Don't
you dare move us Bill
I
don't get to the game as much as I used too as my family moved from
liverpool when i was a kid to the south of england (parents fault),
I'm now amongst yidos, chelsea scum and plastic red shites! but i fly
the flag for the blues down here and it's all about identity! and goodison
is part of our identity and history bot too mention it's a fortress
and teams hate playing us there! i don't think the tesco stadium would
go down to well with us fans and it'd make us laughing stock!!
I
will never forget the 1st time I went to the Goodison Park and walked
out to the stand to get my seat with me uncle, it was awesome hairs
standing up on the back of my neck when z-cars is played, if i could
bottle moment in my life that would be up there, also the noise when
we score is magic, it's the best place for us to play, why don't the
suits on the board think about re-structuring a small part of the stadium
at a time to modernise it and increase capcity? we did it a few years
back with the park end!! I'd rather we did that than move to a stadium
out of the city and let the red shite have there way with stanley park,
we've always been a city club and it's the city we have to stay in.
Don't you dare move us Bill. Damo. (21/04/07)
Evolution
Not Revolution
To
all the people who've mailed with opinions well done! Nice to have confirmed
that toffees (all types) are the greatest & most unique fans in
the world. It doesnt matter weather you are one of the educated bunch
talkin about the finance & logistics of a move/non move or an emotional
fan talkin bout best memories at goodison....It doesnt matter. The debate
is gettin away from main point, never mind city boundaries, history
of club, Tesco Terry kirkby, stanley Park etc etc etc.....
One
question....Are you an Evertonian? If the answer is yes then you will
watch/support us at Goodison, Kirkby, or wherever we play our football,
you WILL go & watch. We need/want new stadium - fact! So get on
with it, all we ask is the club dont bullshit us, fleece us & genuinly
do the best for the club & name of Everton. Now lets get on the
changs, sing our hearts out, get behind the lads and Get back in europe.
Evolution Not Revolution. Regards. John Lloyd. (21/04/07)
We
Need Cash
Just
had to reply to the email from 'Tam fro
Barry'. I agree in principle with everything he says. We all love
the Blues, win loose or draw. But he forgets 1 thing. Everton are broke
(or as close to as makes no difference). Goodison Park, in the main
needs completely rebuilding/redeveloping. We (the supporters) need better
facilities, and seating. And the Players need the best that football
can offer them.
Tam is probably right about the 'sterile stadiums' being built everywhere,
but when you look at Manure & The Arse pulling in over £2,000,000.00
per home match, that's nearly 40 million pounds a season, without any
telly and sponsor cash, just for premier league games, or without having
to win anything for prize money. When you then realise that The Shite
are hot on their tales revenue wise with that debacle on the park!!
And Chelski are in a league of their own.
When you then take into account European Competition money and Corporate
hospitality revenue, it sends their income off the scale. Where does
that leave us & our dearly beloved Blues? The answer to that questions
is: Totally fucked if we are not careful.
We are the only club to break that magic 'top four' from outside the
so called elite clubs, and in fairness we should be there again this
season (fuckin' hate shitty city & Villa to name just a couple!!).
But the important key to success is cash. It's blatantly apparent to
a blind bloke that the rich are just getting richer, and the rest of
us are treading water.
I firmly believe that Goodison Park is the home of Everton Football
Club and should always be so. However in business is it wise to let
your heart rule your head, many businesses have followed their hearts
and paid the ultimate price of bankruptcy. Everton needs and deserves
to be one of the best, if not THE best Football Club in the Country.
In my opinion we have the best and most loyal support (can you imagine
Analfield or anywhere else full to the rafters when battling those dark
days of relegation??), of any Club, here or abroad. But to maintain
our status and grow as a business we need cash. Cash equals success,
and success equals cash. At the moment we have neither!
Common sense says, lets get a new state of the art Stadium, as Goodison
was when we moved here all of those years ago. Look at what that did
for us then. The Mersey Millionaires. But sadly now we have been not
only overtaken by what were second rate clubs, but we've been outstripped
& left standing. I'm sorry if I've been harsh on Tam, but sentimentality
will drag us down. I am not saying that Kirkby is the right place, but
we need to move unfortunately and quickly. I'm a season Ticket holder
& have been for years & yes I was actually at the Bayern Match,
but since then due to miss management we have declined, where others
have capitalised on their successes, we have sat back and languished.
Come on the Blues, lets get back to where we belong.... Number 1.
