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Its simply horrible. He's 32 - what happened to Moyes' policy of only signing youngsters?!?! 32 and versatile dont go together in the same sentence. City are shite and he is down the pecking order there - if we are 'improving for the future' how can we justify playing him.. If he was already at the club from 27yr old or something - then fair enough to play him when needed - but to sign him now?!? GET REAL - HORRIBLE NEWS IN MY OPINION

Same here Park End - last 'section' peering over the away fans.. (three rows from the back - amazing seats) - look out for me lads.... I wear an EFC home shirt with ROWLO on the back!!! CANT WAIT FOR KICK OFF ON THE 19th...

Look lads - the guy obviously has a drinking problem. The definition of an alcoholic is simple - somebody who allows alcohol to affect their lives more than just financially. i.e. when it costs you more than just money, you have a problem. It is costing this guy his career. He had a glittering career ahead of him - he was in the national squad, playing for Ajax and then Inter - but this problem has dented his hopes. That makes it worse. He is a sick individual and probably hates the fact that he drinks - probably doesn;t even like what he is doing to himself (on reflection). But it is an illness and unfortunately he is the only person that can help! No Doctor can help. Alcoholism is classed as a three fold illness. 1. physical (it kills you) 2. mental and 3. spiritual. the third cause is the hardest to overcome. Anybody can have will power to stop them picking up a drink but if they are not happy within themselves, then the drink will flow regardless of the strength of will power. Its a horrible illness and I just hope, even if he never kicks a ball for Everton again, that he can find the strength to sort himself out (thats assuming he is an alcoholic). Drinking 2 weeks before the season starts - its disappointing, but having lived with a raving alcolholic, I know what its about and I know that he probably wouldn't have wanted a drink - but he did and thats that. Live and let live boys - dont be angered. Thats Moyes job.

get off the band wagon... He was here for years and he didn't do anything special. Okay - he had a fantastic half season with Carsley when he KNEW that Real were at the door knocking. He is a good midfielder but he was hardly the legend and servant that some quarters harp on about. Whats the big attraction - let him go to Newcastle. Let him make the one catastrophic mistake a game in his own half and let him continually get yellow cards and let him have the ego of a small country... I say leave him - whats in the past is in the past . He only put the performances in for us when he knew he was in the shop window. It was nice while it lasted (all 6 months of it!).

Neville is a good RB and would get forward more than Hibbert (tackling aint as good). Pistone (the leg end) can also play RB. (if we are REALLY desparate - like, after Moyes had asked all the fans and RS fans first!)

Moyes doesn't even know what £50m looks like (and neither do I) so I doubt he would know what to do with it. I would be scared that he would look to sign £3-5m players with it and buy a team rather than 5 £10m quality players that would guarantee europe each year. But - its all a dream. £50m and Everton only ever get mentioned together when talking about debt.

According to Bluekipper - he's been told that he is surplus to requirements - you NEVER know - we have first refusal and he will be cheap. (if not free, because they probably aint paid for him yet!)

My three are Wigan (had 2 good players last year - sold them both this year, yet to replace them) Villa (if they dont get bought out) Sheff Utd (players too poor or old, but then so where Wigans last year) Other candidates Portsmouth Fulham Boro (hopefully)

Who knows - quality. Capello is always going to stick with the bigger name and reputation... Robinho - a bet his legs were shaking for days after that... the Grav, all wound up - not a nice site and certainly not nice to be on the recieving end of it.. I liked Robinho's fake 'i'm going to hit you but delibrately miss' punch!

Get rid - give him away if you can - I feel bad that WE are going to get money for him - I feel as though I am ripping somebody off. Anyhows - get fucking shut. Worst left back, apart from Pistone, I have ever seen. Shocking...

Wow - I knew that the skunks had high expectations - but fooking hell - dont they just love themselves... Fact is, Owen would have come to us instead had he not wanted to go back to the RS. Nobody opts for the cold, dirty, good for nothing north east of England unless there is massive money involved. And thats the only reason why the skunks do well - massive money incentives. Look at it logically -the team is full of mercenaries. Even Shearer didn't go up there until he had won a few things - then went for big money. Look at Sunderland and Middlesborough - they are barely surviving and cant attract players of calibre. Shite. And whats this shite about Cahill being a dirty cheat?!?!? Is that because in the 04/05 season he stole the show againt the skunks and showed them what playing in central mid was all about and it only cost us £2m!!!

