Everton have finally revealed one of their new kits for next season

To avoid any copyright issues I will just provide a link, but Nike's first effort for Everton in 2012/13 looks good. The black strip with yellow collar is available to pre-order now and will officially launch on June 23rd.

Here is the description from the official site:

The stylish black strip with striking yellow detail is the first Everton kit to be unveiled for next season with new technical partner Nike.

The shirt features a discrete collar and is made from Dri-Fit fabric which is lightweight and manages perspiration, keeping players dry and comfortable for 90 minutes and beyond.

The shirt is also part of Nike's Considered Design programme aimed at reducing environmental impact, and consists of 100 per cent recycled material.

Everton captain Phil Neville told evertontv: "When you are associated with a brand like Nike and you look down and see that swoosh on your chest then it makes you feel good.

"It is a really nice kit, all black, and I think the fans will be really pleased with it - the players certainly are."

More Everton stories after the jump:

Continue reading this post »

The season may well be over but our need to satisfy our football fix goes on. So before we all get distracted with the Euros, how about some transfer rumours to get you interested? Or maybe a round up of all things Everton over the past week

Read on.....

Continue reading this post »

Composing a match report in the immediate aftermath of a game isn’t always a good idea. Good result or bad, you can let your passion for the club get in the way.

But given I won’t calm down from this night for the foreseeable future; I may as well get this one done now!

The expectation began early, with a fleet of coaches arriving at Goodison Park to carry the royal blue hordes to the north east in what was a gloriously sunny afternoon across the UK. You immediately got the sense that this was a huge occasion.

Many pundits and neutrals had tipped Sunderland to have the edge this one, given they had home advantage – a fact that was so wildly celebrated by their supporters at Goodison 10 days ago.

And while we all held some nerves, the supporters gathered at the Stadium of Light didn’t show it, belting out the Everton tunes with gusto and giving the lads real backing.

And boy did the players live up to that backing.

Continue reading this post »

This was due to go out last night but given the events at White Hart Lane I thought it best to hold back and make a few revisions – suddenly the nerves and excitement I felt for the game were put firmly in the shade following Fabrice Muamba’s cardiac arrest on the turf at Tottenham. It is only a game and it didn’t feel right to be getting worked up about it while a player was fighting for his life in hospital. I’m sure you will agree and this report should be viewed in that context.

So after a tight and tense 90 minutes between evenly matched sides, Everton and Sunderland will have to do it all over again at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday week to decide who will make it through to the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

The celebrations by the Sunderland fans at the end showed who was happier with the result and in did seem boss Martin O’Neil was keen to play for the draw and take the match to a replay. They will undoubtedly begin the game as favourites – just as we did on Saturday – but you can barely slip a piece of paper between the sides so home advantage is by no means a guarantee of success.

Continue reading this post »

With the 10th anniversary of David Moyes’ arrival at Everton coming up I thought it opportune to cast my mind back a decade in order to look at the state he found us in when he moved from Preston North End.

In short, we were a mess. And his achievements since should be put in that perspective.

Ten years ago, March 6th 2002 to be precise, Everton travelled to West Ham chasing their first league win since the first week of January.

Manager Walter Smith was coming under pressure from increasingly agitated supporters, who were eying the relegation zone with urgency.

There did appear to be some talent within the squad – the likes of Thomas Gravesen, Tomasz Radzinski. Kevin Campbell and Duncan Ferguson were Premiership class.

But they were surrounded either by tired journeymen well past their best (David Ginola, Gazza, Jesper Blomqvist) or solid pros with all too glaring limitations (Alessandro Pistone,David Unsworth, Scott Gemmill).

Everton lost 1-0 that night in a display lacking in any imagination, or – more worryingly – fight. It stretched Everton’s winless away run to 13 games and left the club a point above the dropzone.

Continue reading this post »

By Alex Fitzgerald

As we fans have become all too aware in recent years, Everton don't exactly start a Premier League season in winning ways.

The fact that we almost certainly start a season without a player either due to injury or because we have sold them and have failed to find a replacement doesn’t help.

However, this season has proved to me the spirit David Moyes still manages to instil in the players when the going is tough. He knows exactly what the team needs to break out of the doldrums.

But he still doesn’t know how to get the team firing from the off in August. Three seasons in a row now we have started off badly, with similar problems affecting the squad each year.

