New Everton Stadium

[blue76]

Goodison can't be redeveloped because it's too old. Erm...

 

[Jags..class]

I'f the men in charge can't make it happen then sell to someone who can, don't just do nothing and hold the club back. The club future is in danger of being left behind once again

 

[Toffeelover]

To those who criticised me over my comment about a new stadium not this side of 10 years and we had no funds. Do you really think the TV money will all go to a new stadium? or will it go to buy players? or will a good deal disappear in operating costs? or will it be used to pay off some of the existing debt?

Look again at Elstone's statement about the club not willing to increase the debt and having to pay it off over a few years and you think we are okay because we will have TV money?

 

[pablo 1878]

Firstly, I am not a season ticket holder and have not been since the mid-1980's and my visits to the Old lady are few and far between nowadays due partly to distance and family commitments and to a lesser degree a disillusionment with PL football and the seemingly endless wafts of cash being thrown at the game much of which goes straight into the already bulging bank accounts of overpaid and, in most cases, very average footballers. I am, nevertheless, a born blue who served my apprenticeship as an Evertonian back in the grim days of the 1970's and early 1980's and would have done anything for the club that was my life in those days, I was so entrenched in what is and always will be MY club. But this apparent lethargy, this inertia, this lack of energy which pervades the Club from top down is causing me to fear for the future of this great and historical institution. There are countless thousands of better Blues than me who have stood by the club for more years than I and who qualify, justifiably, to have a say in what is going on - or not going on - within THEIR club and who year after year, season after season, spend their hard earned £££'s contributing towards ever increasing and record season ticket sales. But therein, in my opinion, lies the problem. You fans, you real SUPPORTERS, are perpetuating the fallacy in the collective minds of the current board that all is well and that as long as the club maintains its PL status then they will be forgiven any lack of footballing success or progression. We should all be rightly proud of the Club's achievements with EITC and other non-football related initiatives - after all, should this this not be what a football club steeped in the character and ingrained in the soil of its local community be seen to do - but whilst laudable it does not cost £millions to do this. What the incumbants of the present board seem to overlook and ignore is its base principle for existence i.e. to be seen to actually progress and, if not always surpassing, at least competing with its peers on the field and providing its regular customers, its club supporters some modicum of footballing success and a stadium within which to enjoy it. Instead, they are content for the Club to do just enough to get by, to exist and be seen as some model of prudent and good housekeeping, keeping a clean house whilst never quite keeping up with the Jones's next door. The world has moved on but, I am VERY afraid, it is not taking Everton with it whilst it remains under the stewardship of a board which takes its references from Mrs Beaton. It really is up to the Clubs supporters to actually provoke a change.

Mate your opinion is as valid as anyone else's and this is a forum so you are entitled to make it whether you go to every game or not.

For what it's worth, I think you've nailed it. There's a section of our fan base who think this board are doing fine. We remain a family club that doesn't forget it's roots, we've got the exceptional EITC who continue to do great work and we continue to challenge the big boys despite having a fraction of their budget. They believe this because this is what is peddled by the Echo - Everton are skint and we are lucky to be so well run. To do what we do is considered success by some people.

I think the tide is slowly turning, but it's too slow. People are realising that we are going nowhere under our current owners / board. If this 3rd stadium proposal is as dead in the water as it looks, hopefully more people will wake up and realise that we can't continue to stagnate whilst everyone around us are pushing on. We're in the richest era of the richest league in world football and we still maintain that we we're skint. It's ridiculous and as a club we deserve better than these blaggers.

 

[sageyefc]

To those who criticised me over my comment about a new stadium not this side of 10 years and we had no funds. Do you really think the TV money will all go to a new stadium? or will it go to buy players? or will a good deal disappear in operating costs? or will it be used to pay off some of the existing debt?

Look again at Elstone's statement about the club not willing to increase the debt and having to pay it off over a few years and you think we are okay because we will have TV money?

The foreign rights alone would service the debts of a new stadium.

Dont forget the new deal comes into next year which is even more than what it is now.

