Planning permission for Bramley-Moore Dock expected in October

I'll still only believe it when I see it though.

Very cheering.

And the design – don't get me started. It's like a huge air conditioning pipe exhausting over the Mersey.

I believe there were certain parameters for the architects to adhere to, concerning the height of the structure etc, plus it had to conform to a design in keeping with it being a Unesco Heritage Site too.

With the plans in place and the operations moving to the Liver Building, everything is in place to drive the project through.

Exciting times as the stadium will happen and be an iconic statement for Everton and the area.

There is evidence to support your theory. I know you will be thinking about all titles Arsenal won before they went to The Emirates, West Ham fans looking back at Upton Park with a dewy-eyed nostalgia... etc etc...

But there is something radically wrong at our club. There isn't one of us who hasn't got a theory as to what it is... But the bottom line is nobody seems to be able to solve whatever problems are preventing us from shaking ourselves from seemingly eternal mediocrity.

Much as I have loved the old lady and the memories which I will always cherish, my overwhelming feeling is if ever a club needed to start afresh...

The Kopites are desperate for this not to happen. There's a fucking good reason for that.

Although it might only be a rumour, because he's hoping after the magnificent job he's done over the years, managing to keep plucky little Everton in the big league, that the fans are probably going to have a whip-round to raise the money!

If only our Board would treat the cup competitions with a bit of respect and value them as most fans do. Still, we're still in the Premier League – and that's all that matters to some.

Jonathan Tasker must be suicidal.

We need this more than any other club, we have a lot of catching up to do. Cheer up, man!

Most clubs now have zero possibility of winning silverware and that includes Everton. For me, success will be improving our league position consistently, playing football that is good to watch, performing well against the teams who have the resources to be successful, that we continue to develop young talent and that we compete well for all competitions.

If we win silverware, then that isn't the highest level of success for me: only the icing on the cake.

As for the bogs, will they have hand-dryers or roller towels? And as a tribute to Bill Kewright, all toilet rolls will have a portrait of him on each sheet. It will make a change from Gerrard.

But the fact remains, winning silverware is an important indicator, and helps the club (fans, players and all other stakeholders) build on things. So, it's not merely the icing on the cake.

When we look at Arsenal, I think it's a travesty that Wenger didn't get a chance to build after their 2004 'Invincibles' season. Because the club was more concerned about generating revenue, and expected Wenger to keep pulling out bargains. Which he did for more than a decade:

To continually under-spend vis-a-vis the other competitors (Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool and then Man City).

To achieve top 4 almost every year since 2004 till he retired.

Is that success? Perhaps so, in so many aspects – the club is well managed, supported, blah blah. But now, it's gonna take forever for them to rebuild.

So, while winning isn't everything and the only thing – like what you've mentioned, there are only a few trophies available – but progress must be towards winning something as often as possible (even Sir Alex Ferguson only expected the club to aim to win something each season, as opposed to the Premier League or Champions League etc).

Just got out of bed??? Lazy get!
😁

I would imagine he'll be hoping our “lovable rogues” neighbours will damage the Dixie statue. He can just lop Dixie's head off and replace it with his own.

Just think, future generations will be taught that this was the World's Greatest Evertonian on the way to the Boys Pen, aged 70-odd, with a ball for a half-time kick about with his mates!

If we can't obsess about winning a trophy, then we might as well fucking just give up!! As unlikely as that seems at the moment, surely that dream is the only thing that keeps us going??

1: TV revenue will be reduced in the next 3-year deal.

2: Most clubs will reduce ticket prices to encourage fans to return; most will struggle to be at 80% attendance capacity for a season average.

3: Overall sponsorship revenue for football clubs will be reduced.

4: Premier League prize money will be reduced, reflecting the league's reduced income.

These are the main sources of revenue for football clubs. If this happens, and the indications are leading to this, which brings me to the main point, the financial feasibility of the new stadium.

𧺬M+ to build, with approximately 㿅M/year repayments for 25 years. The club is currently running at a loss and will have a significant loss for the 3rd year running. It makes absolutely no sense for any loss-making business to spend an absolute fortune, when future revenues are likely to drop, and take such a burden and risk. I hope I'm wrong about my predictions but I just cannot see any business case for this stadium.

