The Everton Board Thread 2014/15

[Chang Elephant]

TBF it's well past that now anyway....

There not interested. They can't let us in, As I think we'd be shocked at what we would find.

Trevor Birch, Wynness, Paul Gregg and many others totally silent about their interesting times at Goodison. Takes a lot of money to silence people with the threat of enforcing legal redress for non disclosure agreement breaches and libel etc. The sort of money only a mega rich friend of the club would have.

 

[peteblue]

I don't think Bill is looking to sell his shares. I think he would if the right offer came along, but that offer won't come along unless someone is truly determined to buy Everton FC, not just any football club. I think Bill's dream is to own a successful Everton.

I think he has put his faith in the wrong people at the club, as well as made some poor choices (such as allowing the Kitbag deal to go through) in his quest to get Everton a new stadium without being able to fund it himself.

I do not necessarily believe the Kenwright must leave for Everton to succeed, but something does have to change. The club needs a shakeup in regards to the commercial side and needs to present itself as one of the top clubs in the world. I think Martinez is a good manager to lead that revolution on the pitch, but we need an equal visionary in the boardroom to carry that to fruition.

My opinion is less Kenwright out and more Elstone out. Elstone has failed to grow the business as well as one would expect with the explosive growth of the Premier League, and I do think that a good or great CEO would see Everton in a much more positive position moving forward.

Obviously, this is all speculation, but I find it both odd and concerning that our turnover is so much less than teams like Spurs and Newcastle.

I think this sums up our club to perfection.......

 

[Chang Elephant]

just surprised that you seemed to prepared to accept slurs on the board from Davek.

What slurs are these ?

 

[SerenityNigh]

Oh sure, but if done right, as the anti-matter to Russian/Arab money, they/you would lap it up. A few documentaries, history, tradition, support of our neighbours, that sort of stuff.

Not saying it would be easy, but we would be the first to position a club in the US on that ticket.

Note:I've clearly left the safety of my knowledge with these comments. Please see these as an aim towards constructive conversation.

Well, it's possible that I am biased in a pro-US position, but to me I see the club (any club really) advancing in two ways:

Model A) Mega-bucks owner sees the club as his toy and is willing to invest countless sums into the club without ever expecting to see a return realized

Model B) Club develops a corporate brand presence that generates its own revenue streams in sufficient sums to finance club expansion and generate a profit

Personally, I don't care if either can bring success to my club in the short term, but the second model is a much more sound business model. In fact, the first model only works when/so long as the Mega-bucks owner finds the club a useful toy. When he tires of the club, he focuses on a new toy (i.e., bunga-bunga parties) and the club may suffer for that. In reality, many clubs are a mixture of each model, but not all attempts work out. Ask Randy Lerner what he thinks about this. The reality is that running a club is a big task, and much different from what I've seen with US clubs, which are protected from relegation and with revenue-sharing that is more egalitarian than PL standards. The difficulty with the PL is that whereas in US sports competition is not a zero-sum game, a PL club must face the reality that one club's success often actively harms other clubs.

But some clubs have done very well in this regard. It remains to be seen what happens with United, and currently City and Chelsea are failing miserably as businesses, but Arsenal, despite all my dislike for them as a club, seem to have mastered the business model of running a PL club. Whether they can translate this into honors is a different matter.

I think if Everton are to advance as a business (a business that is able to provide the resources required to add to the cabinet) it must develop Model B. Model A is only a short-term solution.

 

[RaleighBlue]

I wasn't sluing you...just surprised that you seemed to prepared to accept slurs on the board from Davek. The way forward is to be respectful of each other, board and supporters, and thats the hard job. If anyone on either side of the fence is proved to be incompetent I'll be the first to say so.

More take them on. Just because Dave uses phrases such as carpetbaggers, gangsters, and the like doesn't mean his point of view should be ignored or diminished. I agree with you that the terminology will not get us far, but his viewpoint is as valid as anyones as an opinion that is held by a number of Evertonians.

