Bill, now it really is time to go

I'm impressed with the dedication (obsession?) required to post varying versions of the same message... time after time after time... year after year after year... no matter the subject under discussion.

Some of us still unable to address the problem at our hub may get a grasp of the decades-long abject reality in our boardroom. Kenwright prevails because of fan-based indolence after all.

The piece by Colin Fitzpatrick is 12 years old. As far as I'm concerned, it was 100% on the money then, and since then Kenwright's presence has reduced us to even lower levels. For Christ's sake, he's had 95% control after his horrible period with 100% control – the subject of the above.

When are Evertonians going to collectively act together to rid our club of a useless, self-promoting perpetually ingenuous "leader"?

Colin Fitzpatrick makes Jay Woods (BRZ) succinct. Please don't quote him in full again without a fair warning.

"Kenwright's crap" is a very easy knee-jerk comment he can knee-jerk defend.

Searchingly forensic questions posed by Mr Fitzpatrick twelve years ago are way more problematic for the shyster. Hence no response from him at all.

He basks in our enduring complacency whilst we now go on and on about signing a bog standard Spurs reserve.

It's music to his ears.

I share your loathing, I just don't have the attention span to read War and Peace length posts lol

Last season I called for the removal of messrs Kenwright, DBB, and Brands because of the ongoing demise of our once great club. Having read that post I now understand the reason for Don's ongoing campaign against our chairman. Bill Kenwright is the constant in our steady decline over the past 30 years.

If I still lived on merseyside I would be willing to walk round Goodison for 7 days with Don holding a placard proclaiming “KENWRIGHT OUT”.

As far as Harry Winks is concerned I wouldn't touch him with a barge pole for no other reason than if we signed him then we would be helping Levi and Conte improve their squad by providing them with millions of dollars we don't have.

I have an old fashioned approach to such matters - never arm your enemies. That is what we do every time we buy a player our enemies don't want. Who are our enemies? - the other 19 teams in the premier league. We should be shopping elsewhere unless we come across a club in the same situation we currently find ourselves in - having to sell our best players.

It should have been framed and nailed to the entrance in Goodison Park. Time allows people the ability to smooth over the edges. For many years a number of posters, including myself, from around 2006 on, would go toe to toe with those who supported the shameless phoney.

Exposed for what he is, so many times over the years, I do not believe one single word he says. I never have since Kirkby, since Green, since Earl, since the deceitful premise of the vote to leave Goodison.

I had a running battle with Richard Dodd (aka Doddy), that ran for years. I was proud that Colin and the KEIOC exposed for all to see the lies and the con.

The very fact the man is still chairman fills me with disgust. Until he has gone we are in trouble... so he can stick his strategic review where the sun don't shine. Only one move will improve the future, sadly he is still looking to entrench his position, whoever the next mug is.

In truth, to hell with those who say "be careful what you wish for" because singly-handedly he has been responsible for the abysmal leadership of our once great club.

I stopped writing articles when Moshiri came on board as I saw it as pointless. The puppet master is still pulling the strings and laughing at every single one of us. Unforgivable... yet some still, still think he is to be admired.

I was talking to a man who was instrumental in KEIOC yesterday, and he was telling me that he'd heard that some Saudis (the day before the Leicester game) were looking at Everton, but wouldn't be making a move until Everton had pulled themselves to safety.

It's going to be speculation time, but until that man Kenwright has gone, Everton Football Club, will never move forward in my opinion, with it being obvious that he's waiting for our new stadium to open, so he can once again vainly take the limelight!

We should demand the removal of both Moshiri and Kenwright because, if these two stay on, it's obvious that Kenwright will have advised Moshiri to play his greatest trick once again. It's now definitely time for Everton to move forward and become a ruthless “professional outfit” once again.

This KEIOC fella also told me that Barrett-Baxendale is a very clever lady, and also a very passionate Evertonian, but also agreed that she's definitely not CEO material. And he then smiled when I said I've often thought Bill Kenwright was a Liverpool fan, telling me it isn't the first time that a genuine Evertonian has uttered those words to him.

I'm probably wrong about Kenwright, but how could I have such thoughts in the first place?

Only just seen your post and the original Colin Fitzpatrick article. Absolutely brilliant.

As time passes, one seems to forget a lot of what's gone on in the past. How the man is still in situ is a complete mystery.

And wasn't this the same man who had serious health problems only a few short years ago? Not that I'm wishing illness on the man, far from it. It just baffles me that he's still roaming the corridors larger than life. No wonder we are the shit show we are.

And your piece certainly highlighted that. I applaud you for that post. Fantastic.

The one constant over the years has been our current Chairman. Now I've never been as venomous as some but his time was done years ago; especially when Moshiri took over. That is Moshiri's biggest failing in my opinion. Leaving him effectively in charge rather than implementing change.

Change and new owners offer opportunity and risk. The Kenyon-US consortium may potentially be more ruthless and run us like a business. Could that rip the soul out of the club? I don't think we would let that happen. I'd like to see us more ruthless, less cosy and more effective off the pitch as much as on it. But it could impact on some of the things we cherish.

It could see ticket prices rise, which I think is an area the club has done well in even if it has been to the detriment of income. But then we complain about our lack of marketing strategy and brand building, so we can't have it both ways. There is always a balance.

The Saudis offer a whole new politically charged moral dilemma. I won't go there.

But then without wanting to get controversial, I do find the outrage over Russian owners and backers since the invasion of Ukraine sort of ironic. They've always been shady and intrinsically linked to the totalitarian regime that invaded Georgia in 2008, annexed the Crimea in 2014, has been fighting a proxy war in eastern Ukraine since the same year, pretty much ignored by the West, was probably behind or contributed to a passenger aircraft being downed over Ukraine, poisoned two of its own citizens in an attempted murder on UK soil.

Sorry, I didn't mean to get political. But my main point is moral high ground. I didn't hear many complaints from supporters or the Premier League until the understandable outrage this year. But why didn't it come sooner?

Anyway, regardless of who takes over Everton, and if they do, and when, we need change. As with any change, we may lose some of the things we hold dear. But we need change. Starting in that board room.

That's why I was encouraged by the reports from Kenyon's consortium in apparently not entertaining suggestions that Kenwright wants to stay on. That's the deal he cut last time. Let's hope the next owners are made of sterner stuff and don't buy the sentimental bullshit. Just appoint me if that's what you want.

I think you've probably hit the nail on the head when you say Kenwright is hanging on to take some glory when we move to the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.

Then I had a scary thought: What if he enjoys things so much there, he decides to stay on?

Tony, your KEIOC mate is right that Barrett-Baxendale is clever, but only in the sense of being street wise enough to know who to snuggle up to (Kenwright & Carter) and who to shaft (Elstone). He is absolutely right that she is not up to a CEO role, although she would no doubt argue that she came to EFC from a CEO role – albeit a very grand title for the only full-time employee of a very minor “charity” trust.

I suppose he could also be right about her being a passionate Evertonian but only in the same way that anyone believes Kenwright is a lifelong Blue who was with Eddie Kavanagh at Wembley in 1966.

She has used the Kenwright playbook to create a backstory that places her much closer to the club than she ever was. How convenient that she was able to reveal spontaneously after much research(!) that her favourite player growing up is now her fellow board member.

I don't care whether Kenwright goes or not, the most important people at any football club are the manager and the owner – everybody else is just on the periphery of things.

Let's be honest: the Usmanov - Moshiri ownership didn't want to be hands-on and therefore it suited them to let Kenwright carry on. So hopefully the new owners will be more hands-on and will appoint their own CEO.

I know Usmanov has bought the first option on naming rights, so do Everton give him back his £30 million or do we let him name the new stadium? We have had 2 great managers and 1 great chairman in the last 70 years, so maybe the 4 new stands should have their names on them?

I know Howard Kendall has already had a stand named after him but no Catterick or Sir John Moores stand… and maybe a Dixie Dean stand wouldn't go amiss. I don't want Carter's name or Kenwright's anywhere on our new stadium – both are liars.

As for Moshiri holding on to 10 or 20% of his shareholding, as has been suggested, definitely No. You had your time and it's been a disaster. I don't want you anywhere near our club.

We need a massive protest on the lines of the awesome last few weeks of the season with no hiding behind bullshit quotes, "He's one of us" etc. The 1878 Originals etc — please take note and act now or soon as.

Them other shower wouldn't let it go until they ousted them two yanks (more's the pity). Same with the Man Utd fans to this day.

Regarding your final quote from Colin's old column, which was written in reply to a query from me: "...unlike at other clubs where supporters actually care enough to do something ..." I have two questions for you.

1. Has it ever happened that the supporters of a large English club actually did force out a bad owner by sheer force of public opinion?

2. Do you believe that the lack of such action by Everton fans may reflect a higher regard for Kenwright, or at least a lesser level of loathing, among the fan base at large than on TW? Is he perhaps less detested in the Winslow than he is on this website?

As you say, it may shortly be a moot point if there's anything to today's news reporting about the Kenyon/Yank group closing in on a deal with Moshiri. But it's still an interesting question to me.

No noteworthy biographer ever managed to prize that one out re Elvis's only trip to England.

That's what happens after a lifetime of going around sniffing drainpipes whilst waiting for a lift on Uncle Cyril's handlebars.

I really hope you were being sarcastic or ironic or maybe sardonic.

I'm not going to start defending him because, as Michael rightly points out, his ‘crimes' vary massively depending on the accuser, and may or may not actually exist.

Frankly, I've been more concerned knowing that our majority shareholder is best mates with one of Putin's closest allies – possibly his biggest ally – and that we were relying on his funds, of Christ-knows-what origin, to move our club forward. By the way, I'm sure many of you will find a way of blaming Bill for this, just like you blamed him for not bringing in investment.

One positive thing I will say about Bill: When Benitez was appointed, he didn't say a fucking word. His silence said more about his opinion on the matter than words could.

Cue the hate, and detailed explanations as to why Bill was responsible for Collina disallowing Big Dunc's goal against Villarreal; his negative effect on the ozone layer; and why, on detailed examination, he might just be the person referred to in The Book of Revelation.

I'll admit to it taking me time, because initially, I was relieved to be rid of Johnson. So there's my lesson learned and also in line with the age old adage; be careful what you wish for. Not that I wished for Kenwright. I just didn't want Johnson.

We can go over old ground, but his time was done many years ago. I think I used a Putin analogy previously but he's more of a Boris Johnson. Bungling his way through and pretending everything is okay whilst the ship is steering off course towards the iceberg. Only to somehow have people pull it slightly back on an even course ahead of the next storm. But other people and this last season, the fans through sheer not allowing it to happen.

The time to go was years ago. But now, there can be no denial or obstruction. Interesting tweet on ToffeeTV:

"Peter Kenyon-led group is reportedly ready to commit £1Bn into Everton to build the club's new stadium and provide significant transfer funds their takeover bid is successful.

Source - Telegraph"

The illnesses he apparently suffered from were all reported by Kenwright's supporters and were all miraculously cured not long after he hadn't long to go.

