Bill Kenwright – Everton Legend

That was enough to tell me he wouldn't be the man for the job although he eventually paid Johnson £25 million, with the aid of a consortium who never seemed to be named and later Directors seemed to put money in from all over but few attended matches, certainly not on a regular basis.

I won't go into all the other porkies he has told but I hope that you've written this in jest, Kevin.

It seems we need to blame someone for a football team that has resembled musical theatre or panto in recent years. It wasn't Boys Pen Bill who cast Allardyce as Widow Twanky.

I did think that, in an era where we laud some pretty average footballers on above average wages, he's achieved something.

And that something is probably more than any Evertonian in this era.

Without getting morbid, it will be really interesting to see how he's eventually remembered. I suspect it will be a mixed bag, but most will be grateful that he kept us away from far worse alternatives.

However, I for one have never really understood the need of some to bash Kenwright, I do happen to hold the view that he oversaw stability for our club in a tenuous period.

I do believe he has always at least tried to hold the clubs best interests at heart. Yes, he is a teary-eyed old lush; call me a romantic but having a die-hard blue at the helm was no bad thing in my eyes.

Let's forever leave it at that.

Let the ‘arl arse's guard live on in their blind obedient ignorance.

Let (hopefully) the club march on.

Kevin, it's an antiquated Victorian dump with restricted views and way too much wood in the Bullens (think Bradford fire disaster 35 years ago). It's 2020, Kevin, and, whichever way you spin it, we are still at Goodison. Many have relocated or rebuilt outside the riches of the Premier League even: Doncaster, Rotherham, Chesterfield, Shrewsbury et al. Selling Rooney so quickly and cheaply. Way too many things to cover.

Everton legend, I don't think so.

Your history teacher was right. You are a clever boy.

Hopefully we are on the verge of a new era, with Everton beginning to punch their true weight on and off the pitch.

Might have been better to post this after last season restarted to give us more of a laugh reading the replies.

Even if written tongue-in-cheek or as a catalyst for discussion, it still poses a lot of valid information regarding Bill's contribution to Everton's survival over the last few years.

I have always seen the positives in Bill's efforts. We would be in a lot worse position today if it wasn't for Bill.

Nice one, Kev.

If the team improves and plays as well as we hope after the Spurs game, this may happen sooner than we think, providing fans return.

No Chairman's tenure is going to be perfect but Kenwright has always had Everton's interests at heart. I for one never understood the venom spat towards him by some posters and, when he passes, his praises will far outweigh them from those close to him.

Personally, I think he is a great guy and could not care less about the opposition as we all have our opinion and rightfully so.

If you write some songs, maybe you could pitch it to Bill for a new musical?

Bravo, Kevin, it's still a free country – even for the blinkered and mistaken.

ps: We really need a sarcasm font on here...

Money pure and simple is what we needed - as yesterday showed. Kenwright had none, had to wheel and deal to keep giving us some hope, made mistakes.

The cost of proving ourselves as a 'big' club will be to match what others spend at their new stadia - I don't know about you but I have been mostly skint over the last 10+ years but still got to see a match or two every year. When we need more money to push us into the top 4 I will be one of those who have to stand and watch (outside BMD). I suspect there will be many more like me.

Kenwright kept it affordable but was never going to challenge top 4. If he played any part in the dealings this summer I will be amazed. We have people who want to win in charge now.

Satire or not l agree with everything youve written... because its true! Bill is a kind and true man and l refuse to follow the crowd in condeming him when we should be applauding him. With the resources he's had we could barely do better.

And now we have a manager that has filled in the gaps needed and away we go. Lets see where this season takes us. Off topic; l finally saw yesterday how Zaha would fit in... picking up passes from James he'd rip teams to shreds playing in that system.

It looks very much to me that dear old Richard is still alive and kicking !

However, if you were to poll Evertonians, I suspect that most would agree with it.

Fun article Kevin😂

I veer to criticism because of Kirkby. In a million years I could never countenance surrendering the city to the rats across Stanley Park. For that reason he's a very naughty Billy in my book.

Moshiri has spent 100's of millions and take shit every time he opens his mouth or uses Jim White.

Martin Edwards at utd hated football but managed to bring in Ferguson. The businessmen at Arsenal brought in Wenger. Bill brought in Moyes.

