Liverpool Echo's Dominic King

Louis Platt 08/12/2007 49comments  |  Jump to last
This is a copy of a recent email I have sent to Dominic King at the Liverpool Echo, I also sent a carbon copy to editor Alastair Machray.

Dear Mr. King,

I will freely admit that I am not your greatest fan. In fact, I will go as far as to say I believe that you are in Everton's pocket. You may not like this reputation that you have developed amongst some Evertonians but it is well deserved in my opinion. I appreciate that you are not an Everton supporter but you should at least respect those who read your work and do not give them misinformation or biased spin ? they are after all, your bread and butter, the sole reason you find yourself in such a privileged position. Many people would love to be Everton correspondent for the famous Liverpool Echo.

This is a prime example of the biased spin that I am referring to: Being sent to Coventry is a perfect experience

Today, the following piece was published in the Echo:

Why Kirkby is the Everton?s only choice

This article has incensed me. You could have easily replaced "EXCLUSIVE by Dominic King, Liverpool Echo" with "PRESS RELEASE by Everton Football Club" seeing as it is remarkably similar to this piece in the Daily Post:

Robert Earl: Why Kirkby is right for Everton FC

This is simply lazy journalism; it is an insult to your readers and it is merely an Everton FC press release with a bit of nonsense about Everton's newly-appointed director Robert Earl's seating arrangements at a boxing match thrown in for good measure. This is entirely irrelevant to Everton. I have no idea why you felt the need to headline that article 'Why Kirkby is the (sic) Everton's only choice?? Did the club's spin doctors choose this title for you?

I ask as it is very similar to the Daily Post article, too similar to be a coincidence anyway. When the article contains a direct quote from a newly installed director stating that the club have received a multi-million pound cheque from Tesco, it is simply not the right headline to use! It is blatant pro-Kirkby spin and you should be ashamed of yourself for publishing it!

Why was the headline not something akin to 'Tesco to give £55million to Everton' or 'Tesco secures £55million for Everton'?

It would have made a bigger impact, undoubtedly would have sold more copies of your newspaper and above all give the impression that you and your piers at the Echo are actually giving a fair, balanced and unbiased view of events.

The last time an Everton representative (Keith Wyness) went on record and said something similar to what Mr Earl has said, Tesco refuted it. If what Mr Earl has said was not to be taken at face value and he didn't actually state Tesco were handing over a cheque and he was suggesting the value to Everton of Tesco's contribution to the scheme was £55million then you should make this crystal clear in your article. This is exactly the type of misrepresentation and lack of information that has lumbered Everton fans with the prospect of a stadium in Kirkby in the first place!

You are meant to be a professional journalist and several thousand people read your articles, both in print and on the internet everyday so you should not be publishing such biased articles. In my opinion, if you wish to lose this existing 'brown nose' tag that you have acquired then you should portray a balanced view of affairs.

These are my suggestions that would make an interested read. I doubt that you will use any as you seemingly have your own agenda.

Publish findings from Knowsley council regarding the Kirkby move that will affect fans ? they can be found here at http://www.knowsley.gov.uk/resources/22248...nsportoct07.pdf

Here are some examples of what you will find:

  • Fans will not be allowed to park their cars within 2 miles of the stadium during a match day.
  • The park and walk sites are to be situated around 30 minutes walk away
  • 45% of fan's journeys expected to be made by car then walk the rest of the way
  • 6% are expected walk up from their home
  • 49% of fans are expected to use public transport (the highest percentage in the country bar none!)
  • Fans are expected to stay in the stadium as long as possible to ease traffic congestion outside of the stadium.

Why not publish the findings from the transport expert Everton employed?

