Southall calls for club to be sold

, Liverpool Echo , 19 April, 58comments  |  Jump to most recent
Neville Southall has spoken out about the need for Bill Kenwright to bring someone in to sell the club at the right price and to the right people, for it to move forward.

"I don't know how you can't sell it.

"You are either asking too much or you are a poor salesman and I don't think he is a poor salesman because he has got too much theatre going on.

"So, are they asking too much? I don't know, in all fairness.

"I would like someone from the outside to come in and sell the club for them, but sell it to someone who understands the fans and the people - not what happened at Blackburn, or across the road (at Liverpool), where people come in and spoiled the club for a bit, as they hadn't understood the people.

"It is important you keep the history and keep the fans onside while moving forward.

"But that is really hard to do, in all fairness. I think in January we all thought it was going to be fourth place but at the end of the January transfer window I thought 'No, they've had it' because they didn't buy anybody or give David Moyes any reinforcements.

"They didn't spend any money on it.

"Looking at it now it appears to have been a really good season but I am sure he is disappointed, and most of the fans have been frustrated, that there wasn't investment in the club in January.

"That is always going to be an issue, I think. No matter how well they do they haven't quite got that extra bit to go the extra mile. I think that is what Everton fans want."

Quotes or other material sourced from Liverpool Echo



Reader Comments (58)

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Ed Staunton
1 Posted 19/04/2013 at 15:03:10
Well said Nev, at least one ex blue speaks his mind.
Denis Richardson
2 Posted 19/04/2013 at 15:08:44
"You are either asking too much or you are a poor salesman and I don't think he is a poor salesman because he has got too much theatre going on."

Make up your own minds on why the club has not been sold - it certainly isn't because "no-one's buying football clubs these days"!

Thankfully and finally someone of importance to the club has come out and said publicly what many fans have been going on about for years. The simple fact that either i) the club really isn't for sale as the current management are just looking for 'investment' or ii) they are asking for a ridiculous price - i.e. £125M+, having spent a tiny fraction of that themselves buying a controlling stake.

If only more significant blues would speak up as opposed to brown nosing the current set up to either keep a job (yes, I am talking to you Sharpy) or get free tickets and other perks at GP.

24/7 my arse!

Richard Dodd
3 Posted 19/04/2013 at 15:14:11
I guess we`d all like that to happen, Nev, but I don`t think there`s too many out there willing to pay £125m for a club that has big debts and needs a new ground!

(Think we've been here before, don`t you all?)

Alan Humphreys
4 Posted 19/04/2013 at 15:14:58
Hard to fault anything Nev has said. Surely with all the boards connections and Bill saying he wants to sell they should have been able to appoint a suitable broker.

But then Bills valuation and rhetoric is akin to someone on that crappy programme about hoarding my wife watches - they know they need to do something but they just cant let go.

Doug Hast
5 Posted 19/04/2013 at 15:18:59
Bill Kenwright has never come out and told us how much he wants for the club. Every 6 or 9 months we get the same tired old headline from Bill that someone is really interested in buying the club, we go through the motions for 3 weeks... then Bang! — the deal as fallen through because of one problem or another...

But don't worry: there's another serious buyer who we are in talks with.

We are constantly fed the same old crap from Bill but maybe one day he will announce what the asking price is, there's always hope.

Peter Bell
6 Posted 19/04/2013 at 15:32:19
Denis Richardson, please don't criticise the man who scored the winning goal at the anfield road end whilst I was stood behind that goal. I had waited 14 years for that. Grobbelaar is still looking for it now.
Liam Reilly
7 Posted 19/04/2013 at 15:41:24
Definately asking too much, but hey, he's one of us; our mate and a true Evertonian, Bill Kenwirght, so that's OK then.
Tony I'Anson
8 Posted 19/04/2013 at 15:44:13
Nev says "I don't know how you can't sell it."


If the cost of developing Goodison is the main stumbling block for a buyer, what if the Old Lady was taken out of the equation?

Would this make the Club a more attractive investment opportunity?

