New stadium announcement ''within months''

Joe Anderson is saying we could be unveiling plans for a stadium soon. Copperas Hill behind the Adelphi would be a good location right in the heart of the city. Anderson wants to redevelop that part of the city and it’s next door to Lime Street. Imagine that we would truly dominate the city centre then.

Clearly a smokescreen to avoid any awkward questions at the upcoming AGM. We can’t afford our own training facility FFS.

Roberto Martinez: "About signing those players I liste,d Bill – when will I see them at Finch Farm?"

Bill Kenwright: "Ah, well, Robbie lad... it’s like this: we did have the money to buy all those lads; however, a wonderful once-in-a-lifetime Deal of the Century has presented itself and I have to do what is best for the Everton FC shareholders – you understand, don’t you, Bobby lad?

Roberto: "Hmmmm... I thought it was just a few pessimistic Blues but it seems they were right when they warned me about the transfer kitty.

Bill: "That’s the club’s cat they were talking about, Roberto, it’s always disappearing – we named it Transfer about 5 years ago – it causes a bit of confusion but have a good summer, Roberto... Enjoy Brazil!!!"

Utter bollocks. We have no money to fund any new stadium without substantial investment.

Second every pessimistic sentiment on this one. Utter rubbish. A new stadium is of no use to us now. A few seasons in UCL, and that’s a different story. I want to see that KITTY!

Based on what was proposed for Kirkby, I’d rather stay at Goodison. We simply don’t have the finances to build a stadium of the stature that a club like Everton deserves so on that basis it makes much more sense to redevelop Goodison over a period of a decade or however long it takes. I’m quite happy for us to keep making progress under Roberto and either substantial investment will emerge or we’ll consistently achieve CL football and bring money in via that.

This simply means Everton are being taken over by deep-pocketed folks. Welcome to Red Bull Arena, and the era of being a super-club!

AGM and season ticket renewals, call me negative but I did post a few months ago with the early bird season ticket, expect new buyers and a new stadium to appear around this time of year.

Another jackanory from the master of blag Bill Mitty Kenshite, does anyone seriously believe anything that comes from this disgrace anymore?

Gavin (665) did you actually read the article? As much as I agree with you about Billy, none of the words came from his mouth. The quotes were from Joe Anderson.

I can exclusively reveal that the new ground is Narnia behind the wardrobe.

Where’s the Narnia money, Bill?

It’s okay, everyone: our chairman has the stadium money "ring-fenced"...

One of these days... we’ll get news about a new stadium and it will be true.

In all honesty I would hate to move to a new stadium, I think we should take a leaf out of Liverpool’s book and develop our ground. Goodison park is a special place and I believe we would lose something on the pitch and as a club if we where to move. I mean how good would it be to see Goodison modernised and expanded to say 50,000, would be a great for the club and surely not as expensive as a new stadium.

John, as much as I luv Goodison Park, and it is iconic, we have to move with the times — but only on the club’s and fans’ terms. The location has to be right.

If you modernise Goodison Park, it will most likely mean knocking down stands, one by one, as the finance and footprint allow. Eventually you will be left not with an iconic stadium but a new stadium in the same location. We will still be hemmed in around all sides, whatever we do, and this will not really be great going forward for the next 100 years.

If the proposal is Liverpool centred around the city, I think we have to move. Design should reflect THE BEST that we luv about Goodison and the new....

Well said Philip #692. Like it or not the advent of the Premier League has changed the way the game operates, and operating at Goodison is tying one hand behind our back. (Our board ties the other). When Goodison was developed, it was pioneering and ahead of its time, pushing the boundaries of what could be achieved - look at the list of "firsts" that Everton is responsible for through Goodison’s development down the years.

But that time was a long, long time ago.

The RS are only staying at Anfield as they can’t make a case for moving to Stanley Park, but more importantly think they can make it work by redeveloping their existing footprint, with some expansion. They already have a better corporate dining offering than us, higher capacity, and season ticket waiting lists running into years (not surprising seeing as some of them are selling tickets for today’s game for £3,000). They also have a commercial income that eclipses our total turnover. So stop comparing us with them.