The R/S might have the arse licking media. But we will have the City.

I bet when Martin Mason enters a room, he sucks all the oxygen out of it.

I'm not blaming Liverpool fans but whoever is doing stuff like this needs to be put in stocks in Stanley Park, because things like this only start tit for tat, and the respect levels of each respective fan base are already on the floor.

Our song has always been “We shall not be moved”; we've stood the test of time on both sides of the fence, and if it amazes me, a dyed in the wool toffee, the support Everton still receive, then what must it do to outsiders?

Speak for yourself “Mad Martin” aka The Duke!

I'm 69 next birthday and have, like many fans, seen the good times and bad since 1960. However, we have a lot more fans that haven't seen any success and turn up every week in what has become a shithouse of a ground with a quick paint job done every year.

Yes, we old 'uns can wallow in the nostalgia of great nights at Goodison but many fans can't. I for one cannot wait for the new ground and the heralding of a new chapter for this great club. It represents our birthright and a legacy for all future Evertonians.

I'm not that brilliant with words these days, like Darren or John Daley, but I hope you get my point.

But then I suspect you loved David Moyes, because we did enough to be best of the rest? Worshipped Kenwright for doing a wonderful job and worry that Carlos Ancelotti will only bring hope to the fore and disaster will inevitably result in relegation?

I agree we all measure success slightly differently, but to me, winning with style is what I expect. Silverware is a measure of quality, not of long-term sustainability. Without the desire or passion to achieve one might not bother to get out of bed.

They can't even whinge about it being funded by Liverpool City Council because it looks increasingly like private investment. By the time it is completed, Klopp will be about to return to Germany and they can begin their natural decline.

You say you're not blaming the Liverpool fans for targeting an Everton statue. I suppose the blue Liver Building and the Rupert's Tower on Everton Brow was just random vandalism?

Jeez, get a grip, man... it was all targeted for a reason. Outraged by everything – ashamed of nothing. You know who stands by that motto, matey.

We haven't had much to cheer us over the last few decades, and at least with the prospect of a new stadium, it gives us some hope that things will get better.

Can ToffeeWeb organise a poll for who should turn the first spade over? Colin Harvey would be my vote straight off the top of my head! Perhaps Big Nev or even Kevin Ratcliffe?

My long shot bet would be Brett Angell or Per Krøldrup!!!!

Winning silverware is the goal to what all clubs aspire to, surely? Everything you list as what you want the club to do leads to it. That's the end product. If you play good football, beat teams and challenge for cups you will eventually win something.

That's what I want – to compete to win. It's what defines a club – how many trophies they win equates to how successful that club is.

It's also what keeps a club relevant. Look at Arsenal and Liverpool for examples. They haven't won 1 title between them (until this year) since 2004 but have won numerous other cups. You're right that only a tiny amount of clubs can win the league title but they proved that, if you keep winning other trophies, the club stays in the spotlight. And that in turn means more people buy into the club, with sponsorship, fan revenue, player interest etc.

I would argue that winning a trophy is the highest priority for any club and, despite the Premier League era media convincing us that top 10 is a good season, is basically what all footballers want to do and be able to look back on when they have retired.

Acceptance of mediocrity by some fans is a total myth. Tell me, what do I do that is acceptance of mediocrity? What do you do to not accept mediocrity?

Irrational negativity and constant complaining are not doing something about mediocrity, they are a weakness in supporters. Define mediocrity as applied to a Limited Company Soccer Club when so-called mediocrity is mostly just a signal of limited resources?

As I ask Darren, what would you do about it given that you have no influence in the running of the club? With this ground issue and the effort being put into turning the club around, I see nothing but positivity; the only negative is the temporary difficulties we have due to past mistakes. The important thing is that the club has learned from these mistakes.

Totally agree with you! I cannot wait to get in a new stadium and breathe life into this once great club.

I'm fed up of watching repeats of the '80s team. I want to watch repeats of a successful club now, and in the future.

I, like many, think that there is a disease running through the club at many levels; we need to get the "best of the rest" rubbish mentality that has pervaded the identity of the club in the Moyes & Kenwright era kicked out of the club, along with those that have profited handsomely from such mentality without giving very much if anything back in return.

