Moshiri backs Lampard and the Board in response to Fans' Forum

Moshiri has listed change in the boardroom and manager /coach level and states that he is content that he has people in place with the quality and expertise to improve the club.

Really???

Getting 6 points from our next two fixtures would be high on my agenda.

Sack Lampard and give us a fighting chance.

The board changes we had were because Usmanov's nephew had legal problems and because Brands was sacked. Neither of those two had clout.

He throws in the manager and DoF too, who may not be universally loved but are not the specific target of this protest.

I wonder if Moshiri wrote this at all or if it was David Prentice with Bill dictating?

It's kind of like responding to poll tax proposals by the Tories saying “we know you hate tax collectors” with no mention of Thatcher .

Yes, he is for real. I've read his response and, as you and others say, no mention whatsoever of Kenwright or Barrett-Baxendale.

Frank is safe for now, so where do we go from here?
I'm blowed if I know. We are a laughing stock, so now with this latest piece of non-information (if there is such a word) the circus has well and truly come to town!

The Fans' Forum is great window dressing but it's like Marks & Spencer allowing its customers to tell it what clothes it should stock, ie, the owner will carry on regardless because people who have reached their level think that they know far better than their customers.

Lip service will be paid but Moshiri will do what he wants when he wants.

Moshiri: "What do you think I should do?"

Kenwright & Co: "Issue a response, like the previous letters."

Moshiri: "What should go in it?"

[Kenwright & Co scan and email the above letter within 5 minutes…]

Moshiri: "That's okay… send it to the Fans' Forum as suggested, I had forgotten about them. How are they keeping?"

[Signing it Farhad looks authoritative.]

Kenwright & Co: "Fine, and so is everyone else, and will do! :-)"

Maybe it's been put out to see what kind of response is reported back from FAB after their meeting tonight?

Either that or we are so financially hamstrung, there's no money for compensation to make changes even if he wanted to. Also, by the sounds of it, it looks like Bill's ‘Chairman for Life' clause is watertight.

I wasn't expecting any different. Kenwright & Co know too much about the skeletons in the cupboard (Usmanov) and how we fudged the profit and loss Covid rules!!!!

I've been wanting Kenwright out of Everton for a very long time but, because he is the only person who represents real stability (wrong word), it's clear that Moshiri is backing his man. But for how long? He doesn't want Everton and, once the liar realizes that nobody believes him anymore, I think his stance will change pretty quickly.

I might be wrong, there is only one way to find out now, but this letter just confirms what we have known for a very long time and it proves that Bill Kenwright has always kept quite a lot of power inside the corridors of Goodison Park.

I think back to Kenwright's speech in front of the Kop at a memorial service for Hillsborough: "They picked on the wrong city, " he said. If he doesn't get out of Everton soon, he's going to take the full force of Evertonians and leave his already tainted legacy in tatters.

In other words, you lot are complicit so what are you moaning about? Ouch!

No ouch from me – just confirmation of why the fans want real change.

The most important issue at present is avoiding relegation and the prime focus should be on the league position and removing Lampard. Board protests should be at end of season.

If Lampard stays, we are going down. The fan groups are well meaning but utterly naive and it will have huge ramifications.

Moshiri never wrote that letter, Kenwright did. So nothing will change and Bill remains in charge. Even if we get relegated he will still be our Uncle Bill.

We are well and truly fucked, unless Jesus is a Blue, and won't allow Satan's hoards across the park to revel in our demise.

Well, to my absent landlord, you reap what you sow. And if that means relegation, and a clear-out of what has been bad, toxic and failing, so be it.

We won't make improvements until we've struck rock bottom.

He has probably told Everton's greatest salesman to get another smoke and mirror proposal together so he can dupe the next buyer.

Although he says he backs Thelwell and Lampard, where is the evidence?

Apparently we are refusing to sanction Pickford's contract and new recruits look as scarce as ever.

I recognise your point of view but, as explained previously, it's not universally shared; others have a different perspective.

Possibly this is why Moshiri doesn't see the same issue with Kenwright and chums… or he might simply think "Stuff 'em (the fans). Listening to them got me in this cack in the first place."

His little barb gives more than a hint that's how he sees it.

This unholy band of brothers don't give a damn about what the fans think. Moshiri is quite happy, apparently, in his Monte Carlo tax haven while Kenwright steers the ship onto the rocks.

We are cursed — and no-one will change my mind.

How did I know you would come on and blame the Fans' Forum, calling it an own-goal? Franks to blame as well, everyone but your little buddy, Uncle Bill.

I am all for difference of opinions but Jesus, Ian, how the hell can you still not see the damage the Chairman has done to our football club???

I just don't want the poisonous Kenwright at Everton FC anymore. This parasite has done a hatchet job on Everton good 'n proper, just to stay at the club. If he really cared about Everton, then he would care about what a reasonable majority of Evertonians think.

But No.

I am not a fan of Kenwright. The most important issue at the moment is moving up the Premier League table. Kenwright doesn't select the team – one isolated up front and a terrible formation.

Board protests at the end of the season. Focus on the pitch is a must.

Has he lit the blue touch paper, whilst confirming that Kenwright for whatever reason is untouchable? Or will people now think we are fighting a losing battle and stop the protests?