  • The 3,500 retail car park will be for retail use only and football supporters will be fined at 'least £100' to deter supporters from parking there.
  • Kirkby train station currently caters for up to 4,000 (8% of attendance) people per hour. The station will not be redeveloped as the price of redevelopment cannot be justified based on the number of matchdays per season.
  • The entire road system in Kirkby will be covered by a residents parking permit scheme to stop illegal parking.
  • All cars (apart from shoppers, those using the MSCP and those with the resident parking permits) will not be allowed into Kirkby. The closest they will get to the stadium are the industrial estates around the town. Spectators will then have two choices, walk to the ground or wait for a bus.
  • Over 200 new bus journeys will need to be added to allow fans to get to the game as the train service is inadequate for so many supporters.

I am sure that Steer Davies Gleave group would be happy to answer any questions you or your readers have seeing as the company are on the club's payroll for the project. They, like you, have a duty to keep the Evertonians and Kirkby residents informed. They can be contacted at http://www.steerdaviesgleave.com/contacts.asp

In addition, please report answers to these questions:

  • Why was Savills' Chris Potts, effectively an estate agent, a. invited, and b. allowed to answer questions regarding the Scotland Road site at the AGM? Any answer he had would have been a conflict of interest as he is paid by Everton to develop the Kirkby Stadium. Had he not dismissed the site then he would not be earning his fee.
  • Robert Earl stated at the AGM that he has already invested millions into Everton. What exactly has he done? Did he loan Everton the money to purchase Yakubu? Was this an advance on the future stadium naming rights fees?
  • As an Echo journalist you will have seen the HOK report, why not obtain a quote from an employee of HOK regarding the Scotland Road site? At the AGM, the report was dismissed; the top table stated that the report was flawed and the author (who was privately paid by a third party) told them so ? this is unlikely as it would be a conflict of interest. Is this the case or did the board lie to the shareholders? It is your job and duty as a reporter to report such things to the public.
  • Put forward the ten questions in the KEIOC newsletter to the club and publish the answers in your newspaper. These can be found at http://www.toffeeweb.com/season/07-08/news/keiocnews_1.pdf as most were ignored at the AGM.
  • Ask the Everton Chairman if he lied to Everton supporters at the AGM or if he lied to Setanta News immediately after the AGM. He lied to one of the two. Bill Kenwright, during the AGM said "Plan B will be to look again at [redeveloping] Goodison Park and I suppose that the Scotland Road site would have to become a plan C." Immediately after the AGM he spoke to Setanta Sports News and declared ?Kirkby is the only option for this football club at the moment ? there isn?t another one.?
  • The cost of the Kirkby Stadium has risen from 'effectively free' to approximately £80million. Ask the board if they have £80million to spend on a new stadium, why don't they spend it redeveloping Goodison Park and ask how much redevelopment they would expect (seeing as they have reportedly looked at all options in depth) for that amount of money.
  • Confirm whether or not Everton FC have decided to build the megastore into the stadium as it was present in the original pre-ballot renderings but not in the recently published retail park renderings that were published once the ballot was over. If the megastore is no longer part of the plans, why not?
I doubt I would be alone when I say that I would like hard facts to be presented in the local press regarding the stadium and not fillered articles like the ones above. There is a plethora of information about the stadium that has not been mentioned once in your newspaper.

Your bias towards the ground move astounds me. Your co-worker Everton supporting Greg O'Keefe commented on his Gwlad Tidings blog that his recent articles (confirming existence of HOK report, mentioning 71 houses will be demolished in Kirkby for new stadium and Bestway stating their site will still be available should the Kirkby plans derail) gave the Echo a more 'well balanced' perspective presumably because of this biased nonsense that you manage to have published!

I await your explanation as to why you consistently publish biased articles relating to the Kirkby Project and implore you to publish the traffic consultant's findings for the current proposed stadium, confirm whether a cheque from Tesco actually exists and finally ascertain why Bill Kenwright felt fit to lie to either shareholders or Setanta Sports.

