May - 2005
May turned out to be an historic month for Everton Football Club.
The highest finish since the inauguration of the Premier League ensured the Blues would take part in the Champions League.
A 2-0 home defeat of Newcastle was impressive enough, and ultimately secured the fourth place spot.
Tim Cahill, one of the side's stand-out performers all year, was on the scoresheet, along with the dependable David Weir, who left it until May to get his first goal of the season.
The day after this win, other results confirmed Everton as England's fourth placed qualifier for the Champions League.
And perhaps the euphoria was still on everybody's minds as the Blues travelled to Highbury, where they were brought down to earth with a comprehensive 7-0 defeat. The scoreline was a record Premiership defeat for the Blues who had met an Arsenal team in top form.
There were six different scorers as Everton struggled to contain their hosts' attacking play.
So it was with relief that the Blues travelled to Bolton just three days later with the chance to finish the season with a victory.
An enthralling game showed that neither side were quite finished for the season, with Everton losing out by the odd goal in five.
It was a match that saw Everton take the lead in the firs ten minutes, through Cahill once more. Their hosts hit back then took the lead, only for Lee Carsley to equalise in what would be his last league action of the year.
But it was not to be a victorious finale as Bolton grabbed a winner and consigned Everton to a final day defeat.
As the season ended, the celebrations begun. The Blues were back in Europe.
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