My own view is that nobody is untouchable and, if this ruins our club in the short term, it will ruin Bill Kenwright's legacy completely. I've said I think that Evertonians have gone a bit soft but I don't think this is the case when they get angry.

I think it's going to be very interesting to see how this half-baked, 6-week-late reply, is perceived...

If he wants to see the value of his investment decline further, he's going the right way about it. Relegation will cost him dearly.

But at least we've had some good times.

Bill's legacy. Write it on the back of a matchbox. The good bit.

Very dangerous of Moshiri who has basically put two fingers up to the fans; I hope it doesn't turn ugly.

Talk about mis-reading a room – is there no-one who perused that letter and said "Are you sure, Farhad?!?!"

Crazy deluded club.

It doesn't mean I'm right, but it will take a lot to convince me I'm wrong.

You read ToffeeWeb, don't you? So you must see quite a few fans want Frank gone. If you haven't read those posts, start a thread wanting Frank out.

He has, in effect put himself in the firing line. It could be that he has listened to Kenwright and been fooled again.

So he pins his colours to his mast. Nothing to see here! In that case, I wonder what all the fuss is about?

Now I expect more people to point the finger at the absent one. Which probably suits Bill down to the ground.

Seriously, this is a perfect example of someone totally out of touch with the reality of the situation.

What if we lose on Saturday – and the obvious answer will be to go and get a new manager? Will he stick to his Strategic Review and stick with Frank?

You couldn't make this shit up.

Tthere will be serious protests at Goodison Park if we lose to Southampton.

Moshiri has responded to the fan protests which do not criticise Lampard.

Opposing fans are laughing and saying they are looking forward to Lampard relegating Everton.

Could you imagine any club in the Premier League or the Championship that would want him as their manager? He's probably hoping for the sack so that he can say he kept us up and then was sacked by a dysfunctional club; he'll get a payoff and move back to London with his reputation not completely destroyed.

I spent about an hour constructing a question to hand in or ask at the Spellow Lane meeting tonight.

There seems no point in going, because Moshiri's just answered it!

Sorry, it's a bit long-winded and maybe faffy grammar, but I was trying to shovel down a bowl of very nice "stick to your ribs" pea wack at the same time.

Here goes:

The club must be aware that there is a great deal of disappointment, disillusion and anger among many supporters of our club.

There has been a steady decline in the club's stature and the team's performances over the past quarter of a century.

The anger among many supporters has been steadily increasing during the past 7 years considering the £500 million that our major shareholder has pumped into the club, most of it spent on players and managers, and many millions more on the new Everton Stadium down at Bramley-Moore Dock.

Rather than see us challenging for European places, the club has been slipping down to the lower echelons of the Premier League and has been fighting relegation, which we escaped with one game to go last season, and it is on the cards that we will be lucky not to be fighting relegation this season also. It has employed a number of managers, staff, and directors of football without any notable success.

There are many thousands of supporters who are not satisfied at all with the current direction that our current Board are taking the club, notably towards becoming regular candidates for relegation.

There are increasing numbers of our supporters who want to see the replacement of senior members of the board, and are willing to demonstrate their antipathy, especially to the Chairman, who has been in the role for a quarter of a century, with no discernable change in the club's fortunes – except downwards.

The Chairman once expressed a wish that he would like to retire at 70 and he is now in his late 70s. Then there is the Chief Executive Officer who expressed a desire to change her employment. There are thousands who whole-heartedly support her in her wish.

What the supporters wish to know is:

A) Have the Board considered any succession planning for the roles of Chairman and CEO?

B) What measures do the Board intend to take to remedy the perilous situation the club is in?

C) Will the club provide a stepped strategy to ensure we have a team capable of meeting the expectations of the club, and its supporters, for when we take up residence in our new home at Bramley-Moore Dock?

Well… that was it, and he must have been looking over my shoulder! I didn't see any point in wasting the meeting's time, seeing as we've already got our answer.

I hope that the supporters are even more determined now to show our support to the team, and the displeasure and criticism on Saturday at the performance of this Board and its Chairman.

1. The league position was only a footnote. That could be inferred to be saying that the organisation is performing from his perspective with just that exception.

2. No comment on further investment on the playing staff front. This would have been the perfect time to placate fans by stating that it will happen.

Buckle up, everyone. It's going to be a rough ride.

He's merely returning serve at this early stage. Enough people protest vociferously enough on Saturday and Moshiri will start to give the fans' demands serious consideration.

Numbing and whilst this transfer window is open, there's hope of getting some players – strikers, attacking midfielder – in; the root cause of the stagnation and decline of Everton on the football side continues.

The new Everton Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock will be the best stadium in the country when completed, and surely the Board must take accountability for 30 years of quality tripe on the park, bar a couple of decent seasons, but no trophies.

It's not pitiful any more living on a hope and increasingly forlorn prayers, year on year, and if only the Board – the people who make Everton strategy – had an ounce of the passion and care Everton fans have for EFC.

Well let's hope Southampton get softened up by Man City in a few minutes.

Hope eternal.

To me, this rings of an owner who believes the fans are a cause for the downfall of this club; it speaks of an owner who holds the fans in contempt.

I would guess that this is also the general feeling of the board; they think "We can't satify them, they'll always complain."

