Allardyce cancels Everton's Christmas party due to mid-table spot

Bah, humbug.

Sam Allardyce cancelled Everton's Christmas party because the club sits 10th in the Premier League after 16 matches, offering that the players can start to enjoy themselves once the team moves up a bit more in the standings.

The man known as "Big Sam" added he didn't want the players to get the wrong message by being allowed to take some time off to relax, with Allardyce cancelling the get-together set for next Monday following a bout with Swansea City.

"Yes I've stopped the Christmas party because it is not needed at the moment because of the position we were in when I first arrived here," Allardyce said, as quoted by Chris Bascombe of The Telegraph.

"I told the players I will pay them back when they come out of Christmas and into January and we will socialise and they can go and socialise at the right time.

"It's off until there is a period of time when we are in a very good position that you can say lads 'have a relaxing time which you deserve but whatever you do I don't want a phone call telling me you've been in trouble because you will be in even more trouble with me than you are wherever you are out there.'"