Philip Bunting (692) - "John, as much as I luv Goodison and it is iconic, we have to move with the times but only on the clubs and fans terms"

I believe Bolton and Coventry ’moved with the times’ and Sunderland’s ’Stadium of Light’ (as if!) doesn’t appear to be doing Sunderland much good.

Ok that’s maybe a little facetious - look if we had Manchester City-style money and we could have a 55,000 brand new stadium in the city centre, I’d be all for it, but we absolutely don’t.

So if the choice is basically a two-bob Kirkby-style Stadium in Speke (or wherever) or Goodison, then I pray we stay at Goodison.

It maybe ’tatty’ etc but (see Arsenal) it can become a bear-pit when needed, a place that actually intimidates opponents and gives us an advantage.

If we’re going to throw that away, it better be for somewhere fucking great.

Any new ground talk, under the present (100% untrustworthy) regime should send a chill through Evertonians because should it happen, it will undoubtedly be an exercise in cutting corners, bullshit and total incompetence.

I feel like Rip van Winkle... are we still talking/being deceived by this? Every so often, BK and his council mates come out with this BS only to retreat under their rocks and disappear again for a few more years.

We definitely need a better stadium though, whether that’s at Goodison or elsewhere in the city. I’d have attended a lot more games this season if it hadn’t been for obstructed views. I’m not paying £40 plus spending 2 hours travelling to sit behind a pillar when I can watch the game on the internet.

Assuming for a minute that we get Champions League and start to regularly finish in the top 4, Goodison will begin to really hold us back. Our attendances would go up, especially as we’re now playing entertaining football, and the financial benefit of a potential 10,000 extra bums on seats can’t be overstated.

I’ll believe it, when I am sat in it.

Eugene - Not suggesting a two-bob Stadium; nor do I see relevance in comparison with Coventry or Sunderland which, I agree, are grounds internally devoid of character.

Whatever or wherever Everton’s future lies, the stands will be built or replaced eventually. These I am saying require clever architecture in terms of iconic features embedded from Goodison Park ’Archie Leif’ criss-cross design, Rupert’s Tower, etc etc. Pitch close to the grass a must!...I’m sure these types of things can be done with clever design.

Not all needs built at once. If the design is clever and is thought through to additional elements, such as future hotel, conferences, museums etc, which can be built in years ahead when money becomes available, I see no reason to stand still and pray for a sugar daddy; we cannot sit on our hands forever.

Redeveloped Park End. Use the money we HAVEN’T spent this season and call it the Fellaini Stand.

In a year or two, when Bill sells Barkley, use that money to rebuild the new Main Stand in Bullens Road. The school will be away by then and room to expand on that side.
Easy. 50,000 — no problem.

What would be the view be if the team did make 4th, and we committed to spend the entire CL bounty on upgrading the stadium? We need the investment on the park, but we can’t continue to stay in a stadium that’s only had a paint job in ~25 years.

So... Lukaku or a new Bullens?

I have to agree with Eugene, we are not going to improve as a club if we end up with another Desperation Kirkby, a second rate stadium clinging on to a supermarket.

If we don’t/can’t have a state-of-the-art, modern stadium which retains the atmosphere and still has the fans a few feet from the players etc, and in a location that will make your heart skip a beat (like the Kings Dock) then we should try and redevelop Goodison.

I’m also not sure if we could fill a 55,000-60,000 stadium. Are we really going to attract another 15,000-20,000 fans in the near future?

OK, if we DO build a new one or redevelop Goodison, build it so that extending the stands is possible but only when and if it became necessary. Nothing looks worse than a load of empty seats. The Etihad had loads of empty seats fairly recently and there were still 40,000 fans there.

Ian #718 if the club is faced with using operating revenues to pay for long-term infrastructure developments, then the directors have failed in their duties.

Eugene #708 - that last paragraph sums up perfectly the caveat that should be tattooed on the arse of BK and chums. So that as we’re about to get shafted by whatever partner they bring to the table, at least someone is reminded of it.

Patrick #642 - Transfer Kitty! Brilliant!

Matt - tell us something new... But look around: Glazers,... Emirates... money has been taken out of clubs to service debt (Glazers to buy the bloody club) or build the stadiums from operating revenue.