The board has to go, starting with Bill Kenwright. But Moshiri really needs to put the club up for sale, he has no business being the owner of Everton Football Club.

"Bill stays, Little Miss Dynamite stays, Frank and Kevin stay, and I stay... away from the ground that is.

"I should never have sacked Rafa. Bastards. See you next year maybe."

The fuckwit's behaviour is akin to a Victorian industrial owner:
"Fuck these, they ought to count themselves lucky we let them in!"

If this doesn't stop you going to that ground — then nothing will!!!

Just stop going and the whole lot will come tumbling down around that abhorrent lot's ears in a matter of weeks.

What a complete wanker.

That's not to say he won't be asking questions in private.

Having said that, I doubt he will.

Rich, influential people don't listen to the great unwashed, and that's basically how we're viewed.

Loyal, passionate, sometimes loud, working-class oiks.

I made the same remark about Lampard on another thread this morning. I think it is important that we don't protest about the manager this week because of the importance of the result against Southampton on Saturday; it doesn't mean Frank is wanted by most Everton fans.

The protest is about the Board now and is just the start hopefully and will continue throughout the rest of the season. Whether it is successful is doubtful but, if we don't try, then we have no chance of getting rid of people who are no help to Everton FC – only to themselves.

And to be honest, he wouldn't be completely unjustified in thinking that.

We all talk about how much we spent to effectively move down the table, but I wonder where we would have been without Farhad's millions? It would have been similar leadership buying on a lower budget. We may well have been already down and staring at Goodison wondering what to do on the stadium front.

Food for thought.

He's stating that "I'm the owner... my people are in place, and I have faith in them."

Doesn't matter whether you like it or not, he's the owner, he sees it as a business, not a hobby or an exercise in pleasing fans.

I'm not in any way saying I agree with him... quite the opposite. But...'it is what it is'.

He's been honest and upfront.

If, however, we achieve the required results in the next few weeks, they may have a stay of execution. But, given we were thrashed twice by Bournemouth and by Brighton at home, and with Southampton on the horizon, a loss to them at home must surely bring about change.

Anyone who had any doubts as to joining the protest or not, has surely had their minds changed tonight. How anyone can put faith in Kenwright and Barrett-Baxendale is beyond me.

I guess it will be poor old L'il Miss Dynamite taking all the flak on Saturday if, as expected, Bill cries off due to ill-health, and Moshiri is sitting on his yacht somewhere out in the Mediterranean. Sharpie might also come in for a bit of stick as well, seeing as he seems to do naff all, except to answer to Bill “Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full, sir.”

As one or two have already alluded to, I also believe that open letter has probably been penned by Kenwright or Barrett-Baxendale, and as Brendan @40 says, the ball is now back in the fans' court, which will be eagerly awaited by Moshiri and the board.

That response will be returned around 17:00 hours on Saturday, after 3 points have been bagged of course.

Seriously, when it is time to make change, we will be the last to know.

I think we may want a public reply of, "Yes, I agree that xxxx has failed and he's going to be the first to walk the plank", but that's never likely.

The only chance of getting rid of Kenwright and Denise Barrett-Baxendale is continued protest at every opportunity for both to consider their positions for the good of the club. That's what I think anyway.

Regarding the vote of confidence in Lampard, let's see if that's still the case if Southampton beat us on Saturday.

Moshiri would have done something significant with the board a while ago if he was unhappy.

He's appearing decisive by backing Lampard. I hope this doesn't get tested in the next two games. Either way, he's given Lampard clarity and the pressure that goes with it in one step.

He's never said anything in public that reassures me; he's not likely to start now. I'd be very disappointed in any fans group that expects anything that does.

Other than the stadium, he's done nothing that reassures me either. Why people expect or demand anything else is beyond me after all this time.

He's crossing his fingers till he gets a buyer. Will he only get buyers that insist on installing their own board? That'll be his real test.

I live in the Highlands. I have no idea what's actually happening at the club or Finch Farm. The league position, finances and transfer straight jacket tell me the club is badly run. I'm not going to sit up here and tell the loyal, dedicated matchgoers how to support our team.

The sooner there is a change in ownership, the better.

I might be wrong, more often than not probably, but I thought ‘this letter has Kenwright's paws on it' and if it doesn't, then you can see why The Saviour waited so long for investment.

Once a conman gets found out, he's got no option but to disappear. I think the end is nigh for our Chairman because I believe he's finally been found out. 🤞

Blame the fans? How can the fans be to blame? That mystifies me if that's been said.

Opposition fans laughing at us? I'm guessing that must be jibes from local Kopites. I put a few straight and shut them up on Monday who I had the displeasure to meet.

On Friday, as I have said, I met with a Manchester United mate who I've known for years deep in Deansgate United territory. As a sole Evertonian, they weren't laughing at me. Intrigued. Concerned even, but not laughing. I regularly talk to Chelsea and Brentford fans. Similar sentiment.

I don't think anyone is questioning the performance of the manager or the results. They both speak for themselves and should rightly be called out.

Sack another manager by all means if you think that's what will solve 36 years of decline. Personally, I think the problem needs addressing elsewhere for longer term progression of this club. Frank Lampard has been here less than 12 months. Bill Kenwright has been on the board since 1989.

