# 2000–01 Everton F.C. season

During the 2000–01 season, Everton competed in the Premier League, the FA Cup, and the Football League Cup.

## Season summary

When Walter Smith was appointed as Everton manager three years ago, he was intent on reversing the decline which had turned Everton from title winners to relegation battlers in barely a decade. Three years on, they are still in the Premiership, but have played some of the most unremarkable football ever seen at this level and have frustrated fans who have spent the last five seasons living in fear of relegation.
The 2000–01 season saw a major step back for Everton and the club once again fell into a relegation battle, not helped by long-term injuries to several key players. Even the arrival of Paul Gascoigne made little difference to the side, with the iconic Geordie performing like a thin shadow of his former self. In the early stages the club had looked to be heading for another season of mid-table safety, but a terrible run of form in December and January plunged them into a relegation battle that they remained embroiled in for the rest of the season, ultimately not securing safety until they beat already-relegated Bradford City in their third-to-last match. This season saw them finish 16th – their lowest finish under Smith's management. The cups offered no respite, with the club suffering a humiliating fourth-round FA Cup exit to Merseyside neighbours Tranmere Rovers, who were struggling at the foot of Division One.
In March 2000 American cable television provider NTL approached the club with a view to purchasing a 9.9% stake in the club. Everton expected to announce a deal before the beginning of the 2000–01 season, but by October 2000 any chance of an agreement had disappeared leaving Everton with financial difficulties and forced to sell first team players, including Youth Academy products Francis Jeffers and Michael Ball, to balance the books – the board had already spent £18.4 million on purchasing new players including bringing back Duncan Ferguson, on the basis that an agreement was in place. Around the same time Paul Gregg had been negotiating a deal with United News and Media but this never came to completion.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 14 | Middlesbrough | 38 | 9 | 15 | 14 | 44 | 44 | 0 | 42 | |
| 15 | West Ham United | 38 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 45 | 50 | −5 | 42 | |
| 16 | Everton | 38 | 11 | 9 | 18 | 45 | 59 | −14 | 42 | |
| 17 | Derby County | 38 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 37 | 59 | −22 | 42 | |
| 18 | Manchester City (R) | 38 | 8 | 10 | 20 | 41 | 65 | −24 | 34 | Relegation to the Football League First Division |

### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Source: 2000–01 FA Premier League table

### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 |
| Ground | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H |
| Result | L | W | D | L | W | L | D | L | D | W | L | L | W | W | W | L | L | D | L | L | L | D | W | D | L | D | W | L | D | L | W | W | L | L | L | W | L | D |
| Position | 19 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 17 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 16 |

## Results

Everton's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### FA Premier League

