STADIUM DEBATE | MEDIA ARTICLE

Everton: Why a Kirkby stadium is our only option

EVERTON FC today revealed how their link with Tesco will effectively secure the club a new stadium for free.

Chief executive Keith Wyness confirmed long-standing rumours that a controversial move to Kirkby would leave the club with hardly any debt, due to the complex terms of the proposed deal.

The basic details are:

* A site off Cherryfield Drive with planning permission for a new stadium and shopping district would be worth £50m.

* Tesco would pay this sum to Knowsley council and it would then be reinvested into the Kirkby town centre project – which includes the stadium.

* Tesco’s contractor, which has football stadium exper-ience, would be drafted in and a 50,000-seater stadium worth £75m built for the discounted price of £50m because of its links with the supermarket giant.

* Everton would have to fund the fitting-out of its new home, possibly costing £10m.

* But this cost would be recouped from the sale of Goodison Park, worth about £15m, and perhaps the sale of naming rights to the new ground.

If the deal works out as planned, the Blues would be left more or less debt-free, compared with the huge deficit clubs like Arsenal were saddled with post-relocation.

Mr Wyness, who also claimed a move would give manager David Moyes up to £10m a year extra to spend on players, described it as the “deal of the century”.

He said: “Emotions will be running very high on this issue and I understand that.

“As much as it would pain them to do it, fans will realise it is the only way forward.

“Evertonians are very reasonable.

“It is an amazing deal, the deal of the century. If the heart rules the head we will never get an opportunity like this again.

“There is no other site we have found that will involve the same level of contribution.

“We will be left with very little debt at the end of it. The deal compares favourably with other clubs building new stadia.

“We will be getting a very nice stadium for a small amount of money.”

Yesterday the ECHO revealed how 33,000 Everton fans will be balloted on the possible move.
The result is expected by the end of August — although it will not be totally binding on the club and the board will have the final say.

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© Trinity Mirror North West & North Wales Limited 2007
Article reproduced here for long-term archival purposes.