I have no doubt that Kenwright has done his best for the club though as our motto says only the best is good enough. Is Bills best good enough? After 25 years the answer is no.

We have had our expectations lowered for 25 years with Moyes taking knives to gunfights. Whilst the likes of Leeds, Newcastle and Leicester have dared to dream and have a go at the big boys.

Would anyone swap our last 25 years with that of Leeds or Leicester? I would.

I do however think that Bill should be recognised and for the charity work, even though he does live in London he hasn't forgoten his northern roots.

I was on cloud nine after yesterdays performance and result and now all youve got me thinking about is the greatest con man in history who has served his own personal interests at the expense of Everton for over 20 years.

For the record he has never put one penny of his own money into the club and did NOT remortgage his house to "save" Everton.

Anyway, I've retired from ToffeeWeb !

Gave yourself away. Bill would appreciate the theatre.

, "whilst presiding over one of the most successful ever Everton teams in terms of consistency".

Gave yourself away. Bill would appreciate the theatre.

,,,1,17:32:57,,80.3.202.204,ok,19747,09/14/2020 17:32:57,Overdrive,reader,,,no 1093519,39892,toffeeweb,14/09/2020,Tony Abrahams,,"A question for the three/four refs. (Nearly forgot about you then Kieran) Do you think that an indirect free-kick sometimes being given, instead of a penalty for every foul that happens in the box, might stop the clever players diving?

I thought Liverpool’s second penalty was harsh, because although the Leeds player was silly and got it all wrong, I’m not sure there would have been contact, if Fabinho, hadn’t cleverly brought his knee into the defenders leg.

Then we had the second Leicester penalty, which hasn’t drew that much attention because the game was already won, but a player going away from goal, actually taking the ball out the box, got a penalty, leaving me feeling that football has got a lot of laws, that have not properly been thought out, and is also a sport that is encouraging cheating.

Sorry for being a bit to serious and boring, but I hate how the game I love is now full of cheats, and was wondering if you had any decent suggestions from the other side of the game, that might help to get rid of the cheating?

Gregg sold his shares, Bill brought in his mates, none of them put a penny into the club.

He sold Bellefield, anything he could sell he did, he and his cronies made a total mess of the finances, and he sold Rooney to stop the club going into administration.

A legend.

A question? What corporate law says that he has to put his own money into the Club? I'd rate him as pretty stupid if he'd ever done so into what was basically a basket case and he is not stupid. Where we are now is purely because of BK and we are in an incredible position, one that any club outside of the top 4 would love to be in or would you actually deny this? Please clarify your insinuation that he has "served his own personal interests", and, if that is so, why he shouldn't do so as the owner of a Limited Company? Lets see a shred of evidence of any underhanded or illegal practices to benefit himself rather than the survival of the club. He had one great fault and that he couldn't make a sows ear into a silk purse and produce silverware for a minority of fans who believed that they should have it by some bizarre right. That isn't a fault in the real world.

It's not the money that's the main issue it's the hanging on to his position as Chairman for so long. His power may have been diluted in the last few years but it's still a significant position in any organisation.

Reminds of someone I just can't place.

A football club isn't a typical Limited Company. There may not be a law which stipulates a majority owner of a Limited Company should invest their personal money, but the general nature, and environmental requirements of footballing success makes it a necessity.

He may have began his tenure with the intention of being a guardian caretaker, but the overall impression I come away with is his ego had grown into the role, contrary to his talents.

He found Moshiri, but could he have found someone else sooner? I guess that's not a question which can be answered.

I associate Kenwright with frustration. There's no doubt the club's stature (and assets) diminished under his watch. He failed to grasp the commercial side of a booming market. Plus, we've won nothing, not a single trophy. Yes, I have a bizarre right to expect trophies. It's a game. The whole point is winning, otherwise what's the fucking point??

25 years as “caretaker”? Guess we are lucky he didn’t want to hear long term. As for finding a suitable owner, who blew off Dubai and publicly announced our sale to that con man Fortress Investment Fund “checks in the bank.” Or am I missing the joke here and your Oliver Hardy to Kevin’s Stan Laurel?

Couldn't lie straight in bed! Not half cock!