Continue reading this post »

As part of our continued look at Everton’s history I had a delve into the archives to find a Premier League rarity – an Everton win over Manchester United – and one of the moments Duncan Ferguson will always be remembered for.

Seventeen years ago this coming Saturday - February 25 - Manchester United arrived at Goodison Park entrenched in a title battle with Kenny Dalglish’s big spending Blackburn Rovers.

Alex Ferguson’s men – double winners the previous year - had also reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup thanks to a 3-1 win over Leeds United six days earlier. Everton had also booked their place in the last eight with a thumping 5-0 victory over Norwich.

But with the league back on the agenda it was the battle against relegation that was at the forefront of Everton’s mind as they took to a muddy Goodison pitch that had clearly suffered through the harsh winter.

Continue reading this post »

By Alex Fitzgerald

Everton this week completed the signing of yet another player for the future - but we may see the Portuguese U-21 international earlier than expected.

Junior, who will wear the number 30 shirt, has shown glimpses of excellence a unnamed source at Everton told a British newspaper.

Junior Also told Daily Post "I feel very happy to have joined Everton. It's a great challenge and now I want to show my talent to the fans.

"My first mission is to try to get into the first team, then it is to win over the fans and to win things with Everton".

More after the jump...

Continue reading this post »

An Everton Classics section would not be complete without a look back at the club’s most famous centre forward. A player who casts a shadow on every number nine that has worn the royal blue shirt since and will continue to do so for as long as the club exists. I am, of course, talking about the legend that is William Ralph ‘Dixie’ Dean.

Continue reading this post »

By Alex Fitzgerald

On Monday of this week, Landon Donovan appeared in the Everton Two store to meet fans.

The queue to meet him was strong on numbers come 5pm - when he was due to begin signing -but, but six hardy fans had begun queuing three hours previously, one of whom travelled 3 hours from south Birmingham just to meet the American.

Continue reading this post »

Everton FC Classics is finally back up and running after a unintentional hiatus (all my fault I admit) but what a way to announce a return then a look back at one of the – if not the – greatest Everton goalkeeper of all time. Mr Neville Southall.

I remember one my friends scoffing when I said that for a spell in the late 80s and early 90s Neville Southall was the best goalkeeper in the world. He thought it was a case of me once again refusing to remove those royal blue spectacles.

And while I admit my judgement is clouded by my love for Everton at times, I was not going to let this one go. Even though I was restricted to watching the relative twilight of his illustrious career there is no doubt in my – and most Evertonians minds – that he was the greatest. And a few clips of pundits, commentators and players alike saying the same thing finally made my mate come round.

Continue reading this post »

For his second blog for RBM Alex Fitzgerald pays tribute to our latest cult hero - Denis Stracqualursi - and says why David Moyes should pursue a permanent deal for the striker in the summer.

Denis Stracqualursi strengthened his chances of making his place in the starting eleven a permanent one by following up on his outstanding effort in the F.A Cup game against Fulham with his unstinting work against Manchester City. So, I find myself asking the question: is he worthy of a permanent contract at the end of his season long loan?

Continue reading this post »

After the most, breathless and eventful week of the season so far for Everton, Toffees supporters are in a understandably good mood. This is reflected in the first blog from another one of our new writers - Mike Goodman - who has written a tribute to the efforts of our manager, a certain Mr David Moyes.

Enjoy!

It is a very very good week to be David Moyes. From tactics to transfers it seems that this week no matter what he does, Everton’s manager cannot put a foot wrong.

It must be a pleasant change for the man, who has spent the last few years presiding over a club that it’s been very hard to get excited about. Above him he has ownership that has handcuffed his personnel decisions, and around him he has fans demanding a better brand of football.

But, Moyes stoically persevering through it all has managed to do the unthinkable. He has given fans a ray of hope. It’s surprising for sure, but should it be? Looking at some numbers it actually seems that Moyes, despite some of his faults, is one of the best managers in the game.

Continue reading this post »

Well, well, this is exciting isn't it?! We had kinda grown used to watching transfer deadline day from a distance, worrying about who would leave rather than who would come in.

But, after the sale of Bily to Spartak Moscow David Moyes has FINALLY been given some funds (just the £20million+ of sales first through). That means we can actually watch deadline day unfold with genuine excitement - this excitement almost reached fever pitch when late last night the club agreed a fee with Rangers for striker Nikica Jelavic.