Our motto is absolutely meaningless as it is an impossibility for it to be delivered. It is nothing more than an aspiration and a millstone around the neck of the club.

Mostly the club has exited the cups as soon as it meets a top club and, for most of the last 30 years, the club hasn't had any real impact at the top end of the league, never mind being considered as 'dark horses' for the title itself; that has to change and soon.

We all hope that the new stadium can be the catalyst for such a transformation. As ever, the situation with the stadium won't be enough on its own to provide the success we all crave but, with good governance and good fortune, it can only help.

Sorry, I do not accept that as any measure of success but as an acceptance of mediocrity: not bad, not great but happy to be in the middle. That's what we have had for two decades. In what way would you deem that being successful?

Perhaps on a returns basis for the directors, it's been very successful... but, for a fan, for the players, for the future? Mediocrity is the antithesis of hope.

The Stadium will go ahead full steam, because it is one of the main ways of really growing Moshiri's investment. The other way is to develop a winning team. As you are aware, I think the main problem is at Finch Farm and it will be interesting to see what impact Ancelotti will have through his management and personal staff input on the current regime.

You did throw down the gauntlet to me some months back to prove my theory and I have been researching since. What I have found so far is that Finch Farm is a complex organisation, with some of the best facilities in the Premier League, and possibly Europe, according to Ancelotti. It has been built on the foundations of the famed School of Science and is a dominant force in the culture of Everton.

The analysis of what goes on there is complex and requires a lot of comparative analysis with other clubs. On top of this, within the organisation there has been changes in staff which appear to be the result of a power play between different interested parties in the club.

I still have a lot of research to do to prove my hypothesis.

I'm hoping to see Everton play in the champions league at this stadium before I'm 60. I'm 50 now, so it's not a huge ask. surely.

Look at them now; admittedly, they have a rich benefactor, and have made a very astute appointment with Nuño Espirito Santo. He has transformed them with some good buys – and without paying silly money either.

Great question.

I mean why do all those Olympians obsess with standing on the podium, with a medal draped around their neck?

And why do those boxers obsess with getting that shitty belt wrapped around their waist?

Why do those NFL players obsess with having those tacky SuperBowl rings on their fingers?

And don't get me started on their fans!!!

Moshiri has shown his hand with Carlo that the playing side is a priority. I can see 3 major priorities: the playing side, stadium, and commercial revenue. We're doing all three, with capable people managing each project.

By the way, Carlo has agreed to 2 youth signings in his squad which will form the team for years to come, with Branthwaite already impressing. I've not seen the new left-back yet, but Carlo thinks he's not far off in an interview. That's 2 out of 11 sorted already within 6 months. He has Gordon and Kean to work on who already exist in the squad as youth players, so could be 4 out of 11 sorted in time for the new stadium.

You could count Richarlison in this as he's still very young, and I still think Dowell has a chance as a right midfielder who comes in on the left, or come off the bench if he's the top of 3 central midfielders in a game as a Number 10.

Trophies and a new stadium coming soon?

When we played Watford all those years ago, there was an atmosphere, an expectation on Wembley Way; we knew we had won before kick off. Watford were just happy to be there.

37 years on, are we really in danger of becoming Watford, just glad of a day out?

Let's wait a see...

Have you ever seen their fans doing that? You're not walking the walk, remember, just watching somebody else walk who takes all of the risk and bears all of the costs? You're comparing apples with oranges too – you can't compare man against man sport with competition between many high turnover Limited Companies.

I disagree that sportsmen only care about the medals around their necks, that is absolute rubbish. I ran, sailed and rowed and, like the vast majority, I knew that I wasn't going to get a medal, the excellence was always doing better than you had a right to expect.

Only football fans demand and expect trophies and have no other criteria of success.

I neither stated any of that nor at any time implied it.

Limited Company Directors making money from their risk and investment? Well knock me down with a feather; that is their absolute right and completely legal. Remember that they take the risk and do all of the work.

Everton are in no way mediocre as a club: nationally and worldwide they are in the top flight. That is mediocrity only if you make ridiculous comparisons against clubs who over the same time period have had far more resources.

