Everton's directors think it's okay to show up at Anfield

As for their collective ineptness in failing to bring in any new players in the January window, well that's probably consigned the club to years in the Championship wilderness, because, whether we remain in the Premier League or get relegated this season or next, the issues facing this squad are beyond repair - unless and until a new owner and board arrives.

The board couldn't even put aside their own self interest to meet potential new investors (MSP at Southampton game) or attend Dyche's first game.

Good riddance, hopefully Bill and his cronies continue wallowing in their self pity and keep away from Goodison.

Do you think relegation would mean Bill going?

I think him leaving is more likely if we stay up and the Yanks come on board (and on the board).

He doesn't have an once of humility, and say "I've been with the club for 30 years, time for me to hand over the baton."

The man makes Peter Swailes look competent. How can someone be at the football club for so bloody long? The only ones that should be are us long-suffering fans.

I don't believe for one minute he would deep down want Everton relegated. He will be there next week like the other 37000 of us.

We support the team just as we did in Lucifers Den last night with certain sections of our support having things thrown at them from above.

But we want and need change at the right level. Not just keep sacrificing manager after manager to protect the privileged. Get to the root cause of the problem that has overseen steady decline since we last won the league.

Leadership. Or lack of it. It starts at the top.

Actions speak louder than words, which is just as well, because there are no nice words for the Everton board turning up at Anfield, whilst claiming that it's to dangerous for them to go to Goodison Park. Complete and utter frauds, identifiable by their disgraceful disdain, and self-importance.

He and his cronies have suggested that Denise Barrett-Baxendale was put in a headlock and their lives have been threatened by the entire fan base which is scandalous.

If there was a credible "death threat" he would not have been allowed near Anfield last night.

He needs to come out and address the fans or Sharp does. We need an open letter apologising for his massive dramatic over-reaction to a minor incident but he won't do that because, like Larry Olivier before him, he loves a good drama does our Bill.

He is a shit of the highest order and poisons our club.

Barrett-Baxendale has overseen the decline of our squad, loss of financial stability, and now our Premier League status hangs in the balance, again, on her watch.

If it's all Moshiri's doing, then isn't that even more reason to resign and state why we are failing on all fronts? I wouldn't stay in a job where I'm taking the flak for others' mistakes, which points to her being complicit.

They can point to the stadium all they want. The stadium is Moshiri's doing. Bill had years to do it and never had a hope. The club never had the money, it's Moshiri's… he bought the land, he's funding it (up to now) – these two just want to take credit for it!

Probably leave showing their face until the last home game once we're safe.

I loved Graham Sharp the player. He had so many good qualities. Great in the air. Brave. He could hold it up, he could finish. When I think of his goal at Anfield, the one at Villa Park in the semi-final and probably his greatest goal (against Spurs at Goodison Park) I think he was one of the finest exponents of the thigh-high volley I have ever seen. Fantastic technique.

I want to remember that Graeme Sharp. I want to defend him from the criticism he gets now, but it's becoming increasingly difficult. Impossible in fact. He is very much part of the us-and-them situation that has been created between the fans and the board. He has contributed to it and he has made it clear where his loyalties lie.

I'd love you to be right and he somehow redeemed himself by putting distance between himself and these fucking parasites, but like them, he seems happy to put his own interests above that of the club he served so well as a player.

I would dearly love to be proven wrong about him. I suspect thousands of us would. I just don't see any way back for him as far as the fans are concerned.

Very, very sad.

Spurs were a good team then. I remember Nev lying on the ground and Spurs fans celebrating a Garth Crooks goal only for Nev somehow to stick his arm out and stop the ball.

BORED!

Apparently Bill plays this Iggy Pop song, at full blast every morning when he awakes and just before he goes to sleep.

They are making more of an issue by their no-show. Turn up, face the music and deal with the problem. We are all hurting. But we follow. You are hiding. We are not going to violently attack you, but we have a voice. Listen to it and do something about it.

Apologies. Still in a pretty bad place.

I don't always do a list of favourite players, but if pushed, Sharp is number 4 and I loved watching him. Apart from that winner, my favourite was a volley from an angle in front of the Gwladys Street. I can't remember who against and I don't want to look it up.

In fact… I had a think and he's just dropped to 5th!

It is very disappointing to not see him being more vocal and making use of his status amongst generations of supporters. The longer this goes on, it will sadly tarnish his reputation from many who idolised him.

Cynicism oozes out of every pore of his body. He epitomises the mediocrity which runs through the club with his, “But we've had some good times as well” mantra.

I detest the man and, whilst not wishing him any bodily harm, I wish he would just leave us in peace so we can pick up the pieces and start over again.

Cahill was my favourite player. Never the most skillfull, never the biggest, not the strongest, not the most technically gifted yet he's the most determined player, with the most desire and the sheer will to win I've seen. Some of these players could do worse than watch the little Aussie bullying 6ft-4in defenders. Oh how we woud love him now!!!

I hope Tim doesn't get any closer to this board!

It makes a mockery of the safety claims. Do they really think they can outwit any headlock specialists by simply taking a seat across the other side of Stanley Park?

They are not afraid. They are arrogant. They don't want to look 40,000 Evertonians in the eye when Sean Dyche is having to roll the dice on untried youngsters or has to look for game-changing creativity from a bench of journeymen centre-backs and has-been goalkeepers.

They go to Anfield or West Ham as an attention-seeking ploy so people think "Poor Bill can't even go to games at his own stadium." That said, I hope they never go to Goodison again on game day or any other.

Surely, our beloved Chairman of the Board would be singing "Give Me Just A Little More Time"!

I'm very surprised at this, given what happened to Mina and Gordon; however, some have suggested getting into the stadium earlier than usual to get the atmosphere going inside Goodison.

In relation to the Leeds match, Michael Skubala will continue to lead the men's first team for the club's upcoming fixtures.

A perfect description of how I feel about Kenwright.

Thankfully he can't be seen from the Top Balcony but I never want to hear about him ever attending another home match.

For what it's worth and I genuinely fucking hate saying this...our destiny is nailed on.

I know a lot of fans have hope, or blind belief in their hearts but my gut feeling is we're finished as a prem club for next season.

I'm sorry Danny and the rest of you lads as I would much rather be in your camp, but this is the culmination of years of fuckwittery at our club.

Personally I cant see any other outcome, these player's are misfits, possibly good in a team that can carry their limited abilities but as a collective they are a shitshow.

Behind the obvious, then Reid, Southall and the very understated Paul Bracewell.

I feel guilty about Trevor Steven and I loved Derek Mountfield. That winner and black eye at Villa Park.

Forgive me, I'm reverting to nostalgia as a cure. I'll be okay tomorrow.

I never rated Sharp. By the time I was old enough to really pay attention in 86/87 onwards, to use the vernacular of other posters he was a “busted flush” and a “dinosaur” I remember HKII using him as a lone striker for a while. May as well have had a block of concrete up top. The history books tell me he was brilliant a few years earlier but prior to that he struggled to make an impact when he first joined Everton. Maybe he was one of those players who just got lucky for a bit or was carried along by his team mates? I have fonder memories of Harper, Power and Clarke not to mention the players you listed.

