The Blue Room - Everton FC Podcast

Dave, Les and Josh react to Everton's latest pre-season friendly and answer your questions.

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2001/02 - a season that is already off to a bad start before it's begun with Everton having sold their two outstanding young players, both of them lifelong Blues. 
Some good results early on give way to more questions than answers, though. Such as, what does the 'Bruise Brothers' even mean? Would Nick Barmby returning to Goodison really have knocked the 9/11 terror attacks off the front pages? And who does Danny Cadamarteri think he is? 
Stay tuned for all this, plus an outrageous story from each of your co-hosts. 
This episode is supported by The Excelsior. Thanks to Ga...

Les joins BBC Radio Merseyside's Phil Munns to discuss the latest news at Everton.

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Matt is joined by Dave and Aaron on a much more upbeat show this week.

We look in detail at the two players potentially coming in - Christian Norgaard and Alistair Johnson. How will they change the way Everton play? And are they more that potential bandaids on big voids in the team?

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Are things finally starting to look up for Everton? They have their second win of pre-season and two players look to be on their way in.

Christian Norgaard and Alistair Johnston both offer relief in areas of the squad which require a lot of love. But are they anything other than stop-gap solutions?

We also talk Jack Grealish’s situation, pre-season press trips and Merlin Rohl making a case to start the season in the XI.

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Everton lost 8 points. Nottingham Forest lost 4. Chelsea? Not a single point, despite admitting to 74 breaches of FA rules and getting hit by three separate regulators (UEFA, the Premier League, and the FA) over £47m in undisclosed historical payments. Les and Dave lay out the full timeline of all three cases - Everton's two separate PSR breaches, Forest's £34.5m overspend, and Chelsea's Abramovich-era disclosure scandal - and compare them point by point: what the breach actually was, who discovered it, who was punished for it, and what sanction followed. Are these cases really comparable? Have Chelsea been treated more leniently th...

Dave looks back on Everton's 1-2 win away to Hamburg and answers your questions.

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Matt is joined by Connor and Adam to talk through the Everton malaise.

What are the Blues waiting for in the transfer window? Has the chance to seize the initiative gone this summer? And what do we do about Ndiaye's situation?

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Matt reacts to Everton's third friendly of the summer against the Potters. ➕ BLUE ROOM EXTRA Get exclusive content and all of our podcasts ad-free when you sign up to Blue Room Extra: https://tinyurl.com/yc83x2zh ANDY JOHNSON AFTERNOON Full details for the event at the Bridewell: https://x.com/The_Bridewell/status/2081338592798912539?s=20 📩 EMAIL Get in touch with Matt and Paddy for questions, comments and enquires at evertonbyline@gmail.com 📸 LAURA GATES PHOTOGRAPHY Get a discount when using code ‘TBR25’ at checkout

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Fresh from their trip to Bolton, Matt and Paddy are back to talk about anything but Bolton.

So Iliman Ndiaye. Is he going? Is he staying? Should Everton sell? Could they replace him? We pull it all through the keyhole.

We take a closer look at whether the recruitment setup is working as the Blues wait for a new right-back and midfielder to arrive. Are there too many cooks in the Everton transfer kitchen?

To finish, we react to the news that Idrissa Gueye is set to leave the club. And Paddy has...

Two games, no defeats, young players getting minutes, and a manager who loves being written off - what’s not to like? In this week’s episode, Les and Dave look at some reasons to be cheerful in what has felt like a pretty miserable summer for Evertonians, as the 25/26 season hangover lingers.
We assess Everton's encouraging start to pre-season, from the convincing 4-0 victory over Dundee to a hard-earned clean sheet at Bolton, with particular focus on the impact of youngsters Harvey Foster, Adam Aznou, Harrison Armstrong and Tyrique George.
There's also discussion around Jordan Pickford's impo...

In a bitesize edition of the pod, Matt and Paddy reflect on Everton's 0-0 draw in their second pre-season friendly of the summer.

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Matt is at the Toughsheet Stadium to reflect on Everton's second friendly of the summer.

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The co-hosts take a moment to look forward to the returning Good Times Pub Quiz, and give shout outs to some friends of ours doing outstanding achievements in their own fields of excellence.
Then, it's a replay of their sit-down with Andy Burnham. Listen to the full conversation from 18 months ago, as the new PM discussed the Premier League trying to kill Everton (his words), the Fan Advisory Board and 1878s, his favourite kits, the new ground, and more.
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Matt joins Rob on this more compact edition of the Kick About. We start with a big look at the right-back situation. Are they really going to go another whole summer without one? How has this situation been allowed to happen? Is there a blockage in the recruitment machine? The lads also look back at the good and bad of the World Cup. ➕ AD-FREE LISTENING Get exclusive content and all of our podcasts ad-free when you sign up to Blue Room Extra: https://tinyurl.com/yc83x2zh 🤝 NORD VPN DEAL Get our black Friday exclusive deal: Big savings + 4 month...

