AT the end of the season we asked for your views on how Everton FC fared during the 2011/12 campaign. Here are your thoughts on the past 10 months:
Player of the season 2011/12
Pretty much a four-way split. John Heitinga came out of top with 28.9% of the vote, the rock in the Blues defence helping his side conceed just 40 goals this season in the league.
Leighton Baines was a close second with 22% and Marouane Fellaini was third on 18.1%. Nikica Jelavic’s goalscoring exploits in the second half of the campaign saw him make a big impression and weigh in with 13.5%.
Your views on Heitinga:
“Drastically improved given valuable playing time in his favoured position and remained impressively consistent since his opportunity came, more so than any other player.”
“Attitude, commitment and playing the ball out from the back. Quality player.”
“Tireless, leads by example, not interested in the limelight, proper team player, & he’s no softy.”
Young player of the season 2011/12
Greek forward Apostolos Vellios, with 13 appearances and three goals in the league this season, took your award with 34% of the vote.
Magaye Gueye, who enjoyed a few lively cameos for the Blues towards the end of the campaign, was just behind on 31.7%. Ross Barkley was next with 18.8% and there were a few honourable mentions for Shane Duffy after being recalled from loan and slotting back into the team.
Goal of the season 2011/12
Darron Gibson’s blistering strike to sink Man City at home (18.7%) and Nikica Jelavic’s looping header from an unlikely angle against Man United (15.3%) were contenders, but it was Steven Pienaar’s finish after a sweeping Blues move to equalise late on at Old Trafford (37.0%) that took the spoils.
Performance of the season 2011/12
Two candidates here. The rousing fightback against Man United to earn a 4-4 draw at Old Trafford was on 26.3%, but leading the way on 33.3% was the dominant display in the 2-0 FA Cup sixth-round replay win away to Sunderland.
Player who most exceeded expectations 2011/12
Nikica Jelavic was a clear winner here (37.5%), arriving from Rangers in January and hitting the back of the net on a regular basis ever since. His end of season tally of 11 goals in 16 games has Blues looking forward to August already.
Darron Gibson was next in this category on 18.9% and player of the season John Heitinga was third on 14.3%.
See next page for more results of the survey >>>
More stories like that here every day. Please bookmark us and subscribe to our football RSS feed for updates on latest breaking news. Click to compare Everton kit.