Here To Support Not Takeover

Everton's new Shareholder, Planet Hollywood's owner Robert Earl, has become involved in the club as he believes the potential at Goodison is massive. He stresses that no takeover is planned and he is here to support his old mucka Bill Kenwright. Just one word of caution however, didn't Paul Gregg come in all those years ago to support his old mucka Bill Kenwright from the big baddy Peter Johnson.

Everton have yet to comment on speculation that Bruce Willis, Big Arnie and more of Hollywood's elite will be helping out in the butty bars on matchdays, serving the warm Chang's and cold pies. Watch this space.

Robert Earl says: "I believe in the club and I believe in its potential. I definitely will be bringing some of the biggest movie stars in the world to Everton. Sylvester Stallone absolutely loves soccer and I spoke to him about the deal last night. He said he wants to come. He has just finished the last Rocky film and will be in England next January/ February to promote it so, hopefully, he'll be able to come up for a game then.

My involvement with Everton is to support. It's an endorsement of Bill Kenwright, an endorsement of David Moyes - it is not a takeover. Anything that helps the economic model, and in turn gives David a better pool of talent is something we want to do. The more financial stability we can give the club, the better. If there's to be a new stadium, and if that stadium merits having great restaurants and a casino, let's go for it. But I will not be making those decisions. It will be up to the chairman how much he uses me.

I would like to think on the marketing side that I probably have a lot to offer. My involvement is to help strengthen the club, give them more money, give them more opportunities. I'm 55 and remember Everton's heyday. I'm old enough to understand that David Moyes has got the team well on the way to glory and so this is the right time for me to get involved. I see myself as pretty knowledgeable on the merchandising side.

If they'd like one, why not? Soccer isn't solely about making money, it's about having some fun and supporting the team. You could not find a more dedicated person. The public don't realise just how many business opportunities Bill has given up for the club this is his life." (22/10/06)

Gregg Resigns From Board

Everton Football Club have released the following statement:“The Gregg family have today sold all of their Everton shares to BCR Sports. Paul and Anita Gregg have today resigned from the Board of Everton Football Club. Everton Football Club will be making no further comment at this stage."

Paul gregg has finally got his money back. He has sold his shares for a reported £7.2m. The sum he paid for 23% of the club's 35,000 shares which he owned jointly with his wife. The buyers, BCR Sports, have Robert Earl, who founded the Planet Hollywood chain of restaurants, as one of it's major players. The Sunday Times Rich List values him at £210 million. He is currently involved in a £600m project to relaunch the Aladdin casino in Las Vegas as part of his restaurant and leisure empire. The deal which if correct values Everton Football club at between £80m-£100m.

A club insider (who we can't name as he will get his arse kicked) says: "The people involved are fully supportive of the current chairman and the management of the club. Bill will be able to go to this weekend's match at home to Sheffield United relieved that he has won this battle, and he will be able to relax."

Blue Kipper met Gregg on a couple of occasions over the years, and it was clear that all he was after was his stake back at a profit if possible. He admitted he wasn't even a football fan, never mind an Evertonian. He joined the board as a friend and business colleague of Bill Kenwright, having been a major player in the world's biggest entertainment organisations, Clear Channel Entertainment and SFX. He was involved when the ill fated Kings Dock bid was in it's development stage.

He once famously said: "Our job now is to go out there and say Liverpool offers the best and we would like you to use it. We will be encouraging Disney on Ice and Holiday on Ice and we are hoping that Cirque de Soleil, who do a London season, will, with these facilities, also do a Liverpool season."

We now know that he was talking about the redshite at Goodison this season and not the circus that was the Kings Dock. The last time we met Paul Gregg, he asked Blue Kipper to get some questions from the fans, we met him asked him a few of our own and gave him over 200 e-mails we had received. He promised us answers to them all within a month. That was 3 years ago. We still await an answer! (21/10/06)

FA Handbags

Everton and the redshite have both been charged with failing to control their players in the recent reserve derby match, which Everton won easily 2-1.

Everton Football Club, the first team on Merseyside, will now be dragged down to see the FA, because the redshite's narky reserve goalkeeper Jersey Doodar had a cob on because he couldn't get into their first team (surprising as they have a clown in there at the moment). Consequently he through a wobbler when young Vic fairly went for the ball in a fifty/fifty challenge. The ugly big nosed keeper then tried to slap Vic on the mush, but was dragged away kicking and screaming. He was sent off for violent conduct. Then nearly all the players had a piley on, but not one punch was thrown.