Moshiri seems to have lost interest. He's not been to a game for 14 months and quotes his two previous open letters as his main response to the Fans' Forum.

Bill Kenwright is behind this and has obviously asked for some back-up from the owner. Trying to lay the blame at the feet of the fans – what the fuck is that all about?

Get behind the team on Saturday and then let these incompetent amateurs know once and for all Enough is Enough and show them the exit.

Frank will be allowed to carry on with his disgraceful 'joke' football to the end of the season. With little or no financial backing.

So be it, the protests will be long and bitter… let's pray they are peaceful.

Give as much stick to Billy Bullshitter and the board of sycophants as possible on Saturday. It starts here, not ends here.

Up the Toffees... Fuck the Board!

ps: Our opponents on Saturday are 2 up against Man City. Wow….

Meanwhile, Southampton are beating Man City 2-0.

The board appointed the manager we insisted upon. The board have backed him to bring in Alli, Van de Beek, McNeil, Onana, Garner, Coady, Tarkowski, Gana and Vinagre. The board secured record sponsorship deals in the wake of the USM exit. The board are building a top quality new stadium on the docks.

The board are not the immediate problem. The immediate problem is very much on the field. We need a significant turn around in fortunes when it comes to results if we're to stay up.

Our focus should have been on demanding a change in manager and investment in the squad. In all likelihood, it's too late now.

Wolves, Leeds, and Villa have improved too.

Comical Ali tells us all is okay though.

Or was it, as many suspect, put together by the Maggot and Miss Dynamite?

He signed off on shit manager after shit manager. He also financed those shit managers to buy shit players, and he has the fucking cheek to put two fingers up to us.

Anyway, we all know that snidey blubber chops is right behind him laughing at us while giving the fingers. Fuck off, Moshiri, fuck off, Kenwright, and fuck off, Frank, and fuck off yer wan, Ms Dynamite.

Basket-case of a club.

If we get relegated, our wage bill will be about four times higher than anyone else, cos we won't be able to sell anyone cos no-one will take on the fat contracts.

So we will be fined from here to Australia, with associated points deductions, and we will be obligated to sell anything of value for the next 10 years as soon as it becomes of interest to another club.

Basically, we don't just drop down the league, we drop down the leagues. That's if we stay in business.

And do we really want a war of attrition with Moshiri? At the moment, he is (to my astonishment) building a big fuck off stadium by the docks. What if he thinks, "Bugger this, stuff the lot, sell the lot"?

How about we don't protest any of this, we get behind the team, push for Lampard to be replaced, and after we've escaped relegation... then raise these matters in the Summer???

Everton are 12th in the league for net spend over the last five seasons, so it's got to have been the ridiculous wages that have got the club in trouble with the Profitability and Sustainability rules?

The club has been mismanaged from top to bottom for years; unless there is changes at the top, my own opinion is that we will be fighting relegation until we eventually fall through the trap door.

I image Professor Thingy crafted the missive with them all praying for a good result on Saturday to provide some breathing space. We all know that it is results that matter as all previous protests against the Board have been drowned out by a win or two.

But, win or lose, Bill will still be there come May – relegation or not!

We need to get rid of them, and install proper mangers who are accountable for performance on and off the pitch. I don't want an attritional war with Moshiri, it's with Kenwright who has treated us all like complete idiots for years, and ruined Everton Football Club.

Lampard, Richarlison, Pickford etc were all inspired and carried over the line to safety – by the fans. This was despite the way the club has been run.

The fans wanted Lampard, and maybe it was the best decision at that time… we stayed up! Mr Moshiri, you have to listen to the fanbase, they live, breathe and feel the club in their blood, bones and brains.

Listen to what they are telling you, it is a collective intelligence that you should harness and use for the good of Everton.

The chairman has to go, he has become a symbol for all that is wrong at Everton. Regressive amateurism, and even worse than that, a total absence of hope.

Every single Evertonian wanted Frank to stabilise the club and take us forwards. If ultimately results show that he cannot achieve that, then don't bury your head in the sand. Do something about it before it's too late. Better to try and change things and fail, than not to try at all.

This is something that Everton Football Club have inexplicably been allowed to become over many, many years, and only one alleged Evertonian claims to have had some good times.

The only good thing about Everton Football Club right now is the fantastic stadium that is taking shape on the waterfront. How much input have the Chairman or the CEO put into this project?

Dan Meis, a leading architect, said most of his ideas came from Bill!

Much like when a protest was held at the Arsenal match under Benitez, it's as though a large section of the fanbase has not grasped the severity of the situation. That night we were complaining about a lack of silverware when we were clearly sliding toward the trap door.

It's his money and effectively his club (financially) and the point made earlier that he stopped listening to fans with the Benitez appointment seems absolutely bang-on.

Protest away… but don't expect any meaningful changes.

Well… Moshiri believes it anyway.

What Moshiri's statement has, once and for all, clarified is that he is as guilty as the others, if not moreso. He believes he has the executive personnel that he wants, he believes they have the correct skillset to do as he asks, and neither he nor the board see any issues that a few positive results on the pitch won't fix.

