Season 2011-12 Fan Articles
Why I Shall Be Protesting Tomorrow
By Colin Fitzpatrick :: 09/09/2011
18 Comments (»Last)
It may come as a surprise to some but protest doesn?t come naturally to me. I?m a bit like a fish out of water to be honest; it?s outside my comfort zone... but sometimes, if you?re passionate about something, if you have genuine concern about something, you have to set aside your reservations and make the effort.
I?m not protesting about the performance of the team; I?m not even protesting about being the only club in England not to spend anything whatsoever to strengthen our team... we can?t spend what we haven?t got can we?
No, of course not; no, I?ll be protesting over the reasons why we?ve reached the position we?re in and the total intransigence being exhibited by the board and the senior managers towards us, the fans ? people who contribute £20m a season, people who are being treated with utter contempt.
We are a Premier League club with a Premier League manager and Premier League players; yet if there was a league for boards of directors ours would be lucky to remain in the Northern Premier League because continual failure leads to oblivion.
I now believe we?re in danger of doing what a few people have warned about; they?ve warned that we should be careful what we wish for, they?re concerned that we could follow Portsmouth, Leeds and West Ham; my concern is that this is exactly what we?re doing, we?re just doing it in a different fashion.
Despite the best efforts of some, our worst fears have been confirmed; the policies the club had been warned against for years ? selling assets, borrowing and attempting to address the stadium issue with totally inappropriate solutions ? have led to what CEO Robert Elstone promised wouldn?t happen..... the banks in control and being unable to support the manager, ?We have a highly qualified finance team and a good relationship with the bank; that wouldn't be allowed to happen?, Robert Elstone told us three years ago. Well sadly that?s exactly what has happened; and it's worse than expected, we?re crawling to the bank pleading with them not to kill us. Ten years is more than enough time to address this problem.
In the last published accounts, there were clear warnings; costs were rising and the company secretary painted a worrying picture. Well, twelve months on from that year-end, I?m reliably informed, straight from the horse?s mouth if you like, that last year those costs have actually increased, it?s worse than ever. The medicine isn?t pleasant and we all know nothing is going to change under this present regime.
Any business that has had a specialist from the bank sitting with the chairman sorting out the crisis clearly needs to undertake a review of how they?re operating. To me, it looks like three of the four board members do nothing whilst Bill is left to do all the running around; this clearly isn?t working.
This board appear unable to address the pertinent problems facing the club; there are no assets left, the banks appear unwilling to facilitate loans for working capital. To be then told that a proposal for real change is risible and completely unnecessary frankly beggars belief.
I?m personally disappointed with Robert Elstone; he had an opportunity to initiate change, he had the opportunity to stop the reliance on spin, stop those who mislead the fans, stop these ridiculous bans on local and national journalists who dare speak the truth... the whole thing has become a shambles and I fear that it?s payback time for those in the press who have been treated shamefully.
I don?t know who writes Robert Elstone?s blog for him but I think he needs to read them first if he?s going to put his name to them. ?We don?t need an interim board.? Good god, has he not listened to one word the Blue Union has said?
Change needs to happen; apart from the list of catastrophes already well acknowledged, if anybody is convinced that it?s prudent to leave the sale process in the hands of people who agreed a price for the club with someone, allowed them to conduct due diligence, and then were on the verge of signing away the club to someone living in a one-bedroom flat over a betting shop in Singapore, then you need to have a serious word with yourself.
Will a demonstration achieve change? No... but it will achieve awareness and understanding within the fanbase, the media, and with people who are influential. Change cannot be avoided, let?s hope there?s a smooth transition facilitated by proven professionals; the alternative will just see the club?s reputation damaged further.
I only wish the same effort that is being put into discrediting the protest could have been put into supporting the manager in the last transfer window.
Reader Comments (18)
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2 Posted 10/09/2011 at 01:14:14
3 Posted 10/09/2011 at 01:52:31
4 Posted 10/09/2011 at 03:13:07
5 Posted 10/09/2011 at 04:34:25
As to the "Ok, Change to what?" statement... hopefully a club who can advance forward and grasp marketing opportunities not only in the city but elsewhere and find some form of investment.
I've come under attack from work colleagues recently because I agree with the Blue Union views. I've been called a kopite, a closet Liverpool fan among other things and I just don't get this attitude.
My fear is these people are looking at the here and now. They're happy as we've been top 10 under Moyes but they fail to see the future. 10 years from now we'll be lucky if we're a Championship side.
Kenwright is a great fan. Put yourself in his position. You support a club for that long, you're now it's chairman... would you want to sell?
Kenwright doesn't want to sell, he's trying to get investors in, but telling them that he's the boss no matter what.
What we need is an independent committee to oversee the sale of the club... as the protest says. It's not an issue of Kenwright Out and I wish the other half of the Civil War would see that.
7 Posted 10/09/2011 at 08:04:05
Martin Mason, how about change to a board willing to invest some money? How about change to a board that has some kind of business plan? How about a board that doesn't constantly use spin to dismiss fans' concerns? How about a board that can credibly look into either ground redevlopment or a move and not waste millions on a doomed non-starter? How about a board that doesn't sign 'exclusivity' deals that means you can only buy merchandise in 2 places in Liverpool? How about a board that can manage their accounts so the club isn't completely saddled with debt despite a 300% increase in TV revenue? How about a board that know where 23.8 mil of operating costs go? How about a board that has a marketting plan, that can utilise what it has to generate more income (like playing Howard in games in the US or marketting more with Tim Cahill in Oz)? How about a board that can operate properly in the transfer market and not reject 6mil for Yak then sell him for 1mil a year later? How about a board that doesn't use dirty tactics to split the fan base?
