The Slumbering Giant: Part IV – Soul Searching

I canÂ’t actually see EFC returning to glory again. Sharing a city with LFC, a global marketing giant, doesnÂ’t help. I actually think Man City would be where they are today without inheriting the Commonwealth Stadium and having a large (3 terminal) airport nearby ready to accept Etihad airways for the first time. All the odds are stacked against Everton; our opportunity was Kings Dock (and we know what happened there).

Everton Football Club is not an enticing brand, a visit to Goodison Park for visiting supporters must take them back to the 70s (if the modern day football fan was alive then?) Is there success outside London and Manchester? – I’m not sure but I’ve seen plenty of impressive stadiums outside these areas and infrastructure is there. Many Championship clubs have managed to build/re build, Molineux is very impressive.

Yes, he’s a blue – who cares, look what has happened to Everton with him here. Bill Kenwright and an antiquated Goodison Park will be his legacy as he’s here to stay.

The other line frequently trotted out is Â’weÂ’re not in LondonÂ’, well neither are Birmingham, Villa and WBA.

Sharing the city with another club and not being in London does have impact on the attractiveness and marketability of the club and therefore the price the board can fetch for it.

The real high-end buyers, the only two examples of takeovers that took their club to a next level – Abramovich and Mansour – came to those two clubs because Chelsea was in London and because Man City came with a brand new stadium and a relatively big airport.

Other buyers will only pay what they consider is a Â’good dealÂ’. Most expect to make money on it so they will not pay the jackpot. Obviously our board is asking a price that matches that of a club situated in London or at least matching a club with a brand new stadium and being the primary club in the vicinity. We are for sale, but just not at a price that the B-category of investors think we are worth. Mind you, that may be a blessing in disguise as most of the investors from these category seem to ruin the club theyÂ’re at.

I feel weÂ’re in a status quo at Everton. And although I would love to see us competing for silverware again, I am terrified to think what happened at Leeds, Pompey or Blackburn. IÂ’m not even sure if winning prizes with a team that some billionaire bought us would feel as good as winning prizes in the past did. I would love it if we could get back in the big five on our own but thatÂ’s probably not realistic...

I look forward to the next article of Â’how Everton fulfilled the dreams of its fansÂ’.

Or am I being naive?

For me, the horizon is rather bleak. I have a horrible feeling that this season will mark the beginning of a trend and that, for the imminent future, we will be jostling with the likes of Stoke, Southampton, West Ham and Swansea for upper mid table rather than with the moneyed clubs for top 4.

The only way past this mediocrity is an Athletic Madrid/ Dortmund scenario where an exceptional manager builds a truly effective team that knows what it is doing without spending the world. IÂ’m pretty sure the current incumbent isnÂ’t that manager but Lord knows they are hard to find. Koeman and Pardew are probably the only managers this season who have had their teams overperforming and neither of them spectacularly so. Perhaps the mold is harder to break in England?

Now the big question is this: How to accomplish all this? For me, there are two ways

1. Bill sells the club to a rich billionaire who wants to take on the big five.

2. We sell one or two of our playing staff a season and invest that money into doing what I want over a number of seasons to accomplish our goal, just so long as we the fans are told the plan.

At the moment, we are a mid-table team who may finish 6th, 7th, 8th but, with the right plan, we could be a top team who could finish 1st, 2nd, 3rd... 4th. It can be done; itÂ’s happened in Spain and Germany, so it can happen here. ThatÂ’s my plan.

Although I could see the club taken over at some point in the future, I do not foresee it being on the scale which would totally transform the club, like Chelsea or Man City. A big factor is the geographical status of both clubs in the city of Liverpool make it ever more difficult to compete again at the top.

In the absence of trophies and cash, what the club and its fans need at the very least is a team that will go out and play with 100% commitment and with the the desire to entertain the supporters. What we have witnessed for too long is football by numbers – mind-numbingly functional football with no freedom of expression by individual players.

ItÂ’s not only Everton that have succumbed to this modern trend; most Premier League clubs have adopted the Â’modernÂ’ style of functionality, The game of football and Everton have to realise that, if teams are unable to compete for the trophies, then they still have a duty to entertain.

Football with no hope of winning and devoid of entertainment will eventually see the fans stop turning up in such huge numbers, it might not adversely affect the business plans of the clubs but it will have a devastating effect on the game itself – and what is the game without the fans?

We nearly made top 4 last season and it is true that Atletico and Dortmund have shown some sort of model for getting into the elite but I donÂ’t, in truth, see either of those sides maintaining their position over the long term.

In my more optimistic moments, I do see us building from within and getting a platform from which to challenge but we can’t get around the money factor – nor can most other clubs, including those who have had investment and new grounds. On the latter point, I am afraid I can’t see us moving and we will have to see if we can expand Goodison intelligently.

So, let us keep our soul, be shrewd in the transfer market, and in nurturing our youth, and try to entertain and look to the cups. From there, it is just possible that something more substantial may develop. A long road, almost certainly.

But we are already seeing our future stars disappearing if the rumours about Garbutt are true and our treatment of this lad is sinful. Surely it is better to keep hold of a richly promising 21-year-old and sell or re-deploy a 30-year-old?

We need a long term plan but the playing side has to be sorted first in my view and the HK model of young vibrant players with a couple of old heads to guide them has to be the way to do it.

The TV cash will keep on coming for the next few years so I hope weÂ’re planning to clear the debt, look at either redeveloping Goodison Park, or moving to new stadium. Not to increase our revenue but to improve the matchday experience.

