True Love is not enough
Steve Thompson calls on Bill Kenwright to let go

13 February 2004

I remember the day.  I was on route to Nottingham, for another tedious meeting, and the subject on Talk Sport (I can’t be alone in wishing that Mike Parry was a Kopite) was Everton’s new manager.  Walter had gone, after the pitiful capitulation (an altogether too familiar word this season) at Middlesbrough.

The choices on the day were Gary Megson or David Moyes.  I actually prayed for David Moyes to be our new Manager (not a good idea with my eyes closed approaching Junction 16 of the M6!).

At this point, I have to mention the relevance of local knowledge.  I live in Blackpool, and Megson had been the manager of Blackpool, before going to Stockport, while Moyes had overseen the rise of Preston to the brink of the Premiership.

There’s a quiz question for you.  Which Second Division Club’s last 3 managers (2 of which were sacked, the other resigned) will all be managing in the Premiership next season.  Megson gives it away, but who are the other two?

My gardener has been a season ticket holder at Deepdale for 53 years, and he worshipped Moyes.  Don’t get the impression that having a gardener makes me or my family well off, I’m just so shit in the garden (and he’s so cheap) that to my better half it’s a necessity to have someone who can cut our postage stamp of a back garden in a straight line.  Anyway, how I celebrated when David Moyes was given the job.

His initial impact, as we all know was phenomenal.  Last season, he moved things on, and despite the last minute disappointment, we were once again a decent side.  (How our ambitions have been reduced over the years.)  This season has been a major let down.  (I’m famed for my incisive analysis).  Is it the fault of David Moyes?  I think not!

There have been rows, injuries, loss of form and let’s be honest, errors by the management.  One of my closest friends is a season ticket holder at Pride Park, and he’s been telling ME how good Leon Osman is!  Like we don’t know.

I’m going to apologise in advance for criticising a fellow blue, but I was unhappy when Bill took charge.  Most of us wanted Johnson out, but it took Bill so long to raise the money to buy the club, that he was never going to be able to fund the purchase of quality players.  The simple fact is that we now cannot even compete with any of the following:

• Charlton
• Fulham
• Birmingham
• Southampton
• Portsmouth
• Bolton
• Middlesbrough

There are many more that we can’t compete with.  I’ve just listed the clubs that I find it most disappointing to be behind in the Premier League pecking order, and who don’t have our support.

We don’t want to go the way of Leeds, but there has to be a happy medium.  We have a good manager, fantastic support, a worldwide name, and a totally inept Board and senior staff.  Our commercial activities are appalling, and some of the business dealings we have witnessed over the last 18 months have been naive in the extreme.

There may not be queue of people forming to take over our club, but I’m sorry Bill, you are not up to the job.  Either sell up or bring in some dynamic executive staff.  It might help if they actually cared about Everton Football Club.  You’re living a dream, being the major shareholder at your beloved club.  Unfortunately, you’re destroying our dream at the same time!

'If you love somebody, set them free'

It's a cliche of the worst kind, but the time has come for Bill to decide what's best for his true love.

Steve Thompson

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