Everton
FC E-mails 263 - Stadium Special 26
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Whatever
you think e-mail your views to info@bluekipper.com
Another 80 odd e-mails will be put on tonight. (08/08/07) Anyone Want A Vote? As I sit and right this I do so with a temper. Not because of the high emotion of a vote to; or not,a stadium in Kirkby, but because of the handling of the vote. I personally was happy that Everton, unlike any other club, would ballot its fans and not only that, but do it through an Independent body (Electoral Reform Service). I applauded the board for this. So I came home from work in anticipation of my voting form with the attitude that whatever the decision it would be a fair one. Well when I got home there were two letters from the Electoral Reform Service waiting for me. Addressed to the same person (me) but in different ways: •
Another Middle Surname Oh well probably just an anomaly I thought, an isolated case. So then I see the rest of my family and couldn’t believe that my dad had three votes, yes THREE. My mum has got two votes and although entitled to as a shareholder she hasn’t been to a game since the year 2000. My brother also had two. So four people have nine votes!!! So we’re discussing why we would have this many votes when its suggested that maybe this is something to do with having Everton shares plus season tickets (I don’t for a minute believe you should have more as a shareholder as no ones a better blue than anyone else because of a share). This explanation just doesn’t make sense though as 1+1=2, but my Dad’s votes equal three, and my mum who only has a share gets two votes. So I decided to find out for myself and where better than the Everton web site. It quite clearly states one vote per person! "Q. If I belong to one or more of the above categories, will I have more than one vote? A. No. http://stadium.evertonfc.com/news/stadium-ballot-q-and-a.php" So I’ve come to the conclusion that this isn’t anything to do with having shares. Its to do with Everton’s abysmal record keeping, info which they’ve passed on to the Reform Service who have sent (in good faith), for example my dad three votes to the same address: •
Mr Another Surname So why should I be bothered, me and my family have more votes. Well I don’t think it’s right so we’ll be cancelling all but one vote …… but just how many won’t. This can’t be an isolated case if 100% of my family have more votes than they should. In short I want a proper democratic vote not an artificially skewed one. Anonymous. (08/08/07) Yes To Kirkby I received my voting form this morning and I have already returned it with a positive answer. We have to move from the shit hole we are in at the moment and we also have to move before the red shite move into their new ground. I live in anfield at the other end of priory road and it takes me approx 20 mins to walk to the match. I used to work in Kirkby and my family live in the Knowsley area and it takes me roughly 20 mins to get there too. Whatever people say, Kirkby is Liverpool. I read with great interest all the info on the new ground and all of it entails and there really is no option better. What would you rather do, move to croxteth, which is in Liverpool but half a mile from the proposed site, but have to pay for the full ground ourselves. Wake up and see what your saying. Most of the people opposing the move are people who live within the vicinity of the ground and cant be arsed traveling. Evertonian. (08/08/07) No To Kirkby If the proposed move to kirkby goes through then evertonians will be a dying breed. I am season ticket holder in the lower gwladys and i can tell you that i wont be renewing my season ticket if we do move to kirkby. This is probably the thought in many minds of supporters and this could be a problem if everyone chooses to do this then how many fans will attend the games there will be no point building a ground where no fans will go then money problems will begin, we are needed to keep the blue spirit in liverpool ( NOT KIRKBY ) most youngsters will now begin to support liverpool instead of everton because are strong presence will no longer be there. We need to discuss that liverpool may be a bigger club, but we can be built into a bigger one with help we are not getting any, it feels to me that we are being forced out we need to take action and and say ( NO ). James Mckeown. (08/08/07) Everton's proposed move to Kirkby I have read about as much biased reporting as I can take in the Liverpool Echo. Ever since the photographs of Everton's proposed new stadium in Kirkby were released the coverage in the Echo has been unbelievably one-sided in favour of the club staying in Liverpool. The article by Paddy Shennan ridiculing Bill Kenwright was disgraceful and a complete insult to a man who, although not perfect, works tirelessly for the good of Everton Football Club alone - not for the good of the city of Liverpool or the Liverpool Echo. If Liverpool City Council had shown half the interest in Everton's relocation than they have in Liverpool's we wouldn't even be discussing a move outside the city. The fact is we have no choice but to move to Kirkby, we cannot afford to redevelop Goodison Park - any Evertonian who thinks we can must have had their head in the clouds for the past 10 years. Come on Liverpool Echo, let's see some letters printed from fans in favour of the move as the majority of fans I speak to all in favour. Debbie. (08/08/07) Liverpool City Council built Kirkby - Would we be arguing if Merseyside was Greater Liverpool? I'm
58 so I can safely say that I've supported the blues for over 50 years.