The issue of who comes next after Kenwright is an interesting one as they will have their own vision for what they want the club to achieve. But I donÂ’t want to see us spending 𧴜s of millions to finish 5th, 6th or 7th.

The plan under Martinez is clear: develop the academy players and supplement the first team squad with a couple of buys each summer. Where we will end up is anyoneÂ’s guess but I actually think weÂ’re heading in the right direction.

You ask the vital question of what we want as supporters. I donÂ’t want us to buy a trophy.

Many years ago a friend of mine watched his local team, Motherwell, win the Scottish FA Cup. It was a joyous, landmark day. A day against which all days were counted; eg, my daughter got married the year after we won the cup.

I have the Corinthian dream: We play the right way, we donÂ’t cheat, the club is part of the community. The name Everton is a byword for all that is good about football. Now THAT would be something.

My view is that the club is in a spiral of decline which will never be turned around with the current ownership. The clubÂ’s turnover is not sufficient to allow enough investment in both the playing side and the infrastructure to create the conditions for success.

If the investment goes into the playing side then the infrastructure suffers – the fabric of the stadium, the marketing effort such as it is. If the investment goes to infrastructure then the playing side suffers and the good players will vote with their feet and move on.

My view is that the only hope is that the owners bite the bullet and make a decision to stay at Goodison Park and start to work with the council to acquire the land needed to renovate and remodel the ground, keeping the traditional aspects we know and love but making a modern stadium. This strategy could be played out with a 㿀 million investment every year for five years. This is very risky as it will direct money away from the playing side to the stadium. The team would have to retain a strong core of players and reinforce by sales or free agents/low cost buys.

This is the only investment that will fundamentally improve the clubÂ’s position in the long term.

He must be able to acknowledge, if not accept, that his reputation and standing amongst a large proportion of the fan base has plummeted dramatically under his tenure. If he cares about his legacy, surely now is the time to stop treating the fan base as if they are a nuisance that is there simply to fund his play thing. Come out and say how much the club is available for; we all understand that everything has its price. Open up 15-30% of the shares to fan ownership with a voice on the board where the revenue generated can go towards paying off debt or improving the dilapidated relic that is Goodison Park. Pay the retainer to a single entity, giving them sole responsibility for finding buyers, investment and handouts. Just do something!

Over the weekend, I was speaking to a Kopite about the state of the two clubs. He made an interesting point about their view of fan protests. They look at us; the way weÂ’ve been allowed to slip from relevance and meekly accept it, and it drives them to make sure that their voice is heard. Ultimately they fear turning into us. As much as that condescending sentiment stuck in my throat like a house brick, I canÂ’t help feel that the people who pipe up about Â’Kopite behaviourÂ’ forfeit their right to complain about the ownership.

Irrelevance, for a club with our history and standing, should be the fear and key driver for change – with or without Kenwright.

"Everton and Liverpool City Council together with a number of partners have announced their intention to investigate a regeneration scheme for North Liverpool which could potentially house a new stadium for the Club.

In addition to a stadium, the site at Walton Hall Park would be developed to provide a number of new community facilities and bring a significant amount of jobs to the area.

While the possible scheme is in the early stages of development we are encouraging fans to get involved from the outset.

We will be running a series of events in the coming weeks. Registration for the consultation events has now closed. Anybody who completed a submission on September 30 or before form will be contacted in due course."

Unfortunately, all of the above is just a pre-emptive load of hot air, so the board cannot be accused of complacency by the long suffering fanbase.

Personally, I have a grudging admiration the way the board can silence any dissention – they would be far better employed working alongside one the major political parties during the current election campaign, they are that good at spin and misdirection.

One aspect that may also hinder any prospective sale is the numerous mortgages Bill & Co have loaded the club with. Who knows, Robert Earl and Bill may have put their shares up in EFC as collaterals to prop up one their many other business interests?

I would guess there is zero appetite for any sale.

Patrick Murphy mentions that it is 28 years to the day that Psycho Pat scored that winner at Norwich, and I am glad that I was there. Those moments surrounded by people who have the same interest and ambition for a club, all celebrating together, are the highest point in a life of following your team.

I personally detest much of what is now football, and resent the way it is all set up. It is no longer the game of the working class (or non-working class). Ordinary folk are being priced out of the game, and the clubÂ’s keenness for season ticket sales leave the occasional visitor unlikely to get to games at all.

I see posts here regularly wondering how we are going to attract the fans of tomorrow? Well, make it much cheaper to attend, and keep more seats available for general sale. If a young person wants to come at the moment, even if they can afford it, they will be hard-pressed to get a ticket, due to the current system. The grounds are full of older fans; unless we encourage the youth to come, we will all die off, and there will be nobody left.

Also how can it be justified to charge 㿔 for a polyester shirt, made in a sweat shop in the Far East? I know all the clubs do it but it is wrong.

The only way for us all to be stakeholders in this thing we love is for us all to become shareholders. Some German clubs (I believe – but I’m no expert) have some fan ownership, and surely this would help us all to feel part of the club, and to have a voice, and a right to speak out on our own behalf.

We are otherwise giving loyalty to people who have their own interest at heart and not the clubÂ’s. If we were to move, may I suggest we take a leaf out of Man CityÂ’s book and look at a site near Speke Airport. There is a fair amount of brownfield land around there and it would make a lot of sense to be near the airport and the area is not so developed as around the Everton area, so I would hope it would be cheaper.