The Croat striker is heading to Finch Farm this morning to discuss personal terms and undergo a medical (indeed SSN has just shown picutres of him arriving). That through is expected to be a formality as the forward is reportedly keen on a move to Goodison. The sticking point was always the fee, with Rangers - one of a few clubs in a worse financial position than Everton - pushing for a fee upwards of £8million while the Toffees are looking for a down payment of £3.5million with add ons rising to around £6million.

Then, depending on that deal, Moyes will have a hunt down the back of the sofa to see what he can find to fund deals elsewhere....

Continue reading this post »

New writer Alex Fitzgerald makes his RBM debut with a statistical look at Everton's progress this season compared to the past few years, assessing whether things are as gloomy as we make out. If you are interested in writing for RBM click here for more information.

The evidence is there for all to see, Everton are lacking in the goals for column and not so in the goals against!
But is this year's position much different to what it was at this point last season?

Continue reading this post »

Royal Blue Mersey is on the look out for new writers who can contribute weekly to the site and also help with gamethreads on Twitter & Facebook during match days.

Whether you are an aspiring sports journalist, a football blogger or a passionate supporter, we want to hear from you - no experience necessary, all we ask is that you can commit to at least one article a week.

If that sounds like something you would be interested in and would like to hear more details then there are several ways you can contact us:

Via Twitter: @rbmersey or our editors @Brian_Goodison and @Tom_Mallows

via email everton@theoffside.com

or using this contact form

Two struggling teams clash at Villa Park but both have new signings in their squad. Robbie Keane has swapped LA for Birmingham for six week (who knows why!?) but has to be content with a place on the bench. For Everton Darron Gibson starts, as does Drenthe (at last) and youngster Shane Duffy - his first Premier League start.

Everton have not beaten Villa in their last 12 atttempts, they badly need that stat to change today if they are to keep themselves in mid-table and away from any bother at the bottom.

Aston Villa: Given, Hutton, Dunne, Collins, Warnock, Clark, Petrov, Albrighton, Ireland, Agbonlahor, Bent

Subs: Guzan, N'Zogbia, Delph, Keane, Cuellar, Bannan, Gardner

Everton: Howard, Neville, Heitinga, Duffy, Baines, Donovan, Gibson, Fellaini, Drenthe, Cahill, Saha

Subs: Mucha, Anichebe, Bilyaletdinov, Stracqualursi, McFadden, Gueye, Vellios

Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear)

As ever leave your comments, thoughts, feelings and grumbles on the game below.......

Ahh, the magic of the FA Cup. The third round weekend is one of the most memorable in the football calendar, with Premier League giants nervously trying to avoid upsets to lower league opposition.

The magic of the Cup will be on show at Goodison, where non-league Tamworth bid to become the first side from outside the football league to knock Everton out of the FA Cup since 1912.

Optimism and hope will be high among the visitors but conspicuous by its absence among the Toffees. The defeat to Bolton ruined any fragile New Year's confidence built up over their four game unbeaten run. Injuries to key players - including a six week lay-off for Phil Jagielka - made things feel even worse.

Anyways.....

A good result today with some goals to boot may help us all feel a bit better. I dread to think what will happen if we lose!

I will have to two teams as soon as I have them - Feel free to comment below!

Continuing our look back at the past year two more RBM writers have answer question about the past 12 months, where the club is at and where they are going (nowhere or down being the depressingly) popular answer. Sean and Calvin and the guys answering the questions......

Continue reading this post »

With the New Year approaching the time come to reflect on the 12 months gone by. 2011 will never go down as a vintage year for Everton, it was mainly about debt, sales protests and stagnation. However, it did have a few memorable moments, well the Chelsea Cup game anyway! And the consequences of some of the major events that happened over this year have yet to be realised, meaning it may yet be a more significant year than we realise.

As part of our look back over the year each Royal Blue Mersey writer has answered some quick questions about their thoughts on Everton in 2011. Part one sees Darren Melling and Sibi Gnanasundaram step up and give their answers.

Continue reading this post »

Reports in the Spanish media here and here - found by Everton forum Grand Old Team - are suggesting that Spanish side Atletico Madrid are keen on appointing David Moyes as their manager next season.

