The Mail Bag
As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods..
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Here?s a true story. Once upon a time there was a football club. They were not bad, but on the periphery of the very top clubs. For years their stadium, beloved of their fans, had been inadequate and there was pressure to improve it or move elsewhere. The borough council offered them several sites within their local community. There had even been a plan at one time for the local authority to build a stadium in partnership, but that fell through. Eventually, the club chairman arranged to move out of the borough.
It was only six miles to their new home. Even though the club was moving away from their roots to a neighboring borough, many of those who opposed the move were ridiculed. After all a few miles away isn?t far. Sounds familiar? Some of you will have guessed that this club was Wimbledon. Some of you will have recognized the parallels with what Everton plans to do.
In Wimbledon?s case, many fans just didn?t travel to see matches in the neighboring borough. It turned out that despite globalization of the economics of football, football clubs themselves remain rooted in their parochial communities. Three years after they moved away, they tried to move back. But there was no going back. We know what happened to Wimbledon in the end.
Now, obviously there are big differences between Everton and Wimbledon and Everton fans and Wimbledon fans. But it?s impossible to read the optimistic reports about Wimbledon?s future in 1991 ? when they had just missed out on Europe - and the debate about the move, without seeing the parallels. Back then they were talking about building a World Cup standard venue. There was even a supermarket involved ? Safeways.
If Wimbledon had redeveloped Plough Lane or built a new stadium in Merton they would probably be there today and not 70 miles away under a new identity, struggling to climb out of Division 2. They might even still be in the Premier League. Those so eager to move out of Liverpool, take note.
Peter Fearon, Posted 25/06/2007 at 19:34:27
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Wimbledon is 7 or 8 miles (not 6) miles across South London suburbia from Crystal Palace. On a Saturday it would be at least a 1 hour drive; there’s no direct public transport link so you would have to go into Central London, go across town and come back out again (80 minutes).
Kirkby is not ideal, we all know that. But don’t muddy the issue with hysterical comparrisons.
It may have been Abraham Lincoln or a long forgotton pre-war film critic who said...’Those who like this sort of thing will find it exactly the sort of thing they like!’
Hence the polarised and in some cases OTT denigration of a perfectly valid comparison/parable.I and I’m sure many others, never spotted the Wimbledon side swipe coming out of the wood work.It works on a number of points( to me anyway:see quote above) to show similarities and post a warning.Get off your high horse on the nit picking. If you want EVERY thing to be a perfect comparison find another world, you won’t find it in this one, or any other one, (well none of the ones that I want to live in)
As for the move to Kirby, I can understand that moving out of the city is upsetting a large number of our supporters. Having read articles and forums on this subject I see about a 50/50 split over the issue.
KEIOC seem to be doing a good job getting backing from former players and Liverpool MP’s.
However, I am not opposed to the move to Kirby for a number of reasons.
1) The infrastructure around the stadium (if they get it right)could be amazing for all concerned. There is a railway line close by, no need to get caught up in city centre traffic, a large parking area could be included into the plans.
2) The proposed site is a massive piece of land and wouldn’t limit us to the size of stadium we could build.
3) We will have a stadium that for a minimal investment would be all ours and be capable of holding international matches for numerous competitions.
Please bare in mind these are only my opinions and I think we would benefit from a move to Kirby. Before everyone rejects this move just take into account the backing we have had from the City Council since the shite have come to fruition and mirror this to the backing we would get if we stayed in the City.
We can’t slag off the council for the lack of support one minute and then ask for their backing and kiss their arses the next.
I believe that either way the board will do what they feel is best for the club (i would hope so anyway).
1. The stadium size is actually not very large. I believe it is about 55,000.
2. We will not own the stadium. Tesco is a publicly traded company with a fiduciary duty to its shareholders and could not give away the stadium if they wanted to. If they pay for it they own it. We may even have to rent it.
3. If the Asbodome gets built, Liverpool will be the only Premier League club in Liverpool. We will be the only Premier League club in...Knowsley.
Take it you are all going to boycott any stadium move and sulk outside goodison? i dont want the move either because i want it right on the pitch first, the rest will all follow. lets spend every single penny we have on players and put a move to anywere on hold for a while.
By the way the only KEIOC banners i have ever seen were in the pubs around goodison. I wonder why that might be????? do they want us to stay for the right reasons or is it because they are scared their businesses will go down the shitter?
I would travel the lenght of the country to see everton as i do on away games....those who cant be arsed going a few miles need to have a good long look at themselves
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1 Posted 25/06/2007 at 21:55:08
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