One other thought: Surely, if we want value for money with the latest windfall from the TV deal, the best place to spend it is Europe, where the majority of clubs canÂ’t compete with us on purchase power, and (for real Europeans) work permits are not a prerequisite.

Patrick, I wouldnÂ’t worry about BillÂ’s health; he has looked okay on a few TV shots and sounded okay on a lot of radio shows... the devil looks after his own!

A great series of articles that have aroused a range of emotions for me. From immense pride in our club given its history as a founder member of the Football League, honours won, the style in which we won them, contribution to the community etc, through to misery, frustration and sadness watching the clubÂ’s slow decline over the past couple of decades, culminating in this debacle of a season. I for one, however, am still optimistic about our future.

We have a solid enough platform on which to build. We have a good youth development programme, a sound enough financial footing with an increasing level of revenue accruing from the Premier League coffers, which with elementary financial management should provide a foundation to build and sustain a decent squad capable of being competitive in the top 6.

The club, however, needs somehow to find that visionary leader that can take the club by the scruff of the neck and take it to the required level. I hate to say it but Bill Shankly comes to mind in how he took over and transformed Liverpool FC.

We may not be able to buy the very best players but really, how many world class players are there out there? As you mention in your article, Liverpool alone has spent millions on average players. The 㿔m on Mangala being a great example. There are many more clubs in the Premier League that have done the same.

Surely an astute manager, who actually knows how he wants the team to play (has to be the old Everton way, of course – a patient, agile, modernised and Corinthian Everton will do for me) and knows the attributes of the players that can deliver that vision, can put together a competitive squad with all the options out there.

It canÂ’t be long before excellent players get pissed off and finally work out that it has to be much more rewarding playing every week in front of a great fan base at a great club like Everton than warming the bench at one of the top 4 or 5 money clubs? After all, their entire playing career is relatively short!

Probably wishful thinking on my part, but I really do believe the good times can return.

Somewhere in there I use a quotation from Richard Feynman. He says: "The truth always turns out to be simpler than you thought."

I am persuaded that the complex ownership structure is the main reason some prospective purchasers have walked away. Who wants the hassle of dealing with so many individuals and trying to get so many parties to reach agreement? To buy a new stadium for some of these billionaires is little more than a bunch of change.

I still hope to wake up one day and see the headlines: "Billionaire to buy Everton" – I am probably dreaming.

I donÂ’t really dislike our Chairman. But as regards selling Everton, he does remind me of that tattoo of St George: always sitting astride the horse, yet he never goes anywhere.

WhereÂ’s the pleasure in having some rich twat throw cash at our famous club? Fans get carried away with the sewer that is the Premier League.

IÂ’m proud to have an Evertonian as chairman. And IÂ’m proud that when I meet blues they are real fans.

With a bit of luck, we can make the Champions League without selling our soul... and imagine how much better it will feel — it will be real and authentic.

So business as usual Ray #16?

I have a friend whoÂ’s been a lifelong Man City fan for over 30 years, he likens our situation with Kenwright to that of theirs with Peter Swailes, heÂ’d never sell up and hung on to owning City at all costs regardless of how bad they were on the pitch.

City got very lucky with the timing of their stadium being handed to them to rent (and Mansour eventually bought it); they had a dodgy owner who had to sell up to Mansour and the rest is history.

WhatÂ’s happening at City is a dynasty being built, the foundations are strong and future proof, the stadium will soon be 60,000+ with all the mod cons, their training complex is world class, everything about them says theyÂ’re aiming to be the next Barcelona. Their ambition will always be there as Man Utd are their neighbours so theyÂ’ll always have to strive for better and that bodes well for their future. If youÂ’re a City fan, the future is exciting, compared to the days of Royle getting them out of League 1.

We had our winning EuroMillions ticket with the Kings Dock, 㿊m for a 55,000 stadium on the waterfront with all the mod cons and extras with it to bring in more income. But Kenwright blew it along with one of the most disgraceful lies and the eventual ousting of Paul Gregg to cover his shame. Then the golden ticket, the euromillions triple rollover ticket, Mansour arrives and wants to buy the club, Bill says "No, only investment needed here, IÂ’m in charge," so the Sheikh heads to Manchester and itÂ’s goodbye Golden Bricks Road.

Whilst Kenwright is here, we are going nowhere fast, having to sprint just to stand still with what weÂ’ve got; how long before exhaustion kicks in? WeÂ’re just one bad managerial appointment from being the next Sheff Wed or Nottm Forest. If the finances are that bad, we could be next Coventry, Leeds or Portsmouth waiting to happen, all in the golden era of the Premier League.

When you sit down and think of all the lies, the cock-ups, the missed opportunities, and how our clubÂ’s management blew all the opportunities, it would give you a serious dose of IBS.

I understand why Bill loved Moyes so much. Stability, but boring mundane stability, every year, no chance of going down, the occasional big team getting turned over at a bear pit Goodison as the underachievers occasionally turned over the lions and gave us something to smile about it. Moyes and Kenwright were the perfect fit for each other, finishing 5th or 6th was MoyesÂ’s equivalent of being a champion; Bill lapped up the overachievers doing it again and again whilst the money disappeared into operating costs.

You want to start dreaming about the good old days coming back, that depends on the next owner, but donÂ’t hold your breath because Kenwright is going nowhere, heÂ’ll be here until either his health says no or most likely when the TV money golden goose is gone and footballÂ’s finances implode at the next TV deal.