In my formative years I had the pleasure of watching the redshite play
in the then second division and being knocked out of the cup by non-league
Worcester City. Kirkby I think that Everton fans love Goodison Park because we have been in there our whole history, but if we want to challenge for the title and win trophies like Everton fans want we must give Moyes quite a lot of cash to spend, so we must build a bigger stadium to generate that cash. Tom Hurcomb - 9 yrs old. (08/08/07) My Grandfather... Was born at 56 Phoebe Anne Street, Everton, Liverpool. His name was Norman Badley and his father was a shipping clerk. This is all documented in the 1909 census. Although I was brought up in Berkshire and then the Midlands, I became an Everton supporter because grandpa Badley always used to talk about how he was born within a stone’s throw of the Everton toffee shop and how he used to often see Dixie Dean getting off the bus to Goodison. A lot of this may have been an embellishment of the truth but at least it was grounded in real history. And now Everton FC itself is about to be consigned to history and eventually will become no more that a footnote in the history of that other team in Liverpool. This will come to pass if Everton FC is allowed to move to the Tesco Superstore centre. I would hope that the majority of Everton fans and the people of Everton itself would see this as totally unacceptable. How can Everton really be Everton anywhere other than Everton? They say there is no option. What this really means is that this is the easy option. The path of least resistance to a tin can of a new stadium with no soul and no historical reason for being. Reject it. Get your friends to reject it. Stand up and be counted. Save Everton and something will happen. And while we’re at it, let’s demand a public enquiry on why Liverpool City council has allowed Liverpool FC to move even closer to Goodison on a greenfield site. Outrageous. What is Liverpool City Council prepared to do for Everton FC, the club that founded professional football in Liverpool, except sit back and watch it die? I can hear grandpa Badley turning in his grave. Chris Badley. (08/08/07) FACE FACTS FANS - EVERTON MUST MOVE TO KIRKBY I can offer only my own perspective on the Kirkby move and those of my fellow Irish men who support The Toffees over here. I have been an Evertonian forever and I'm 30 yrs of age now. I'm constantly battling against the taunts of red shite and manure scum over here, in fact just last season I took a group of them over to Goodison to see a match and they basically laughed at the ground calling it the proverbial 'cowshed'. If we are to battle the scum of both these supporters we must build off the pitch and continue Moyse's fantastic work on the field. Most Irish toffees I've spoken to are in favour of the move, solely because we must 'keep up with the joneses'. FACE FACTS FANS- EVERTON are skint and have been for a long time, we have no sugar daddy as we are not appealing to investors, in fact we seem to be as sour as Sylvester Stallone's tea at Goodison. If we move the benefits will be enormous but if we stay we will continue to be canon fodder the red scum that surrounds us! McCourtsy! (08/08/07) Boardroom Must Deliver I think it is very disappointing that we will be contemplate in on moving to Kirkby. Why is it that the red Shi'ite and proposal move to Stanley Park and we can't. My feeling is that in order to get this club back on its feet moving in the right direction we have to make severe changes. Two years and years and years of growing up I had watched the same scenario happened with these board of directors. Personally I think it's about time we start at the top and get rid of the of people who have no ambition. First and foremost we should be investing in our youth policy and especially our training facilities as they are probably the poorest in the league. Secondly we've been waiting three years the investment is this common board can get it than they should be removed small clubs of ourselves are progressing quicker it makes me sick to my stomach. As regards to the ground it is far too small. Personally I think we should have a least a 60,000 seat stadium and that family season ticket should be available, in other words to pay in adults can take their children to the game of the fee. The reason to this list will develop more and more Evertonians and eventually numbers and support will grow and grow and grow. In addition to this we should realise investing in the youth system is our priority, United did it in their late 80s and early 90s they had to wait so many years before a talent started to show. This is exactly what we should be doing investing is after all most youngsters that go to Liverpool and man United academies will never get a first-team opportunity we have more to give. Whole club needs shaking up from top to bottom a director that song at a talent show on telly should be out there trying to gain new investment if you put so much more energy into that we probably would have the problem of funding our European campaign this year. We