If they cant have a good stab at it now they never will

 

[pablo 1878]

I'f the men in charge can't make it happen then sell to someone who can, don't just do nothing and hold the club back. The club future is in danger of being left behind once again

The majority of the club's shares are owned by a few very wealthy individuals. Aside from owning shares, what do these people offer the club? Absolutely nothing at all. They bought low and are prepared to sit it out until they are ready to cash in on their investment for the maximum profit. In the meantime the inertia is slowly killing the club. Unfortunately too many people think these jokers are doing a good job which is incredible

 

[Chang Elephant]

They bought low and are prepared to sit it out until they are ready to cash in on their investment for the maximum profit. In the meantime the inertia is slowly killing the club. Unfortunately too many people think these jokers are doing a good job which is incredible

The only thing the vermin can do (for us and them) is sell at a realistic price next time a super rich buyer enquires (Ambani, QIA etc). Otherwise they've nailed down the coffin into turning us second rate.

 

[TheFinnFan]

There was talk about RS leaving behind of the top clubs cause of Anfields location...
and their redevelopment came too late...well if we stay Goodison then whats our chance then...

 

[Toffeelover]

The foreign rights alone would service the debts of a new stadium.

Dont forget the new deal comes into next year which is even more than what it is now.

If they cant have a good stab at it now they never will

I would sincerely hope that what you say could be on the right course. But this what has been reported and look at the comments I have oputlined in bold.

Everton Chief Executive Robert Elstone says that patient steps are being taken over a potential new ground but that the club must also ensure a move doesn't jeopardise the Blues' future.

Quoted from his end-of-season notes in Sunday's match programme by the Liverpool Echo, Elstone explains that progress for a possible stadium development at Walton Hall Park has been "steady, often frustratingly so," due to the "desire to ‘dot every i and cross every t'."

He says that an "impressive" planning team has been identified to help drive the project when the time comes but — crucially — that phase can only begin when the necessary funding mechanisms are in place.

As would be the case with any new stadium construction, it is the funds that are proving to be the biggest obstacle and Elstone insists that it has to make long-term financial sense.

"We would need to think very carefully about a new stadium that adds the burden of significant debt on the club," he says.

"The stadium has to protect and enhance our long-term future, not in any foreseeable way jeopardise it. What is certain is we need to be ‘on top of our game' at all aspects of funding.

“The powerful regeneration benefits will need to unlock the maximum support from our Local Authority and release all potential grant monies,” he continues.

“We will need a great naming rights deal, and these have been few and far between.

“We also need to do all of that whilst listening to, and respecting the concerns and needs of all our neighbours — our existing neighbours at Goodison and our prospective new neighbours at Walton Hall Park. There's an Everton way to do things.”

The cautionary tone to the CEO's comments are the first indications of a more circumspect approach by the Board towards a new stadium development which was previously held up as vital to the club's future.

Elstone references Goodison Park's status as "an intense and intimidating stadium very dear to all of our hearts," but he maintains that a new ground "could be the catalyst for a significant, step-change in progress."

Nevertheless, his comments are a tacit acknowledgement that the landscape of the Premier League has changed to the point where the financial advantages of the Walton Hall Park scheme — or any other proposal so heavily reliant on a mix of funding from the local council, sponsorship and Everton taking on more debt — must be weighed seriously against the risks to the club's long-term financial health.

"The top of the Premier League is dominated by either unlimited and almost unimaginable owner wealth or a big, modern stadium that gets filled every week,” Elstone explains, echoing sentiments expressed by financial expert Joe Beardwood in a recent presentation to the Shareholders Association.

"The situation at Goodison isn't the same as that encountered by Arsenal at Highbury. We don't have season ticket and hospitality waiting lists and we're not turning away thousands of fans every week.

“Similarly, we're not based just up the road from the richest square mile in the country. Arsenal built the Emirates, turned the tap on and the fans filled it overnight; attendances almost doubled.

"The economics for Everton are less clear-cut. We will undoubtedly generate more money if we fill 50,000 seats but the investment is more marginal and more risky.”

Liverpool Mayor, Joe Anderson, backed up Elstone's notes by saying that while the Council will do everything in its power to help Everton, there were limits to its ability to help fund the project.