By attempting to demonise the fans for their protests, the board has now boxed themselves in. What circumstances need to change for the board to be able to attend home games in the future?

Whoever decided the media response to the protest campaign should be sacked, as it is utter incompetence. Therefore, expect an announcement that the Communications Director has been promoted.

I wouldn't say he was carried. He was part of an eventual very cohesive functioning team for an all too brief but glorious period. Like any striker, you have to have the supply and support. No point being up there on your own and isolated as we are seeing now, no matter who we put up there.

I never compare two players as all are different. But Sharp in his prime was of similar style to Harry Kane. Good in the air, led the line well and could score a spectacular from range occasionally as well as a header or tap in. More of an all rounder than some of those that hunt and poach in the box.

Paul Power was a signing that raised the eyebrows of many but turned out to be a great servant. Shows what we know! And Wayne Clarke, just for that winner in the Derby to end their run. I was living at my Mum's aunties in Croxteth at the time and walked for ages with a big smile on my face!! Harper was a manager's dream. He would and could play anywhere. Probably his downfall as he couldn't make a position his own; Like Kevin Richardson, he was a victim of Howard knowing his best 11 and picking them when fit. Different game then, so no squad rotation like we see now.

I didn't mean to drag this into an 80s reflection, but I guess it makes me happy as much as it makes me sad.

He was bought for 𧴰,000 and became a vital part of Everton's greatest ever period.

He outscored every striker we've ever had, with the exception of Dixie (who must have been a freak of nature)

He wasn't just a goal scorer though. Heath, Lineker and Gray all enjoyed their best ever seasons playing next to him

To celebrate the club's 125th anniversary, the club held a poll to decide the "Greatest ever Everton team". The fans voted Sharp into it.

Clearly the fans got it wrong though. The better "judges", will tell you he resembled a block of concrete and was lucky enough to play alongside players like Harper and Clarke Who carried him – actually it is only one "judge".

After scoring in finals, semi finals of domestic and European cups – not to mention title winning goals, he was eventually sold about a decade later (1991) for FOUR times what we paid for him in. He continued to score in what was now the Premier League.

TW is a seat of learning. a place where you can come to be educated. The flipside is. it can also be an "education".

Graham Sharp has pissed an awful lot of Evertoninas off with his conscious decision to be part the despised group many of us blame for our current situation, but that doesnt give people carte blanche to try to rewrite history.

It's because he was such a brilliant player who helped shape our history which causes so many of us to feel betrayed

I'm very much separating Sharp the player from the seemingly silenced and compliant board member. But like us all, I don't know what goes on behind closed doors.

The memories of the player will never go away. I wouldn't say betrayed, more disappointed from what I see. But if I was Graeme Sharp for a day, I would see what's going on and have a voice.

As I'm sure your would, Darren!!

Anyway, Leeds next. Another no show? Police in the Glwadys Street facing the fans and in the concourse in an intimidating manner? Treated like away supporters in our own ground?

Give me strength. I don't really care, I just want the points.

And thanks for subtly pointing out I used the wrong spelling for his Christian name.

You're right of course. We have more important matters to concern ourselves with. It worries me that every game we play seems to be more important than the last one.

All eyes turn to the Leeds game.

I can still see my dad trying to get over the railings and onto the pitch at the end, both in memory and on the footage. Me, recovering from a broken leg and still limping wondering how I would get home. I didn't care.

When Rats goes up, we'll be there.

In my opinion, it's all three.

Our club is in a terrible situation. Chances are, we'll be relegated. If any of those clowns are still running the show next season, I can't see us being in a position to go straight back up. If anything, we'll be fighting another relegation.

He remained loyal to Everton, and whilst he did have some limitations, as many footballers do, he did a fine job for the club and remained an important first team member for over a decade. As Darren rightly notes, you don't become one of Everton's most prolific goalscorers, second only to Dixie, if you're not a decent player and have something about you.

Should we be aggrieved and annoyed by his current stance, of course we should, just as we're aggrieved and annoyed by the stance of all of the board, and the current plight of the club.

Whatever his actions as a board member, his achievements can't be taken away and neither can the fond memories most of us have of him as an Everton player.

Graeme Sharp the player, hero and legend, Graeme Sharp the director, another suit who will surely be judged badly by history for his current stance at the club.

I don't know first-hand what his opinions are on the current plight of the club, but can't recall him giving any. He might feel the same as the rest of us, but feel that he would have more influence in his current position, than being outside the circle of influence.

I am open-minded about him, but maybe I am missing something. Regarding his playing days, I thought his contribution was immense.

A great Everton player, has unfortunately been played, by a great player, who has also played thousands of genuine Evertonians, although you do have to question Sharp's motives?

I feel exactly like Colin@13, couldn't agree more with what Michael@31 wrote in his first two paragraphs, but feel Christine has called it better than anyone, by refusing to give these antagonists, any airtime.

Yellow card.

But in between, we exercise our right to comment, debate and get angry about what they, the so called leadership, are doing to our club and try to influence change.

I know that won't happen right now and we have other things to focus on here and now. But we can't let up until we make these people realise they are not the right people to run a proud institution like Everton Football Club. My club. Our club. They know it. The nationals are onto them so they can't hide behind the Red Echo for much longer.

Support for the team on match day is unreserved and unconditional.

I'm off on one again. I thought I was starting to calm down.

(Source - @ArashMassoudi )

Of course, if Moshiri doesn't want to sell the club outright and MSP want to fully own a club, there's not a lot we can do about it, although, it has to be said that the actions of the board at the Southampton match, wouldn't have helped to 'sell' the club or even a small portion of it.

What I also find strange is there hasn't been more questions asked about why Moshiri consulted Tim Cahill before signing Lampard and apparently consulted him again before hiring Sean Dyche. Another very average player put on a pedestal for being part of a very average team.

Things like this give me hope, because surely Everton, with a new ground on the Mersey, are a much more exciting proposition?

I always hear people talking about London, but Liverpool is probably more of a music city, so you can also bring the finest musical artists from around the world, to play at your iconic stadium, during the beautiful month of June, also thrown in as a bonus!

Seems to me that wouldn't be allowed, but would need it clarified - if they're buying Spurs, why would they want to invest in us anyway? They already have a shiny new ground and they're at the right end of the league!

We're basically stood at the bar as the lights come up in a dingy nightclub, with nobody to go home with. Spurs have already got a taxi waiting outside.

They get a bargain with Everton.

Without even understanding the facts, if our board and owner is serious, just sell outright.

I can imagine the guy being offered the "opportunity" to to invest millions only to not be in control. Yeah right. I'm off to talk to Tottenham who's ground is already built.

It's interesting and I will have to rely on those more educated, but if Tottenham are willing to sell up, I wonder if the stadium is hitting them? It seem to do so with Arsenal for several years but I guess it's about investing in the future.

So they back the Chairman in his righteous indignation and go along with him, only to find his exploitation of all fans has now placed them all in untenable positions. The only serious outcome would have the Chairman, the CEO and non-executive (Sharp) removed. The only way that will happen is either:

1. Moshiri sells up all or a portion of the club and new board members are announced with the old removed. This saves face for Moshiri and those standing aside. The problem is, it has to have happened asap. Cannot be the end of the season.

