Louis Posted August 3, 2008 Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 http://www.guardian..../aug/03/everton Everton sale if stadium gets go ahead Blues in crisis as tycoons clash over club's future Nick Mathiason Everton, the Premier League football club, could be put up for sale if the government approves its new 50,000-capacity stadium in Kirkby. A decision is expected within days. It is understood that tycoons from India, Russia and America will swoop for the club if the green light is given to the £400m stadium project on the outskirts of Liverpool. It is thought an offer would not be rejected out of hand by Everton's high-profile board, which includes theatre impresario Bill Kenwright and Planet Hollywood founder Robert Earl. The two are thought to have disagreements over the future of the club. This is denied by Earl, who is currently holidaying with billionaire tycoon, Philip Green, on his £32m yacht. It is understood that Green also has financial interests in Everton. Green helped Kenwright to buy the club four years ago. He is a lifelong friend of Earl, who owns 24 per cent of the club. It was claimed last week that highly regarded Everton manager David Moyes had to consult Green if he wanted a new player. However, Green denied he was financially linked to the club and downplayed his involvement. He said he gave advice to Kenwright when requested and that he regularly acted for Earl in club matters, as he lives in America and cannot always attend meetings. Moyes is known to beunhappy at the lack of progress in signing new players. Kenwright was forced to put out a statement last Friday to dispel growing anger among fans. A bitter war of words has now broken out between the tycoons running the club and their former chief executive, Keith Wyness, who resigned last Monday. Earl accused Wyness, a former marketing executive at British Airways, of looking for another job on company time. He said he had documents which confirmed this. Wyness has spent part of the summer advising Paul Davidson, the controversial City figure otherwise known as 'The Plumber', who is in the midst of due diligence on the purchase of Real Mallorca, the top-flight Spanish club. It is thought Wyness is being lined up to become chief executive of Mallorca if Davidson buys the club in a deal worth over €50m. Wyness refused to comment on his departure but friends said he had done nothing wrong and was helping 'an old mate' while on annual leave. It has been suggested that his departure was linked to Green's influence at Everton. Wyness's departure prompted Green and Earl to sail from Sardinia to Mallorca for a confrontation with their former chief executive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikel's Left Peg Posted August 3, 2008 Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 I'm not joking but at this rate i would take a bit of investment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12ubb3rduck Posted August 3, 2008 Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 show me the money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevO Posted August 3, 2008 Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 id love nothing more than Green and Earl taking over (well id rather Granchester but he's not arsed) with Greens business accumen and Earls Hollywood mates, i honestly believe we could be successful. Green has the finances to invest in a stadium, players, clear the debt and still not notice a difference to his pocket. and Earl and his buddies could be great for marketing abroad. ah well, i can dream Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlmc25 Posted August 3, 2008 Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 this article just adds weight to what BK and Wyness have said all along, IF we can get a new stadium sorted then investment will come, otherwise no one is interested. I believe BK is trying to lead us into a new era and has taken the hard decision, if we do get Kirkby and we do get investment then I for one would be delighted for Kenwright. Without Kirkby we can't afford anything else (due to Tesco's involvement) and so no other investment would be forthcoming. That's my take on it! We'll just have to wait and see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikels Left Tezzer Posted August 3, 2008 Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 this article just adds weight to what BK and Wyness have said all along, IF we can get a new stadium sorted then investment will come, otherwise no one is interested. I believe BK is trying to lead us into a new era and has taken the hard decision, if we do get Kirkby and we do get investment then I for one would be delighted for Kenwright. Without Kirkby we can't afford anything else (due to Tesco's involvement) and so no other investment would be forthcoming. That's my take on it! We'll just have to wait and see. I'm not so sure with anything related to Everton these days, its all cloak and dagger stuff. I'm just annoyed that Kirkby was sold to the fans on the idea that we would practically pay nothing, now Everton have to stump up a lot of cash. Surely we would be able to pull in an investor whilst still at Goodison, the investor could then finance a top of the range stadium in Liverpool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louis Posted August 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 If the report is true it actually weakens the case for the stadium to go ahead. In the planning application Everton state that the owners do not wish to sell the club, they argue that because the present owners will not sell the club, and do not have the finances to build a ground without a significant cross-subsidy, the move should not be called in. The present owners say a call-in would cause costs to rise to unsustainable levels. If the owners are aware that others wish to buy their shares and are simply waiting for planning permission to be granted then this could be seen as deliberately misleading both the local authority and central Government. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louis Posted August 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2008 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/...--football.html It looks like someone may have read the above post. :| Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlmc25 Posted August 4, 2008 Report Share Posted August 4, 2008 If the report is true it actually weakens the case for the stadium to go ahead. In the planning application Everton state that the owners do not wish to sell the club, they argue that because the present owners will not sell the club, and do not have the finances to build a ground without a significant cross-subsidy, the move should not be called in. The present owners say a call-in would cause costs to rise to unsustainable levels. If the owners are aware that others wish to buy their shares and are simply waiting for planning permission to be granted then this could be seen as deliberately misleading both the local authority and central Government. All I was saying is that Kenwright said all along that investment would only come if and when the stadium is sorted, this article seems to confirm that opinion as does the article in the Echo. Also, the current owners cannot afford to build without significant cross-study - that is true and no one will buy the club unless we get the stadium issue resolved so I dont really see how they are contravening their case. It would be different if there were interested parties out there at the moment and BK is just hanging on until he has planning permission, but that appears to not be the case. All the articles are saying is that with the stadium in Kirkby green lit, Everton are a much more attractive proposition, some fans may not want to hear it but I think it's a case of the heart ruling the head. I just wish a decision was made soon and then everyone will have to get on with it and fans and the club will be more united again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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