What's Goodison worth in its current state?

Who would buy an ageing commercial property in Walton?

What would stop anyone from buying it?

Would the owners sell it?

Would the buyer have to "do it up"?

Is there the will for this to happen?


I'm just asking likes.....if anyone know's the answers fire away....

Steve Guy
9 Posted 19/04/2013 at 15:49:23
Go Nev !!
Paul Columb
10 Posted 19/04/2013 at 15:53:03
A great Evertonian. I don't know the man personally but he comes across as a man without a bone of bullshit in his body. Respected and loved across the generations of blues and the perfect candidate to speak up on the smoke and mirrors of Goodison's innards since his retirement.

"You are either asking too much or you are a poor salesman and I don't think he is a poor salesman because he has got too much theatre going on."

Says it all and more.

Sam Hoare
11 Posted 19/04/2013 at 15:58:26
Well said Nev. Its unfortunate that the only way our club will get to move significantly forward will be if someone mega rich or mega stupid or both comes in and makes BK filthy rich by agreeing to his inflated asking price.
Paul Hardcastle
12 Posted 19/04/2013 at 15:54:34
It just struck me, reading this in the Echo — Does this represents the pinnacle of incisive journalism we can realistically expect from our wonderful local rag?

Instead of getting the real skinny on the latest Kenwright claim of the umpteenth "potential new owners" through some real investigative journalism, they send out a trainee journo hack to corner Big Nev — or more likely, just call him on the phone — for a 'rent-a-quote' story that seems all-too-familiar from the Binman.

What is most telling — they don't even let the sprog put his name in the tagline,.... 'Merseyside Sport' — WTF? Is it any wonder newspapers are dying a death...

Al Reddish
13 Posted 19/04/2013 at 16:03:45
Well said Nev and also well said Stubbs and Bainsey. The pressure is growing!
Denis Richardson
14 Posted 19/04/2013 at 16:04:17
Peter 907 - sorry mate, there are two G.Sharps for me, the legend of the 80's and the version of today.

He is our 'fans liaison officer' at the moment, although am not sure what that role actually involves.

Thomas Windsor
15 Posted 19/04/2013 at 17:18:59
I went to see Big Nev at the Bootle Cricket club a few months ago, on one of these questions and answers nights. He did talk about Kenwright and the board asking too much for Everton. That's the main reason the club has not been sold.

Good to see an ex-player speak out instead of the usual arse-licking.

Ross Edwards
16 Posted 19/04/2013 at 17:27:38
About time too. Well done Big Nev! No doubt the club and the Echo will move quickly to remove this story against Bill Jong Il's regime.

If more people speak out like Big Nev, the board should hopefully take the hint. Or, we should vote with our feet, until BK, Elstone and the rest of the circus are kicked out of town.

Kenwright Out!

Steavey Buckley
17 Posted 19/04/2013 at 17:40:33
Nev, actions speak louder than words. At present, these is no buyer for Everton fc, now or in the distant future.
Ste Traverse
18 Posted 19/04/2013 at 18:26:04
If any of our former players were going to publicly question Kenwright, it was always going to be Southall, who always tells it like it is.

You can forget the likes of Snodin, and in particular Graeme Sharp. (who Nev dismissed as a 'brown nose' on Twitter recently)

Refreshing to hear a club legend refusing to tow the party line.