Dave from Chester. (21/04/07)
We
Need New Ground
I
have been reading peoples posts for weeks now and have never got round
to writing my opinion, cos as a relative youngster (25), I don't remember
all those great euro glory days of the early eighties. Yet, the loss
of Goodison to me will be immense. The great wins when all seemed to
be against us such at Wimbledon on the last day of the season. Watching
the weird signing after signing that we have made throughout the year,
just hoping and praying one of Earl Barrett, Paul Holmes and Matt Jackson
can actually clear the ball the rest of the day.
Obviously that never really happened.
We will all remember: Big Duncan's fond hello and emotional farewell.
Everton's first ever Champions League game.
Those goals that made us shreek with delight aswell as the games why
put us on the edge of tears. But does any of this really mean we shouldn't
move. To us Goodison is an institution and yes, it is a risk to move
to a new ground. BUT what could we get from this? The chance to play
at a WORLD - CLASS stadia, the chance to attract the very best to play
for the very best, the opportunity to make a large stadium have the
greatest atmosphere in the land.
We are the greatest team, with the greatest fans lets get the greatest
ground. The atmosphere is not lost unless WE, the fans let it. We have
a great opportunity to do something special. Lets not make a decision
based on us grasping onto our history and believing that we are still
one of the BIG four! We aren't, but can break into that or at least
make it a BIG 5. We need Europe, that seems to be on the way. Lets get
this ground and have a stadium to envy. MikeC.
(21/04/07)
Fortress
Goodison
I'm
going to be so honest and frank with you now. I think moving to a new
stadium in a new location is the biggest pile of dog shit I have ever
heard. It's not impossible to rebuild Goodison park. In fact it's actually
more feasable than a brand new stadium. I love Goodison the way it is.
All it's little problems just make me fall even more in love with it.
However, I also understand that a more improved Goodison would be fantastic.
Goodison park is our home, and thats the way it should be. Fortress
Goodison forever! Ryan Williams. (21/04/07)
Keep
Everton in Our City - Press release
A delegation
of KEIOC met with Bill Kenwright & Keith Wyness prior to our victory
against Charlton on Sunday.
The meeting was quite business like and amicable. Our feeling is that
the club is still keeping its cards close to their chest because of
the exclusivity deal with its partners Tesco & Knowsley council.
Not withstanding this the club gave us a number of cast iron assurances:
· The fans will be balloted
· KEIOC will have an input into the ballot
· The ballot will be conducted through the auspices of an independent
body like the Electoral reform society.
· If the fans do respond with a no vote this would be respected
by the club who will then need to look for other alternatives.
· The exclusivity arrangement is predicted by the club to run
for a further 3 months. Although it’s difficult to build in time factors
with something as complex as this proposed development.
Hopefully this meeting meeting will be the first of many and watch this
space for further developments.
Alfie Hincks, Secretary, Keep Everton in our City. (20/04/07)
I
Love Goodison
Hiya
all again at the Kipper. I have read all the comments on the proposed
move- so its my turn! Firstly, I was raised in Kirkby, and as a result,
am a true Blue- let us not loose our focus and start to have a pop against
Kirkby- Christ if the Mancs were to move to their natural home, they
would be ground sharing with Arsenal! Let's leave the post-code lottery
debate to the NHS.
My point is this- we are the peoples club- Goodison is the peoples stadium,
it is intimidating, it is intimate, I am a Gwladys Street boy, I live
in Barry, and cannot get to all the games, I certainly don't get to
see Derbies that much- 'cos quite rightly season ticket holders and
members get those tickets, I love the tiles above my head, the chippy
on the corner, that lad I see every where I follow the blues Selling
his Nils Satis fanzine! love it- Goodison has character, and is never
empty! Better to play in a full 40,000 rather than a half empty 100'000!