are always getting left behind mottoes stands for only the best is good enough the board of directors aren't good enough I'll approach to a new stadium isn't good enough. Far as I'm concerned we should be staying where we are it all is that should be building in Stanley Park and the red Shi'ite can go wherever they want. Why should it be always all is that second fiddle to them we should stand our ground and demand more about this current boardroom as we been waiting three years. The final thing I want to point out is last time we were in Europe we never invested in new players and we were in and out of the European competition before it started. We eventually get there this time and it seems to be we are going down the same road again we haven't bought or added significant strengths of this squad if the boardroom can deliver than they need to be sacked. Alex. (08/08/07) I WONT GET A VOTE NO SEASON TICKET NO SHARES, SO I HOPE AND PRAY THAT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE, DO EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO SAY NO! TO THIS MOVE. LETS STAY PUT AND PUT PRESSURE ON KENWRIGHT AND THAT ARROGANT PRICK WYNESS, IT SUPPOSSED TO BE THE PEOPLES CLUB NOT TESCO'S AND NOT KNOWSLEY'S. MOVING TO KIRKBY IS THE BEGINING OF THE END, IT SHOULD BE A REVAMPED GOODISON OR MOVE INTO THE DISTRICT OF EVERTON, FOR FUCKS SAKE EVERY OTHER CLUB SEEMS TO GET INVESTMENT WHY NOT US (THE QUESTIONS AIMED AT YOU BILL, REMEMBER GOODISON FOREVER WHICH YOU WERE BEHIND WHEN THE LAST MOVE TO KIRKBY WAS PROPOSSED). MICK KES FOREVER BLUE. (08/08/07) I Can't Vote I have supported Everton all my life and I dread to think of how much money I have spent following the blues. I got my first season ticket at the age of 14 in 1977 and had one until the early nineties when my two lads were born within 18 months of each other. I still went to every home game but money became tight and I could not afford to pay the lump sum for the season ticket and had to knock most of the away games in the head. I've took both of my lads the game since they were about two and they are both mad blues, however following any team as a family nowadays is very expensive yet we still get there for every home game. My problem is this. I have bought my eldest lad a season ticket for the past few years but I can't afford to buy three at once so I just get tickets for me and my other son every game. Now I can not have a vote in this stadium ballot because I have not held a season ticket for the last three years, or am not a member of Evertonia, neither can my lad even though we NEVER miss a game. What I find strange is the fact that every time you buy a ticket the club ask your name and address and your name is printed on the tickets so they have your details and must surely know that we go every week. A very disillusioned and disappointed blue. T.K. (08/08/07) We Have To Move To Kirkby First off - I love Goodison Park, it maybe old and that but it is home. It's old and full of history, but it's getting a bit too old and worn out. A change is needed, and the images of the ground do look really really good and if we have to move I'd be happy going to that. Obviously the ideal would be to move to that ground in "Liverpool". But as that doesn't look likely then I think this is a good deal to go for. I'd hate for us not to move and then regret it in a few years when all the best players have gone, and we're a run of the mill premier league team whose only excitement in the season is avoiding relegation. In my view the fears of being out of Liverpool (though all the people I know from Kirkby call themselves scousers) - aren't as big as the fears of being stuck in Goodison and then putting ourselves in enormous debt to move grounds when we really have to, just to stay in "Liverpool". I'd rather be outside this stupid boundary and able to compete in years to come than be stuck waiting to fall further and further down the league. It's not the ideal solution, but it's the best we've got. And if nothing else - the new ground pictures look better than that "cowshed" they want to build in Stanley Park. COYB. Nath. (08/08/07) Yes To Kirkby Maybe it would be a good idea to move to Kirkby, cos with no roof on, can you just imagine what 76,000 redshites would smell like at the analfield arsetrodome? Tony. (08/08/07) Torn I come from a scouse family but was brought up in wigan . My dad and grandad support the shite and my older brother is the real outcast because he supports the mancs but my heroes played in royal blue . I have been going to Goodison for 21 years now since the age of 7 and am now married to a fellow Gwladys street season ticket holder . I am completely torn between moving and staying at goodison . Since i can remember i have loved going to Goodison on a saturday , firstly as a kid with my mate and his dad , then as we got older we started going on our own , and now going home and away through thick and thin wearing our hearts on our sleeves proudly being part of the blue army . So i have grown up going to goodison and its a huge part of my life and if we ever left i cant imagine