A player at Preston North End before taking over as manager from Gary Peters in 1998, the team were promoted to the First Division in May 2000. Preston missed out on promotion to the Premier League the next season with a 3-0 defeat against Bolton Wanderers in the First Division play-off final.
Turning down offers from Manchester City, Southampton and West Ham United, it was only the eventual offer from Everton that tempted Moyes away from his beloved Preston. Rumoured as a possible assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United before the appointment of Steve McClaren, Moyes, like so many before him, faced his first challenge of avoiding relegation to the First Division.
Welcomed enthusiastically by the Everton fans, the first game under Moyes’ leadership saw a David Unsworth goal in the first 30 seconds followed by a superb effort from Duncan Ferguson, giving the Blues a 2-1 win over Fulham.
The fine performance from a squad with potential but formerly lacking consistent direction brought not only a vital victory for the new manager, but a new boost of assurance and enthusiasm for his players.
On form again, fine performances from the team under the new manager saw Premier League safety once again assured soon after.
The 2002/03 season began very brightly as The Toffees signed a shirt sponsorship deal with Chinese firm Kejian and brought in international midfielder Li Tie, Nigerian star Joseph Yobo and England international ‘keeper Richard Wright.
The Blues were the surprise package of the first half of the season as a run of six consecutive wins – their best since the Championship-winning season of 1986/87 – helped them climb as high as third before Christmas.
Everton’s form earned David Moyes the Barclaycard manager of the month award for November after his side’s 100 per cent record. That month saw them record 1-0 victories over Leeds, Charlton, Blackburn and West Brom.
There was disappointment in the cup competitions, as Everton exited the Worthington Cup in the Fourth Round with a 4-1 defeat at Chelsea. And Third Division Shrewsbury provided the biggest shock of the FA Cup in recent years by defeating the Blues 1-2 at Gay Meadow.
The upset did not have an adverse effect on Everton’s league form however as Goodison’s new teenage sensation Wayne Rooney, and some excellent team performances, helped them stay on course for a European spot.
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