Doodar was initially facing a three-match ban for violent conduct but after reviewing video evidence, the FA also charged him with failing to leave the field promptly and confronting the referee. That could increase the ban to five games and rightly so!

Everton may be fined, more than the shite as we are under a suspended sentence for an incident against Boro in January 2005, when we were fined £8,000.

Everton secretary David Harrison says: "We have been charged with a breach of FA rule E20, which is failure to control our players. We have until 1 November to reply and we also have the opportunity to request a personal hearing before the commission, should we wish to do so." (18/10/06)

Everton Mid Table in TV League

Everton have come in eleventh in last season's TV cash bonanza League Table. The table is based on the money spent out by SKY TV for the right to feature Premiership clubs in their live TV fair. The Blues amassed just over £23m in TV revenue, but it pales in comparison to manure and Chelski with £30.5m each.

At the other end of the scale Sunderland, West Brom and Pompey each received £17m, £17.5m and £19m respectively.

The shite were in the top three with their cash payment, and they have asked for the monies to be made into the Danish Krone, as a big thank you for their supporters. (03/10/06)

Transfer Inquiries Extended

Blue Bill today threw his hat into the ring as the furore over bungs, dodgy transfer deals and shady agents rumbled on. It came on the day that Lord Stevens inquiry into everything bad about that side of football was extended by two months. The Lord (don't you just hate the peerage system), I mean Mr. Stevens is looking at 362 transfers that took place between January 2004 and January 2006. There are apparently eight clubs that are being looked at, and it is not known who they are. Blue Bill who has dealt with Syd the Snake in the Rooney transfer saga, want's more transperancy in dealings, and less Swiss Bank accounts.

Blue Bill says: "I have come across difficult agents, but I have never ever come across an unscrupulous agent. We have for the last nine months been discussing new rules about transfers; hopefully there will be more transparency." (02/10/06)

Kissock & Molyneux On The Telly

JP came on as a second half sub in England U18's 2-0 defeat by France and played well, but Lee Molyneux stayed on the bench. (22/09/06)

Sky Sports 2, 7.30pm Thursday, 21st September 2006 is your chance to cast your eye over John Paul Kissock, Everton's 16 year old star in the making and left back, Lee Molyneux. They are playing for the England under 18's against France in a friendly. For those who want their footy live, put a coat on and get up to Hartlepool. (20/09/06)

3000 Derby Tickets

Everton have announced the following:

Tickets for the 204th Merseyside derby will go on general sale from 9.30am on Wednesday morning. There are just 3,000 tickets remaining for the match and the club is expecting a great deal of interest. Fans are advised to get to Goodison as early as possible on Wednesday if they wish to secure a ticket for the game. The tickets will be on sale from the Park End Box Office, with each supporter permitted to purchase up to four tickets each. (05/09/06)

Grab A Grand

Everton have announced:

Don't forget to take part in the brand new Grab a Grand competition at Goodison this weekend. The brand new format has replaced the Golden Goal game and proved popular at the opening day win over Watford. If you play the Grab a Grand game you are in with a chance of winning £1,000. Other prizes include a signed shirt, match tickets, a signed ball and cinema tickets. And all tickets can be exchanged for two-for-one deals at local McDonald's or Cineworld outlets. To buy your Grab a Grand ticket, visit the sellers on the concourses and or in the lounges. (04/09/06)

More Land Available For The Blues

Liv......Live........Liver, sorry can't say it, the shite City Council, have apparently offered the Blues two options in their hunt for a site to build the New Goodison Park. Land close to Speke Airport is one of the plots and another is believed to be a lot closer to the clubs proximity is also on offer to us.

The club are believed to still favour the Knowsley Council option, which is four miles away from our current ground, and has private cash injected into it, in the form of Supermarket giants Tesco, which happen to be run by Everton fan, and Club advisor Sir Terry Leahy.

Big Keith however is keeping all his options open, but hopefully soon, some site will be picked, then we can have a big argument, or is it a discussion over it. Leading the argument for the City Council is Blues season ticket holder Warren Bradley, and he is keen to keep the club in the city boundaries, even if it means sharing with the shite on Stanley Park.

