Kirkby Move

[Louis]

Pros

• New stadium, easier to develop.
  
• Possible standing Terraces
  
• It will be a centrepiece for a town centre and help regenerate the area.
  
• It's only 1500 yards away from 'Liverpool City Boundary'
  
• Could act as catalyst for the trams project
  
• Knowsley Council are falling over themselves to help us
  
• Likely improved commercial facilities
  
• Higher dispersion rate (quicker getting away from the stadium after match)
  
• Access routes from dual carriageway nearby
  
• No restricted views
  
• Potential for investment for the club
  

Cons

• It's not within in 'Liverpool City Boundary'*
  
• Stadium will possibly not be owned by the club
  
• Some fans will never return to watch Everton in Kirkby
  
• Lack of tourists income
  
• We will be leaving Goodison Park after 119 years
  
• May hinder the Evertonian population not being in Liverpool[/i]
  
• Everton are not the major partners in the development, Tesco are
  

* the major factor

 

Please add as many as you can and I will put them here in bulletpoint form and keep it as unbiased as possible.

 

I've also come across this on the echo website:

 

KIRKBY TOWN CENTRE

 

PROS: Comfortably the most viable option at the moment. Knowsley council has found a site just south of the existing town centre, and megabucks Tesco, with Evertonian Sir Terry Leahy at the helm, is involved - so the club would not need to worry too much about the cost. Just four miles from Goodison Park as the crow flies. Close to the M57 and walking distance from Kirkby station.

 

CONS: It's Kirkby. Many supporters cannot bear the thought of moving outside the city boundaries, even by half a mile or so.

 

REBUILDING Goodison PARK

 

PROS: The club's spiritual home. The Old Lady has been home to Everton's biggest triumphs and greatest escapes, and no other ground has a history quite like it. Good bus and train links, plenty of parking in surrounding streets, and lots of fans walk to the ground. Shops in County Road and Rice Lane depend on match-day revenue. Rebuilding on the same site would be a good compromise, maintaining the club's roots while bringing in modern facilities.

 

CONS: No space. Goodison is surrounded by a road, rows of terraces and a primary school. Rebuilding would be a major logistical problem - the ground might even have to be rotated. Would there be room for a big supermarket and shops next door to bring in private money?

 

CENTRAL DOCKS / STANLEY ABATTOIR / OLD SPEKE AIRPORT

 

PROS: The three Liverpool sites most frequently mentioned. All large brownfield areas which the council wants to see developed, with plenty of room for shops, hotels etc. Would keep Everton inside the city boundaries, so Liverpool would not lose tens of millions of pounds a year to a neighbouring borough.

 

CONS: All surrounded by uncertainty. The council might want Everton to stay in the city, but without the backing of a firm like Tesco, schemes will struggleto get off the ground.

 

SWITCH ISLAND

 

PROS: Lots of room right next to the M57 for shops and parking, as well as a big stadium. Peel Holdings, owned by Matalan supremo John Hargreaves, is behind the plan - so money would not be a problem.

 

CONS: Where do you start? The site is green belt land, so a lengthy public inquiry is a near certainty, potentially causing years of delays. Residents in nearby Melling do not want it. And nor does Sefton council, which last week decided to tell Peel Holdings that the development would not be welcome.

[cornishgazefc]

mate you forgot better viewing for the fan

easy access

less time getting away from the ground

plus potential for investment for the club

[Louis]

I've put potential investment in club in italics because it is only 'possible' not a definite.. we could move and find theres no one willing to help us.

[Louis]

Also interesting how the echo says Liverpool City Council could lose tens of millions of pounds. I think that the cons of developing Goodison park contains a dig about tesco.

[wellafella]

Give me the new ground in kirkby any day ! When its eventually built all the blues saying they won't go there is ridiculous, if you support everton fc as long as were not moving over the water or to st helens, you should'nt really give a toss if were in the boundries of liverpool city council or not, to every away fan in the country ( in their eyes ) they will be coming to liverpool to watch there teams play everton. Its only the daft redshites who will make an issue of the fact were in kirkby and after all ' we don't care what the redshite sing' !!!!

Man united play out of there cities boundries they are from trafford and its only man city and redshites who point out that fact , so I dont think its such a big deal us moving to a new ground in kirkby, I personally can't wait !

[GoldfishMemory]

Give me the new ground in kirkby any day ! When its eventually built all the blues saying they won't go there is ridiculous, if you support everton fc as long as were not moving over the water or to st helens, you should'nt really give a toss if were in the boundries of liverpool city council or not, to every away fan in the country ( in their eyes ) they will be coming to liverpool to watch there teams play everton. Its only the daft redshites who will make an issue of the fact were in kirkby and after all ' we don't care what the redshite sing' !!!!

