As featured on NewsNow: Football news

Everton fans looking to heap pressure on chairman Kenwright

Rebel Everton fans are starting to pile up the pressure on chairman Bill Kenwright as they look for massive change at Goodison Park. A collective group of diehard Evertonians, called The Blue Union, have written a letter to Kenwright hoping that radical measures be made to change the direction of the club and hurry up an impending sale so the financial issues can be solved rapidly.

The letter from The Blue Union read: "We believe the time has arrived to initiate a change at Goodison Park.

"Not simply a change for change's sake, we're proposing an historic change, a change that will act as the catalyst for Everton, our manager and our players, to once again have the opportunity to become a truly competitive force in English top flight football.

"We would like to clear up a misconception; nobody believes there's a magical solution to Everton's financial situation.

"Nobody believes there's a stockpile of money or that every penny possible hasn't been used for the benefit of the team.

"All Evertonians appreciate that football is a competitive business where owners are responsible for the delivery of funds to the manager through either personal investment or successful and cohesive commercial strategies.

"A decade-long search for investment has proved fruitless.

"What remains inescapable is that during this time Everton's business performance has resulted in a fundamental decline in the financial position of the club; specifically, a massive reduction in the balance sheet position, a substantial increase in debt and a real decline in operating profit.

"During this period Everton's broadcasting income has increased by over 300% yet when it comes to developing our commercial income it is the inability to address the key issue of the stadium that has left us trailing in the wake of our peers.

"The consequence, of all of this, is there for all to see; despite protestations to the contrary, our club is unable to support our manager and therefore our team.

"At a time when over £485million was spent by other clubs investing in their core business activity, football, it is shameful that not a single penny was spent by Everton."

The letter added: "Nobody can refute that attempts to improve our financial performance haven't been undertaken.

"Strategies, that have been implemented, by a succession of CEO's, include, the sale of assets, borrowing, selling a percentage of the club, two potential ground moves and a proposal to build a new commercial centre at Goodison Park.

"The first two have been acknowledged as unsustainable and clearly cannot address Everton's underlying financial problems, whilst the remainder have all failed to materialise.

"Many see the failure to deliver the truly world class King's Dock stadium as the greatest missed opportunity in Everton's history.

"Others now see the pursuit of the unfathomable, undeliverable and unsuitable Kirkby stadium as the greatest mistake by an Everton board in over 130 years.

"Mr Chairman, as a fellow Evertonian, we think you of all people will agree that football clubs are far more than a business; they're cultural assets and their owners are mere custodians who have a responsibility not only to the business but also to their fans.

"With this in mind we would ask you to have the courage to accept that the performance of the current board has fallen far below that which is required."

 It's the home stretch! 24/7 click for the best coverage of Everton's final transfer market moves

Video of the day:

Andrew Slevison
About the author

Andrew Slevison

×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

  1. Go Ad-Free
  2. Faster site experience
  3. Support great writing
  4. Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free
×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free