Part of the way forward is to accept all opinions, even ones that are presented with vitriol.

I do agree that any hope we have of making inroads requires general respectfulness of discourse. Supporters can't throw the first stones (relative to this moment in time) or the board will have an excuse to respond in kind.

 

[Steve Wigan]

Trevor Birch, Wynness, Paul Gregg and many others totally silent about their interesting times at Goodison. Takes a lot of money to silence people with the threat of enforcing legal redress for non disclosure agreement breaches and libel etc. The sort of money only a mega rich friend of the club would have.

So...let me get this straight...youre suggesting that Phil Green(?) or another mega rich friend of the club, has paid for the 'silence' of Trevor Birch, Paul Gregg, Wyness and others? Any evidence ? This could be important.

 

[Steve Wigan]

More take them on. Just because Dave uses phrases such as carpetbaggers, gangsters, and the like doesn't mean his point of view should be ignored or diminished. I agree with you that the terminology will not get us far, but his viewpoint is as valid as anyones as an opinion that is held by a number of Evertonians.

Part of the way forward is to accept all opinions, even ones that are presented with vitriol.

I do agree that any hope we have of making inroads requires general respectfulness of discourse. Supporters can't throw the first stones (relative to this moment in time) or the board will have an excuse to respond in kind.

The problem is if the vitriol reaches board level, and it inevitably would, we once again create a situation were the board are not keen on opening a progressive dialogue.

 

[SerenityNigh]

Oh sure, but if done right, as the anti-matter to Russian/Arab money, they/you would lap it up. A few documentaries, history, tradition, support of our neighbours, that sort of stuff.

Not saying it would be easy, but we would be the first to position a club in the US on that ticket.

As an aside, my favorite part of my trip to Goodison with Mrs Nigh was the Gwladys Street stand frequently taunting the City crowd with, and if you know your history. There's no lack of narrative in this club, and I'm sure every Liverpudlian knows this. The reality is that there aren't enough £ in Liverpool alone to make the club compete with clubs that already have a growing global brand. I don't think that's a shocking revelation. Speaking in the business sense alone, growing the brand is how this is will be combatted.

If you want a view on how PL clubs are seen from an American perspective, Bill Simmons wrote this several years ago when he choose his club to support. A narrow view (one person) but he has a large audience. I think his comments might apply broadly to the average American.

 

[roydo]

Note:I've clearly left the safety of my knowledge with these comments. Please see these as an aim towards constructive conversation.

Well, it's possible that I am biased in a pro-US position, but to me I see the club (any club really) advancing in two ways:

Model A) Mega-bucks owner sees the club as his toy and is willing to invest countless sums into the club without ever expecting to see a return realized

Model B) Club develops a corporate brand presence that generates its own revenue streams in sufficient sums to finance club expansion and generate a profit

Personally, I don't care if either can bring success to my club in the short term, but the second model is a much more sound business model. In fact, the first model only works when/so long as the Mega-bucks owner finds the club a useful toy. When he tires of the club, he focuses on a new toy (i.e., bunga-bunga parties) and the club may suffer for that. In reality, many clubs are a mixture of each model, but not all attempts work out. Ask Randy Lerner what he thinks about this. The reality is that running a club is a big task, and much different from what I've seen with US clubs, which are protected from relegation and with revenue-sharing that is more egalitarian than PL standards. The difficulty with the PL is that whereas in US sports competition is not a zero-sum game, a PL club must face the reality that one club's success often actively harms other clubs.

But some clubs have done very well in this regard. It remains to be seen what happens with United, and currently City and Chelsea are failing miserably as businesses, but Arsenal, despite all my dislike for them as a club, seem to have mastered the business model of running a PL club. Whether they can translate this into honors is a different matter.

I think if Everton are to advance as a business (a business that is able to provide the resources required to add to the cabinet) it must develop Model B. Model A is only a short-term solution.

I agree. Model A is hit and hope, Model B is us, and I mean all of us, fans, the club, everyone, taking a proactive interest in really getting us into markets that can thrive. To me that is the US for a start.