Man united play out of there cities boundries they are from trafford and its only man city and redshites who point out that fact , so I dont think its such a big deal us moving to a new ground in kirkby, I personally can't wait !

 

Over a new stadium on Stanley park (it will take 2 easily)?

Over a new Stadium on Walton Hall Park?

Over a new Stadium on the waste ground between the railway lines at Kirkdale?

Over a new Stadium on the available docklands (cant remember which one)?

 

There are several other options including redevelopment, do you realy want our club to be a whore to tesco?????????

Edited March 19, 2007 by GoldfishMemory

[Louis]

All the sites you've mentioned bar docklands are doable.. peel holdings have said they're not interested in knocking up a stadium at central docks (because they will get a lot more money through residential buildings).

[Maghull70]

Over a new stadium on Stanley park (it will take 2 easily)?

Over a new Stadium on Walton Hall Park?

Over a new Stadium on the waste ground between the railway lines at Kirkdale?

Over a new Stadium on the available docklands (cant remember which one)?

 

There are several other options including redevelopment, do you realy want our club to be a whore to tesco?????????

 

 

Apparently theres a spot in Everton (on great homer st i think). How good would that be?

 

The problem is though, we have no money and need a partner. BUT Why dont Tesco open a store in Liverpool???

 

No we dont want to be a whore to tesco, but i'd rather them than the yanks.

 

The problem many Everton fans have about the proposed move to Kirkby is that its seems a done deal already and any other alternative sites are being ignored. That exclusivity clause is what irks me. We should be looking at ALL POSSIBILITIES.

Edited March 21, 2007 by Maghull70

[jamiemaher85]

article on BBC-

 

Council hopeful on Everton plans

By Phil McNulty

Chief football writer

 

 

 

Everton's proposed new stadium could yet stay in Liverpool, according to City Council leader Warren Bradley.

The Goodison Park club has agreed an exclusivity deal with supermarket giant Tesco and Knowsley Council to discuss plans for a new stadium in Kirkby.

 

But many Everton fans want them to remain within the city of Liverpool.

 

And Councillor Bradley told BBC Sport: "If Everton's deal with Knowsley falls through, I hope they will be able to discuss possibilities in Liverpool."

 

What we have got to is do all we can to retain Everton in Liverpool

 

Liverpool city council leader Warren Bradley

 

Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy - a lifelong Everton fan - said that "constructive" talks were going on between Everton and Knowsley council that would help finance the new stadium.

 

Everton are unable to comment on specific details of issues relating to the stadium plans because of the exclusivity deal.

 

But Councill Bradley, also a Goodison Park season ticket holder, confirmed Everton had been offered alternative sites within the city and the council was also searching for commercial partners.

 

He insisted he has not given up hope of Everton remaining within Liverpool, saying: "As a City Council leader more than an Evertonian, do we really want to see a commercial business the size of Everton move out of the city? Of course we don't.

 

"What we have got to is do all we can to retain them in Liverpool. We've done work on finding land and we are doing work at the moment on finding further commercial partners.

 

"If at some point Everton say their current plans for Kirkby are not financially viable because there is no asset base, or Tesco say this doesn't stack up for us or any of our retail partners, and those involved don't think they can take it any further, then hopefully there will be possibilities in Liverpool."

 

Councillor Bradley admitted he had been a supporter of a joint stadium for Everton and Liverpool.

 

He also insisted he had not closed the door on the possibility of re-developing Goodison Park if any way could be found to go ahead with such a project - but this has been virtually dismissed by Everton.

 

Councillor Bradley said: "I have always been an advocate of the joint stadium with Everton and Liverpool.

 

"I thought it would half their administrative costs and stadium costsn which had to be a plus and they could put the extra finance on the pitch."

 

He also fears the disappearance of Everton from Goodison to Kirkby would hit the surrounding businesses and communities hard in the city's Walton area.

 

"There is a business community there that has been stabilised because Everton have been there," he said.

 

"It would be a sad day because a lot of the businesses that have survived because of Everton wouldn't continue to have that under-pinning support."

 

 

Everton's King's Dock move was abandoned in 2003

 

Councillor Bradley also rejected suggestions on Merseyside that the council had been more receptive to Liverpool's plans for a new stadium in Stanley Park than Everton's proposals for a new stadium.

 

Everton abandoned a proposed move to King's Dock in April 2003 because they failed to raise the cash to fund their share of the £155m project - but lines of communication are open with Kenwright.

 

"The council went to hell and back for Everton on King's Dock, but unfortunately the business plan was never going to allow that to happen," insisted Councillor Bradley.

