Bill Kenwright

[davek]

He was a grown man. He could of addressed the lies or attempted to mend fences with the fans. All that was needed was a simple meá clupa. No one to blame for his self imposed exile other than himself.

The dye was cast after that first incident. We all know who the people were who got onto M'side Police and and who took the decision to get the warn the attend not to attend. There was no going back after that.

My point is that there are a lot of people pointing the finger at Everton fans for being responsible for Bill's non-attendance at Goodison when the blame should fall squarely on those around him who told him not to attend that day and who communicated the story of the headlock to the outside world. THEY prevented BK from being able to attend Goodison not the fans.

 

[roy vernon]

It is no secret what I thought of Kenwright, all I have posted on the subject since his death is R.I.P. and condolences to his loved ones. Now is not the time to go into the debate about whether he was a good or a bad thing for EFC, the only thing I will add at this point is, if somebody who has been very flawed and deceitful dies, they don't become a good person over night.

 

[pfim]

It is no secret what I thought of Kenwright, all I have posted on the subject since his death is R.I.P. and condolences to his loved ones. Now is not the time to go into the debate about whether he was a good or a bad thing for EFC, the only thing I will add at this point is, if somebody who has been very flawed and deceitful dies, they don't become a good person over night.

Would be a heck of a thread if we were all judged after we passed. I doubt many would be seen in a positive light.

 

[Tommy Chong]

I'm not judging his entire life on the football part.

The football part of his life was a dismal failure. That failure was down to his weird self-belief that he was the best man for the job. (there's plenty of examples of this, told by the man himself)

People have said some wonderful things about him. Sometimes just a comforting word, sometimes an incredibly generous financial gesture. Those stories have genuinely made me smile, it's wonderful to be in a position to bring so much joy into people's lives.

Those stories of kindness and compassion don't reduce the damage he did to Everton in any way whatsoever.

I'm sorry he didn't get to see a successful Everton under his leadership and I'm sorry he didn't recognise his own inability to move us forward more or less right away. As you say, he was arguably the last of the local owners, it should have been abundantly clear he was massively out of his depth. (Trevor Birch told him as much within weeks of starting work)

His desperation to be a hero to Evertonians has brought us as a club to where we are today. I'm annoyed at that. I'll always be annoyed.

I won't be there on Tuesday, but I'm sure he'll get a nice send off from the club and fans present - exactly how it should be. By the same token, I won't ignore it when people eulogise about him for years to come when talking about Everton. I'll argue he's the worst thing that's ever happened to Everton until its time for me to leave this life.

Bill Kenwright, Evertonian - a kind an generous man.

That's the nicest thing I'll say.

Good night.

Top, top post mate.

I agree with everything you've written.

I've already paid my respects to Bill and his family earlier on in this thread, and I'll leave it at that.

I'll re-enter here when enough time has passed and we can all have a frank and earnest discussion about the impact he has had on our club.

 

[roy vernon]

Would be a heck of a thread if we were all judged after we passed. I doubt many would be seen in a positive light.

I think it's pretty much the opposite, many people who were seen in a far from positive light while they were alive, seem to become almost saintly when they die. I subscribe to the old adage that a truly decent man doesn't have to die before he is respected by the people who knew him.

 

[pfim]

I think it's pretty much the opposite, many people who were seen in a far from positive light while they were alive, seem to become almost saintly when they die. I subscribe to the old adage that a truly decent man doesn't have to die before he is respected by the people who knew him.

That doesn't seem to be what is happening in half of this thread. I'm pretty sure he was respected by the people that knew him, based on the stories told (I didn't know him). It seems that the people who didn't know him are the ones that don't respect him.

I subscribe to the "walk a mile in another man's shoes" adage if we're using cliches. If the worst thing they can say about me when I die is that some people thought I wasn't very good at my job, and I didn't react well to a few situations, I've done pretty well in life.

There are too many "RIP, but you he was a terrible Chairman" posts under the guise of separating the football from the man. If there was a true separation in those thoughts, the football wouldn't be mentioned at all.

He didn't murder anyone. He didn't hurt anyone.

Flawed and deceitful. Those are very strong words.

I won't be commenting more in this thread, doesn't seem worth it.

 

[Willie Thorne]

He was a blue through and through, he tried his best. People have have lost a husband, a Dad, and a Grandad. Rip Bill.