2. Sharp resigns, Barrett-Baxendale is sacked, Kenwright retires. Moshiri restructures and brings in a new Chairman and CEO, a professional board. Result: Moshiri saves his own credibility, gets fans on board, focuses the club on the relegation fight ,and we move on, with support from fans.

3. Nothing happens. Anger persists, name of club is shame, focus lost, Moshiri vilified for inaction, relegation, lost investors...

It really isn't pleasant or sensible to do nothing or ignore the obvious. The consequences could be dreadful, focused without distractions we all pull for the team. More demonstrations are likely if the onfield performance doesn't improve, hence the term 'death spiral'.

When it could all be avoided, it borders on unforgivable leadership not to do it.

If I was guessing, then I would say he wants out, and if I was guessing, then I would say Everton are going to be great value for whoever buys them. I just hope it happens sooner rather than later.

Moshiri is finding that there is no interest in a club that is in danger of relegation.

I've been saying it for about 2 years, Moshiri could have done this had he brought in the right people to run it for him.

He left the keys to the gate with a failing regime.

Surely he can see it? Sell or bring in the right people and get rid of those who have failed you.

It's no coincidence that most of the major English clubs are seeking or are being sought after by rich groups or nation states at this particular moment. Man City, Newcastle and Chelsea have very rich people in control, Man Utd, Liverpool and Spurs are, according to many rumours, probably accurately, being targeted by similar groups.

It might be due to the Government's requirement for more transparency with regards to ownership and therefore, there is a rush to sell and buy now, rather than later. It might be due to the super clubs wanting to take a bigger slice of the cake, with regards to broadcasting, by networking the games as individual clubs, and not relying on traditional broadcasting to provide the funds.

It might also be to facilitate a new European Super League, run by the major clubs, for the major clubs. I just read that Women's football in England should be 'open' to a closed league, at least that's according to Chelsea manager Emma Hayes.

When times are financially difficult, big changes tend to come about, and this might signal that football and how it operates, is about to have another revolution. Unfortunately, most revolutions don't often serve everybody's needs and wants, and there are usually few winners and very many losers, I feel that Everton Football Club will be on the wrong end of the changes that appear to be on the horizon.

This was an achievement entirely due to his poisonous presence, a Luvvy amateur divorced from reality when a hard headed professional was needed. He may not just take us down, he may see the club through to dissolution. Break a leg, Billy.

Our club has been turned into something that, in its entire history, it has never stood for, and this has been done by one man's ego and one man's greed.

Whatever happens, we will be a lot better once the poison is finally squeezed out of our club. Even if we are relegated, we can begin to become Everton Football Club once again.

I know we have spoken about it before but, maybe before the Arsenal game, let a thousand toffees descend on Bill Kenwright's theatre with a clear and clever demonstration that highlights everything cynical and bad about this egotistical fraud.

I would add, he is not one for acting quickly or decisively in the past. Managerial executions are only carried out when it's blindingly obvious a manager has to go, and one needs to be appointed. So slow you could never call him decisive.

I think we will be all but relegated before he acts, how could he not act?

Nothing or nobody could ever convince me that Bill Kenwright is genuinely one of us.

“You can't touch me, I'm in complete control.”

Actions speak louder than words and the Scotsman's actions tell me all I need to know about a man, like his chairman, who puts himself first and thinks little of the consequences.

I pray and hope that Paul the Esk is correct, we can't afford to carry on as we are, we need a real shift in power and influence.

Also, expecting Kenwright to apologise — that's never happening. He hasn't in 30 years — why would he now?

Sorry Danny, I have been known to go off on one myself!
I totally defend and applaud people's right to debate, comment and get angry about what these people are doing to our club.

It's just that I get so frustrated when it hits me just how significant this result could be for us. Win and we go above Leeds and possibly West Ham out of the Bottom 3 which I think would be a psychological confidence booster; lose and our position becomes even more dire.

I can't focus on anything else at the moment and all the other things mentioned in this thread have been discussed ad nauseum elsewhere on TW and don't look as if they will be resolved in the near future, whereas our Premier League standing is of immediate concern.

But this thread is about the directors of Everton Football Club and therefore isn't it right and proper that people give their points of view on that very topic?

The performance, results and every aspect of the team have been discussed ad nauseum on the vast majority of threads and I don't believe there's an Evertonian anywhere on the planet that is thinking beyond our survival in the Premier League, but that doesn't mean we can't stop for a minute or two, to consider the ramifications of the board's actions in the recent past or does it?

Sharp's position is concrete.

It would take a forklift to move him

Firstly, it seems realistic.

Secondly, these are people who understand sport as a business.

Thirdly, it would mean the end of Kenwright as it's inconceivable surely that new investors would tolerate his running of the club along the lines of a 1990s Sheffield Wednesday.

Finally, it may mean the end of Moshiri, who has clearly lost interest along with an awful lot of money.

We just need to stay up.

only as long as his master is chairman. time is running out for Kenwright and thus Sharp and Mrs Barrett-Baxendale.

Let's hope so. Despite his name, he is not the sharpest. There is a reason he came from Dumbarton, not Cleverarton.

I take your point, Barry. Of course this thread is about the incompetence of the Directors and people have the absolute right to discuss and consider the ramifications of their actions on Everton FC.

I've read and commented on other threads regarding ownership and control of the club for some time now and quite frankly only one man can do anything about it and he doesn't look as if he is going to do anything soon and I've certainly not read anything new about it on this thread. So, to me, it just becomes a pointless Groundhog Day exercise.

People can discuss and comment on the Directors until the cows come home as is their right, but it won't affect the result at the weekend one little bit!

Absolutely nothing that gets posted on this site will impact on what happens out on the pitch, this coming Saturday, or any other match-day.

The true Groundhog Day situation is the fans having to put up with bad performances by the board, which impacts the quality of the team, which impacts the results on the pitch, which impacts on the position the club holds in the table.

That's why I try and focus on the coming game and the immediate future.

With regard to the Spurs bid, that is what good negotiators do, have other options up their sleeves to enhance their bargaining position. Just as our board will have theirs... or not.

Which brings us to another possible reason our owner did not show when our investors did. The risk that they could smell his fear and desperation...

Or doesn't it matter?

A scapegoat is needed to avoid the elephant in the room of relegation bunfights arriving with Moshiri and Usmanov.

Asking for any potential sheikhs reading who might be thinking "Do I really need to be getting involved with such people?"

We can all call for Kenwright and Barrett-Baxendale to go, but do we have any faith left in Moshiri to appoint anyone with the right attributes to the board — if for so long he has thought Bill and Denise are doing a good job?

It can only go a few ways really

The perfect outcome would be someone with the right experience & sporting expertise buys Moshiri out completely. I've lost faith in the man, no matter how much money he wants to piss away!

Next would be someone buys a controlling stake and Moshiri takes a back seat, hoping the new investors turn it round and the value of his smaller stake increases and he gets money back that way.

Or someone investing a smaller amount on the basis the board has to change.

If Moshiri continues calling the shots, do we really have faith in him? History and his track record thus far tells us he's completely immune to the fact that we are spiralling into a black hole.