 

"Since Christmas Bill Kenwright and I have spoken, not particularly about a new stadium, but about striking up a relationship between the council and the chairman of Everton and I have got to say it has gone from strength to strength.

 

"If Everton decide the exclusivity deal with Knowsley is no longer, I believe I can sit around a table with Bill Kenwright and the chief executives of the council and Everton and come up with something I believe is acceptable to Everton supporters and also to the city."

 

And despite Everton's reservations, Councillor Bradley would be willing to explore the possibility of re-developing Goodison.

 

He added: "It is something we are looking at. There is a school close by and I have got the chief executive of the council working on that.

 

"The main issue is what commercial partners Everton would get in that area. I know Everton have an opinion on that.

 

"But what I would say is if Everton feel they can get some commercial support or commercial sponsors in there to do something special, there is no reason why we can't do some land assembly work to ensure that we can extend the footprint of Goodison.

 

"If Everton do decide for commercial reasons they have to go to Kirkby, that is a decision they will take, but as council leader and a season ticket holder, I would like to see Everton remain in the city and I have definitely not given up on that."

[aaron]

nice post jamie, it was a good read

[GMorrison183]

I've put potential investment in club in italics because it is only 'possible' not a definite.. we could move and find theres no one willing to help us.

 

I think thats the key. If the investment is there then making the move becomes very attractive.

 

I don't think redeveloping Goodison is the proper answer though. It would require a complete overhaul.

[Rob W]

Im not sure which option I support. In an ideal world, as Im sure all would agree, to develop Goodison is the perfect answer, but that doesnt seem viable.

I would like the club to stay within city boundries but, being from London, I am not as directly affected as most of u by it not being and wouldnt put it at the top of my wanted list.

Kirkby seems the way Im leaning, if the cost is largely met by Tesco and its only 4 miles from Goodsion and 1 mile from the city boundries.

What would the local facilites be like around there, are there pubs to drink in before the game close by or is it far from anything?

[Maghull70]

Im not sure which option I support. In an ideal world, as Im sure all would agree, to develop Goodison is the perfect answer, but that doesnt seem viable.

I would like the club to stay within city boundries but, being from London, I am not as directly affected as most of u by it not being and wouldnt put it at the top of my wanted list.

Kirkby seems the way Im leaning, if the cost is largely met by Tesco and its only 4 miles from Goodsion and 1 mile from the city boundries.

What would the local facilites be like around there, are there pubs to drink in before the game close by or is it far from anything?

 

Im not familiar with the site were looking at but I'm told that there are some drinking holes but not a hell of a lot. I would guess there would probably be new bars built attached to the ground or somewhere on the site for match days BUT where would we go after the match and into the wee hours of the morning after we twat the RS?? Probably back into town. There must be a few pubs around Kirkby town centre. Once again I dont know from first hand experience BUT a RED mate tells me theres one on Cherryfield drive and a couple near Kirkby train station, HOWEVER this same person also told me LIVERPOOL were going to win the league this season.

[Zed]

Im not familiar with the site were looking at but I'm told that there are some drinking holes but not a hell of a lot. I would guess there would probably be new bars built attached to the ground or somewhere on the site for match days BUT where would we go after the match and into the wee hours of the morning after we twat the RS?? Probably back into town. There must be a few pubs around Kirkby town centre. Once again I dont know from first hand experience BUT a RED mate tells me theres one on Cherryfield drive and a couple near Kirkby train station, HOWEVER this same person also told me LIVERPOOL were going to win the league this season.

 

when you think how many boozers are chocker block on a saturday around Goodison. At least 10 I can think of. There arnt that many boozer in and around kirkby, but I think thats all part of the master plan, every over priced pie pint or packet of everton mints not bought at Goodison is money not going into Everton is it, so you will be forced to frequent the Everton hospitality, just another example of global corporisation

 

Another question is this "Exclusivity clause" what are the finer details of this. Basically Everton can't consider any other options? OR WHAT

[StevO]

there is a time period (i think about9 months or so) where we can only look into a move with kirkby and tesco, if after the period is up we can just walk away from it.

 

any research and evaluation has been paid for by knowsley, so it hasn't cost us anything to enter into this deal at the moment anyway

[Zed]

there is a time period (i think about9 months or so) where we can only look into a move with kirkby and tesco, if after the period is up we can just walk away from it.

 

any research and evaluation has been paid for by knowsley, so it hasn't cost us anything to enter into this deal at the moment anyway

 

 

Thats fair enough, Knowsley have a right to ask for some commitment to protect their investments

[Pat]

Iv'e a Feeling It's Kirkby or Groundshare.

[StevO]

cant see any chance of a ground share

[Romey 1878]

http://everton.rivals.net/default.asp?sid=...mp;stid=8444684

 

 

Looks like the club are listening