Colm's Corner
Columnist: Colm Kavanagh

Five Days and Countin’…
26 January 2005

“I would never do anything that would harm my football club.  It's not in me. 
I would rather walk away.  I'd rather be back in the boy's pen.”
Mr W Kenwright, Chairman of Everton Football Club, BBC 5Live, 28 Sep 2004.

Bill Kenwright: still no sign of the much-vaunted investment

God bless him.  We could readily empathise with the man, as he spoke, gleefully, to 5Live's Jonathan Pearce.  Everton had risen from the grave that was summer 2004 and into the top three of the Premiership.  The Chairman, fanatical Blue that he is, could hardly contain himself – his visage one of bravado, indicating harmony restored inside the Boardroom and financial investment finally in place to assist the restoration of Everton as a Top Club in the Premiership.  Let the good times return…

A few months on and still no sign of this highly publicised investment.  Where's the guaranteed transfer kitty, promised for a manager who had to off-load so many players in the summer and had little time (or money) to replace?  Seven million of your finest fictitious pounds for Alan Smith as season ticket sales trickled instead of flowed?  Someone having a laugh? 

At the EGM last September, the Chairman told all present, “David and I were discussing this only last night and we came to the same conclusion – and he will have a considerable pot in January and in the summer.”  Well I wouldn't mind knowing what constitutes “a considerable pot” but the cynic in me fears that this pot may be more comparable with a ceramic type design left under hospital beds in times of need!  I can't help but think that the Chairman's placed himself in a position whereby, not for the first time, the more he attempts to dig his way out of this hole, the deeper it gets.  And when his problems mount, so too do ours.  How long can this continue before people, in a position to do so, shout STOP!

I'm not going to drag up the King's Waterfront farce.  Nor NTL.  Not even our ridiculous bluffing that we had money in place to consider a ground share with Liverpool FC.  They're all done and dusted.  Gone... but not forgotten.

I want honesty.  I don't expect to see any.  I want to see the Chairman standing up and admitting that the Fortress Sports Fund is a non-runner.  It has been nothing more than a futile exercise in deflection and keeping control of the Club.  We have seen no visible investment in Everton Football Club – just an “increase in borrowings.”  It has become increasingly embarrassing, for all parties concerned, to see each and every (extended) deadline for this Fortress money come and go. 

How much longer must we live in denial?  It was embarrassing enough seeing Mr. Samuelson paraded before the shareholders at the AGM, trying to deflect concerns from shareholders who expressed genuine concern for the future of OUR Club if this supposed Fortress money ever saw the light of day.  He denied it was the first step on the road to a takeover yet spoke of initial talks about buying out True Blue Holdings – a claim refuted instantly by the Chairman.  He spoke of investing in the manager and backing him to bring back the good times.  All for no return?  Mr Samuelson informed us that his intentions were entirely honourable. 

But forgive me for being sceptical.  An initial £12.8M ‘buys' the mysterious investors who lurk behind the name Fortress Sports Fund a healthy 29.9% of Everton Football Club?  Once that's ratified at a special EGM, there's an option to invest a further figure of £17M, which would bring FSF's ‘interest' in Everton Football Club to just over 50.1% — surely that's a controlling ‘interest'?  Forgive me again, but that's a takeover in my book and, considering we're currently lying fourth in the Premiership, it would appear to be one helluva deal for those gaining control of a Premiership club in such a lofty position.  Even the wily Ken Bates might cast an envious eye across the Pennines should that deal ever come to fruition!

Furthermore, I've been reading about our new benefactor, Mr Samuelson, supposedly already working on behalf of Everton Football Club — "I've been doing quite a bit of work for the club in Hong Kong and Singapore on shirt sponsorship and other support like that, lots of negotiations which I think will considerably strengthen the club and get more money coming in.”  — just what is going on at Everton these days? 

How long has this man been employed by Everton Football Club?  Is he Head of Overseas Operations at Everton?  Or an ‘Acting CEO'?  How much is he being paid, to act on our behalf?  I presume this “quite a bit of work for the club in Hong Kong and Singapore on shirt sponsorship” is not being done simply for the good of his health?  Is he now a paid employee of the Club, Bill?  Perhaps Mr Samuelson should focus more on meeting one of these deadlines with his Fortress Sports Fund instead of traipsing across Asia on our behalf…

The ball remains in your court, Mr Chairman.  I suspect you're praying more than most that Everton retain that precious fourth place (more precious than a magnificent seventh?) and possible entry into next season's Champions League.  Right now, as fans are scratching what's left of their hair, over comments made by the manager that he will not be strengthening the squad before the transfer window closes, we're facing a Groundhog Day scenario of two seasons back – where we did not invest in the team, necessary as it was back then to strengthen the squad and push on to “the next level” (I hate that term!). 

We have a marvellous opportunity to truly put the cat amongst the pigeons with 14 games left this season.  The top three clubs are well out of our League – we cannot compete with them.  However, with a seven-point cushion, we can do some serious damage to rivals (like Liverpool) who budget annually for Champions League inclusion.  They are in serious trouble if they miss out.  We have a chance to ease our own woes – and add to theirs – should we succeed in finishing fourth this season. 