Yours sincerely

Louis Platt

Reader Comments

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer


Lyndon Lloyd
Editorial Team
1   Posted 08/12/2007 at 05:04:15

Report abuse

Whew, no punches pulled there, Louis, but I think your underlying point is one that has irked many Evertonians since the ground move debate came up — namely that the lack of any investigative or analytical journalism by the local press on this issue can only arouse suspicion that neither paper wants to be seen to be damaging their relationship with Everton FC because of Trinity MIrror’s publishing contract with the club.

Here we have an issue that stands to greatly affect the city of Liverpool, a decision that over 40% of Everton’s core support doesn’t agree with, and more double-speak and moving goalposts from the Goodison hierarchy than you can shake a stick at. Yet the only dissenting word that springs to mind is David Prentice’s criticism of the one-sided nature of the ballot back in July.

Ed Fitzgerald
2   Posted 08/12/2007 at 07:42:26

Report abuse

Louis


A great article, at least if we all had the facts we could make informed choices over whether we did trust the board. The Echo as always are a disgrace.
seamus murphy
3   Posted 08/12/2007 at 09:51:05

Report abuse

I have to agree Louis - you have got to ask yourself what kind of a journalist lets a statement like "we’re getting a £55M cheque from Tesco" just pass without questioning it.
Its not journalism at all.
Avid Reader
4   Posted 08/12/2007 at 08:26:56

Report abuse

Louis, are any journalists other than the head writers for the daily’s going to be independent of clubs....if Dom King started harrassing the club, there lies the end of his career on the Echo....he wouldn’t get stories, interviews, press conferences...and the Echo would replace him with someone who does......I read the internet, my dad doesn’t....the Echo is like reading the EFC website at times and so he keep up to date, but that’s not the end of the world. I’m sure Dom King would love to be a free wheeling journalist but the clubs have the power and he, like you say, has a privileged job why would he jeopordise that.....
I found your article interesting but verged too far towards a personal attack on someone trying to do a job in a difficult environment....
Neil Pearse
5   Posted 08/12/2007 at 10:11:30

Report abuse

Even though a reluctant if clear Kirkby supporter, I completely agree Louis. I would never go the Echo or Post to get any challenging info on the ground move (or indeed anything to do with Everton). I come to Toffeeweb for that!
Gavin Ramejkis
6   Posted 08/12/2007 at 07:44:29

Report abuse

Although posted by a no voter - my assumption, and yes I am a no voter too. I agree that the questions raised in this post even though tinged with emotion from your voting perspective are all relevent no matter which way you voted. Surely they would answer questions that need answering for both sides.

I’d love to see the response if you ever get one.
J-P Foster
7   Posted 08/12/2007 at 10:23:12

Report abuse

Hmm.. sounds like the sort of questions a supporters association / group should be asking the Everton board....
Dave Lynch
8   Posted 08/12/2007 at 10:45:55

Report abuse

Gav.
I think she might have had an answer from
Avid Reader.
Gerard Madden
9   Posted 08/12/2007 at 11:40:36

Report abuse

What a load of nonsensical bluster!

I always find Dominic Kings articles and reports a great read and once again because the remaining few ’no’s don’t like the facts they want to shoot the messenger - lets see how many thousands of angry blues will be protesting the move today.......I make the point (yet again) that if the fanbase ’out there’ away from small massageboards and forums were against the move we would definately know about it, not just some whiners on the t’internet.

As for the Echo in general (I know this article is primarily about Mr. King) has been well balanced lately in its coverage and STILL the fanbase doesn’t get stirred into anger like the ’few’......
Mark Dodds
10   Posted 08/12/2007 at 12:02:29

Report abuse

I don’t understand why a Liverpool FC fan is working as the Echo’s official Everton FC correspondant. I recognise that because of equal opportunties the club you support can’t determine whether or not you can be selected for a particular job - but then how can a Liverpool fan possibly understand an Everton fans perspective in such an important matter - and it’s not like there are not Everton fans who would be equally as qualified and suitable for such a position
Gerrard Wyness Madden
11   Posted 08/12/2007 at 12:16:55

Report abuse

Soz lads I sit under Mr "I want to fuck your football club" Wynes?s seat on matchdays eatin his bumnuts so really I don?t get to hear what the PROPER fans think about the ground move!!!!