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Matt is joined by Patric and Mick.

We start with our World Cup reflections. Was the tournament any good? Was it too big? And how will things go for Jordan Pickford after his mixed performances on the big stage?

Then chat turns to the Everton squad. The squad is still significantly short in some key areas and there is still no sign of a new right-back. They couldn’t really go another transfer window without buying one could they?

Fresh from wedding festivities, Matt and Paddy are back to tackle the real big event of the weekend - Dundee 0-4 Everton.

The Blues are back and did the business in Scotland. Beto and Barry scored, but did Adam Aznou steal the show? And is there a place for him in the squad next season?

We also talk transfers. Jarrod Bowen will not be coming to Everton, but will Morgan Rogers’£117m move to Chelsea move the needle in the market? We assess how it could work both for and against the Blues.

And...

A year on from the move, Les and Dave put the new stadium under the microscope.
From bare grey concrete and missing branding to toilet queues, plaza vibes, and the car park choking off Western Terrace, the fans have spoken. Is Hill Dickinson Stadium a blank canvas waiting for Everton's identity, or does it need a full design overhaul to finally feel like home?
And what about £6 doughnuts vs. Everton Mints andToffees?
Let us know your thoughts.

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Dave P asks a guest to choose three of their favourite World Cup games and have a lovely chat about football history.

In episode #2, Les picks games from 1986, 2014, and 2018. Let us know your favourite World Cup memories.

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Matt, Mark and Dave take some time to talk Toffees after a morning at Hill Dickinson Stadum.

Everton play their first pre-season friendly on Saturday at Dundee. Are they ready to come back? Are we ready?

We also look back at England's World Cup exit and reflect on our experience at Upper Deck golf.

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Ian joins Les to discuss the things they'd happily never see at Everton again. Let us know what you'd banish into Blue Room 101? There's also new captain chat - who should take over the armband from Seamus Coleman?

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Matt and Paddy discard of the standard podcast format this week. It's a bit all over the show. With the players back for pre-season, we look at what individuals get up to the off-season. How much control do Everton have over individual training, nutrition and more? Talk then turns to the right-back chase. Everton have been linked with Djed Spence but he's at the World Cup. Do the club have any excuse for not getting this position sorted already? 🤝 NORD VPN DEAL Get our black Friday exclusive deal: Big savings + 4 months extra: https://nordvpn.com/blueroom ➕ BLUE ROOM EXTRA Get e...

This week, Liam is joined by his long time friend and Across The Park co-host Ian Mills.
The lads discuss the eventful 01/02 campaign that eventually saw Walter Smith being replaced by David Moyes.
Gazza, Away Days, “The Premiership” and other bits are all discussed as TGTEP approaches the very waters that probably inspired Kev to start this whole damn thing.
Thanks to Sean Ponzini, Gary Lunt and Niall O'Donnell for their contributions to this episode, which is in association with The Excelsior.

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England's players compared the hostility outside their Mexico City hotel to a night at Everton — and we're taking that as a compliment.

Les and Dave dig into how we actually build that reputation on purpose: the new walk-up, the pre-match playlist, the players who can set a tone early instead of killing it stone dead.

Then it's onto the new home kit — Stake shuffled to the sleeve, CMC Markets now front and centre in a deal worth £25–30m a year. Is it just gambling in a slightly nicer suit, or a genuinely different beast? Two cheeks...

Matt catches up with Matt Correal, who was on the front row of Azteca Stadium on Sunday night to watch England's thrilling win over Mexico. We discuss the differences in culture savouring a game from Mexico City, the iconic stadium and the brilliant performance of Jordan Pickford.

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Matt and Paddy assess Jordan Pickford’s stunning performance for England at Azteca Stadium.

We then turn our focus to the signing of Tyrique George and what it says about Everton’s transfer plans.

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This is 40, and it's not long into this landmark episode before Everton's dubious title credentials are all dead.
Joe Royle always enjoyed a Derby win as manager, but the Barmby-inspired smash and grab at the Baseball Ground will be the Toffees' last away league win for over a year, and Royle's final one as gaffer.
Come March, Joe, or "Moosehead" as he's been affectionately named by a couple of Kev's rogue uncles, is on the march and Peter Johnson faces a Sophie's choice of giving the caretaker role to prankster Dave Watson or the potty mouthed Neville...

