The 2001-02 campaign was a tumultuous season of dramatic transition for Everton, as The Toffees ultimately secured a 15th-place finish in the Premier League after a mid-season meltdown. The club began with a flash of false hope, briefly topping the table in August, but a catastrophic run of results plunged them into a desperate relegation battle. This led to the sacking of long-serving manager Walter Smith in March, after a loss in the FA Cup Quarter-Final, and the subsequent arrival of a young David Moyes, who successfully steered the club to safety. Leading the line for goals were the joint top Premier League scorers, veteran Duncan Ferguson and the energetic Tomasz Radzinski, both netting 6 times. The campaign also featured the final appearances for icon Paul Gascoigne, whose cameo appearances often lifted the side, before he departed in March, making it a year defined by upheaval and the successful fight for survival that ushered in a new era at Goodison Park.