The facts seem to indicate that there is no quick fix, a squad that is weaker now than it was last season, and one which has steadily weakened over most of Moshiri's tenure. There is no sign as yet that this current squad will be strengthened in this window – at least not in a way that would see us surging up the table.

Everton's immediate and long-term future rests squarely on the shoulders of Frank Lampard and his squad and he'll have to do it without the help of the board, and perhaps with a lot less help from the supporters, seeing as many appear to have less faith in him than they did this time last year.

If the worst happens and we fail to win either of the 'six-pointers' in the coming weeks, Moshiri will likely call time on Frank... and then what? Appoint who? Who would come?

Nothing to worry about really, we are in safe hands aren't we?

I think they kidded Benitez because he got the job but got very little to spend, and I still can't fathom out why? (I'm very repetitive, I know.)

Whether we should all take the view 'What else would you expect him to say?' is open to debate, Moshiri, it would seem, on the face of it, is oblivious to the health of the football club and his £millions of investment; and has blind faith in those he has kept in charge since arriving at the club.

There's no fool like an old fool. We have two fools running the club. At least.

Has Moshiri figured that into his plan to attract a stadium sponsor?

Not to mention charging £1000 for a season ticket so people can watch us play Rochdale?

There's been some very funny one-liners in this thread, so all is not lost just yet!

You don't!

Yes, the board are a disaster, and I fully understand why people want to protest, but I can only think about the current campaign just now. Whatever share of the blame the board take for this campaign, surviving relegation is mainly dependent on the manager/coaching staff and players.

I often disagree with Ian about always needing to play attacking football (given the players we have), but I do share the frustration with Lampard's tactical naivety and poor in-game management. Surely this Saturday is his last chance?

Southampton looked difficult to score against tonight... so God alone knows how we'll get anything out of the weekend's game. Feeling utterly fed up just now, but I will no doubt be in fighting mood again by Saturday.

"We regularly review our performance and initiate change where we feel that the club falls short of standard. This has meant that we have seen turnover in managers, Directors of Football and several board members..."

The implication being that not only those managers and/ DoFs but also board members needed replacing. But only some board members. Who are the board members to have "gone", and guilty of what? That the other board members were not guilty of?

"...but always as we have striven to achieve success. Whilst, in virtually every instance, change has been supported and encouraged by fans, stability must be the key to progression."

And have fans seen the changes they've encouraged, at board level?

"I am confident that we have skilled, experienced and focused professionals at all levels of the Club."

I think this was a poor translation from Farsi and should have read:

"I am confident we have killed the experience and focus of professionals at all levels of the club."

The timing of the letter from Moshiri is very odd; if we don't get a result against Southampton, he's going to look a little silly when he sacks Lampard. If he doesn't and we also don't get a result against West Ham, he'll have no choice and any new manager is coming in with virtually no time to sign anyone and with a game against the league leaders to kick-off.

The club is not going to sign anyone until it's certain Lampard will be the manager once the window closes, so my guess is the Southampton game will be the decider – I just hope we either win or lose, no draw. If we win, it'll save Lampard but I'm not sure it'll save the club from the drop.

Then again the club's been a basket case for a number of years now – it's a miracle we haven't gone down yet. We've always had the luck of at least three clubs being worse.

Prices have been low historically but, with pillars blocking views not to mention the upper tier overhang, it would have been a bloody cheek to charge much more.

You can not be serious!

That is a daunting task as I see things. If we fall short, then we will probably get a new manager, but whoever he is will have a mountain to climb.

As things stand, I would take the 6 points.

There's still a long way to go but I think it'll get worse before it gets better.

There is certainly no great work going on at the Old Lady because, at the end of the day, that's what really matters.

We're 11 days in and still not a sniff of a signing, loan or otherwise. Yes, there's been players linked but that happens every day of the year. It'll be the usual last-day scramble and we'll end up with that Elanga from Man Utd, wow can't wait.

I also got told today from a good source: win, lose or draw on Saturday Frank is history and Dyche is being brought in as interim manager. I don't believe a fucking word of it myself. I think it would have been done already – or at least after Brighton.

Danny Bailly & Ian Edwards, you both have the same agenda: sack Frank, don't give a shit about the bigger picture. Kenwright has been toxic and has ruined this club.

Ian, who do you want as manager? You were totally against Ancelotti, one of the most successful managers ever? Danny who do you want as manager? Total negativity.

I think Everton Directors must be the most inexperienced Board (in terms of business acumen) in the whole of the Premier League.

It really is, despite what some say, all linked. Even someone as utterly self-absorbed as Kenwright will tire of relentless humiliation.

Ian Edwards, I get your point; however, it seems to me that fighting relegation and skewering Kenwright can both be done on Saturday.

How he became rich astonishes me, given that he's never managed to do a single thing right in all the time he's owned the club.

Leaving that useless fuck Lampard in charge almost ensures our relegation. We are useless in the dugout, gutless on the pitch, and brainless at board level.

But at least we'll have a nice stadium in 2024 in our second season in the Championship.

I apologise, by the way: this is pure negativity.

But I am stunned and infuriated at our sheer stupidity, from board level down. How can Moshiri possibly think Frank Lampard is up to the task, let alone exonerate a board that have presided over the utter immolation of our club?