how upsetting the last game would be . On the other hand my head tells me that we will never ever be the force that we once were if we stay put . We will continue to get left behind , we cant even compete with the likes of villa , sunderland , man city or west ham anymore for players . Now i couldn't give a fuck about the corporate hospitality gobshites but i know that they pay huge amounts of dosh into a football club . At the moment our hospitality lounge is a fucking marquee in a tent ! So what I'm trying to say is that if i voted with my heart then it would be to stay at goodison , but i think i will have to go with my head on this occasion and vote in favour of the ground move for the sake of the future of our club . But wouldn't it be wonderful if we could get what we wanted like the shite and move grounds , but to somewhere closer to goodison . Gwladys street guy from Wigan. (08/08/07) Yes To Kirkby Well guys some of the shit being banded about over the ground move is more interesting than voting for Brown or Cameron, the great debate is underway, will we, wont we. Come on guys we are all level headed I think, we are Evertonians for Christ's sake, think!. Investment will never come to Goodison, who in the right mind will buy into our great club and then stump up £300 million for a new stadium, well sorry to say it but people with money come with high IQ.s and Goodison park is not jumping out of the financial pages of the Times is it?. Look at the Yank Bastards across the park, their financing their stadium but the spaniard made sure he got some players in before the council say's okay because the fat spick wont get any more money out of them. so look guys put your hand on your heart and ask yourself this question?, DO WE REALLY WANT TO STAY AT GOODISON AND LOOK AT THE REDSHITE'S CONCRETE BUNKER WHEN WE GO THE MATCH, I know I don't, so I am off to Kirby even if I don't like the place. Lazlopap(Blueblood). (07/08/07) No To Kirkby I have been going to goodison since 1962 and for me this is not about should we leave goodison,its about should we stay in the city of liverpool. I could not imagine Arsenal moving out of north london or west ham moving out of the east end ,it is who they are, it is about identity. Forget them that live on the dark side, that are followed by marauding glory hunting vikings and celts. we are from liverpool and so are the majority of our fans. Bill Kenwright does not own Everton football club he is a custodian of this great institution, Everton is owned by the people of liverpool. they are the people who have made Everton what it is, not anyone person. How dare keith wyness tell us we have to move to kirkby and we have no other options. Yes we do have options. Vote no to the move to kirkby. I do not think this current board have explored every avenue. It has been to quick to jump in to bed with tesco terry.For me there is a conflict of interest, for the last 3 years tesco terry has been advising the Everton board and what does he come up with a plot of land in the middle of nowhere {no disrespect to the people of kirkby}.Tesco terry is going to build everton a £50 million "extra value"second rate stadium, another riverside or reebok. Those of you who have been there you know what i mean. I believe that kenwright has done a good job for our club,he won the battles with johnson and greg and has steadied the ship. Unfortunately he made the wrong choice in chief executive. Wy ness is involved in the day today running of the club, he is an employee not a fan or a scouser. his brief was to find a commercial partner to move our club forward. What he has come up with is not good enough.We might as well move to skem, that is full of scousers land nobody wants great motorway links and a fantastic catchment area.Our current board can not deliver the financial package to move us forward.they should be looking for a new custodian of our club to take us on to the next level. Firstly wyness should go, kenwright should find a chief executive with a brief to bring in new blood. things have changed very quickly in the last five years. Kenwright going to ocean fiance for a home owner loan does not cut the mustard anymore.It is a big boys game now and we need to compete.When virtually every team in the premier league is out bidding us for players and we have the worst ground in the league we need to wake up and smell the coffee.We have to move from goodison, get shut of wyness and find a new backer ,we still have time to do this but action must be taken soon. support the team but not the board. KIRKBY IS NOT THE ANSWER VOTE NO . PETE [ BLUE ROBBO] K.E.O.O.K ???? We up her in Kirkby don't want our Little Lancastrian town invaded by scousers . We've got sheep in that field. what's gonna happen to them . bad enough robbing our Z-Cars tune now you want r land. No keep away scousers, . Mind you sheep will love that little shed you've got. KIRKBY WOOL. (07/08/07) We Need Funding Yes To Kirkby I'm
getting pissed off with all these people moaning about 'we cant move out
of the city' and that the shite will be the only team in Liverpool, etc.
