My impression is that Moyes is as frustrated as I am over the lack of support.

I don't believe we have no money!!!!

Moyes's lack of declaration is hardly screwing the team over, three points from third, and I think you need to stop wetting yourself.

How's Betty's Tea Rooms?

You are right that the board should have an idea of whether he's staying or going, and if the latter should already be whittling down a short-list. You'd hope that this could be done quietly so as not to disrupt the playing squad, but in this day and age that never happens.

Managers seldom leave in a planned fashion, they're usually sacked or jump to another job. When Fergie originally announced his retirement the teams performance dipped, and he was quick to drop it before the end of the season.

Maybe a solution would be a rolling contract, guaranteed 1 year compo for club or manager. Ultimately trying to tie any manager down for years is futile as at some point one party is going to want to move on. At least with players committing to long term contracts (we can ill afford) it doesn't seem to be having a negative effect, so far.

His CV suggests that he will steady a ship. get value for money, keep a club safe, unearth the odd diamond, keep it tight when necessary and show integrity, loyalty and decency. All are admirable qualities but none of them will land him a better job than the one he has. So, in my view, he is here to stay. To those who say he will go in the summer I would ask, where?

1. He is saying to the players do something worthwhile if you want me to stay.

2. He is saying to the board if you sell Fellaini or Baines from under me I will walk at the end of my contract.

Although he is a Scot I don't think he is holding out for more money for himself I think it goes back to when Arteta had to be sold to repay the bank.If I remember correctly he had a real titty lip for a few months.

I can't get the angle he is taking here with this new contract, does he want more? Does he want assurances regarding transfer money? Is he holding out for a better job?

I doubt any of our main contenders want him. Spurs didn't even consider him over Villas-Boas. Don't get me wrong I would hate to see him leave but I'm growing tired of his act, either sign your contract or let the board know your intentions. Jesus, years of supporting Everton is turning me in a bitter moaning bastard.

All indications suggest that an economic miracle is not going to happen for Everton within the foreseeable future. Even if we do sneak into fourth spot and obtain European Championship qualification the money is only going to make our circumstances less dire: Man Utd, Man City and Chelsea are still going to be squillions richer than we are and, therefore, they, along with the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid et al are still going to win everything on offer.

Who really thinks that, even if we do obtain European qualification, we can win anything domestically (except maybe the League Cup, or whatever it's called – provided we field our strongest team throughout), let alone in Europe?

At £4m a year salary I'd think he could afford to go anywhere he wants on his hols.

The fact that we have a team "packed full of internationals" and a "top quality side" surely says something for the man?

The prices you quote are a mere pittance compared to the prices paid by other teams for a lot of their players. I happen to think he's done a brilliant job in turning us into a club that's once again talked about in the positive rather than the negative by TV pundits, the media, and other supporters.

I'd rather be where and how we are now than where and how we were when he first arrived.

If we qualify for Europe he will stay. Fail to qualify and then he will have a decision to make – to commit to EFC or to move on.

I would bet on the second option, because I feel his heart wouldn't be in it anymore at EFC (I've taken the club as far as I can and need a new challenge...) and who could blame him for going?

If he stayed in those circumstances he would be a lame duck manager, with weakened credibility.

I hope he gets the chance to take EFC to the CL, but if we fail and he goes, why would it have to be a disaster? There are some class young football managers like Laudrup and Martinez for example – or why not be bold and go for Mourinho: could his ego be attracted by a project (!) like taking a sleeping giant back to the top of the game with no money?

I don't think the "uncertainty" actually exists – those who need to know surely do – including the team. And I doubt the players would be affected in either case – they want success / CL for their own personal and collective glory, they aren't doing it solely for the manager.

I think he's probably going to see out his contract. Unless Everton qualify for Europe at the end of the season. To me, he's in a position with almost nothing to lose. Wait and see...

