Fans Comment
George Carroll

An open letter to the CEO
10 May 2005

Dear Mr. Wyness,

Thank you for your letter inviting me to renew my Season Ticket which I will be doing . However, your letter raises several points that, as a supporter, I would appreciate some clarification on.

You quite rightly state that we all recognize extra finance is necessary if the Club is to progress and compete with the more successful Clubs in the Premiership but, as far as we are aware, the only concrete proposal you have stated is to raise Season Ticket prices.  You say that the increases are to enable the club “to plan financially and gives us bargaining power we would not otherwise have”.  Does this mean the only plan you have is to borrow yet more short term loans because the total revenue from Season Tickets only amounts to £1Million?  It makes nonsense that the income from Tickets is essential “when the transfer market is at its most active and competitive.”  What Player of the standard required to compete in the Champion's League can be bought for £1M?

What are your plans at this late stage to bring in money to the Club?  It doesn’t need a Chief Executive to raise Ticket prices!  We can be proud Evertonians but we expect you and the Board to give sound financial proof that you are worth the salary and that the Board have the Club at heart and are not just there for a glory ride.  Where is the Fortress money that the Chairman has constantly promised?  In any other business the litany of failures to bring in investment would have at the least have seen resignations at Board and Chief Exec level. So far I have seen none at our Club - The People's Club®.

What good did you do for harmony at Board level by stating that one Director wanted to fire David Moyes?  Was this done deliberately to ensure we all believe that it was the Chairman who is responsible for the turn around in the fortunes of the Club?  Let it be quite clear there was no call from the Supporters for Moyes to be sacked and the Board knew this and would never have taken such a step.  The Board failed to give the financial backing to the Manager and left him with a small squad and the miracle he has performed has nothing to do with the Chairman or the rest of the Board.

It is frustrating for people like me who have supported Everton for over 65 years to find that it is us who are asked to put our hands in our pockets whilst we see no investment coming either from the Directors or from outside.  We have seen no plans to either move to a new ground or modernize the existing one.  Our season ticket prices may well now be on a par with other clubs in the Premiership, but our facilities certainly lag behind the vast majority.  We are into Europe next season but you as Chief Executive have allowed the situation of having most of the present squad to be out of contract.  What does that say for your forward planning?  Does the Manager have to wait until you have actually managed to finalize negotiations before he knows whether or not he has cover for a position?

I am sorry but your lack of action does not impress me.

I trust you will appreciate that my concern is to see Everton back where they should be, but we don't need reasons for raising prices that insult our intelligence.  I suggest in future you just say "I can’t think of any scheme to get money in so I am asking you mugs to put your hands in your pockets, yet again, just like I did last year."

Your reply is awaited with interest.

Regards

George  Carroll

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