The Everton Collection Charitable Trust was launched on 14th July 2005. Over 12 months ago. At that launch it was agreed to raise £800,000 for the collection. Considering it is valued by Christies at £1.2million, The Trust will get it for £600,000 cheaper than it should. Some bargin that! The Trust and Evertonians alike were quick to praise Evertonian, David France who put it together and owns the collection for his great generosity, baring in mind he could have made over the £1.2m if he would have sold parts of the collection off separately to the highest bidder.

Today The Everton Collection Charitable Trust have made Alan Ball patron. A noble gesture! To have one of the all time Everton legends as a figure head is a great move. Lets hope he has the desired effect and the money starts rolling in.

We have had plenty of fans contacting us asking what is the state of play with the collection, as they say they haven't heard anything. How much have they raised? A question we have put to the trust on various occasions, but we have never had an answer. Today in their press release, they say: "The Charity has nearly reached the halfway stage in its efforts to raise the required funding."

We maybe wrong, but by our reckoning, if it is to cost £800,000 and you have reached nearly the halfway stage, we should be right in thinking that they nearly have £400,000. Considering Everton Football Club started them off with a donation of £250,000 and Lord Granchester donated £100,000 by our calculations they have raised just £50,000 in over a year. Meanwhile the Everton Collection is still in storage gathering dust. By this rate its going to be nearly 8 years before we can open the crates and look inside. Besides having a collection at the Man United home game last August and a penalty shoot out at half time, we don't know what they have been doing. Lets hope providing a Patron a year after the launch isn't a year too late. Lets hope that some of the fire from Bally will rub off on the trustee's and committee members and Evertonians can finally see this wonderful collection. (01/09/06)