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

Season summary 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.Everton FC Accounts 2000–2001 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

Results summary

Results by round

Results Everton's score comes first

Legend WinDrawLoss

FA Premier League DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 19 August 2000 Leeds UnitedA0–240,010 23 August 2000 Charlton AthleticH3–036,300Jeffers, Ferguson (2) 26 August 2000 Derby CountyH2–234,840Jeffers, Gravesen 5 September 2000 Tottenham HotspurA2–335,316Jeffers, Nyarko 9 September 2000 MiddlesbroughA2–130,885Jeffers (2) 16 September 2000 Manchester UnitedH1–338,541Gravesen 24 September 2000 Leicester CityA1–118,084Unsworth 30 September 2000 Ipswich TownH0–332,597 14 October 2000 SouthamptonH1–124,491Ball 21 October 2000 Newcastle UnitedA1–051,625Campbell 29 October 2000 LiverpoolA1–344,718Campbell 5 November 2000 Aston VillaH0–127,370 11 November 2000 Bradford CityA1–017,276Naysmith 18 November 2000 ArsenalH2–033,106Cadamarteri, Campbell 25 November 2000 ChelseaH2–133,516Cadamarteri, Campbell 4 December 2000 SunderlandA0–246,372 9 December 2000 Manchester CityA0–534,516 16 December 2000 West Ham UnitedH1–131,260Cadamarteri 23 December 2000 Charlton AthleticA0–120,042 26 December 2000 Coventry CityH1–235,704Gemmill 1 January 2001 Derby CountyA0–127,358 13 January 2001 Tottenham HotspurH0–032,290 20 January 2001 Coventry CityA3–119,174Gemmill, Cadamarteri, Campbell 31 January 2001 MiddlesbroughH2–234,244Naysmith, Tal 3 February 2001 Manchester UnitedA0–167,528 7 February 2001 Leeds UnitedH2–234,224Ferguson, Campbell 10 February 2001 Leicester CityH2–130,407Jeffers, Campbell 24 February 2001 Ipswich TownA0–222,220 3 March 2001 Newcastle UnitedH1–135,779Unsworth 17 March 2001 SouthamptonA0–115,251 31 March 2001 West Ham UnitedA2–026,044Unsworth (pen), Alexandersson 8 April 2001 Manchester CityH3–136,561Ferguson, Ball, Weir 14 April 2001 Aston VillaA1–231,272Unsworth 16 April 2001 LiverpoolH2–340,260Ferguson, Unsworth (pen) 21 April 2001 ArsenalA1–438,029Campbell 28 April 2001 Bradford CityH2–134,256Ferguson, Alexandersson 5 May 2001 ChelseaA1–235,196Campbell 19 May 2001 SunderlandH2–237,444Tal, Ball

FA Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR36 January 2001 WatfordA2–115,645Hughes, WatsonR427 January 2001 Tranmere RoversH0–339,207

League Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR2 1st Leg 20 September 2000 Bristol RoversH1–125,564CampbellR2 2nd Leg 27 September 2000 Bristol RoversA1–1 (lost 2–4 on pens)11,045Jeffers

Squad

Left club during season

Reserve squad

Transfers

In DatePosNameFromFeeNotes30 June 2000DFAlessandro PistoneNewcastle United£3,000,0001 July 2000GKAndy PettingerScunthorpe United£45,0004 July 2000DFSteve WatsonAston Villa£2,500,00013 July 2000MFAlex NyarkoRC Lens£4,500,00017 July 2000MFPaul GascoigneMiddlesbroughFree transfer19 July 2000MFNiclas AlexanderssonSheffield Wednesday£2,500,00024 July 2000MFThomas GravesenHamburg£2,500,00017 August 2000FWDuncan FergusonNewcastle United£3,750,00017 October 2000DFGary NaysmithHearts£1,500,00017 October 2000MFIdan TalMaccabi Petah Tikva£700,000

Out DatePosNameToFeeNotes9 June 2000GKDean DelanyPort ValeFree transfer15 June 2000DFCarl ReganBarnsleyFree transfer13 July 2000MFMitch WardBarnsley£200,00014 July 2000MFDon HutchisonSunderland£2,500,00014 July 2000MFJohn Collins Fulham£2,000,00018 July 2000MFNick BarmbyLiverpool£6,000,00016 October 2000DFRichard DunneManchester City£3,000,00024 October 2000MFMark HughesBlackburn RoversFree transfer21 March 2001MFJamie MilliganBlackpoolFree 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)

References