Firstly, If Lescott is fit and Yobo - they will be the centre of defence with the occassional inclusion of either stubbs or weir (both are too old, but stubbs can do a better job). Secondly VDM - this is pre-season. If someone has so much as a twisted sock Moyes aint gonna risk them after what happened with Kroldrup last year. (assuming that he WAS injured). I don't reckon that VDM has anything serious - I will be gutted if he has. Who remembers Paul McGrath - his knees where so bad that he only trained every other day to keep fit - but he was a good player. Perhaps VDM will have to have a similar routine. training to keep fit only, playing practice games only once or twice a week to keep sharp. What Irvine says is true - he does strike a ball hard - his crosses are whipped in at great pace rather than floated in like artetas - and the premiership/Everton needs the pace on the ball. Beattie needs crosses like that. VDM hits it so hard that the ball stays at a jumpable height and doesn't start high so that the striker has to wait for it to come down, giving the defender a chance. Fast balls, at constant height means that the striker can attack the ball and force it towards goal with pace...not many goalies can handle it!!! I hope it is just a bit of a scare and that nothing has come of it...but...normally when it gets onto the official website early on, its preparing us for the shock!

David Moyes has said today that the club is still active in the transfer market. If that is true, if Davey is looking for more additions to the squad, will they be loan deals only? If not, where is the money coming from (yobo still aint signed) and how much money do you think he still has? Who would you like to see (realistically please) at Everton? My answers are: I reckon he has no money (unless YObo is sold!). I reckon he is going to get a player (or two) on loan. One such player could be SWP. (would love to see him in a blue shirt this year). If he has money - I reckon its only around £3m to spend in total. I'm sorry to raise this, but I would be signing Ferrari...

Hero: Duncan Ferguson (No need to mention his contribution) Kevin Campbell (Loved us, we loved him) Steve Watson (always loyal - even though not a fan, stills loves us) David Unsworth (not the best player - but when in a blue shirt, gave 120%) Joe Parkinson - (never let anyone past him whilst in a blue shirt) Graeme sharp (still at Everton!) Dave Hickson (quote " I would have broken bones for any club that I played for, but I would have died for Everton" says it all really). Dixie Dean - (Rooney, are you reading this. This guy was a proper scouser and stayed! And is STILL the best striker that ever played in England) Neville Southall (ok, he spat the dummy once, but he never gave anything less than 1million % - even when he was aging and overweight) Kevin Ratcliffe (Quote "After leaving Everton, losing didn't seem to hurt anymore") Brian Labone (still at Everton until his untimely death - Quote "remember boys, one evertonian is worth 20 liverpudlians!") Howard Kendall (needs no explanation) Colin Harvey (needs no explanation) Unsung Hero's: Paul Rideout Lee Carsley John Ebbrell Dave Watson Tony Kay Villans: Olivier Dacourt (never wanted to play for us) Nick 'Judas' Barmby (couldn't wait to get off the sinking ship to leave us to rot) Gary 'Shithouse' Speed (couldn't handle the pressure - apparently) Alex Nyarko (spat his dummy - glad about that!) Mikael Madar (free Lance rip off merchant -tricked us all into thinking he was a footballer) Tomas Radszinski (Left in a dark cloud and then proceeded to rip into us) Francis Jeffers (thank god that we didn't re-sign him again!) Rooney (only for the goal celebration last year) Claus Thomsen (wasn't really his fault but he tookthe club for all the money he could - when we were struggling!) Mike Walker - did he know what he was doing? Walter Smith - started well but then started to sinkthe ship - jumping before anyone else. The list goes on...