The Patron Saint of Musturbators!

Am I imagining things or did City or someone name one stand after Colin Bell, the Bell end?

You don't really believe a word of it surely, Kevin?

EXT: L4. THE YEAR 2116.

Think… the beginning of Blade Runner.

Flying cars.

A birds eye view of a bustling futuristic cityscape.

Gigantic gleaming skyscrapers, modelled after the Mayan temples, piercing the clouds.

Artificial waterfalls for no apparent reason.

Absolutely loads of giant, wafer-thin, flat screen TV’s just floating in the air and automatically adjusting their advertising output according to the needs of individual passers by… (“Hey pal! Hey Jim! Jim Janouski!! Not heard of new nonce-inhibiting nano bots yet?”).

Fat birds dressed like Barbarella.

Skinny blokes dressed like Brendan Rodgers on a night out at Garlands.

Talking gorillas with machine guns acting as ‘undercover’ security guards at Morrisons.

CUT TO:

[EXT] GOODISON PARK:

Exactly the fucking same as it is today, apart from two rust-ridden, clapped out Robots (as
much cellotape as they are circuitry)… that look like rejects from those ‘Mash means Smash’ adverts… slapping a couple of paint brushes back and forth.

Ronnie: “Goodison’s gonna look good as new for the new season.”

Rodney: "Oh aye. As always. I don’t care what they say about him. Not many chairman
would have had the foresight to stock up on absolutely shitloads of blue paint well before the worldwide Dulux drought of 2057. And the ungrateful bastards still have the barefaced cheek to ask “Where’s the Arteta money Bill?”

Ronnie: “I know, kid. To think he mortgaged his own gaff to ensure this place had a glorious future as well”

Rodney: “He used to go in the boy’s pen as well y’know. Way back like. Before the dark
times”

Ronnie: “Aye, and he sent his own dad back in time to protect his not-knocked-up-yet mother from a cybernetic killing machine from the future that someone like the Blue Union probably cobbled together. Fucking big brutal bastard it was. Then, years later, he reprogrammed the exact same model and sent that one back to protect his younger self from an even more technologically advanced murdering twat who wanted to mess with Everton via the malleable medium of time travel. That was when he came up with his catchphrase ‘Hasta La Vista, Baby’.“

Rodney: “Wasn’t that John Connor? From those arl Terminator films?”

Ronnie: “Nah, Bill Kenwright that, kid.”

Rodney: “Brilliant”

Ronnie: “And what about the time Kenwright, Michael Crawford, Emu and Cliff Richard were in the Colosseum when it all kicked off against the Legionnaires of Scipio and Bill seen his arse, chucked his sword into the crowd and started shouting ‘ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?’ ”

Rodney: “Legend”

Ronnie: "Can your CPU even begin to compute what sort of state we’d be in if he hadn’t stuck it out for so long?”

I am one of the few on here that actually admires Mr Kenwright.

However, if it was "tongue-in-cheek", as many posters have suggested, then all you've done is nullify what must have taken a while to write.

Kenwright is going nowhere and the success he helped create is undoubtedly coming!!

Imagination, wit, imagery... (my vocabulary runs out about here)! Every post of yours needs to be catalogued and preserved.

Hats off, sir! (Although I personally am more sympathetic to Bill Kenwright than you are).

Kevin isn't the only clever boy around here

Vintage Daley.

Bravo moltissimo!

At least he cares for Everton and is a blue through and through. I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt. After some transfer errors, we are no heading in the right direction.

For us, the European ban was the major incident and then all the lesser events like losing our best players, Howard leaving and Harvey, sadly, stretching his skills too far out of his area of expertise, taking the helm and failing. Then, the Littlewoods money going across the park; ground lost in poor signings and a trajectory set in stone for mediocrity.

It is hard work to plough through the facts and apply a critical analysis to really scrutinise events in a meaningful way. So much easier to just ignorantly blame someone. History is full of this, from Hadrian in Jerusalem, to the wanker Farage, and the freak show that is Trump.

The political theorist Carl Schmitt described how an effective society needs a common enemy to unify against; evidence doesn't matter – you can use propaganda and rumour... sound familiar?

If anybody anywhere has any evidence of corruption then make it known. If not, can we leave all this shite well alone please.