Paul Ellam
19 Posted 19/04/2013 at 18:47:04
I think Southall really cares about the club and is as frustrated as the rest of us.
I am glad he has spoken his mind.
I am also glad Baines and Stubbs have too but I fear it will fall on deaf ears
Stu Smith
20 Posted 19/04/2013 at 18:53:28
I think the important part of what Nev says is the bit about finding the right buyer and not ending up like B'burn and the RS wherr. Id much rather someone buy the club who is in it like City owners rather than Hicks/Gillett and Glazers who put all the debt on the club.
They arent easy to find and as Iv mentioned previously EFC eas valued in reuters (when were in uefa cup) at £133m
Paul Gladwell
21 Posted 19/04/2013 at 18:55:59
This is the Echos way of letting someone else ask their questions, well played Big Nev, this goes with his brown nose shout he threw the other month about ex players working for the club, great player and great derby goals still does not hide the fact Sharp is a yes man and very arrogant too when I have seen him and received emails off him, don't meet your heroes came true with me on that one.
James Stewart
22 Posted 19/04/2013 at 19:07:57
Well said
Paul Andrews
23 Posted 19/04/2013 at 19:25:38
Unfortunately one of our greatest ever centre forwards took the 30 pieces of silver quite a while ago.
Colin Glassar
24 Posted 19/04/2013 at 19:31:26
Nev, don't you know someone with a few bob who could buy us?
Graham Mockford
25 Posted 19/04/2013 at 19:28:22
Paul Andrews

What a crock. Who has Graeme Sharp betrayed? You don't like him because he is an employee of the club? You may disagree with the administration of the club, I certainly do, but to start portraying one of the best centre forwards this club has ever seen who never gave a single inch in a blue shirt as a Judas is disgraceful. The man is earning a living. Has every employee of our club taken thirty pieces of silver?

Mark Frere
26 Posted 19/04/2013 at 19:15:28
What happened to the Ukrainian interested party who were going to buy Everton, that all seems to of evaporated into thin air. Or was it just some more bullshit propaganda put out there by kenwright and his cronies?

Great statement from Big Nev, he certainly speaks for the fans and not for the shower of shit running this club

Chris Regan
27 Posted 19/04/2013 at 19:43:50
Southall was my favourite player of all time; I remember reading once that he had to buy tickets for a game from the club - disgraceful. He has a reputation for speaking his mind and he has done so, well done Neville! Actually it Feels good saying that, I got so used to shouting 'fuck off Neville' to Philip Neville.
Ryan Sloan
28 Posted 19/04/2013 at 19:38:50
It's easy for Nev to have a pop (even though I agree with him totally) but he's no longer on the club's payroll, so nothing to lose springs to mind... Bill Kenwright owns the club so he calls the shots, like it or not.

Baines could get another club easy, and this could be used on his way out (if he chooses to). Alan Stubbs may feel he may be on his way out, if Moyes goes. So to have a go at Sharpe is unjust — it's not really wise to slate your boss in public, is it?

Colin Glassar
30 Posted 19/04/2013 at 20:10:12
Mark Frere, that was an April fools joke. Got a few of us going tbh. Sad but true.
Paul Andrews
31 Posted 19/04/2013 at 20:12:00
Graham,
Are you American?
Graham Mockford
32 Posted 19/04/2013 at 20:14:31
Yes my father is from Peru.
Richard Dodd
33 Posted 19/04/2013 at 20:17:24
With all due respect to Nev as a GREAT goalkeeper, I don`t imagine he`s an expert on football finance and for that reason his opinion counts for no more than any other Evertonian.

I look forward to the day when the perfect owners take over our club but, unfortunately, few of the Johnny Come Latelys who've taken over clubs in recent times seem any improvement on the Kenwright model.

Sell, sell, sell is all we hear (that`s when it`s not spend, spend, spend!) but the hard fact is that there really are worse owners than the one we've got... however bad he is!

Paul Andrews
34 Posted 19/04/2013 at 20:28:58
Thanks, I knew you were not a proper ham shank.
Graham Mockford
35 Posted 19/04/2013 at 20:32:09
Paul

That's what me mam told me anyway.

Kevin Tully
36 Posted 19/04/2013 at 20:52:04
The club is not for sale – unless anyone is prepared to pay way over market value. I believe there are also many other conditions attached to any sale, such as proof of funds for a new stadium. All these prerequisites are evidence that the Board will have no real ambition to sell any time soon.

No matter who they bring in to promote the sale, they are facing an impossible task. Don't forget, the first choice is to find "investment" while BK & chums keep a controlling interest.

When BK says there is no-one out there buying clubs, he is spot on, not on their terms anyway.