"What Robert Elstone has said in his programme notes is that this is a financial problem that the club needs to resolve," Anderson said.

“From the point of view of the city council there are financial and legal constraints that limit what we can do."

• Column: Goodison Forever

The point about about "that adds the burden of significant debt on the club" implies to me that there is already a sizeable debt and no matter what folk say about TV money paying for a new stadium that does not appear to be taken up by Elstone so the TV money will not be enough by the looks of it.

At the end of the day it is the parasitical shareholders as DaveK points out that do not want to put any money in who are stopping development.

 

[Visitor22]

The issue now is how do you get rid of these people? Kenwright would clearly be gutted if the fans turned on him but I don't think he's the one behind the steering wheel. Banners and chants will do nothing to the likes of Earl, he really doesn't care what a bunch of football fans on the opposite side of the world think. The Kitbag deal makes a merchandise boycott useless, and no fans have yet been able to significantly make a dent in match day revenues through a campaign

The only course of action that I could see potentially working is a targeted campaign against other business interests that they hold - anyone know how to do that?

 

[MickA]

The point about about "that adds the burden of significant debt on the club" implies to me that there is already a sizeable debt and no matter what folk say about TV money paying for a new stadium that does not appear to be taken up by Elstone so the TV money will not be enough by the looks of it.

This is where the head in the sand mantra of 'finances will improve the second we get a new stadium' kicks in. They repeat it constantly and people believe it. The Club needs a holistic business plan to increase revenues that can be accounted for and verified. This board have never brought anything remotely like that to the table and there is absolutely nothing to suggest any of them are remotely interested in doing so.

The LCC barrister got it spot on when he asked Elstone what would happen to the value of public land if EFC were sold a week later.

 

[evo1878]

I would sincerely hope that what you say could be on the right course. But this what has been reported and look at the comments I have oputlined in bold.

Everton Chief Executive Robert Elstone says that patient steps are being taken over a potential new ground but that the club must also ensure a move doesn't jeopardise the Blues' future.

Quoted from his end-of-season notes in Sunday's match programme by the Liverpool Echo, Elstone explains that progress for a possible stadium development at Walton Hall Park has been "steady, often frustratingly so," due to the "desire to ‘dot every i and cross every t'."

He says that an "impressive" planning team has been identified to help drive the project when the time comes but — crucially — that phase can only begin when the necessary funding mechanisms are in place.

As would be the case with any new stadium construction, it is the funds that are proving to be the biggest obstacle and Elstone insists that it has to make long-term financial sense.

"We would need to think very carefully about a new stadium that adds the burden of significant debt on the club," he says.

"The stadium has to protect and enhance our long-term future, not in any foreseeable way jeopardise it. What is certain is we need to be ‘on top of our game' at all aspects of funding.

“The powerful regeneration benefits will need to unlock the maximum support from our Local Authority and release all potential grant monies,” he continues.

“We will need a great naming rights deal, and these have been few and far between.

“We also need to do all of that whilst listening to, and respecting the concerns and needs of all our neighbours — our existing neighbours at Goodison and our prospective new neighbours at Walton Hall Park. There's an Everton way to do things.”

The cautionary tone to the CEO's comments are the first indications of a more circumspect approach by the Board towards a new stadium development which was previously held up as vital to the club's future.

Elstone references Goodison Park's status as "an intense and intimidating stadium very dear to all of our hearts," but he maintains that a new ground "could be the catalyst for a significant, step-change in progress."

Nevertheless, his comments are a tacit acknowledgement that the landscape of the Premier League has changed to the point where the financial advantages of the Walton Hall Park scheme — or any other proposal so heavily reliant on a mix of funding from the local council, sponsorship and Everton taking on more debt — must be weighed seriously against the risks to the club's long-term financial health.

"The top of the Premier League is dominated by either unlimited and almost unimaginable owner wealth or a big, modern stadium that gets filled every week,” Elstone explains, echoing sentiments expressed by financial expert Joe Beardwood in a recent presentation to the Shareholders Association.