FFS guys the new ground is only around a mile outside the border and I'm
sure a deal could be done to move the LCC border so that we are in it
if it is really that important to everybody. Surrendering The City? We Are Securing Our Future - Say Yes What's this surrendering of the city all about? no character? no identity? my proud blue characteristics aren't going to leave me because we move 4 miles from goodison. will yours? I won't lose my identity as an evertonian! will you? what a load of garbage!is every blue going to stop supporting the team because we move a few miles outside an imaginary boundary? tell me that anyone living in kirkby isn't as scouse as they come.far more scouse than half the people who show up to watch liverpool every week. Whats this other garbage about future fans all supporting liverpool? codswollop! realize that Everton are skint and that's why we have to move. we don't have a pot to piss in to redevelop Goodison or build elsewhere. look at what we've done in the transfer market and that's after a good season. tesco's are our sugar daddy here. I'm sorry that that's the situation but that's our reality. its not the ideal situation but the better of the two options in my opinion. remember all the mancs who protested against the galzier takeover? don't hear too much from them anymore. you say concentrate on the team building rather than the stadium but how can you do one without the increased corporate revenues of the other. nick-woolton. (07/08/07) No To Kirkby How come every single Evertonian I speak to is passionately against moving out of the city. Yet on all the forums its about 50/50, is because Kenwright & Wyness have employed people full time to infiltrate the Internet/phone ins to spread propaganda. I live in the city and have yet to meet anyone who wants to move OUT of the city! Allan Roberts. (07/08/07) Yes To Kirkby I hope the vote does not go against the move. This is our chance to move forward , Look what we can have compared to what we have to put up with at the moment . I love Goodison but we are falling further behind the rest in terms of facilities every season . How crap does the red shites effort of a new stadium look . Move with the times it is time to let go, nobody can take our memories away from us but we are the ones who can help shape the future. Onward and upwards COYB. Gary - Walton. (07/08/07) I've Changed My Mind To begin with I thought it would be a great idea to move to a new stadium, my thoughts have since changed. New signings, new stadium, new start, sounds great. The images did impress me but then I thought to myself, they are no better that the Kings Dock, in fact they are crap in comparison. To top it off no matter how much we all hate the shite you have to say if they’re new ground looks anything like the images shown, we are not going to help our selves by even trying to compete with what they will have. My decision is made, stay in the city design a new stadium that actually looks like it will help us in our fight to be in the champions league year in year out. Forget Kirkby and forget the plans already made, start a fresh and make it worth while and not something that will be regretted in years to come. After all this is going to be our home and the place us fans, family, and friends come to watch the team we all love. I told my self that I would support Everton in every way possible through thick and thin, good times and bad. This is still the case but lets not ruin the future by screwing it all up. COYB once a blue always a blue. Daryl Long. (07/08/07) Yes To Kirkby - It's Necessary I
am an exiled Evertonian, living 15 miles from West Ham, who has supported
the Blues since 1968 and brought my son up to be an Evertonian among his
friends who support all the London clubs etc. I feel that I should add
something to the debate about the new stadium. Goodison is my "mecca"
of football and will always have a place in my heart. However, I believe
that a move to a new stadium is necessary for Everton to move forward.
However, the question is should it be a move out of the City of Liverpool.
If we had the correct investment, which I see many other, much smaller
clubs than Everton attracting, a move within the City Boundaries should
be possible. After much time spent reflecting on the issues and the views of other contributors to this debate, I thought I would chip in with the grown-ups. I was born in Liverpool in 1962. I have never lived in the city – I grew up in Cheshire - but have worked in the city centre all of my professional life. I have been a Blue since I was old enough to kick a football. I went to my first game as a 7 year old and have been a match day regular at Goodison since the late 70s. I was there in the dark days as well as the glory days. Since 1984 my season ticket has been in the Upper Gwladys. The people around me come from near Wigan, and Newton-le-Willows, and (whisper it if you dare) Kirkby. Dear reader - whoever you are and wherever you come from - you simply do not love the Blues any more than any of us. The club is no more yours than it is ours. It is no more a part of you than it is of me and of them. Lots of my colleagues at work are big Blues too. Taking the half a dozen I know best, one lives in Childwall (he favours the Kirkby move, incidentally), but the others live in Formby, Heswall, Meols, St Helens and Wigan. So, sentimentality aside, just what is the big deal about keeping the Club’s main ground in the city? Is it because we have only ever played in the city? Well, apparently not – I haven’t checked it out myself, but those