Truth and Trust

Life is about choices, those that we make with informative knowledge and those we make stupidly because we don?t do our homework properly. However, when one trusts in others to make informed decisions ? only to discover that they hadn?t done their homework ? who is to blame? Those who entrusted them or those who made the decision? The truth is both are culpable. The solution when a bad call is made in any business or in any part of personal life is to put your hands up and admit it and get on and fix it and don?t repeat the mistake again.

Fans trusted the Everton Board of Directors by voting Yes to an option that was made clear as the only one. That trust has been misplaced by the comments since, not PR blips but Christ Almighty fuck-ups. At which point active deceit comes into play is debateable, but we all know that the innocent white lie grows into a monster of other lies built upon it. The house of cards scenario.

Well, the truth has come out; the No sector of fans have had their objections proven beyond reasonable doubt. What we should be doing now is fixing it.

Contary to what many Yes people think, I am not against change, moving the club or staying at Goodison. We all want the best for our club, everyone of us here who abuse each other, get frustrated by each other or frankly just don?t see the issue. We all want our version of what is best.

Many of us have also made clear why we believe Kirkby is such a non-starter. Before anyone comes back with "it's all we can afford"... it isn't; in fact, it's what we can?t afford. Making that move is too much risk given everything from location, quality of design and build, transport, safety, debt and a funny little thing called perception.

Let's face it, there is something else in here too that no one has mentioned. It's PRIDE in our club. Who we are, our history and tradition and the fact we have our roots in a city where we were the first club. Those who glibly would dismiss this pride as being backward thinking would fail to understand why we love our club.

Moving from Goodision may be the best choice but moving to Kirkby is the worst.

The debate is at an impasse that only the club can break. There will be increasing pressure on the club to be transparent and to justify (if it can) the rationale for its continued support of a move to Kirkby. I am not one of those who needs to shut up and accept the writing on the wall or move on. I am just a fan who loves my club, who understands business as well as Tom Hughes understands engineering, as well as many others who question not from just a point of pride but also from a point of experience.

The only leverage we have is public opinion. We understand we can?t produce accurate feasibility studies on any site or even Goodison redevelopment. But then neither can the club. Such studies cost millions and as I have said before, the work is not for tender, so who in their right mind would spend that much without an even chance of success?

There are a considerable number of Yes voters who have trusted in the Board, trusted that the facts they were given were true, and believe in their hearts that Kirbky is a good deal. But then I believe we are a better team than Man U or Chelsea but the facts don?t support it. The facts don't support the Board's stance on a move to Kirkby.

The club has traveled along the East Lancs without a return ticket or the busfare to get home. I hope to God someone can give them a lift back to reality.

The real issue is that we all agree we can?t do nothing. We all agree that some change is needed. We all agree we are not party to the real facts. We all agree that the Board has been seen to make assumptions and statements that were clearly untrue or misleading.

So, we know the fans can deal with honesty and come to terms with sometimes uncomfortable decisions... can the Board? Are they big enough to say, "We Got it Wrong"? Are they big enough to say,"OK, the Exclusitivity period is over, let's have a closer review of any other options"

Or are they just too arrogant to listen?

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