.

The others in contention cost big money so they got the nod ahead of him but most of those were letdowns themselves.

Good luck to the lad.

If you were a good footballer against Man City in your first game, then you've got it in you to be so again. Have a great career lad.

The goal, against Man City, will be remembered for a long time to come as will your work in the community. Good luck.

Didn't deserve all the flak on here, why is it the locals get a tougher time, remember Barkley? He's still only 24, I would love to see him having a good career.

How he earned a living for so long at the top flight is a mystery.

So his decision to call it a day here to find a club that will give him a fair crack of the whip and let him play football is a brave one. Better than him just hanging around for a wage is right. You never know he could just find something that we missed.

I truly hope it works out for him. Good luck lad.

But, I wish him nothing but good luck as he's obviously a nice guy and he does have some ability. The Italian game might suit him perfectly. All the best, lad.

What's worrying is that, for a variety of reasons, we can neither attract good players (players chose Spurs, Bournemouth, Southampton and even Forest above us in January) nor can we keep them (Gordon, Davies, Thierry Small, Issac Price).

Moshiri's reign has been as bad as if he'd done this deliberately as an industrial terrorist.

However, I understand and respect him wanting more regular game time, so I hope his future career works out well for him.

I personally wouldn't mind seeing the likes of Branthwaite, Cannon and Warrington given plenty of minutes.

Hopefully you will find your level, and find luck with injures and consistent form. All the Best.

This deal is for the best for all involved and I very much doubt it will come back to haunt us.

We are going to lose a solid squad option and it will cost us to replace him – which is the last thing we need.

Respect to him for going and getting game time. Can't help but feel that loveable lot would have gotten a fair bit of cash if he played for them! Good luck, Tom.

A great ambassador for the club. Never a bad word against anybody that I can recall. Well-paid, as a Premier League player, but unspoilt and a gentleman.

At WBA, you went out of your way to go and find a pen when mine ran out after I'd asked you for an autograph. If only there were more like you.

Will we bring enough cover for the departing players is the question? Like always, we leave ourselves short. No doubt it will become even shorter come 1 September.

Why wasn't he offered a better deal? Well, because he's not good enough, even apparently not good enough for a squad player.

Hope it doesn't end up biting us in the backside.

If he sought assurances that he'd get regular first-team football, it's no wonder he's going. You have to earn it.

Any player who can feature in top class football, as in the case of Tom Davies, can certainly play football. Maybe not so well as some of his team-mates but a whole lot better than the people who rip him to pieces.

Down the years, I have witnessed many players who I didn't consider good enough, but I've never booed an Everton player. I have always believed that even the poorest players, and I have seen one two in that category, are infinitely better than me.

I may have expressed my disappointment, but I've done what supporters are supposed to do, I've supported them.

Like most of the squad…
Holgate, Keane, Iwobi…
Crap!

Credit to him for getting away for some proper game time. I would have like to have seen how he fared with a good Championship club.

I thought he gave the best he could for us, so good luck to him wherever he lands.

Always put a shift in, no matter his limitations; I hope he gets a decent gig elsewhere. I imagine he'll be decent in a mid-Championship team. Albeit Forest may sign another 50 players…

Another £40M expenditure was for taxis for managers and their staff. What an accountant.

Words of wisdom (as usual).

I found the criticism of him very unfair, and am convinced that it was much of the reason he never did develop. This was summed up to me by the pass he made to Yerry Mina against Man Utd instead of shooting himself. A player who had become more fearful of the ridicule he would get if he didn't score is sadly a liability to himself and the team.

He seems like a very decent lad, and I hope he regains his confidence and spark and goes on to be very successful in Italy and gets the crowd to love him.

Thanks for this comment. Made me laugh.

'His goal against City is a master class in mis-control and falling over.'

Assume you meant the one from the 4-nil win over Man City.
Gave me an opportunity to see it again just see his mis-control and falling over.

