During the 1994–95 English football season, Everton F.C. competed in the FA Premier League.
Season summary After the previous season's "houdini" escape act which preserved Everton's top flight status, manager Mike Walker was expected to take the club forward and challenge for honours. But a failure to win any of their first twelve Premier League games saw the board run out of patience with Walker and terminated his contract after less than a year at the helm. Former player Joe Royle was named as Walker's successor, and quickly set about reshaping a squad of broken men.
Royle's impact was instantaneous, taking nine points from his first three games, with the standout result being a 2–0 win over rivals Liverpool in the Merseyside derby in his first match as manager. From Royle's appointment to the close of the season the club were firmly in the top six of the form guide, beating champions Manchester United at home and winning away at Chelsea amongst other highlights, leading to Shoot! magazine to dub the transformation 'The Royle Revolution'. League survival was not guaranteed until May however due to the club's poor start, and was secured following a 1–0 win away at already relegated Ipswich Town in the penultimate game of the season. Royle began a sequence when Everton went four-and-a-half calendar years unbeaten in Merseyside derbies, and masterminded a memorable 4–1 demolition of Tottenham Hotspur in the 1995 FA Cup Semi-Final.
Everton finished 15th, but the biggest news of May was victory in the FA Cup Final. The opposition were Premier League runners-up Manchester United, who were most pundits' favourites to win, despite the fact that Everton had previously beaten United in the league that season. A goal from Everton's Paul Rideout, and a succession of thrilling saves by goalkeeper Neville Southall, gave Everton their first major trophy for eight years and their first European campaign of the post-Heysel era.
Royle's arrival at Everton also saw the permanent signature of powerful Scottish striker Duncan Ferguson, and Earl Barrett soon following. Leaving the club were a number of Mike Walker signings including: flop striker Brett Angell, reserve defender Gary Rowett and left-back David Burrows who had only arrived at the club earlier in the season. Long-serving defender/midfielder Ian Snodin who was part of the 1986–87 title-winning side also left the club. Neville Southall and Dave Watson remained from that side.
Everton fans were given more hope of sustained success after the season was over, when it was announced that the club had agreed to sign Russian winger Andrei Kanchelskis from Manchester United for a then-club record fee of £5 million.
Kit Everton's kit was manufactured by Umbro and sponsored by NEC.
Final league table
Results summary
Results by round
Results Everton's score comes first
Legend WinDrawLoss
FA Premier League DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 20 August 1994 Aston VillaH2–235,544Stuart, Rideout 24 August 1994 Tottenham HotspurA1–224,553Rideout 27 August 1994 Manchester CityA0–419,867 30 August 1994 Nottingham ForestH1–226,689Rideout 10 September 1994 Blackburn RoversA0–326,538 17 September 1994 Queens Park RangersH2–227,285Amokachi, Rideout 24 September 1994 Leicester CityH1–128,003Ablett 1 October 1994 Manchester UnitedA0–243,803 8 October 1994 SouthamptonA0–215,163 15 October 1994 Coventry CityH0–228,233 22 October 1994 Crystal PalaceA0–114,505 29 October 1994 ArsenalH1–132,003Unsworth 1 November 1994 West Ham UnitedH1–028,338Ablett 5 November 1994 Norwich CityA0–018,377 21 November 1994 LiverpoolH2–039,866Ferguson, Rideout 26 November 1994 ChelseaA1–028,115Rideout 5 December 1994 Leeds UnitedH3–025,897Rideout, Ferguson, Unsworth (pen) 10 December 1994 Aston VillaA0–029,678 17 December 1994 Tottenham HotspurH0–032,809 26 December 1994 Sheffield WednesdayH1–437,089Ferguson 31 December 1994 Ipswich TownH4–125,659Ferguson, Rideout (2), Watson 2 January 1995 WimbledonA1–29,506Rideout 14 January 1995 ArsenalA1–134,743Watson 21 January 1995 Crystal PalaceH3–123,733Ferguson (2), Rideout 24 January 1995 LiverpoolA0–039,505 1 February 1995 Newcastle UnitedA0–234,465 4 February 1995 Norwich CityH2–123,293Stuart, Rideout 13 February 1995 West Ham UnitedA2–221,081Rideout, Limpar 22 February 1995 Leeds UnitedA0–130,793 25 February 1995 Manchester UnitedH1–040,011Ferguson 4 March 1995 Leicester CityA2–220,447Limpar, Samways 8 March 1995 Nottingham ForestA1–224,526Barlow 15 March 1995 Manchester CityH1–128,485Unsworth (pen) 18 March 1995 Queens Park RangersA3–214,488Barlow, McDonald (own goal), Hinchcliffe 1 April 1995 Blackburn RoversH1–237,905Stuart 14 April 1995 Newcastle UnitedH2–034,811Amokachi (2) 17 April 1995 Sheffield WednesdayA0–027,880 29 April 1995 WimbledonH0–033,063 3 May 1995 ChelseaH3–333,180Hinchcliffe, Ablett, Amokachi 6 May 1995 SouthamptonH0–036,840 9 May 1995 Ipswich TownA1–014,951Rideout 14 May 1995 Coventry CityA0–021,814
FA Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR37 January 1995 Derby CountyH1–029,406HinchcliffeR429 January 1995 Bristol CityA1–019,816JacksonR518 February 1995 Norwich CityH5–031,616Limpar, Parkinson, Rideout, Ferguson, StuartQF12 March 1995 Newcastle UnitedH1–035,203WatsonSF9 April 1995 Tottenham HotspurN4–138,226Jackson, Stuart, Amokachi (2)F20 May 1995 Manchester UnitedN1–079,592Rideout
League Cup
+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR2 1st Leg 20 September 1994 PortsmouthH2–314,043Samways, Stuart (pen)R2 2nd Leg 5 October 1994 PortsmouthA1–1 (lost 3–4 on agg)13,605Watson
Squad
Left club during season
Reserve squad
Transfers
In DatePosNameFromFee2 August 1994MFVinny SamwaysTottenham Hotspur£2,200,00027 August 1994FWDaniel AmokachiClub Brugge£3,000,0006 September 1994DFDavid BurrowsWest Ham UnitedTransfer11 December 1994FWDuncan FergusonRangers£4,000,00030 January 1995DFEarl BarrettAston Villa£1,700,000
Out DatePosNameToFee22 July 1994FWPaul TaitWigan AthleticFree transfer2 September 1994MFJohn DoolanMansfield TownFree transfer7 September 1994FWTony CotteeWest Ham UnitedTransfer9 January 1995MFIan SnodinOldham AthleticFree transfer2 March 1995DFDavid BurrowsCoventry City£1,100,00023 March 1995FWBrett AngellSunderland£600,000
Transfers in: £10,900,000 Transfers out: £1,700,000 Total spending: £9,200,000
References