I was just 8 years old when Van Den Hauwe scored that goal in the first minute at Carrow Road to win our last league title. Knowing what I know now, I wish I could go back to that day to savour it better than I did back then.

A sobering piece Lyndon for a sobering predicament. I doff my cap to you for your effort.

I have always been very sceptical of the claims of 24/7 search for investment and extremely suspicious of the non-disclosure agreements any parties who have been interested in buying the club have allegedly had to sign.

The club is seriously lacking in its off-the-pitch finance/investment strategies and some would say incompetent when you consider the kitbag deal.

I do feel weÂ’re run by a board who are quite happy to keep the ship steady & take their annual returns from the club, without ever (it would appear) putting their hands in their own pockets.

I think the only way weÂ’ll see the current board ousted is if someone comes in with an offer to buy the club that is in their interest, which I canÂ’t see happening.

Or if health & safety legislation forces the club to have to undertake major redevelopment work to Goodison, which financially wonÂ’t be viable and will require us to move to a new stadium.

Oh the irony; if a few years down the line, Goodison was to lose its safety certificate and we had to return to paying rent to the owners of Anfield in order to fulfill our fixtures. Bill Kenwright –the man who led us back to our original starting position.

Exposes the myth that we have "a great Evertonian as chairman, a chairman who will only pass the reins onto someone who has the club at heart"

Bill Kenwright is looking for a massive return on his stake. Full stop.

We are in a league of our own as Evertonians, perhaps we are just dinosaurs waiting for a new age to dawn. But you ask what we want as fans and it made me reflect of a number of issues relating to how the club has been run, on and off the pitch, how supporters and shareholders have been treated, the influence of inactive / unsupportive board members, and the basic lack of good commercial acumen from general management.

It’s not that I am bitter – far from it; I love my club and for that reason I find its attitude so annoying to those who love it and probably those who would love to own it.

We have been run poorly for many years and yet we are still in the top division; lied too, yet we are still at Goodison Park. But with the cash cow that is Sky, profits are significant. Clearly it is nothing commercially significant we have done to improve our lot. Frustratingly we are often now held up as a club that is well run. Not by many Evertonians though.

The attributes of the type of club that Everton are currently viewed as are more suited to the Championship, and it is a club that is awaiting the transition to another level. Clearly to, without the financial means or board inclination to provide a strategy or a vision to enable that transition, we are in limbo.

I remember a few years ago being taken to task by the editors when I suggested that the present situation could not go on, it was suggested that it most certainly could as long as we stayed in the Premier League. How true that was.

The very sad thing amongst many of our supporters, is the inability to remember the deceit and ridicule with which the board treated fans and shareholders alike. Nothing has changed, no apologies ever made, no approaches to mend bridges, the legacy will be forever tarnished.

Whilst supporter groups gave the management a hard time and probably entrenched their attitudes, it was, in my opinion, a legitimate response to what we as fans had been fed for so long.

Myself as a supporter would like to see the future thus:

1. A club that held dear its traditions and relationships with the city and its fans, to be Everton and held in respect by others and ourselves.

2. Transparency and honesty in how the club is managed and its communications with supporters and shareholders alike.

3. A true camaraderie that embraces the team, management and supporters, one team, one front, in unity, shared belief, shared objectives and shared vision. Unity.

4. Realism, pragmatic honesty, no bullshit. If we cannot eat at the top table then we are able to forge together teams built on pride, skill and teamwork who can rattle the chair legs of the table. We make it easy for no-one.

5. A management team and a board of directors who will work tirelessly for the betterment of the team, the business ahead of personal interests. Ones that can earn our trust.

I could go on but you get the drift. It’s not a wishlist, nor is it unrealistic, but it will not happen with the current management in place. Sooner or later change will have to happen, but I pray that it’s under better management.

But, if you’re talking about history, it will only be Chelsea, Man City, Man Utd who will feature in the future history books. It hurt, IÂ’ll tell you, but heÂ’s right. The only chance weÂ’ve got is what Sam Hoare #7 has stated, and that is to find a rare gem of a manger who can build a cheap but great team, but heÂ’ll have to do it quickly before the vultures arrive and pick of the players, as with Dortmund.

Despite having just renewed my season ticket, I donÂ’t, not for one second.

So why did I renew?

Well the (excellent) OP helps explains why – "purely to indulge a love of the game and a tribal sense of belonging; for the camaraderie and the familiar routine of the match-going experience; the simple desire to support a team towards success (or, at the very least, enjoy enough memorable experiences in the pursuit of success)"

All that and conditioning or force of habit.

Everton right now offers me a distraction, a reason to get off my arse every couple of weeks, curry and chips, a few laughs,the occasional good win, conversation, ammo to debate at the game/in the pub.

Plus I love a European trip when the chance comes along.

But I donÂ’t (canÂ’t) believe, that under the present regime, any dreams are possible.

As far as Â’successÂ’ goes, IÂ’ve simply given up on the idea.

It’s one of the reasons I can’t get as worked up about Martinez as others do – I see all his flaws and yes, his particular brand of blarney grates like fuck, but I believe with our lack of resources, anyone replacing him isn’t going to do anything either (and few would be likely to give us a 5th).

Ray (#16) – "My view is that the club is in a spiral of decline which will never be turned around with the current ownership. The club’s turnover is not sufficient to allow enough investment in both the playing side and the infrastructure to create the conditions for success"

I think in an odd way, itÂ’s worse than a spiral of decline (that at least would have a conclusion) this is a loop, a kind of groundhog day scenario.