We all have different views of the game.

Stones blocked him off/pushed him over. Funnily enough, Tom gets back up. Most players would stay down these days. Perhaps slight mis-control but hey ho, it went in.

Good luck, he'll do okay in a forward-thinking side.

Good luck, Tom.

The squad was paper thin last season and we've lost about six players in a couple of weeks. We have to get the MSP deal sorted and get players in ASAP or we're in bigger trouble than the last two seasons.

You'd assume they had targets ready to go as soon as the investment drops but you never know with this lot.

We wanted to clear the decks. We're getting just that. Careful what you wish for maybe?

14 bodies - I think Mr Thelwell deserves his bonus.

That leaves 16 plus Dele Alli who you might describe as seasoned pros plus Branthwaite and Simms who have played more than 90 minutes. Hope we don't get too many injuries.

I wish Tom Davies well and will follow his career with interest, and it wouldn't surprise me if he really improves, but I think a lot will depend on where he goes.

If we'd have acted when we should, Everton would have benefited from a fee and Tom could have benefited from playing more regularly during a key part of his development.

He's a Blue, local lad, always tries his best… so fucking what?

"Tom", as he's affectionately known by some on here, would not be wanted by any other Premier League Club and I doubt he could compete in the Championship. I couldn't believe he was offered a new contract, which is a sure sign of the desperate times to come.

He's become a wealthy young man on the back of looking much less than an average footballer, can't control, pass, carry the ball, shoot, cross or head a football, looks nice in flared corduroys though.

Diamond-earing wearing, gum-chewing, baseball hat on back to front. Holgate out of the door next please.

We're Everton aren't we?

Whatever they were, Tom has decided to move on, an honest lad who never hid and did his best. I hope you do well wherever you go, Tom. Best of luck with the rest of your career

We so desperately wanted another Rooney to emerge from the academy but is yet to happen... Rodwell, Barkley, Davies… nowhere near!

His biggest flaw was his weak mentality. Only problem is we have clearly no transfer plan and the club is in a state of limbo. I have zero optimism!

I think he'll do okay for a team where he gets to start regularly.

I think a few people on here don't appreciate how hard it is to give your best when you are in and out of the team, often playing in different positions and for different managers. Not saying he's gonna be a world-beater but he'll do okay.

Shame to lose a professional player who's on low wages. Would much rather we could find a permanent home for the likes of Gbamin, Alli and/or Gomes.

Per multiple sources, Tom was on only £25,000/week, at the very lowest end of the club's pay scale. Trying to reduce that would be insulting, and it wouldn't save much.

In the absence of any other information, I'll take Thelwell's word that he's leaving to play, not leaving for pay. He wasn't going to start ahead of any of our current midfielder roster (even Gomes and Gbamin), and he risked having his career dead-end.

3 good summer signings please Mr Dyche to offset. Give him some funds asap Farhad, or what we thought couldn't get worse, soon will.

Not sure what relevance your point is to Davies being an awkward-looking footballer.

If it's any solace you might be glad to know I've never booed any of our personnel, footballers or otherwise.

I'd be much happier trying to focus on bringing in 3 or 4 quality players (left back, creative midfielder and striker) and try and give the likes of Mills, Cannon, Welch etc an opportunity than bringing in 7 or 8 squad players.

I remember when it was reported on the news that he was taken from the England Under 16s (?) to make up the numbers in a practice game for the full England squad. That suggested he was a big talent.

Then the goal against Man City; sublime. Again - big noises that he was going to kick-on. Over 60 international appearances for the various England age-groups - which might only be second to James Milner.

But in the best part of 200 appearances and seven years in an Everton shirt he has consistently failed to prove that he belongs at this level. Yes, the club has been in turmoil, and the manager turnover has been high, etc etc… but Tom Davies hasn't got the talent, physicality, engine, athleticism or hunger to operate at the top level, and that has been apparent for the last 3 years at least.

