Delighted about Wednesday's win, but I found the game a tedious bore. I don't live in Merseyside so don't get to see the lads unless they are in the North East.

It seems given the information I have read so far, that a move is almost inevitable if the club/team are to progress. If the worst happens and there is no prospect of a move from Goodison, does this mean that in terms of achievement on the field that we stay as we are (nothing won so far) or could further progress be achieved within a permanent financial straightjacket? Does anyone have any idea approx. how much money would/could be available for team investment if the eventual Kirkby move happens. If no move, will Moyes decide it is time for pastures new?

A while back, the official site started allowing people to comment on news stories, interviews, etc. But has anyone noticed how they DON'T allow people to comment on the Kirkby move? What's this all about? We can voice our opinion about how excited we are about Moyes signing Jo, Gosling's goal, and Neville spouting his usual pre-match "rallying calls", but not one of the biggest moments in our club's history?

If I'm way off base, you are all free to verbally smack me in the head.

I'm sure i speak for many thousands of Evertonians. A massive thank you for the hard work that KEIOC all put in during the public enquiry on the dreaded move to Kirkby. I ask all Evertonians to go on the KEIOC site and read ALL of the KEIOC closing statement.

Because you wont read it in our so called democratic media. I challenge Trinity newspapers that own our own Liverpool Echo to print the closing statement from Keioc.

Again a MASSIVE THANK YOU., KEIOC!

The closing statements are now available to read on the Knowsley Council website. All of the opponent’s statements make very interesting reading.

Liverpool Council

"No convincing reason has been given for example why Everton could not wait the extra few years to bring forward a more considered proposal through the development plan system ? other than the fear that Tesco might withdraw from the deal and concentrate on its own European ambitions"

Combined Authorities

"Whilst Everton cannot be blamed commercially for seeking to get a subsidised new stadium if they can the planning system should not be expected to deliver it by a retail proposal that is excessive."

KEIOC

"The inconvenience to Everton supporters, due to the gross inadequacy of the transport infrastructure, ill equipped to accommodate an estimated influx of up to 50,000 people, cannot be underestimated."

Kirkby Traders Association

"The reason, advanced By Knowsley MBC., Tesco and Everton,for
this development is to regenerate the Town Centre to meet
the needs of 41,500 residents. To meet this criterion it
is not necessary to build a 50,000 seater Stadium, a 200,000
sq. ft. Store and 1/2 million sq. ft. of retail space housing
50 units."

KRAG

"We have learned that EFC were not told about their part in the masterplan (TEV/INQ/16) prepared by Saunders Architects for Tesco in negotiation with KMBC until February 2006 (TEV/P/8) and were at first unwilling until they realised it was a ?once in a lifetime opportunity? and the ?deal of the century? for them due to the land acquisition"

Knowsley Council’s statement can be found at knowsley.gov.uk and Tesco/Everton’s is not available yet.

I don’t believe anyone has the answers with any certainty....a move could be a fresh positive beginning, or the beginning of a downward spriral.

One thing I guess the Club does know, is that if DK gets rejected by Hazel Blears, how much ’ringfenced’ cash for DK (if any) would be given to David Moyes for adding to his squad?

If, say 40 million was made available to Moyes, maybe it would enable him to usurp 2 (or even 3 given a possible Chelski slide) of the so called ’big4’.

Now gate receipts are a lesser revenue generator than TV deals and Chamions League prize money (and related money spinning side benefits), given the astuteness of David Moyes, investment in the team may be the best step. If we could make the step up then that may then yield the finances to do a future ground move to a standard better fitting the future aspirations (and in keeping with our grand history) of Everton Football Club...maybe even a Kings Dock type stadium in 2015?

IF you shoot for the stars you may just hit the moon!

COYB!

Sorry, all of the links in my above post were broken, how embarassing!

Applicants

Knowsley Council - link
Tesco/Everton - not up yet

Opponents

KEIOC - link

KRAG - link

Kirkby Traders - link

Liverpool Council - link

Combined Authorities- link

A very very successful inquiry for our wonderful club, in front of the inspector agreements were being made between KMBC and Sefton on issues ? which is a fabulous sign for the back end of the inquiry ? and a sign Sefton know "the writing is on the wall".

June is ok, I?ve a feeling the SoS will rubber stamp the conclusions reached pretty quickly after that. ;)

Highlight of the inquiry for me was LCC and the CAO reps admitting (under severe pressure) in black and white before the inspector that Liverpool One/City Centre would NOT be affected by DK and agreement all round from just about everybody that no one objects to the stadium save for a handful of residents. Add into the mix the admittance to the inspector from the LCC planning expert that there are no sites available in the city ? that was the icing.

The cabaret performance from KEIOC last week was priceless ? ho-larious to see them get a warning and their evidence cut short by the inspector. :)

Rupert Dear, don’t worry the Doctor will be here soon...

Rubber stamp or not, where do we get £78 million from? If, and it is only an if, DK gets planning approval, how long do Tescos wait for Everton to find the cash? When it then becomes apparent that we’re skint does the whole thing collapse anyway? Making this whole farce of an inquiry totally meaningless.