Unless he's got some giant fuck-off rabbit up his sleeve that we have all missed. How can you spend years making money, becoming a billionaire, then just watch on as Denise and Bill ruin your reputation. Unless, as said previously, that he's the one who's making all the calls and the other two just watch on as the house burns to the ground!

What such clubs do not do is appoint a manager a year and a DoF every 2 years while still meddling in the decisions of those individuals.

I've said before, new managers and owners are not for the short term, they can't magically stop relegation – Dyche is the only possible solution for that and it's a long shot – but they can establish more robust foundations for longer-term success.

Look at Brighton as a perfect example of that.

We have become brainwashed by the mediocrity of those running the club and wasting millions on bad decisions and no plan.

Personally, being able to switch to an NFL pitch will not bring in a lot as most of the NFL teams are already committed to schedules with their sponsors and owners. There is a market for shows, but there is no room for expansion at their new ground.

A move to invest at Bramley-Moore Dock, where there is plenty of land in the area for development, that would be more acceptable to investors.

Barry, it does not matter how rich your owners are, there are still rules to follow, and with the correct people running a club like Everton, it can be successful. That includes The Owner, The Board, The Director of Football, and the Manager.

From what you have seen of Moshiri so far, even if he did remove the current board, how confident are you in his ability to appoint top class replacements rather than another group of “yes men & women”

Until he sells surely the best hope is the new investor getting 2 seats on the board and appointing 2 people who know what they are doing?

I'm fascinated that you both see Brighton as "success" in terms relative to Everton. We may be dismal but I just can't see marchers carrying placards with "SACK THE BOARD - BLB" (Be like Brighton).

Maybe I'm not in tune with modern-day Evertonia…

I think it was always Moshiri's strategy that he bought the club because of the potential real estate of BMD, not because of the team itself. Given that a successful team and a world class stadium would command a significant sale price, there is a lot of upside to the initial purchase.

However, where it went wrong was he kept Kenwright in place and in fact deliberately stepped back to allow him to run the club with his selection of board members. His mate Usmanov probably bankrolled him in the purchase believing if he owned the club at a knocked-down purchase of shares, then the potential profits would all be his.

But Kenwright and Co fucked it up, big time, and Moshiri tried his hand involving himself in the hire and fire of managers, which from a man who knows nothing about running a football club, went exactly the way it could be expected.

Which brings us to where we are today. Moshiri really has no choice but to change the board. This means he gets an executive recruitment company to find suitable candidates as he has no knowledge or experience of it whatsoever.

Moshiri, in my opinion, has to hang in there for his investment return. Yes, as I indicated before, he can sell the majority shareholding in the club but keep the stadium in his hands, and I think this is his next preferred play.

If he had any intention of doing so, he would have done it by now. Doing so at this point would give the appearance of having been pushed into it by the supporters. No chance of allowing that in my opinion.

Any incentive for change would come from new investors.

https://twitter.com/ArashMassoudi/status/1624366186640048128?s=20&t=nmazICpFrUbf8oD6D_tqHQ

Maybe Moshiri doesn't want to change them because he doesn't even want to be here? This sounds a bit mad but I'd suggest this is also another possibility, Mike?

Moshiri right at the beginning said he wanted no involvement in running the club, hence he had another motive for the purchase, which was and always has been in my opinion the real estate that was Bramley-Moore Dock.

He handed the reins of responsibility for the club over to Kenwright, the man who got us to where we were before Moshiri came in. Complete and utter idiocy and broke every rule in the book regarding fixing a failing company by keeping the same management in place.

The board have now lost all credibility with the fans, the press and the football world in general, no players want to come, expectations are relegation and the board shot itself in the head by making spurious accusations of fans and staying away from home games.

This mess is of the board's making. Not primarily Moshiri's, but ultimately he has to make a call or lose a significant opportunity for inward investment. Make no mistake: it's the Premier League that investors want. Focus and credibility have to be restored. That's critical for Premier League survival right now.

I cannot see another solution, Mike, and that comes from my experience of 25 years as a senior executive for US and European companies! Moshiri has to bite the bullet or further damage his credibility and our survival in the Premier League.

I don't know the answer to that right now and frankly I don't care. I just want this club I care so much for to get the points. As I keep saying, I live and breathe them.

Like many, I was at both Bournemouth matches. I was at Goodison to see us beat Arsenal. I only got back from Anfield yesterday after a long 2 days and I will be at Goodison again on Saturday. Then I've got Villa home and Arsenal away.

But I will be there with the thousands of dedicated supporters as well as those following from afar. And amongst those young poor suffering fans who I have the utmost respect for. I keep trying to reassure them. I hope some listen to my ramblings.

It's not the big I am. It's passion and desire that won't ever go away.

Just show some of the same please Everton.

We can sort the politics out later. That time is coming.

I will rant, but I just want the points right now.

I love you Everton. Just love me back.

Moshiri may well have signed some caveat regarding Bill staying for life and can't get rid of him but the recent protests and of course the boards own shenanigans have started the split between them and the most important aspect of the club which is the fanbase.

Let's keep the protests going and support the team as ever in a way to drive a wedge deeper and deeper between these parasitic lying bastards and the club, then hope something breaks and Moshiri has to do something in order to save his investment.

Bill will no doubt try to ride this out so, if he does, then let's make it a very uncomfortable one.

As for Sharp. Does he not realize the fans will be here a lot longer than him and he needs to wake up and decide whether his legacy is more important than money?

I have relentlessly posted for years on the blindingly obvious fact that Kenwright has incrementally ruined our club, for decades. I'm by far not the only one, even if we seemed to be a small minority.

People have told me that I've bored them by saying what I've long thought though.

But now there seems to be an actual majority of fans who see the truth, as I/we have.

Sadly, it's taken the very real prospect of relegation and an owner who'd now sell the spoons in the Finch Farm canteen for a quick buck – not that anyone wants them at the price he'd ask, for masses more to accept the truth.

So, if we move on from the present nonentities seemingly in charge of us, how will we treat those who next take possession of the club we love?

If I understand you correctly, you imply it is slightly embarrassing to have Brighton as a benchmark.

I'm old enough to remember the truly great teams of the 60's and 80's, maybe the best in Europe along with not so great, but still competitive teams in between. So it sticks in my craw to have little old Brighton as a benchmark right now, with their small ground and crowds, but my craw has well and truly been stuck because I would kill to be in their position.

So while I can have some empathy with what I think might be underlying your comment, it speaks volumes that yes we do aspire to that level, even though they are ostensibly a little club compared to ours. They are just, right now, more successful, despite the lesser status. Because, as I said, they have good managers and owners making a small club bigger than it should be whereas we have clowns and delusional imbeciles making a big club seem Lilliputian.

The problem is looking at the present debacle and using it as an excuse to become a Brighton - I just don't get it.

That type of thinking would not last more than 5 mins here indeed it would fan the flames of discord as fans quickly got pissed off at non challenging as an acceptable board target. After all isn't that a good descriptor of the Kenwright plan pre Mosh?

We are not Brighton, Brentford, Leeds, Sunderland, Leicester or anyone else I can think of. Even Newcastle.

We are Everton. 9 times English League champions who competed with the best and are respected as the song goes.