We probably have enough in the way of resources to stay in the division and to bounce around indefinitely between (guess) 12th-ish and 6th-ish, but... thatÂ’s it.

Would I prefer we went down? Of course not, but a future of indefinitely treading water is (to me) only slightly less depressing.

IÂ’m 55 and in my relatively short time on the planet, Everton have won four titles, three FA Cup finals and a European trophy. Live or on telly, I got to actually witness them all bar the title in 1963 and I have seen an Everton side regarded as the best team in Europe, so at least I have some great memories.

Those who have seen us win nothing and have only really known the present board of hopeless, bullshitting chancers have my deepest admiration (and sympathy).

From what I have read on FFP, I think we would be restricted to making a loss of no more than 𧴡m over 3 years and to an increase in salary outlay of ٢m per annum. I am reading this to mean the maximum loss that can be covered by inward investment.

If we are to finance a new stadium and some additions to the team, 㿏m a year does not give us much. We would of course have the TV money and Commercial profits to add, as would our competitors. The maximum permitted Salary increase of ٢m would allow us buy just one marquee player on equivalent of 㿼k a week or add two on 㿔k.

We are in a catch 22 situation in realizing that the only way to become a league and cup winner with successful European results we will have to hope that some billionaire will take us over as a hobby ( R.Abromavich ) or some middle east royal family that will not only buy us a winning team but invest in the community as the owners of Man City are.

For the supporters who do not want this type of ownership but want Everton to be run on similar lines as today but without a new chairman and board what will be the most important signing is a team manager. This person regardless who it is will have to be ruthless ,have a better scouting organization be prepared to work within a budget at times for a number of seasons, and have a knowledge of various systems against different opponents.

Looking at our youth system for answers . Everton have all ways had a decent youth system with the likes of Harvey, Royle, Rooney, and Barkley to name a few but they just come in as individuals. By that statement I mean there is really only one club that has had a team from the youth system and that was Man Utd with a team of the Neville broÂ’s .Beckham. Scholes, Giggs and a couple of others from the youth squad who played together from youth to first team. Everton have never had a youth squad that it was ok to bring in 3-4 youth players on a regular basis to form the nucleus for the future and in todays market will find it difficult to keep good youth players with potential.

As I stated under our present regime,and that looks like it is not going to change, the most important signing will the manager, and unless he can improve drastically Mr Martinez doeÂ’s not tick all the boxes. So to me the future will remain the same with highs and lows sometimes close to the glass ceiling but never beyond it ,start off well but be let down in the January window, be given promises that are never kept, but being Evertonians will take it on the chin and come back for more.

One comment aside my wife said to me "if it is so bad why do the supporters who complain keep going"

Well as to what I want to see, in the short term I do have a number of expectations.

The first being that no matter who is on the playing staff, I expect all players to do their utmost to win a game and show a determined and energetic attitude to reflect that. I expect all players to give everything for our club in the pursuit of victory. If they show those attributes then if we lose, I can accept that.

A manager who shows he can learn from mistakes and can prepare a team for all aspects of a game and to be ready to take the field suitably equipped to win any game of football.

A commercial department that enables a supporter to be able to buy a team shirt from any sports store in our home city let alone anywhere else. A commercial department that splashes the name Everton all over our city alongside the RS motifs that blight every street and outlet. A commercial department that actually makes some money for our club and not sits on their thumbs doing absolutely jack shit.

I expect our great club to seriously challenge for each and every competition they enter, including the league. This may not be realistic but going into games with damage limitation thoughts will inevitably lead to defeat anyway. How many times have we been to Arsenal, Chelsea, United , City and the RS and come away with a defeat after yet another rearguard action in which we spent the majority of the game in our penalty area? I expect EFC to be more positive than parking the bus and lets face it, these days the PL is not the imposing beast it was a few years ago, with the exception of Chelsea (who are not vintage themselves) the top clubs are all beatable.

I expect a long term plan as to when we will be able to realistically challenge for the league title and also a plan as to what we are proactively doing to arrest the pitiful sequence of seasons that are passing by without lifting any kind of trophy.

These are the bare minimum requirements I expect from our club.....we donÂ’t need a bucket full of money for those requirements, just a bit of heart and common sense and a realisation from the club/board that they have an obligation to do the best for all long suffering supporters instead of seemingly being ignorant of the slide into obscurity we are fast heading for. EFC are not meeting any of these expectations at present and should be held accountable as to why not. Lack of a billionaire owner and a bottomless pit of money canÂ’t be blamed for the lack of my expectations being realised, just very poor management from top to bottom.

In the long term, a decision needs to be made definitively as to whether we stay at GP and redevelop or move. As with everything at our club, indecision always seems to cost us greatly. We are never proactive and hardly reactive either.....we just seem to muddle along and hope for the best. If we get a billionaire owner then brilliant but Bill Kenwright needs to actually be a "wonderful Evertonian" and try to sell the club to someone who can actually move the club forward. I am fed up with the excuses that because we are not from London we cant sell....thatÂ’s utter nonsense and yet another excuse that the apologists like to throw into the equation because Bill wont sell.