Christine, please answer my question: What do I do to accept this so-called mediocrity and what do you do to not accept it? This club is doing nearly everything right now and is going places. Why is it only our own fans that are irrationally negative and expectant of immediate success along the way when success is the goal – not the beginning?

Can I suggest a few things:

It is not just football fans that expect trophies. How about Rugby League fans? Rugby Union fans? County cricket fans? Ice hockey fans? Baseball fans?

You ask how we reject mediocrity? Thousands of us completed a survey which left the club, city council, architect etc in no doubt that Goodison was no longer acceptable. To many, I'm sure Goodison is a fantastic stadium... to us, it no longer is. We rejected mediocrity.

You seem to think it's only Everton fans who have this unrealistic mindset; you must be kidding. I will name just one of many clubs who you may also consider have ideas bigger than their boots: West Ham Utd.

I'm glad the vast majority of our fans want what our neighbours achieve regularly. Anything less is unthinkable.

You seem to think fans wanting something can't manifest into anything... a groundswell of opinion will change things most definitely. Look again at Liverpool and how their fans rejected their previous owners.

You talk as if it's a deep philosophical question... it isn't; it's football. We want good football and we love trophies even more, not stability for 30 years.

Do you think NFL is a one-on-one sport? Or not big business?

At what level did you row? Professional? Olympic? If not, then it's a dumb comparison since you were a mere amateur without ambition of success or without fans cheering you on for the glory of silverware.

I think you're losing it. Try and remember this sequence of words: person, woman, man, camera, TV...

The club has been extremely thorough in its preparation to ensure as smooth a passage as possible for the new stadium application.

I can understand the continued cynicism from some, given the escapades of other Everton stadium projects in the last 20 years, wanting to see the first spade in the ground at Bramley-Moore Dock before believing it.

But metaphorically, very, very clearly Farhad Moshiri and his team have done a great deal of spade work already at no little cost to his purse.

It was one of the first things he mentioned on taking control of Everton. He repeats the importance of Everton locating to a new stadium at every opportunity.

The meticulous public surveys, comparative studies of possible stadium locations, the detailed reports on BMD to ensure a stadium build could comply with all legislation, and much more besides, cannot be denied.

It has also been conducted in a totally transparent way. Quite simply, Farhad Moshiri has to deliver on this project or his ownership of our football club will be a failure and leave us in an extremely precarious position.

Any Evertonian wishing it to fail, just to be proven 'right', needs to think of just how stark things will be for us if this stadium build is not seen through to conclusion.

I don't think this statement enlightens us at all as to whether permission will be granted The person saying it is 'expected' to be granted has no influence over the planning decision.

I would say that this is behind the fair, "The stadium's completion is expected to kickstart the wider regeneration of the northern "Ten Streets" area across Regent Road from the docks."

The wider regeneration has been ongoing. It's already started. I think Moshiri just got in before the property values along there took off.

As has been stated, the design of any building on the dock area was strictly governed under the Unesco Heritage Site regulations.

I understand we all have our own opinions, but replacing a stadium that was built in 1892 and by the time a new stadium is built it will be about 130 years old, any modern designed stadium will be a huge beneficial upgrade.

Bramley-Moore Dock will be the most modern stadium in the Premier League with one of the most spectacular designs. Definitely on my bucket list if I last that long, as my start of supporting Everton began in 1952 when, as a schoolboy, I played on Goodison Park and changed in the home dressing room.

I hope you are right but I am more of a facts man these days and clubs building new stadiums have a horrendous record of initial and some long-term decline with relegation and administration figuring hugely. Best not to do the analysis actually – it is terrifying!!!

On the design, yes, it is subjective but imo this will age as well as 1960s high rise flats. Instead of majesty, we have a galvanised garden incinerator turned on its side and flattened.

I endorse your positivity but this is modern Everton – a bastion of innovation and courage when the chips are down it is not.

The only predictable thing about this club is, when expectations rise, it collapses like a deck of cards. The way to stay positive is not check the facts, as I said – terrifying.

You know... mediocrity.

Watched a programme on Liverpool last night. It showed the old liners and the latest big liners. As a teenager I had an invite to look round the Empress of Canada (I think it was). That was impressive so god knows what the latest ones are like. Monsters.