Plenty of otherwise streetwise Everton fans think he is one of us. I have met and known hundreds of Everton fans over the years and never met one with the phoney credentials Kenwright has claiming to be an Everton fan. He describes how he used to go to Anfield with his uncle Cyril to watch Liverpool, never once has he described how he got to Goodison Park or whom he went with just that he went in The Boys Pen.

He has never confronted anyone when he is called a liar. I assume his Everton supporting days growing up are more lies. Like Boris Johnson, he just can't help it and it looks like we can't just get rid of him or the Board he has surrounded himself with. I wonder what they will do with themselves if the club is bought and they are disposed of along with their leader and breadwinner.

Football is riddled with owners who have dirt and possibly blood on their hands and it does sicken me. In fact, there's so much that sickens me about the game that I've been saying I've had enough for 30 years or more but, even here in Australia, where I'm enjoying a plethora of other sports shown daily on TV or played live when I can get there, I still cannot give up on the sport and club I love most.

As for Bill Kenwright, I absolutely detest his acceptance of failure for the club. He generally does stay silent which is even worse because what he should have said to Moshiri upon hearing about Benitez becoming our next manager was words to the effect of “I will resign if he comes near this club”.

He just accepted it because I believe that he thinks he's some kind of guardian angel but, in reality, he's just a scheming old fart who is hoping to be knighted by the club.

My objection to Bill is simple – a successful team has a successful Chairman. Bill is not a successful Chairman and never will be.

His success has been being able to build a power base within Everton at the expense of the club and build up structures or a culture that supported that, which all comers cannot break down and find that they have to accept and work with.

It is not what he owns, but what he controls is the basis of his power, which ultimately is a greater power. Even a new takeover will have to engage with this and work with it. Bill has made himself a lot of money as a result, giving him great justification to continue.

Colin Fitzpatrick's post all those years ago told us how it was. Kenwright and his matey style has avoided direct attacks. Unlike Johnson, he does not appear to have a Mercedes whose boot a supporter can jump on.

The most meaningful fan attack was the #27 years campaign, which did rattle Kenwright & Co. It was subject to an unbelievable orchestrated manipulation of the fan-led review by the club, resulting in the ESSG and of course falling short of Board representation.

The problem is that the club and the fans live in parallel universes. The club is an investment vehicle supporting a costly and well-paid hierarchy and the long-term ambitions of those that own it and wish to own it.

The football is a secondary consideration to this as long as Premier League survival is maintained. The fans want honest endeavour, good football, good players, competition at the highest level and to win competitions.

The problem is that it's Bill's game and he has played it for years and bullshitted fans into acceptance and will continue to do so. It is him that has the cards to play – not the fans.

Hopefully Paul @16 we will be spared such a card player when Bill finally drops off his perch – which in my opinion is the only way he will be going.

I'm not going to start defending him

but then you clearly go and defend him.

Boys Pen Bill has consistently never said a word about anything. He even stopped the AGMs so he would not be called to answer any searching questions. So saying nothing about Benitez is hardly breaking his PR norm.

We all have opinions but defending Kenwright is a bit beyond belief. Lawn-mowers, Arteta money, ring-fenced, Whatever.

As for Moshri's source of wealth, do you honestly think any billionaire got there 'ethically'?

I'm sure, when he sold to Moshiri, the plan was Bill would continue to run things. But Bill found out that Moshiri's idea of running things was for Bill to do the nitty gritty but that all or any major decisions would be Moshiri's. So he Skyped in for every purchase and appointment.

And this is the merry shit we've been left in. A daft arse phoning in every major decision from Monaco, and expecting Bill to coordinate all the hotel bookings when we're playing away.

Brian (28) - Sorry Brian, I'd forgotten that you were the arbiter of what makes someone an Evertonian.

Look…

• Bill is Chairman with a negligible shareholding.

• A resolution by 50% or more of the shareholders means he's gone.

• Moshiri, in essence, owns Everton.

• Moshiri is meant to be a highly successful (i.e. astute) businessman. That means little room for sentiment, as shown in his appointment of Benitez.

• Moshiri has, to date, chosen not to sack Kenwright.

Bill may or may not be a bullshitter, have the gift of the gab, be a ballooner etc. Regardless, he's still where he is because the owner of the club wants him there, or at least has no strong urge to sack him.

This hatred of Kenwright is, at times, irrational, and, occasionally, bordering on delusional. If he is Beelzebub incarnate then it's Moshiri's fault that he still has any influence over the club. He's the owner. Moan about Moshiri, Bill is a legacy problem (if he is a problem).

Our current owner has chased managers like a kid wanting autographs, allowed half a billion quid to be spent on chopped fucking liver – nearly getting us relegated in the process – and, worst of all, tied our finances to a man who is best mates with the 21st Century's version of Hitler.

But, hey, Bill Kenwright, eh!

At best, it was a gross error of judgment by Moshiri to entrust this Board with the running of his club. You are a totally different type of Blue from me. No better or worse.

I have seen (probably like yourself a long time ago) a certain standard of Everton. Enjoy your summer.

The rot had set in before the start of the Premier League and pre-dates Kenwright.

But I do now firmly believe that Kenwright must now go so that we can modernise, professionalise and capitalise on commercial opportunities that we have not done over 30 crap years.

How about a sickening effect? Which is now 27 years and fucking counting.

You seem to be missing the point. Kenwright has been deceitful since before he came into the club. His litany of lies and incompetence would have seen many a chairman resign in disgrace but not alligator skin Bill.

It is pointless reminding you of the serial deceit of this man for his own personal gain and the demise of Everton as a top club because you choose not to see it even though every fact has been laid out over many years – including a taped interview with the man.

Really Michael?

KEIOC exposed him, The Blue Union mobilized against him, the 27 years campaign got under his thick skin. Even the media in general turned on him and Moshiri. To me, that was the beginning of the end for him, having always stage-managed and manipulated the press for so long.

The press rattled both. To the point that Moshiri has had enough and wants out. Kenwright will try to convince whoever the club is sold to that he is integral to the running of the club, his roots and influence in place. But it will be money that's ousts him.

Moshiri wants the best deal he can get, if that means Kenwright is out ,that will be okay with him and the club will be better for it.

At what point is it obvious that the Dyspeptic Duo are out of their league, if not now? There really was no better test of their mettle than what was just experienced — and some would like to give it another go with the bloated one and his stranded Man from Monaco?

Just for the sake of entertainment, let's hear the arguments for staying with Bill in positive terms rather than labeling fair criticism as blame from the hoi-polloi. I'm guessing there is not a lot of material for that which is why the ridicule kicks in.

How you conflate that to be linked with Kenwright, I don't know.

Find me the quotes from ex-Everton players that precede the Kenwright era, criticising him and his tenure. Let's say people like Neville Southall, who speak their minds and don't care what others think. I can't find any but I'm happy to have my eyes opened.

If the people that actually won cups with the club and know how it was run back in the day aren't blaming Bill, why do you know better?

Allowing that is an admittance that failure is acceptable and they shouldn't be anywhere near our club.

Ask Tony Hibbert how he found out about his dismissal from the club?

Ask why Kenwright thought Sir Philip Green was so wonderful with money.

Hang on... no Tony, sorry mate, it was all a figment of fertile imaginations... he never took a penny from the club after all.

Wonderful man... it's 5 am... I shouldn't have looked at my tablet and should've stayed asleep – not much chance of that now! Ah well, Everton, can't live without you.

Given all Blue Bill's failures and the fact that we have the most knowledgeable fans in the world, you have to wonder why Blue Bill remains popular?

In all my time going to the game I can only remember 1 actual protest, the Blue Union. My dad and I joined it and can still remember the chant “if you love the club, let it go” or something to that effect. At the same game Bill appeared on the big screen and got a big applause from the crowd. After that everything seemed to just die down.

I've not seen or heard of anything since then that actually got any momentum.

So, I suppose same question Michael asks, what's the plan?

What appropriate pressure can be brought to bear on the gentlemen who should know to see themselves out the door at this point is not obvious in tactics but it is entirely obvious as a necessary condition for this club to progress.

I know you're well thought of on TW, and I've got no reason to disagree, but I'm judging you on this subject. You are obsessed with Kenwright and have affixed almost all of the club's failings on him. It's practically an illness.

TW often resembles a group meeting for those in some way ‘abused' by Bill Kenwright. I'll be honest, it's embarrassing at times, but you're consistently that group's enabler.

You're entitled to your opinion, and you'll find a decent echo chamber here on TW (hence Michael's article) but it doesn't make you right.

Oh, and Tony Hibbert… is that really the best you've got? Peter Johnson sold Duncan Ferguson behind the back of the manager and the player himself.

Un-shameable, a liar and will not stand down for any reason on god's earth.

He also sold the merchandise deal to Kitbag, a total disaster.

I know Moshiri hasn't a clue about football, and his decisions and the money he's wasted is unreal but, in my opinion, there was a certain person advising him, and whispering in his ear…

Is that the same Paul Gregg who abandoned his son but sold his shares ‘before the scandal over his past came to light'?

Son of Everton millionaire claims dad ruined his life

So far, we've got Tony Hibbert and Paul Gregg as character references. Who's next, the ghost of Harold Shipman?

My youngest brother was born in 1989, my son in 1994. So technically they've seen Everton win a trophy. But my brother was so young he probably has vague memories and my son clearly doesn't recall. They are part of what I often refer to as the lost generation.

As I've said time and again this season, it has amazed me travelling up and down the country how many dedicated young fans we have. Total respect. Ultimate pride.

Back to this thread. I know this subject generates emotion and division. But what we cannot let it do is exactly that. Don't become a divided fan base regardless of opinion. It was unity between the fans and further unity between those unified fans and players that pushed us on last season.

That unity can take us onto far better things if we maintain it. Had we been at the other end of the table, I'm convinced we'd have won the league.

Do not let the men in grey suits divide and conquer so they can keep dining from the top table whilst we suffer. It's our club, not theirs. They are simply custodians who should be held accountable. Not get a free ride despite continuous failure or mediocracy dressed up as apparent success. Hopefully the supposed takeover will rid us of the anchor that held us back for decades.

I and many Evertonians know success. We've seen it with our very own eyes and lived it. We all will do so again. Together.

You seem to be one obsessed with defending Kenwright, you say all the things he is accused of may or not be true, he has never defended himself on any of these accusations, says nothing… maybe he is a saint.

You are judging Christine on the way she sees Kenwright; why don't you judge Kenwright on the way he has treated Moshiri, his friend, since he bought the club with all the debts accrued under Kenwright's tenure as owner. That made him a very rich man but let his money be spent and frittered away by different people including “the friend” who brought him into the club but never looked after him like a proper friend and genuine man would.

Kenwright described Mr Moshiri as the man who keeps giving and he certainly took advantage of that man and his friendship with at least one deal, Rooney coming back to the club. Kenwright's doing and possibly some more, that's the type of man you are defending.

"Paul Gregg, through a spokesman, said: "There are two sides to every story. However, it will serve no useful purpose to comment now and put my side of events after all these years."

To most fair-minded people, that is reasonable. Are you forgetting that?