By his own admission this is the best side he has assembled. He also has a far better knowledge of the club's finances than anyone on here does and will know that at some point, for either financial or ambition reasons, he's going to lose Baines/Fellaini. I'm not sure he has the stomach for trying to rebuild *again* on a budget of essentially fuck all. Personally I wouldn't blame him in the slightest.

Yes, Moyes is not perfect. His substitutions are frequently too late, he's overly cautious and doesn't give youth a chance often enough for my liking. But he's still a very, very good manager; I'd be genuinely worried if he does leave in the Summer.

Mr Moyes will deal with it when he feels the time is right. In the meantime, let's enjoy the footy and have fun trying to second guess that transfer market... That Dick Van whatsit thread was hilarious yesterday.

I personally believe his current post is the best he will ever be offered. No other club will give him total control while the boss is swanning around Corrie, having half a bitter in the Rovers.

If he does leave, we will have lost a good manger, who has given the club stability. The problem for any new man is the average age of the current first team - I think it was 30 years of age for the Newcastle game. Without money this will present huge problems in a couple of years. We will have no choice but to blood a lot of youngsters at once, not the best planning if we have to copy the Villa model.

Whimpering, spineless, pathetic jibberish.

Anyway, the signs are he's away in the summer – contract or not.

Good piece btw Steve

I'd suspect that his decision depends upon if he gets in the CL or not.

So you disagree with the "Moyes owes us nothing" statements? What do you think, given that he has a 5-year contract and it's coming up to the end of that 5-year period, that he owes us? Unless "must win a trophy" is written in his contract then he doesn't owe us anything.

Barry, when did any one say that? Oh, they didn't. Some may have given a preference to the competing in the CL over winning the FA Cup... not the same though is it.

If he stays, he stays; if not, he leaves us a more attractive club to a (proportionately) higher-class manager than he was in 2002.

Unlike Steve, I do not think the players are lying awake at night fretting over it...

That leaves the Bundesliga, which he openly admitted he one day desires to manage there. Bayern and Dortmund won't choose him, he simply hasn't got a trophy history or Champions League pedigree.

Possibly a Schalke or Stuttgart? Maybe, but a lot of German clubs seem to like German or Dutch managers. Or maybe he will have a Pep sabbatical?

I think he will sign a new deal, he is comfortable, paid well and built a team up from scratch. Plus, he may actually have a tad more transfer cash going forward with the new TV deal coming in.

He's paid to do a job, he's done it to the best of his limited ability and if he goes, he has gone after fulfilling his contract. What more should he do Barry? What extra does he need to gve.....over and above what every other manger and player gives?

You say "Whimpering, spineless, pathetic jibberish". Your post is worse than that as you don't even try to say why other arguments aren't valid. Now is that because you're just whim....

Incidentally, Chelski's performance last night was of interest. May not be inconceivable yet, that both 3rd and 4th may be available, if Benetiz can continue to incite the crowd, and perhaps split the dressing room.

He wants a bit of commitment from the board before he commits himself. Rightly so, in my opinion. So rather than pointing any fingers towards Moyesie, let's point any grumblings towards the board. Can they get results off the pitch (i.e. investment?), to enable us to get results on it? Or are they going to continue to fail, in which case all of Moyesie's good work may be undone?

Moyesie may well leave in the summer, and the house may come crashing down, but after giving us 11 years service, the failings must be placed firmly with the board, not the fact that Moyesie hasn't renewed his contract.

I personally think he will sign a new contract, unless he is told he has to sell his best players in the summer again, in which case Schalke may appeal to him. I can't see him managing anybody in England; all the best jobs are taken, the rest are a backwards step.

For all his faults, and I like others have highlighted them, he is a good manager. I think another manager can come in and maybe win a cup but, without investment, league-wise we would remain the same at best.

As for the quote he is the best manager we have had in 25 years, seriously? He has the support of a board that wouldn't dream of sacking him unless there was a genuine risk of relegation with no pressure to win anything. Add to that he is exceptionally well paid for a club with huge debts.