And as for the notion that he always gave his best, and never hid, or shirked responsibility – I don't actually agree with that either. It always felt to me like he was comfortable being mediocre and never really learned from his mistakes.

But his local lad status bought him a lot of time and patience from a lot of fans, eager to believe he'd recapture that one-off burst of skill and imagination that he showed against Man City. Alas…. no.

Over the last few years it's been very apparent he wasn't going to be a regular starter, nor someone that would ever be appreciated. He needs to go and play regularly and I'm sure that with his style he'll go and be a fan favourite somewhere at the right level. Maybe even a Champions League future club captain.

Absolute best of luck to him.

Sadly, he never fulfilled his early promise. It's good that he'd rather seek game-time elsewhere than warm the Everton bench.

He isn't good enough though for where we aspire to be but we need better players coming in and I don't know where we will get the funds from.

He was hardly the talisman or cult hero type of player we love, but he would put in a shift when called upon; however those performances are rated is up to the person rating him, but at least he wasn't one to down tools.

I think we may struggle to replace him with a player of his level or above right now unless one is coming through the ranks. I wish him well and will remember that goal against Man City fondly like many of us.

Who said that goal was a lesson in mis control, didn't he take 2 players out of the game with some kind of flick? Wish I had that kind of mis control, maybe I've remembered it wrong?

Giving the ball away due to a permanent lack of concentration, resulting in goals against.

Weigh up the positive contribution with goals or assists per games played to lazy mistakes and it's 100 to 1 against. Should never have worn the shirt.

I can understand the pride of a local lad making the grade to the first team but would he have got the same assessment from fans if he was from say, France, Scotland, Ireland etc?

He was given far too many seasons to fulfil the 'potential' so many thought he had but in reality he is a average player, poor in so many areas – pace, awareness, passing, goal scoring to mention a few.

He has struggled to get a game in some of the worst sides we've ever put out in, goodbye, good luck – join a lower Championship side and you'll get a regular game.

I do think he deserved to wear the shirt though.

Is someone on the site having some fun at my expense?

But lack of effort? Davies? Never. On heart alone he was worthy of the Blue.

Again, I really have no idea what your point is re Davies looking awkward it's as though you think that is the same as saying he can't play football. It isn't.

Similarly why would your last sentence upset anyone?

Mystifying.

Like many young Everton players, he was over-hyped too early by so many, then copped all the bile when he didn't meet the expectations.

In the last seven years, we have bought a host of £20M midfielders, most of whom couldn't score, were inconsistent, and unexciting.

My lasting memory of Tom will be him coming on a sub for one of those expensive flops, then getting more stick than all the flops put together. A host of managers have ignored him, spent wildly on average players, then called on Tom to fill the gaps when 'their' players didn't cut it...

There's nothing wrong with being an 'ordinary' Premier League player, especially when you always give everything for the shirt. We've needed more 'ordinary' players with a good attitude in my view.

I hope Tom gets a club that gives him a role and gives him time to grow into it. He'll do a good job for them.

"Maybe even a cl future club captain."

But then everyone was saying such lovely things about Tom and how wonderful he is, I just thought Champions League must have been what you meant!

I think the status of the club he next signs for will speak volumes about the perennial uselessness of our scouts and FF, erm, coaches.

And on a reported "mere" 25K per week it's a doddle to gain acclaim for being "a good bloke".

I'm part of a homeless charity with a few folk on next to nowt still donating a pound or two every week for those less well-off than themselves.

THEY are "special" people!

"gave his all" "full of heart" "always tried his best"

Isn't that a given as the bare minimum from any player that walks out on a pitch?

He always looked clueless at this level, way, way out of his depth.

I wouldn't class that as a compliment, and don't bother to reply to this post, because I don't think we have anything in common.

Good luck Tom.