On your point about Southall, add Mountfield, Ratcliffe, and several more who are ostracised from most club activities for daring to have an alternative view to Bill and, seemingly, you.

Priceless mate, absolutely priceless. Do you write this material yourself?

Genuinely, if I see consistent criticism of Kenwright from former players then I'm prepared to listen. My point is that, frankly, none of what you guys say about him on a day-to-day basis makes any form of compelling argument for me. As I've said earlier, the comments generally appear naive, misinformed and poorly argued.

I appreciate that by saying I'm not swayed by any of what you guys say means you think I'm ‘Pro-Kenwright'. I'm not. I'm also not ‘Anti-Kenwright'.

I get where you are coming from but none of these individuals have achieved anything in football beyond Everton football club. If they were to be listened to and followed etc then our most decorated captain may have achieved more in his post Everton career than a giant killing of Everton for Shrewsbury and a few seasons at the Deva stadium.

Big Nev is doing wonderful work with marginalised groups. I believe he either would've been an unbelievably good or bad manager at the top level. We will never know as he was never given the chance.

But in summary Ken. Bill has never had the stature of personality to challenge him. Ever. He's very larger than life as you would imagine from his profession and is able to dominate most personalities.

This is not a bad thing as using his bullishness he brought about very positive change at everton. However there was and is a ceiling to what he can inspire. It was reached in 2009, 13 years ago. From which point we engaged on a steady decline.

But if you look deeper, aside from those glorious but all too brief Howard Kendal years, it was setting in before then.

This club needs top to bottom change to realise its true potential. And it has massive potential.

…it's coincided with the advent of the Premier League, massive transfer fees, clubs being purchased by Russian oligarchs (before the introduction of FFP), totalitarian regimes sportswashing through football, and (allegedly) Leicester massively breaching FFP to achieve the only surprising success of the period (Google it). We're actually one of only seven teams that were in the inaugural PL season and remain in the league.

We nearly got relegated this season. That was partly thanks to Moshiri appointing Benitez. Apparently Bill wanted Moyes, an uninspiring choice, I admit, but far preferable to the has-been RS Go Compare wannabe.

We were the Mersey Millionaires. Shorthand: we could buy success. The rules changed and we just about found a seat before the music stopped. Stop blaming Kenwright. It simplifies a far more complex problem.

Christine, you are right about Kenwright, but I don't think he will disappear after the next takeover.

Your suspicion about Kenwright being an RS fan has certainly got some legs - and some evidence!

The awful 60s/70s sitcom The Liver Birds featured him in an episode in 1972.

Enitled 'Liverpool or Everton', it was loosely about football and the rivalry in the city time. Kenwright played a boyfriend and - surprise surprise - an avid RS one at that!

Now I may be naive but given the script, couldn't he have flipped the allegiance to his beloved blues instead? No. He spends the whole episode trashing us.

For all the Kenwright haters out there, you can see his shameful performance here. It was a pretty awful programme, so skip to 3:30 for the telling part.

I wouldn't trust this charlatan to tell me the time.

Sometimes people need a focus for their pain. If it helps then good for you.

On a sidenote, Christophe Galtier has agreed to become the new manager of PSG. Remember him?

Also, I now realise that David Jason is a cockney barrow boy, Ronnie Barker, a stuttering Yorkshire shop owner, and John Cleese, a Torquay-dwelling, end-of-his-tether hotelier.

So, we're working on the basis that a 26-year-old actor was somehow able to rewrite the script of a prime-time BBC sitcom to suit his own ends but chose not to, rather than the more likely conclusion, that the producers chose a fairly well-known scouser to play a bit-part in their show?

What next: Did his Corrie character fail to run into The Rovers singing “Kopites are gobshites”, or did he choose not to open his production of Blood Brothers with the theme from Z-Cars followed by a walk-on performance by the Toffee Lady?

For fuck's sake!!!!

Irrefutably he has made mistakes but I can see why – outside of febrile Everton forums – he isn't quite the panto villain of legend.

One thing Bill Kenwright has done from very early on in his Everton tenure, is to split the fanbase, and anyone who didn't marvel at our fans towards the end of last season, obviously doesn't understand how powerful Evertonians can be when they unite.

Giving Bill Kenwright his due though, when he told our supporters that we have had some good times under his regime, I'm actually not sure that even a genuine kopite, could have said this, whilst keeping a straight-face?

Tony S - Mountfield and Southall are on record saying they are unwelcome - they choose not to perpetuate a public argument which should b respected - did Kenwiright not use a similar line for why he did not pursue in 94?

Like you, I was not anti-Kenwright for a long period, staying neutral but the evidence now is compelling and irresistible - his tenure has seen an erosion of Everton's standing in the game and garnered a reputation as also-rans - sorry mate he should have gone in 2003 not 2009 as Tommy suggests

Lighten up FFS!!! 😂

I was remiss for not mentioning The Blue Union, thank you, Christine and Nick – they are indeed the only ones who have even attempted the very difficult task of public shaming and ousting – and we all have an indelible memory of how that ended, as Nick @43 recalled only too accurately in the big screen applause all around Goodison Park. How on earth do you deal with that?

The answer is you can't. The Blue Union just seemed to fade away after that… admitting defeat. But their coup de grace had been the taped interview exposeé (that they always denied) which revealed so much of the truth that was Bill Kenwright.

I saw the two great questions from Mike Gaynes and felt bound to give my answers:

1) I can't speak for other clubs but there was a story that Peter Johnson had effectively been forced into selling his Everton shares by vociferous fan protests that included messages (death threats?) daubed on his garage door... maybe I should check that one before we go too much further, but I think it's fair to say that he was finally driven out by a wave of public opinion against him.

2) Mike, as you so accurately observed, we have a handful of people who spend their lives it seems trying to do the man down – to the point of obsession. It has failed and I think an element is the minority size of this viewpoint, while the vast majority are what a former poster would call "Happy clappers" who will applaud his image because he is the face of corporate Everton FC.

Does that make one side right and the other wrong? I think it's much more complex with a great diversity of knowledge, interest, and concern mobilized to vastly different degrees across the fanbase.

Many other interesting angles and viewpoints on this thread that I'd like to explore... But still no real plan to get rid of the man!

And thank you, Mr Gaynes, for providing a unique link across 12 years on this topic!

"Put up or shut up" was more directed to Don Alexander. Mike Gaynes struck a chord when he described it as an obsession.

Don's posts have now become an asinine parody of their intended function, turning more people off in his blind obsession to hammer home the relentless message about Kenwright and hopefully change the minds of the unpersuaded. He's not alone but he's near the top of the list.

We provide the space for his bilious ranting but it's becoming tedious in the extreme, reading post after post after post that takes the current topic of any thread and twists it into yet another cringeworthy anti-Kenwright diatribe.

Sorry but I've had enough of all his talking. Let's see some action.

Everything Kenwright has done, is water now under the bridge imo, but surely most Evertonians must realize that it's now time for real change, or is this just wishful thinking on my part?

You win and you lose as a team, is correct John Mc, but how many people would spend half a billion, and still accept that it was perfectly natural to lose to certain opponents?

Surely the owner or the chairman should be trying to change the mind, of the one who held such an opinion, or have I just got the thoughts of a madman.

And thank you for answering my questions. As to your second reply, I wonder if there's a great unwashed silent majority in between the Bill-haters and the happy clappers... folks who think he's done a poor job as owner but don't consider him the embodiment of Satan.

Between you and me, I didn't expect Don to rise to the challenge and he didn't fail to disappoint me. There will be no plan.

It would be nice to think the fans now have the power to affect decisions within the club hierarchy but I don't think they do. (FAB notwithstanding!) Things may just happen to align… and then cause and effect is claimed.

I believe we are now nearing the end of the Kenwright Era – but my powers of prediction are notoriously poor so you'd best ask someone like your dad for a more mature and considered prognosis.

Laurie @5, spot on, if only.

Great discipline, and created a couple of fantastic Everton teams.

Selling Ball, and not building on the 69/70, success, started the rot.

The 70s were the days of almost and not quite, 75,77, near misses.

The few golden years, in the 1983-1987, and demise since.

For me the club in my view didn't capitalise at the key times, more recently,
1985, was MBORC, in terms of Everton, and Evertonians, and Old Nick, spawned and his legacy sadly since those great days.

But Kenwright took on and on the back of Parkfoods, etc, and the rest is history.

For me it's a 52 year decline and steady erosion of Evertons stature, comprising internal mismanagement and an enhanced decline in the operating model across the last 30 years.

The governance of Everton, and a clear plan to run a professional football club and to compete effectively has become lost in time.

But the the last 30 odd years has been misery, 1995 aside. Any busy with an aspiration to succeed would have made structured changes. Perhaps one day in time future Everton boards will look back and reference the good, the bad and the ugly of managing Everton Football Club.

If the descisions are true about a take over, perhaps Moshiri, has been drowning with the stress but if true then any change must be done properly and what will take the club forward.

Descisions, descisions, and arguably Everton came from a magnificent feast of football, in the mid 80s, to a permanent famine in terms of football and success, since

Moyses flirted with success as did Martinez, for a season and a half. But generally it's been poor, and this further compounds the amazing partisan support of Evertonians, home and away, which is arguably a religion, for Evertonians.

But the last season, literally Everton supporters carried and spirited the club to survival..

My concerns now are with the potential take over scheme.

No one knows enough, and respectfully has their views, on what they would like to see, in terms of the future of EFC.

My view is this is that the full facts and due diligence of this, and potentially other take over plans, needs visibility.

Risk, counter risk, and benefits, to Everton FC... on face value I would like to see a resilience plan, from any potential take over entity.

Emotional intelligence, care and respectful understanding of Everton's greatest asset, which is the Everton supporters. Any new suitor must show this as statute. Will this be the case?

Let's see, but the summer of discontent with inflation and pay in the UK economy, is massive but the future of EFC, is also massive.

Whilst Don does have a obsession as Mike Gaynes rightfully describes it, I think the truth of what he says rings through in all our thoughts. But Evertonians are optimistic and want to see something constructive. There is a certain unhealthiness in not trying to accept the situation and move on. There is more unhealthiness in ignoring the situation and not attempting analysis. Of course this analyse will be incomplete such is the determination of the Club to get out their narrative across and further their interests.

I suppose we all yearn for the simpler times of Football run by owners and managers, but at Everton after the Johnson takeover we entered different realms and Financial gain and manipulation became the order of the day. Takeovers we hoped would be a return to those simpler days, but in reality it has kept growing and brings with it the scenarios we are now all too familiar with. Which is also happening to other Clubs in the Premiership. Not just Everton. Some people will be put off, others will wonder why they bother, but true Evertonians will always be optimist and eventually they will be rewarded, please God

Fair enough – blame him for his failings, but don't try to pin everything negative that's happened since Moshiri took over on him.

Would Everton Football Club thrive better as a business with someone else as chairman? More than likely. Would we, as fans, see anything different on the pitch by ousting him? Probably not for some time.