who have done say that Goodison (along with Analfield and Stanley Park, I assume) were outside the city boundaries when the club first played there. Is certainly isn’t because the players come from Liverpool. Just how many of the current squad do? Check it out for yourself, but I reckon it is at most one – Tony Hibbert…or is he a Huyton lad? Stubbsy, of course, comes from Kirkby and will have to be sacked now. (His birthplace is noted on the club’s website as “Kirkby, Liverpool” incidentally!). We may as well tell Baines he isn’t wanted too. It can’t be because Everton is a club exclusively for people who hail from and still live in Liverpool, because that just isn’t the reality. Look around you at the ground. Your fellow supporters are not all from Liverpool – many of us come from outside the city. Where would the Club be without its supporters from Bootle, Huyton, Halewood, Kirkby, Skelmersdale, Maghull, Crosby, the Wirral, North Wales, Cheshire and elsewhere…? (Please don’t make us feel like unwelcome intruders into your private space – our blood is as blue as yours. We are family). Remaining in Liverpool would be ideal, but surely the really important thing is to keep Everton competitive – and to ensure that the Club can stay in the top flight; in Europe and in the hunt for silverware. That means we have to be able to compete. Not at any price – the interests of the fans must always be of paramount importance – but we can’t afford to be precious. We need to be prepared to compromise, sensibly, to do what’s best for the club. The analogy somebody made to the Wimbledon move to Milton Keynes is silly. Is anybody seriously saying that a move to Kirkby will prevent them from getting to the game? If so, just how committed are those people? It is just a few miles down the road – and much closer to Goodison than many other parts of the city of Liverpool. Given the catchment area of the fan-base, isn’t it more realistic and honest in the 21st century to regard Everton as a Merseyside club, rather than a city of Liverpool club, in any event? Let’s get real. The choice we have is to move now to a new home in Kirkby which (in the eyes of those who have looked at the issue in greatest detail) will meet our needs - or to start again from scratch and set ourselves back by years. If we do the latter, we will spend those years living almost literally in the shadow of the new Yankee stadium. We won’t be well-equipped to attract new players or investment, or to exploit our potential revenue-stream. Inflation alone suggests that the cost of any subsequent move would be appreciably higher – and who knows where the funding will come from then to support such a move. Do you know what revenue from TV deals will look like once the current deals expire, for example? We should each be asking ourselves these questions? 1. Who has looked into the options in most detail – me
or the Club? This deal is effectively being led by Blue Bill and Bully. Let’s look at their credentials. I don’t know Bill, but I know he is a Blue and has been for years. I believe he wants what is best for the club and I don’t believe he would choose to move (from Goodison, or from Liverpool) if there was a viable alternative. Why would he? Which business would risk disenfranchising its support unnecessarily? He is a human being – why would he want to court so much personal abuse and unpopularity, unless there was a good reason for the business decisions he is taking? The answer could be personal financial gain – but does anybody really think that Bill went into this job to make money? I doubt it very much. I think he is just living the dream that is beyond most of us – taking care of something he feels passionate about; being the guardian of the Club’s best interests on behalf of all fans because (unlike the rest of us) he found himself with the chance to do that. I did get to know Keith Wyness a little when he first came down from Aberdeen, though I haven’t seen him for a couple of years. His initial ambition, in line with Bill’s preference at that time I believe, was to redevelop Goodison if possible. If he is saying it isn’t viable to do that, or even to move elsewhere within Liverpool, I am satisfied that will be because he honestly believes that to be the case. Viability in this context isn’t just about the size or location of the available plot, or the facilities it could provide – quite apart from all of the logistical, planning and transport issues, it is about cost; cash-flow; the potential for financial return; and, crucially, timing. I read that somebody has been making a fuss because Bully holds no shares in the Club. We should be pleased about that – it removes any grounds for suspicion (which might feasibly apply in the case of Bill) that his motivation could be coloured by self-interest. Bully can be entirely objective. He is experienced. As a Director of the Club he owes duties to all of the shareholders. The guy is bright. Based upon my personal experience, I can tell you that he is also decent and principled. He has a first class Economics degree. He has an impressive business CV. Do you really trust your commercial judgment ahead of his and that of the club’s professional advisers? If so, the chances are that you are either the dog’s bollocks or a nutter. I strongly suspect that every true Blue would have preferred us to redevelop Goodison if that had been a viable option. I’m pretty sure every one of us would have chosen a new site in Liverpool as our favoured alternative to that, if we had to move at all. But we are where we are. Our cherished home has