We are Everton for Christ's sake. Where is your class? We are better than this. Tom Davies has been there since he was 11.. loves the club, does a huge amount for it off the field, played under god knows how many managers who ALL wanted him to stay. He is not a 50m midfielder, he may not even be good enough to hold a place down, but he is a squad player who now will ply his trade elsewhere. His leaving is a condemnation of the club, not the player. Good luck to the lad, Go and enjoy your football.

In one day, out the next, then subbed, then not subbed… di dar, di dar, di dar. Isn't easy on any player. Occasionally, one can rise to it but this is few and far between.

As I said in my previous post... Best wishes to the lad.

You've got to be careful mate. Probably 75 percent of people on here, while not claiming he was good, will portray themselves as the moral minority defending him against “the masses” who pick on him cause he's a local. Even though the majority of posters clearly support him solely because he is a local.

As I said I'm glad he left and I'm impressed he took the tough option versus signing a new contract to be a bench warner. But, the fact I'm impressed that he has some self-awareness and ambition doesn't mean I think we've lost out because he left. I don't.

But, as with most things Everton, you get people adopting extremist views rather than pragmatic. John McFarlane for example, a good and knowledgeable man, has the “I criticize but don't abuse” mantra... But how do you separate the two? It's all about how the subject perceives it.

You can very politely list Tom Davies shortcomings and to him that may feel like abuse versus someone calls him a cuss word, he may or may not take offense.

All I'll say is that, while many laud him for being a local and a nice bloke, how many are saying “Oh my God how could we let him leave?” None.

So the pious lot act like it's sad he left and his minority of vocal critics are to blame but none of them argue he was a valuable player we should have fought to keep.

I honestly think Jonjoe Kenny, Kieran Dowell and Matthew Pennington all offered more over the longer term. But all had enough common sense to realize they didn't quite have it so left and tried their luck elsewhere.

Tom wisely and bravely did the same given we offered him easy money. But let's not pretend we are dealing with a Mason Mount type figure here. Stop all the fake piety and accept he did his best.

He's true blue but he's leaving because he's realistic enough to accept that he's not quite good enough. Doesn't make him a bad person. Doesn't mean he deserves ridicule. Just simply facts are facts. He's man enough to accept that and so should we without pretending he's some martyr.

Is the problem that we try to build them up to be the next Rooney, who was a once-in-a-generation freak of footballing nature? I'm still not sure why we target homegrown players as whipping boys. We have a habit of doing so.

With Tom Davies, I've praised, always on merit. I've criticised, hopefully constructively despite the frustration at times. I do that with most players, regardless of where they come from.

I would like to have kept Tom as a squad player, but I suppose it speaks volumes that under several managers, he can't command a first name on the team sheet. Not that many can in the modern game. Credit to him for deciding to leave the club he supports to go and play football more regularly. And a club he loves and has footballing family roots in (Alan Whittle). I don't think I could have done it.

Like a lot of Everton players, especially the younger ones, he has grown up amidst a club in turmoil with managers changing every 5 minutes and a board not knowing what they are doing. That has to have affected his development.

Best wishes to him and I hope he has a successful footballing career. The continent would be good for him and his style.

I am pleased for Tom that he has made this decision, he needs regular football. I'm surprised though that its Monza and not Rangers with Beale having already spoken of his admiration for Tom, that would have been a good move I think.

Okay, so it didn't work out how we (and probably Tom himself) would have wanted and dreamt about. He has plenty of time to turn it around. Sadly he has become another off our conveyor belt (albeit a slow one) where the crushing weight of expectation from the crowd quickly turned to disappointment and frustration.

We will never know how much the groans and online vitriol affected his chance to kick on and how much it was down to him.

For those actively celebrating him going, I'd ask you to think about who exactly is going to fill our bench next season? We clearly don't have a pot to piss. The only positive I can see is it is a chance for Warrington who I really like as a player.

Personally, I hope he has a blinder wherever he goes, seems like a decent lad. Good luck, Tom.