By the way come and join us in the directors box lads loads of empty seats on Wednesday by us!!

an were gonna fill a 55,000 seater stadium we can?t even fill the fuckin directors area!! Open your eyes lads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Paul gladwell
12   Posted 08/12/2007 at 12:16:11

Report abuse

I just went on the echo site and there is an article by him today that seems to show he recieved your letter.Gerard sorry mate but have you read his match reports ? I go red just reading them ,he makes that tit brasncombe or whatever his name is look like a BBC football legend.
He has never said a bad word about anything Everton from team performances
to ticket policies and for a man who is head journo on the local rags for us that is wrong.
Steve Lyth
13   Posted 08/12/2007 at 12:30:17

Report abuse

Madden, you are a disgrace, it pains me that you support Everton Football Club, you have no idea how a lot of us are thinking.
Most of the questions were asked at the AGM and they remain unanswered.
Just because a lot of us are not prepared to get vocal at the moment does not mean we wont as things develop.Dont presume to know the minds of others, you dont know anything lad.
Paul gladwell
14   Posted 08/12/2007 at 12:32:37

Report abuse

So so right mate , just take a look at all the corporate sections today and to think we need thousands more apparently or we will dissapear without trace.
Yes we need to be looking at getting this type of fan into our ground but this is going to take a good few years and moving miles fom the fastest growing city in europe is hardly going to help the cause is it?
Gerard Madden
15   Posted 08/12/2007 at 13:42:55

Report abuse

Steve Lyth - I have a fairly good idea about how the remaining few ’no’s are thinking because they continually whine ’n whinge on small messageboards ’n forums. Away from those small forums though in the real world 35,000 blues will plod in and out of GP like they’ve been doing all season and for decades.

You’ve been saying for months that the fanbase will wake up to the doom ’n gloom of the nightmare of Kirkby, in the meantime the rest of us have moved on as will be evidenced yet again today.......
Ray Lupton
16   Posted 08/12/2007 at 13:56:27

Report abuse

Just a quick comment regarding the ’Magastore’. I would suspect that the reason that the megaspore has suddenly disappeared from the renderings is because the club is going to lease the nearest retail units to the new ground for the new ’Megastore’ as this will be cheaper than building it into the stadium. The nearest retail units to the ground are probably unlettable anyway to any other business as they be prone to major crowds on matchdays.

This brings me to another thought. How is a major football stadium even remotely compatable with a retail development unconnected to football, I for one wouldn’t be doing my shopping there on a matchday so I would suspect that more and more of our games will be moved to evening and Sunday kickoffs, Tesco will certainly not be happy about any disruptiion to trade.
Mark Gray
17   Posted 08/12/2007 at 13:56:47

Report abuse

Gerard Madden

I’m so pleased you’ve been banned from Bluekipper.

I would suggest you seek counselling as there is clearly something amiss.

Anyway, great news about ASDA.If Tesco really want to develop Kirkby they’ll have to do it without the stadium proposals.

KEIOC
Brian Waring
18   Posted 08/12/2007 at 14:58:24

Report abuse

Gerard Madden,are you on Everton’s payroll?
Dave Wilson
19   Posted 08/12/2007 at 18:55:00

Report abuse

Madden


Spend your Saturday afternoons spouting nonsense if you want the rest of us went to the game
Gerard Madden
20   Posted 08/12/2007 at 18:50:36

Report abuse

Mark Gray - It simply doesn’t matter whether its Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons or Mrs Miggins Pie Shop :lol: who are working with Development Securities, at the end of the day it will be the same people as always who will be making the decision on whether the New Stadium/Tesco development goes ahead or not - and that is not you! It will be the Labour Knowsley Council who are a partner within the project and then the Labour Govt.

