Recently by Nigel Martyn

AMONG the many players with whom Everton have been linked this summer is a player I know really well and I've no doubt he could make a real contribution - if he signs.

Alan Smith is not the type of player who is going to score 20 goals a season, but what he will do is run through a brick wall every game and that sort of application and commitment would help him flourish at Goodison Park.

YOU don't have to be a member of Everton's squad or work within Goodison Park to have been affected by this summer of frustration.

With no new faces having yet come in and a lengthy injury list, it is not hard to imagine that David Moyes has been pulling his hair out and he now faces a hectic fortnight before the transfer window closes to bring in suitable reinforcements.

There is no room for standing still in football, though, and at the minute, Everton are giving everyone the perception that is exactly what they have done. Surely pre-season was the time to be making signings so that they could have bedded in by now?

In fairness to the manager, he is someone who sticks to his principles and wants to take his time over the players that he buys; apart from getting as much knowledge as he can about the footballing ability of his targets, he wants character references too.

IT'S an old saying but it continues to stand the test of time. The league table doesn't lie and, now that the final ball has been kicked, it shows Everton had a magnificent season.

Every plaudit and accolade that comes the way of the management and players is fully deserved and there was no better way to finish things off than with a stylish, slick success against Newcastle.

And don't for one moment underestimate what has been achieved. We would all love to be reflecting today on a successful title challenge, but finances dictate these days that you have to cut your cloth accordingly.

The top four clubs will always have the most money, therefore can attract the better players, so for Everton to emerge as best of the rest without spending the vast quantities of others is a terrific achievement.

TYPICAL Everton. Things wouldn't be normal unless we were involved in some sort of last day drama and that will again be the case on Sunday.

Though we missed a gilt-edged opportunity to end the race for a UEFA Cup place at the Emirates Stadium last weekend, I am still extremely confident that the Blues will end the campaign as the fifth best team in the Premier League.

There will, understandably, be some anxious souls who are fretting that things may unravel. But while Aston Villa are capable of beating West Ham United, I would be genuinely amazed if Newcastle United won at Goodison

TOMORROW night sees Everton's annual end of season awards take place but we are still no nearer to knowing who will be named star man.

In the last couple of years, Mikel Arteta has been out on his own but, this time around, things are completely different and, with the greatest respect to the little Spaniard, it would be a surprise if he completed the hat-trick.

The reason that would be the case is down to there being numerous contenders from front to back. Tim Howard, for one, has been in outstanding form all year and built on the promise of his debut campaign at Goodison

A POPULAR theory has it that Everton's draw with Aston Villa on Sunday means they have surrendered the initiative in the race for Europe. Don't believe it for one minute!

Things will become much clearer following the next round of games, but I am still convinced that the Blues will finish fifth, and have every confidence they will defy the odds by getting a point at Arsenal next weekend.

Sure, it was disappointing to surrender the lead twice against Villa, but there were signs that we were starting to get back to something like our best. And I would much rather be in our position than Villa's with two games to go.

THERE will not be any silverware on offer but there is no other way to say it - Goodison Park will stage a cup final this Sunday.

SO we have reached the most difficult time of year, as injuries, tiredness and a lack of bodies threaten to derail Everton's push for Europe.

The weekend draw against Birmingham City has made qualifying for the Champions League extremely difficult, but anyone who thinks that the Blues are going to allow entry into next season's UEFA Cup to slip from their grasp would be advised to think again.

Having enjoyed the adventure they had during this campaign, the supporters won't let the players stop, the players themselves are all hungry to sample the experience again and there is no chance that David Moyes will let the pace slacken.

MIDFIELDERS who can score regularly are worth their weight in gold. But defenders who can repeat the trick are priceless.

Joleon Lescott grabbed his ninth goal of the season at Birmingham on Saturday and it would be terrific if he could finish the year in double figures. Yet even if he doesn't, his return has been fabulous.

He has become a quality addition to the team from the moment he set foot inside Goodison Park and it is a testament to his fitness and durability that he has made 91 consecutive appearances - not bad for someone who many felt would struggle because of an old knee injury.

THE victory over Derby might not have been a classic but three points were the only thing that mattered and it sets us up nicely for the run in.

Saying that, we will be in for a tough time at Birmingham on Saturday. They need the points as much as we do and it promises to be another tense affair.