Highlights for me Rupert.

1) The lady trying and failing to describe the cross subsidy or enabling factor depending on which angle the club are coming from.

2) The transport guy, saying we wouldn't mind waiting in the rain for 1.5 hours after the match... then get crush-loaded on to trains (priceless) ? you wouldn't know whether to laugh or cry.

3) Elstone saying we had 15 million fans worldwide and claiming web traffic as evidence of this.

Rupert (we know that?s not your real name), I?ll accept that you?re entitled to your opinion no matter how ill-informed and pathetic it appears to the majority of Evertonians. You have your own agenda which would appear to be attempting to make people believe that everything about moving to Kirkby and everything uttered by this board and its advisors is wonderful and unquestionable, others feel differently and I?ll accept that also.

However I won?t accept you telling lies in a bid to further your agenda. The planning inspector did not warn KEIOC neither did she cut short KEIOC?s evidence. Mr Clarkson petitioned the inspector on the morning that this evidence was due to be presented, over a month after this evidence was lodged with the inquiry, asking for it to be excluded. After some deliberations with her colleagues, the inspector decided against Mr Clarkson but agreed that two sections, the ballot and some of the finances of the club had been sufficiently covered and would therefore be deemed repetitious, she stressed however that the information in the written submission would not be rejected by the inquiry and would be considered in full.

What followed then was the embarrassing sight of Mr Clarkson, after suggesting that the finances of Everton Football Club weren?t relevant to the inquiry (they had appeared relevant when Mr Elstone took the stand) attempted to question Dave Kelly on the structure and financing of KEIOC!!!! Mr Clarkson?s stated opinion was that KEIOC was perhaps ?no more than four people? and then went on to question the source of the ?tens of thousands of pounds that has been spent on the campaign?. A clearly bemused Dave Kelly explained that he would be happy to sit there all day and discuss KEIOC but as Mr Clarkson had claimed Everton finances weren?t relevant to the inquiry he was at a loss to understand how KEIOC?s were!

After stumbling on for several more minutes, the inspector, much to the relief of the public gallery, stepped in and put an end to a frankly embarrassing spectacle.

KEIOC took expert advice from a planning barrister. The evidence was submitted and presented with the minimum of fuss, KEIOC calmly put up with the theatrics of the barristers in the full knowledge that the closing arguments would not be interrupted, and on which, KEIOC were told, the inspector will base her report.

Anyone wanting to read this in its entirety can do so on the KEIOC website.

For a bunch of rank amateurs to pick holes in a planning application from the assembled brains of one of the country?s biggest businesses, a Premier League club and a local council is testimony to the strength of feeling against this move and the veracity of the application.

It?s all in the hands of the Government now, so, ?Rupert?, you can get back to your basket weaving or tapestry making or whatever you?re allowed to do; there?s a good lad!

The highlight for me was Elstone stating that the cow shed was going to be a world class stadium, when everyone knows it will be a mid-level Premier League stadium. He smells of Wyness if you ask me.

Have to laugh at the suggestion that were the Minister to find against us,Moyes would habe £80M to spend in the transfer market.Were that to be so,no doubt he could waste it on more gems like the Useless Mop Head that is Felaini!

Rupert? Got to your piece and just scrolled past it when I saw the name.

I believe that every one has a right to their own opinion, and I respect that, what I can’t stand is shithouse’s who have to hide behind an alias, and that is what you are my friend.

the other thing is we are still falling short of capacity for big games. 37k on wednesday and that with 6k shite fans in the ground. sort of makes it a worry if we had a 50k ground, how poor would that have looked with 13k empty seats for a derby.

For the avoidance of doubt Billy Liar does not have a "Ring-fenced" fund for DK, it will all have to be borrowed if they can find a lender. The only thing Kenwright tries to ringfence is his position as Chairman. He did once pretend to have £30 million ring-fenced for Kings Dock but, when the LCC found out he was lying, they dropped him like a brick ? or should that be "prick"?

Chris, I think that’s in part to people not wanting to pay upwards of £39 for an obstructed view. I noticed today’s attendance was 33,700-odd.

On an interesting sidenote, not sure if anyone watched Football Focus but Sunderland have reduced season ticket prices for next season in the light of the recession, as well as introduce child fares of £1. I wonder whether our PR department have the nouse and social concern to repeat likewise... answers on a postcard to Robert Elstone.

Brian Waring, £10?

Chris and Peter, I think closer examination on reduced attendance would see several factors, the majority being the credit crunch biting down hard; lots more people have finally lost their jobs early this year rather than last year as their work ran dry and I?ve seen several people in the Park End not bother anymore as they were fed up with the poor football and the whole Kirkby issue. The football is improving but to ask fans to ignore Kirkby if they don?t agree with it is a nonsense.

I have to agree with Brian that the antics of someone not willing to post their own name whilst spouting utter bollocks says lots about their integrity and lack of backbone. You?ll find plenty of posts and retractions on these boards by men and women with spines and lots of strong views stuck to with real names. Who will you be next week?

Tom, it’s only been 1 game, but he did look good didn’t he?