When Moshiri and Usmanov came in they did so knowing that there is more money to make with this cash cow called the EPL. Even with the insane losses the club have made there will still be profit for Moshiri after he sells. Bill will have also made a small fortune too of course and it has to be said that he becomes richer even though he failed in every aspect of his duty as chairman to make sure others did their jobs properly.
Moshiri entrusted Bill with his money to put this club back amongst the big boys but rather than appoint a professional well oiled team to look after the clubs affairs he carried on running us over the phone as a part time job as we've seen by the numerous crap players and managers to have walked through our doors. In any other industry he would have been shown the door long ago but somehow he's still here today and probably trying to negotiate terms of the sale.
Moshiri himself has to take a lot of blame but there's no denying the one constant name that comes up between Everton and failure.

You, me and any other clear-minded Toffee know full well that the only thing Kenwright delivers is mundanity at best, whilst he enjoys the vast profits of his exploitation of us.

Other TW'ers sometimes demand court-standard evidence from people like me and, of course, neither I nor anyone else has possession of it given that Kenwright has total control of it.

As "boring" as it may seem to newer TWers who may lap up "the world's greatest ever Evertonian's" mantra - much advocated as it is by the media at large I think it essential that TW continues to publicise the truth expounded by the likes of the Abrahams and me, and way more forensically by the 12-year-old piece you fulsomely allude to whilst in the same instance publicly admonishing me for again reprinting it.

After all, your welcome piece above makes heavy reference to it, as I always do too.

Is your public disparagement of me way more significant to you for quoting, again, the 12-year-old piece, which you now cite and thereby endorse for the TW audience I was addressing, or do you have some sort of disdain for me, a bloke who pretty much agrees with everything you postulate in your piece above?

Confused - of Everton, for 60 years, Don.

I don't hate Bill Kenwright, but I don't respect him either.

1) He enriched himself through his ownership of the club without investing a penny of his own money.

2) He had opportunities to hand over the control of the club to others (Gregg, Mansour) where it would have allowed us to make the next leap forward. He refused to do so because he wanted to maintain a central role in running the club (pure hubris), which Moshiri mistakenly allowed him to do.

3) By any measure of success (winning a trophy / regularly qualifying for Europe), his involvement in Everton has been a complete failure on the pitch.

4) There is no benefit for Kenwright or the club in his continuing to be Chairman of the Board or having a seat on the board. He is simply too divisive a figure to the fanbase when we need to unify.

So, it is time for Kenwright to end his association with the club and sell his remaining shareholding.

He loves acting as a football club owner and as an ex Boys Pen customer. In reality, he has taken our club down a double helix of debt off the pitch and failure on it.

I hope you're right, Michael, but I fear he'll remain like the bad smell.

There always is – especially in the Premier League – an unwritten rule that money is a substitute for ability. Everton under Bill never prospered, because money never materialised to fund the status that Bill and the rest thought they were at. In reality, in ability they were well below that status.

This was proved when they actually got money under Moshiri. Moshiri also proved to be of similarly below status ability and he is now looking for sources of more money to continue.

Only when those that run Everton are held accountable for performance will Everton move forward. Everton are currently being held accountable by Premier League officials who are interpreting the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability rules. They are in effect running Everton.

Everton, if they had been relegated, would have been run by the Football League's Profit and Sustainability Rules. If they had qualified for Europe in the previous season, they would have been run by the FFP rules as well.

So the reason for the takeover of Everton is to get back control of actually running the Club. It is an admission of lack of ability, but not an admission of lack of proper status.

We need institutional change in the club. We need to change the culture. Not the fan culture; that will never change. I mean the culture of how the club is run. That needs a ruthless broom sweep. A spring clean on steroids.

Usually when something is failing, it's either an obvious mistake or there is a common denominator.

We have one. The Elephant in the room.

Change. Don't fear it. Embrace it. But change, because it hasn't worked for nearly 3 decades.

I keep using this so apologies for the repetition, but Goodison is a marker. Apart from the uninspiring Park End and an extended plastic roof over the Gwladys Street, it is still the same Goodison Park that I love and went to as a kid.

But we have effectively stood still. Standing still is walking backwards because everyone else walks past you. And they have, as we have looked on.

Change.

Tony Shelby is Smithers to a Mr Burns re. Kenwright... ha ha, classic. If he doesn't go of his own free will, release the hounds. I've had enough of this Crusty Clown.

My assumption is that we need to sell Richarlison between now and 30 June, to book the profit and reduce our rolling FFP. Other clubs know that, and are squeezing us down on price.

Assuming we do lose Richarlison, what is our estimated spend vs that FFP constraint or headroom?

It's conceivable that, under FFP, we sell Richarlison and can't buy replacements given the Premier League have to sign-off on our short-term plans if over the limits.

£1.7M was spent last year… can we expect the same this year? Are we just waiting to sell players, and everyone knows that?

Seriously though I think that more and more people, are now seeing through Bill Kenwright, but this new takeover is concerning me because I'm certain it's our chairman who has let the cat out of the bag, and this man must have an ulterior motive, regarding Bramley Moore?

Maybe this is a good thing, because he definitely owes us “something good” but since he came on board, I can't help feeling that it's always been about what's better for himself, rather than what is better for Everton Football Club, and this does seem to be a feeling shared by more and more Evertonians nowadays, so hopefully Bill has got the wisdom to go very soon?

John Mc, I knew exactly what you was saying mate, I was just pointing out that even our owner was saying he expected to lose to certain opponents, which is incredible really, and makes you wonder why he wanted to own a big football club in the first place?

That says it all Tony. If I'd have been as privileged as Kenwright to be on the board and control Everton Football Club, I would find it extremely difficult to let go.

But it wouldn't be about me. It would always be about Everton. Sorry if I sound like Donald Trump, but Everton first. Always. And if that means I have to walk and let go. Then that's what I would have done.

Hypothetical obviously as I'll never be in that position. It has to be about Everton. Nothing else.

I also thought those two questions from Mike Gaynes were very pertinent to how do we get rid of Kenwright. I was basically answering Mike's questions in my post at (23), saying not enough fans are interested in what goes on behind the scenes in the boardroom but only what happens on the field, and I've stated that more than once on ToffeeWeb.

I still claim that Kenwright didn't do near enough to help Moshiri when he was allowed to run the club and he joined in with others in wasting his friend's money and not taking proper care of the club and its finances as he was trusted to do by Mr Moshiri. This was definitely the biggest mistake Moshiri made, a point I made to Tony Shelby despite Tony not debating but browbeating my post along with a few more Everton fans' posts.

Michael, well done in trying to bring the Kenwright scene to a conclusion. I don't think it will end until he leaves Everton one way or the other and I am one of the posters who regularly joined in and had my say on the man although there were numerous occasions, like Christine, I just bit my tongue and stayed out of the debate.

But I understand Don perfectly in raising the picture of Kenwright's very poor performances as Everton's owner and Chairman.

Yes, I'd penned my reply to Mike before I saw your far better explanation. T'was ever thus, as another old TW voice would often say!

I can't agree with you about Kenwright helping or not helping Moshiri — because I simply do not know anything of the internal decision-making process. You and your kid have the advantage over me there with all your internal connections.

And the other Tony (Shelby) is right when he says "he's still where he is because the owner of the club wants him there, or at least has no strong urge to sack him." That has been the fundamental reality for the last 6 painful years.

Tony Shelby goes on to say "This hatred of Kenwright is, at times, irrational, and, occasionally, bordering on delusional" – reflecting Mike Gaynes's cryptic observation on Don's obsession problem. [Apologies that there are a few very early posts I haven't transferred across to this thread, which I will try to fix.]

It's a concern I share but I have a very low triggering threshold for repetition. And what we get from Don is repetition of the same theme, again and again, on thread after thread. No matter how right Don might be in his tirades, they just become tiresome and, yes, boring.

There are other posters we have who talk endlessly about themselves and try to get us to behave just like them. I find that intensely boring also, but creating a thread to harbour and isolate those contributions will be much more challenging for me. But I digress...

What I thought might be a good challenge for this thread was a little less conversation, a little more action please. (Who said that?) See if Don could do a little more than just rant and rave... and repost a 5000-word history tome! But, judging by his replies above, he's missing the point still...

Given that it's a minority of fans that feel this hatred towards Kenwright, they use a lot of TW oxygen. I've even seen posts referencing ‘bloated Bill' at a time when he was clearly taking steroids for Christ knows what. On a human level that's disgusting but it's legitimised by the other cult members who are happy with anything fired in the man's direction. It all feels a bit ‘People's Front of Judea' to me.

We have been treading water, as a club, for over 30 years. For much of that time, Kenwright has been Chair.

Would he have been allowed to get away with that appalling level of failure in any arena other than football?

See my post #60 which responds to Joe McMahon's similarly simplistic argument.

The poignant point for me in that letter was how the red supporters unleashed their fury in the press, when dropping into the relegation zone. It was unacceptable to them and they weren't going to accept it.

In comparison, we have barely murmured. Somehow, collectively we have been like that frog passively sitting in a slowly heating jar of water. Passivity kills.

I have no venom toward the chairman or any of the board, but the facts speak for themselves. In fact, more than speak – they shout failure upon failure. It's time for change.

My hope though is a ruthless but successful takeover that doesn't rip the soul from our special club.

Put it on a poll, and he'd be lucky to get 20% of a vote. The man is calamity, and so is Moshiri.

Someone down there likes him.

Moyes, to be honest, turned the club around, with no money from Bill and his rich friends. If he had been able to spend big on a striker, I think he would have brought us to the next level.

Instead, Bill had sold off anything that didn't move, and sold Rooney to Man Utd by spoofing that Newcastle had offered £20M for him, that's what Kenwright's reign as Everton owner gave us.

There has been a poll on Grand Old Team running for the last few weeks, it asks “Is it time for Bill Kenwright to stand down?”

Not a massive vote with just 750 voters: over 89% saying Yes it's time for him to go, and slightly over 10% saying No, he should stay. So 9 out of 10 asking for him to go.

"The shark's bitten off both my legs but I'm going to keep going"

Why? He was the man who turned down our one chance in a million to become the biggest wealthiest club on the planet. Kenwright – being an arrogant self-centered him first, his bank account first, power hungry control freak – stopped us being what Manchester City are today!

Thanks, Bill, time to go, and I truly hope the rose-tinted glasses wearers on this site don't say, "Good luck, Bill, we wish you all the best!" I'll be glad to see the back of him.

Like quite a few others I have no wish to enter into another debate about someone whose catalog of disasters and deceit as Chairman of Everton is there to see. I just want to see him gone with all his ill-gotten gains.

We let those players know we weren't having it and we lifted those players to win key points to keep us up. Fair play to the players for responding, but do not suggest the RS fans are more passionate than us. What we saw for the last few games was Evertonians “not having it”.

But I also don't think that Kenwright deserves the vitriol that the loud minority pour on him every day here. I completely agree with the brave Tony Selby that blaming him almost exclusively for the "decline" of EFC is naive and simplistic.

The "case" against Kenwright, which I have read on here too many times over the past 15 years or so, is stitched together by far too much decontextualized black-and-white thinking, unverifiable supposition, hearsay, and flat, ungracious refusal to give him the benefit of the doubt about anything at all.