My mate is a macum, and yes they consider themselves a passionate bunch-
but whilst Roker Park had that atmosphere, the stadium of shite certainly
does not- and that was built with input from the fans. Not that different
from a Subbutteo ground, that grey concrete bowl pops up all over the
world- yes ok to look at as a visitor- but not a hallmark of a team-
Highbury was unique, Craven cottage, Villa Park- they all have a certain
something- the Shitty, Borough, Arse, Bolton to name a few all play
in that sterile environment that is all to often quiet and distant.-
What do we want, to turn Everton into some kind of show for "corporations"
to come and saviour the atmosphere- that they themselves dilute to nothing-price
out the real supporters and have no real interest in what unfolds before
them? Even Roy Keane had a pop at his own fans- the kopites are trying
to "Reclaim the kop"- fuckin welcome to it!- but whilst we
are run by Evertonians, not some company, while we stand up to Z-cars,
in that passionate arena- the away fans in the corner- blue all around,
we stand at the street end, and we do know our history- we stand and
feel those hairs on our neck raise to the memories of beating Bayern-
the player of the match that night was Goodison- I was living in London,
watched it on telly, and thanks to you guys, I felt I was there- we
all have these memories, we love our obstructed view- we love our church
in the corner, just bloody love it- you don't need Sky HD and a monster
telly to see the sweat, just a seat in the Lower Gwladys! and if Davy
Moyes carries on like this- you want decent footy- come to Goodison-
a real Ground, a home, not named after some dodgy sponsor or arrogant
donor, but a name known all over the world- stand where those before
us watched Dixie, The Golden Vision,- Mick Lyons too! See that turf
that has the ashes of so many upon it, that electric buzz as cheesy
music belts out through the tannoy, that is footy, as we all remember
it- the scallies waving Everton flags along the roads as you arrive-
this is Everton, this is what we are about, shit unlike half the bloody
country, we own are own home- So no to the move! not because of a post--code,
not because of any angst with the Shite, but because it is our home,
and I for one love every single thing about Goodison- she is Beautiful!
you want corporate hospitality- pie and a cuppa at half time!
Sorry- Got a bit emotional- but throughout my life- a trips to Goodison
are the best times, no matter what the boys have done on the pitch!
Keep it up lads, Tam- Barry "on Sea!" Wales.
(19/04/07)
It's Kirkby Or Nothing
I
understand what a wrench it is to leave Goodison, but believe me please
when I say it's Kirkby or nothing! The club cannot finance the rebuilding
of Goodison and without a major backer (Tesco) the club will almost
certainly go into decline. The City Council have never engaged our Chairman
over a possible move - don't believe all what you read. Please accept
the Kirkby site. Anon. (19/04/07)
Moguls
Keep everton
in our city? I am from Huyton and in 1963 (the year of my birth) it
was in Liverpool. Is Kirkby not part of liverpool? not for the purposes
of council tax it's not. But how many blues from Kirkby and Huyton and
Halewood for that matter go to the match? Thousands that's how many.
I
think that the tone of the campaign could be construed as a load of
parochial , insular small minded lazy twats who think the world begins
and ends at County rd. Liverpool city council are not interested in
EFC. Warren " you could have tipped me off" Bradley cant really
believe that we are going to believe the lame pile of shite that he
came out with to ward off the fully deserved torrent of criticism he
received.
I love
Goodison Park but the club cant afford a new ground and improve the
team. That's why Kirkby is the only game in town ( if we move ) and
I am not convinced we should then that's it. If as I suspect the club
cant afford (in the broad sense) to redevelop Goodison then it will
be Kirkby.
I will
go because that's where my team plays. If you can't be arsed to get
off your arse then fuck off because I have been going to Goodison for
years and if I have to go to Kirkby then so fuckin what. I am sure that
I have been unfair to many people involved in Keep EFC in our city so
I apologise but I feel that if your main bug bare is the post code of
the Fuckin ground then god help us.
In closing
will moving stadia improve finances to the degree that outweighs the
reasons for staying put ? I suspect it might depending on how you do
the maths and if things go as projected. The idea of a vote for the
fans seems to be something that appeals to people. It will not settle
anything and probably will not happen as how do you
decide who gets to vote ? and if the shareholders don't agree with the
outcome they will ignore the result anyway .... as will the disgruntled
if they lose. Keep up the very good work Kippers. Should I get a vote
............. went a lot in 70's and 80's until 87 when I left the city.
Never had a season ticket as couldn't afford one. My son is a blue I
spend a good amount in the club shop and go whenever I can get a ticket
when I am home. What do you think? Kevin Byrne. (13/04/07)
21st
Century
Firstly
I think Everton Geoff is talking out of his a**e. Foreign investment
doesn't bring necessarily bring success, the shite have spent over 100
million quid to get themselves so deep in the sh*t that they needed
investment before they disappeared and they still didn't win the league!
plus they wanted to keep the same pillocks in charge who nearly bankrupted
them! Any idiot can see that Liverpool's main survival depended on a
new ground, just like us! So if any foreign investment disappeared they
could carry on. The shite have for many years been running on a loss
a lot bigger than ours.