Fans mention the situation the club was in when he took over, yet fail to mention who he was replacing and the players he had at his disposal. In the space of two years, Royle had saved us from certain relegation with the least amount of points after a third of the season (I still don't think Redknapp will manage it), won us a trophy, and took us to sixth in only his one full season. Before a horrendous injury list consisting of eight first team players, we were 'dark horses' for the title. His only set of poor results and the chairman couldn't wait to get rid.

Moyes is good but it's not as though we have required any Brasso is it?

I agree that thus far the uncertainty hasn't affected the players, but I'm suggesting that it may do soon. When you see the rumour mill starting up and articles by players (Leon Osman this week) talking about how we can keep DM, I would argue that it will start to have a negative effect. The above also indicates that the players are thinking about it.

Funny how the press have got wind of a buyout clause in Fellaini's contract, now either his agent has alerted the press or maybe somebody who knows exactly what his buyout clause is. Couldn't have been Green or Earl who leaked this information, could it? ... Now what a ridiculous thought that is.

Why do people think someone would do it with millions at stake?

Marcus (#720) your opinion that "It's probably Everton who should be feeling a bit grateful to him" — That's nonsense, because as I say, he has been paid a fortune to do his job.

The only reason this is an issue is because everyone gets hyped up by the media frenzy - and they only care because it fills inches in columns.

I very much doubt the squad of players sit around worrying about whether the Manager is signing a new deal or not. He can do whatever he likes in my opinion - the bloke has been in the job 11 years for crying out loud, give him a break. It's not the best job in the World either, being at a club dining out on past glories (there, I said it) for the last 20 years with a fanbase hellbent on undermining the Manager as soon as the press start their yearly witch-hunt.

He's the best thing that's happened to this club in the last 10 years and people would be thanking him, not waiting for him to fuck up all the time. Name me one other Manager that's been consistently this good for this amount of time on this budget? You may care to look at the revolving door at other clubs for your answer, and I guarantee you when Moyes does leave (which is inevitable) we'll be in a much worse place afterwards and will end up with a long period of instability - something we haven't had for 10 years or more.

Be really really careful what you wish for when wishing him away for whatever reason. I don't blame him one bit for waiting to renegotiate, and wouldn't be at all surprised to see him at somewhere like Schalke in the near future. When he does leave, I for one would like to shake his hand and wish him all the very best.

Would you turn it down? They simply happen to be working in an industry awash with money, because people like you and I are obsessed with it. End of.

This really is a non-issue. Let's just wait and see, eh?

The thing is though, and the point I was trying to make, was that the way some lads go on on here, you would think Moyes had been paid peanuts for what he has done at the club, so therefore we all should be grateful.

I've said countless times that having little money to spend and being hailed as an overachiever suits Moyes down to the ground and I still think he would not thrive in a situation where almost instant success is demanded.

I've been wanting Moyes to find another club for the last 5 years or so but, now he actually has created a decent team that play good football, I'm less enthusiastic for him to go as, for the first time in 10 years we actually are attacking teams with the intent to win.

Ten years at a club should give supporters some kind of idea what kind of man the manager is. I wouldn't worry about it if you want him to sign a new contract, it will inevitably happen when his stock is high in the summer and you'll be hearing how we have the best manager in the world from Billy Bullshit.

Brian - Doesn't everyone in the workplace hold their employer to ransom though? I've always looked out for myself and negotiated the best package I could get. The problem with football is that we as supporters, have a lifelong love affair and affiliation with our club, but players don't. They just want to be successful and get paid as much as they can (which we all do as well), don't they? People see it as them holding clubs to ransom, but in truth, is that really the case?

Maybe there's a back room handshake that we're unaware of??