I can't forgive him for Destination Kirby and putting Jags and Baines into that awful promo video for it.

Surrendering Liverpool to “them” would have been the death of us.

Regarding the timing - I originally penned this on Friday, however Michael kindly let me correct a couple of typos over the weekend - hence why it was published on Monday.

Tongue in Cheek? - I wouldn’t say it was tongue in cheek. There is a lot of truth in this, however to cause a debate I have obviously slanted it well in favour of Kenwright rather than making it balanced. I was considering mentioning the kitbag deal (in fairness to Kenwright we were losing money commercially before this deal so it actually made us about £4million a year - it was just terrible timing as the premier league was really taking off at this time), the Kirkby stadium (again in fairness to Kenwright, the majority of Everton Season ticket holders and members supported the move - although the claims of Goodison failing the next safety certificate were obviously fabricated) and the Arteta money.

I think Kenwright gets a lot of undeserved stick. I think he has always, and will always, do his best by the club. Considering he is not wealthy in comparison to other owners/chairmen, him and Moyes worked miracles in keeping us consistent. The run of 8th places finishes or higher is factual - the only other time we’ve done that for more than 8 consecutive years was under Kendall and Harvey.

I think Kenwright biggest problem is that he has always tried to give the supporters what they want, before things are actually finalised. I have no doubt he fully expected the fortress funds to be in the bank for the kings dock, and I have no doubt he fully expected Manny Fernandes to sign. He didn’t intentionally lie - he just should have kept his mouth shut until it was definite. It’s like saying to your kids “I’m going to buy you an Xbox game, then when you get to the shops they’re sold out. He had good intentions, but spoke too soon.

We’ll never know if he could have sold Everton earlier, we can only speculate on that. If he did due diligence, then in hindsight he has probably done this well as we seem to have ended up with a good owner.

Don’t forget as well, he wasn’t appointed to this role based on ability, he assumed the role because of the situation at the time. So he is bound to make mistakes.

I’m glad that so many people have supported the article. Like I said, I think he gets undue stick on here when he only has the interests of the club at heart.

Brilliant that Kevin, got me hankie out for that.

I think that will be engraved on his tombstone.

I remember the horrific period after that, looking at the table in February and reading through the fixtures to see where enough points to avoid relegation would come from. An FA Cup aside, the Mike Walker, Kendall 2 and 3, Walter Smith days were about as bad as it gets.

Bill and Moyes get a lot of flak on here but at least in the time since Moyes was brought in there was some pride and expectation. We EXPECTED Europe each year, instead of hoping not to get relegated... since Moyes' departure there were a few highs and plenty of lows.

Now we're kicking on, hopefully after that performance against Spurs, with a top manager and better signings than I could've hoped for a year ago...

Bill hasn't always selflessly served the club, he has made mistakes and he hasn't always done what we would have wanted. BUT he has given us stability and expectation of something better. I thank him for that.

I know people will point to the Kings Dick saying that we could have had Mansour if we had the kings dock and that is Kenwrights fault, but if we didn’t have the money for Kings Dick and sold players to fund it, we could have found ourselves the victims of “poor timing” regardless as we could well have had a far inferior team - or not even be in the division.

“Those who have worked with him describe him as down-to-earth, a trait Everton chairman Bill Kenwright noticed when he held talks with the Colombian in his London base when they were finalising the move.

Kenwright's office is a shrine to Everton, festooned with memorabilia.

And during the course of a two-hour conversation, it was the mention of Wayne Rooney that struck a chord with Rodriguez, who has the potential to make himself a club icon.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8732527/James-Rodriguez-settled-Everton-family-singing-tricks-overhead-kicks.html

https://www.ToffeeWeb.com/season/10-11/comment/fan/16215.html

The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist

you perceive before you, the shattered fragments of a temple once call Man. The blossom is blighted. The leaf is withered. The God of Day goes down upon the dreary scene. In short, I am forever floored.

So relentlessly pursued over aerie and housetop, and vice versa, I have thwarted the malevolent machinations of our scurrilous enemies; in short, I have arrived.

Thank you, this successful conclusion of my peregrinations through highways and byways is a happy augury that something extraordinary is bound to turn up.