passed its best. The advice of those who have looked into the issue in greatest detail is clear - the best option available to us now is the Kirkby option. I think we have to trust them and their credentials. We can afford to commit to this deal because of the unique features associated with it. And, critically, we can make this move in time to remain competitive; and in time to exploit the opportunity to become more so. We really can’t afford to be sentimental at the price of making the right commercial decision. Let’s keep our hearts for the times when we really need them – when we come together; when Z Cars comes over the tannoy; and when the royal blue jerseys step onto the pitch. Let’s vote with our heads. Two 2 years ago my family and I had to move to live in North Wales. I won’t bore you with the reasons, but we really didn’t want to move. We had to leave an area that had been my home for 40 years. It was a wrench. But, hey, guess what? It feels like home now. David L. (07/08/07) Yes To Kirkby I'm all for kirkby. One annoying thing is that these idiots who say they'll watch bootle fc(sefton, not liverpool) and trainee (wirral,cheshire). Think before you speak guys, were all scousers after all. Simo Efc. (07/08/07) Moyesy Duped I think it's disgraceful the way so called Everton fans have duped the manager into posing for a photo with the keep Everton in our city flag. I bet they were very pleased. Even more of a reason to vote NO. Not that I needed one. Si. (07/08/07) Plan B ? You have got to be joking! It looks more like a baseball park for gods sake! If this goes ahead we will once more be the bleeding' laughing stock of Merseyside. I don't even like the Kirkby stadium. Why are we offered this shit? Are we not Premier League...are we not the longest serving top flight club?..are we not founder members of the Football League? Why should we accept anything but the best as our motto says? It seems when it comes down to it it's not "Nil satis nisi optimum" it's "any shit will do". Get a grip Blue Bill....your'e selling the loyal fans short and we deserve better....much better! A fed up with the politics blue. Platty. (07/08/07) Your Vote Is Precious And Life Changing For Many. Vote With Care As I write
this on the eve of the most momentous week of our Everton lives I feel
great sadness .This week the voting ballot papers will fall through our
letter box ,we will open them expecting to tick a box in a few seconds
.Please, please stop and think what your ‘X’ mark will mean to the future
of Everton and future Evertonians.Make a decision that you can really
put your head on the pillow and think I’ve done the right thing not a
selfish for here and now vote but for our children and their children.This
Kirkby proposal is short term gain with long term pain. I’m sad about the events of the last few weeks when really I should be happy about the best team in years and European football beckoning us. I’ll explain .All I have seen and heard pre-season is Evertonians wrestle with what the future holds which for many will be life changing. I have a great friend called Barry Murray, a rough diamond who lives and breaths Everton, in fact his four children are named after former players (even his daughter Toni is named after Tony Cottee),he has not missed a game anywhere for over 20 years and has ran out of skin space for Tattoos Everton related .He wells up with emotion like the last time we won the cup and says to me “Ian I love this club but if they take us to Kirkby for their own self interest I’m not going anymore .It will break my heart but I will feel betrayed and my children will be abandoned by the club” Barry lives in Southdene, Kirkby .He has no vote ,why ,because he spends all his free money travelling the length and breadth of the country organising coaches to follow the Blues. An extreme and isolated case? No a frightening common theme running throughout the Everton hard core, you know the ones who don’t question the board or the manager’s tactics too much and pour scorn on anyone booing the team but will support the team on a cold winter’s night at a far flung venue in the League Cup. I’ve heard of season tickets will be sent back and future games picked if we get sent to Kirkby. The Everton extended family is in turmoil, fearful of what is to become of us .I ask a simple question? Who is this stadium really for? Is it for a desperate board devoid of money and real ambition? Selling us off to Kirkby for selfish reasons to maximise their share value .Will the present CEO and custodians be with the fans left by the Kirkby move in this ‘nice stadium’ on a retail park in five years time .Make no mistake this crime of the century will be called in and the initial ‘free stadium’, (now its costing us £50 million plus), will increase in cost at least another £30million.Steel prices are going through the roof .The land were our new home is to be placed was landfill and the foundation costs could soar. Everything we have been told by our sales pitch owners changes almost daily .We were acquiring 9,000 car spaces on the retail park now its 1000.So if you live a few miles away you will have to drive to a car park ( with a fee) then get on a coach ( with a fee) watch the game and on masse after the final whistle wait in hour long queues to get on a coach to pick up your car wait in another queue to get out of the car park to your home destination. The fabled trams and new train station will not cope according to experts on transport in the Mersey region. The world class stadium initially promised is now a nice stadium ask yourself