As I predicted earlier today with an earlier post Evertonians simply are not protesting against the move - could that be - shock of all horrors that they’re in favour of the move? Well the evidence of the ballot and the legendary couple o’ dozen who did protest back in September would suggest that is the case - most of the rest of us are ’content’....
Gerard Madden
21   Posted 08/12/2007 at 19:01:12

Report abuse

Dave Wilson - Er, I was at the game - or is attending home matches only allowed for ’no’ voters, if that was the case 72% of blues wouldn’t have turned up today!
Lyndon Lloyd
Editorial Team
22   Posted 08/12/2007 at 19:39:54

Report abuse

Madden: "Away from those small forums though in the real world 35,000 blues will plod in and out of GP like they?ve been doing all season and for decades."

That very Orwellian description says more about the ground move issue and information flow than perhaps you realised or intended, Gerard.
Neil Pearse
23   Posted 08/12/2007 at 20:19:15

Report abuse

As a confirmed Yes, Gerard you are the kind of guy who gives us a bad name. Some of us try to take serious account of our fellow Blues? thoughts and feelings - even whilst disagreeing. And some of us believe that the role of the local press is not just to repeat whatever the club tells them.

I?m really not sure why you think it is a good idea to belittle your fellow Blues and to sound like you believe everything you are told by the cluib. It?s certainly not helping those of who think that, in our financial circumstances, there is actually a good case to be made for Kirkby.
Dave Wilson
24   Posted 08/12/2007 at 20:16:29

Report abuse

Madden

quite simply, I just dont believe you, In fact I dont believe anything you say
Your a fraud
Michael Kenrick
25   Posted 08/12/2007 at 20:28:43

Report abuse

Neil, I’ve got to say that, despite the run in you and I had the other day over an aspect of this, you have generally handled a lot of these issues with intelligence and patience, and certainly are a shining light of sanity on the Yes side. What you said about the ability of the club to afford something ? anything ? was, I think, spot on, and your call for honesty about that from the Club is something many of us have been clamouring (fruitlessly) for.

What you say about Madden is also spot on, sadly, and the No side (as we all know) has its black sheep too. Now... seconds out!
Neil Pearse
26   Posted 08/12/2007 at 20:39:23

Report abuse

Appreciated Michael! I think that passion is great, and having a good argument is great too. So there will be some run-ins! What we need to avoid is having closed minds and simply abusing one another. Okay, sermon over! Another great win today, this team at last seems to be coming together!
Bob Turner
27   Posted 08/12/2007 at 20:38:33

Report abuse

I read the aforementioned article by Dominic King, and figured it would be prime material tonight, and I haven’t been let down.

Shock! Horror! The Echo publishes a piece which supports Everton’s position! Is this really anything new?? The Liverpool Echo can publish what it likes, if you don’t like it, don’t buy the newspaper, simple! It’s called Freedom of Speech....

After all, no-one is saying that you can’t write what you have written above, are they? Or is the problem because you don’t agree with what was written in the Echo??

If you want these questions answered, why not ask them yourself? Of course, there’s no guarantee you’ll get an answer...
Dave Moorcroft
28   Posted 09/12/2007 at 00:22:30

Report abuse

Do yer know wot? I bumped into this Madden guy months ago... And do yer know wot? He hasn't changed a bit. Just been thinking about logistics ? getting in and getting out of Kirkby. And before anyone starts mouthing off that I don't know what I am talking about, I was BORN AND BRED in KIRKBY. So there!

Talking about 50,000 to 75,000 all going in and all coming out at the same time as the shoppers... Or are we going to be forced to play all our games every Sunday night when there's no shoppers about? I would also Urge all Evertonians NEVER to read the ECHO ? It's a Manchester production..., FUCK IT OFF.

Colin Adams
29   Posted 09/12/2007 at 01:17:26

Report abuse

Lol, does anybody take that Madden guy seriously?

He got banned from Bluekipper, re-registered and got banned again after less than 10 posts, so stupid he is.