Spanish journalist Josep Pedrerol claims the club have contacted Moyes about the position, with current manager Gregorio Manzano under severe pressure following a stuttering start to the season.

The side are currently 10th in La Liga but fans and board alike showed their displeasure following a recent defeat to Espanyol, and Atletico sporting director Jose Luis Perez Caminero admits Manzano's position will be reviewed during the winter break.

What do we think of that? It is certainly a bit left-field to say the least, would Moyes want to manage in Spain? would Madrid want a manager like David Moyes? And what the heck are we going to do if he goes and there is no investment forthcoming???

This season is getting worse and worse!!

LA Galaxy striker Landon Donovan sent Everton fans into a minor frenzy on Thursday when he suggested - cyptically - that a move back to Merseyside could be on.

The US international striker, Tweeted "Once a Toffee, always a Toffee."

Now, this could mean that a move is not going ahead but that he remains fond of Everton. Or it could be that a second loan agreement could be on the cards - Evertonians across the world have got their fingers crossed that it is the latter!!

Donovan is something of a cult figure with Everton fans following his previous three-month spell with the club in early 2010 and his return would be a welcome boost given their struggles in front of goal so far this season.

We will keep you posted!!

As you probably already know Everton posted their results for the financial year 2010/11 last week. However, numbers and figures can be twisted in any way you like, to highlight or cover-up strengths and weaknesses.

The club were always going to put a positive spin on things, with the £500,000 loss seemingly not that bad to the untrained eye.

But that, of course, was only half the story and others half looked into more detail to find more worrying trends in the Toffees’ finances. Though it doesn’t take an expert to get a rough idea considering we haven’t spent any money on players for two and a half years!

I confess that I am not one for number crunching so when it comes to looking at the results in more detail I asked fellow RBM writers Darren Melling and Daniel Miller to give their take on where Everton are and where the club is headed.

I would like to point out first though that this is just their opinion after briefly casting their eyes over the numbers, it should in no way be taken as anything other than that!

Continue reading this post »

What is there to say when your side cannot even muster a single shot on target, at home, to a Stoke side who have lost every game after a Europa League group game this season?

Not a lot I guess, but I’ll do my best.

Continue reading this post »

Velios starts!

Everton v Stoke
Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Heitinga, Baines, Coleman, Fellaini, Osman, Bilyaletdinov, Cahill, Vellios. Subs: Mucha, Stracqualursi, Distin, Neville, Gueye, Barkley, Rodwell.

Stoke: Sorensen, Woodgate, Huth, Shawcross, Wilson, Shotton, Whelan, Whitehead, Etherington, Crouch, Walters. Subs: Begovic, Jones, Fuller, Upson, Wilkinson, Jerome, Palacios.

Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)

I was going to sit down and write a review of what was a largely dour, but ultimately successful trip to Bolton for Everton on Saturday.

The 2-0 win was our second victory on the bounce and lifted us up to the dizzy heights of eighth. I was feeling optimistic on Saturday night.

But that was all blown away when I heard the news of Gary Speed’s untimely death on Sunday morning.

I won’t pretend I knew him and I never even met him, but as with all players who pull on the royal blue shirt you feel a connection – even more so when that player also shares a lifelong love for the blues.

Any person who takes their own life is a tragedy, but at such a young age, with a wife and family and seemingly all to live for, it is beyond comprehension.

Continue reading this post »

Déjà vu - the experience of feeling sure that one has already witnessed or experienced a current situation.

If we get a sense of this on Saturday evening, then Everton really are in trouble.

For the Blues travel to the Reebok Stadium on Saturday, the venue of arguably their worst performance of last season – and there was plenty of those to choose from.

Continue reading this post »

Music and football.

I’m guessing those two recreational carry activities some importance to you? Well, at least one must matter as you wouldn’t be reading this blog otherwise!

Their ability to provide a kaleidoscope of emotions make them the ideal escape from everyday grind. Good or bad, people turn to their favourite tune or team for comfort.

Sometimes they intertwine with other parts of your life, forming a constant back drop to daily events. It is that clash of football and music – or more accurately Everton and the Beatles – that forms the basis of Toffees fan Neil Roberts’ book, appropriately titled: “Blues and Beatles”.

Continue reading this post »