is this stadium presented to us worthy of the fourth most successful team in English football, were not a Bolton or Coventry were Everton. The price we are quoted to build this stadium says a lot of its finished style and quality. Bringing the existing playing staff to endorse our move is a bit below the belt and I thought we did things the Everton way .Hardly anyone in the present first team will be with us in five years time, Beattie's gone already. And just who scripted their quotes and how could they say anything else if they did say it, they are employees. Another nail in many fans coffin of Everton to do this. Fear factors used by the pr machine of Goodison will fall down soon and we will end up playing Marine .The reds are building a new stadium across the road do we want to see this? No let’s cower away on the edge of the city eh? Would our newest fan, Rocky, do this? Run away from a fight to keep the hearts, minds and souls of future generations in this City .Make no mistake we will not grow in Kirkby but erode. We have the biggest walk up in the league and the best dispersal rate of fans, why are we making it harder for our fans? Ten million
pounds extra for team building in Kirkby! Based on what business plans
shown to the fans .By the way 10 million in five years time might get
us an average left back if were lucky. A new stadium will not make us
compete to where we aspire too only big backers with money will accomplish
this. If were skint now finishing sixth how will we survive to get to
this fabled site in Kirkby .We need financial help right now ,today! And
there lies our problem, money. Our board has never put one penny of extra
investment in our club just paid the bank for Mr Johnson’s shares. In
the fast pace and money driven premiership we have a mansion but try to
live there on a working mans wage .Only Moyes magic wand has put us in
European football not our custodians. We have the smallest squad in the
history of the Premiership just now ,net spending in the last seven years
averages out just three million. Ask yourself why? We budget for 17th
place we finished an admirable sixth adding to our spending power with
£500,000 per place .We get given £35 million by the great
God Sky yet tonight we are in a plus monies in with two players in less
than a week away to kick off. Relegated Sheffield Utd have spent more
than us with eight strikers now to choose from. Were told
we are special in that we will have a vote on our future. If the deal
and stadium was as great as we were initially told why are our custodians
not just making the decision for us, when you buy Everton you should show
leadership and vision. Did we vote for the magical Kings Dock? No the
vote is a double indemnity passing the buck so to speak when it goes horribly
wrong if we move. What major company would accept a 51% mandate to move,
disenfranchising thousands of fans .Maybe a desperate company? Were told
there is no plan B, Goodison cannot be re-developed and the council has
not helped us with no land available. Well we all know now this is not
the case .A group of caring Evertonians picked up those terse statements
and the gauntlet, spent hundreds of hours and their own money to get real
alternatives .I take my hat off to KEIOC ,I went to the exhibition last
Friday not in a pub or school hall but in the great building of St Georges
hall .There I found detailed plans stage by stage to dispel the myth of
Goodison cannot be done .Did the owners of Spurs ,Villa ,Celtic .Rangers
,Chelsea, Newcastle and Man Utd say this as well ? Or did their boards
put their hands in their pockets for the future of the club in the best
location. Where they are heralded from and made their name. They acquired
planning permission and funding, had a real will and ambition, doing what
was best for the fans not just them.It stuck me at St Georges where would
we want to parade our next trophy, here in the heart of our city or from
Knowsley’s Civic hall I’ve met
high powered representatives of Bestway and they mean business but need
above all co-operation from Bill, its deliverable. Our council will back
this scheme and all political parties will transcend differences .It will
re-generate a massive area coupled with project Jennifer on Great Homer
street .We had one fantastic opportunity in the Kings Dock lost, a quantum
leap for our club that every red was envious of, (now they are laughing
at us with the Tesco dome) but to be fair many proper reds tell me they
truly don’t want us to leave the City .Its not Liverpool FC being the
cuckoo in the nest but our own board. Don’t do it Bill I want you to use
your vote to help this man to do the right thing .By voting No we have
to explore the other options given to the club by concerned fans. I asked
Bill how does he want to be remembered, this deal and Goodison will ensure
he will be remembered as a visionary custodian not pillared for taking
us out of the City .I don’t wish harm on Bill but he must do what’s right
and take notice of what is on offer now, not be blinkered and swayed by
non Evertonians for self gain. Let’s not play cat and mouse with Bestway.
Send a clear signal of intent to do what’s the best way for Everton long
term and most of all think of our children please. Say No to Kirkby and
let’s be together, a powerful force. Let’s have that feel good factor
not one of division and fear. Let’s get back to supporting our team and
manager. Please take time on your vote delve more into options and say
NO! What Do You Think? Have your say! e-mail info@bluekipper.com e-mails index New Stadium - The Fans Views |