We on here act as if we really know what's going on inside the fortress

The only thing that I'm sure of is that we're a week and a half into the window and we have signed NO ONE, not even the lad we signed too late in the summer. Or not even the Forren fellow (I like that one) who 3 days ago we were rumored to have signed already.

The sky is not falling!! Don't get your panties in a knot. There are better managers out there and at some point this will all play out.

Pressure on the board is a great thing IMO. It lets Moyes, after 12 years really see what's going on in these men's hearts. These men are sitting on vast personal fortunes and if they're really unwilling to part with some of it to at least TRY to take this team over the top, then screw it, that's all the answer the man needs. One has to imagine he's a sporting man and that this glass ceiling thing is getting awfully boring (esp. when the board has collective billions between them)

This happens sometimes in sports and in life (especially the arts). Where a person's reputation so far precedes them that reality gets distorted. I think Moyes is a good manager, not a great one. It should not take a person 12 years to adapt to a more fluid, eye pleasing and ultimately more fruitful style of play. However, his reputation is so far above what the reality is that he holds all the leverage in this situation. And I for one thank him for at least making it seem like he's taking this board to task. I've been tired with these guys for more than 6 years and I'm shocked (wink, wink) that they're still around.

There is money there. I'm telling you. I still think the team is profitable despite what the balance sheet says.

As regards to some other quotes above, neither party owes each other anything. It's a business. End of. Any loyalty probably went out the window the day we had to sell Rooney (despite Moyes insisting he'd leave if we did) Moyes was plucked from the Championship and has given us security all while collecting a fortune. A win-win in my book. Moyes would be daft not to at least put some pressure on these hand-sitters. I for one thank him and hope he continues to up the pressure until the board support the man in his quest for CL. I'm bored as hell with the situation of continuing to fight for 5th, or 6th or 9th??? Aren't you??? I can damn imagine Moyes is!!!!

I fear that there's only so much room at the top table, and we're not at it now and probably never will be again. One day the bubble will burst though and then, who knows.

In the meantime, I'm actually a lot happier with being an Evertonian now than I was 10 years ago and that has to say something.....about something!

Where is the investment Mr Kenwright, that you're looking for?

No-one in their right mind would come to us (apart from the money and do we want a greedy manager in just for himself?)

Moyes fits Everton, it's as simple as that. We make the CL, he'll stay (as will Fellaini, maybe!?), if we don't, he walks. All the way to Germany!

I think though that he is a great manager for the club and the chances are that we will be a lot worse without him. We could be lucky but the chances are that we won't based on the reality that most clubs who change managers in an emergency don't do well out of it.

Where could Moyes go though and still get his present deal? He has no European experience to speak of, he hasn't won trophies, so what will another big club actually pay for.

I like Gus Poyet myself, it'd be easy to jump on the bandwagon and say go for the guy who is producing wonders at Barnsley but that would be unfair on him.

Moyes and Kenwright both exist in the present form because they both give the other what they need to survive. Neither of them will dare upset the applecart of the other or apply the usual pressure associated with running a football club. For one to upset the other would totally shatter the cozy relationship that currently exists between them.

There are those amongst us who call for Kenwright to be booted out while still being prepared to keep Moyes at the club. This is hilarious as one cannot exist without the other. Like a barnacle stuck on a whale's belly, they are inseparable: totally reliant on the other for survival.

Personally, I would love Moyes to walk out as this is the only way in the near future that I can see the removal of the cancerous Kenwright and his cronies. Imagine the uproar if Darling Dave fucked off! Those fans who worship the ground the Moyesiah walks on might be woken from the terminal slumber they are in now.

It doesn't matter how bad it gets or how slippery Kenwright becomes; as long as David Moyes is here, we don't care. Do the fuck what you like, Bill — Davey will get us a day out at Wembley every couple of years. That's the sum total of Evertonian ambition these days.

Expect nothing and accept everything the club throws at you. Keep on supporting while knowing full well you are being shafted at every turn. Do not think of the future, just live for today... because that's what the board do. This is the message the board sends out every single day to us the fans.