Don?t get worked up about him anyway folks - he works for Steer Davis Gleave, a project partner on the Kirkby Proposal.

Watch him protest his innocence.... bless his marksy slippers!
Gerard Madden
30   Posted 09/12/2007 at 02:10:25

Report abuse

So Col I work for ’Steer Davis Gleave’ now do I? Well it makes a change from working for the club, Tesco’s or being a RS that’s for sure.

Maybe just maybe i’m a blue who attends every single home match (just a couple of aways) and though I will shed a tear for the dear old lady when we leave sees absolutely no problem with a move just 4 miles away to a scouse heartland - in this case Kirkby but i’d have been equally as comfortable with Bootle or Huyton too. Go further away from these places (Cronton, Speke, Switch Island etc) and the accent in some cases then i’d have had a problem with the move too but we arn’t and i’m delighted.
Michael Tracey
31   Posted 09/12/2007 at 06:45:47

Report abuse

Gerry, you are a buffon. As I have said to you before you are in corner that you can not get out of. The crap that flows out of your fingers (and mouth I’m sure) is just absurd. You are a poison to this great club that you pretend to say you love. I don’t know what relationship you have with the current board and I really don’t care but your childish and absolute disregard for obvious flaws in this Kirkby move just beggars believe. It is no coincidence that everytime someone even questions the Kirkby move you are all over it. I now just think you are a piss taker and a wind up merchant. Why don’t walk into any of the pubs arounf Goodison on matchday and tell everyone who you are and then i’m sure you will realise that there are more than just a couple of threaders out there who absolutely despise the crap that pours out of every orifice of your pathetic self. But I bet you don’t have the balls. COYB!!!!!
Dave Wilson
32   Posted 09/12/2007 at 08:52:16

Report abuse

post’s on this site and goes the match at the same time
I’ll say it again Madden, your a phoney
Kevin Mitchell
33   Posted 09/12/2007 at 10:22:38

Report abuse

Lads, the best way to treat "Steven Gerrard Madden" is to totaly ignore the RS fraud. Don?t reply to any of his posts and maybe he will go and crawl back into the pond he came from and pester someone else.
Jay Campbell
34   Posted 09/12/2007 at 11:06:32

Report abuse

MADDEN take a leaf out of Neil Pearse’s book if you want to discuss this debate.

You are a prize p*ick!!!!

Gerard Madden
35   Posted 09/12/2007 at 11:21:16

Report abuse

Dave Wilson - so that’s two times in this er...’thread’ (If that’s the right word) you have accused me of posting on here while the match is on. If you would take the little effort to look at the times of my posts - just below my name on each post and you’ll clearly see my posts are nowhere near the times the team is playing. Since when have posts submitted at 1.42pm and 6.50pm meant I can’t possibly have attended a 3pm Goodison kick off.....
Simon Dixon
36   Posted 09/12/2007 at 11:29:08

Report abuse

Read Andy Dunns article (p81) in The News Of The World.HE has summed it up to a tee what 75% of Evertonians feel. It generally take someone from the outside of the city to talk a bit of sense.
Christine Foster
37   Posted 09/12/2007 at 12:53:40

Report abuse

Louis

A well reasoned article with many questions unanswered and genuine points raised. Half truths and misinformation abound when it comes to getting to any sensible conclusion. Who do you believe, well, without the full monty of info, who can you?

Those who voted Yes do not have access to the information, they have a different perspective in that they wish to ignore any information that doesn?t sit with their view. Mr Madden take note, you're not the face of Everton Football Club or its supporters, so stop mouthing your bile against those who want information to make an informed decision. You're happy with the decision you made then I suggest you buy a big screen and watch future games in Kirkby because that's as close to the ground as you will get . You have your view and I respect your right to make it, but so do we.

As I asked in previous posts, if Kirkby failed where would we suddenly go (no other options???) low and behold, redevelop GP or even the loop site.. not my words: BK's own.. Does that mean actually either case has still validity? Of course it does.