Warren Bradley says: "We have discussed two sites, which we have done some early analysis on and put forward to Everton's chief executive Keith Wyness. He has agreed to look at those suggestions, but the club is still talking with Knowsley council and has not made a decision one way or the other yet." (23/08/06)

£80m Takeover bid

Reports are circulating that an unnamed British-based Russian is in talks with Everton director Paul Gregg in an attempt to take control of the club from chairman Bill Kenwright. The Russian would pay £40m for the club and write off the club's £40m of debt. A figure of up to £50m has been tossed around to bring in new players for the club. American tycoon Randy Lerner, is also considering a takeover approach, after he pulled out of buying Aston Villa. Like busses, you wait for ages then 2 turn up together. We've heard all this before. So we'll wait and see what happens. (30/07/06)

Everton responded with this statement: "The Board of The Everton Football Club Company Limited notes the recent article in the press concerning a possible takeover of The Everton Football Club Company Limited.

The Board wishes to inform shareholders that no approach has been made to the Board concerning a takeover of The Everton Football Club Company Limited."

Your The Reason I Left

Ex Blue Wayne Rooney who is selling his life story at the tender age of 20, is letting some snippets out to the papers. Speaking of his time at the Blues, he said he definitely wanted to leave as he could no longer work with David Moyes. He claims Moyesy leaked a private conversation to the local rag, and also the the Boss had a go at him as he was eating to many Maccy D's.

Now no one but Wayne, and Moyesy can comment on these accusations, but I think Mr. Stretford (Sid the Snake), have a small part to play in it all. Was it not he who directed his young prodigy to sell his life story to the Scum, sorry Sun, months before his long awaited move to manure. Was it he who acquired Rooney with the sole intention of selling him onto the highest bidder, and feather his own pockets. I also wish the papers would get their facts correct. They still say the boy wonder was sold for £30m, we all now it is closer to £23m, honest.

Football fans are not stupid, especially Evertonians, its that your reason for moving on Wayne, fair shout. We all know Mr. Ferguson over at manure is not a control freak, lets his players eat and do what they want, just ask Lee Sharpe, and the ten birds he had back at his place in the early 90's, all football managers are like that, especially Scottish ones, welcome to the real world !!

Rooney says: I would have gone almost anywhere just to get away from David Moyes. If no-one had come in I would have joined Newcastle. To me he appeared overbearing; just wanting to control people. I suppose being young and confident and playing for England at 17, I wasn't bothered about upsetting him or answering back." There was only one person who seemed a bit upset and envious of what was happening to me - and that was Moyes.

I was absolutely furious as I'd been talking to Moyes in private. In front of all the players I had a real go at him. How did that story get out, except from you?' I raged. 'You're a f****** (think that means fucking) joke. I don't ever want to play for you again".

Moyes to Rooney: "You've been eating too many f****** (think that means fucking aswell) McDonalds". (25/07/06)

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Blues on Their Jollies

The Blues took off this morning for their ten day trip to the States were they will play Columbus Crew in Ohio, then move onto Dallas were after meeting JR and co at Southfork, will play Mexican side Club America (sounds like a camp holiday site that George Michael would frequent).

First Team Coach Alan Irvine is looking forward to the trip, which comes two years since Everton's last venture to the States, when they took on Club America who turned us over, so the Blues are looking for payback.

Alan says: We went to America two years ago and really enjoyed the experience. I hope it will be the same this time around. First and foremost, of course, we are going to get some high-quality training done but we are also looking forward to the two games against good opposition.

A lot of the boys are internationals so they are experienced travellers. It’s a long flight to the States but it’s nothing new for the lads. There will be DVDs, Playstations, CD players and laptops all over the place. Some may even take the opportunity to have a good sleep! " (24/07/06)

Stub It Out

Goodison Park will smoke free following legislation from May 2007, but after a survey with the fans are bringing it in now in the Family Enclosure.

Ground Safety Officer at Goodison Park, Norman Whibley, says: "We have been talking about this for six months and have conducted a number of surveys. We found that the vast majority of supporters in the Family Enclosure were in favour of a smoking ban. The decision regarding the Family Enclosure is in support of the Why Wait? campaign and the board are in discussions as to when to implement measures throughout the stadium." (21/07/06)

Italians Do Us Again

It seems Everton are destined not to do decent business when players have Italian connections. After the news the other week that the Blues are still chasing some of Marco Matterazzi's cash from years gone by, it now emerges that some of the deal that took Per Kroldrup to Fiorentina earlier this season could be in jeopardy.