He might not have yet reached the heights that we all hoped but I wish him good luck and good health wherever he goes.
Never saw him shirking, he always put in a shift and he has never complained.

A decent pro and one of us.

I actually thought he generally did well when he came on and helped us see out some games. You might disagree, but to be honest I struggle to take opinions on Tom's performances seriously on here given I've seen him blamed without even playing. And I'm not making that up.

I'm not sure why you think good riddance. We'll now need to go out and find a midfielder who can replace him. Not hard you might say, but we'll still be spending money that could go elsewhere. And I highly doubt it will be on a star midfielder to go into the first team, it will be on a 4th/5th choice type.

The players you mention that can come through have had nowhere near the impact Davies did at their age. It's expecting a lot for them to feature in a struggling (to put it mildly) side.

I'm glad he's gone, but only for his sake. I think he'll be a big hit somewhere and at 24 he's still got a chance at having a very good career, regardless of level.

Tom always put in a shift and gave 100%, the biggest problem with all the managerial roundabouts, he was played in every position in midfield, and never got a chance to establish himself in his proper position where he played against Man City.

There's a hell of a lot of players who put on the Everton shirt, who weren't Premier League players, but Tom isn't in that category.

I'm not a regular follower of the U23s or U21s (forget what they are called these days), but I called before last season that I would like Warrington to be involved and closer to the first team squad.

I'm not suggesting start him, but maybe this is his chance to step up?

I do like him. Great footballing brain, comfortable on the ball and an excellent range of passing. Can he do it on the big stage? There's only one way to find out.

My only gripe is that we didn't get a transfer fee for him. A
25 year old who has over 150 appearances in the prem must be worth 12m.

Good luck Tom, enjoy every minute of what is a short career.

Christine #101, I don't consider Tom's departure a "condemnation" for either club or player. The club (presumably the manager) determined that he would not be a regular starter, and that's what he wants to be, so both made the appropriate decision. No condemnation comes into the picture.

We may not have anything in common but telling me not to respond is a very bad idea. I will respond to falsehoods if I want.

Hardly my fault you misinterpreted "awkward" for "not being able to play" and then dug a hole half way to Australia about it.

Stop being so infantile.

A good player that just didn't seem to improve to the extent needed for the next level and challenge for a regular starting position.

The manager merry go round and general poor on and off field performances helps no one, especially a young player forced to learn and adapt on the job.

Financially for Everton it will cost us a fair bit of money to replace him but as always hopeful an even better youth player can establish themselves.

Gbamin and Gomes return on 3 to 4 times Tom's salary. To say I'd rather have Tom is a huge understatement!

It's a wonder any developing player as a 16/17-year-old, has not had the benefit of a stable team structure, manager, playing position, skill development or tactical awareness, his value as a result, in his own eyes has certainly not helped his confidence. That's all down to how the club has been run during his time with the first team.

Would he or could he had been better for us if he was in a stable club? We don't know but it certainly hasn't helped his cause.

Years of round pegs in square holes come to mind, players, not just Tom Davies, being asked or instructed to play in a certain way, in a certain position by yet another manager.

With a stable manager like we had David Moyes, he could have turned into a little gem like Leon Osman. I will follow his career with interest and let's see if my belief that he is a top level footballer gets vindicated!

When does this window close and what hope of a midfield of Gomes, Gbamin, Iwobi and Doucoure for one last season as mostly they don't want to be here too much longer than the pay cheque.

Christine, totally the point.

I only had this conversation with my brother last night, and it's a totally different scale given the size and quality of squad Manchester City have.

But look how Guardiola managed Foden.

Despite the usual clamour from supporters and the media to play him the full 90 every week, he had him around the first team squad and introduced him gradually. Even now, not guaranteed a start or full match, but that goes back to their locker of luxury.

But to your point Christine, stability over several years and good management has seen Foden realise his potential.

Surely not, where did you read that?