Tom Dodds
37 Posted 19/04/2013 at 23:12:12
The Reds supporters would never have allowed this sham chairman and his gang to stay in being for ONE fuckin season never mind ELEVEN.

Fed up to fuck of this eternal roundless/endless Blue Unionless protestations on e-mail... One way and one way only to fuck 'This charming man' off is like me don't renew your season tickets.

Simple.

Eric Myles
38 Posted 20/04/2013 at 01:40:29
Richard #901 "I don`t think there`s too many out there willing to pay £125m for a club that has big debts and needs a new ground!"

Doesn't that tell you then that the asking price is too much and should be reduced?

Doug #904, there's only talk of interested parties wanting to buy the Club when it's time for season ticket sales, it's a con by the PR machine.

Ste Traverse
39 Posted 20/04/2013 at 01:46:55
It seems Graeme Sharp has attracted a bit of criticism on this thread. My own experience of Sharp was being ignorantly cut off by him when he used to host the legends phone-in for having a go at Simon Davies after yet another feeble performance by the Welshman, which many Blues were doing at the time.

He shouldn't work for the club and in the media at the same time.

Ste Traverse
40 Posted 20/04/2013 at 01:46:55
Dup
Christine Foster
41 Posted 20/04/2013 at 03:28:47
Richard, I had hoped that, as the years have passed, you would actually see the light and what Kenwright is up to. Sadly, your last post smacks of pandering to Kenwright's stance of "better the devil you know", or better still, look at how others have fared when sold.

It's sick, because irrespective of who buys the club, our future is not guaranteed. Our style of play is not guaranteed and an owner's financial pockets may not be as big as we would like. But it's no reason to stick with what we have, no reason to believe a man whose personal credibility drops every time he opens his mouth.

Neville Southall is not just another fan, he has the credibility of a playing great, someone who deserves to be listened too, he has a better insight into the club than any of us.

You think for some deluded set of reasoning that Bill Kenwright has been our savior, that he should be looked up to and continually thanked whilst we tug our forelocks and back away in gratitude.

We have no assets, no money, heavily in debt and yet you and others still think his financial management of the club should be applauded, this from a guy who, as chairman of a 100m club doesn't understand the accounts.

I don't care if a new owner is not a natural born Blue, I want them to put the financial strength back into a great club and regain some asset value. I don't care if it means we stay at a redeveloped GP for the next 10 years whilst we restructure.

That's never going to happen with Kenwright, Elstone and the current board of directors who have failed to secure a sound financial strategy for the club, have no known commercial vision or strategic plan post Moyes, and have alienated the fan base to such an extent that they actively blame others, fans and shareholders for the lack of transparency, lack of accountability and their own arrogance actual believes fans do not deserve to be respected for their concerns.

One thing is very clear Richard, fans support The Team, But not the running of the club. Many fans don't concern themselves with matters of control or finance until it impacts on the team. This year, if we do not make CL qualification, a significant reason will be because of the lack of backing this board and Kenwright gave to Moyes in January, indeed I believe this is the key reason that Moyes has not signed a new contract and will not do so without seeing the money to rebuild.

No one else will invest in the club without a controlling interest, why on earth would you do so otherwise? So Richard, to get that investment, either the rest of the board has to sell their shares to Kenwright and two others, I have yet to see any indication that BK will walk away without a size able return.