To me, this whole case is based on a syllogism. "Everton have been in decline for 30 years; Kenwright has been on the board for 30 years; therefore Kenwright is directly responsible for the decline."

As I think everyone knows, Kenwright did not become majority shareholder till December 1999, and only became Chairman in 2004. In case it isn't obvious, our "decline" was already well and truly advanced by 1998, with two desperate last-minute relegation struggles in 1994 and 1998.

Blaming individuals for this abject decline after the '80s glory days is not straightforward. But at least two candidates have more obvious responsibility for the demise than Kenwright.

First, the saintly Sir Philip Carter, Chairman till 1994, who helped orchestrate the Premier League, while apparently doing nothing at all to prepare us for the systemic change that would follow. Why are his obvious failings always ignored?

Arguably our decline was already sealed by the time the shifty Liverpool supporter, Peter Johnson, took over as owner and chairman in 1994. But, FA Cup aside, things only got much worse under his tenure, especially with the chaos of the 1997-99 period.

This included having a manager with (by all accounts) a serious drinking problem, the car boot sale of icons like Duncan Ferguson and Gary Speed, attempts to buy our way out of trouble with money that we did not really have under Walter Smith, with the ill-fated short-term purchases of, eg, Materazzi, Dacourt, Collins, Hutchison, et al.

This was the complete mess, or shambolic "decline" that was inherited when Kenwright's True Blue Holdings took over in late 1999. By this point, we were already way behind "super-clubs" Man Utd, Arsenal, and Liverpool, and struggling to compete with the likes of Chelsea, Newcastle, Spurs, Aston Villa, Leeds, etc. And soon the context would shift yet again with the staggering monetization of Chelsea and Man City.

Yet as we all know, Moyes was appointed manager, and during his 11 full seasons at the helm, the ship was well and truly steadied, with an average league position in that time of 7.6.

Given our still rather precarious financial situation, the continued dominance of the 3 super-clubs, and the mind-boggling monetization of Chelsea and Man City, this was about the best we could realistically hope for, almost all of it coming after Kenwright finally became chairman in 2004.

And of course this was then followed by that relatively thrilling 5th place finish under Martinez. Are we then going to blame Kenwright for the two 11th place finishes after that? Or perhaps this had something to do with Martinez's complete sacrifice of a really good team on the altar of his stubborn, vainglorious "philosophy"?

Whatever the case, by this point, the only way we could realistically compete with the "big clubs" was either by having some vast cash injection like Man City or Chelsea had, or somehow by building our "brand" through regular Champions League competition, leading to higher income levels and greater commercial opportunities. But there is no example of the latter ever happening without the former already happening (except possibly Spurs?).

Which means that Kenwright's biggest "failing" was not selling us to the only kinds of owners who could afford to bankroll us into the "big club" stratosphere, namely Russian oligarchs, Arab oil interests, or US hedge fund-type vulture capitalists.

Instead, he got us someone with oligarch money once-removed, still not rich enough to buy our way to the top. For the first three years under Moshiri, we ended up 7th, 8th, and 8th, which is exactly commensurate with our relative wealth at the time.

After that, a 12th place, due mainly to the fact that Zouma and Gana were lost and not replaced, then a competitive year under Carlo where we were in the top 6 for most of the season, before fading badly at the very end, mainly due to injuries.

Only in this last, most recent debacle of a season have we returned to 90s-type "decline" form, even then with serious extenuating circumstances, like the effective loss of the team's spine and creative players for a variety of circumstances, none of them obviously Kenwright's "fault".

Of course, Kenwright has had his failings, and of course at times he might have embellished the truth. No doubt, he has at times conflated the best interests of EFC with his own personal interests. He is a showman, a theatre impresario, and it is long past the time that people like that should be running Premier League football clubs.

But he did not "cause" EFC's decline. If anything, he (with Moyes's help) did more than anyone to arrest that decline when he took over after the lost decade of the 90s, restoring us to some kind of stability. For that alone, he deserves some credit, not vitriol.

1) Destination Kirkby

2) Turning down Sheikh Mansour

I rest my case.

As for Kirkby, again, I think we can all agree that the whole idea was horrible, and presumably born of an extreme desperation in straitened financial circumstances. Either way, it had no impact on our "decline" because it didn't end up happening.

As for Abu Dhabi, neither you nor I nor anyone here knows the real truth of that situation. But there is zero evidence that Kenwright "turned down" Sheikh Mansour. To my knowledge, all that has been said on the record about this is by Kenwright himself, who observed years later that Man City were bought because they already had the stadium in place, and that EFC could have been the beneficiaries, had we had a new stadium at the time. There is no evidence that an offer to EFC was ever made.

And frankly, even if an offer had been made, I and many others might have been just a bit uncomfortable if it had been accepted. Abu Dhabi is not exactly a place one would want to be associated with. Here is the Amnesty International report for 2021:

The government continued to commit serious human rights violations, including arbitrary detention, cruel and inhuman treatment of detainees, suppression of freedom of expression, and violation of the right to privacy. The right to health was partially fulfilled. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) continued to deprive stateless individuals of the right to nationality, impacting their access to a range of services. Courts passed death sentences and executions were reported.

Perhaps this helps put the "sins" of Kenwright in perspective.

Christine is always polite and is entitled to her opinion. so why the vitriol? Christine, I know you can fight your own battles, but this went byond the pale.

Nobody respects Bill Kenwright …nobody.

At the back of my mind was an itch... you know, a memory you can't quite put your finger on? When the club announced its Fans' Forum, there was that itch again... Anyway, this morning lying in bed contemplating a cold shower, it came to me…

An article I wrote here on TW some 11 years ago. And before anyone thinks it's another pointed attack on the board, it's far from it and frankly I could be forgiven for thinking what I laid out became the basis for supporter involvement in the club.

Please, forget the fact I wrote it and put it into context of the current strategic review... it's uncannily similar! Oh and Greg, I noticed a response in there from you as well..

For once, allow me an indulgence.

An Alternative Strategy Required

Your vision of 2011 sounds just as beautiful today as it did back then. And yes, hopefully, it is now at least a little closer to be being realized in actual practice!

Here is my six penneth: Johnson sold out to Bill and we've been 'hampered' ever since.

He got rich and lucky when he found Moshiri. We fans got fucked as a consequence, just like Moshiri.

Right now we're on a par with Espanyol in Barcelona in terms of world-wide appeal. (Espanyol are European football nonentities to anyone interested, albeit they too have a maniacal local fan-base also endlessly devoting themselves to on-line argument on the next bog-standard at best player acquisition their provenly inept board seek to impose on them).

Bono says he has a half-brother. He must be tiny. I get me coat.

Good shout, Bernie. We are all entitled to have a view and opinion. That's what we come here to do. But there is no need to get personal. Lock horns on occasion, agree and disagree. But we're all in this for the same love and reason. Keep it civil. Well said, sir.

Great post, Greg. I'll be consistent and offer some balance. I'm neither a Kenwright fan nor a Kenwright hater. Initially, I actually appreciated Kenwright stepping in when he did to rid us of Peter Johnson when no-one else would touch us with a bargepole.

I don't blame Kenwright for our stagnation, but he has overseen and contributed to it significantly for too long.

The stagnation started in the 1970s. Arguably the sale of Alan Ball was a defining moment and starting point for that. That's according to my late father, not me. We've rested on our laurels for too long and nearly been found out on at least 3 occasions now as well as sailing close to the wind on several others.

My issue with Kenwright is that he has held on for longer than he should have. There's an argument that he was waiting for the right owner with Everton's best interests at heart. But just like now, was the "right" owner the one who would keep him in place and allow him to run his train set?

That's what I'm reading; he still wants to remain as Chairman. So he's thinking of himself, not the club. That kid who storms off the park and takes his ball back to his nan's in a sulk because it's his and he can. The rest of us stand there watching and have to go home because we have no ball.

Just let go, as he should have done so years ago. It's failed. Premier League survival and finishing 7th isn't where I want my Everton to be. So it's failed. Go. Hand it over.

I won't recite them again, but remember the words of Sir John Moores: Everton expects success. Okay, I got part of it in there!

Kirkby was a bad plan and a bad idea. But a bad plan. Most know my views. The whole "Kirkby isn't Liverpool or Scouse" thing doesn't come into it for me. That wasn't the reason we shouldn't have gone to Kirkby.

I said at the time that, if we were considering an outskirt location, it should have been Speke. Plenty of land, airport, motorway links, South Parkway Station nearby in Allerton.

And, for those it mattered to, within the city of Liverpool boundary. But that's water under the bridge now. The new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock is going to be great and fitting. I'm looking to the future, not the past. We're going to make history on the banks of the Mersey.

Bootle, Kirkby, Huyton, Halewood. All Liverpool and Scouse regardless of some invisible political / council boundary in my opinion. Think big. We are a Liverpool city region, not an insular, inward-looking city based on the colour of your wheely bin or your council tax bill. We made our name being outward-looking.

When we move to the new stadium. it's going to be fantastic. Nearly 40 years too late, but fantastic. Yes… 40 years. We should have been thinking of relocating or redeveloping Goodison in the 1980s because even then, it was becoming outdated. And that's when we were one of England's leading clubs.

As alluded to, despite promoting the introduction of the Premier League, we failed to capitalise. We rested on our laurels, failed to invest strategically and assumed we'd be okay.

Think big. Act big. And that doesn't mean aimlessly throwing money at the problem. Implement a strategy that may take a few years to see the rewards.

We are a huge club. A sleeping bear waiting to be poked with a stick to wake up and realise it took its eye off the ball and is going to reclaim the mountain.

I missed the last 10 days of ToffeeWeb, due to overseas family being here for our Diamond Wedding.

Thanks for your comments – that Tony Shelby quite annoyed me with his anti-Christine remarks. I just had to throw my cloak in the puddle for her!

It's good to read your post this morning. I must be honest here – I am not a fan of Luvvie Bill and I wish he would retire but I won't make comments about him, good or bad… though I think I just did!

Off topic, but something that may mean something to an ex Irish Guardsman. It was Armed Forces Day here in the UK yesterday. I posted this elsewhere:

To our forefathers total respect.

To us modern day veterans, be proud of what we achieved, often, in hostile environments far away from our families for long periods.

To those serving, keep doing what we do. Get the job done without fuss or need for recognition. It's what we said we would do if we were needed. No regrets, no complaints. Come home safely and get ready for the next one.

For those who never came home. You made the sacrifice. I'll raise a glass tonight and think of you.

Most important. For those who still struggle, don't be alone. We were in it together and we always will be.

God speed and god bless Bernie. In it together. Just like Evertonians.

He failed to deliver us the Kings Dock in 2004; we wouldn't be discussing Bramley-Moore Dock. Turned away Sheikh Mansour in 2008; wouldn't be discussing Moshiri.

We would not only have had the stadium but owners who would have brought a decade of success. But instead, one man's decisions have been only made for himself concerned and no-one else.

Don is on the money, because Bill Kenwright keeping hold of Everton for as long as he did is probably the worst thing that's ever been allowed to happen to Everton in its once very illustrious history.

