http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/spor...erton-chief-executive-robert-elstone-10463030
Everton chief executive Robert Elstone insists new stadium will act as "springboard"
Elstone says Blues remain in talks with Liverpool City Council over finding a funding model to give scheme a "fighting chance of success"
Robert Elstone, Everton chief executive
Everton chief of executive Robert Elstone insists a new stadium will be a “springboard to greater things” for Everton.
And Elstone says the club remain deep in talks with Liverpool City Council over being part of a wider regeneration of the Walton Hall Park area.
The Everton CEO hopes to tie up a “funding model that gives the scheme a fighting chance of success”.
Writing in the Blues’ annual statement of accounts, Elstone said: “A consistent feature throughout 2014/15 has been our work on Walton Hall Park, in partnership with Liverpool City Council.
“Our interest in developing the park was made public by the need to declare that position in the City’s Local Plan.
“In truth, without that, we would have maintained a more private position as we tried to find a solution that would make the scheme viable.
“When offered the site, the club responded to a regeneration agenda with conviction, recognising that we had an opportunity to not only find a solution to our search for a new stadium but also make a significant, lasting and much-needed difference to north Liverpool, the city and the region.
“Those objectives underpin our ambition today and we continue discussions with the Mayor and his officers to finalise a funding model that gives the scheme a fighting chance of success.
“As I have said in the past, and as acknowledged by almost every independent commentator, the club has performed exceptionally well over the past 10 years and, for as long as we stick to the tried and tested formula that has delivered that success, we can be confident that the club will continue to flourish.
“The real springboard to greater things will be the new stadium.
“It’s why we will continue to work with determination and creativity to find the solution.”
Elstone on accounts
Everton announced record turnover in their 2014-15 accounts.
Average attendances at Goodison also rose to their highest point since the 2003-04 season while sponsorship, advertising and merchandising revenues went up.
Net debt, however, increased by £3.2m from 2013-14 to £31.3m.
Elstone added: “Our financial performance, like so many Premier League clubs was underpinned by the second year of a TV deal that beat all expectations.
“Of course, we are now less than a year away from receiving the benefit of the next deal and one that makes the current, outstanding deal look modest.
“The Premier League’s ability to sustain pay TV models all over the world is incredible and, for as long as that holds true, future prospects look good.
“As fans will know, our share of the domestic portion of the money depends on how many times we are shown live and where we finish in the league.
“Dropping from fifth in 2013/14 to 11th cost us over £7m, a figure only partly mitigated by our Europa League run to the last 16.
“Having already talked about record attendances, the final slice of income comes from our commercial performance.
“Our commercial revenues benchmark well against teams finishing below sixth in the table but it is a fact that we lag well behind - and disproportionately behind - clubs playing regularly in Europe.
“We have made significant changes to our commercial team over the summer and we have introduced a much greater international focus in our search for new partners.
“As reported year-in, year-out, our money is spent on sustaining a great Academy, the best scouting, medical, performance and conditioning teams we can, and, of course, a first team squad that can compete for a place in Europe.
“That strategy remains central to everything we do.”
Elstone on the future
The Blues CEO went onto say: “However, it is true that the new TV deal has presented us with more options.
“In the past, when 85p in every £1 we earned was spent at Finch Farm, we had little scope to strengthen the club away from the training ground.
“Every penny we spent had to generate a direct and immediate return for the first team.
“The new TV deal has changed that and we’ve been able to do much-needed work on our stadium, a new pitch at Goodison and we’ve strengthened our marketing, commercial and operations teams. “Increasingly, we’ve also been able to sign talented young footballers, whojoin us not as the finished article, but as great prospects and yet still command significant transfer fees.
“Players like Galloway, Henen and Holgate might not have joined with that singular focus on the first team.”
Elstone is a fraud. If he was doing a minimum wage job, he'd have been sacked years ago for his "performances".