I backed KW up this time last year when people were shooting him down. His plan was to raise the fan base, raise the spend per fant o £70 and put us in the same financial league as the Tottenhams of this world. He stated that aberdeen had a bigger fan base than us and that is outrageous. He set out his stall and he met his targets - in most cases, exceeded his targets (he has started on his next set now - the academy etc.) He managed to release £25m last year for players and has released money this year for Moyes to be able to dabble in the market. He has brought out a new home shirt, as promised each year, to raise revenue until the club is properly back on its feet and he has kept in touch with fans - making more appearances on the website and ensuring that EFC news gets on to the official website fast. He has also invested heavily in communications - the website is easily the best official website out of all of the clubs in the premiership and probably further a field. We are starting to look like a brand name now and more and more people are wearing the blue colours - Iwas in london about a month ago and when I got on the tube, I counted over 10 Everton shirts - on people from all sorts of different backgrounds - so his message is reaching everyone who is prepared to listen - and to some who dont want to listen! He keeps in touch with the fan sites and last year BorntobeBlue was featured in one of the matchday programs. He has done a fantastic job up to now and has started to restore this club to its former glory - he is still way off the mark but he is getting their. I said this last year and i will say it again, with hi and Harvey Smith in charge of the finances, the club is taking steps in the right direction...just hope that the team performances are as good.

Call me cynical or a doom and gloomer but my experience tells me that once they have a good tournament and get bulled up by their fellow 'respected' country men, Everton normally sell them...

Look - we all know that players are demanded to say certain things when they sign for a new club - look at Barmby - he told every club that he signed for 'i've always wanted to play for a club this size - i supported them as a boy'. That fact is this - they all kiss the clubs badge after scoring a goal - the rush is amazing and they are told to appear loyal to the fans. Rooney is young (was even younger in his mind) and did as he was told. Everton needed the money and the he alone was not going to turn the team into something special. It sickens me to see that United could snatch him away like that but he was always going to be a big star and earn more money than Everton is worth (financially) - he was never going to get that type of press or attention at the mighty blues. We shouldn't take that transfer to heart so much - it was constructed by the EFC board and we need to get over it.

Sorry missed Carrick out!

at 18 yrs of age, the club you love tell you that you are doing more good by going and saving them from financial ruin... please remember throughout Rooney's youth, EFC have always struggled for cash and had the bank on the doorstep or have not been able to sign players due to the crisis - with being worth money - - he had no say in the matter - the deal was done long before any of us knew about it. Trevor Birch was drafted in to 'sort the club out' - his first job was to go to Portugal and offer Rooney a £50k a week contract - but it failed to mention that the contract was for Everton - people just assumed that... Birch was brought in to handle the massive transfer for Wayne Rooney - and that is what he did. After that he left - but the board had to cover it all up... Rooney had little say and his goal celebration is at the fans because they dont know what happened behind closed doors and Rooney resents that we judged him without the facts. ALso - the celebration was at the board (i think) for sending him up the road. If you had asked him before the transfer if he would play for mancs - he would have probably had the same reaction that me and you would have!! Spit, swear and threaten death for the suggesting such a horrible transfer! I think he was just a pawn - nothing more.

I am quite good friends with the agent of Ashley Ward - (who works for proactive sports - Rooney's agent) and I got this story from them - So i treat it as reliable.

In my opinion its time to let bygones be bygones and get over the whole Rooney fiasco. We all know deep down that he had NOTHING to do with that transfer and that it was all stewed up by the EFC board - even down to the timing so that we could keep the banks happy and not the team...(bank was knocking on the door). He is a superb player - probably amongst the best in the world at the tender age of 20. A feat that only the greats ever manage to boast - Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, van basten, beckenbauer, pele, etc.etc. Some may think that naming him amongst those players is ludicrious but it really isn't. He is a household name at 20 yrs of age. It seems as though he has been around for ages and that his talent is only growing - but he is only 20!!! He runs at established world class defenders as though they are nothing and its inspiring. We should take great pride that his talent was nurtured and introduced to the world via the Goodison turfs. Colin Harvey made that player - focusing his mind on the unique talent that he possesses. But unfortunately Harvey retired and there was nothing at the club that could further develop Rooney - he was starting to go down a rocky road. his fitness and sharpness was decreasing and a move to United was the only way forward - to be further developed (not nurtured) by what is probably the best training coaches/facilities and manager in the England (and maybe the world) was the only way forward for him - and he has grown into something that Evertonians knew he would....But I still dont think that he would have chosen to go if given the option . The option, however, is what he didn't get. He did us a favour - he left us £20m and played the game with the board and made it look as though it was his decision...career wise it probably was - at the time we could not tame the beast in a team of minnows. but passionate wise, love of the club and all that - Rooney never wanted to go and its obvious - he still plays for united wearing a blue wrist band. He still looks for the Everton result before anything else...he is a blue - buthe was blue at the wrong time in our history. Thats sad for evertonians - but its not Rooneys fault. He couldn't have stayed and turned this club around - he had to leave for big money and it was planned as soon as he signed his first contract at the club - kenwright was rubbing his hands together back then - birch was drafted in to do the deal for EFC and United and then left once finalised - there was no board room row or split - it was all a conspiracy and as time moves, our opinions are changing over the whole saga. My opinion is this - lets get off his back. There is no denying that he is and will continue to be an amazing talent in world football. and whilst he dones the england shirt he will have my backing. he has inadvertently done more for EFC than most players who have stayed - and he knew that was going to be the case..which is why he swallowed the disappointment and accepted that he had to play his part in a very bad move away from his beloved blues.