We are all complicit in this though, because to slag him for what he never did (sell Everton and move on because he's never been good enough for our great club) is very galling to a lot of genuine Evertonians, even for the ones who can see he's conflated Everton's best interests and his own personal interests... (Wow!)

This might have been acceptable if Everton had been really competitive, instead of the claim that we were punching above our weight (Kenwright and Moyes must have absolutely loved this) and something that was actually celebrated, was when plucky little Everton eventually became the best of the rest... (Another wow!)

Evertonians must have changed… I can still remember the cushions being thrown onto the pitch when I was a very small child, because people weren't happy with a team that lost one final, and got robbed in the other semifinal, with my thoughts being that I don't think Bill Kenwright could have kidded these people for so long.

If I was advising Kenwright, I'd be telling him to leave, because I don't think this younger generation of Evertonians have got any time for the man, and these are the people who deserve the most credit for helping Everton stay in the top division. I'm certain these people would really turn on the man if he stays and things don't change.

He should have gone many years ago if he had Everton's best interests at heart, as he claims to have had. But his personal interests have overtaken that, in my opinion.

Although I understand how a generation admire and pine for the Moyes years, those two were the worst combination for our club as they convinced many that mediocre was acceptable.

It was a perfect storm. Beating Liverpool once every now and then and embarrassingly releasing a DVD to celebrate the occasion. Something my red cousins rib me about continuously.

Well, I watched Everton get beat 3-1 at Anfield in the Kevin Sheedy two-finger salute match. They celebrated and I walked away gutted. But we won the league a month or so later.

Advising him? If I was in negotiations, I would just be clear that he has no future at Everton Football Club.

Other than being a supporter like me. He's welcome to that and can sit next to me any time he wants. If he's as big a supporter as he claims, he can go through what we all do.

For my troubles, I used to work at Chester Garrison for the MoD, doing lots of stuff with the now-defunct Gordon Highlanders and green berets, based locally, spent a lot of my early working years in North Wales and travelled daily to sites, from Catterick to Lossiemouth, Portsmouth. I think over 7 years I went to most bases and the more sensitive places too... trained in electronics and coms with them in Chalfont... but then life got in the way and I was missing too many home games!

The linked bit I wrote 11 years ago is, I must confess, something I had forgotten but, in honesty, it really is worth the read as I feel someone at the club must have cut and pasted it for themselves, but I do think it was probably one of the better articles I wrote here.

Anyways... thanks again for the cloak!

I read your piece going back to 2011, a truly excellent article, but I never expect anything less than excellence from you – even when we occasionally disagree with each other's opinions. The pen is definitely mightier than the sword when it is in your hands, I imagine a “Dear John” wouldn't read so bad written by yourself!!

That's enough of the flattery, back to your piece of 2011. It is truer today as it was then and reading through the posts in response to your article then there is a general agreement how much it was appreciated as a great idea with replies from fans still on ToffeeWeb like Greg Anderson who thanked you for the post and was in full agreement with it, also one from Ged Alexander – any relation to Don?

The only general dissent against it was that Bill Kenwright would never let go of his train set and agree to Everton being run properly.

Belated thanks, Christine, for a great plan and proof you have remained consistent in your views on how Kenwright has run the club which also goes for a few more names on that 2011 article still posting the same views in 2022. Eventually, we might see the end of Kenwright having anything to do with our club.

Michael Kenrick (various), you constantly seek what you call "a plan" from me to topple Kenwright, and then personally deride me for, in your opinion, failing to put one forward.

For the record, I'm not conceited enough to contend I have the answer to the question this very piece by you demands an answer to. Your "plan" is absent too by the way. It's a tirade, echoing me and other perceptive fans – end of, and that's all a website reflecting "opinion" can ever do.

This site was allegedly incepted to carry opinion on Everton Football Club from devoted fans, not to denigrate fans who criticise those in charge of it.

This post of yours may as well have been written by me or any other of the many of us who despair of Kenwright and the blight he's inflicted on our club. Neither you, me, nor anyone else has ever posted a credible plan to oust him, entirely because he's rock-solid in his position on account of his permitted, by disclosure law and Moshiri, malfeasance.

Just to repeat, my "boring" attacks are against the very same, decades-long, ever-present, now fabulously wealthy man you now also credibly deride. He's the reason we'll remain in the doldrums next season and beyond.

So, you and I should with many other perceptive fans continue to rail against him, and refrain from personal attacks against fans of the very same mindset as our own.

Call that a plan, if you like!

If this were to be the case, I think that will be sign for all ToffeeWebers to 'militarise'. Enough is surely enough.

I'm sorry, I understand how you feel… but it's the need to express it on an almost daily basis in almost every post – that's the obsession bit that gets a bit much, to be continually bombarded with – especially when you have no plan to change it yourself, in effect guaranteeing that your obsession will continue unabated.

But of course there could be no plan because it is not possible for mere fans to oust him. Yet, despite this obvious truth, you persist in your perennial campaign that impregnates itself into almost every post to the point of boring repetition.

Yes, we provide a place for fans to air their views on Everton Football Club... within reason. And we would hope that people would keep it fresh, provide some new perspectives… rather than resorting to posting in its entirety some lengthy tome from 12 years ago – and not once but twice!

But more than that, it's the relentless tirades, the manic diatribes... while a few may nod in agreement, it's an old and very broken record, sad to say. But maybe there's hope that the latest takeover news will finally provide a welcome release.

Sometimes I feel it would be better to stop posting on ToffeeWeb, because it mostly goes around in circles, and I am as guilty as most people, when it comes to a certain man.

The Anti-Kenwright or pro-Kenwright posts, can be very tedious, but watching Everton has also been mostly tedious for a very long time now, which makes the amazing support, that Everton received towards the end of last season, even more incredible, and is hopefully what is drawing in the investors now?

Probably not, but imagine if it was? Imagine one day, having really great times watching Everton again🤞

The facts have been spelled out - what more proof other than a signed confession of Kenwright do you need? 🤷

You and I, and many others, share the same view of our club and the prime cause of its diminishing mediocrity.

I think it'd be wrong to waiver in our opposition to his ongoing influence over things but I will try to refrain from exasperating fellow Toffees unless I feel the need in 12 years time, if he's still in post, to regurgitate twice on this site your excellent diatribe at the top!

Thanks, Don!

To be honest, I can't think of one, but maybe that's just me being picky. Would be interested if any player signings under Moshiri got anyone thinking "Wow, what a player!"

I realise that to many of you, merely choosing not to condemn the man means you're pro-Kenwright (or maybe even Kenwright himself, boom-boom). That's your choice but goes some way to legitimising my comments at the weekend about some of you acting like cult members. The reaction when I dared address Christine in terms you all happily address others, including me, was further proof. Well I refuse to submit to Stockholm Syndrome and will say it as I see it.

Re: the club's current state, I will say this:

Farhad Moshiri couldn't run a piss-up in a brewery. His ownership of the club has been disastrous, associating us with, and making us financially dependent on, Vladimir Putin's closest ally, and culminating in a relegation near miss.

Provided we get the ‘right' new owners, then I will welcome them with open arms. If they know what they're doing, unlike Moshiri, then they can structure the club and its board as they see fit, with or without your friend and mine, Bill [insert your favourite insult] Kenwright.

Dip that in your coffee, Mike.

Given that it was probably the desire of Moshiri to employ him over and despite Kenwright's protests, or at least his disquiet, who had the job of selling it to the fans? Certainly not Moshiri, it was a nice press snow job to get rid of him that the press bought and whipped up..

James was at the end of his career as a top player, one no longer wanted by the elite, but we failed to extend his impact trying to make him do things he had never been good at rather than play to those, yes, fading, strengths.

I heard it was definitely Usmanov who appointed Benitez, and this makes sense, (to me) because I'm sure Moshiri, would have wanted to spend a little bit more of his time on Everton, if he was only using his own money?

If he isn't retained and we massively improve, you could argue that his removal was a key element. I'd still say that it proves nothing but, there you go.

Obviously, if we're sold, they let Kenwright go and we get relegated, then I'm coming after you all with a pitchfork-wielding mob on the basis that the acquirers must have been reading TW and thought they'd got the fans' pulse.

As for James, he might have been at the end of his career and a flawed diamond but he was our flawed diamond, producing glimpses of brilliance that served as a stark counterpoint to the turgid football we endured for most of 2021-22.

I agree, Benitez probably used the suggestion as his USP when interviewed and Moshiri et al swallowed it, in the knowledge that the footballing genius revolutionary plan would help towards our FFP plight.

As a footnote to the goal at Anfield: A friend of mine had given me a bottle of wine called Everton many years ago. I'd decided that I would save it until we ‘won something'. It got opened that evening and was greatly enjoyed. You could argue that that's a barometer of how little success we've had in recent years.

Tony S, that's the problem with hindsight, everyone claims vindication! But you're right of course, pitchforks at dawn it is!

I guess the bottom line is we have failed as a club, on and off the pitch, for the past 30+ years with few good times in-between, if you believe the man. But ultimately it was the way he led that alienated many. Once you lose trust, you lose faith.

Who brought one of Putin's best friends to Everton? I could go on, but I honestly prefer Usmanov to people like Phillip Green, and definitely don't hold it against Bill Kenwright for bringing one of the richest men in the world into Everton, even if it's ended in failure, because I honestly don't think the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock would be getting built otherwise?

How cold does Christchurch get in the middle of winter, Christine?

I would suggest that very few people have ever got as much joy from a toy as Bill has from his club. He loves to be loved and one might assume that a clear demonstration that many Evertonians actually despise him would have some impact.

However, Don, even if you had the power to organize a mass anti-Kenwright rally on the scale and with the passion and intensity of the fervour that saved us from relegation, it would fail. Bill just wouldn't see it. That is his super power; the uncanny, magnificent ability to, actually literally, see only what it pleases him to see.

So, Don, you really must learn to love him, be as one with him and enjoy him while we have him. You know it makes sense.

The South Island has been getting dumpings of snow, the North Island just dumpings of rain... but temperatures are falling and locally overnights are around freezing. Out of my window, I can see Mount Taranaki full of snow and that's about 20 miles away!

Keep hold of your cloak and sword, in the terminology of Game of Thrones, winter is coming, seems worse down were you are than here with the snow! Stay warm!

It certainly does with me – and I don't like it, Sir! I am normally a very mild chap, so let's all be friends, eh?

And Christine and Tony Abrahams: The temperature here in Christchurch at 10:30 am is 5 C (feels like 4 C) with steady cold rain. I am not a winter person!!!

There have been many at Everton I would prefer – ranging back from Kevin Sheedy to Wally (Nobby) Fielding – but that is my opinion. Nice to see though that you two agree on something.

Nobby Fielding? Isn't that what happens when you play baseball on a bumpy pitch?

i feel sorry for you as you obviously never saw Wally Fielding play inside right to Dave Hickson and John Willie Parker. He could make the ball talk – he was that skilful. Ah those were the days.

Baseball? Dunno much about that game – isn't it the male version of Rounders?

I am still with the belief that the Ownership Group of Man City actually first reached out to Bill the Liar: Our brand and heritage, notwithstanding of our stadium issue, represented a better acquisition than Man City at the time.

