“Long way to go but it’s looking a lot rosier” – Moyes appreciates revival in the league

I am really excited to see what Moyes will have to spend in the summer, and it will also be interesting to see how many of the loan players he retains. During his first spell the money he spent was basically self generated by spotting good players from lower leagues mostly and selling them on a few years later for many times what he paid for them. He was only at Man Utd for 7 months and took over an ageing team and wasnt given the time to put things right. At Sociadad and Sunderland they were the wrong moves for him as both had little to spend and I think he soon realized he had made a mistake in joining these clubs. He eventually ended up at West Ham and won their first European trophy but their fans wanted more, and Sullivan let him go. Only for his replacement to be sacked inside a few months, and it must give him a wry smile to see Everton sitting above them.

For probably the first time in his managerial career, the Friedkins will have the financial backing he has never had, and he is still one of the best judges of a player in the game. Yes I know he bought a few bums first time but also bought a lot of quality and he is older and much wiser now.

I like the honesty of David Moyes pressers, criticising when needed, praising when deserved whilst at the same time making sure everyone keeps their feet on the ground. I also liked the acknowledgment of the connection between fans and the team and that special bond that makes the fans so important to this club.

He definitely seems to have learnt from his time in the Premier League and is coming across as a somewhat humble yet quietly efficient man Manager. That’s just my view anyway for what it’s worth, but the difference in some of the players performances pretty much across the board is very apparent to me.

Whilst he wasn’t my first long term choice (Sarri was) I supported his appointment as an interim safe pair of hands but he seems to be showing more than just that and so do the results. So far very impressive. Keep it up Davey.

Good on Moyes, he was always going to be a safe pair of hands at the very least, theres no one with more experience.

Our form has suprised everyone including Moyes I would imagine, he has changed a few things around which has worked very well.

I think also all our stars have been aligned since he took over and we have had that little bit of luck that you need to win games.

Long may it continue.

My view of Potter was he had a fantastic support in buying emerging players, but the meat and drink of getting wins lacked the substance of the technical play. They'd play brilliantly, and end up with a 2-2 draw more often than not.

Moyes wasn't a radical style departure too Dyche, but he was a massive upgrade in my opinion.

Like everyone I'm really enjoying this run but the test will be the inevitable downturn in results.

Has Moyes now gained enough credit to see it through?

Or will he be the next sacrifice on the altar of impatience?

Guess it depends on TFG resilience.

Listening to fans shouting the odds was a major weakness of the Moshiri regime.

The Moyesiah is working miracles with his team. Thelwell deserves a new contract. He offloaded the array of players from the worst splurge of the moshiri era and has found some gems on loan and at low prices whilst lowering the wage bill.

On Dyche, terrible this season but he has left the back line in a much better shape than he inherited and that has really helped David get things going. I’ll be forever grateful to him for seeing the club through the 10 point deduction along with the fanbase when the owner was lacking.

Wont be all plain sailing but optimism returns for now. Enjoy it blues.

We’ve got 30 points with 13 games to play. If we were to average a draw per game, that gives us 43 points, which seems a reasonable expectation. Taking that into account, and the number of points needed to be safe over the last few years, you would therefore presume that we were now safe. Like everyone else, I don’t like presumption though, especially when it relates to a loved one!

Anyway, let’s rip Man U a new one next weekend. Full-on Dogs of War™ against their namby-pamby bunch of snowflakes.

UTFT!!!

Given how exciting our performances have become, you might want to consider re-enacting that scene from the movie American Pie…

It's not Docoure, and it's not Calvert Lewin.

From an old sports journo to a young one... do better.

I'm a bit psycho about spelling anyway, but most specifically about proper names.

The players have to take huge credit as well, with our squad getting weaker and weaker, we are still somehow going into games, and not settling for a point.

For me the biggest difference is player fitness, in the previous Moyes era, he had the players fit and fighting right to the death, rather than players blowing out of their backsides after 75 minutes, you can see now the same players going the distance, smart substitutions at the right time.

I am going the games and finally enjoying the matches and our final season at Goodison again.

We can look forward to our final game v Southampton without fear of being in the bottom three, we have got our club back.