We need to change the mentality and remember who we are and stop being beaten into submission by weak leadership.

They may accept being Brighton. I won't.

We are Everton.

His antics and porkies were already well documented, but the deceitful attempt to get us to Kirkby was, for me at least, the one which turned most people against him. I think this has been clearly demonstrated by the very small numbers of posters coming on here to support him - Not sure I remember ANY Uncle Bill supporters regularly posting on here since the Kirkby farce was kicked into touch Never mind a majority

Most people on here had read Colin Fitzpatrick's epic article. Those who missed it first time round would have seen it re-published a few times. Being bored rigid for years by somebody regurgitating Snapshots of that article (hundreds and hundreds of times) does not constitute support for Uncle bill. It never did.

TW is an escape from the work and other stuff. Everyone on here supports a football team that they love and they occasionally like to discuss stuff like, The matches. The players and other stuff which went on on the pitch. They did not need to be reminded every twenty minutes that Uncle Bill was still here....Rather surprisingly. They already knew

No harm in anybody stating the blindingly obvious, but if they do it with monotonous regularity. They will be labeled "boring". They also need to understand that by telling posters about stuff they had known for years. Any subsequent I-told-you-so's will undoubtedly be treated with a pinch of salt..... It's a bit like predicting what time the six o'clock news will come on. Then expecting universal praise for your insight.

We all know the affliction. It's the cure we are struggling to find

Dont worry mate. I think we all realise your mind wasnt (or rather was) on the job

I agree with your point, but mine is that we are Everton. We last won the league in 1987. Newcastle not since the 1920s. City only

We have stood still. Not as long as Newcastle, but have been static. Manchester City, 2 titles until they reinvented themselves. Tottenham I don't think have won the league since their second title in 1961 (correct me if wrong).

Not good enough and I think most of us agree with that. I won't let my expectation go away. We aspire to compete with the best.

The only difference between them and us with the same aspirations is that they have a plan in place that could actually help them acheive their aims.

Meanwhile our board are working on how to avoid relegation from the Championship next year.

Nah, forget that, they're not forward thinking enough for even that.

Tony bangs on about the fall in the aspiration level over the years of Kenwright's reign and this is where things have landed.

The protests against the Board of Directors and Owner must continue pre- and post-match time until change happens.

Absolutely right. A big part of the issue is complacently believing we remain one of the big boys – and that our issues will be solved by a decent manager and a few decent signings.

That hasn't been the case since the inception of the Premier League. Hence 31 years later and we're still waiting.

We should very much look to the likes of Brighton, Brentford, Leicester etc because they have figured out a way to assemble very good squads at low / sustainable cost. They are smaller clubs but they have overtaken us. Just as they have overtaken Sheffield Wednesday, another steadfastly traditional club with a big stadium and big support.

We are in our 4th relegation fight in 6 seasons - and unless we start trying to remodel ourselves like Brighton etc we will join Sheffield Wednesday in obscurity

That needn't be the sum of our aspirations; it can be a stepping stone. But whichever it is, it is absolutely vital.

Exactly – we don't know who's playing who. We don't know who's calling the shots. They are all hiding behind each other, smoke and mirrors. It's no way to run a club, a multi million pound business or a market stall.

We know the board need to go but it's Moshiri now that has to take the responsibility too. He could've changed this. Why anyone has any faith that the man knows what he's doing is beyond me. There is no evidence the man knows how to run our club. >

He's indicating right there that deep down he's enjoyed the run but, for him, the best days are gone forever.

He's enjoyed his life supporting Everton and rubbing shoulders with all his heroes and right now he's not really fussed about his legacy. In 10 years he'll likely be in a care home with potato on his chin looking out the sunny window.

He has enjoyed playing with the train set but he's got no intention of oiling the wheels anymore, for him it can just go up to the attic.

He's genuinely given up on the club and he's looking for a short cut to the exit door and he'll be happy to use the toxic fans as his excuse to step down.

He's a narcissist and cares not a jot about us. So long as Sharp and Barrett-Baxendale are doffing their caps to him he could not give a hoot about the fans. We are shit on his shoe. He knows he's hated by us but he cares not a jot.

He will step down soon but it will be on his terms. He's a parasite.

How can Moshiri keep him involved when everyone wants him out now? Why did Moshiri promise us a centre-forward, when it was obvious he had no intentions?

When you look at things from the outside looking in, everything appears to be very murky, and murky people are full of slander, something that we witnessed ourselves not so long ago.

Other murky people might just switch you off. It's a long running saga, and I wouldn't rule out the coroner's report, reading tragic accident.

I, like many will be there in person and alongside those in spirit who can't be. If he's the Evertonian he claims to be, he had best show up. I've got the same round trip to make as him on a significantly lesser salary

It's not about the money. As always, we will be there for the team. I'm not an angry person, but it's really making me angry.

You'll have to excuse me. I've still not come down from Monday, but I'm getting ready for Saturday.

Thinking to the football to try and calm myself, I wonder if Maupay playing off Simms will work? Or is Calvert-Lewin ready to go again? Not everyone's cup of tea, but Demarai Gray for some pace to get at Leeds? We need to take the game to them.

Again, not everyone's favourite, but McNeil for his delivery, especially if we have Calvert-Lewin and / or Simms on the pitch.

Watching Simms at Anfield, he needs someone to play off him.

Iwobi; give your head a wobble and stop confusing yourself.

Let's go and do this Everton.

But we have gone from a club winning trophies on a regular basis to a club that has spent long periods without any silverware. We all hoped that when Usmanov/Moshiri took over we would emulate what City did when the had a huge influx of money. But the Usmanov/Moshiri period has seen us drop from a club with little money finishing around 7th to a club despite the Usmanov/Moshiri money spending most of this period fighting relegation.

I am not suggesting a defeatist attitude when inside the ground, as we have proved over the years there are no better fans faced with adversity than Everton fans. But anybody expecting a quick fix to our problems is not dealing with reality, it may take decades to get back to Everton winning trophies. Many seem to believe the new stadium will change things dramatically but Sunderland built a nice new stadium and it certainly hasn't had the impact I am sure they hoped for.
Everything needs changing at the club from top to bottom, I am encouraged by some of the changes that are happening to our backroom staff. Our scouting system since Moyes left has been practically non existent, when did we last pick up a gem from the lower leagues and sell for much gold. For those screaming about selling our best players, I say get used to it because if you do produce a quality player of course he will attract top clubs who can offer him things that at present Everton cant offer. We also need to realize where we are and stop playing journeymen players Champions league type wages. We cant possibly carry on spending 96% of our income on wages, that has to stop immediately otherwise it will be liquidation we will have to worry about not relegation.

They did try and get striker, but left too late (as usual) and identified players chose Southampton or Nottm Forest over us or turned us down. One even agreed to join us, but ran to Spurs when Lampard left.

This is how much of an attractive proposition Everton are to players and that has happened under the Kenwright & Moshiri demise.

Brian @120,

The stadium (IMO) is years too late. We needed Kings Dock and we would have been in it for years now, and I'm sure in a much better position.

We are currently skating on the thinnest of thin ice, every point may be crucial if we are to survive. Banging on every day about the Board during this crisis will impact the club, and more importantly the players.