What I am saying is don't waste your breath trying to figure out or dissect the goings on concerning Moyes and his contract. It's a million to one on that both DM and BK already know what the score is and we chumps are just here to be kidded along.

So go on, David Moyes — do the honourable thing and walk. Wipe the smug grin of Billy Boy's kipper for us, please. It's the only way we will get out this never-ending circus of bullshit and that's a fact.

Here's the question then: How many of you out there in Evertonian Land would be prepared to sacrifice Davey Moyes if it means we could rid our selves of Bill Kenwright?

Firstly some facts: neither BK nor DM will always be with this club, they will both leave... eventually. They could leave together, that's true... although I think it's highly unlikely.

Given the circumstances there are three more likely scenarios:

1) Somebody finally buys out BK and takes over the club, forcing him out the door. Highly unlikely, as we have seen... but you never can can know for sure. I think if someone new did come in, it would be only on the condition that Bill remained on the Board... perhaps even Chairman.

2) At some point, Moyes really might have had enough and moves on. Also highly unlikely for the reasons discussed elsewhere. But this, combined with #1) supports you basic premise and leads to what you're really saying, I think, between the lines of Marshian Rhetoric, which brings us to #3:

3) They both stay, at least for the foreseeable future, and the dynastic structure of the last 10 years simply carries on. Not the best result... but seemingly the most likely.

I've said before that if Moyes goes, BK loses his heatshield, and that may be for the longer term benefit of the club. Why else was he made one of the highest paid managers in the world 4.5 years ago at a club that is potless (both financially and trophy-wise under their dual tenure)?

As for the point about BK selling to someone who will keep him on the board, even as chairman - no credible buyer would agree to those terms, and many others that have been rumoured, which may be why no serious buyer has emerged.

Did you hear back from Dick Tolman? He did say he'd reveal all if nothing changed soon...?

Don't get why Moyes needs Kenwright though. Kenwright needs, as all chairman do, players do, fans do, a good manager.

Moyes in, Kenwright out. Where's the issue with that? And does not Moyes earn his keep, Matt?

Given the way thing generally go with Chairmen and their Managers, I can't find, in the overall content / context of Marshy's piece anything much to argue with... eg win the CL and get sacked and then work your way down the leagues for other examples.

Be honest, there comes a time when even the most loyal and patient worm turns. Moyes could easily have an attack of "bugger this for a game of solders, I'm floggin' a dead horse here" — and who could blame him.

If the next manager fails badly, then the fans *might* turn the heat up on BK. But, then again (citing the experience of the Blue Union here), there's a massive likelihood that such a movement would not gain enough traction, and itself would crash and burn (as have the Blue Union, seemingly), leaving Bill to... er... Keep Calm and Carry On!

It reminds me (although admittedly not quite as insane an idea) as people who think we can't do better than the Board and "careful what you wish for".

I like Moyes, I think he's quite good and I really like his moral code and dignity but I'm not worried in the slightest if he goes.

Moyes does have the power to rid us off BK but that would take self-sacrifice. It's a twat of a situation to be in and there appears no end to it any time soon.

I think Moyes has done a good job overall, with the same bumps along the way that affect everyone in similar roles. Whether you think he's earned the £24m Everton have paid him over the years, my point is he's being paid a premium in relation to our financial position, and to that end he has been doing what is required to ultimately keep his Chairman happy, and in post.

Derek #867, it's plausible Moyes is taking that line. Equally he is making potential suitors aware he's available on a free at the end of the season. He won't want to publicly fall out with BK therefore. Whilst he need never work again thanks to money earned from managing a Premier League club for a decade, he's never come across as the type for "settling" for a cushy media pundit role. He probably thinks it's now or never if he's going to move upwards.

