CEO praises staff for voluntary wage reductions and deferrals

Outstanding from all involved!

I gave my refund to EitC. Based on the average refund, I reckon about 8,000 other season ticket holders may have done likewise. However, I don't blame anyone who has been furloughed or in fear of their job for not feeling so magnanimous. It just reinforces my opinion that even in this Sky Premier League era, we remain a true community club.

I suspect Steve that you will get some flak from some on here who will argue that the players should have taken pay cuts rather than agree to deferrals but for now I'll reserve judgment on that score. Yes, well done to all.

If I read it correctly, the wage deferrals and reductions have avoided any staff losses and allowed all other staff to still be paid. That's worthy of praise. I'm sure they'll review what further actions might be necessary as things develop.

Well done.

Proud of all those supporters who donated all or part of their Season Ticket / Lounge refunds to Eitc which amounted to the enormous sum of circa 𧹈k and which has been added to by Bill Kenwright and Farhad Moshiri to take the total amount donated to circa 𧿘k.

According to some sources the players and staff, by deffering or reducing their salaries for the next 3 months will have saved the club 㾶M for that period.

Denise said 'some' players had deferred some of their pay. It would be interesting to know how many is 'some' and which players didn't!!

Dolores Umbridge, aka, she who must be obeyed, sent me a email full of...'Tears in our eyes... Z Cars' Kenwright-esque schmaltz.

Seems the fans have raised nearly 𧹈,000. While the real big earners have just 'deferred'. Net cost to them: £zero and some still very well paid for time until it all defers back into their bank accounts down the track.

Also, as has been said before, just how much did #PlayersTogether raise... oh no sorry can't tell you that, it was all anonymous (and not compulsory either) but it went into the big NHS fund and thus untraceable... fairplay to any who did chip in though.

Bill @5, good point there, but one we will probably never be privy to. Also would be interesting to know it has any time attached to it. Is it ongoing until Covid-19 is declared a thing of the past?

The way things are going, that could ostensibly be much later in the year, or even next year, which is when the experts have predicted that all tests will have been completed and a successful vaccine will be manufactured.

It makes sense all round to reduce the club's outgoings while little to nothing is coming in and for the situation to be rectified when things improve.

It should not be used to admonish those who chose not to participate but, with wages at around 80% of revenue, there may be more pressure on to raise funds through the transfer market to cover the eventual cash flow and spike in wages that will result.

It just reinforces we are one of the most caring community-based clubs in the Country. We have many admirers from other clubs and fans due to this, also Northwest News always gives us a great shout so it's not going unnoticed.

Proud to be an Evertonian, well done to all involved.

To each and every person who has 'donated' (note: not loaned i.e deferred) well done and thank you on behalf of every supporter of the club.

Players earning millions per year should have taken a reduction and not just a deferral IMO. Surely, they don't spend each and every penny of their colossal salaries on their daily lives, have substantial savings and investments and the rest. They won't default on their mortgages FFS, like many people will be forced to do. I'm okay because I'm in my seventies and retired. But I feel sorry for those back home, who are really struggling, isolated in apartments with no balconies/gardens or yards. Must be going stir crazy.

Being an ex-pat in a country with very low incidence of the virus, I hope the UK gets Covid-19 under control quickly. I suppose that's why I think it is crazy to restart the 2019-20 EPL and other such events too soon.

Keep well, stay safe.

What I don't doubt is that each individual player has voluntarily donated substantial sums throughout the crisis because that is the type of values that the club stands for.

Another interesting part of the statement is that the deferral was agreed at the start so is not something recent. I don't remember the club shouting from the rooftops about it at the time which again shows class. I donated parts of my refund which is probably what a large number of STHs have done.

So some of the "senior players" and management, deferred 30 to 50% of their massive wages for a few months, but the fans are asked to donate their season ticket refund?

Personally, I kept my season ticket refund. I haven't received a penny of taxpayer support during the crisis and have been living on savings, while the employees of the club – not least the players – are still on full wages (even if some of them won't get all of it immediately). There's no way I'm going to applaud players who are on a hundred grand a week for deferring fifty grand of it til the end of June.

This reinforces what we already know and believe. Everton Football Club is a force for good. When the chips are down it doesn't shy away, but comes forward with the intention to help and share. This humility and strengthening of community bonds will be repaid. Not by cash but by goodwill and an overall feeling that as Evertonians we are one united family. It is an alchemy that will forge new generations of committed Everton supporters.

Ultimately that strength will continue percolate through he club and strengthen it. Any player who signs or plays for Everton should be aware of the quality of club they are coming to and embrace it.

It was very heartening to hear that Mr Moshiri and Mr Kenwright have doubled the 𧹈,000 that was donated by supporters from their season tickets refund to EitC, which will benefit the poorer people in our community, in fact, some of these people rely on the food distributed.

It's really easy for people to criticise wealthy players but the truth is that people live within their means. So just because someone earns a bazillion, doesn't mean their money isn't tied up or even that they aren't in debt.

I just want to applaud our great club. When others put their staff on furlough, or tried, we've looked after the ordinary people. Brilliant.

Well done to all concerned. The biggest shout-out has to be to fellow season ticket holders who also donated to EitC. Great that Farhad and Bill matched that donation, just shows the togetherness of our club.

The players have deferred between 30 & 50% of their salaries for 3 months. I would have liked to have seen them reduce their salaries for 3 months rather than just defer payment till later in the year, but it's still a gesture that I am sure will help the club at this time.

I am very proud that there was never any talk of furloughing our staff, when much wealthier clubs couldn't wait to try and use the system, even if they decided not to in the end.

Michael #12. I hope you are in a better position soon. What we don't know is how much the players have donated from their wages over the last 3 months.

Michael – how do you know players haven't donated as well? Hope you are okay and things get back to 'normal' soon.

Mike @ 17, Ryan @ 18 thanks - sorry, I didn't mean to sound like I was moaning about my situation, I've got a roof over my head, food to eat, and a business that will hopefully thrive again. Nothing to complain about at all, especially compared to some.

No, you're right, I don't know whether - or how much - the players have donated, and I'm delighted that Everton are one of the most community-centred clubs in the Premier League. However, I think it was the wrong thing to do to baldly ask the fans to donate money they were owed for a service not provided. It played on their guilt, and it put them in a position where they felt a moral obligation to donate. To tick the box saying "give me back my money" was difficult, a bit like pissing in a charity box.

I would imagine the average season ticket holder earns less than one per cent of the average first team player at Everton. So perhaps each player could publicly match one hundred season ticket holders' donation as nice little gesture of solidarity?

Michael #19 – now that (your final paragraph) really would show "togetherness" in these worrying times. In fact, I've often thought, back in normal times, that after season ticket renewals are closed, each player could draw a name from the proverbial hat and refund that person's season ticket money – that small gesture of goodwill would go a long way.

It has been stated above that the players made reductions in their wages as well as deferring part of their wages.

I would like to donate any of my money to the donkey sanctuary as that's were we get most of our players.

Serious question, lads – anyone (Jay W?) have details of Richarlison's charity in Brazil?

Michael @19. I know what you mean regarding season tickets. My husband and I are both in our mid-sixties and since the beginning of December 19, he has only had 7 weeks employment. In the past we have been able to contribute to many Everton causes but this time we really couldn't afford to. And like you, we felt awful.

I wish everyone out there safer times ahead.