Of course Bill's "Up Yours" to the group sent them up the M62 afterwards.

The rest was history.

Never mind all his litany of inept balls-ups. That scenario alone is totally unforgivable and changed the course of history to where we are now.

Even now, I bet a written or unwritten clause is in place that any new owner has to keep him on. Hopefully Kenyon or whoever won't put up with this.

Same as getting a proper CEO who actually understands that role and knows how to make the club money.

You might not have liked his vocabulary though Bernie he told me to get off the effing coach at Leeds after a 3-1 defeat in our promotion year, his manager Cliff Britton offered me and a couple of mates a £1 note to go and get some fish and chips on the same occasion, we thanked but told him we had already had something to eat.

We are not a museum you know!

I think Wally Fielding and Dave Hickson were my first Everton heroes, always remember Wally always had hold of the end of his shirt when he played, don't quite know how he did that. Cyril Lello was also in that team along with Don Donavon, and as you say Tommy Eglington on the wing happy days.

He was signed after the Second World War in a dispute with Charlton Ath. who had also signed him and he played with many notable players when I first saw him, Jock Dodds, Alex Stevenson, TG Jones, Peter Farrell, Ted Sagar and the players you mentioned along with Harry Potts and Eddie Wainwright.

Michael (179)Ah hey Michael what's wrong with ancients we're all part of Everton's history and you'll miss us when we're gone- - - - - - I think!!

From your own, it appears that you are falling into the trap of thinking that by not condemning Kenwright, I am therefore pro-Kenwright. That's not the case. I just don't see him as the sole (or even primary) cause of our current predicament.

I know this is TW but opinions contrary to your own, Christine's etc do exist.

Anyway, back to that wine (rather than an anti-Bill whine): Yes, it's an Ozzie red so presumably far easier to obtain in New Zealand. If it's readily available where you are then you're very lucky. I'd suggest that you go into business, buying bottles in bulk and exporting it back to the motherland. Put me down for a few if you do.

Spurs get Richie and Gordon, we get Ali and Winks with no money exchanged!!!

The man has been at the helm for the worst period of our history and is Chairman so he has to accept some responsibility for the clubs failings.

Now is the time to go BIll and it is long overdue.

New Zealand wasn't kind to me Bernie, and even though it's a fantastic place, I wouldn't want to return, especially now I can drive the long way home, just so I can go past Bramley Moore, and dream….hopefully about the start of a much better era for our football team🤞

Will you be lucky enough to get back inside Goodison before it closes Bernie? I'll give you my seat for any game, just as long as it's not for the last one, (even though I'm sure you have said you are an ex-copper!) because this is something I'm sure will eclipse the Crystal Palace game by a million miles.

Yes, sod the brass plaques – yours is a much better idea! I'll make sure I have a good few pints before I use the toilet in the new ground!!

We are not a museum you know!

Some of the arguments on here have been going years and some grudges for longer. Not quite museum but maybe getting into vintage. :-)

I see that you believe Moshiri to be more to blame for all our ills.

Wasn't Kenwright looking for the right type of investment and knocked back the likes of Mansour because, to him, they were deemed unsuitable?

So, bearing this in mind, surely it's Kenwright's fault he's here...

That's like saying that if you started a 6-year relationship with someone who was a dream at first but turned out over time to be an absolute nightmare, it was your fault for choosing them.

What's interesting is that there are so-called ‘facts' about Kenwright that many of you regurgitate ad infinitum without ever considering their validity. They're rarely questioned by other posters which has created this whole narrative that's constantly peddled on TW. When someone appears and says they're not convinced, it's like the sky has fallen in. How dare they suggest that the world might not be quite as you see it.

Moshiri owns 92% of the club; for some reason pursued Ronald Koeman and Marco Silva; told Sky TV presenter Jim White that we didn't buy a central midfielder ‘out of loyalty to James McCarthy'; allowed £500M to be spent on (predominantly) utter shite; brought Rafa fucking Benitez to the club, culminating in us nearly getting relegated and generally becoming a laughing stock. All of these are actual facts, not conjecture or ‘ToffeeWeb Urban Legend' ©, and happened over a period of 6 years. But, obviously, it was Kenwright wot dunnit.

Bill was here long before Moshiri. And the stagnation set in before that time.

I don't often do the "someone told me" thing unless I have it on good account. It was interesting talking to a very well informed person after a match last season who did have knowledge at the time that Mansour's first and preferred option was Everton.

Our regime at the time apparently showed him the door and sent him down the East Lancs Road by all accounts. That wasn't Moshiri's decision as he wasn't here. Talk about judgement. Talk about making the best decision for the club over self-interest.

Hindsight may be a great thing but, even now, I'm hearing (just hearing – I don't know) that Kenwright is angling for a deal that keeps him in the Chair.

Sorry, but whichever way you look at it, he is consistent factor, the common denominator over the last near 30 years.

And Tony, I do honestly respect your counter view. It's welcome.

All of the facts you entirely blame Moshiri for happened whilst Kenwright was on the board of directors and whilst he was chairman of said board. Did he resign in protest? Indisputable fact - no he did not. As such, he is complicit and accountable along with Moshiri.

He has gone from being responsible for allowing the club to drift further into mediocrity whilst he was the owner to being front and centre and therefore complicit in the shit show that has happened since his 24/7/365 search for investment was finally concluded. He's made himself very rich in the process but we should all be thankful for the “world's greatest Evertonian” for what we've become.

The problem is, within the last 24 hours, another TW poster has said that they had been told we didn't get the deal because City had a stadium and we didn't, and I've seen numerous interpretations of the same scenario over the years on TW. So, with all of these inconsistent accounts, how do I decide which one is true? Easy, I don't.

And before anyone suggests that I'm being awkward, it's worth considering my own position. My best mate has a friend who works at the club and has done for years. He frequently gives my mate the ‘heads-up' on what's happening at the club or what is going to occur next. But guess what? He's hardly ever right, and for one simple reason: unless you're on the board at Everton, you don't really have much of a clue as to what's going on.

Many of us have worked for companies where there's gossip about the senior managers and what's going to happen next. How often is it right? Your mate might work for Vauxhall and have lots of info, but that doesn't make him any the wiser about what decisions are being taken in the boardroom.

Chris (196) - I've addressed that point several times and we're clearly not going to agree. All I would add is that the points I made about Moshiri are facts and have happened over a short period of time, whereas almost everything I see spouted about Kenwright on a minute-by-minute basis is hearsay, conjecture and (possibly) bollocks.

And what's wrong with him being a millionaire? I'd be embarrassed if the Chairman of our club wasn't. What are we saying, that we're okay with Vladimir Putin's closest ally (allegedly) laundering money through our club (£30M for first dibs on stadium naming rights) but Bill Kenwright isn't allowed to make a profit on legitimate share sales?

Trying to stay contemporary and not look at our past is impossible and would end up being a very sterile site. Sharing memories connects people, Evertonians are a family because of it. The weather in New Zealand may be totally irrelevant but the social side of being an Evertonian is just as important as the daily news because it fills the void when news is slow or breaks up contentious arguments with humor.

It's a great site Michael, full of diverse views and opinion, but most of all it's full of Evertonians who support the club and find friendships on these pages even if it's not relevant to Lampard's breakfast or conjecture on a player of no relevance. It may be a by-product of the intent of the site, but it's a great one that increases the site's richness to all of us.

I just need you to suggest that I'm actually Kenwright himself (or one of his lackeys) and you win today's ToffeeWeb Cliché Bingo.

First prize is a map telling you where the Arteta money is buried.

He must also be the luckiest man... yet, at the same time, the unluckiest man in the world. Lucky that he managed to make a fortune from the club through selling to the new bloke after searching so hard and tirelessly 24/7/365 for so many years. Incredibly unlucky that the new bloke turned out to be so clueless after all those years of such diligent searching.

He's also incredibly unlucky to be apportioned any blame for the decline in the club despite being involved in running it for over 30 years. He must just have been in the wrong place at the wrong time for people to think he might have had anything to do with the decline during that time.

A waiter clears plates from the table.

Bill Kenwright and Daniel Levy sit back in their seats appearing fully sated.

BK: "My fish fingers, chips and peas was boss. How was your lobster therm..os...flas.."

DL: "Thermidor, it was decent enough. So, to business Bill. You have a player we want, what will it take to.."

BK: "Hey did I ever tell you about Dave Hicks..."

DL: "Bill!"

BK: "Sorry...um...oh yeah Coleman, well he won't be cheap, he's very popu..."

DL: "For fuc...the Brazilian lad Bill - Richarlison."

BK: "Oh yeah Ritchie we call him, he's boss, we won't be giving him away cheap that's for su...are you 'avin a pudding like?"

Levy snaps his fingers and a waiter delivers two menus. Both men look intently.

DL: (to waiter) "The Creme Brulee"

BK: "Oh that sounds nice...what is it like?"

DL: (sigh) "TWO creme brulee"

Waiter: "We only have one I'm afraid sir."

DL: "He can have it."

BK: "Are you sure? That's very nice of you."

DL: (thinks) "Well how about this, you have the creme brulee, we get Richarlison?"

BK: "DONE!"

We cut to Bill shoving the expensive egg custard into his grid as DL shoves a contract in front of Mr Everton.

Bill signs..there..there..and..there and goes back to his pudding.

DL: "Well as usual Bill you drive a hard bargain. I've got to head off but don't rush your dinner. We'll speak soon."

Levy heads off into the night.

BK's just finishing his pudding as his mobile rings. He listens then says..

BK: "Just 'avin me puddin' like"

He continues listening.

BK: "Yeah I signed a contract but don't worry I don't think it's..."

He sharply pulls his head away from the phone as someone is obviously screaming abuse at him.

He turns the phone off and now looks concerned.

The Waiter appears and says "Your bill sir"

Bill now looks confused and concerned.

Then he looks at the bill and his eyes open VERY wide.

Then he shits himself.

We see a smiling Daniel Levy sitting in the back of a chauffeur-driven Bentley as it speeds into the night.

The music from The Long Good Friday begins..

Link

Although nervously, as even in its creativeness, that may not be far off that hypothetical transfer discussion between the two!!

Moshiri tries hard to steady his shaking hand, Richarlison and Gordon?

"Jim, I think your mistaken, Bill was only discussing it with David, nothing more"
JW: " No, I have the signed agreement in front of me, didn't you know?
FM: Look Jim, there has been a misunderstanding, Bill is a total fuckwot"
JW: "Wit, Farhad"
FM: "What wit?"
JW: " Thanks for being so candid Farhad, our switchboard is lighting up! "
FM: "Wait, what, am I on air?"
JW: "Of course Farhad! Always the first with breaking news..hang on, I got Frank Lampard on line one.."

Then you've blathered on about the weather in Christchurch. That's not "on topic" and unfortunately what the young people would say is that it triggers a bad reaction for some sensitive people reading the thread who then suffer all sorts of distress and anguish. I'm sure you wouldn't want that on your conscience, would you?

So be a good chap and keep it "on topic", okay. Thanks!