I personally still can't see where he'd go, certainly in the Premier League, that could be considered a step up. Reasons that have been dissected to death elsewhere. Therefore it's abroad, or a step down (including managing north of the border). Therefore it wouldn't surprise me if this DM-BK axis moves well into its second decade.

Michael #869, my basic premise is that DM has been a great fit for BK, and for that he has been amply rewarded as he continues to meet/exceed BK's expectations. (What we expect is immaterial in this regard, it's BK's hire). In some regard this has put a sticking plaster over the off-field performance of the club, in spite of the best efforts of some fans groups to highlight this. Some fans are only interested in what happens on the pitch. Some will never turn against BK as he's "one of us". Some will not be happy if we got taken over by a wealthy benefactor, and some wouldn't be happy if a new stadium was on the agenda. Fans never speak with one voice.

Otherwise what would be the point of ToffeeWeb?

*apart from after the derby last season

Yes, he will, of course, just appoint a new manager but if we assume (as I do) that the number of managers who could a) put up with the financial constraints under which Moyes has been operating, and b) keep the team in the top 6 under those same conditions is very small, then Bill will, as Matt says, have lost his heat shield and the pressure on him will increase very rapidly.

I expect in that case that the likes of the Blue Union would again start to raise their voices helping to foster the clamour against the Board, too.

What I should have said.

There did seem to be some momentum last season against BK but it all went quiet.

Ultimately fans just want to watch football, and if that is going well even the shoddiest of boards who keep clear of administration will have a smooth ride for the most part.

Matt, £2.4m per season? Bargain. As above, no one has done more for less, plenty do less with more. Of course Moyes has been his own worst enemy at times, but even when he's lost the plot he's still come good.

I just find some of the precepts put forward on this thread far too simplistic. All the indications are that Moyes and Kenwright have a good working relationship. That has always confounded those who love Moyes but hate Kenwright (they've never been able to get that one straight in their minds).

Now Moyes dithers on his contract and everyone wants to read all sorts of things into it — almost all of it entirely speculation.

And Derek (#867), the thing I've written most often that I can recall over the years is: "Moyes is going nowhere" — I don't recall tying that in with Kenwright but you could be right; I might have done at some stage.

In what respect? Shit chairman, good manager - simple.

If Moyes happens to speak in glowing terms about him it's about as probable as his admission of hoping to avoid relegation being true.

If things started going the way they are at Aston Villa, for example, under a new manager, I think it would take a helluva lot less than two years for the pressure to build on Kenwright.

IMO, the only thing keeping the last bastion of true, unequivocal support for Bill — the I-just-want-to-go-to-the-game / Bill's-a-Blue-ain't-he crowd who are happy with the team's current position and don't think about the medium- to long-term health of the Club — from questioning his leadership is the stability and regular top-10 finishes provided by Moyes.

Bill was still in his own honeymoon period when Walter's reign nose-dived; I don't think it would be same next time around.

Release fee for a manager, key players sold to cover losses and want CL, expensive transfer errors, injury to established pros, retirement of old guard, expensive sacking of manager on poor run. Things can be squandered very quickly.

I think the fans by and large are optimistic and will always seek the positives — just like the Liverpool Echo most of them grew up reading. I just can't see it being that cataclysmic as some are saying if Moyes goes.

This talk of "putting pressure on Kenwright" etc.....call me cynical but nothing the fans do, or have done so far, is putting pressure on Bill Kenwright. Chanting, marching, pieces in the paper...none of them have one iota of effect on him.

Bill lives in a different world to us, and he looks at things in a different way too. When people had a go (respectfully) at him when he got out of his car that time at the Park End he didn't, and wouldn't, think for a minute that they had the slightest justification in having a go. He'd have considered them "scallies" and forgotten about it by the time he'd reached the lounge.

Bill Kenwright "knows what's best for Everton" and nobody will persuade him otherwise, don't let's kid ourselves that he pays any attention whatsoever to so called "pressure".

