When Tommy Gravesen came on in the last minute of extra-time against Fiorentina, we all knew Moyes was bringing him on for penalties. Although we lost out to Fiorentina from the spot kick lottery, Gravesen dispatched his penalty with aplomb, pointing to the crowd with his mad eyes after he scored. Was he saluting them or waving before he left?

After the disappointing UEFA Cup exit, there are only nine games left of Everton’s season and if this is goodbye, if this is Gravesen's last touch as an Evertonian, then it will be fitting that it came scoring a goal that could have helped Everton through.

Gravesen’s time at Everton was his best as a player. Often starved of a partner to pass and exchange skillful touches with, he was forced to roam on his own, and when the mood took him he would often head down blind alleys and cul de sacs, submerged in his own skills with his head down. When he came to he would often find himself near the corner flag.

'If I had a pound for every time Tommy was given the moniker “tough tackling” I would have a fortune'


If Everton are a Bill Kenwright production then Gravesen was the star of the pantomime, a player who grimaced and gesticulated when he played, and with his shaven head and bulging eyes he looked every part a Mad Dog of a midfielder. His theatrics were often greeted with an “Oh Tommy, Tommy…” bellow from the stands, and the songs of the fans were echoed back with his larger than life skills.

When Gravesen did leave us it was to follow his dreams. Any gripes about the timing of his departure (he left as Everton were fighting tooth and nail for fourth spot) were swiftly brushed away when we realized that Real Madrid were the club that had come knocking.

After the Real Madrid adventure ended, he moved to Celtic, and then came back to us on loan; the feeling was that he had unfinished business, but this time round he has been muted, more susceptible to injury, and has found it hard to break into an Everton squad that has grown a lot since he was last at Goodison.