Quite a few of us are ''old farts'' who have experienced so many ups and downs since the year dot and so, as we all get crankier with age it is expected that we like to rant on about everyone connected to the club to the extent that even the tea lady is not without blame for what has happened to this once great club.

Sometimes going off topic happens when there is not much else to comment about and I believe we should all be a little more tolerant when it happens but there are limits I suppose.

Pretty sure that the guy Danny refers to is me and the conversation was in the Crown on Lime St.

Danny did get one thing wrong Newcastle were the Sheikh's first choice, Everton were second. The group wanted a club that owned their own ground and had an under developed airport close by.
Mike Ashley had only been in charge at Newcastle for just over a year and wouldn't sell. We were second choice (even though Goodison had been mortgaged to the hilt by BK), but the Arab group wanted a clean break and offered BK a life presidency he chose not to accept this honorary position and consequently the Sheikh went up the East Lancs, where he did get a clean break from Thaksin Shinawatra and who did accept the honorary role (although he was subsequently stripped of this following his conviction in his own country for misuse of public funds).

The consequence of this was that East Manchester rather than L4 had £2bn invested in its rejuvenation and Manchester Airport became a European hub for Etihad Airways rather than John Lennon. Not to mention the consequences for EFC as a club.

Incidentally, City do not own their own ground, it always has been owned by Manchester City Council, although these days the club has a virtual freehold as deals have been done, especially when City wanted to increase capacity to 60k.

I worked as an accountant for Shinawatra at the time of the take over and subsequently for the new City.

Bernie, you keep posting whatever you damn well please. I love your little items.

Eugene and Christine, thanks for those flights of literary fancy.

Just the mention of Scott's Seafood is painful for me. I was once a regular at the original Scott's in San Francisco. Took a lot of first dates there. Spent a lot of money.

And the answer to the obvious question is...

No. Never. Not once.

I didn't want to call you out in name. I wasn't being clandestine, I just would never disclose given it was a conversation between a few of us, not public.

Your account speaks to the subject. Just let go Bill. As you should have done years ago.

Keep posting. Keep believing. Not that you need me to tell you the latter.

They were getting a lot of stick for not selling out for some champions league group games, but aren't they still getting around 50.000 most weeks?

This is why I also think Everton have got it right regarding the capacity of Bramley Moore, especially because it can go up a few thousand, once they put the safe standing in?

Sorry to bang the Schalke drum again, but using them as an example, and a point I've made several times.

For international matches, when only seated, it has a capacity of just over 54,000. For league matches when safe standing and seating is implemented, the capacity is just over 62,000. Hopefully Everton are planning something similar as it gets introduced.

I've been in the Stadio Olimpico to watch Roma. The crowd was decent; 40,000. But in a stadium that can accommodate 70,000, it was half empty. Which creates a half empty atmosphere.

Give me a full to the rafters stadium an day.

Maybe they bump it up with non-City fans as corporate. Bit like all of a sudden West Ham get over 50,000.

Anyway, as a truck driver and in Manchester a lot, City fans are totally outnumbered at least 4 to 1.

I could say that about us but as Covid found out, we have at least 26,000 from the city while they had 6,000 with Merseyside postcodes.

As you know, our away fans second to none. Especially in numbers... They have been through a lot but a tragedy is not us, just for one man's ego.

West Ham? Those white seats always expose the number of empty ones. I saw it in person. Just like at The Etihad. Just like at The Emirates.

What they declare as the attendance seems to be tickets sold, not actual attendance. Be that match day, season tickets or corporate hospitality. But the figure doesn't always reflect what is actually in the stadium on the day.

We will fill the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock and create the spirit of Goodison on the banks of the Mersey.

I think 52,000 is more than achievable, think of the extra season ticket sales and the opportunist turnstile sales, it's going to be full – no problem!

In keeping the capacity at that level, it will create atmosphere, which, if the motivation is there, will create a bear pit, an imposing pressure cooker. If they had gone for more, then it would be at the cost of that atmosphere. Bring it on.

The scale of the site is apparently a lot bigger than it looks through a drone etc,

Every time a poster has come up with a suitable explanation, you still somehow manage to defend our Chairman.

Even this season, after three occasions of fans unrest, Bill still managed to put the blame elsewhere. First it was Brands, then Rafa, then there was the #27 campaign which was sadly lost before it even started, due to fans not wishing to leave their seats – and rightly so, but had it been organised better, and had it happened, outside the 90 mins, it could have worked.

After that, we were in a relegation fight, so we got behind the team. We the fans saved Everton from relegation, absolutely no way we could make our feelings known in a protest.

But something has to be done, before the start of the new season, we simply cannot move forward with Bill still Chairman.

I will gladly join any marches organised, but a while back I put a post up about Keioc campaign, it mentions a lot about what Mike has listed above.

Even Peter Johnson who a lot have mentioned we were glad to get rid of, at least left Everton in the black, landed us a trophy, and had a new stand built.

Since then, we have gradually become stagnant, having to rent our own training ground, having to sell our best players, year after year.

So yes, Tony, I am fuming over our Chairman. I will at every opportunity vent my grievances because that guy has turned the football club I love into a complete shambles.

He knows we will never turn our back on the club we love. I just do not have the answers of what we as fans can do to make our feelings known.

I know a lot of posters on here are far from keyboard warriors, a lot never miss a game. I take my hat off to them, such loyalty.

When a large percentage of fans are saying the same things, then there really is a problem that needs addressing.

I just cannot for the life of me see how people can still support Bill.

"But something has to be done, before the start of the new season, we simply cannot move forward with Bill still Chairman."

I mean this politely but I'm guessing Blue Bill's staying... what's your plan?

A little March down the Golden Mile, voicing our feelings at the game.

For the 27-minute campaign, there was a simple solution, I suggested at the time, but the leave your seats remained and the plan of action that failed. For me, on the 27th minute, for one minute, all it took was for people to stand in their seats and turn their backs for the minute, a simple but effective message, in front of the cameras, and the board.

If things are not going to plan, the next guy to take the rap will be Frank, and so on, while Bill still remains.

On a final note, we have heard Moshiri, through an open letter, admitting he got things wrong etc, possibly done by PR, but over the last few years and way beyond, has anyone ever heard Bill once say, “I'm sorry, this or that was my fault”?

We have heard him throw everyone else under the bus, from Philip Green, Brands, Rafa, even the owner, even turned round to a fan to say we've had good times rather than say he was wrong.

Moshiri has to take the blame as well, but at least we got a sort of apology letter. In 20-odd years, I have never once seen Bill hold his hands up and apologise. Instead, he throws someone else under the bus and trust me, if things start off bad next season, he will throw Frank under the bus.

When you hear the Toffees shout, "Hey, get Bill Kenwright out! We are the Goodison gang."

That is the basic reason why Chelsea went from strength to strength and why Everton had to be kept miraculously alive by the management skills of David Moyes, who had a pitiful transfer budget compared to the massive transfer budgets given to managers at Chelsea.

Anyway we need sustained fan action to shake off the parasite. And that means all the ambivalent and quite frankly blind as fuck Evertonians getting involved. I blame them as much as Bill for the past 20 years to be honest. Absolutely shameful bunch.

Kenwright Out.

Supporters against the move and, like myself, Blue Union supporters took so much stick from the Kenwright acolytes. Thank God common sense prevailed and the continuous lies fully exposed.

How Kenwright never walked after that is as mysterious as Johnson staying so long.

I am no raving rebel. I will always give someone a chance. But I am not submissive either. It became apparent to me years ago that change was and is needed and Bill should have moved on. Some predicted it earlier. That's my bad for clinging onto hope.

Many done it with Moyes at the managerial level. They were made for each other in hindsight.

I don't want credit, but I expended a lot of money, emotion, time, effort and, on occasion, risk to my relationship with my good lady last season following us around the country. And a home game is as much effort as an away trip as an away game to me. Often more. No complaints, only fond memories that will continue.

But it backs up your points. We, the supporters, pulled them back from the cliff edge. And like you say, when most are saying the same thing, including the moderates, we can't all be wrong.

We want change. Change the culture. Even if we don't change the ownership, change the board, especially the Chairman.

Change it now.

I remember him being interviewed and trying to downplay his testy relationship with John Gregory: "When I told John we'd signed Ginola, he jumped for joy'.

Just as economical as Bill with the actualité.

I was always suspicious of someone who named a stand after himself whilst still alive though?

“Two tickets for the next home game please.”

“We've only got obstructed views in the Bill Kenwright Stand, I'm afraid.”

“That's okay, I'll take them.”

Action is being organised, a group of Evertonians have ordered a banner, more will be known next week, but up to now a group has been set up, enough is enough, they are organising a March at Goodison, before the season starts, and does not have an impact during a game.

Up to now it is pencilled in for Saturday 30th July, no time yet.

So if any other posters have had enough of our Chairman, lend your support to fellow Evertonians.

Once everything has been agreed, I will come back to this post, and give you an excact date and time of the fans gathering at Goodison.

If I could ask a favour of you, when you do have more, could you submit it as an article as this thread is already somewhat long in the tooth.

Thanks!

The deal shows me what a mess our club is in and most Evertonians will feel shame at being associated with this sponsor. Even those that don't care – the £10 million pound deal just isn't worth the bad and tacky publicity.

Look out for Enough is Enough.

In the meantime, banners – or should I say bedsheets – have gone up around Goodison to the effect of Kenwright and Moshiri to go.

Enough really is enough. Get these people out of our club, however uncomfortable it gets for them.

The thing is, there are people to protect, by not blabbing where the information came from. So those who decry that information... well, it's their choice. I believe implicitly, that what I've been told and repeated, is the case.

Whatever, look at where we are! Our football reputation has been going from bad to worse, to a massive joke, under the Chairmanship of Bill Kenwright.

There is no disputing the fact that Kenwright was helped in his takeover by Mr Gregg and his Missus. If I remember right, it was Mrs Gregg who funded Our Beloved Leader's share purchase.

We can go on and on with examples of Shifty Kecks's gob on the big screen, to his great big picture looking down on the masses from his speck on the wall in Goodison Road, and all the rest of the total playacting from this charlatan.

I wasn't going to mention the episode where he introduced (from some bloody country in the back of beyond) a True Blue Evertonian who heroically fought off Mr Gregg's bid to take over the club. As I remember, that money is still in the bank... (I think it was the Royal Bank of Toytown!)

Never mind the whole horrible years before Moshiri came. What about all the money that Mr Moshiri has poured into this club? What about the split in the crowd's loyalty when we got Rafa as our manager? What about the last bloody season, for the gods' sake?

Where was the guiding hand unifying the Board and the supporters at a time when a new, young manager was thrown into a maelstrom of angst during the last few months of the last awful season? Where were the words of wisdom from our beloved Chairman? Exhorting us all – supporters, players, with himself at the head – that we will fight every minute of every game to protect our history?

I must admit, I was brought to tears with his stirring words when we faced oblivion. Those words should be engraved proudly lit up in Blue on our new stadium, Churchillian in their call to arms... I'll never forget them, Ahh!

"Well, we've had some Good Times!"

[Apologies to Michael for the slip of the finger there.]