Btw, what do you do to not accept our mythical mediocrity?

Can you please explain what you mean in clear English with examples so I can respond? Please take care with what you think are facts – you can't invent them or believe that they correspond to your opinions.

Oh how I wish there was a myth of mediocrity. The last 30+ years tells me differently, I'm afraid.

Destination Kirkby was the only offer on the table but I've yet to meet one Evertonian who supported it? I suppose KEITC was just another load of Evertonians bitching about unrealistic aspirations?

It's nice of you to respond to me so why don't you come to the back of the class and answer the questions I asked you at #62? Oh come on... did you not notice that post?

C'mon, teacher's pet... come to the back of the class and give us your answers? And thank god the planning committee rejected this horrendous idea? Maybe they thought it was... mediocre. Did you support it by the way?

I could hide in one of your suitcases, I'm small enough.

You didn't ask me a question, you sprayed a load of waffle at me and that's why you got no answer.

The rejection was nothing to do with mediocrity – it was rejected because it was determined that sufficient retail capacity was available in Kirkby without the stadium complex.

Did I support it? I had no opinion, the club as a PLC decides what is best for it within the law and with the support of the majority of the fans. As a non-shareholding fan, I have no say.

So it was actually worse than mediocre, it was a non-starter. If Everton FC had not had mediocre aspirations at the time, they would have realised that, instead of trying to sell a complete turkey.

You said that only football fans had these crazy ideas of trophies. I gave you many examples.

You said that only Evertonians had these unrealistic aspirations... I gave you an example.

You suggested with a couple of posters that just disagreeing with the club's policy or ambitions wasn't enough and couldn't bring about any change?

You failed quite cowardly to answer any of my "waffle" so get to the back of the class, Mr Mediocre, I'm waiting for your answers.

You know as well as the rest of us Destination Kirkby was sold as a pack of lies.

Example "Goodison will fail its next safety inspection" – quote by one "William Kenwright".

DK will have "state-of-the-art transport infrastructure" – Really!!

DK "will effectively be a free stadium paid for by Tesco" – a totally perplexed Tesco representative stated that was a total fabrication.

Oof, it's like getting mauled by a dead lamb, as someone you know once said.

Sorry, I can't be bothered. No idea why you are so riled, quite emotional in fact.

There seems to be a keen proactiveness by the government (national and local) in wanting developments to kick-start a recovery and this is perfect for a huge economic benefit to the city... This really could be our time

I'm convinced that, without Covid-19, that shower across the park would have done all they could to stop us developing. I really do believe the stadium will happen, now that any red tape will be easier to cut.

Whether you agree or not is immaterial. Everton Football Club – indeed, every professional football club – are not "just" a business, they are part of a community with a social responsibility too; they create hope and dreams and a sense of belonging.

Look at the RS fans over the past month, they have a belonging to a club that is working in line with its aspirations. Over the past 25 years, apart from "The People's Club," the fans have had nothing to believe in.

You speak of Limited Company directors making a profit – no problem with that whatsoever, but look at exactly who made profit out of the club. They looked to one expectation of lining their pockets, which they did, handsomely at the expense of aspiration. They engineered mediocrity through lack of investment, did they not?

As a fan you have a choice to accept it too; some do, some don't. Destination Kirkby was a case in point, you blithely blame the planning committee for its failure, but the reason it failed was because it was built on lies and deceit, which was the finding of the committee. As for a democratic vote in favour of it, the vote was based on promises that were known untruths.

What the fans did in persuing the club and its directors pressured them to change. In doing so, they exerted their voice in not accepting mediocrity. But if I remember correctly, you have always been on the side of Kenwright and Co in relation to his dealing, handling of Destination Kirkby etc.

But I digress; if we are to accept your view that we have no power or influence on the club, then what is the point of a community-based club?

If social distancing is the new normal, then there won't be 50,000 seats within the same space; or at the very least, there will have to be some kind of flexibility.

Or do investors just bet on it not being here in 3 years?

Strange times.

The only negative thing and one that can't be solved quickly is squad weakness resulting from bad player purchases but that will be sorted out. A new riverside stadium? Absolutely amazing.