David Moyes has with out doubt helped this club as has big bad Bill,
sure they have both made mistakes but both have the best interests of
the club at heart and lets face it with out them we might not have a
club! Bill remortgaged his house for the club he put his life on the
line for us.....sure he may not be an abromavich but he loves the same
club we do! the supporters only concern should be ensuring we have a
stadium fit to honour our club and us the supporters...namely 4 sides
blue little ity bity crappy spot in the gods for the away fans and no
olympic size running track round the pitch.
If moving out of the city bounderies and getting a new ground with players
that have come off the efc production line moves us forward then so
be it. We live in the 21st century it's about time every one else did!
Anthony Fleetwood Season ticket holder in the paddock
Ground
Move
It
is good to hear that someone may ask Blue Bill some hard questions over
his proposals about the future of Goodison, and more importantly Everton
FC. I myself have been a season ticket holder on and off for over thirty
years now, and as much as I love our Grand Old Stadium, I think where
Evertonians are all agreed is that we need a new one.
The point in question to me is where do we locate it, and how do we
finance it. I have read a lot recently on your fantastic website where
I believe you have given a balanced view on the debate, and here is
how I see it. To put it bluntly we have not got a pot to piss in, and
with no rich sugar daddies on the horizon along comes a life long Blues
fan who runs one of the most successful businesses in the country. He
is willing to get his Company to invest serious money in a state of
the art Stadium, and our financial input is nil, well that's not a bad
start is it !!
The ground will move no more than four miles to a new site just outside
the City Boundary to an area were only Scousers live, and until recently
no one would have ever dared to question that area's Scouse roots. It
is not even half a mile outside the City Boundary, boundaries that over
the years move at a politicians whim. Kirkby Golf Course is close by
and when that was touted many years ago as a potential home to the Blues,
the only furore came from the Golfers themselves, as I do not remember
any Groups being formed to keep Everton in the City then. I am making
this point, because Everton is a North End of the City Club, and Kirkby
is a North End of the City area, and in my view the nearest space to
build any potential Ground.
Now Blue Bill does desperately need to answer some questions, as does
Keith Wyness, but what makes me laugh in all this is the actions of
Council Leader, and Everton season ticket holder Warren Bradley. He
and his Council colleagues have bent over backwards for the shite, and
all he can come up with for us is Gillmoss, which is a stones throw
away from Kirkby, and even more laughable Speke. Speke, is he taking
the piss, an area undoubtedly in the City Boundary, but over ten miles
from where we belong, as I said North End Club, we are, and North End
Club we must stay, you may as well move us to Southport, as geographically
it is about the same distance.
If we stay and re develop at Goodison which any Blue worth his salt
would love, who would finance it. If we did it ourselves, we would dig
a further pit of debt for ourselves, and I for one would rather see
Everton playing at Kirkby, and have cash in the bank to buy players
with to grace a brand new state of the art stadium, than re develop
Goodison, get more in debt and welcome Scunthorpe, Hull City and alike
to Goodison Park. Stop laughing, I can hear you, go and talk to Leeds
fans, it can happen you know. Blue Valley. (13/04/07)
Groundshare
Now
the discussion of a groundshare with the Shite has raised its ugly little
head again, I would just like to say We should under NO circumstances
get involved with those two cowboys from across the Pond. Lets be frank,
if they agree to a groundshare We will be nothing other than tennants,
as I am sure they will fund the building of the ground by what ever
means. Don't for one minute think Counciller Bradely & his merry
men will be putting their hands in their pockets if they think The Lone
Ranger & Tonto will pick up the tab. If I had been asked 12 months
ago if I was in favour of a Groundshare the answer would have been yes,
but with both sides stumping up the cash. Who knows, this maybe a tactic
to get the ditherers & No-wayers to agree to the Kirkby move, it
certainly has worked for me! Keith Davies. Runcorn. (31/03/07)
So what are you actually
telling us Bradley?
The 'exclusivity' period draws to a close
and the LCC (let's try and cover our arses for years of neglect, just
in case) propaganda machine kicks in.
Don't
build your hopes up Blues, read the WB article in full and realise that
you are reading an 'Echo EXCLUSIVE' that tells you absolutely fuck all
you didn't already know. The whole article reads like a surveyor's report
on your house. There are no definite statements, no 'we will', no 'we
can', just 'may' and 'I think'.
