No more Z-Cars

Iain McWilliam 17/07/2007 11comments  |  Jump to last
Well, it looks like crap has finally hit the fan and we are moving. Despite the spin they are putting on giving the fans a proper ballot, I think we all know that it will be a contrived affair (much like any referendum our governments would have on membership of the EEC). They can't gaurantee what the outcome will be so they will try and fudge the issue.

I'll be honest and say I don't want us to move... I don't care if the stadium is falling to bits, its still a cracking ground to be in when its full. I also don't buy they idea that we will get more fans if we move. We might get a few more in the initial six months (out of curiosity) but when they realise its the same dreary team the crowds will dwindle again... and in fact probably end up slightly lower because none of the 'locals' can be bothered travelling that extra distance.

The idea that we will also appeal to a new catchment area is a joke aswell... we maybe moving away from Anfield but we will be moving nearer to Wigan (dont laugh) and Greater Manchester, an area which has become a graveyard for many a famous old club. We'll be moving out of the frying pan into the fire.

In the next few decades, Liverpool FC will find it easier to attract young support from the city and eventually, for once, will justly be able to claim they are the one true team in Liverpool.

Without sounding too melodramatic, it feels like I've just found out a relative has a terminal illness and the Docs have said there is nothing I can do about it. I feel angry and helpless.

We are going to have to move because we are basically broke. I have supported Kenwright in the past as he saved us from Peter Johnson, I even think Kieth Wyness is doing a good job with what he has to work with and the two of them are no doubt giving Moyes (who is not the most astute purchaser of players weve ever had) every penny that can be spared. However, they are basically trying to keep a sinking ship afloat and eventually they are going to run out of tape to plug up the leaking holes. I'll give Bill the benefit of the doubt when he says he is open to offers (although I'm getting very suspicious now) but he has to face facts and admit that eventually might have to have to step aside to encourage new investment.

I will accept this move IF and only IF the club can guarantee (as Wyness has intimated) that they will be able to wipe a very large proportion of our debts out. To me that is the only saving grace of this move. You can sod your shiny seats and your bragging rights as to whose stadium has the most corporate boxes if it has no atmosphere and no decent team to watch in it. A turd is still a turd no matter how much fancy packaging it comes in.

If this is the only way we can balance the books and payoff our insane debt scheme then so be it.

Reader Comments

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David Barks
1   Posted 17/07/2007 at 16:41:49

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It seems like a necessary evil to me. I don’t like some of the words used by Wyness, such as there being no Plan B, but the fact does remain that we need a new stadium, don’t have the money to pay for one ourselves, Liverpool are not offering us anything. Liverpool can’t speak to the club, but if they were serious about keeping Everton two miles on the other side of the map boundary then they could have waged a PR fight in the press. They are politicians after all, so they should be good at this. They could have put fort potential sites and ideas as to how to make it happen. But they haven’t, they have said there are locations in Liverpool but don’t go into any detail. At least Everton is telling us where we would be going, just 2 miles outside the city boundary. Come on people, that is a 10 minute jog, it’s not as if we are moving to Ireland. If people are worried about losing supporters, I argue how we would be in a better situation by staying at Goodison while Liverpool get a brand new massive stadium in Stanley Park, fully supported by Liverpool Council by the way. Instead Wyness has said that this stadium would be ready by 2010, the same season as Liverpools, which would not allow them all the areas publicity. It may be Kirkby, but it would still be a Merseyside Derby.
Nick Harris
2   Posted 17/07/2007 at 16:55:38

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the whole ballot is nothing more than lip service !
wyness has already stated that the board will decide where our stadium will be ,regardless of the vote outcome.

the club is poo pooing everything about staying at goodison , and to me its a dead cert we are moving to tescoland wether the fans like it or not!
Ste Boileau
3   Posted 17/07/2007 at 17:39:18

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For Christs sake, how many times will we hear this? I thought that the Rooney transfer was going to remove the debt that we had. How many more times are we going to be lied to and taken down this path. Im sick to death of this dishonesty.
Rupert Sullivan
4   Posted 17/07/2007 at 17:40:01

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I think that your assessment of the situation is quite accurate Iain - with the exception of having no debts as making the move worthwhile. However I would add one further point. A new stadium may be a way to end the clubs debts, but does that necessarily mean a move to Kirkby? No. There are other places to go, the problem is is that EFC have not looked into them thanks to the exclusivity deal. What a waste.
Ste Boileau
5   Posted 17/07/2007 at 17:48:17

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There was a guy on Radio Merseyside last night stating that Everton have closed every door to them by entering into this agreement. They are not seeking other sites and they havent approached anybody about the possibility of redevelopment. WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY. WHY are we railroading ourselves on a move to Kirkby? Why havent we explored other options. Id rather us play in a 40’000 seater stadium at a redeveloped Goodison than a state of the art soulless piece of architecture in Kirkby.
John Charles
6   Posted 17/07/2007 at 17:59:04

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Warren Bradley says Liverpool City Council arent prepared to give Everton 50m pounds as Knowsley will.

Simple as that.

By the way, Moyes not being an ’astute’ purchaser of players? Okay, a couple of mistakes but every manager does, but?

Arteta 1.8m
Lescott 4m
Cahill 1.9
Yobo 4m
Bent 400k (sold for 2m is my point)
Howard 3.5m
Jagielka 3m (Nace included - great buy).

AJ 8.6m


some of you people are on crack.
John Patrick McFarlane
7   Posted 17/07/2007 at 19:11:43

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Iain, I can’t find anywhere in the various statements which says that our current indebtedness will be reduced. Mr. Wyness was surely saying that to get a 50,000 stadium for so little new debt is the ’deal of the century’. Mr Wyness says in the Newspaper -

?We will be left with very little debt at the end of it. The deal compares very favourably with other clubs building new stadiums. We will be getting a very nice stadium for a small amount of money.?
So all our current debt will remain as it is plus the added albeit ’small’ amount of debt incurred by the new stadium. In my mind that is incurring new debt. The stadium Mr. Wyness hopes will generate more income and therefore give the club a greater chance of reducing the debt.
John Charles
8   Posted 17/07/2007 at 23:28:39

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The currently debt is long term financed though. It is like the mortgaged the club to pay for the big overdraft they had. Kind of like getting a loan for all your credit cards - it reduces the monthly payments. I imagine that is the best way forward even with the new funds no? Surely it is more cost effective to continue serrvicing that and using the extra revenue on the team instead to incas the business overall value.

argh feck it. I want goals not bank statements.
Dominic Rigby
9   Posted 18/07/2007 at 15:16:37

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if anyfin der will be less fans coz u will be in a smaller village n all young scousers will support der local team LIVERPOOL FC soon to be league champions 4 the 19th time with der huge buys this summer n what will be left of everton in kirby with jagielka bein the only good buy they will do
Steve Green
10   Posted 18/07/2007 at 15:32:16

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Dominic, were you born a moron or was it an acquired skill? Silly me, you’re a kopite, I guess the answer is self-evident.
Marc Roberts
11   Posted 18/07/2007 at 17:37:31

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Steve, Dominic is right about one thing (no, not liverpool winning the league - dont make me laugh), but we will have less fans once we become a small championship club in a small village,
at the moment people you meet on holiday say ?Where is Everton?? - and you have to explain - ?we are the first club in LIVERPOOL?, soon they will be asking ?Who are Everton??, and you will think - ?Good question?.

KEIOC


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