"The situation at Goodison isn't the same as that encountered by Arsenal at Highbury. We don't have season ticket and hospitality waiting lists and we're not turning away thousands of fans every week.

“Similarly, we're not based just up the road from the richest square mile in the country. Arsenal built the Emirates, turned the tap on and the fans filled it overnight; attendances almost doubled.

"The economics for Everton are less clear-cut. We will undoubtedly generate more money if we fill 50,000 seats but the investment is more marginal and more risky.”

Liverpool Mayor, Joe Anderson, backed up Elstone's notes by saying that while the Council will do everything in its power to help Everton, there were limits to its ability to help fund the project.

"What Robert Elstone has said in his programme notes is that this is a financial problem that the club needs to resolve," Anderson said.

“From the point of view of the city council there are financial and legal constraints that limit what we can do."

• Column: Goodison Forever

The point about about "that adds the burden of significant debt on the club" implies to me that there is already a sizeable debt and no matter what folk say about TV money paying for a new stadium that does not appear to be taken up by Elstone so the TV money will not be enough by the looks of it.

At the end of the day it is the parasitical shareholders as DaveK points out that do not want to put any money in who are stopping development.

It angers me every time Elstone talks about the club's debt because the club's debt is poorly structured in the first place. And until someone like Elstone from inside the club comes out and says x.y.z people are behind VIBRAC or any other offshore company that lends money to Everton at uncommercially high interest rates secured by e.g. season tickets then i will always be sceptical that this is the way Kenwright and his chums are extracting money out of the club. Anyone care to disabuse me of this idea?

 

[sageyefc]

I would sincerely hope that what you say could be on the right course. But this what has been reported and look at the comments I have oputlined in bold.

Everton Chief Executive Robert Elstone says that patient steps are being taken over a potential new ground but that the club must also ensure a move doesn't jeopardise the Blues' future.

Quoted from his end-of-season notes in Sunday's match programme by the Liverpool Echo, Elstone explains that progress for a possible stadium development at Walton Hall Park has been "steady, often frustratingly so," due to the "desire to ‘dot every i and cross every t'."

He says that an "impressive" planning team has been identified to help drive the project when the time comes but — crucially — that phase can only begin when the necessary funding mechanisms are in place.

As would be the case with any new stadium construction, it is the funds that are proving to be the biggest obstacle and Elstone insists that it has to make long-term financial sense.

"We would need to think very carefully about a new stadium that adds the burden of significant debt on the club," he says.

"The stadium has to protect and enhance our long-term future, not in any foreseeable way jeopardise it. What is certain is we need to be ‘on top of our game' at all aspects of funding.

“The powerful regeneration benefits will need to unlock the maximum support from our Local Authority and release all potential grant monies,” he continues.

“We will need a great naming rights deal, and these have been few and far between.

“We also need to do all of that whilst listening to, and respecting the concerns and needs of all our neighbours — our existing neighbours at Goodison and our prospective new neighbours at Walton Hall Park. There's an Everton way to do things.”

The cautionary tone to the CEO's comments are the first indications of a more circumspect approach by the Board towards a new stadium development which was previously held up as vital to the club's future.

Elstone references Goodison Park's status as "an intense and intimidating stadium very dear to all of our hearts," but he maintains that a new ground "could be the catalyst for a significant, step-change in progress."

Nevertheless, his comments are a tacit acknowledgement that the landscape of the Premier League has changed to the point where the financial advantages of the Walton Hall Park scheme — or any other proposal so heavily reliant on a mix of funding from the local council, sponsorship and Everton taking on more debt — must be weighed seriously against the risks to the club's long-term financial health.

"The top of the Premier League is dominated by either unlimited and almost unimaginable owner wealth or a big, modern stadium that gets filled every week,” Elstone explains, echoing sentiments expressed by financial expert Joe Beardwood in a recent presentation to the Shareholders Association.

"The situation at Goodison isn't the same as that encountered by Arsenal at Highbury. We don't have season ticket and hospitality waiting lists and we're not turning away thousands of fans every week.