In an ideal world, EFC would build a quality squad capable of regularly challenging for the title, however in reality, we need a rich owner to enable us to compete on all fronts on a regular basis. Like it or not, money rules in the PL. I have been lucky to witness 2 title wins in the 80s and personally, if we somehow managed to get a rich owner and we won the title on the back of it, would celebrate equally as long and hard as I did the other 2. Like it or not, the only way to consistently win the title these days is with cash and again, personally, would rather do that than drift into obscurity with my principals in tact by declining the services of a rich owner. It would be like trying to box with one arm tied behind your back. We all dream of doing a Notts Forest etc but the big boys wont let you build a team without ripping out all the genuine talent before the teams potential is realised. You need to fight fire with fire and unfortunately in this day and age that fire is a bucket full of cash. Keep on the lookout for a bored Sheik

What I do want to say is this:

Lyndon, your writing ability is sublime. I never tire of reading anything you post / publish. It is always measured, intelligent, and enjoyable. It always spurs the most intelligent and thought-provoking responses from TW membership, and has a magical way of avoiding vitriol.

Outstanding series and piece.

Unfortunatly we all know that we are powerless in altering the situation but can only put our faith in our present manager.
I think we all feel the same pain, a mourning sort of pain.

If only there was an injection to put me in a state of hybernation only to be awoken when things look a whole lot better.

I, like a number of other posters, have been lucky to see our best periods of managers, players, trophies and told all the stories about Dixie and Tommy Lawton from my dad and grandad but I have not yet lost hope.

Everything goes in cycles and we still have some very good youngsters and some very able "old pros"

The problem as I see it is we are like a rudderless ship with no direction.

It is OK for Kenwright to say "He promised CL" but where is the plan to achieve it.

We need a plan and a sense of purpose and vision that embraces the board, a capable manager and all the supporters.

Useless second rate managers and disinterested board members that generate disillusioned supporters and demotivated players will not cut it.

We do not need a billionaire or Oligarch we just need a proper board and the "new" Mourhino.

Simple just like football!!!

1. We are never likely to win the League again.
2. We are never likely to be relegated.
3. We are likely to be permanent members of the PL, finishing between 6th and 10th each season.

If youÂ’re OK with that, carry on supporting; if youÂ’re not, then you need to look somewhere else.

That some Everton fans donÂ’t realise this is the issue, means that "BoysÂ’ Pen Bill" is allowed to continue. You ironically posit the situation that "a more reflective and altruistic Bill" might become more rational and less ego-driven. Well watch the way Dave Whelan became more tolerant and more reasonable as he got older. Old men and I am one become more entrenched and more convinced that they are right.

Bill wants to wave from the DirectorsÂ’ Box, he wants to give the odd interview telling everyone what a great Evertonian he is and above all he wants to keep his position in charge of Everton.

IÂ’m about BillÂ’s age and I reckon that unless bill goes very soon, I could well see Everton back in the second tier of English football where they were when I first saw them play.

What I am trying to point out Lyndon is in all that time I have never seen such a good summary of how the club got to where it now is and where it might be heading. Please accept my congratulations on your excellent contribution to the Everton Story.

The Slumbering Giant was a toure de force not only of our club but also the Premier League. I appreciate the difficult job you had in researching the minutiae of matters that certain people are determined to keep secret.

In the fullness of time all the facts about Kings Dock, DK etc and potential new owners will be revealed. Only then we will know whether or not certain figures are entitled to praise or vilification. Hopefully part of the story will come direct from the horses mouth.

Those who are privy to what went on behind closed doors would be wise to reveal the unvarnished truth before the vultures swoop.

Lyndon, If I am to make one small criticism of part iv it is where you mention Martinez as playing a part in our future. As recently as a few days ago he stood impassively with arms folded seeking advice from no one as his team, OUR team were being shredded by Villa cellar dwellers. With a mere 15 minutes to go he belatedly made desperately overdue substitutions.

Not even the much maligned Moyes would have been so paralysed of thought for so long.

Regular Twebbers might recognize the ginger one was definitely not a favourite of mine yet t the current incumbent is much worse.

I think it is an example of his single-mindedness, and perhaps a defect. I recon that even Steve Round would have been able to make a suggestion to Moyes!

Not so much the Â’elephant in the roomÂ’ more the crux of our problem is the refusal of BK to acknowledge he can no longer compete at the level required if we want to be successful. As we all know success comes at a price, but is BK prepared to pay that price? i.e. let go!! Whether it’s a sugar daddy or the preferred fan ownership model, an injection of funds is the only way we will move forward in the current climate. Things may change, but realistically our chances of producing a competitive young team are almost zero – another Rooney or similar, will be snapped up by the vultures in the top 4 – what price Stones and Barkley still with us in 2 years? Therefore without funds we will find it nigh on impossible to match the Â’money bagsÂ’.

Sadly BKÂ’s sentimental oft repeated boys pen journey, has put him in a position where unless a younger, richer, fellow Evertonian comes forward he will never relinquish the reins. In his own mind I doubt he could countenance anything else, so a long, painful decline is too much of a possibility, but as Evertonians we will follow that path because itÂ’s also in our blood.

But, as Lyndon points out, there is absolutely no guarantee that the eventual purchasers will be any improvement on the present owner or the many clowns who seem attracted to this kind of investment elsewhere.

Whilst Â’getting rid of BillÂ’ is seen by most of us as the panacea for all ills, the odds are that the sale, in itself, will bring little change in fortunes. The Premier League is, at best, viewed by its funding mechanism, Sky Sports, as competed for by just six clubs and we ainÂ’t one of them!

As IÂ’ve said for years we are a Â’seventhish outfitÂ’ and we better learn to like it. Have all the dreams you will but I promise you they will NEVER be fulfilled!