He must be seriously worried about his investment and the very real threat of relegation and what that means to him personally. He must also realise that keeping Lampard is a massive risk but he's effectively having one last roll of the dice. There is no realistic way that Frank can lose on Saturday and survive.

I'm just keen to see us pull some levers that will have the desired effect on results this season and potentially keep us up.

A board reshuffle and another Strategic Review won't be of much help when we're in the Championship.

"We have reached a point in time where just about all the supporters posting, media in general, ex-players in particular, pundits, Uncle Tom Cobley and all, have looked at the players we have, the situation we are in and the prospects for a relegation fight would not appear good.

Kenwright will be wondering what to do… sack the manager and try to redirect blame? Back the manager and buy 3 or more players?

A rock and a hard place because getting rid of Lampard and his backroom staff is likely to be very expensive, impacting on time for any new manager in this transfer window and money of bringing someone new in. There is no doubt we need better quality than what we have to get out of this mess.

If another manager comes in and it still goes pear-shaped and we get relegated, Kenwright and Co are finished and the club's ongoing prospects are stuffed.

One assumes, Simon, that another manager will get a tune out of what he inherits – good luck with that. Barring our keeper, who may yet be sold, we have sold or got rid of all the top-quality players we had, which wasn't much but Richarlison, Sigurdsson, James, Digne and replaced them with Gordon, Gana, Patterson (injured), Maupay, McNeil.

Put simply the aquarium we had prior to Benetiz was struggling, but after he was shown the door, we are left with wannabes and, in the words of Roy Keane, some really bad, bad players.

That's the task Lampard has and he is struggling to get anything resembling a tune from what's left. We have fallen that far.

If the board were sacked tomorrow, it would be a massive psychological step for the club, for fans and the manager. It's unlikely to make everyone happy, I would say a 20% chance?

To sack Lampard would be seen as incompetence of the board – yet another manager... a laughing stock of a club – it would leave the team in a bad place, never mind who you would think would or could get a tune playing long enough for survival.

No, Lampard isn't the best, but neither are the players; nearly half-way through the transfer window and nothing from our chief negotiator. That's not the manager's fault.

Normally, Lampard would not have expected to survive this run, but things aren't normal. It's the board's fault that the resources aren't there; it's both the board's and Lampard's fault that we cannot get the players we have performing.

The board caused the mess Lampard is trying unsuccessfully to put right; we can't lose a board and a manager, I doubt we would win again all season. Lose a board and keep the manager? The best of bad options but he has the fans' support – that is vital in the scheme of things.

Most likely scenario? Nothing will happen. Neither will go. 3 players brought in and we struggle to stay up... only then would Lampard go.

Remember though that Moshiri needs survival to guarantee investment or a sale price. When it got scary, big Sam was called in. That's the big unknown, Moshiri has all the cards...

The final two paragraphs for me explains the gamble, and it is a high-risk, high-stakes gamble for him. Failure and relegation will cripple his investment and the club for years to come.

I think a sale is closer than we think, hence the statement and backing of all parties. Ride the storm...

Not at all surprised. Just saddened; what's left for the fans? Remember a couple of months back Michael put up a thread regarding who do you support? It was on the back of my comments regarding the fact in my eyes I support the team and manager, but not the board or running of the club. I hope you can all see now why I have held that view for so long.

What now?

Our only recourse is to back the team and manager, whether or not you have confidence, because failure to do so will transfer the dissatisfaction to the team, making relegation a certainty. For now, a clear delineation between the matches and board protests needs to be stark: support the team but don't let the board and owner off the hook.

End game? How much do we love Everton? Unpalatable choices doesn't nean we embrace them but if we don't and turn the anger on the team, we are finished in the top flight.

Kenwright will be gone when Moshiri sells. That or he will resign for health reasons when relegation looks inevitable.

The board and owner deserve every last bit of criticism now. Moshiri had the chance to change it, it remains to be seen if his gamble of selling pays off.

Backing the board and all his staff is snubbing all the fears of fans, dismissing their concerns as irrelevant, confirming the FAB meetings as nothing but a window dressing. It's a total misjudgement of the fans' perspective, or a total dismissal of their relevance in what he is trying to achieve.

The fans, and the team, are on our own. The survival of the club in the Premier League now is in the hands of the fans and support of the players. If we fail to support them and we go down, we will be seen as complicit in the blame. If we support them, the owner takes the kudos and his investment is secured; an owner will be found. We are mere pawns in his chess game.

But, and no mistake, it's not forgotten. For if and when fear from relegation has gone, or if relegation is inevitable, protest like no other seen at our club will swamp the boardroom. The gamble will have failed.

On Saturday, it's imperative we focus on supporting the team and manager to win. But, as soon as the relief has subsided, the protest against this board and owner must to hammered home. We are on our own.

Fair play to Southampton who battled, but were very much on the back foot in the second half, albeit without looking like conceding.

It's the old saying, start your strongest team and get the game won, then make substitutions.

I would be hauling Kenwright and Barrett-Baxendale over the coals and asking why has all my money been pissed against the wall on shit players.

I hate what Everton have been allowed to become, especially because Bill Kenwright could never represent anything I've ever stood for, except for what he did for the little kid from Sunderland called Bradley Lowery and his family, which was a magnificent and heartwarming gesture.