 

[davek]

He was a blue through and through, he tried his best. People have have lost a husband, a Dad, and a Grandad. Rip Bill.

Agreed.

It's way too early to start the dissection of BKs Everton legacy.

He was one of us. Let's just leave it at that for now.

 

[Dr Baxter]

I think it's pretty much the opposite, many people who were seen in a far from positive light while they were alive, seem to become almost saintly when they die. I subscribe to the old adage that a truly decent man doesn't have to die before he is respected by the people who knew him.

It was inevitable when he died that he would be heaped with praise and eulogised by his acolytes, whilst the rest of us have had to bite our tongues. It's just the nature of things and is a respectable way for things to happen when a controversial figure passes away. I suggest a week after the man's funeral would be a time when we can have an honest discussion about his time in charge of EFC. Not too sure where that will get us, but still. Let the healing begin and all that. UTFT.

 

[Dr Baxter]

That doesn't seem to be what is happening in half of this thread. I'm pretty sure he was respected by the people that knew him, based on the stories told (I didn't know him). It seems that the people who didn't know him are the ones that don't respect him.

I subscribe to the "walk a mile in another man's shoes" adage if we're using cliches. If the worst thing they can say about me when I die is that some people thought I wasn't very good at my job, and I didn't react well to a few situations, I've done pretty well in life.

There are too many "RIP, but you he was a terrible Chairman" posts under the guise of separating the football from the man. If there was a true separation in those thoughts, the football wouldn't be mentioned at all.

He didn't murder anyone. He didn't hurt anyone.

Flawed and deceitful. Those are very strong words.

I won't be commenting more in this thread, doesn't seem worth it.

There's an awful lot more to it than "not being good at his job". But, as has been said, let's leave that for another day

 

[Dr Baxter]

Would be a heck of a thread if we were all judged after we passed. I doubt many would be seen in a positive light.

I find it quite the opposite when some dies. Most people tend to adhere to the "don't speak ill of the dead" approach.

 

[Ayesha]

RIP Bill

 

[Bazlar]

Not in favour at all for naming any part of BMD after him. Maybe the dementia facility that is to be built at Goodison would be more apt

 

[dannyboy]

Many of us always thought the only way Bill would leave Everton would be by this extremely sad circumstance and so it turned out to be true. He was a man who doubtlessly loved this club like we all do. He was also a man who did amazing things for charity and his Hillsborough speech is one etched into city folklore.


But I can't sit here and listen to calls for a stand being named after him at the new ground and clap along. A great man he may well have been to his family and friends, but as chairman of this once great football club he failed on so many levels and history will reflect that. People will rightly point to Bill's charism and my hero Seamus Coleman will reflect upon his warmth to anyone who has ever signed a contract with the club, but as a supporter who thought Everton deserved more I was treated with contempt. Whatever time he had for everyone else, he certainly didn't think much of anyone who carried the opinion that Everton should at the top of the English game. The tributes before the games against West Ham and Burnley will be emotional. The damage of his ownership will likely last for my lifetime.


I recognise that this post will likely upset a lot of people and for that I genuinely apologise. I only wish I could write a eulogy that reflected upon the positives of Bill's ownership but in my opinion we deserved so much better.

 

[alwaysblue]

Many of us always thought the only way Bill would leave Everton would be by this extremely sad circumstance and so it turned out to be true. He was a man who doubtlessly loved this club like we all do. He was also a man who did amazing things for charity and his Hillsborough speech is one etched into city folklore.


But I can't sit here and listen to calls for a stand being named after him at the new ground and clap along. A great man he may well have been to his family and friends, but as chairman of this once great football club he failed on so many levels and history will reflect that. People will rightly point to Bill's charism and my hero Seamus Coleman will reflect upon his warmth to anyone who has ever signed a contract with the club, but as a supporter who thought Everton deserved more I was treated with contempt. Whatever time he had for everyone else, he certainly didn't think much of anyone who carried the opinion that Everton should at the top of the English game. The tributes before the games against West Ham and Burnley will be emotional. The damage of his ownership will likely last for my lifetime.


I recognise that this post will likely upset a lot of people and for that I genuinely apologise. I only wish I could write a eulogy that reflected upon the positives of Bill's ownership but in my opinion we deserved so much better.

Good post. There is a clear distinction between the man and the chairman.
He still deserves a good send off from us and I'm sure he will.