The uplift in cash from the TV deal is the uplift all the other teams get. We are financially capped by the ground and stand still whilst others progress & get level to or move ahead of us. Those already in the distance surge away.

We will gradually slip down the wages paid table. It will be a slow, sad slide.

Spurs, West Ham & Liverpool are all finalising ground moves or redevelopment.

We do... nothing. The big idea from this inventive board is to pursue another free ride, nightmare to deliver thatÂ’s 6/7/8 years from happening if it even gets going.

No chance of any investment from the current board & as the aim, judging by previous episodes, is to probably somehow get a ground move on the cheap & then kerrrrchinnnng, sell us for the handsome profit, no chance of selling as yet.

One day, unless we are careful, all this time, lost time & inaction will stack up & we will be fucked.

Come 2020, we will still be playing at Goodison & he will still be in charge. The future will be bleaker still.

The only true law of life is that everything changes. That will apply to the current state of football as we know it now. It may implode, or it may move on to become a global, televised championship, played in front of 150,000 crowds in India or China. I donÂ’t want/foresee Everton being part of either scenario.

So, I think we have to hang in there. Purchase, and bring through, young, hungry players, who see us as a possible passage to higher things, but make them buy into our ethos while they are here, have their salaries heavily geared towards success bonuses (points AND cups), let them go with a big pat on the back when they leave, have others fighting for the place their departure will create. Make players hungry, instead of the complacent wasters we see playing for and against us weekly.

Do that for maybe 10 years. Then reappraise.

BK Looking for a buyer 24/7 is bullshit.

What may be for sale are the shares that some of the board may wish to sell, if the price is inflated enough. However, as Lyndon points out, none of whom have any inclination to sell. The total value of the share base may be currently north of 𧶀m given the influx of cash from Sky inflating value and profitability.

Until a person or company can offer members of the board enough cash to take a controlling interest, little will change. In the meantime, shareholders will be rewarded any dividends the club wishes to pay them. Will it all be ploughed back into the club?

Owners of a business take the profits as they see fit. At the current rate of inflated profitability, it's hard to see any board member voting for any sale. Turkeys voting for Christmas, anyone?

I genuinely feel sorry for my poor old Dad, a Chelsea fan, since the club that he still loves, the club of Bentley, Greaves, and Osgood, no longer exists. If I were a Chelsea fan, I would envy the fans of Everton more than those of any other club, since the singular "value" of their club is something that had to be hard earned over the course of more than a century, something that can never be purchased. It is a value that may be harder for fans in the "the global market" and City analysts to appreciate, a value that cannot be easily translated into dollars and Euros. And it is a value that more than anything, we have to retain, even in this shoddy money-grubbing world of ours. Because once it is gone, it is not coming back.

Of course, itÂ’s great to win things. Of course last season was much more enjoyable than this one. But whatever we do in the future (ideally, we would be run by a Supporters Trust), I hope we somehow retain our enviable, unique status in the game, even if it is a status that only the minority, the real fans of the game, can truly appreciate.

Again, Thank you.

Thus the status quo is maintained, the top 5 spenders and media darlings will get places in Europe and with the EL winners getting an automatic CL place there is incentive for them to take it seriously.

Never say never.

I say this to every Evertonian with a great deal of humility and ask you to step outside your "one sport box" and step into the American sports landscape – as much as it pains you and you may roll your eyes – for just a few minutes.

1918. The year, 51 years before my birth, the Boston Red Sox won a World Series in baseball.

The heartbreaks were SO many. We were cursed. We sold Babe Ruth after winning the series and "the ghost of Babe" wouldnÂ’t allow us to ever win again.

October 28th, 2004 – 86 years of drought, 35 years of my life before me, they finally won it.

I wonÂ’t get into all the personal euphoria of crossing that finish line, the despair of the years in between 1918 and 2004 that so many witnessed and felt.

I will say that when you get there, the rough road you travelled makes it so much sweeter.

And I will say this, Phil: Never say never. I lived in the world of "TheyÂ’ll never win it."

They did. Finally. And so can Everton one day. My other sports "love" proved it.

It wasnÂ’t this article Link as the figure I remember was 𧸖,000.

Ring any bells?

After Wyness became a director, his remuneration as CEO was publicised, as I believe is required by Company Law. To my knowledge, this has not yet happened with Elstone.

Admittedly, ElstoneÂ’s profile appears on the Offcial Website under Â’Board of DirectorsÂ’; this I believe is merely a convenience.

The Guardian does an annual survey of football finances which is so high-level as to be not very useful, but as recently as 1 May 2014 (so this yearÂ’s should be out soon) it stated under the description for Everton:

"Highest paid director: No directors were paid; chief executive Robert Elstone is not a director"

ThatÂ’s obviously changed recently.

Mike Oates (34), The truth of the matter is that any Chelsea fan may be turned off by how their teams have been transformed. Somehow I donÂ’t think he minds that much when they are playing for a Champions League trophy every year and Prem. It may turn him off but there are a lot of fans turned on, I can promise you.

There have been people voicing and pointing out similar concerns like-mindedly for many years now, I even remember booing Kenwright when his picture came on the screen at Goodison last year, and people around me started saying Why? What's he done?... To which I replied..... "NOTHING!" (etc) They still didn't get it.

