A campaign that started with much optimism among the fans ended with Everton searching for their third manager in less than a year despite finishing a decent eighth in the league table.
The Toffees splashed out in the transfer market, bringing in a number of big name players including Wayne Rooney from Manchester United, but lack of an adequate replacement for the departed Romelu Lukaku proved to be their Achilles heel as they endured a disastrous first half of the season that saw them drop into the relegation zone by the end of October.
A heavy defeat to Arsenal proved to be the final straw for the Everton board who dispensed with Ronald Koeman, and after a brief period of David Unsworth taking over as the interim coach, Sam Allardyce was appointed as the permanent replacement much to the displeasure of the fans.
Results improved immediately for Everton with Allardyce unbeaten in his first six games and winning three of his opening four matches, but the former England coach never really managed to win over the fans who, time and again, expressed their unhappiness over the style of football.
A dip in form and criticism from the fans did not help Allardyce who, for all his proclamations of preparing for the next season, looked to be a dead man walking.
The Toffees hit a good run of form in the final weeks of the season, winning four and losing just two of their final nine games to finish eighth in the league table though it was not enough to help Allardyce hold on to his job. He was sacked at the end of the season, with Everton reportedly looking to bring in former Watford coach Marco Silva or Shakhtar Donetsk coach Paulo Fonseca.