It has often been said that players will seize any opportunity to excuse poor performance, and if the crowd are campaigning against the Board every week, chants and demos and the works, they will undoubtedly be affected by this, and it will at some point prevent them from giving 100%.

Constant headlines of 'crisis club Everton' will just wear everyone down, when what we need is total focus on winning.

Some people say, 'well maybe relegation is something that needs to happen to get rid of Bill'. That would be like setting off a nuclear bomb to get rid of a house fly.

If we get relegated, I think it's more likely than not that we go into administration. If that happens, where do we end up, the Isthmian league? We would never get back to what we were. Professional football would no longer be our concern.

Or, we could park the natural distaster for the Board for four months, and then you can shout and scream as much as you like. Perversely, if we do that, we are more likely to get rid of him. Professionals are a thousand percent more likely to take over, if we are still in the top league and not in administration.

Danny, Iwobi, doesn't need to give his head a wobble because his shaky body, whenever he's in possession of the football, does this for him, imo, mate. He needs to relax, and “play calm”; if he didn't have this in his locker, I don't believe for one minute that he would have come through at Arsenal?

As for Bill Kenwright, if he thinks he's turning up on Saturday, then anyone who is struggling and needs a ticket, can have mine. We need every single person in the ground concentrating on getting behind Everton but if Kenwright is in the ground, then I honestly don't think that this will be possible.

Whilst Kenwright has been at Everton, Leicester City, dropped through two leagues, been in administration, and still won every domestic honour, whilst we have been stuck with a horrible curse.

If the board stay away, then the only thing left to concentrate on is the team, and anyone who knows anything about Everton Football Club should already know this.

I'll challenge the stadium thing. Sunderland's is one of those boring stadiums that was repeated in Southampton (almost a carbon copy), Middlesbrough, Leicester (different coloured seats), Derby. There are probably others.

Give them their due, Anfield looked impressive on Monday and Villa have done a great job with Villa Park. Brentford have done a fantastic job with that new stadium. Knowing the area, I still don't know how they fitted it into that space!!

Man City and West Ham got lucky; or was it astute vision and business sense?

Man Utd were ahead of the redevelopment game. It looks nothing like the Old Trafford I visited as a kid, but to be honest, I thought it was a bit tatty when I went there for the FA Cup match this season.

I think the new Everton Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock is going to be special. It's different, unique and sat in an iconic setting. Hopefully it changes our fortunes.

Interestingly on the subject of stadiums, another, like Goodison that doesn't seem to have changed much in decades, is Elland Road.

I love Goodison, but it has hardly changed during my lifetime.

If you read the same few reports I read that came out after the window shut, then the most common thing coming from other clubs was that Everton were a hindrance and seemed to be tyre-kicking?

It is remarkable that this realisation is only kicking in now. Everton have not competed for trophies or even Champions League places in the 31-year history of the Premier League.

Obviously we made it to 4th once and 5th on another occasion playing some great football – but this is well behind what the likes of Blackburn, Newcastle, Spurs and Leicester have achieved in the same period.

We are now in the Bottom 3 on merit, because our First XI and squad is truly not better than that.

Had we gone about our recruitment and player development with the same intelligence as Brighton, Leicester and Brentford (and in many respects ourselves under Moyes) a place in the top 6 at least would still be in reach.

Joe # 121, the fact that we left it late was simply down to our awful finances. Players and selling clubs were waiting for better offers – and better offers materialised from the likes of Bournemouth and Forest and Saints.

All clubs have those aspirations but I've yet to see evidence of a board and stadium change in isolation fulfilling those dreams. Indeed mostly the opposite follows.

Sheikh Mansoor money or a reincarnation of a Clough or Shankly Svengali are the only routes to our promised land and having 9th as a club record finish as per Brighton just isn't the same thing.

I think you echo what quite a few Evertonians are thinking, of course the priority is the team and the support we give to it, in each and every game, but it is possible to do two things at once, as shown with the Arsenal match the other week.

If the narrative in the media is what concerns the players, well they have managed to amplify that up all by themselves with too many off-colour performances.

Giving the players an excuse to fail is exactly what this owner and board have done for a few seasons now. Failing to recruit the right type of forward players to help the current squad is all the excuse the players need, in fact many would say it's not an excuse, it's a reason for their poor results.

I do agree that no amount of protesting will force anybody at the top of Everton to make a decision that they don't want to make, but I also appreciate that some people would prefer to take action, no matter how futile it seems, because they believe that, relegation or not, the people at the top have to change and soon for Everton to have any acceptable future, whichever league we happen to be playing in next season.

Moshiri, Kenwright and Company could lance the boil of their own making by issuing some sort of public apology for the headlock situation, and by acknowledging that real mistakes have been made by them in the last few months.

Or. if they don't believe they have made mistakes, explain to us how we managed to sell a 㿙M forward in exchange for no additions whatsoever, when it was obvious to all that we needed strengthening???

As it happens, I think that the boardroom will alter, with or without financial investment because it can't possibly continue in its present guise without upsetting more and more supporters and making the protests more likely to continue unabated way past this season and beyond.

I agree the Sunderland stadium is like so many others built now. I was just trying to say new stadiums don't always have the desired effect despite how stunning they may look.

Certainly West Ham and Man City were lucky to be able to walk into a new stadium built by taxpayers money, so all their investments could be channelled into the squad rather than building a new stadium. For Arsenal and of late Spurs, when they were building their new stadiums, transfers were very much on the back burner.

Although, like all Blues, I really worry what will happen to our club should we be relegated. Yes, some players will leave but, to be honest, I don't think I would shed a tear on any of this squad leaving.

What worries me even more is I think financially we could be in big trouble. First getting a new owner if relegated will prove problematic; also we don't have a clause in any of the players' contracts to be able to lessen the amount they're paid.

So, if 96% of our income goes on wages, then how do you possibly survive if we have to take some of the highest earners into the Championship?

I'm not suggesting 9th should be the height of our aspirations. But in the short term, our aspiration should be to get back in the Top 10 and start competing in the cups. That at least provides a platform to build from.

And because we genuinely are a bigger club than these well-run upstarts, we can go further than them through the same or similar methods. By failing to build that platform, we are now in our 4th relegation fight in 6 seasons.

Brian #130 and others, the stadium never was going to be a route to the big time of itself. How could it be? However, it is still a necessary step. We cannot realistically continue with such a seriously old-fashioned stadium.

And it's not the new stadium that is holding us back, it is the sheer incompetence of wider club management over recruitment that leaves us where we are.

I forgot to mention Arsenal and Tottenham. Arsenal's is a bit of a Wembley replica without the arch. Tottenham have done something special. Arguably the best football stadium in the world in my opinion. Both are a pain in the arse to get home from though. As was West Ham.

In terms of stadium development or relocating, we are 30 or 40 years behind the curve, but hopefully the new Everton Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dockcan help us recover, even if it is literally built on sand and water!!

With a bit of vision, we could have done what Tottenham did and bought the houses and land to rotate Goodison. Even that lot gradually bought and demolished the streets around them to build what they now have.

