1 9 9 5 - 9 6 ▁as ▁they ▁finished ▁sixth ▁in ▁the ▁league . ▁He ▁then ▁signed ▁w inger ▁Gary ▁Speed ▁from ▁Le eds ▁United ▁for ▁£ 3 . 5 mill ion ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁and ▁then ▁paid ▁a ▁club ▁record ▁£ 5 . 7 5 mill ion ▁for ▁M idd les br ough ▁forward ▁Nick ▁Bar m by ▁later ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁but ▁Ever ton ' s ▁form ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 – 9 7 ▁was ▁less ▁convin cing ▁and ▁on ▁transfer ▁dead line ▁day ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁he ▁was ▁not ▁permitted ▁to ▁sign ▁the ▁Norweg ians ▁( T ore ▁André ▁Flo ▁and ▁Cla us ▁E fte va ag ) ▁by ▁chairman ▁Peter ▁Johnson , ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁his ▁res ignation . ▁Ever ton ▁were ▁just ▁four ▁points ▁above ▁the ▁re leg ation ▁zone ▁when ▁Ro yle ▁res igned , ▁their ▁form ▁having ▁di pped ▁since ▁the ▁sale ▁of ▁And rei ▁Kan ch elsk is ▁to ▁F ior ent ina ▁two ▁months ▁earlier . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁Ever ton ▁Gi ant ▁for ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁for ▁his ▁success es ▁as ▁both ▁a ▁player ▁and ▁a ▁manager ▁for ▁the ▁To ff ees . ▁ ▁Manchester ▁City ▁After ▁ 1 1 ▁months ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁game , ▁he ▁accepted ▁the ▁challenge ▁to ▁manage ▁Manchester ▁City ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁When ▁Ro yle ▁arrived ▁the ▁club ▁was ▁deep ▁in ▁the ▁re