The Rumour Mill, Season 2011-12

Echo claims role for Inner Circle Sports

01/03/2012 |

Comments (17)

Despite the denials, and a lack of confirmation from the club, the Echo are convinced that Inner Circle Sports has joined the hunt to find a buyer for Everton.

The Echo claims that Inner Circle Sports, who led first Tom Hicks and George Gillett, then John W Henry to Anfield, have been given the go-ahead by Goodison Park officials to help in their ongoing search for new owners.

The New York-based firm, which also brought Ellis Short to Sunderland in 2008, approached Everton and asked to work with them.

A club spokesman declined to comment, however, the Echo understands Inner Circle will join other companies and individuals helping Bill Kenwright's takeover search, and have not been given any exclusive remit.

The Echo maintains that, while the development does not signal any immediate increase in the likelihood of a buy-out, it represents the positive involvement of a company with a proven track-record in the field — just what the Blue Union has been demanding.

Original Source: Liverpool Echo

Comments

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer

Mark Jensen
795 Posted 01/03/2012 at 17:15:40

Have I just received my season ticket renewal?
Come on EFC grow a pair and stop thinking we are idiots.

James Lowrie
796 Posted 01/03/2012 at 17:24:17

Better than Kieth Harris...

Ste Traverse
797 Posted 01/03/2012 at 17:27:15

Perfectly timed for when our season tickets are up for renewal.

Never heard this before have we???

Robert Elstone ---- You're are a dickhead of epic proportions and treat Everton fans like mugs.

James Morgan
799 Posted 01/03/2012 at 17:22:02

Kenwright can sell this club better than anybody! There are 3 or 4 currently interested parties (when the Blue Union next protest).

Declan O'Shaughnessy
812 Posted 01/03/2012 at 19:05:45

Would it not make a little bit of sense to actually wait for the club to confirm this story, before castigating them as conniving and "dickheads"? It seems a little premature to attack the powers-that-be for inventing a story that they are so far not confirming.

If Everton really is as poorly run as many on here believe, I don't understand how Elstone, Kenwright et al can be such brilliant spin doctors. Either they're piss poor idiots who couldn't organise a piss-up in a brewery, or they're professional hard-headed business people with a firm grasp of comms theory, disinformation and campaign organisation. Which is it?

Mark Jensen
813 Posted 01/03/2012 at 19:15:59

Declan - They are just liars. This was proven at the Kirkby enquiry. It has also been proven many times over every issue they balls up on then go into hiding.

Declan O'Shaughnessy
815 Posted 01/03/2012 at 19:21:49

I'm not saying they're not liars. I'm just saying that you should wait for the club to confirm this story, before labelling it as a con or an attempt to drive season ticket sales. Jumping up and down crying wolf does you no favours. Wait until the wolf appears and then raise the alarm. Otherwise it all just looks a bit silly.

Richard Dodd
826 Posted 01/03/2012 at 20:08:18

Won`t belong before you are branded the `liar`,Declan ? your post will be judged pro-Kenwright. Off with your head!

Denis Richardson
831 Posted 01/03/2012 at 20:39:07

Declan, given the fact that the BU protest is aimed at getting an external party to handle the sale of the club, would it not make sense for the club to come out and confirm this? They have nothing to lose by doing so, in fact they can only gain. Bit of a surprise that they have not confirmed this then, no?

Add to this the fact that they have some degree of control over the echo (alluded to in the leaked emails), then its probably not a surprise that people think this is just another PR stunt. (Just like potential investors miraculously appear whenever a BU march is planned or some other 'hopeful' news comes out when its season ticket renewal time'.)

Given the past history and PR stunts, I think people are entitled to be cynical in any positive rumour. Actions speak louder than words and all that.

Nick Armitage
839 Posted 01/03/2012 at 23:09:40

Declan O'Shaughnessy, you are right, it is somewhat premature for castigating them as conniving and dickheads at this early stage in this particular incident.

But the last decade has shown us they do connive and they are dickheads.

Mick Davies
859 Posted 02/03/2012 at 04:44:52

After Rangers, Portsmouth and the shambles at Villa, maybe we should be very wary of who we hope for if our club is sold. After all, this is the company who brought Laurel and Hardy to Anfield. We should go after the DIC mob since they were snubbed by the Reds and would probably enjoy getting one over them. Plus they have a bottomless pit of cash to throw around.

Stephen Kenny
875 Posted 02/03/2012 at 07:22:13

Richard,

If this story is true then the club have chosen to use a company that the BU sought to introduce into the sale process 12??? months ago. Not bad for a bunch of amateurs that haven't got a clue.

Past actions mean even fence sitters are now sceptical of any utterances come season and half season ticket renewal time.

Those who are sick of lies and deceit can't even give Bobby and Bill's comments the time of day.

If they told me the sky was blue I'd look out the window.

They don't get the benefit of the doubt because they have abused the privilege!

Lee Preston
900 Posted 02/03/2012 at 10:28:12

Haha just because they haven't confirmed or denied this story, does not mean they have no involvement in concocting it.

Use of media to promote a message is a very powerful way of getting people talking about a particular topic, which in this case is the involvement of a third party company to help sell the club.

It is typical in terms of timing that as the season tickets are due for renewals, this story is printed. Much the same as when the half season tickets went on sale, there were '3 or 4 interested parties'.

That's just my view anyway.

Colin Fitzpatrick
988 Posted 02/03/2012 at 20:37:23

Stephen #875

Don't upset him mate, he's out with his imaginary friends in the "Freshy".

He must have been sick at that news; wait till he hears what's comin'!!!!

Kev Jones
397 Posted 05/03/2012 at 03:43:20

So yeah, I'm a multi-gazillionaire who happens to be currently sat in his mansion, scratchin his unspeakables... Oh what's this, some degree of spam has landed on my door mat/spam inbox proposing I buy Everton FC. What the hell, I did consider blowing it on motorcycle ashtrays, but these Inner Circle Sports guys are so convincing...

My arse, if anyone worth while wanted to invest in us, it wouldn't take a 'middleman' to prick his/her ears up and only just take notice. We're not at jumblesale level quite yet. Though I reckon there are probably a load of investors waiting for our current administration to go bust and grab us on the cheap, instead of getting us for top-Kenwright-dollar

Stephen Leary
399 Posted 05/03/2012 at 03:56:17

It's all bullshit. Kenwright dosen't want to sell the club ? never has and never will.

Chris Owens
912 Posted 07/03/2012 at 16:54:22

"Inner Circle"?

A few years ago, Stephen Fry was invited to Prince Edward's wedding. When asked about the nature of their friendship, he replied

"I have not penetrated his inner circle".

Add Your Comments

In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.

Log in now

Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and MailBag submissions across the site.