When it comes to getting ones view across to change the way people think, apathy abounds with the many. But you cannot put out a persons passion or belief. Tell me, do you see any people who are "passionate" about moving to Kirkby? And before people say, money talks and passion is just aimless chat, BK is passionate about Everton and his money has talked. Not the way we all may have wished but let's be honest we have stability and a good side, give the man and the board some credit.

But that doesn?t mean they should not be taken to task and need to justify their position. The move (IF it must happen) is not about this season or the next ten.. its about identity and belonging. IF we had to move I would love to see the loop site come into being. But that's my view because its close to the city center, iconic, and it would eclipse LFC through its location.

David Moorcroft
38   Posted 09/12/2007 at 13:26:31

Report abuse

They are RS.
Dave Wilson
39   Posted 09/12/2007 at 14:11:08

Report abuse

Madden


Where do you live, Goodison Rd ?
People just dont risk making themselves late for the match, so they can post here, they’ve got all week to do that.You’ve already shown yourself on numerous occasions to be an habitual liar, think anyone believes you now ?
Paul Gladwell
40   Posted 09/12/2007 at 14:09:12

Report abuse

Simon do you honestly believe 75% is in favour of yes ?
i am only going with what I read on these web sites , in the pubs and people I meet to say its far closer infact I have only met 3 yes voters 2 of whom dont know I know they voted yes , infact it appears to me they are frightened to let people know this which is so wrong , its their club and their opinion.
The fact is if the club came out and spoke to us , asked our views and answered our questions without the use of lies and patronising contradictions , you would get far more people coming round to the idea.
As for the small protest so far , we all know we are a lazy bunch, the 10,000 none voters showed that, but due to the clubs history of cock ups , quite a few are just not expecting this to come off, if the green light is given these protest will become bigger but it will be too late then.
As for that article today about kenwright, what the fuck does he know about our club Mr Dunn ?
Does he know that we dont own our own training ground now , sold all our assets , borrowing more and more and that Mr kenwright was on the board with Dr Marsh and PJ ?
davie moyes has saved his bacon big time although he does deserve credit for being patient with him when people like myself were getting impatient.
Neil McKinney
41   Posted 09/12/2007 at 14:50:41

Report abuse

Same shit another day!

The Liverpool Echo is a local rag and if you don’t like what the guy writes about EFC then don’t fucking read it! Somebody said above "He has never said a bad word about anything Everton from team performances to ticket policies and for a man who is head journo on the local rags for us that is wrong.". Head journo? Do you think that poxy paper has got a team of people writing about Everton? Try only journo for us!

Stop whinging about small time editorials and lobby the right people.

Madden, you must be a wind up merchant. I’ve read many of your posts on this site and some have had some sprinkles of validity, but you seem to have got lost in a world of petty wind up posts. Give it a rest mate!

Fucking conspiracy theories about whether Madden is posting during games and then claiming to be at them are pathetic as well!

Unfortunately, we will never know the full story because we don’t work for the club, KBC or Tesco. They shouldn’t have given a vote to fans as it has just become a stick for both sides to beat each other with. This is not Yes v No, good v evil or dark v light. It is opinion and opinion only. Please can all sides stop being so rightous, it’s sickening.

Take a leaf out of Neil Pearse’s book and consider both sides of an argument, regardless how certain you are of your own opinion. Nobody has all the facts and that is the fuel for this fire. As soon as people run out of facts, they turn to slandering the other side and it turns into petty insults.
Dave Wilson
42   Posted 09/12/2007 at 18:28:21

Report abuse

Neil Mckinney

"Please can all sides stop being so righteous"
I suggest you read your post again,
Pot kettle and black . . . . . . .
Bob Turner
43   Posted 09/12/2007 at 18:45:04

Report abuse

Dave Wilson

Posting at 1:42pm does not preclude attending the match, and living further away than Goodison Road.