I suppose it is better to have this situation now, with time to do something about it. The protest is critical to pressure being applied to have any chance of recovery.

I hope to fuck we can end it on Saturday, but honest to God, I am already a wreck.

Where are the frigging signings? I don't care if we have no money. Southampton have just signed a 20-year-old creative midfielder from Argentina, where are our hidden gems costing buttons from South America or wherever?!

Our opponents at the weekend have now won two in a row and are finding form and signing players – Alcaraz and Orsic – to improve their first team.

11 days into a crucial transfer window and Everton, in dire straits in attack, as usual have diddly effing squat, apart from one terminated contract, a sale to Ipswich and a recall of a kid who isn't ready and who will play about 90 minutes in total between now and the end of the season.

It is, of course, Everton to a tee that our next opponents in a crucial home game, who haven't been able to buy a win all season, are suddenly riding the crest of a wave at the worst possible time.

We will start fast on Saturday, we always do, but we never score in those opening minutes and then fade rapidly to shite. If we don't find a way to the onion bag in the first 20 minutes on Saturday, the same thing will happen again and we will lose. God only knows what happens then...

I nominate the lunatics have taken over the asylum.

What I will say is Bill's Chairmanship is on a par with Lee Marvin's singing career.

In the second half, they looked good but Southampton were tight. Southampton looked like a team fighting for their manager.

Like a well organised team with a plan. Like a team we'll struggle to beat. The influence of our fans is our best hope again.

That to me clicked that something wasn't right with him.

After Southampton beating City tonight, it's going to be a lot tougher on Saturday, and they've also signed a couple of players, while we're probably trying to negotiate deals on loan, no money upfront.

We had the same scenario last summer, after losing our best forward Richarlison. Lampard, hands tied behind his back, not being able to sign players in a straight cash deal, meant the players available were mediocre.

Frank Lampard and the team may not be good enough but right now they pale into insignificance with the damage this useless chairman and board are doing.

In essence... we don't need Everton in our life; if Everton ceased to exist we would go about our lives.

In essence... Everton need us; if we stopped going the game, Everton would cease to exist.

Leaving protests against the board to the end of the season would be a huge mistake – like the ones we have been making for the last 30 years or so.

I think you have said all that we have to do; if we want any chance of contributing to the survival of the club in the Premier League, then we have to forget about the Board until the end of the match.

It is up to us to give the team all the backing we can. The Board might or might not get a couple of players in. We can't affect that. We aren't a good side. But basically, we have to make ourselves the side's allies against all-comers... or else!

I still think Kenwright will try to stay on and I can see him as a party to maintain his position in any takeover, along with Moshiri. In other words, they are looking for another investor.

Frank will be gone earlier than expected if Everton are not out of the Bottom 3 in February. The fans via NSNOW are early out of the blocks regarding supporting the team to avoid relegation. They might just do that and hopefully at the same can keep the pressure on Moshiri and the Board.

I think this is going to be a protracted struggle, going on for many months.

If we lose on Saturday, there will be changes made.

Kenwright the Teutonic? Pretty sure most Everton players and fans are partially Teutonic. Even out there in Russia, there's a better than average shot your ancestors had a little bit of Teuton.

Now don't get me wrong… I'm not saying you're related to Kenwright, lol!

If it happens soon enough, I reckon Everton will be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st Century and it will be a total game-changer for us – although obviously nothing guaranteed. Just gives us a chance to be relevant for a change.

I'm not suggesting they committed the same types of crimes but I'm watching this show on Jimmy Saville and it reminds me a lot of Kenwright.

All these people coming out saying he's no good but the powers that be and media and establishment just portraying him as a saint and dismissing any critic as some kind of looney malcontent. Then, when he died, suddenly everyone is like “Oh, we misjudged him…”

Very good point you make there about the historical discrepancies where the guilty have enjoyed some sort of immunity, whether diplomatic or not. Or have projected an image that is totally disparate from the actual truth, and been seen to get away with it, until the brown stuff eventually hits the fan, usually far too late.

I am not talking just about football either, as being the focal point, although in our case it is.

On one hand, a boost in confidence for Southampton.

On the other, they played a cup final, expended a lot of energy for a manager under pressure, and will revert to type on Saturday.

The empty seats for a quarter-final spoke volumes. I don't know what the attendance was, but it was quite stark watching on the television.

Good wishes to them and Forest in this competition.

More importantly, beat Southampton and West Ham and we have a very different-looking season. Very important fortnight coming up.

You're talking about what frame of mind Southampton turn up with on Saturday; I'm talking about Everton's frame of mind.

As soon as the Southampton players feel those weak clammy handshakes of our players before the game, they'll be thinking "These don't fancy this!"

If Southampton score first, I fear for us.

The biggest cretin in football.

No more words needed.

Run. Run hard, run very hard. Fight. Fight hard, fight very hard. Remain disciplined, play for your team, battle, fight, run, and remain calm.

It's your work, they say – and you do it for pay, so fuck the opposition and just make sure you do the right things. Football really is the simplest game in the world! If only.

Oh, did I mention the new ground happening because of me so? Leave the CEO and the Chairman alone to amble on for the next 5 years.

We can beat them, just as we did at St Mary's earlier this season.

