Bill Kenwright

[Dixieslaces]

From a personal perspective he was truly amazing with, and for, my parents when my brother was killed. My dad had known him a long, long time, pre ESCLA days, when he would meet up with all the other travelling blues and was just another fan going the game. They stayed in contact from then up until, well, now I guess.

His support, strength, generosity and genuine care at the time were, and still are, invaluable.
Thank you for that Bill, you've no idea how much you helped. For that I, and my family, will be eternally grateful.


RIP Bill
RIP Mick

When everything else should take a back seat.

Truly touching.

Brings a tear to the eye, my fellow Blue and all Blues tonight.

 

[Rita_Poon]

https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2023-10-24/bill-kenwright-from-theatre-producer-to-everton-chairman

 

[Tony’s Carp]

For any faults he had, you couldn't question the huge heart he had on occasions like this. or Rhys Jones or Hillsborough and countless more.
R I P

Seen so many stories of his kindness today and it’s a real shame the positive stories have been overshadowed these last few years.

Hopefully in years to come he’ll be remembered more for his personal qualities rather than his (real or perceived) professional failings.

 

[Micky_T]

All this hypocracy is quite nice to see. Didn't expect it to be honest.

 

[knowing your history]

RIP Bill. Nothing but love and condolences to his family and friends.

Lads, into them on Sunday now. Do the right thing and send Bill off with a win.

Was that the last live game he ever attended down there last season? Amongst "headlock" gate his declining health in last six months would've probably meant he'd have stopped coming to Goodison regardless. I can remember him being pictured with Moshiri at West Ham in the Lampard sacked stories. Perhaps he went to the Chelsea game in Mid March aswell?

Yes players should be really up for this game now given the brilliant words Seamus has said, get him to do the team talk on Sunday please.

Also went back to watch this speech. It really is tremendous oration but then he was excellent at that. Apologies if someone else has posted it a few pages back:

 

[ArtetaMoney]

Has anyone checked on @4737carlin i know he was a big supporter of Bill.

 

[Dixieslaces]

https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2023-10-24/bill-kenwright-from-theatre-producer-to-everton-chairman

Nice that mate.

 

[jinkyali]

Obviously very sad news for his family.

Its amazing how many hangers on he has too.

 

[If You Know Your History]

Sad that he was forced to stay away at the end.

So glad he appointed Moyes or we probably wouldn't exist as a club right now.

 

[Cake]

What a life, one which most would never even have attempted but wished they had. Maybe you just loved Everton too much? Punched well above his weight with Jenny Seagrove, too…

RIP

 

[mmmmsnouts]

He was increasingly a poor chairman on the pitch, but most clubs could learn a lot about how to conduct yourself off the pitch and in the community by studying the way BK’s Everton handled things.

I have to confess that when this thread would pop up to the top of the board from time to time, I would morbidly check in to see if he had passed. Now that it’s actually happened, it’s a lot sadder than I expected. RIP.

 

[Neiler]

Deeply saddened to hear of Bills death, I hope he went peacefully with great comfort and his family find similar comfort in the great memories I’m sure they have of him.

I think from the expressions of gratitude and grief amongst those who knew him, he was respected, revered and loved and may we all be so lucky. He will be missed.

I was thinking earlier how he’d like to be remembered, so I’ll just say, he was one of us, he was a blue and he served the club to the best of his ability, he will be missed.

It feels like the end of a journey or the end of a life cycle of the club, ill remember all the years, particularly the Moyes era, European football, Cup final and hope. You know what, I did have good times.

I was never his harshest critic because I always believed he never promised what he didn’t deliver to my mind. He and we thought a billionaire was the answer - how wrong we all were. What happened next is for each man/woman to decide for themselves. I have my own thoughts. But today is not the day.

As time passes and as the club moves out of local influence with an uncertain future, maybe many will look back with a kinder eye.

I hope we remember him fondly, with respect and regard wherever blue is worn.

He’s was one of us and he served the club.

Thanks for all Bill, Rest In Peace.

 

[m hart89 efc]

At the end of the day football doesn’t really matter when it comes to this. A family has lost a father, grandfather, husband, friend and we as an Everton family have lost a fellow Evertonian and gentleman. Thoughts are with his family and friends. Whatever has gone on between him and the fans is irrelevant right now and we as a fan base should be respectful of him and his family at this time.
Rest in peace Bill

 

[kenada_blue]

Well disliked at the end by a fair few but let's be clear he put so much into the club for over 20 years so that deserves respect at the Burnley game.

He came in after the dismal end to Peter Johnson era and with the appointment of Moyes got the club back into top 6 regularly, europe regularly and with more luck CL which would've been a gamechanger but of course with Collina missed out and remained a nearly club in the years after.

I thought his appointment of Martinez was decent for the time aswell. He could pick managers, Moshiri really couldn't beyond a big name.

Good point from above, that speech he gave at Anfield in I think the 2009 Hillsborough memorial was spine-tingling. An Evertonian getting a deserved standing ovation from the Kop, not too many who've walked this Earth have got that in their lifetime!

R.I.P Bill.

No fan can say they genuinely disliked him as a human being. They disliked his handling of the club from a football perspective by the end.

People can separate the man from the role he had and decisions he made in it. Its clear he was a lovely, respected, kind hearted man who had the best intentions and left an impression with the people who met him.

He left a lasting imprint on the club, football, as well as the theatre over many years.

 

[davies1878]

Didn't he surrender 250k to 500k of the kanchelskis money to fiorentina when we were skint because they said they were skint possibly the same with the 5 million keeper from tranmere hahaha

Not a major criticism just showed he was daft football romantic in a time when the rest of the football world wasn't