No these are not quotes from Bill at an early 21st century AGM but those of Mr. Micawber in Charles Dickens' David Copperfield - I see many similarities twixt our chairman and the Dickens character.

Kenwright played Gordon Clegg not Dennis Tanner, that was my memory of something I haven't watched for at least 50 years I was about 11 when it started I'm 70 now.

As for Moyes, yes, he punched above his weight when he wasn't going to gunfights, now he is History and winning (that's what winners do) at the Hammers. But there is talk of a takeover at WHU and I think a bloke wearing a sheet with a tea towel on his head will be kicking Davie boy's arse out of the club.

I used to enjoy watching his free-scoring PNE before he came to Everton but I think he left the recipe when he departed Deepdale.

BPB has held the club back in my opinion, Kings Dock. Paul Gregg guaranteed the 40 mill on the proviso that any concerts and non footballing revenue was his or his organisations, which to me seemed fair as BPB didn't have a pot to piss in. Now before everyone jumps in Paul Gregg was upfront on this, unlike Phil Green and the astronomical interest charges to the British Virgin Isles. Indeed Peter Johnsons impact on the club was more beneficial than BPB Park End stand rebuilt. BPB the self professed greatest Evertonian ????. He has invested not 1 penny of his own money and has benefitted more than most.

I personally think praise or critism of him should now be binned as the future at long last looks positive and BPB will be no more than a footnote in our long distant history of existing to merely make up the numbers only once we move to BMD

Polarising, divisive, wide reaching, are just some of the adjectives to cover the range of opinions on the Bill and his tenure.

If all the 'bad points' and all the 'good points' were laid out in an a la carte menu it would be a huge choice and for 6 courses everybody could pick a different starter etc and nobody would come up with the same meal.

It could be said, Kenwright's (for a given value of good, depending on your view) 'Good Points' helped us get where we got and his (again for a given value of bad, depending on your view) 'Bad Points' stopped us going further...much like Moyes to be honest.

All things to all people?
A bit like the Curates Egg?
Some from columns A, B, C, D, E, F etc?
A riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma?
True Blue And Chancer- it is possible to be both?
You can fool Some of the people All of the time...and All of the people Some of the time.But you can't fool All of the people All of the time..I wonder?

All of the above and more besides
And so on.

I'm glad I haven't got to write the Obituary...I wouldn't know what to put in or leave out.
Whichever way you went you'd upset a fair percentage, thats for sure!
Lets hope we don't have to find out for a good few years.

But you have to admit He's playing an absolute blinder in the 'having your cake and eating it' stakes.

For achieving what exactly ? Making millions for himself. Especially out of selling on the best players and giving Man United a helping hand to get rid of their dross.

Everton have never looked like winning anything during his tenure and his influence is still apparent. Ancelotti will get Everton into the top six, anything achieved after that will be against the tide of Kenwright & Co homeground self serving apathy and incompetence, as long as he is Chairman.

As for a new Stadium Kenwright was always looking for a mug with money. It could be said he found one, but even a Mug has to do something when his money goes South.

Patrick#90

A lot of truth in those quotes.

Patrick(90); Reading that reminded me of the great curmudgeon, WC Fields, as Micawber in the film

Of the various versions of Fields' last words, I like "I'm looking for a loophole"

Kevin - from previous posts I know you enjoy winding people up about Kenwright.

As it happens, I think we can fairly criticise for the failure of getting King's Dock off the ground. But we can fairly say too that had the club been in other hands we could easily have gone the way of Forest, Sheff Wed, Leeds, Man City and others.

The Kenwright / Moyes era is dismal in the sense that it firmly established us as an also ran. But it was also good in the sense that it spared us a much worse fate.

Isn’t the whole story similar of that which is being widely debated with regard to multiple figures in history at present? That it is possible for a person to achieve good things and also bad things?

Not everything he did was bad. Not all was good. Some was proper shitty, some borderline inspired.

The overall picture is that he kept Everton competitive on limited resources. A model most businesses would take.