Contrary to the spin some believe we actually have some very rich men on our board already but they're unwilling to invest. They are strangling the life out of the club and their list of failures is longer than every Evertonians' arm put together. They should be held accountable and we should demand change.
8 Posted 10/09/2011 at 08:02:04
How about a properly run football club? Or even better one befitting our history and fanbase? Don't change and this club will die.... if you can't see the signs then you are blind! Lie after lie after lie and yet some can still happily sweep it under the carpet....... challenge any point in Colin's article and then you might realise how ridiculous your question is. We have no choice. Change is inevitable.... its the end of the line!
9 Posted 10/09/2011 at 09:13:11
If I could be there today, I guarantee my voice would be hoarse by 5pm from shouting for the team and helping to create the electric atmosphere inside Goodison (remember the Bayern Munich semi-final). For fans attending today, I encourage you to do the same. Lose your voice and help earn us 3 points. It will be a warm welcome to the new players and maybe provide a bit more adrenaline for the team. But just as important, it may remind the current custodians that there are Evertonians the world over who care too much about our Club to allow its demise.
10 Posted 10/09/2011 at 09:26:03
Quote from Moyes.
Well I for one do think we should be doing better
we should be winning things, And if Moyes had some balls he would not accept it,
That is why I will be there today,
The acceptance of mediocrity needs to be removed.
11 Posted 10/09/2011 at 09:36:04
Lets just be clear, it is your OPINION that we are on the brink of demise. For those able to create their own independent opinions of the clubs financial state from account analysis and not rely on the accusations such as 'other operating costs', its clear that marching wont achieve anything, unless its a fund raiser from Lands End to John o' Groats.
I fully agree on the assessment that there has been financial mismanagement. Kenwright has gone over the odds to back Moyes up by offering his top players contracts that put us in the situation of 70% wage to turnover. One thing that is clear, any new owner would come in, look at that percentage and as a short term measure cut cost as a priority, starting with the playing staff.
12 Posted 10/09/2011 at 10:09:45
13 Posted 10/09/2011 at 10:08:20
There HAS been a strategy based on moving to a new stadium. That one change would have brought about opportunities for major improvement and indeed it is almost certainly the only one that will.
Given our lack of money we have to engage at least one financial partner and given that all of those will need to be able to justify that involvement then any such project will be a compromise - but as you know these are desperate times, as they were 4 years ago, 3 years ago and so on.
Old subject? Well no because exactly the same subject will come up if a new owner comes in, or even if an interim board is appointed. Will you & your protest undertake to support that move? Even if it takes us outside the city limits? Even if they don't stop to take a vote from the fans on their approval? Will you take more of a risk on this now you acknowledge that the depth of our troubles threatens our existance in the top half of the premiership?
The change everyone seems to be asking for is one that changes the soul of the club to one dedicated to commercial success (wage cap, ticket price rises, stadium move, more debt) and winning. I support that move but many don't - are we all ready for it?
14 Posted 10/09/2011 at 10:11:22
"One thing that is clear, any new owner would come in, look at that percentage and as a short term measure cut cost as a priority, starting with the playing staff."
You left off "In my opinion". You're hoist by your own petard there; your statement would be true if the sale process is left to people who are demonstrably unsuitable to sell to a buyer with the means to take the club forward, i.e. some fella in a bedsit lol
15 Posted 10/09/2011 at 10:30:58
It's not my protest!
When I say they've done nothing, I take your point, they've done something, but it was a waste of time, I should have said they've delivered nothing.
Personally I have no problem whatsoever where Everton moves, if that move is for the good of the club. Anyone with even a rudimentary knowledge of such matters will realise that this can only be in or a close to a city centre as possible, it?s an old argument but I won?t say I'm bored with the question....lol
16 Posted 10/09/2011 at 10:56:33
Some fans think The Blue Union are only seeking to disrupt the club and team and split the fan base. They're not, go and read their stuff.
Some seem to think it's just a sack the board movement. It's not, go and read their stuff.
I've yet to read any sort of decent defence of Kenwright. I've yet to read any defence of Earl, Grantchester or Carter's involvement. These bastards are strangling us. Support this protest.
17 Posted 10/09/2011 at 11:41:51
The RSB forced the sale of that club. It was either sell or go bankrupt.
I wonder what would happen if Barclays made the same demand.
I am not in the same league as some on this site, perhaps they could offer some input to what I say.
If we were made bankrupt and a forced sale of assetts was made, would the board be forced to honour long term contracts ie; Finch Farm, coaching staff etc.
As I see it, the board would best be served by injecting money or selling at a loss as happened to Hicks and Gillett
18 Posted 10/09/2011 at 12:19:53
You said "Let's just be clear, it is your OPINION that we are on the brink of demise."
Did Kenwright not state that he had to ask the banks "not to kill us this season"?
19 Posted 10/09/2011 at 13:31:50
There is a disconnect with other businesses where 'professional board members' identify and propose strategy and shareholders ,including those represented at board level, decide to adopt the strategy or not.
Is there is a tipping point here where an astute person or collection of people could just buy the debt and force through change?
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1 Posted 10/09/2011 at 00:56:52
Maintaining the status quo is most definitely not the answer unless you are happy to see the club eventually go to the wall.