Anyway, this isn't a Kenwright bashing Destination Kirkby thread, it is about what will be an amazing event in the club's history. We are going places even when that means carrying along a very small minority of irrationally negative fans who can't see past their noses to the future – only to imagined past wrongs that we should atone for forever. Not for me thanks, this is an amazing time.

Destination Kirkby was never going to happen, Evertonians fought it every step of the way because they knew it was going to put Everton back, way back to where they would never recover and be a top club again. An old lady, Everton fan, got on Radio Merseyside and explained point by point why the stadium would never be built there – this was 18 months before Everton lost the case.

After the case was lost, Kenwright issued a statement which included him saying he was glad that Everton were not going to Kirkby!!!

Kenwright is not a convenient target, he is a target because of the way he has misused his position of chairman over many issues, mostly for his own benefit.

I am also very excited about the new stadium as it will be transformational for the club and the city – also, it is particularly enjoyable to see the unease it causes to the kopites. But is optimistic to assume that that fans will just forget and move on with a shrug and a smile.

Kenwright did not invest one penny of his own money into Everton but received £22.75 million when he sold his stake to Moshiri. Fair play to him I suppose.

But of course, to charecterise it as all for the love of the club is laughable.

An alternative view is that the last 30 years weren't a failure at all. For most of that time, we were trading while insolvent and the only measurement for success was continuing to survive as a club; that we survived at the top level was in itself a success.

There was zero chance that we could have had any success during that period because we did not have the resources to be successful. To blame this on one bogey man is just totally irrational.

We must also thank the guy for getting Moshiri on board, making the new stadium happen, and hiring of one of the game's top managers... but, for a small minority, Kenwright can have credit for nothing. He made 㿂M? I don't know but good luck to him, some class warriors would think this a sin but it shows how smart he is.

Ken @108, Destination Kirby was certainly not the event that caused decline at Everton, that is myth, sorry.

Kenwright has sold two lots of shares to Mr Moshiri so he has made close to 㿙M out of Everton while Mr Moshiri was clearing all the debts acquired while the 'smart' Kenwright, according to Martin Mason, was chairman.

But the Dixie statue and Rupert's Tower on Netherfield Road seem like random acts perpetrated by snides, and the reply from one of Bill Shankey's family definitely had too much class for whoever decided to scorch Dixie.

Four dead outside the Shankly hotel, is what my red mate texted me last night, the same fella told me only one can hit Manchester City's coach!

You don't have to tell me about Liverpudlians, mate, but it won't be long before the Merseyside derby is witnessing scenes like what happened in town last night, especially whilst little snides continue to do snide things.

We've made some very bad mistakes, but let's try and pull ourselves up now. I thought Ancelotti's calm words about next season were also promising. Sometimes things just come together for no apparent reason.

We've been waiting a long time, certainly, but we have to let go of old hurts and disappointments before we can be cured.

Must be "Them" again.

I think that's complete bullshit, that's what I think. Kenwright has nothing to do with Moshiri building the Club a new stadium except for some reflected glory if we're unfortunate enough that he's still around at that time.

More Martian nonesense. Kenwright had nothing to do with any of those events.

I think you'll find Kenwright was responsible for bringing Moshiri onboard.

Paul... who's "we"?

Bill Kenwright was Everton's long-time CEO??? I had my suspicions that Suntan Bob et al were merely puppets for the grandmaster but nice to see it confirmed in writing.

We can't blame Mr Kenwright for any of the issues that have beset the club during his period of power, but we can praise him for all of the 'successes'...???

Sounds a bit too much like North Korean type worship of the leader to me – we truly are The People's Club.

He ran the club in survival mode when we were in grave danger of being wound up; if he did some dodgy deals, then that is great. We just have to get out of this ridiculous mentality that he was the reason we had no success for 30 years, it is absolute nonsense.

He is probably past his sell-by date now but who can say? He may be doing a very good job; I suspect he is.

People often look for turning points and the stadium is certainly being seen as one. For me, a good turning point right now would be the club being run like an aspiring business that demands excellence at every level. I'd certainly like to see the CEO talking about how we're going to change as a football team and business, rather than the (laudable) community/charity work.

