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English Everton to play Chilean Everton in pre-season friendly

EVERTON will take on their namesakes this summer - in a unique pre-season friendly that Everton can't lose!

Diniyar Bilyaletdinov targets Champions League for Everton FC

DINIYAR BILYALETDINOV expects Everton to challenge for a Champions League position next season.

Leeds United chairman Ken Bates labels Everton FC 'a two bob club'

CONTROVERSIAL Leeds United chairman Ken Bates has been apparently caught on a YouTube video branding Everton a 'two-bob club.'

EVERTON finished the season on a high and there is good reason to be optimistic about the future at Goodison.

It's difficult when you've got nothing to play for and it was never going to be a classic against Portsmouth, but Diniyar Bilyaletdinov's stunning late strike sent everyone home happy.

It's been a fantastic second half of the season and it's exciting what the club could achieve in 2010/11.

CRITICS always complain that it's the PFA Awards which are handed out too early in the season. Perhaps Everton officials may wish to reconsider the timing of their end of season awards, too.

Steven Pienaar adorned the cover of the matchday programme at Goodison Park yesterday, proudly holding his Player of the Season title.

No-one even hinted at doing anything against Portsmouth to compromise the integrity of that award.

But the Goal of the Season decision would have come under serious scrutiny.

Not the recipient.

THE main awards given out at Everton's end of season gala dinner did not come as a surprise.

In a year which has been full of inconsistencies, not just at the club but throughout the Premier League, it has been certain for some time that Leighton Baines and Steven Pienaar take the plaudits.

Their form and inter-play down the left has been a consistent feature in Everton's season, particularly since the turn of the year, producing some of the club's best moments.

MANY fear that with Spurs qualifying for the Champions' League, and Manchester City set to spend big in the summer once again, the window of opportunity for Everton is shutting.

If you look at the amount of money spent on transfers this season, Spurs and City are only finishing where you would expect.

But it isn't all about just money. The top four should remain an objective for Everton next season, and they should not be deterred by the astron-omical cash that City are almost certainly ready to splash.

THERE'S no doubt missing out on the Europa League is a big disappointment but Everton's players can hold their heads high this season.

We all love big European nights and competing against teams from the continent is where the Blues want to be.

But now David Moyes and his players just have to concentrate on ensuring we're only out of Europe for a year.

STOKE are one of the last teams you'd want to be playing after they have been beaten 7-0.

They're a proud club with a good management team and Everton's task will be made harder by the Stoke players who will be determined to make amends in front of their own fans.

Peter Reid is loving every minute of his time as Tony Pulis' number two, and Reidy will have them fired up with a few choice words make no mistake.

I HAVE to disagree with the fans who say Everton need to sign another striker in the summer. Even though there are times they could have been more clinical in front of goal this season, I don't think bringing in another centre forward is the answer.

In Louis Saha and Yakubu the Blues have two quality forwards, and you can see from this campaign that it's rare they start a game as a partnership.

Then you recall they have the goals of Tim Cahill, and two youngsters in Victor Anichebe and James Vaughan who have already proved they can find the back of the net when called upon.

I KNOW there is still plenty to play for this season but I'm already excited about what Everton could achieve in the 2010/11 campaign.

If we can keep this squad together and keep that great spirit the manager has nurtured then the Blues will be a real threat.

If we hadn't had such bad luck with injuries and that unsettling saga over Joleon Lescott then I'm convinced we would have been right in the mix for fourth place with Manchester City and Tottenham.

ALTHOUGH David Moyes' comments regarding Portsmouth's intention to apply for a place in Europe next year were made when Everton still had an outside chance of clinching seventh spot, they were clearly not made from a selfish point of view.

His comments were considered and made in a more general context.

Portsmouth failed to make an application in the allotted time, which is sufficient reason to rule them out.