With the match rigging scandal in Italy still fresh, Fiorentina one of the clubs found guilty have been relegated to Serie B, that's our Division One, no its not, now the Championship, you know what we won in the 80's twice, shit that's the Premiership, mmmmmmmmmm, well the second string of Italian footy. The main bulk of cash is ok, but with some outstanding and players likely to move on, it could have financial implications for the Blues.

Big Keith Wyness says: "We will be watching the situation in Italy very closely." (19/07/06)

Sheeds Back Home

Everton legend Kevin Sheedy has joined the club as a coach at the Academy. He replaces Gary Ablett the Tablet who left under a cloud a month or so ago. His whereabouts not known. Sheeds will be assistant Under 18s coach.

Sheeds says: "I am delighted to be here. I got a phone call asking me to come back as a youth coach and I didn't need to think twice about it. Its an ideal job for me because it's just like coming home and I'm really looking forward to the challenge ahead."Sheedy's first step into coaching was as a youth coach. I was a youth coach at Blackburn and I worked with Alan Irvine. I've seen the lads this morning for the first time and I can already see that there is some talent there."

Academy Director Ray Hall says:"Kevin has a background of development of young players. He is also a legend. He has vast experience as an International player with world cup experience." (14/07/06)

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KEVIN SHEEDY

Casual

Professional

Marco and The Missing Money

Marco Materazzi is the toast of Italy at present. The ex Everton centre halves time on Merseyside was one of total contrast. Spirited performances, or latin theatrics followed the Italian round in his one year at the Blues. His transfer however in the late 90's to Perugia still has £500,000 owing to Blue Bill and co., which Everton have been actively trying to recoup for many years now. This became more of an issue when the defender was involved in a £7.5m move to Inter Milan in 2001, and since then his career has not looked back.

The Blues have took Perugia through the Italian courts (hey but what does that mean in Italy) in a bid to recoup the final half a million on his three million quid transfer, with no joy. FIFA got involved, but they seemed to be more arsed with stamping out cheats in the game (satirical humour at its best). My take on it is get Sexy Rexy Makin on the case, he will scare the living daylights out of the Italians, and just think with the cash, we may get some TV's that work in the Upper Bullens for this season. (11/07/06)

Training Complex on Track

Everton's new Training complex in Halewood is on course to be ready for next Summer. The new complex is on 55 acres of land around Finch Farm on Finch Lane and includes 10 full-size grass pitches, one of which will be floodlit along with an additional fenced and floodlit synthetic pitch, 2 half size pitches,and specialist training areas for fitness work and goalkeepers. A central academy building housing an indoor football pitch, a gym, hydrotherapy pools, a spa and sauna, physiotherapy rooms, a media centre, video lounges and classrooms, changing rooms, and other office space, as well as parking for 150 cars and 5 coaches.

Keith Wyness says: "We are about to start on the building work at the new academy. We have been working over the last year on the pitches and they are now fully laid. We are hoping to be in the new complex next year so we should be in there for the next off season and that is fantastic because we will have the first team and all the youth academy on the same campus. That will make a big difference as it will also be one of the world's leading academies and will make a big difference in attracting young talent as well.

It says a lot about where the club is at right now. We really are pushing the club forward, breaking the club transfer record in two consecutive seasons and building this new academy. When Bellefield was built in 1966 it was the leading facility of its type in the world. Once again we are back into that situation and I do sense that as a club we are on the next curve starting to go upwards and it is not through a lack of effort that we are going to get there.

Weather and construction permitting it will be ready for next summer. I do hope it is not a Wembley situation and I am sure it won't be. It is so important to have everybody under one roof. There is a bit of a disconnect right now between the youth academy site at Netherton and the first team at Bellefield. It is important for those youngsters to rub shoulders with the senior players and see them in training and for the manager to be able to check on the young talent coming through, for communication between scouts and coaches and for everybody to be on the same page. It is another major chapter in Everton's history." (21/06/06)

New Chief Exec Hopes Everton Will Stay In The City

Liverpool City Council are hoping that discussions with Everton Football Club will persuade the club to remain in the city.