When the team is successful and the club is profitable, we'll be able to do much more for the community. I wish we'd get the priorities in the right order.

No wonder we are at the lowest point in Everton FC history in terms of football standing. Your claims to the contrary are simply not credible and have a have little basis in fact.

That is another Kenwright myth that he "saved us from being wound up".

The truth, if you look at the accounts, is that he inherited a net asset position (that is NOT in danger of being wound up) and – within 2 years of his True Blue Holdings takeover – had turned that into a net liability position.

Far from saving us, he mortgaged Goodison Park, sold off Bellefield and Old Roan training facilities, sold Rooney for 㿅M (a gift on the never-never) and any other assets he could find while raising unaccounted for "Other Costs" from ٟM a year to over 㿀M a year – then saying it was for lawnmowers for Finch Farm.

Another myth I would like to put to bed is that he DID NOT remortgage his house as he claimed at the time and has never put 1 penny of his own money into EFC – and still hasn't, despite making a fortune out of mugging Moshiri.

Kenwright DID NOT save EFC. He is responsible for its demise.

That is so untrue. Moshiri cleared our debts that were costing up to 㾶M a year in interest and put money into player acquisition funds totalling around 𧸖M of his own money, interest free — something Kenwright hasn't offered to do despite making around 㿔M from shares he never paid for.

John Moores also lent money but it went on Roy Vernon, Alex Young, Tony Kay and Gordon West for instance, along with Bellfield redevelopment.

I don't see the spending spree of the last five years quite hitting the same mark. Moshiri needs to get some acumen and ability into the running of the club – and fast, as Paul Tran points out.

However, the disagreements we had over many years before you took a break from the site always came back to the same thing: emotional investment. You either do not get, or do, but dismiss this notion. I want Everton to win stuff. Why? Here's why:

The players and everyone working for our club and who has invested in our club want this.

I have friends with whom my only common link is Everton. When we celebrated a win together, it was not just because we had played nice football. It was because we looked like we might be building a side capable of winning a trophy and banking a memory to cherish for ever.

I don't live in Liverpool but Everton winning silverware would give me some bloody fine pub moments. I guess if I lived in the city, I could multiply that by ten.

It is for me, Martin, about aspiration, exhilaration and communal emotion. I know how illogical this is but the hope doesn't kill me, it makes my heart race.

Over the years the importance of trophies has diminished a lot with the FA Cup and League Cup not being financially worth the effort for sides like Everton as it impairs doing well in the Premier League. Qualifying for Europe is real success but mainly for me it is for the team to improve and start to compete at the top level and give us the respect that the fans deserve.

Do I demand the ultimate success? Is demanding ever reasonable or even expecting it given that we are investing in a new ground too? Success will be a great performance this afternoon and hope for next season.

Best Wishes

I suspect an enthusiast pursuing a hobby would find our current situation far easier to accept and would have tremendous difficulty trying to understand the desire which burns so strongly within the fanatic.

I guess everyone is entitled to support the club in whatever way they choose.

Heartbreak and disappointment are familiar emotions for those who want and expect our club to reach for the stars. The guy who is happy for his club to reach for the ceiling will undoubtedly find contentment far easier to come by.

Those who invest heart and soul will inevitably suffer more than their pragmatic counterparts. Especially when it's going completely Pete Tong. However, when their time does come, they will experience highs which are unattainable to the contented and easily pleased.

Everybody, especially those grounded in reality, want better. My point is that only the irrational demand or expect. Fanatics are irrational. Here's to this afternoon and a great performance.

The guy who found a buyer for the club in a bedsit in Salford brought Moshiri onboard?

Or

The guy that lent money to Kenwright and parks his yacht next door to Moshiri's in Monaco brought him onboard???

The Soul of Evertonians is immortal, better times will come.

I'm not.

As for the Salford bedsit myth, I know it was actually a 1 bedroom flat in Hong Kong.

Only one person is still at the heart of our club throughout that time, wholly unaccountable for our demise to mid-table "achievement" under his various staff appointees and acquisition of possibly the most football-naive owner in Premier League history.

Why does next season totally fail to excite me, I wonder?