Evertonians - the time has come for me to move on to a new chapter in my career. It is one I have thought long and hard about and it feels like now is the right moment for me as a player.

I always had belief that I would play for our club but I had no Idea how beautiful and fulfilling it would be! I would like to thank the club, the city and the fans for making my dreams become such a beautiful reality for me!

Thank you to everyone who has been a part of my journey, especially the coaches, staff and players in the academy who helped me, challenged me, and developed me into the player and human I am today - for this I can't thank you all enough.

I have had some great highs as a player and as a part of this club; scoring my first goal, becoming our youngest captain and playing in European competition. I am extremely proud of these accomplishments and with these experiences I am ready and determined to go on to achieve even more.

I'd also like to thank Everton in the Community. It has been an honour to have been so involved with the work that you do.

EitC has given me some amazing and humbling experiences during my years which l'll take with me. I plan to continue my work with you.

Finally, I'd like to share that the recent times with the club have been difficult for me. I know they have been difficult for you too. I hope that they can be sorted out as soon as possible so that we can get back to the stability we deserve.

I loved being apart of everything this club stands for. I am proud to have given all I had in every moment I could. Thank you all again for everything. You have made a young lads dream come true! l'Il see you again at Goodison because I'll always be an Evertonian!

Tom Davies

UTFT

He will never leave except in a wooden box will he?

48 hours becomes 48 weeks / months / years / decades !!

That's it ENOUGH IS ENOUGH with this basket case of a so called Premier League Football Club. If Phoenix Nights had a football XI, Potter and Rayvon would have run it better. Sod off Kenwright and Moshiri. Just how much can you two idiots ( toned down believe me ), put the fans through. Just go and go now PLEASE !!!

If I was Dyche, when Glastonbury ends, I would ask to clean up the mess left behind as it will be a lot easier than what he faces on his return to Grinch Farm.

He lacks the basics for a good central midfielder. No pace, lack of strength and technical ability, can't shoot and can't pick out a pass. I wish him all the best wherever he goes but, when I see a starting XI for Everton without Davies, I'm a happier man.

Tom Davies chose to leave - the club didn't get rid of him.

Isaac Price, who looked really good on the Australian trip, has chosen to leave.

Jarrad Braithwaite, who in my opinion will be an excellent player, is making noises that he would be happy to stay at PSV.

Not a good sign that they have faith in the club.

Thanks Tom, I have always rated you as a player and a fellow blue.

I just hope Kenwright is not involved in transfers in and out, but I'm sure he'll poke his nose in anyway!!!!

Don't sign any NDA because in future years, once you have had time to reflect on everything, you'll be able to write a cracking book about playing under umpteen managers in seven years, and how to deal with criticism that ranges and rages from constructive to merciless.

Am sad to see you go. I liked the way you always tried to go forwards, in contrast to some of your many teammates over the years whose default direction seemed to be sidewards.

Two overlooked issues: First, your departure pretty much completes the de-scousefication of the first-team squad. We now have nobody who grew up in the city as a Blue and is able to explain to the other players the nuances of the club, the city and why Evertonians are as we are.

Second, another reason for hoping you'd stay is the likely absence for several weeks in January and February of three of your midfield teammates due to the Africa Cup of Nations... Alex Iwobi, Abdoulaye Doucouri and Idrissa Gueye.

But having made your decision, Tom, don't look back. Go and enjoy your football elsewhere. Good luck.

I can't say I ever saw proof either way, but my instinct is to wonder how true that debt excuse is.

So convenient that the once-in-a-lifetime player happened to be there at exactly the right time. Opportunism is the more likely answer.

He was never going to make EPL level and its surprising it took us 8 whole years to realise that, but dropping a level to a different league might give him a fulfilling and worthwhile playing (rather than bench warming) career.