So
why now? Could it be they (WB, LCC) are worried that EFC, after having
had enough of years of disinterest and negligence on LCC's behalf, may
announce that LCC's 'offer' is all too little, too late and that the
Kirkby deal is a goer subject to a fans vote? This would certainly cause
major electoral ructions within the city.
You may think I'm being a bit(?) cynical
but just take the statement about 'If I'd been tipped off earlier...'.
Fucking 'scuse me, but as an Evertonian, I knew the club was looking
at sites and options to redevelop (The Echo bloody told us too!) and
as council leader and 'season ticket-holder in the UB' he should have
fucking known and should have been pro-active in doing something about
it!
This
'non-statement' is no better than the silence from GP. It just creates
more frustration and alienation between fans and club. 'I think there
are sites that can be uitilised and (think there are?) commercial partners
who would jump...' (He should be our new Chief Executive cos BK and
Bully can't find any!)
What
he says is no different to what our own fans have been saying on relentless
posts 'There's a bit of land in such a place we could build on' but
like the fans' comments it means fuck all without concrete financial
backing.
So
Warren, are you in discussion with these partners? Will you have some
firm proposals for BK to consider? Or are you waiting to be 'tipped
off'?
Say
fuck all till you've got something Evertonians can believe is actually
a real option 'cos we can bullshit ourselves without your assistance
mate. ps: How many of you were convinced Walton Hall Park was ours if
we want it? Still think it? Steve
- Walton. (31/03/07)
Ground Move
Right
I have had enough.
1.
Goodison park is a joke of stadium with obstructive views all over the
place it's 2007.
2.
We have no money we could have all the spare land available in liverpool
city council but we dont have money to build a new stadium without Tesco.
3.
Only people who want to stay at Goodison are the Wimslow, some supporters
groups talking shit and county road burberry crew.
Final
point I support Everton and only Everton football club if they move
to Kirkby the ground could be called Tesco buy one get one free I couldn't
give a fuck. I support Everton I go the game to watch 11 men in blue
playing for the Everton badge not for the stadium. Location of Everton
is not the reason for my support. Ged. (31/03/07)
We Must Have A New Ground
I
originate from the Wirral & have been going to Goodison since my
dad took me as a child in 1963. My Mum & Dad are in their 70s and
still travel to every home game from Chester. I love the old ground
and have fond memories of thumbing a lift from Little Sutton traffic
lights every home game & being caged in the boys pen & then
progressed to the centre of the Gwladys Street.
I have lived and worked all over the Country and still travelled to
virtually every home game over the years and always kept my season tickets
in the Upper Bullens. It is amazing when you drive up the M6 on matchdays
how many cars and coaches you pass with Everton scarves, banners, flags,
and boards in the rear windows of supporters club coaches from as far
away as Plymouth, Portsmouth, Taunton, London, Coventry, Etc. A friend
of mine(Man City fan) flew back from Berlin on Easy Jet a week last
Friday and phoned me up to say he couldn't believe seeing a crowd of
Blues getting on the flight with a "Berlin Toffees" flag.
I have friends in Holland(Dutch) who have supported Everton for years,
and even managed to get tickets and come across to the 1995 cup final
at Wembley. I now live in the Nantwich area and travel along the M53
motorway passing all the coaches from Wrexham, Newtown, Welshpool, Mold,
Flint, Llandudno, Bethesda, Bangor, and Irish registered cars with EFC
scarves. Fans travel from all over, not just from Liverpool. I recently
met some Scousers in Houston & they felt we should make the move.
The point is yes we all love Goodison and maybe it should have been
redeveloped in the past but it hasn't. It is now decrepit, cramped,
dirty, the catering facilities are dreadful, the views from most seats
apart from the Park end are not good, we are losing our main car park
in the Park, but worst of all we will be walking past the RS new ground
or be able to see it in the distance.
I am not bothered where the ground is whether right next to the new
Analfield in the park, Speke, the docks it doesn't bother me at all
as it is Everton that I support & always will wherever in the world
I am, and if our only option is Kirkby so be it. I will still get the
same goosebumps, and feel the same emotion when the Z cars theme starts
playing and the Blues run out. Lets be honest if the only option of
a £200 million ground is Kirkby with Tesco & nobody else comes
along we have no option but to go along with it. Just look at the FC
Koln Website & see what atmosphere is in their ground because it
has been built more traditionally rather than a bowl & you can imagine
what noise we could make. Neil Clarke. Nantwich. Cheshire. (31/03/07)