For every Sheik there is a Learner. So he could have sold well or badly. The stadium of Light must be a good trip for the average league one fan, Goodison a bit of a let down to fans in the top tier

Churchill was a drunk, sexist and by modern standards certainly a racist. It’s possible for him to be all of those things and still see him as a National hero because of his other actions

Note. Bill is no Churchill

He then proceeded to mortgage and lease back assets to pay off his intial benifactors, giving him more control. He then ran Everton on a shoe string with the Premier League money funding borrowing and selling any playing assets of value. He kept everyone on side with a parental attitude no matter what their ability, and promoting himself as a Evertonian.

Things improved a bit with a increase in Premier League money, making Everton more saleble.

He was always trying to outsource funding for necessary development, but they all smelt a rat. He then had to finally sell part of his shares as the wolve was at the door, as a way to get outsourced finance , but managed to still maintain control through a negotiated share holder agreement, staying as Chairman and appointing those that would support him. The other advantage was that he was able to cash in on his initial investment, which had cost him nothing.

So really nothing has changed at Everton Kenwright with no money is still controlling the Club and has cashed in his gains on money that cost him nothing. He has been able to outsource finance for development, but has found that limited changes in his control have had to be made to keep them sweet, since they have had losses which needed addressing.

Nothing has really changed at Everton , Kenwright is pursuing the same objectives he always did.

Phil Bellis - logged in with my email address; didn't seem to like my username?

If football clubs were real businesses there would probably only be 30-odd clubs in the whole of the country.

Yes he's held us back. But compared to what?

Yes he's made mistakes, but compared to what alternative?

I was going to say that about the best thing you could say about Bill's reign is "better the devil you know", but he's a blue and deserves a bit more than that.

I mean, what were the rest of you doing while Bill was keeping the cub in the league?

Divide & Conquer, it’s written on these pages, and it’s kept good Old Bill, presiding over the most barren spell in the history of the Once mighty, but now plucky, “LITTLE EVERTON”

Stop harping back - sometimes the best things come to those who wait - and maybe we are about to dine at the very top table again - FFS let’s at least enjoy the optimism!

That's really good. Goodison looks like something that has been repainted too many times as it is. Your comparison of the world of the future and progress under Kenwright is spot.

How much did Kenwright put into the club and how much has Kenwright taken out of the club in terms of income and second capital gain.

The first is money which should have stayed inside if he had the best interests at heart, the second is simply the value he and others have added to the business.

Paul?

So all the money he has made by being the owner was because of the increase in value of the club during his time.

Selling "the family silver" would only have reduced the value as the cash input was used for operating expenses and the assets owned by the business were reduced. Any mortgage would simply be a creditor and so reduce the net worth of the business.

If he had not "sold the family silver" the value of the club with a fully owned state of the art training facility would have been higher. If he had spent money on improving all the facilities then again the value of the club would have been higher.

So "selling the family silver" actually reduced the amount of profit he made from the club. Given he has taken nothing out of the club over the 20 years other than seeing the value of his investment rise, then I am struggling to see where he can be accused of bleeding the club as some on here suggest. His failure, if we want to have one, was not having a big enough personal fortune to use to make the club more successful for our benefit.

Anyone notice this? HIS fortune for OUR benefit.

There were a number of occasions when Kenwright could have passed the baton but chose to stay in place, mainly because he wished to retain at least a titular interest in the club.

There is no doubt that had he chosen to take the Greg's money then Kings Dock would have happened but his interest would have been diluted.

There is also no doubt that Mansour's first port of call was Everton not Man City though the reason for the arabs backing away is not certain but Kenwright's insistence on remaining a figurehead would not have helped given the nature of the takeover at City.

I could go on, AGMs, BVI but I am so bored talking about this con artist.

People say the measure of a man is the company he keeps, so perhaps rather than comment, here is a link some 5 years ago of a poster who outlines the financial details of how EFC got into bed with the murky world of offshore finance, Philip Green et al:

The murky world of offshore loans and the ownership of Everton Football Club.

As for my own comments, I am just saddened that, 10 years on, there are those who still ignore the details... some who say nothing is proven. He has profited more than any other individual in the sale of EFC and still sits at the table.

I personally think his influence is now so diluted, he has little bearing on what goes on at this club. However, those who think he was responsible for the Great War seemed to have painted themselves into a little corner. We have seen so many of the transfers which have gone wrong, laid at his doorstep... Yet as soon as it's reported he spent a couple of hours with James and his agent when they arrived in London, we are met with a flat-out denial. Not by any of the concerned parties but by people desperate that he receives no credit... for anything!