The honest answer is the Board will always buy the player. They don’t have the bottle to stand up to the backlash from the fans of starving success on the pitch, and explains why Goodison Park hasn’t changed in 25 years — and will probably not for another 25.

A couple of weeks ago, I read a snippet somewhere, propbably EFC’s site, that our C/E is "exited about potential site of new stadium." The Mayor comes out and says "that a statement about a new ground could be made in "a matter of months"

The emphasis is, from the club and the council, "a site for a new ground." So I think we can stop our dreaming about what we would like, stay or go, iconic or tinny new one. The statements are about going....somewhere!!

First of all, I don’t believe anything that is mooted by the club regarding a new ground, or "We are in talks with three interested parties about investing in EFC" All these statements appear around AGM time or Season Ticket time, or when our beloved chairman gets on the telly.

Unless we get a massively rich buyer, then the option I think most likely, is that the council will provide a site (what about Stanley Park, seeing as the other lot don’t want it?) and there will be another retail led development with us stuck in it somewhere.

BUT, until they come up with "Work will start on our new stadium in ???, on such and such a date." I won’t believe a word of what comes out of this boards gob.

Ian #728, there’s evidence been touted by some on here (years ago, can’t remember who, but they had accounts figures going back years) that claimed we were also a leveraged buyout, albeit obviously on a smaller scale.

(The rest of this isn’t aimed at you BTW, just general points.) Yes, what the Glazers have done to Man Utd, like many large financial transactions, should’ve been criminal - but wasn’t. They calculated that as long as they stayed at the top of the table it would be sustainable (£400m[?] in interest fees since? We’ve probably only paid 10% of that. Not even a Mesut Ozil).

Arsenal’s move was a lot more orchestrated than you give credit. The re-development of Highbury eventually (despite a hiccup with property prices) delivered around £235m, and as recently as 2 years ago they had around £120m in cash sitting in their accounts. All part of the overall plan.

Moyes’s 7th-ish finishes were ideal for this Board and their dumbed-down expectations, but obviously will not cut the mustard at Man Utd and, assuming he survives the summer and is allowed to spend, he must hope the new signings gel quickly or he’s gone by November.

Moyes was the perfect Manager for Everton under current ownership. The fans will accept those finishes, and expectations won’t be raised too high. The previous CL flirtation came too early in Moyes’s overhauling of the squad he inherited from Smith, but it’s telling we never got close after that. (Even in 2005 we really did our best to not finish 4th, but the RS had the ace of a CL win up their sleeve.)

This Martinez Fuckery of seriously competing for CL will not go down well upstairs, as it will seriously raise expectations – indeed has already. But it gives Everton a new go at the Casino Operating Model. With RM’s judicious use of the loan system, Everton can run the current transfer budget for permanent recruits, and if we qualify for CL Group, run a stretch budget for the loan market (we signed Barry, Lukaku and McCarthy on Deadline Day). It’s not ideal, but it should allow us to keep improving the squad, whilst if we find ourselves dining on the CL table, not restricting ourselves to gammon.

But none of this can have any impact on whether we stay or go from Goodison. I trust (cos I have to!) that EFC are operating the stadium planning away from the operating plans and budgets for the team.

If the new stadium is where Joe Anderson suggests we would qualify for a large – a very large – pot of money from the EU as it will be developing a run-down area of the city and creating much-needed jobs.

My only concern is the traffic issue as it will be right in the town and a lot of people will travel by car to get there. I can see a few people ending up at Liverpool 1 by mistake if this comes off.

I understand all the attachment to the old lady but the ground is outdated. The facilities, toilets etc are very poor and we have all those restricted views. I don’t see the point in upgrading Goodison we’ll just be throwing good money after bad.

Let’s stop being so negative about the board and enjoy the footie.

Pity we couldn’t make a deal with the banks and say borrow 150m and repay it back over 50 years at an agreed 4m a year. Therefore giving them a 50 mill profit.....Sounds like a plan..

Phil #739

You are kidding right?

Linda,
Where is Joe Anderson suggesting? Not that I’m all that well up on the issue of EU funding but I seem to remember that our Objective One money has been used (or abused, I would say) up.