Took them years to build the new Kemlyn Road because those fine Evertonian ladies wouldn't sell even though their house was the only one standing alongside the two either side. Set them back years. And they bought out the houses for their new big Main Stand.

Sorry. Bitter, Twisted and Proud moment. I'm terrible. Forgive me Lord.

When skies are grey, Saturday comes. Get down to Goodison Park.

If we go bust, we go bust. It's not something we hold our nose about and shrug off after 18 months. I'm not across what happened at Leicester but in today's climate if we collapse owing hundreds of millions, everything gets sold off. We may lose both grounds, let alone BMD.

We are Everton and we have been hoodwinked by a man who never had the money, never had the style, and definitely never had any class. He has slowly brought us to our knees, aided and abetted by his lies and the naivety of the people who couldn't see through the deceit.

We couldn't smash through the glass ceiling because this was never really in Bill Kenwright's plans (he would have had to move aside). If we are to fall into the river, at least we will be rid of the curse (my own feelings) although, when you read what Brian H says about wages, then it's better we all try to pull together and try and save Everton once more.

Who genuinely wants to speak about Bill Kenwright and his cronyism? I know I'm like a scratched record but I can see the damage that has been inflicted by the divisions that he is still trying to create, even now.

He doesn't have to hold up his hand and say anything but his actions in still attending away games tell me everything I already know or need to know about this false and egotistical fraud.

Yes, Bill is too crafty not to offer a mea culpa at some point. I think that one is coming down the tracks after we've secured a couple more victories.

Tony,

Yes, we've been led a merry dance by Kenwright. But it's not quite as bad as you are painting in my view. When he was owner, he was tolerated cos we were Top 6. He then sold on to a billionaire. Most people thought at the time 'well done'. It's just that he's not just a billionaire, he's also a total balloon. Just our luck.

Not Brighton or Brentford or anyone else. Don't compare me or my club to those clubs. Don't compare me to anyone else.

Everton. And I have expectation.

I can't and won't accept anything less.

I think you're going to have to put me in box until Saturday.

How many spend a fortune following the club everywhere?? This fucker expenses the club on top for his troubles. You think Kenwright cares about you? No. Survival is extracting this parasite piece by piece no matter how long it takes and bringing the football club into the 21st century. Everton's magnificent fan base will take care of the rest and we can finally rebuild a football club WE all deserve. If we do stay up then great but it has to be for the right reasons and not just to spend another season scraping along the bottom being laughed at by the Great and Good. No more divide and conquer tactics, we are all together in this and must see it through.

Yes Bills incompetence, ego and self importance strung us along for years.
However the the fact that moshiri has wasted the opportunity that his investment should of afforded us is criminal.
Even when the financial slide under moshiri started we were willing to give moshiri the benefit of the doubt for pumping money in. We were hoodwinked into believing its Bill, Ingles
then DBB now years later we see them all, all of them for what they are.
The whole board complicit in the downfall.
Not one with the balls to resign and hold up their hands to their failings.
Not one up to the challenges running a modern football club.

There is hope ! As people say look at Newcastle & fsg at the RS.
With competent people we can turn it around.

We're fucking rich, we're fucking rich, we're fucking rich, genuinely made me cringe, but I suppose it's what the fans had been waiting for, after the years long 24/7 search for the right owners.

What you write about Kenwright, being tolerated, is why I sometimes stare into an empty space, shaking my head Kevin, because whilst you obviously speak for thousands, you most definitely don't speak for me, mate. I've known Kenwright was a complete fraud, long before he brought Chris Samuelson to an Everton AGM, and that was fuckn years ago.

We are a big club with no money. So we cannot operate like a big club with money.

Unfortunately we do need to compare our operations to those of clubs with similar budgets - and look what they are doing well.

Otherwise we can take our attitude of "we are Everton" into administration and the third tier

When they oversaw the enormous waste of his money the slide to limit of P&S rules. Yet kept them.

Can he honestly belive its in anyone's benefit now after everything? How ? Why ? And where is the proof that any of them are doing a good job ?

A squad getting better ? No

Better financial results ? No

Improving league position? No

Long term planning? No

Continued instability? Yes

Declining sqaud ? Yes

Failing financially? Yes

No long term plan ? Yes

Selling assets ? Yes

Disconnect from the fan base? Yes

It's unthinkable that other clubs owners would accept this.

WHY DOES OURS ?

I had half an idea what conjured meant, but I looked it up anyway, for a truer description, and I've also learned what a mea culpa now means, thanks to Bill Kenwright, I suppose.

I keep having visions of Brian, asking how shall I fuck off? and must look very stupid, when people see me talking to myself saying anyway you fuckin want. I'm off!

Goodison on Saturday is what I'm focussed on. The wife has already fallen out with me. The locals here in west London are intrigued by my state of mind. My son and younger brother keep shaking their heads at me. Both very much younger than me, but big Evertonians. Probably more sensible than me.

But no-one is stopping me.

Apologies, we're approaching match day and I am still hurting from Monday.

I always remember conversations with my cousins at the time, both blue and red, but they were always media darlings and played it well in that sense.

Fortunately I don't have to put up with many of them as they are my most dislikable London supporters after Chelsea.

Unfortunately, where I live, it's full of Chelsea. And then Fulham, QPR and inevitably Manchester United and Liverpool!!!

We also need new owners because Moshiri hasn't a clue how to run a successful football club.

I don't like the look of the game on Saturday, they seem to have more attacking options than us. If we lose this one I don't see us staying up, its a real 6 pointer of a game.

Will DCL be really fit for Sat. because it could depend one way or another if he is.

I think I may not be expressing myself accurately enough. I would not set a long term vision to emulate Brighton in terms of outcomes. Without being disrespectful to them, as others have suggested, they are a smaller club, fewer fans and I hope it is apparent from my references to previous periods of our history, that I would not settle for that.

But I do aspire to be in their position right now- don't you? More importantly I aspire to the level of professionalism in the running of the club that has taken them above what I would regard as their station in life. In other words the owners and management have added real value to the club. If you suggest our station should be higher than theirs, I would not argue.

Our useless shower have produced negative added value across the board. Had they emulated Brighton's, we would not be in a relegation zone but with the reasonable sums Moshiri injected we would or should be at least challenging for CL.

So the rallying call is not, let's be mid table. It's adopt quality, professional management, like Brighton, and you can over achieve your position in life.

I have no fundamental issue with Moshiri. You cannot argue with an owner who puts up £600m of his own money all we can do is point out that the people he delegated the use of the funds to, are substandard.

I don't have that many issues with Denise. She is clearly ill suited to be a CEO of a company with a £200m turnover and should be demoted to a director as soon as a suitable replacement is found. However, she has undoubted talents when it comes to establishing and running a medium sized not for profit.

Grant Ingles on the other hand is a professional. His dereliction of duty in his time at Everton borders on the criminal and if he had an ounce of self respect he would have resigned. He should be number two on the hit list of course following Kenwright who needs to go now and his removal should be the focal point of all the protests. We can move on once he is replaced but his continued presence just taints everything that happens at OUR club.

And for those who mock Mike Ashley's time at Newcastle, remember that without his investment of £140m in 2007 the club would have gone into administration and contrary to popular opinion he authorised net spending of over £360m on players during his tenure and the reason that Amanda Staveley and Co are able to do what they are doing now is because the club was debt free when it was sold.