Les and Rob discuss Everton's apparent lack of direction. Will we ever feel any sort of new owner bounce, and is David Moyes too big a presence at the club for it to change? There's World Cup chat and a new album corner featuring two summer staples from The Cars and The Style Council.

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Matt is joined by Dom Shaw from the Northern Echo to get the lowdown on Everton's new midfielder.

What will he bring to the team? How will he adapt to the Premier League? What's he like off the pitch?

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Hundred up for us - a new player for Everton!

Hayden Hackney is on his way after the Blues reached an agreement for an initial £16m deal.

How will he fit in with Everton? And what does this mean for the future of Idrissa Gueye, Tim Iroegbunam and more?

We also look at the rumours linking David Moyes with the vacant Scotland job.

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David Moyes is the bookies' favourite to take the Scotland job but he's Everton manager. We dig into the links, the candidates, and what it could mean for Everton's summer.
Plus, still no sign of the 26-27 kit, and we explain exactly why. And with Rangers fans fuming over defective £85 Castore/Umbro shirts, should Everton supporters be worried about what's coming?

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We've had enough of the Good Times bobble hat telling us what to talk about. The Wembley derby will have to wait.
In the summer of 1996, Everton may not have been Cup holders anymore (the loveables having let the city down and sent the trophy back to Manchester), but were now being touted as outsiders for an even bigger pot - their first league title in 9 (NINE) years.
Gary Speed looked like just the missing piece of Joe Royle's jigsaw, a marauding all-round midfielder (which was the style at the time), and a lifelong Evertonian to boot...

After a good finish to 2024/25, the emotion of leaving Goodison, and the excitement of moving to the new ground, last season finished pretty flat.

It feels like there's not a great deal of optimism as Everton enter a(nother) big summer and the second season at Hill Dickison - Les and Dave join Matt to try and work out if there's anything the club can do to lift the mood.

Let us know what you think might help improve things.

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A brand new show where host Dave Phillips is joined by a guest to choose three of their favourite World Cup games. That's followed by a chat on football history in the tournament over the years.

In episode One, Ian Rowland takes us back to Mexico 86 and Italia 90.

Let us know your favourite World Cup memories.

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Matt and Paddy take some time out from the World Cup and the heatwave to talk Toffees.

We look at Thierno Barry and assess whether Everton should or could sell him this summer. There’s a wider chat about the transfer plan too and whether are stuck in the past with their recruitment strategy.

Finally we look at a couple of blows for the academy, with two of its brightest stars set to move on.

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New stadium. New owners. New era. Same old Everton. After a dreadful end to the season, Moyes’ latest comments that he’s not sure Everton can make "big huge strides” haven’t gone down well. We compare these comments to some he’s previously made and ask three questions:

Is Moyes being a realist, or is he already setting the bar too low?

Does the new stadium change what Everton should expect?

Is Moyes the right man to take Everton to the next level?

Let us know your thoughts.

It's 2026/27 fixtures day - Les and Dave react to the announcement, dive into a bit of transfer news, and question the ambition of Everton's largely silent owners. Is there a succession plan and do we need to reset our expectations of what type of club Everton is?

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An early edition of Byline this week.

Matt and Paddy look at last week's ruling against Everton and whether this is the end of the PSR pain. When can we expect a decision on the Blues' appeal against the £40m fine?

We also assess the latest transfer rumours around Liam Delap and Jarrad Branthwaite. Then it's a look at the World Cup - what's gone well and what is irritating us?

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As World Cup fever sweeps The Blue Room, Foxy and Liam join Les and Warren for a Weekly/Mailbag mash-up. On The Weekly, we discuss Burnley's £40m compo claim against Everton and the start of the 2026 World Cup. Then head over to YouTube or Patreon for Mailbag to continue the World Cup chat and much more.

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Back in August 2024, Liam caught up with top blue and writer Jim Keoghan.
The pair discussed 96/97, the late 90’s at large and the wider implications on the Toffees to this very day.
The duo talk Joe Royle, Peter Johnson, transfers, the lot. And apparently, if Liam’s slip of the tongue is correct, we signed Foster not Oster the following summer...
Thanks to Sean Ponzini, Gary Lunt and Niall O'Donnell for their contributions to this episode, which is in association with The Excelsior.

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