What I would class as verbal abuse is, "Tom Davies is a lazy 'so and so', and should go away and never play for Everton" again. [but the latter of the two would be filled with expletives]

It's bad enough to listen to it at the match, but to type it knowing that it will be seen all over the globe, is for me irresponsible.

I am by no means a prude, it's just that I believe that there's a time and place for that kind of language. I suppose the fact that I grew up in an era that saw children or men stand up on tram or bus, to allow women or elderly men to sit down, has played it's part.

Still only young, Tom; show the knockers you can play.

For some strange reason, that set me thinking of a funny limerick, probably from your era, old fella:

A colonial type from Darjeeling
Got on the fast train to Ealing
A sign on the door
Said, 'Don't spit on the floor'
So he stood up and spat on the ceiling

Funny how the mind gets triggered, init?

You have perfectly summed up Tom Davies's Everton career. I couldn't agree more.

When he first burst onto the scene as a kid, with a goal in that memorable thrashing of Man City, he was like a breath of fresh air. A bundle of unbridled youthful talent.

I was at that game and remember actually thinking we may have another Alan Ball on our hands! Such was his exuberance and confidence on the ball. Spraying perfectly placed passes to team mates, sharp in the tackle, full of zest with an eye for goal. He was fearless. Our future looked bright at this young man's feet.

You don't lose that natural ability. But it can be coached out of you. Tom undoubtedly lost his way. But, to be fair, at a young age, he was saddled with unenviable tasks in a succession of poor teams. Inevitably this stunted his progression.

Tom's recent words speak volumes about the admirable character of this very genuine young man.

If the opportunity arises, I believe he would take extremely well to the challenge of European football. However, if his next destination is set to be north of the border, then he may well follow in the footsteps of a certain Mikel Arteta at Rangers and who knows?

Perhaps even return to his beloved Everton one day as the finished article. I would love to see him do exactly that and silence his detractors.

I wish you every success for the future, Tom. Put recent disappointment behind you, son, and get back to being that young dynamo who first pulled on the Royal Blue Jersey at Goodison.

All the best, lad.

Very difficult now for local lads to come through to the first team. Tom was far better for us than many of the expensive midfield flops we've seen come in and disappear during his time at the club.

Good luck, Tom, wherever the next stage of your career takes you.

He's been asked to play in a million different positions, so that nobody – least of all him –can say exactly what he is supposed to be. Sure, maybe he flattered to deceive in those early appearances, but you don't just become a poor player when you give us much as he does.

In the end, I think we ruined Tom by not letting him develop in one position, and we ruined Calvert-Lewin by overplaying him too early in his career.

Still, that's what we're good at as a club, ruining lives. Certainly ruined mine in recent years!

That means, over the 616 minutes he played across all competitions last season, he cost us £10,227 a minute!!!!!

And we wonder why the club is financially fucked!

Tom Davies's salary was meagre compared to some of our high-earning big-name under-achievers.

I suggest you do the maths on certain so-called stars rather than homegrown talent, to arrive at the real reason for successive seasons of failure at the club.

Rather than him walking out on a free, he should have been sold years ago. He wasn't because of the continual instability in the manager and Director of Football offices caused by the poor leadership at the top.

I still wish him the best wherever he ends up and agree with others that a league with a generally less frantic pace may be his place to maximise the ability he does have. I just hope that, if he does find his niche, people don't automatically decide that 2 + 2 = 5 and complain about the club letting him leave.

I am baffled about which young players we are going to pick on next.

We might have to direct our pelters at the crappy senior players on big salaries now.

Sums up everything wrong with Everton FC, a no-talent shirker at the club for years getting splinters on his arse while earning a fortune.

If you want to be nearly relegated every year, this is exactly the type of player you need along with most of the other playing staff. And scouts. And coaches. And chairman.

Time to insist on top quality in everything Everton do and there's no place for Tom Davies at that level.

A little sad, I confess, especially when we don't see any incomings. Good luck to the lad, wish all the best for him. Just don't score against us!!!