1994–95 Everton F.C. season

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 Brett Angell, Gary Rowett and Ian Snodin.

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

Updated to games played on 14 May 1995.
Source: Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
¹ Everton qualified for the Cup Winners' Cup as FA Cup winners.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Results Summary

Source: Statto

Results by round

Source: Statto.com
Ground: A = Away; H = Home. Result: D = Draw; L = Loss; W = Win; P = Postponed.

Results

Everton's score comes first

Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Reserve squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Out

Transfers in: £10,900,000 Transfers out: £1,700,000 Total spending: £9,200,000