Paul Ferry
42 Posted 20/04/2013 at 05:08:56
Kenwright, the great Evertonian, the boy's pen luvvy, according to him in that shameful exchange in the car park the biggest Evertonian (in terms of jaded jowels perhaps), who has not put a penny of his money in us after the 1st exchange, who loves this club so much but wants to press the eject button swimming in sponds an Everest above what he has pumped in. A disgusting charlatan who has a vice grip on one of the great footie clubs. It's not just dahling BK, I know, it's Johnson and co. But you Kenwright, the so-called great blue, you are a sad sham. Leave us if you love us. Sell us for a penny, given inflation, you'll still make a profit on what you've put in, luvvy.
Paul Gladwell
43 Posted 20/04/2013 at 08:27:39
Ste, if you had been dissing Big Dunc he would not have cut you off as he was obsessed with giving him stick in the radio and in the local media, I think he could not hack the adulation Fergie got off the fans.
Sharp was my hero, but then I met him and saw his arrogance, yapping away with another hero Andy King with his back turned when Kendall was doing a speech at a legends doo, I then read his book were he comes across as a bully and then got an email on his one man and his dog remark.
Everyone has their own opinions mine is he thinks anyone who never did what he did is zero.
Paul Andrews
44 Posted 20/04/2013 at 09:10:18
Bearing in mind what Blue BIll paid for his shares,and the fact that he has not put 1p into the club since.
What would be his personal profit margin if the man who bleeds blue gets his asking price of £125 million?
Richard Dodd
45 Posted 20/04/2013 at 08:51:32
Thank you,Christine,for wasting so many words on one so unworthy as me.Perhaps it is in your direction I should be `doffing my cap`!
Be that as it may,it may surprise you that in principle I agree with what you say but I do not subscibe to your view that just anybody would do a better job.
Like so many others,you allow your distaste of the man to affect your judgement.Surely you cannot believe that takeovers of the likes of Blackburn,Wolves,Coventry and our neighbours have seen a massive improvement in their fortunes-either on or off the field? And how about the F1 billionaire who took over QPR and in one season and has given his two managers a king`s ransom to get the club relegated and still play in a shithole?

Of course I want a more businesslike `owner`than BK.Of course I want a Board who sees the club`s supporters as more than turnstile/merchandising fodder to be treated with disdain.But I don`t want the Venkys,Fernandezes and their ilk whose knowledge of the game as well as their judgement just guarantees failure.
Surely then you can lower the hate level enough to see that it really could be worse?

Al Reddish
46 Posted 20/04/2013 at 09:31:51
"Of course I want a Board who sees the club`s supporters as more than turnstile/merchandising fodder to be treated with disdain."
Never thought I would see the day you would be so critical of Bill and his buddies. You raise a valid point though about getting the right people in and it is a worry when you look elsewhere. It's just a shame Bill and his cronies don't have enough savvy to look at generating money from elsewhere, rather than selling off everything we have. Is it really true we are the only club who don't recieve a penny from wearing a Nike kit? Shameful, especially as the tops are about a tenner more than the previous makes.
George McKane
47 Posted 20/04/2013 at 09:43:23
As a point of interest to those who argue "there's nothing you can do in the current climate" I watch the Bundesliga every week and there are several things that can be used in comparison to Everton/Premier League especially young players getting games. But there was a fascinating piece on Borussia Dortmund this week and how in 2005 (not that long ago) they were in the "hands of their creditors" and they decided on massive change adopting a policy of 50+1, where the fans have ownership and rights, they invested in youth and a young unknown but dynamic young manager. Look where they are now. You should look at the piece its very interesting.
Gavin Ramejkis
48 Posted 20/04/2013 at 09:37:32
Doddy your stance on BK has gradually changed over the years but at each twist and turn you have retained the scaremongering. The better the devile you know just doesn't work in this scenario as Black Bill has destroyed not grown the business to state where the debts outweigh the assets. With each passing year of his tenure the club's value decreases and the web of cross charges grows.

Surely even you can see that this is an untenable position. Repeating as nauseum that change doesn't guarantee anything other than change but the status quo at present is a failure leading in only one direction.

As far as the Sharpy digs go, I too have received this paid lacky's dismissive emails and his quote on the Blue Union march of one man and a dog was as hilarious as Comical Ali

Christine Foster
49 Posted 20/04/2013 at 10:41:55
Richard, first off, contrary to your comments I do not "hate" Kenwright, nor have I ever said as such or indicated as much other than my anger at what I perceive as a callous and calculating approach he has taken to the management of this club.

Nor have I ever used any profanity against him, you or any poster on ToffeeWeb, I may showed anger but never hate.

I realize there are many potential owners who will never cut the mustard, many wannabes who have more money than sense. But there are many who are sensible, businesslike and experienced and might, just might, have a vision for Everton.