 

[paultheblue]

So...let me get this straight...youre suggesting that Phil Green(?) or another mega rich friend of the club, has paid for the 'silence' of Trevor Birch, Paul Gregg, Wyness and others? Any evidence ? This could be important.

A fella down the pub told him

 

[Steve Wigan]

What slurs are these ?

Gangsters...carpetbaggers....tools.....plant pot chairman....etc. OK ?

 

[davek]

The fact remains though Dave, whether I've misconstrued what you said or not - that tactic did fail, simple as.

How did it fail? Fan groups fought Kenwright, Leahy and his Tesco mob to a standstill and dogged them during their attempt to banish Everton outside of the city. On the question of a sale and forcing the owners out: the likes of the BU had Kenwright's regime on the ropes. They were putting out fires everywhere in the media when an alternative off field Everton narrative broke through the usual smog. Did it change ownership? No. But that's down to timing and not tactics. The tactics they deployed will always be right and it's those tactics that have traditionally been successful in chasing out poor owners from football clubs in this country. It has to be deployed at the right time though.

Look, people here can talk till they're blue in the face about building bridges and establishing dialogue with the board and CEO. You and I both know though dont we that the only dialogue that lot want are the toothless Q&A sessions of the so called Fans Forum. There is no way that lot want to listen to proactive stuff like Equity Seat schemes, share issues or Football Quarter regeneration packages...it's been tried before and they shun anything that is or is perceived to be against their material interests.

I say again. There's only two options: 1/ put up with these owners 2/ get shut of them. There is no half way house that moves us forward. None.

The stadium failure is a separate issue. Your assertion that the club couldn't attract new and better sponsors now, because of your perception of this boards failure, is pure nonsense I'm afraid. The club could be marketed infinitely better than it is with the right specialist team doing it, and who's name's on the share certificates won't be of prime interest to a potential sponsor when considering what value they could take from the exposure of their brand via a collaboration with ours.

It's all about air time and column inches, and because of Martinez we've already made massive strides in that area this season, with a record TV revenue as a result of our 'product' being much more attractive to TV (and thus the audiences) and hence their sponsors and ultimately ours..............that's how it works.

I dont care how savvy Everton CEOs and their teams are: they'll get precisely nowhere because the culture is one of get the cash in now and worry about tomorrow when it comes. That's why you'll get even more Kitbag's and Chang giveaways in the future. These people are merely spinning a plate; happy to remain solvent and they have the tv revenue to do that plus player sales and the few million they gain through sponsorship. They are not interested in growing any business organically. They want a stadium built for them and then a quick sale on the back of that. I mean, if someone fails to see that trend now after 15 years of this board being in control then there's no hope for them.

People need to wake up: there is no commercial way forward with the current owners; there is no 'third way' alternative of living and cooperating with them. You either accept your fate with them as carpet bagging takers or you reject them totally. There's no fence here to be sat on, despite what some are saying in this thread.

 

[Bluesnapper]

Just noticed that our offspring are to enlarge [Poor language removed] Tip up to near 60000 and keep open the stands while building work is in progress.

Wonder what Elstone and the board make of that given that they have constantly said it couldnt be done at GP?

 

[Steve Wigan]

I'm trying to find a breakdown of annual Everton merchandising income for the last ten years. I fully expect the usuals to say 'no such figures exist' and this is possibly the case. Anyone got these figures?

 

[RaleighBlue]

There's no fence here to be sat on, despite what some are saying in this thread.

Then any attempt you make until Everton are back being threatened by relegation will fail. And Everton will never rise again unless incredibly lucky. I don't care at all about the board. Or about your or anyone's opinion on the board. I do care about Everton. And I care enough to attempt to help Everton.

You say the board won't accept an olive branch. I say, we must try. Because not trying is the same as accepting failure and inevitable relegation. If our attempt fails, fair enough, Kenwright out, but I refuse to accept that the attempt will fail before even trying it. It's a silly, defeatist attitude.