I'm not here to defend Kenwright, but why would anybody be so desperate to deny that report? Think about it. Who better than to receive and regale a complete stranger to the club with tales of our glorious past?

The first thing James said when he signed was "I am really happy to be with a great club with so much history"... He didn't just pluck that one out of the air.

I thought Billy Boy's support had been dwindling for years, but I've sensed a resurgence of late. His past is well documented and people have found some of his actions unforgivable – me among them... but there is an absurdity in continuing to blame a man who hasn't been the owner for years for everything which is wrong at the club. It's even more absurd to then deny he has anything to do with – things which are met with approval. He's either in or he's out.

I suspect much of the support afforded to Bill Kenwright will be from fans who are pissed off with repeated attempts to flick his involvement on and off like a light switch in order to suit their own agenda.

Ronnie and Rodney are perfect. Ancelotti provides the success and Ronnie and Rodney come up with something for Kenwright to ride it on that will just run long enough to get his hands in the air with his belly protruding, shirt hanging out.

Darren #123

You are missing something in your post-The influence of Ronnie and Rodney, the redeeming part of Kenwrights tenure.

I too always thought it was Clough that pulled the blank page stunt but a quick check shows you are absolutely spot on with Len Shackleton.

How much did Kenwright cost Everton with the interest they had to pay to the dodgy dealers Kenwright borrowed from, millions upon millions with not one penny coming from his own pocket, maybe near as much that went into the same pocket when he sold his shares.

How he got the shares in the first place is another story.

It is easy to confuse Brian Clough with writing it because Cloughie was famous for telling his directors “ Just provide the money and stay in the background, I’ll do the rest”, and he did.

That’s why he never got the England job and he would never have suited a conservative club like Everton, he would have suited most Everton supporters down to the ground.

He was definitely more a man for the fans than the suits. Even at the clubs where he had success.

His era was the start of the financial shenanigans, and Kenwrights was its continuation. The difference was Kenwright portrayed himself as the guy who wrote Everton on the back street wall in Blood Brothers and jumped on Moyes 'People Clubs ' sop. All supported by the Media.

We all, including myself, fell for it hook, line and sinker, until we started to ask questions as months moved into years upon years and the true details started to come out. The all charade collapsed when Moyes believed his own publicity and thought he had managed to step of a sinking ship.

Martinez showed what could be done, but the Kenwright regime had permeated the whole Club and attitudes of Premiership survival where the norm.

There was no choice other than well Everton, but Kenwright was determined to hold on somehow.

Clever Bill, he said he never took a wage, in all the years he owned us, and he definitely never used his own money to buy us that centre-forward.

It’s like getting the shop and they haven’t got that X-Box game you promised the kids - “Kenwright has been able to treat thousands of Evertonians, like stupid kids, but I don’t think my six year old twins would forget so easily, and they wouldn’t shut up until I got them the game somewhere else!

I feel the same and will never be confortable while Kenwright is Chairman.

To label those who were impressed with the performance and result against Tottenham "happy clappers" is a bit derogatory in my opinion and you have probably included many of those who despise Kenwright.

I didn't think of Bill Kenwright personally. I was just impressed by the much improved performance of the team influenced by the signings the club made pre-season.

It just annoys me that I couldn't even enjoy the aftermath without this small window of Evertonian happiness being ruined by the "Blue Bill's great" brigade, hijacking it and claiming isn't everything great under Bill's watch.

I'm reminded of Fred Dibnahs catchphrase "did yer like that" delivered in the thickest of thick Bolton accent.

What a fan base Bill has. Kevin P is bound to get a few theatre tickets from Bill, once the the theatres open again.

Yeah BK will no doubt employ your script for one of his London productions in years ahead if things here go to plan. The long and winding road from Coronation street to his own coronation, Roman emperor style, on the dock road of dreams.

Kenwright used the Sky hundreds of millions to pay off his Green/Gregg/Earls/ Pay day loans.
Moshiri paid the last installment of 80mill off.

Gregg wanted to be on the board for funding Kings D.
Kenwright wouldn't have it and paid the money back to his wife.