tut tut - shouldn't wish that kind of injury on anyone... He's finished - I reckon he could even be finished from the game in general...he has never recovered from the first injury and this one is worse. my england team for the rest of the tournament is this.... ................Robinson (coz James is even worse)........... Neville(if fit).......Ferdinand(should be Carragher)....Terry.....A.Cole Beckham...................Lampard............................J.Cole .....................................Gerrard (free role)........................ ...........................Rooney....................................... thats the team that could win this world cup...

Xavier - do one. who cares what you think - are India in this tournament?!?! Anyway... Rubbish performance - and please dont waffle on about a decent 1st half. It was poo through out the 90 miuntes. we were poor - a decent 1st half to me is going in 2-0 up like we should do (on paper). Sweden contained a celtic has been, 2 Everton cast offs and 2 villa cast offs...hardly a difficult game was it...in fact, on paper Paraguay should have been the crunch game in this group... Rooney still aint sharp but he still managed to put people on the edge of their seats. Crouch - waste of time - why play the long ball when he either cant head it or is sitting on the half way line 'ready to hold the ball up' - ??? waste of time Lampard - drop him, he is obviously not finding form and he doesn't look like he is going to either. last night and against T&T he has clear chances to score and hit both shots straight at the respective keepers. Cole - okay he was the best of a bad bunch - but why wont he pass the fookinball - he reminds me of beagrie - rips a player in two and then goes back round to try again, only to find that there are now two defenders and they tackle him easily...needs coaching. Ferdinand - did he turn up? Terry - still solid but his indecisions made me nervous. Hargreaves - this guy is superb...at ball watching. Sewdish 2nd goal - have a look at the replay. Larsson runs straight past hargreaves, who is standing there waiting to applaud the good play. Ash Cole - didn't get out of 1st gear. Carragher - not a RB - despite playing as a wingback for the RS for many a season - there wasa reason they moved him into the middle of defence - he doesn't like leaving his own half - not good for a RB. Beckham - didnt have the support from his RB - so Swedish players didn't move away from him, allowing him the space he needs. Having said that - if he is the best right winger in the world, he should be able to find space...utter garbage... Gerrard- as much as I hate to say it, although he played 20mins or so...easily the best player on the park - lampard step aside please.... Robinson - was there a reason for picking him...oh yeah, there is nothing better for miles! to sum up - apart from a minute or two of magic - utter poo.

So..basically, from a doom and gloom point of view - the money for AJ and lescott will come from the sale of Cahill?? And something else that is really annoying - we pay £8.6m for Aj and the RS get Bellamy for £6.5m.... missed out there I reckon.

My personal feelings on this one is that Beattie, as the more established Goodison player and after his performances last year...in that I mean getting fit and having a great season after xmas, should get to wear the No.9 shirt. The No.9 shirt is close to every evertonians heart - it is a symbol of love for one team and fear for the opposition. Dixie owns that shirt, no matter who wears it. Latchford, Linekar and Sharp give it the respect it deserved Its not about high goalscoring - its about shear grit, determination and passion for the blue cause - only special players should EVER get the right to wear it and they should be forced to EARN it. Big Dunc earned it by being a favourite with the fans and giving us hope when the chips were down. Campbell deserved it after he single handedly kept us in the premiership. So - sometimes, the shirt should be put on reserve until somebody reaches the high enough status to deserve it - but, its likely to be given to someone this year - so who do you think should get it?