The club
What heaven sounds like
"Sharp! What a fantastic goal! I haven't seen a goal quite like that in a Merseyside derby for years and the Evertonians are going berserk!"
· v Liverpool, 1984
Then and now
1878: St Domingo church finds something for the parish youngsters to play out of the cricket season. Soon they rent a pitch at Anfield Road and call it Anfield. 2008: Weighing up the leaving of Liverpool and becoming the first league club into the overspill area of Kirkby.
The credit cruncher
Bill Kenwright, actor-turned-theatre impresario, has been on the board for 20 years and in charge for the past nine, getting financial backing from the swanky-burger-eaten-in-front-of-Bruce-Willis's-framed-pants tycoon Robert Earl. Club is reportedly worth about £55m.
Their prospects
A repeat of best of the rest, fifth, is sadly as good as it is likely to get although after last season's Uefa Cup run, which included beating Zenit, the eventual winner, in the group stage, progress is expected.
Mission for Doctor Who
They've brought back the club's most successful ever manager, Howard Kendall, twice but that did not work, so Dixie Dean and his goals would be welcome. Although right now the crowd would settle for the Brillo-pad hair and industrious intelligence of Peter Reid just to keep Phil Neville out of central midfield.
See the ground on Google Earth
Search "Goodison Park" and see it surrounded by row upon row of terraced housing. St Luke's church is at the top-left corner and the Dixie Dean statue is at the bottom by the road junction.
The players
International game
Ten nationalities in all, with three Nigerians topping the overseas quota and English the language of choice with Australia, the US and South Africa also represented. Mikel Arteta and Nuno Valente provide the Iberian content.
Fab enough for Fabio
Joleon Lescott has won five caps, one from the Italian, and although Phil Jagielka's form last season pushed Lescott out to left-back at Everton and earned him a cap in this summer's Trinidad friendly, there is no contest ability wise.
Breaking through
Jack Rodwell was introduced last season and much is expected of him but James Vaughan, just 20, has the speed, talent and desire to make it big. At the age of 16 and 271 days became the Premier League's youngest goalscorer against Crystal Palace.
Everton's got talent
Andy van der Meyde has spent three years perfecting the art of earning and spending money without breaking into sweat, the rush for last orders apart.
Who'll give 110%
Joseph Yobo has played six seasons now and is quick, committed and authoritative. Even came straight back from the African Cup of Nations in January despite being invited to go AWOL with Yakubu.
Who'll give 1,000%
Tim Cahill roughs up opposition players, picks up his share of yellow cards, scores vital goals and does a blinding Lionel Blairesque mime for Porridge.
Story of the summer
Moyes stews over a new deal ... Yobo's brother is kidnapped and held for 12 days ... AJ jumps ship ... Sir Paul McCartney finally admits he is an Evertonian.
The manager
David Moyes
Here are your best bits
Bargain-hunter with Mikel Arteta, Tim Howard, Joleon Lescott and Tim Cahill. Three top-seven finishes, Uefa Cup two seasons in a row. League Cup semi-final.
His tactics board says
"Keep it tight. Battle for everything. Feed the Yak." Usually 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 if Cahill's metatarsals are in working order and it's a game against one of the big four.
His Post-It notes say
"Change motto to Every Little Helps" ... "Call libel lawyer to thank" ... "Buy six more black shirts for Match of the Day 2"
New face
Steven Pienaar
from Dortmund, £2m
The South African spent last season on loan at Goodison, where his tidy midfield play convinced David Moyes to sign him. With two goals in 23 starts, his Everton record is exactly the same as his international one. Said he was tidy.
Last season
Points per game
v top four 0.25
v the rest 2.17
Uefa Cup Last 16
FA Cup 3rd round
Carling Cup Semi-finals
League discipline Y40 R3
Top scorer Yakubu 15
Fair play league 5th
In this dog-eat-dog league they're...
Snowy
Has for years remained faithful to a ginger-haired master and, though there have been some bad times, they have generally found popularity and success and enjoyed some memorable journeys across Europe. Together they frequently manage to scrape their way out of perilous situations - even if they sometimes don't seem to know quite how they did it.