He told the Blue Union in an interview he was offered 240mill for club. (BUT they didnt want him as Chairman) Blue U promised not to disclose but they did..Bigtime.

Kirkby was him (K) under orders from Green/Tesco to tow the out of city line OR they would give him F.A AND call their (Greens) debts in.

This is my last post on the subject,or maybe one day I will collaborate with the editors to put this to bed with one big Fuck off article to add to the tiny amount of facts ive mentioned here.
Ooooh didn't he only have 6 mths to live about 4 years ago???????

Kevin you know as mutch about Kenwright as I know about Quantam mechanicall bio-mataphysical processes.

Maybe we could revise that to Bell end.

Oh and I spotted the ultra rare RS 1800 one night outside Erics !! (around that time)

We also used to buy up the Police RS 2000s and sell them to Ian Harewood on the Wirral – the rally guy.

TBF you would never of thought of keeping them for forty years like!

If I had now, half the cars I owned from back then! As you allude, no-one knew what was coming.

Every since, he has been suspect in my view and nothing he has done as a board member or owner has altered my view.

I appreciate the rot had set in before his time but the transformation from Big 5 mentality to also-ran mentality was enshrined into our DNA during the Moyes-Kenwright years. We had some more than decent teams in this era but the cap wringing, know your place, deference to our betters attitude will forever blight those years.

Over the last 20 years, I've seen all manner of underdogs turn up at the Sky favorites and take 3 points whereas we've been beaten before a ball was is kicked. On a good day, we might get a draw but the idea of winning has long since been removed by a systematic lowering of standards that runs from the very top to the very bottom of our club.

The saddest part is that most of our fan base has been convinced that failure is normal, that 'Everton that' is normal. I remember '85, Villa Park, cup semi-final, just knowing we weren't out, that something would happen, that something must happen and it did. I hate to admit it but that feeling has long gone, in fact, it now belongs to redshite wools – you know why? Cos they won't accept anything less.

Us? Good old Boys Pen Bill convinced most of our fanbase that shite doesn't stink a long long time ago.

The slight problem is many on social media and fan sites, including TW, don't 'do' satire!!

Look at Leeds, Villa, Notts Forest, Coventry, Ipswich – clubs once long-term fixtures in the top-flight, now (apart from a recently revived Leeds) enfeebled by generations of corrupt, incompetent owners.

Everton have won 5 trophies in 50 years, and 4 of those came in 3 years. And although Philip Carter was one of the main shysters behind the formation of the Premier League (perhaps our ire should be reserved for him), Everton were clinging on to 'elite' status as early as '91 and were nearly relegated in '94 and '98.

So, instead of this notion of our unearned destiny to be amongst the Gods, the history of the club for half a century is one of absolute mediocrity.

If Kenwright has a major failing, it is in the selection of very average managers, and it started way back before his time from the decline of Catterick onwards – Billy Bingham, Gordon Lee, Colin Harvey, Mike Walker, Walter Smith, Sam Allardyce, Marco Silva etc.. some terrible appointments there.

If You Know Your History it's enough to make your heart go we're usually bang average but every now and again great. (Doesn't scan very well, that version...)

The bile we have for him is well justified. To gratify his self-interest he would throw Everton under the bus at anytime. You only have to look at the litany of deceit.

Kings Dock – the money is ringfenced and then when it was proven not to be the case he refused to stand down as chairman (a condition that Paul Gregg put on for him funding Kings Dock).

Destination Kirkby which would have made him and his dubious tax-dodging friends millions he claimed that Goodison Park would fail its next safety certificate. it's still going strong years later.

He refused to sell the club unless he remained as chairman while he sold off or mortgaged all the club's assets to keep himself in charge.

All of his deceit led to the club being potless when the Premier league was awash with income thereby allowing other clubs to grow while EFC stagnated.

That is just the tip of the iceberg. Perhaps if you look into the man's chairmanship a bit closer, you will understand all the bile and the mediocrity we have suffered since he took over.

The Howie years were a welcome blip in a long term slump into mediocrity after Ball, Kendall and Harvey.

Never ceases to amaze me how we still attract support given the stellar exploits of the devil's option next door. Love really is blind I guess

Thank God he wasn't doing his worst!!!

Was it???

Have they ever been seen in the same room together?