“Similarly, we're not based just up the road from the richest square mile in the country. Arsenal built the Emirates, turned the tap on and the fans filled it overnight; attendances almost doubled.

"The economics for Everton are less clear-cut. We will undoubtedly generate more money if we fill 50,000 seats but the investment is more marginal and more risky.”

Liverpool Mayor, Joe Anderson, backed up Elstone's notes by saying that while the Council will do everything in its power to help Everton, there were limits to its ability to help fund the project.

"What Robert Elstone has said in his programme notes is that this is a financial problem that the club needs to resolve," Anderson said.

“From the point of view of the city council there are financial and legal constraints that limit what we can do."

• Column: Goodison Forever

The point about about "that adds the burden of significant debt on the club" implies to me that there is already a sizeable debt and no matter what folk say about TV money paying for a new stadium that does not appear to be taken up by Elstone so the TV money will not be enough by the looks of it.

At the end of the day it is the parasitical shareholders as DaveK points out that do not want to put any money in who are stopping development.

I pay no attention whatsoever to that mans words, hes a buffoon who needs chasing outve town.

Whats the debt now, abar 30 mil. New tv deal alone brings in an extra 50 mil a year when it kicks in

 

[kithnou]

Firstly, I am not a season ticket holder and have not been since the mid-1980's and my visits to the Old lady are few and far between nowadays due partly to distance and family commitments and to a lesser degree a disillusionment with PL football and the seemingly endless wafts of cash being thrown at the game much of which goes straight into the already bulging bank accounts of overpaid and, in most cases, very average footballers. I am, nevertheless, a born blue who served my apprenticeship as an Evertonian back in the grim days of the 1970's and early 1980's and would have done anything for the club that was my life in those days, I was so entrenched in what is and always will be MY club. But this apparent lethargy, this inertia, this lack of energy which pervades the Club from top down is causing me to fear for the future of this great and historical institution. There are countless thousands of better Blues than me who have stood by the club for more years than I and who qualify, justifiably, to have a say in what is going on - or not going on - within THEIR club and who year after year, season after season, spend their hard earned £££'s contributing towards ever increasing and record season ticket sales. But therein, in my opinion, lies the problem. You fans, you real SUPPORTERS, are perpetuating the fallacy in the collective minds of the current board that all is well and that as long as the club maintains its PL status then they will be forgiven any lack of footballing success or progression. We should all be rightly proud of the Club's achievements with EITC and other non-football related initiatives - after all, should this this not be what a football club steeped in the character and ingrained in the soil of its local community be seen to do - but whilst laudable it does not cost £millions to do this. What the incumbants of the present board seem to overlook and ignore is its base principle for existence i.e. to be seen to actually progress and, if not always surpassing, at least competing with its peers on the field and providing its regular customers, its club supporters some modicum of footballing success and a stadium within which to enjoy it. Instead, they are content for the Club to do just enough to get by, to exist and be seen as some model of prudent and good housekeeping, keeping a clean house whilst never quite keeping up with the Jones's next door. The world has moved on but, I am VERY afraid, it is not taking Everton with it whilst it remains under the stewardship of a board which takes its references from Mrs Beaton. It really is up to the Clubs supporters to actually provoke a change.

well written

 

[Toffeelover]

The issue now is how do you get rid of these people? Kenwright would clearly be gutted if the fans turned on him but I don't think he's the one behind the steering wheel. Banners and chants will do nothing to the likes of Earl, he really doesn't care what a bunch of football fans on the opposite side of the world think. The Kitbag deal makes a merchandise boycott useless, and no fans have yet been able to significantly make a dent in match day revenues through a campaign

The only course of action that I could see potentially working is a targeted campaign against other business interests that they hold - anyone know how to do that?

I do not think this could be possible. In my book action like last week holding a banner attacking Bk is the way forward at each game, to make BK realise how miffed the fans are and him very uncomfortable. Just think if he goes to every game knowing there would be a protest, how is he going to feel to be told he is not wanted week in, week out. That for me is the course of action that should be taken.

Problem is though there are too apathetic fans who do not want to do anything and actually many who quite like BK.