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 19 August 2000 | Leeds United | A | 0–2 | 40,010 | |
| 23 August 2000 | Charlton Athletic | H | 3–0 | 36,300 | Jeffers, Ferguson (2) |
| 26 August 2000 | Derby County | H | 2–2 | 34,840 | Jeffers, Gravesen |
| 5 September 2000 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 2–3 | 35,316 | Jeffers, Nyarko |
| 9 September 2000 | Middlesbrough | A | 2–1 | 30,885 | Jeffers (2) |
| 16 September 2000 | Manchester United | H | 1–3 | 38,541 | Gravesen |
| 24 September 2000 | Leicester City | A | 1–1 | 18,084 | Unsworth |
| 30 September 2000 | Ipswich Town | H | 0–3 | 32,597 | |
| 14 October 2000 | Southampton | H | 1–1 | 24,491 | Ball |
| 21 October 2000 | Newcastle United | A | 1–0 | 51,625 | Campbell |
| 29 October 2000 | Liverpool | A | 1–3 | 44,718 | Campbell |
| 5 November 2000 | Aston Villa | H | 0–1 | 27,370 | |
| 11 November 2000 | Bradford City | A | 1–0 | 17,276 | Naysmith |
| 18 November 2000 | Arsenal | H | 2–0 | 33,106 | Cadamarteri, Campbell |
| 25 November 2000 | Chelsea | H | 2–1 | 33,516 | Cadamarteri, Campbell |
| 4 December 2000 | Sunderland | A | 0–2 | 46,372 | |
| 9 December 2000 | Manchester City | A | 0–5 | 34,516 | |
| 16 December 2000 | West Ham United | H | 1–1 | 31,260 | Cadamarteri |
| 23 December 2000 | Charlton Athletic | A | 0–1 | 20,042 | |
| 26 December 2000 | Coventry City | H | 1–2 | 35,704 | Gemmill |
| 1 January 2001 | Derby County | A | 0–1 | 27,358 | |
| 13 January 2001 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 0–0 | 32,290 | |
| 20 January 2001 | Coventry City | A | 3–1 | 19,174 | Gemmill, Cadamarteri, Campbell |
| 31 January 2001 | Middlesbrough | H | 2–2 | 34,244 | Naysmith, Tal |
| 3 February 2001 | Manchester United | A | 0–1 | 67,528 | |
| 7 February 2001 | Leeds United | H | 2–2 | 34,224 | Ferguson, Campbell |
| 10 February 2001 | Leicester City | H | 2–1 | 30,407 | Jeffers, Campbell |
| 24 February 2001 | Ipswich Town | A | 0–2 | 22,220 | |
| 3 March 2001 | Newcastle United | H | 1–1 | 35,779 | Unsworth |
| 17 March 2001 | Southampton | A | 0–1 | 15,251 | |
| 31 March 2001 | West Ham United | A | 2–0 | 26,044 | Unsworth (pen), Alexandersson |
| 8 April 2001 | Manchester City | H | 3–1 | 36,561 | Ferguson, Ball, Weir |
| 14 April 2001 | Aston Villa | A | 1–2 | 31,272 | Unsworth |
| 16 April 2001 | Liverpool | H | 2–3 | 40,260 | Ferguson, Unsworth (pen) |
| 21 April 2001 | Arsenal | A | 1–4 | 38,029 | Campbell |
| 28 April 2001 | Bradford City | H | 2–1 | 34,256 | Ferguson, Alexandersson |
| 5 May 2001 | Chelsea | A | 1–2 | 35,196 | Campbell |
| 19 May 2001 | Sunderland | H | 2–2 | 37,444 | Tal, Ball |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 6 January 2001 | Watford | A | 2–1 | 15,645 | S Hughes, S Watson |
| R4 | 27 January 2001 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 0–3 | 39,207 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R2 1st Leg | 20 September 2000 | Bristol Rovers | H | 1–1 | 25,564 | Campbell |
| R2 2nd Leg | 27 September 2000 | Bristol Rovers | A | 1–1 (lost 2–4 on pens) | 11,045 | Jeffers |

## Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | ENG | Paul Gerrard |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Steve Watson |
| 3 | DF | ITA | Alessandro Pistone |
| 4 | DF | SCO | Richard Gough (captain) |
| 5 | DF | SCO | David Weir |
| 6 | DF | ENG | David Unsworth |
| 7 | MF | SWE | Niclas Alexandersson |
| 8 | MF | GHA | Alex Nyarko |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Kevin Campbell |
| 10 | MF | ENG | Stephen Hughes |
| 11 | MF | WAL | Mark Pembridge |
| 12 | DF | ENG | Michael Ball |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Steve Simonsen |
| 14 | FW | ENG | Francis Jeffers |
| 15 | DF | SCO | Gary Naysmith |
| 16 | MF | DEN | Thomas Gravesen |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 17 | MF | SCO | Scot Gemmill |
| 18 | MF | ENG | Paul Gascoigne |
| 19 | FW | USA | Joe-Max Moore |
| 20 | DF | SCO | Alec Cleland |
| 21 | FW | ENG | Danny Cadamarteri |
| 22 | DF | ENG | Dave Watson (captain) |
| 24 | FW | SCO | Duncan Ferguson |
| 25 | DF | DEN | Peter Degn |
| 26 | FW | ENG | Phil Jevons |
| 28 | DF | POR | Abel Xavier |
| 29 | MF | ENG | Kevin McLeod |
| 30 | DF | ENG | Peter Clarke |
| 31 | MF | ENG | Leon Osman |
| 32 | DF | ENG | Tony Hibbert |
| 33 | MF | ISR | Idan Tal |
| 35 | GK | NOR | Thomas Myhre |

### Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 15 | DF | IRL | Richard Dunne (to Manchester City) |
| 23 | FW | WAL | Mark Hughes (to Blackburn Rovers) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 27 | MF | ENG | Jamie Milligan (to Blackpool) |

### Reserve squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | GK | ENG | Andy Pettinger |
| — | DF | ENG | Anthony Gerrard |
| — | DF | ENG | Sean O'Hanlon |
| — | DF | ENG | George Pilkington |
| — | DF | WAL | Michael Price |
| — | DF | WAL | Ryan Valentine |
| — | MF | AUS | David Carney |
| — | MF | ENG | Sean Doherty |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | ENG | Tom Kearney |
| — | MF | IRL | John Lester |
| — | MF | ENG | Matt McKay |
| — | MF | ENG | Steven Schumacher |
| — | MF | ENG | Keith Southern |
| — | FW | ENG | Nick Chadwick |
| — | FW | ENG | Wayne Rooney |
| — | FW | ENG | Michael Symes |

## Transfers
### In

| Date | Pos | Name | From | Fee |
| 30 June 2000 | DF | Alessandro Pistone | Newcastle United | £3,000,000 |
| 1 July 2000 | GK | Andy Pettinger | Scunthorpe United | £45,000 |
| 4 July 2000 | DF | Steve Watson | Aston Villa | £2,500,000 |
| 13 July 2000 | MF | Alex Nyarko | RC Lens | £4,500,000 |
| 17 July 2000 | MF | Paul Gascoigne | Middlesbrough | Free transfer |
| 19 July 2000 | MF | Niclas Alexandersson | Sheffield Wednesday | £2,500,000 |
| 24 July 2000 | MF | Thomas Gravesen | Hamburg | £2,500,000 |
| 17 August 2000 | FW | Duncan Ferguson | Newcastle United | £3,750,000 |
| 17 October 2000 | DF | Gary Naysmith | Hearts | £1,500,000 |
| 17 October 2000 | MF | Idan Tal | Maccabi Petah Tikva | £700,000 |

### Out

| Date | Pos | Name | To | Fee |
| 9 June 2000 | GK | Dean Delany | Port Vale | Free transfer |
| 15 June 2000 | DF | Carl Regan | Barnsley | Free transfer |
| 13 July 2000 | MF | Mitch Ward | Barnsley | £200,000 |
| 14 July 2000 | MF | Don Hutchison | Sunderland | £2,500,000 |
| 14 July 2000 | MF | John Collins | Fulham | £2,000,000 |
| 18 July 2000 | MF | Nick Barmby | Liverpool | £6,000,000 |
| 16 October 2000 | DF | Richard Dunne | Manchester City | £3,000,000 |
| 24 October 2000 | MF | Mark Hughes | Blackburn Rovers | Free transfer |
| 21 March 2001 | MF | Jamie Milligan | Blackpool | Free transfer |
    Transfers in: £20,995,000
    Transfers out: £13,700,000
    Total spending: £7,295,000

## Statistics
### Starting 11

    Considering starts in all competitions
* GK: #1, Paul Gerrard, 34
* RB: #2, Steve Watson, 38
* CB: #5, David Weir, 39
* CB: #6, David Unsworth, 20
* LB: #12, Michael Ball, 32
* RM: #7, Niclas Alexandersson, 20
* CM: #16, Thomas Gravesen, 33
* LM: #11, Mark Pembridge, 22
* CM: #17, Scot Gemmill, 26
* CF: #9, Kevin Campbell, 29
* CF: #14, Francis Jeffers, 12 (#8, Alex Nyarko, has 21 starts as a central midfielder)