1988–89 Everton F.C. season
# 1988–89 Everton F.C. season

During the 1988–89 English football season, Everton F.C. competed in the Football League First Division.

Everton finished eighth in the table with 54 points after a disappointing season in the league, where they failed to mount a title challenge.

The Toffees were the runners-up in the FA Cup, losing to Liverpool in a Merseyside final at Wembley Stadium and advanced to the 4th round of the League Cup.

Before the start of the season, Everton became the first English club to pay a £2million fee when signing West Ham striker Tony Cottee.

## Final League Table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 6 | Tottenham Hotspur | 38 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 60 | 46 | +14 | 57 |
| 7 | Coventry City | 38 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 47 | 42 | +5 | 55 |
| 8 | Everton | 38 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 50 | 45 | +5 | 54 |
| 9 | Queens Park Rangers | 38 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 43 | 37 | +6 | 53 |
| 10 | Millwall | 38 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 47 | 52 | −5 | 53 |

## Results

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |
| - | - | - |

### Football League First Division

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 27 August 1988 | Newcastle United | H | 4–0 | 41,560 | Cottee 3, Sharp |
| 3 September 1988 | Coventry City | A | 1–0 | 18,625 | Cottee |
| 10 September 1988 | Nottingham Forest | H | 1–1 | 34,003 | Heath |
| 17 September 1988 | Millwall | A | 1–2 | 17,507 | McLeary (og) |
| 24 September 1988 | Luton Town | H | 0–2 | 26,017 | |
| 1 October 1988 | Wimbledon | A | 1–2 | 6,367 | Heath |
| 8 October 1988 | Southampton | H | 4–1 | 25,356 | Cottee 2, Watson, Steven |
| 22 October 1988 | Aston Villa | A | 0–2 | 26,636 | |
| 30 October 1988 | Manchester United | H | 1–1 | 27,005 | Cottee |
| 5 November 1988 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 1–1 | 21,761 | Steven (pen) |
| 12 November 1988 | Charlton Athletic | A | 2–1 | 8,627 | Sharp, Reid |
| 19 November 1988 | Norwich City | H | 1–1 | 28,118 | Steven (pen) |
| 26 November 1988 | West Ham United | A | 1–0 | 22,176 | Steven |
| 3 December 1988 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–0 | 29,657 | Cottee |
| 11 December 1988 | Liverpool | A | 1–1 | 42,372 | Clarke (pen) |
| 17 December 1988 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 0–0 | 10,067 | |
| 26 December 1988 | Middlesbrough | H | 2–1 | 32,651 | Steven, Cottee |
| 31 December 1988 | Coventry City | H | 3–1 | 30,790 | Sheedy 2, Bracewell |
| 2 January 1989 | Nottingham Forest | A | 0–2 | 26,008 | |
| 14 January 1989 | Arsenal | H | 1–3 | 34,825 | McDonald |
| 21 January 1989 | Luton Town | A | 0–1 | 9,013 | |
| 4 February 1989 | Wimbledon | H | 1–1 | 23,365 | Sharp (pen) |
| 11 February 1989 | Southampton | A | 1–1 | 15,845 | Sheedy |
| 14 February 1989 | Aston Villa | H | 1–1 | 20,142 | Cottee |
| 25 February 1989 | Derby County | A | 2–3 | 17,103 | Sharp, Clarke |
| 11 March 1989 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 1–0 | 22,542 | Cottee |
| 22 March 1989 | Newcastle United | A | 0–2 | 20,933 | |
| 25 March 1989 | Millwall | H | 1–1 | 27,062 | Sheedy (pen) |
| 27 March 1989 | Middlesbrough | A | 3–3 | 21,351 | Cottee, Sheedy, Nevin |
| 1 April 1989 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 4–1 | 23,028 | Clarke, Sheedy (pen), Cottee, Steven |
| 8 April 1989 | Arsenal | A | 0–2 | 37,608 | |
| 10 April 1989 | Charlton Athletic | H | 3–2 | 16,316 | Sharp, Sheedy, Nevin |
| 22 April 1989 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 1–2 | 28,568 | McDonald |
| 3 May 1989 | Liverpool | H | 0–0 | 45,994 | |
| 6 May 1989 | Norwich City | A | 0–1 | 13,239 | |
| 10 May 1989 | Manchester United | A | 2–1 | 26,722 | Sharp 2 |
| 13 May 1989 | West Ham United | H | 3–1 | 21,694 | Sheedy, Watson, Bracewell |
| 15 May 1989 | Derby County | H | 1–0 | 17,826 | Wilson |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3 | 7 January 1989 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 1–1 | 31,186 | Sheedy (pen) |
| 3 Rep | 11 January 1989 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 1–0 | 31,697 | Sheedy |
| 4 | 28 January 1989 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 1–1 | 27,566 | Sheedy (pen) |
| 4 Rep | 31 January 1989 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 4–0 | 28,542 | Sharp 2, Nevin, Sheedy |
| 5 | 18 February 1989 | Barnsley | A | 1–0 | 32,551 | Sharp |
| QF | 19 March 1989 | Wimbledon | H | 1–0 | 24,562 | McCall |
| SF | 15 April 1989 | Norwich City | Villa Park | 1–0 | 46,553 | Nevin |
| Final | 20 May 1989 | Liverpool | Wembley | 2–3 (aet) | 82,800 | McCall 2 |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2:1 | 27 September 1988 | Bury | H | 3–0 | 11,071 | Sharp, McDonald (pen), McCall |
| 2:2 | 11 October 1988 | Bury | A | 2–2 (agg 5–2) | 4,592 | Steven (pen), Sharp |
| 3 | 8 November 1988 | Oldham Athletic | H | 1–1 | 17,230 | Steven (pen) |
| 3 Rep | 29 November 1988 | Oldham Athletic | A | 2–0 | 14,573 | Cottee 2 |
| 4 | 14 December 1988 | Bradford City | A | 1–3 | 15,055 | Watson |

### Simod Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3 | 20 December 1988 | Millwall | H | 2–0 | 3,703 | Cottee, Hurlock (og) |
| QF | 18 January 1989 | Wimbledon | A | 2–1 | 2,477 | Clarke 2 |
| SF | 28 February 1989 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 1–0 | 7,072 | Nevin |
| Final | 30 April 1989 | Nottingham Forest | Wembley | 3–4 (aet) | 46,606 | Sharp, Cottee 2 |

### Mercantile Credit Football League Centenary Trophy

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 29 August 1988 | Manchester United | A | 0–1 | 16,439 | |