I leave my parents’ house at 2pm in Fazakerley, and get to the ground by 2:45pm.

Similarly, I get back there by 6:30pm, which leaves plenty of time for a post timed at 6:50pm.

I can’t believe that people are so desperate to rubbish the opinion of anyone who’s in favour of moving to Kirkby that they’re using this as evidence that he can’t be a true Evertonian by not going to the match (Erm, have you forgotten the recent revelations that 2 of the editors of this erstwhile website don’t attend, either!!)

Just because you don’t like what he says about moving to Kirkby doesn’t mean he’s a wind-up merchant, a RS supporter, or a pr*ck.

I recall similar accusations being made against Tony Marsh on many an occasion, which were met with righteous indignation from his "supporters" that he was showing passion in his support for Everton - oh, but, of course, you agree with him... silly me!

Not everyone agrees with you - get over it!
Robert Carney
44   Posted 09/12/2007 at 20:34:59

Report abuse

G.Maddening, you never fail to spew the muck you swallow as an apologist (possibly paid) for individuals who will personally benefit at the expense of a great historical club. No doubt your alter ego Maddocks will join in.

Why not attemt to answer the questions instead of spewing shite at us. Is it no doubt the dwindling readership of the Trinity and Manchester Weekend Echo are still of the same intellect as yourself.

Soon it will gain the same infamy and losses as the Murdoch Sun on Merseyside.
Bri Law
45   Posted 09/12/2007 at 21:01:46

Report abuse

For what?s it worth, I know Dominc King personally and he is an Evertonian.

i can also tell you that Scott McLeod who used to be the Echo?s Everton correspondant and now works for our club, is a big Manc.
Ian Edwards
46   Posted 10/12/2007 at 12:45:33

Report abuse

I disagree with this article although finely written. The Echo is not there to act on behalf of the anti kirkby lobby. If it was anti Kirkby it could have commneted on the plane flying over the derby match and the leaflets which were pure propaganda for our common enemy in a derby game. As I have said on more than one occasion here ? you lost the vote. Get over it.
Alan Williams
47   Posted 10/12/2007 at 13:39:32

Report abuse

What a crap article!!! No voters simply dont see whats on offer. LCC have shit on EFc for years you chose to back Bradley and his boys against are own board !! today 10.12.07 Kirkby is the only viable offer on the table that has funding in place and is ready to go, so why is it so wrong that the local paper backs it when its own fans have too given the board the mandate?? Tesco/EFc will apply for planning permission this week and hope to start building late 2008, the quicker the better I want to talk about footy!!!
Louis Platt
48   Posted 10/12/2007 at 15:36:54

Report abuse

I have received a response from Mr. King and he would like to keep his response private so I will respect his wishes.
Tom Hughes
49   Posted 10/12/2007 at 18:28:54

Report abuse

Great article Louis,
Most detractors cannot respond to the substance of your main points, so they name-call or skirt around it. Well done for presenting the questions directly to the media machine that has helped float the Kirkby boat!!
Dave Wilson
50   Posted 11/12/2007 at 18:57:11

Report abuse

Bob Turner
If you read the clowns past post you’ll know where he comes from and that he cant get to GP in that time
Quite simply he didnt go. This is the guy who constantly speaks on behalf of "99%" of Evertonians ! Your right I dont like what he says, hes a liar, though what any of thst has to do with the editors of this sight is beyond me
You also say I always agree with Tony Marsh, show me where, I dont even know the guy
if your going to come on gobbing off. at least know what your talking about
Bob Turner
51   Posted 22/12/2007 at 23:22:36

Report abuse

Davey boy, you’ll probably never get to read this, (but then again, you didn’t read my post properly anyway, so it makes no real difference, does it?), but I couldn’t resist the opportunity to reply to your final post.

Please point out where I said that you always with Tony Marsh. Please tell me why you have to know someone to agree with their point of view.

If you’re going to come on gobbing off about any of my posts, at least know what you’re talking about...


© ToffeeWeb