The rebuilding starts in the summer, squad rebuilding, players coming in, players going out, players back from injury, for now we can enjoy the rest of this season.

I would personally like to say a big thank you to Moyes and the players, and the great support from the fans travelling the away games, fantastic support, more to come please.

Let’s now get on the same page, the past has gone, let’s start afresh and continue our upward turn of form.

Up the Toffees.

My biggest fear was that we would be thoroughly humiliated by having to win our last home game to survive. Or, even worse, we would already be relegated. Absolute nightmare.

Well said Brian.

Both well said.

But it would also be helpful if some posters didn't have to share that whilst most Evertonians sang "Davey Moyes"... they remained aloof and refused to participate.

Or point out that Moyes has lost more cup matches at Goodison than any other manager when he was only back a wet week.

I'm all for moving on... not sure we're all on the same page just yet.

There have been some villains involved with this club. Moyes isn't one.

As for his appointment, well I'd rather we were in a position to make a well reasoned decision, select a shortlist on the style of play we want and a 5 year plan. But the timing of the appointment removed that possibility - the club wasn't and isn't where it needed to be.

So we went to a competent, experienced, available coach.

The real win is the fact we've got rid of some of the incompetents who were making our club a shambles. Moshiri gone, Dyche gone. We just have to hope that the rest are found out and shown the door.

In 18 months time we could be going into our second year of our new home, waving Moyes off into retirement with a diligently selected new coach transitioning into the role, with financial constraints loosened and a clear plan for the next few years.

It's not so long ago that kind of thinking would be delusion. Now it looks kind of possible.

We only have 6 games remaining, let us bow of the the grand old lady with fond memories, and look forward to the future, and a final emotional game v Southampton.

I don't think there is anything wrong with not chanting his name. That's choice and they are still supporting the team.

Some don't like "Marching", I'm not a big fan of "If you know your history"; haven't been for years.

We are unified as a support base, more that I have seen in a while. For decades we've had poor managers and a couple of steady ones. Poor leadership at the top. The one constant is us, the supporters.

I'd like that.

Six games... ridiculous I know but it seems like we're saying goodbye to an old friend only in this instance we know the time and the place.

Seriously someone better step up and write the farewell... no disrespect to the new guys.

I have no issue with anyone who doesn't (yet 😊 ) feel able to join in the "Davey Moyes" chant.

Sticking it on here like a "badge of honour" though?

I've been asked to write to my 2nd cousin, Mr Moyes, to ask if some of the family can visit Finch Farm. He responded to contact years back and hosted my Sister and Brother at Bellefield for a few hours.

His name was being belted out before, throughout and after the match last night.

My view is that he's done more than a great job at turning us around with the same players and deserves total respect for that. I still don't see him as the long term answer, but he has next season and possible the following one.

It all depends on how it goes, and I genuinely hope it goes well for him and us. Plus, inevitably, it would depend on whether there is anyone available.

If Mark sings marching, I might join in!!

I got mine for the second one with 25,000 and emailed Everton to see if one could be put on for official members for a third one, got an email back thanking for suggestion and will forward it on.

Hopefully most Evertonians will get a chance of testing the stadium out.

So if the new admins are reading this, be sure to write a post up about Everton u18 v Wigan Ath u18 friendly match, 7pm kick off. get your research in.

As for humble pie eaters, I didn't want Moyes back, but he is doing a good job, but man he looks like a corpes in his interviews.

The team seems to be enjoying there game, let's get one over the red devils, as they are shite at the moment..

To me it's about respect -- for the person, for the reader, and for the craft of journalism. Mr. Roy clearly aspires to be a professional sportswriter. If his editors haven't taught him the importance of this principle, they should.

But that's just my opinion as an old-fashioned reporter, 30 years out of the business. Maybe it doesn't even apply anymore. He certainly is free to ignore a cranky old hack like me.

Very happy to have been wrong so far.

I do think like one or two others have said, we ought to be grateful to Dyche for what he managed in the last two years even if it had to end the way it did, and on that subject: I read on a pretty reputable website (but not these hallowed pages) that Dyche admitted to the club brass that he'd basically lost the dressing room and wasn't the best man for the job any more. If that's true, fair play to him - although I suppose he could have resigned instead of waiting to get sacked...