The fact is, he has at last built the best Everton footballing team since the 60s which are entertaining to watch and can genuinely excite the fans. Senior players like Osman and latterly the injured Hibbert have had their best ever spells at the club.

The team spirit is obvious to see and they seem to enjoy playing together. For the first time in years they have been praised by pundits for their football and they have created and scored more goals in open play than they have for years.

Everything else is really quite unimportant to me as I don't have inside knowledge of either DM's or BK's minds. I see things as a fan... the football is worth watching and I have optimistic thoughts instead of pessimistic ones. We are arguing about a subject that no one really knows anything about.

As I have said before, I do not believe that we have no funds for transfers in; surely some money must be available to strengthen this tiny squad. I just want to see Mirallas, Gibson and Hibbert back, plus a couple of decent squad additions to stop our push for the top running out of steam.

Holloway is a lot more intelligent than people give him credit for. He talks very well about the style of teams, and different types of player etc.

People laugh at him because of hie press conference style and the soundbites, but why do we write off managers such as this?

I would say with our current wage bill, we will always be in the top half of the P.L.

Still it will be interesting to see how they come clean or whether they bluff around and go for "just dotting the "i's" and crossing the "t's" till May.

And there was a pretty vociferous revolt against Johnson in 1998 as we demanded his ousting from the Goodison Park pitch after the second Great Escape against Coventry that day. He was gone not long afterwards, partly because of the fact that he had run up debt to fund player acquisitions and hadn't really hidden his agenda.

Kenwright has ridden a wave of "Blue-Bloodedness" for 13 years now and hasn't had to face a crisis of form on the pitch since the awful 17th-place finish in 2003/04. While the team "punches above its weight" and gets so many media plaudits for doing so, there will be no pressure on him.

And I disagree with Brian's assertion that "nothing the fans do, or have done so far, is putting pressure on Bill Kenwright. Chanting, marching, pieces in the paper...none of them have one iota of effect on him."

The central tenet of "email-gate" and the exchanges contained therein was Kenwright's paranoia about the pressure coming from the Blue Union and the Club's co-ordinated PR response to the marches.

Remember the sycophantic drivel from Martin Samuel on the eve of one of the marches that lead to the infamous "clapping seals" incident when Bill's face was displayed on the screen after we scored? Not the actions of a hierarchy unaffected by fan opinion/pressure.

We do not know what DM is going to do about his contract and many are speculating about his reasons for delaying. If I remember rightly, he delayed in signing his last contract.

I'm a football fan and if I'm being entertained and the team are doing well, I'm happy. :)

I have castigated the team when they were awful to watch. I just hope that the momentum we have is not left to peter out by our board not backing the manager with a bit of financial support. The fans deserve it.

For those who want Bill out, I genuinely think sustained, visible, well publicised protest aimed directly at him would see him walk. He's a luvvy and he couldn't take the bad publicity, he'd walk out weeping within 6 months.

Hmm, and I always thought that MOB stood for Moyes out Brigade, but, "Must oust Bill" is beginning to feel more appropriate!!

Lord Grantchester is NOT on the Everton Board of Directors. Never has been, AFAIK.

Bill Kenwright, has been on the Everton Board of Directors FOR EVER!!! — okay, since 1989 anyway. Be a bit daft having a Chairman who WAS NOT on the Board, eh? That can't be what you meant...

Maybe he was innocently confusing being a major shareholder with being on the Board? If that's the case it's a legitimate question. Why continue to be a major shareholder with no desire to be involved with the company/club at all? He actually has money and if he chose to do so, could put a ton of pressure to take over the club and spend what is needed. But we all know the story, he has no desire to do anything with Everton or/and has an issue with Kenwright.

Has never made any sense to me personally. If you have no interest in being involved or ever investing any money, then why wouldn't he sell his shares. So assuming he still does want something to do with Everton and won't spend any money while Kenwright is chairman, which has been suggested, why doesn't he make a public push to take over the club? As I said, makes no sense to me at all.