LIVERPOOL council's newly-appointed chief executive, Colin Hilton: "I think it's regrettable that Everton are considering moving out of Liverpool city centre. But by the same token I think we can hardly have been claimed to have been caught napping. On the contrary we have been working with the club to try to keep them here for a very long time. It's important to recognise that we are in constant dialogue with both of our football clubs. We feel very strongly that it should remain within the city boundaries.

It seems a fairly ambitious scheme. There's probably a very long way to go before this could be realised. We want to see if we could, rather than taking an objection line of trying to make strong representations against the proposal at this formative stage, see whether the club could still be interested in developing an alternative proposal with the city itself." (20/06/06)

New Way To Get Through The Turnstyles

Everton will launch a new way to get into the ground with the Everton TeamCard.

Everton say: "From the start of the 2006/07 season season ticket holders will gain access to Goodison on a matchday via a TeamCard rather than with a traditional ticket. Not only will this new smartcard system make it quicker and easier to access the stadium, the card will allow fans the opportunity to claim back reward points on purchases from selected retailers that can be redeemed against future season ticket purchases. It is a new initiative aimed at rewarding the Club's most loyal fans. And there is no doubt season ticket holders will gain the greatest advantage from the TeamCard." (17/06/06)

Stay In The City

Liverpool council leader and Everton season ticket holder, Warren Bradley has reavelled he will do anything in his power to keep Everton in the City. He has already offered the club two prime pieces of land in the city on which to build a new ground. He will hold talks with Everton chief executive Keith Wyness and chairman Bill Kenwright over the next week to thrash out proposals for a new city stadium.

Warren says: "It is still very much a level playing field. We are continuing to work with Liverpool Land Development to identify land in the city and have offered two sites up that are in private ownership. I will do all that is in my power to keep the club in Liverpool and I will be meeting Keith and Bill within the next week. I spoke to Keith on Monday and he still has an open mind and is simply doing what any commercial venture would do."

Only last month Cllr Bradley said: "We have got land development services looking at available sites in the city, in south as well as north Liverpool. Everton chief executive Keith Wyness knows we are doing that and has not told me that they have plans to move anywhere else. We have also not yet discounted a joint stadium because Liverpool have not yet given a definite 'yes' to the new Anfield, and if there is a change of hierarchy, it could be back on the agenda. If Everton did leave, the knock-on effect would really be felt in Walton." (16/06/06)

Back To The Halton Stadium

After 3 season at Southport, Everton reserves will be going back to play at the Halton Stadium, home of Widnes Vikings Rugby League team.

Everton in Action v manure @ Halton

Andy Holden says: "It will be nice to go back there and I've got happy memories of the place because that was the ground we used when we won the title a few years back. I must thank everyone at Southport because they've looked after us really well but Halton is a bigger and better stadium to play football in. We know the people there really well from last time and I am looking forward to going back there." (13/06/06)

Two Out of Three

Blue Bill is ready to splash the cash once more this Summer, and in the process will agree to Manager's Davey Moyes wishes that he wanted a keeper, striker, and a defender in by August. With two of his targets now achieved, Moyesy will be scouring the country for a central defender. True to his word, love him or hate him, Blue Bill has cobbled together the cash, and by the sounds of it will continue to do so.

Bill also gives us an insight into dealing with one of the most controversial Chairman of recent times, Palace's Simon Jordan. Bill can't say a bad word against him, tell that to Iain Dowie though.

Blue Bill says: "At the end of last season, David confirmed he would like to strengthen the squad with a new goalkeeper, a defender and a striker. We have completed the first two parts of the triangle and I'm hopeful we can complete the third.

There is no such thing as a simple transfer these days and this one probably took a while longer than most. It's no secret that David wanted Andrew Johnson a year ago but we adhered to Crystal Palace's request not to push with our enquiries. They were understandably keen to keep Andrew to help them regain their Premiership status. Simon Jordan, though, was as good as his word and when it became obvious that Andrew was for sale this summer, he was as straightforward as any chairman I have ever dealt with.

Simon is a canny negotiator but from what I have perceived over the last two weeks, he deals with the truth, which always makes things easier. We kept our powder dry until relatively late as other clubs made their approaches. But the actual transfer itself was reasonably simple once both clubs had agreed the fee. It's my impression that Andy became an Everton player from the moment he met our manager. He was honourable enough to say he wanted think about the situation for 24 hours before letting anyone know his decision. But I was pretty convinced he was going to be in a Blue jersey long before the end of that period." (31/05/06)