As for the board, with its estimated collective fortune of... I believe somewhere round ٟ billion, who have not put in so much as a Â’porridge oatÂ’ towards any aspect of improvement of the club since the acquisition of their shares, should, to any fan that ever wondered why we never signed this or that needed player, have registered at the very least a Â’Why the fuck notÂ’ ????.... in their direction.

I have said many times on these forums in the past, that if this present owner and board of (Sky) Money-Grabbing Bastards / Chancers / Leeches etc where in charge of Liverpool FC, they would've been hounded to hell out of there after only 1 season... So why – as the final drip of the tap to your article, Lyndon – have we endured 15 OF THEM??

I think that things such as players bonuses and items such as add-ons when the likes of Seamus ColemanÂ’s original move cost 㿨k but eventually cost the club 𧹈k according to a former employee of Sligo Rovers. There are loan fees / wages which may also be grouped in those Other Operating Cost figures, IÂ’m not sure what purpose the Other Operating Costs serves but it is most likely a way of saving tax or staying within the FFP rules rather than a useful disguise for sticky-handed directors.

What makes us hugely better than Aston Villa (who even won the European cup once) or Sunderland (who have a shiny big stadium)? Why would a rich Arab, American or Asian bloke with no natural interest in football – other than to either make money or to flatter his ego – buy Everton? You wont make money buying Everton in the short or medium term as you have to upgrade or move to a new ground. You won't get your ego flattered at Everton because we are in the shadow of two of the most popular clubs in the Asian world and the media pretty much treat us like that little baldy bloke on the Benny Hill show. They won't give us exposure because the sponsors of the shows and newspapers know that Everton fans' numbers worldwide are too small to generate significant income.

The above may sound almost Moyeslike in its negative pragmatism but until one us fans wins the lottery a few times it doesn't matter how many hours a day Kenwright and our CEO spend searching for a buyer (ha!) or investment, it's not likely to happen on the scale we want.

In order to attract the top investment that we need, the club needs to come up with something unique that potential investors want to be associated with. We are not going to win the league, we are unlikely to finish in the top 4 so without stating the obvious we need to be taking the small-fry trophies more seriously. Even if you think the League Cup, FA Cup or Europa League are a waste of time, you should not ignore the exposure it gives worldwide. Success attracts investment. The style of football we play also attracts potential suitors, as does having a young vibrant team even if the results are not always good. Without Barkley or Lukaku we would get even less exposure than we do now (which is miniscule).

I canÂ’t see things changing anytime soon until we do something on the pitch that puts us in the shop window. It's Catch-22.

Tyranny of distance may be the major factor, but I donÂ’t feel the same affinity for the game itself any more. I count myself fortunate enough to have been able to follow the blues home and away, from the 60s until emigrating to Oz in the mid-90s. Always enjoyed away trips, win or lose, could always find some humour somewhere, even when we were getting bricked on the walk from the train station to Elland Road!

I find myself sounding like a right old fart when I speak about the game now, but somehow it was different years ago. They werenÂ’t all glory days. Plenty of dross about in the 70s, early 90s... Maybe it coincided with the social changes that took place at the time, more money, more mobility to follow your team nationally. TV exposure then also seemed like a good thing, not concentrating on just a few clubs as is the norm now.

It seems as though, apart from Sky favourites, other teams are only tolerated to make up the numbers like some sort of cannon fodder, mentioned only when in opposition to the moneyed clubs. I hate the thought of it, but unfortunately for me, my love and addiction to Everton keeps dragging me back in. FuckinÂ’ hate Sky... fuckinÂ’ love Everton. Never leaves you.

Top 20

Smoke and mirrors, fees? Operating cost black holes?

All comes down to Trust. Or lack of it.

"The media pretty much treat us like that little baldy bloke on the Benny Hill show." Brilliant! I can just feel them patting me on the head and sending me off stage right. Thanks for that!

Of course prior to any sale they can pay down this debt all they like, get it off the books, and make the club more attractive to the new owner (at the expense of re-investing this money into EFC). They canÂ’t lose.

From memory I donÂ’t think many of these loans are disclosed in detail in the accounts - certainly not the terms of the short-term loans. So if you were to calculate our costs of servicing debt since BK and chums took over (when we were debt-free) I think the amount would be staggering, but still an under-estimate.

"Highest-paid director Directors paid for the first time; Highest-paid 𧸖,000; chief executive Robert Elstone is not a director" Link

and also "Everton have for years pushed spending on player signings and wages to the limits of their bank's tolerance, but used the new TV cash for housekeeping which bordered on the stingy. Turnover increased 㿏m yet wages increased just ٤m. The club would have just broken even but for 㿈m profit on the sale of players, principally Marouane Fellaini, to Moyes."

We saw this year that, once you make a European competition, you then need to invest more to be able to compete in Europe AND still do well enough domestically to be there again the next year. Getting there once isnÂ’t going to bring any significant money in the door. So the team needs to be good enough not just to get there, but also get through the qualifier, have a good run, and make it again the following year. I canÂ’t see that ever happening without a billionaire owner.

Plus if we did make 4th, do you risk the investment in more players not having made it through qualifying yet? We certainly didnÂ’t last time we made 4th. And if the answer is No then getting into the main draw is no certainty.

So itÂ’s either a billionaire (which I canÂ’t see happening either) or at the very doubtful best, a one-off foray might be possible with lots of luck and good management. But as I say, staying there is the even bigger challenge that only lots of money can solve in my view.

Lyndon simply excellent thank you. I will never give up hope for Everton because of the fan base. You people deserve it.