[As an aside, it may be of interest to note that Bill Kenwright attempted to put together a coalition back then to put in a rival bid that was unsuccessful... Although maybe this is relevant: I wonder how much that played into the subsequent animosity between Grantchester and Kenwright, that I believe could the prime reason preventing any active involvement by Grantchester in support of the current regime, which he wisely despises?]

But yes, that does raise the question why he stays in the background and does nothing to help the forward progression of Everton FC? Note that he is, I believe, heavily involved with EFC Heritage Society and was instrumental in securing financial support for the acquisition of the David France collection some years ago — I think he may even have put up a substantial chunk of the money.

[Apologies if I'm getting any of this wrong: my memory on these details is fallible...]

But, at the end of the day, I subscribe to the concept that investment decisions have to be the responsibility of the individual with the money... (or, in Bill's case, without it!), and that anyone else's opinions or desires are without merit. (In American legal parlance, they have no standing.) If Lord Grantchester's wishes go no further than owning something like 2,500 shares in EFC, that (IMHO) is entirely his business — and no-one else's.

Oh I get what your saying, believe me. And no need to apologize if you got a few of the details wrong there, I can't keep track of all that. I'm not trying to turn the mob on him or anything like that. It's just something I continue to wonder about. For a man who seemingly feels so strongly about Everton, citing what you said about all that involvement in the EFC Heritage Society, why he wouldn't want to steer this club back to it's "heritage" given his financial ability to do so. Especially if he isn't too fond of the current chairman. It just baffles me and seems a bit too much like something from Downton Abbey.

I will never forget how Happy Redknap and Daniel Levy sabotaged our 2010-11 season by signing Pienaar (thus splitting the Baines / Pienaar combination). Spurs qualified for Europe that season – we didn't – largely because of that transfer. Very clever of Messrs Redknap and Levy when you think about it – and yes I think they are that smart. (Question – did that have anything to do with Micheal Arteta wanting to sign for Arsenal when the opportunity arose at the end of that season?)

You can call it a conspiracy theory if you wish but but owning and running a Premier League club is first and foremost a business venture not a hobby and, as the Japanese say "Business is War". All of the above will not have been lost on those clubs who also have the financial clout of Spurs – which by coincidence are the four teams sitting above us in the table and two of the three teams sitting below us in the table at the moment. I am sure it hasn't been lost on David Moyes either.

Do not be under any illusions about this – bids will come in for Fellaini and Baines this window and possibly for Pienaar, Jagielka and Jelavic. If the club sells Baines or Fellaini in this window under pressure from the bank via the board, then the bottom will fall out of our season. I don't think David Moyes could handle that and would be off as soon as opportunity knocked. Whatever you think of him as a manager, he is the glue that is holding this club together at the moment – if he went, it would have an immediate detrimental effect on the clubs fortunes in general.

Best case scenario for me – "Power perceived is power received" – David Moyes sticks to his guns and stonewalls the bank and or the board into not only to backing off on any opportunistic selling of players but also gives him a modest amount of funds to strengthen the squad. This has a positive impact on the already highly motivated squad of players and we press on to finish in the top four (the football and team spirit is there already). Whatever happens after that is anyone's guess but the chances are it would give the club a chance to get off the merry go round it has been on for the last seven years.... If David Moyes could pull this off.

So what is the upside of all this? I am with Trevor Lynes on this. The football the team is playing is as good as the teams of the sixties. By the way I have never seen any other team other than Everton play this particular brand of football. If you want to know what I mean by that have a look on YouTube at Everton giving Man United a football lesson at the beginning of the 1967-68 season. It is particularly gratifying when the Sky commentators have to acknowledge the quality and style of our football.

Of course I could be wrong – never was any good at chess so like Trevor I am going to enjoy it while I can.

It must be very dishearting as a player / manager having not won anything in a long career, not to have achieved anything substantive.