Dyche being very diplomatic about lack of signings in the press conference, but why doesn't one of the journos point that every other team seems to be able to make multiple signings while we fail completely?

You say in the short term but that's the problem fans of "big" clubs (and we still are regardless of decades of poop) no longer do short term.

Factor in the elusive "school of science" style and progress has to be immediate and upward in a straight line trajectory otherwise the manager is gone and the whirlpool of nonsense sucks the club down even further. Allardyce was the prime example he was NEVER given a chance by many and the oddball, Moshiri, who seems to run things by what he reads on forums elbowed him as a result despite what now looks like a very good record.

Two more defeats and Dyche will get it - "he relegated Burnley, he's a one dimensional dinosaur etc". Conversely Arsenal who don't seem to give a fig what fans say have kept on Arteta and they're reaping the reward.

Or hopefully next?

Thank you Mr. Kenwright.

I'll add Gordon Lee's team of Mckenzie, King, Dobson, Latchford, Thomas etc… to the two teams you mentioned. They shone so brightly before they were broken up.

Everton have been a rudderless ship for over 30 years now and we've been taking on water without realising just how much. Not only that, we are heading towards a massive iceberg and no one is on watch!

Not sure what the point of your question is.

As it stands I'd happily take escaping relegation by goal difference now AND next season if it meant we REALLY addressed the MONUMENTAL problem of not being properly bankrolled.

That means Newcastle and City dough which doesn't seem beyond the realms of fantasy given the history of those two clubs does not a footballing institution make - unlike us

9th might be attractive right now but if it looks like a long term aim as it sadly became under the Moyes/Kenwright regime it won't cut the mustard.

By all means throw Kenwright &co into the Mersey with concrete blocks attached and replace with the business brains of Britain it won't make a bit of difference in the grand scheme of things.

Without the requisite cash we will implode regardless. Why people can't see this fundamental truth escapes me

How much longer could they have gone on, defying football's natural financial laws? There's always misfortune to be blamed. Perhaps they were unlucky then to meet Everton enjoying the first (only?) game of a Sean Dyche bounce, but however tenacious Goodison's new dogs of war were in midfield, there was also a sense Arsenal were flat. The zip had gone.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/feb/16/arsenal-faltering-out-of-steam-financial-gravity-manchester-city

You might be surprised to know that measured over the past decade, measured from April 2022, Everton have the 8th highest net spend in the whole of Europe, roughly the same as AC Milan. There are just 3 EPL clubs ahead of us; Arsenal (but not by that much) then way ahead, City and United.

Behind us are Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool. A long, long way behind us are the likes of Brighton. A sobering thought, not least for Moshiri himself, and I think it does rather support my premise, without smart and professional management, big money generally doesn't work at all. Moreover much smaller sums can be made to work very successfully with that same professional and smart management.

The money he's spent is no longer an excuse imo. If we get relegated will that be ok because " he's put 600m of his own money " into getting us relegated?

He can spend what he wants its about about his track record. A record that says even if he had the mega billions like chelsea, psg, or City he wouldn't know how to run the club.

Ingles, kenwright & Dbb could all go tommorow but would you honestly have faith that moshiri could appoint the right people? Because there's no evidence that he has the know how.

Moshiri's error and a large portion of the blame as to where the club is and where it is going at the feet of his friend (?) Kenwright.

The last decade is the key to the entire analysis prior to it we spent zip all relatively speaking but never ended up in this peril!!

Over the period you cite our spend gave us an opportunity to reach base camp but was NEVER enough to join the elite half way up the mountain making an assault on the peak.

Check out Chelsea, relatively speaking they are having a dreadful time but will continue throwing enough at the fan till something sticks. We haven't the money to do that and as a result the new stadium curse has hit early

The Moshiri and Usmanov arrival was simply our version of the Venkys, Mike Ashley, Randy Lerner, Hicks and Gillette etc. Until proper money comes in and these 2 pretenders move on we will drift further and further away from base camp let alone climb the mountain.

People might hate this board but their removal is not the panacea some think regarding the bigger picture

Can anyone see any evidence that moshiri knows how to run a club? If they would like to show I'm open to seeing, reading or hearing it ?

Early on in his tenure Moshiri gave an interview in which he stated that his role. along with the Chairman, was to appoint the best manager available and back them financially.

He got the manager choices badly wrong but he did to be fair back them with considerable funding.

Add to that his expectation that Everton would take up no more than 5% of his time.

Wrong man, in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

I may be wrong but it seems you are arguing against yourself. Yes, while Kenwright was owner, we only had the Arteta money down the back of the sofa, if that, yet we were still far more competitive than today. I won't bore you with the reasons why that may have been possible.

But with the very large extra amount of money I referenced, we have gone south precisely because the club is so badly run. This is not a transient thing, it's been 7-10 years building up. We have simply not exploited that extra funding as a direct result of the incompetence. I can't see how anyone can argue otherwise. Can't just be the manager, we've had 7 of them, nor the DoF, we've had 3 of those.

I've said previously replacing the board with competent people has little short term impact but If the bigger picture is the longer term, the foundations that need building, not only is it 'the panacea' but that can't actually happen while the current delusional incompetents are in place.

That is why it is consistent and rational to both support the team for short term gain (hopefully) while maintaining pressure on our owner and board for longer term gain. We can't not do the latter. If the supporters cannot consider longer term impacts, who exactly can?

But if we were a well run club like say, Brighton maybe, who have achieved 9th without the amount of money Everton have spent, don't you think that would be better than relegation scraps?

It might even get us some suitors prepared to invest the large amounts of money you think we need to push on. Leicester and P&S rules notwithstanding.

1) A superb Arsenal team turns up at Goodison, where the new manager gets an excellent display out of the team and wins. Kenwirght is absent
2) A mediocre Liverpool team beats an utterly useless, backpassing Everton team. Kenwright is present.

OK, facile. But when undertaking a causal analysis, the idea is to vary the inputs to determine which are material and which are not material to the outcome. Correlation is not demonstration of causality, but absence of causation is most definitely evidence of lack of causality.

If we take the decline of Everton as roughly contemporary with the advent of the Premier League, Everton has varied its managers, its owners, its players, its financial resources, and, apart from the Joe Royle and David Moyes era, has consistently performed poorly and has become increasingly detached from the other major clubs of English football.

The players have changed, the managers have changed, even, with Moshri, the finances have changed,

However, there is one constant. Kenwright. He is from an industry where a bad performance has no effect on future performances. Apart from reviews, there is nothing left after a performance which has any effect on the future. If David Tennant had fluffed his lines badly in the performance of Richard II I saw at the Barbican a few years ago, that would have had not the slightest effect on any later performances or even later parts of the play.

When everything else has changed, and one thing remains the same, that is where you start looking for causality.

How it took two decades for most people to question his rule shows how much he has poisoned the profile and expectations of our support to the point where avoiding relegation is a triumph. I'll never understand it.

Meanwhile, the finances are in a dire condition and possibly require criminal proceedings. Never again must he show his face in our ground and he must be publicly held responsible for systematically destroying our football club almost to the point of beyond repair.