So please Richard, answer some of my points rather than take personal pot shots at me, which you hav e continued to do for a number of years now, I made a number of valid comments which you have ignored or declined to answer.

I don't need or want anyone to doff a cap or tug a forelock for me, I want Everton as. Club to be run properly, don' we all?

Paul Gladwell
50 Posted 20/04/2013 at 10:51:29
Richard, the reason we have not ended up like some of those clubs is down to Moyes not Kenwright , are you saying Kenwright is a better owner than what QPR have ? Their failure this season is down to the manager and the players, can you imagine where we would be now if we had such backing in January like Redknapp had? Kenwright is a fraud who's got away with it because of Moyes,I bet if Moyes leaves Kenwright will sell up like a shot if the new manager has a poor start.
Al Reddish
51 Posted 20/04/2013 at 11:33:04
Lets not forget too that it was Walter Smith that suggested we take on David Moyes. If it was down to Kenwright, we would have ended up with Gary Megson. What a coup that would have been.
Richard Dodd
52 Posted 20/04/2013 at 13:08:35
I think there are many `good` owners: Coates, Lewis, Jenkins, Lerner for example who we would have welcomed to Everton. I suspect several of them would have fired Moyes early in his reign. Would they have strengthened the balance sheet? Maybe.... Would they have brought/bought trophies? Maybe.... Would we now be struggling against relegation? Maybe....

The truth is, nobody can ever know what might have happened just as we can`t be in anyway certain that a change of owner or manager would be for good or ill. But it`s good to argue about it on ToffeeWeb, isn`t it?

Nick Armitage
53 Posted 20/04/2013 at 13:34:05
Doddy

Do you work in the PR department at Goodison?

Richard Dodd
54 Posted 20/04/2013 at 13:37:32
No, of course not, Nick. If I did, I'd be sending you snotty e-mails like Rossy used to send to me!
Nick Armitage
55 Posted 20/04/2013 at 13:47:00
You could, if you knew my email adress.
Paul Andrews
56 Posted 20/04/2013 at 14:00:05
Graham 973,

Are you sure she didnt say Pru ?

Eric Myles
57 Posted 21/04/2013 at 01:34:38
Richard #120 "can`t be in anyway certain that a change of owner or manager would be for good or ill."

But we DO know that what we have isn't good enough and isn't working so stop with the 'better the devil you know' catchphrases or don't you aspire for the Club to do better?

Steve Frixou
58 Posted 21/04/2013 at 08:58:31
Christine, Richard and Co, you have the interest of Everton Football Club and the fans first. As Paul says, if Moyes leaves and decline happens then Billy will walk. The key point here is that Moyes having been sold the same spin, albeit with a nice salary to dullen his senses, has realised that, unless he forces the issue, he will continue to enable Kenwright. Moyes knows that Everton cannot progress with him in this relationship and contract deferrals show his stance.

Of course it is a dangerous game to find a Blackburn and Co type buyer, but this is being used as an excuse by Kenwright to keep the status quo. The countless theatrical "buyers are coming" quotes, as time reveals as lies are like Moyes being enabled, but equally by us the fans too, when little other than quiet dissatisfaction is shown.

Watch how much momentum, and rhetoric is gained when Moyes without a choice leaves.

Gary Reeves
59 Posted 22/04/2013 at 14:41:07
Yeah,Neville has been quiet recently due to his work in Lucerne on the Hadron Collider,searching for The Higgs Boson.. . Bit of sarcasm there folks,if you get my drift.Point is he knows as much as you and I. I'm pretty new to this forum and was kind of hoping it's not just "What do we want?-INVESTMENT..When do we want it?-NOW" sort of stuff. BK has said the the Club is for sale to the right person (obviously with the cash) and I,for one,have never had reason to question that. Billionaire oligarchs like shiney new things,and Goodison ain't in that bracket unfortunately. You can't just magic up investment,and the fact that there's been little interest says it all. . Have never quite got the argument really.

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