Mr Chairman, you spoke all summer long about keeping Wayne Rooney.  You got the best possible deal from his sale – a transfer record no less.  We did not have time to spend it in the August window.  You promised the manager significant funds for January.  That has not arrived either.  There simply has been no investment, has there?

The time has surely come for this charade – this shambles – to end.  Please, Mr Chairman, do the honourable thing and step aside.  No one doubts your passion for Everton Football Club and what the Club means to you personally but you have been party to the demise of a once great Club. 

Is it really eleven long years since you stood on the hallowed turf after the Wimbledon game, draped in an Everton scarf, and uttered the following,:

"Today, this is the start… another… it's a trite expression and I hate to say this… but this is the start.  This is a new beginning for Everton.  We've got a terrific manager [Mike Walker!!!], he knows what he wants for this Club.  We've got, well, the best supporters in the country, as we proved today.  And people are pleased – Alan Sugar rang me the minute the whistle blew.  Sam Hamman came up to me, put his arms around me, and said, ‘We're really pleased you're still in the Premier League.’  We are where we belong…”

Indeed we are Mr Chairman.  Further in debt, despite the salvation of a very productive conveyer belt of young talent bringing in over £40M to bail out the continuing mismanagement of this Club.  It is time to pass the baton and go back to being the likeable boyhood Blue (Boys Pen optional) and not further on to become a chairman as distrusted as Johnson.  Sir John Moores, I suspect, would've called his own taxi if he oversaw such a mess being made of The School of Science.

In the meantime, we count the days since the last deadline for Mr Samuelson came and went without word — and the clock continues to tick on Mr Moyes's hopes for squad strengthening before the transfer window slams in the face of the smallest squad we've ever known.  You may pray, Mr Chairman, for the Get Out Of Jail Free card that may be Champions League football next season.  I'm praying for no further injuries or suspensions this term to an already depleted squad.  It would be shameful to let this great opportunity slip by.

Five days and countin'…

Colm Kavanagh

Reader Responses

The aricle is flawed beyond belief and the writer shows no real understanding of the present state of Everton Football Club or football in general.

If Bill Kenwright resigned tomorrow who does Colm think would step into the breach? Cast your mind back to the last time a change of ownership took place.

No-one, I repeat no-one was queing up to buy Everton Football Club. Does he think there is another Abramovich lurking in the shadows ready to pump millions into a regional football club, even one with an illustious histoy as ours.

Look across the park and see the financial problems the other lot are having attracting new investment even with a global brand like theirs.

Sure, Kenwright has his faults,and he is guilt of getting carried away at times, but I actually TRUST him, don't forget this guy does'nt draw a salary from the Club and I would ask Colm if he was prepared to re-mortgage HIS house to raise the funds to help buy the club if needed.

All Colm offers is lengthy criticism of all things Kenwright with no real or practical solutions to improve the current status of the club.

I'll stick with the Kenwright version (flawed and all) until the prospect of a new russian zsar (and boyhood evertonian) is found and steps forward as the clubs saviour.

Get real Colm !!
Steve Hogan, Northwich

I am very unhappy with people at Toffeeweb asking for Bill Kenwright to resign from his positon at the club. If Kenwright does resign who do you want to become chairman? I suppose you all want Lord Granchester and Paul Gregg to be the savior of the club.

Well If Granchester wanted to put millions of pounds into Everton FC he would have done it years ago when John Moores past away. Why did Lord Granchester leave the board of directors in the first place, probably because he didn't want to be involved in football.
Paul Jones, Merseyside

Paul, ToffeeWeb merely provides a forum for the views of Colm and anybody else who has something to say. Publishing these articles does not necessarily mean we agree with them — ToffeeWeb

"This glass is empty! Empty I tells ya...."
Chris Gallagher, London

Just read Colm's comments on funding for new players through the FSF.

He seemed to be implying that the lack of FSF funds was stopping the manager purchasing new players in January.

It has been stated that funds are in place regardless of FSF. Moyes has said he does not want to spend money on players he feels are not right for Everton and would therfore just be a quick fix - not that he does not have money to spend.

Previous managers (under BK) have been criticised for bringing players in which have proven not to be good value for money. We don't want to make the same mistakes again. Also 13M in does not garantee 13M in transfer funds. Surely the current shareholders will not allow their stock to be dilluted to that extent ?

I am not a Bill lover. This is a just direct response to Colm's article.
Ian Ridley, London

Wheres the money? Why can't we buy more players, why isn't the Fortress money here yet, why why why!?

I have just read Colm Kavanghs letter and I think it is a disgrace, an individual who obviously considers his own opinion very valid by the fact that he considers him self intelegent.

Well, I do not claim to be Mr Brains but I can spot a red when I hear one talking sh*te. You're a disgrace Mr Kavanagh. If this is your idea of support then go away, we are a better club without individuals like your self, making a hard job of running a TOP FOUR CLUB even harder. FOURTH, FOURTH!!! Yep thats right FOURTH.
Lee Bullen, Preston

©2005 ToffeeWeb