Harsh, Jim. He's been naive and not shown leadership. Good intent, but weak leadership. There are more in the game worthy of the title 'cretin'.

Imagine it –you'd have to have the brains of a rocking horse if you don't think something like this wouldn't agitate an already exasperated crowd.

The man is an absolute charlatan, a fraud, a parasite sucking the life out of Everton Football Club and fleecing its fans for his own vanity.

They won't allow anything in – usual stuff will be checked and go in before the game – and the Plod will be on the lookout for stuff outside to confiscate. Just remember to tell to politely fuck off and you have the right to (non-violent) protest. Don't give in to the regime.

If they are instructed and attempt to enforce a banner removal at Goodison, it could very well antagonise an issue and make it worse.

Genuinely, that could cause serious issues. The fan response to that would be to prevent it and possibly cause ugly scenes. Then that would be on international media, which would generate much more bad publicity for the club than fans putting up protest banners before and after getting behind the team.

Which we will. But it's our club and we have a voice.

We need to support the team and not boo them. Booing makes them nervous. We need to try and turn this around. We can protest all we like but, right now, we need to support the team perhaps more than ever.

We need to galvanise like the end of last season. You can't sell if there is no appropriate buyer. Survival is paramount. We can win on Saturday.

We have a voice, and we will not be censored, silenced or downtrodden by this failing autocracy any more.

In every situation like this, you have to wonder what thhe powers that be are scared of ….? Why can't they simply talk to people who are upset and concerned, thus pacifying them? Because they have an agenda, they know the truth and they don't want it getting out and splashed all over the media.

A good Board of Directors, one that actually cared about the football club and the community – here we have the EitC smokescreen – would do everything in its power to make it better, whereas Everton just have maintained the status quo at all costs, irrespective, and fuck the fans who are really nothing more than paying customers.

Let's get the club back.

I fully understand them going quiet if nothing is coming back from the field of play by either entertainment or goals. I am not in favour of booing, but can totally understand the frustration there too.

Remember also that most fans have spent a fair portion of their income to watch and support, they are not on megabucks, so should in my estimation be entitled to get the maximum effort in return.

I have said many a time, and I think I speak for the majority of Evertonians, we can reluctantly accept defeat if they have given 100% and been beaten by a better side on the day.

We can take defeat if we see the effort and commitment.

At least Everton can concentrate on the job in hand in what is already a very crowded fixture list for the rest of the season.
Clutching at straws maybe, but there's not much else to hang on to at the moment.

The Owner
He is a problem and the only solution that I can see is a sale of his interests. He must be identified in the protests as being a problem. If he won't bring about the necessary changes, then he needs to move on.

The Chairman and Board of Directors
Their record is there for all to see, they should be replaced but unfortunately only the owner will bring about such a scenario. The protests must continue until there is a change.

The Manager
It's a results-based business and, if results don't improve over the next two games, he needs to be replaced as he will have been in situ for a year at that stage and results will resemble those of Rafa in the lead-up to his departure.

I am hoping that we can secure two wins in the 6-pointers against Southampton and West Ham.

The Team
It must be supported from the first kick to the last in the weeks ahead. When the final whistle blows, we are entitled to our views as to the merits of the performance; where it has not been up to standard, then it needs to be called out.

No, the only real chance we have is to replace this shite manager, sign some forwards and fight like hell for survival. That's not going to happen and I'm totally disgusted with Everton. What a bunch of cowards we have running our club.

I do get a sense of what do you lot want, I have pumped in over £500 million on players, I am building a new stadium, and I even went against my preference over the last manager and sided with the fans who by and large wanted Lampard. And to be fair there is a bit of me that can sympathize with those feelings. He and Usmanov have pumped huge sums into the club, but apart from Ancelotti their ability to select a decent manager has been their downfall.

My main criticism is that he gave an inexperienced manager in Koeman in excess of £200 million, even the much richer Saudis haven't done that at Newcastle. They have given Howe some money to spend and are seeing if he is to be trusted to be allowed some more in the coming windows, and that should have how Moshiri should have done it. I also think he may have listened to much to his fellow Iranian Kia on players, again the only vested interest he had was making money for himself and his clients, and not worrying about Everton.

With him giving his backing to both Lampard and Thelwell, he will look silly if he has to sack one or both in the coming weeks if there isn't an upturn in results.

I watched the clip a few days back of the police and fans escalating at Old Trafford.

What left me open-mouthed and a Wow! moment was the police in the baseball caps, the first one lost his, but the second one and the sheer speed it was whipped off his head and hid by a fan. I had to click back three times, before I could see who had removed it, never seen anything hid as quick as that, well worth a watch.

Those with banners will be aware of a snide search and remove, you can rest assured those fans will have the banners well hid on Saturday.

I also expect that the stewards will be in quicker after full time, trying to get fans to leave the stadium.

We were hearing that he was uncontactable and all of a sudden, when all this Fan's Revolt (long overdue, btw) is kicking in, he just happens to produce this.

Excuse my scepticism but this has all the hallmarks of that grubby maggot, Kenwright.

So if he listened to the fans over Managers, why is he not listening to them over the board.

So there you go Derek, it’s not the board, it’s you and me and the rest of the fan bases fault.