Even if it was still available, I’m not sure that any EU money could be used to finance a football ground. I think we have missed the boat. Once the King’s Dock opportunity was missed, the chance of a City Centre stadium is, in my view, remote, if not impossible.

I think there might be sites in the "Empire of Peel Holdings" along the north shore of the docks but they were not interested in providing us with a stadium. I hope that view has changed but I’m not holding my breath.

"Let’s not be so negative about the Board?"

"Beam me up Scottie."

I’m think there’s a chance that something COULD be in the offing.

But if there is, my (unthinking Pavlov’s blue) response, with this shower of bums in charge, would be one of huge concern.

Stung and humiliated as they were by their Kirkby experience, any new ground announcement this time around would no doubt be accompanied by something along the lines...

"Of course usually we would have consulted the supporters to get their opinion, as we did with the new badge design... (Tries to keep a straight face.) Unfortunately, with the deal being offered, we simply didn’t have the time if we wanted to secure the funding and permission for the Aldi Shit-Dome in Speke," etc.

Identifying a site for a new stadium alone is very difficult due to the associated transport and other regulatory hurdles that the club’s owners would have to get over. Any proposed stadium site would benefit if it was small part of a wider overarching development that would address those hurdles as part of the bigger development.

I posted here two years ago when I was told that the development of the area north of Princess Dock by Peel Holdings has been identified as a potential site for a stadium and that meetings had taken place between the council, Peel and ’advisors’ to the club (Terry Leahy). The specific area is around the Bankhall Station and the station would be redeveloped as part of the transport hub.

The obstacle – as always – is Bill. Peel Holdings apparently even offered to sort out naming rights for the stadium in advance so the club owners could use the funds as leverage to raise their contribution to the development costs... but this was refused.

The problem is that Bill thinks he can sit at the top table discussing billion pound deals but he can’t raise the small (in comparative terms) amounts needed to start the ball rolling, yet still wants a freebie.

Short version; my bet, Walton Hall Park, end of story.

But; If it comes down to a vote, like last time, I hope they use the wider franchise type method as they did for the Badge.

And then there’s the million to one shot that there is a white knight out there and we WILL get the real deal.

Again with the but, but, if the Roberto Revolution keeps on... AND we get CL the money will flow.

So that’s me, Degsy, with a quid each way up and down

Why don’t we just build on Stanley Park? All the permits are in place and the RS aren’t going to use it.

Let’s get in the Champions League, regularly, reduce our debts, and maybe somebody with some serious cash may take a punt on us.

Eugene 708 has it spot on. With these clowns in charge, expect a poorly designed stadium and some sort of ’unavoidable’ sell-out to a third-party developer at best.

Would you bet against our funding coming from some obscure faceless source in the British Virgin Islands? You’re mum, Bill, his sidekick Woods and er, nobody? His motive is to make money or he is fronting someone else — there can’t really be any other explanations.

Kirkby proved they would sell the soul of EFC to make a return on their investment. Be very wary. Last time it was a ’virtually free state-of-the-art stadium with the best transport links in the UK’.

First, always ask yourself the question: Just why is a Spurs-supporting, non-match-attending Robert Earl the only person on our Board apart from these guys? ALL of that transpired to be utter bollocks.

So, when you hear something like ’Peel Holdings are giving us the land, there are EU grants, the city council are making a contribution if we let them use some of the facilities, it will be state of the art... blah, blah, blah.’ — just remember there are personal financial interests that will be more important to the Board than Everton’s interests.

One day, the truth will out, I am sure.

Linda, love the sentiment about the football, but you have to see that this issue and the fortunes on the pitch are interlinked. Get your ostrich head out of the ground please!

New stadium announcement ’’within months.’’

There isn’t one!

Sorted.

Only rumour but bottom of St Domingo Rd where Notre Dame and Major Lester schools where. Like I say, only rumour.

Derek Thomas (#750) I’ve said this before on these threads; the trouble with Walton Hall Park is that it’s residential and backs onto a large private estate. You would only need one objection to put the project back years-remember the two old dears who held out against the RS in Kemlyn Road.

For my money if we are to stay in the city, it’s got to be on or around the site of the heritage market, and I think that’s a grade II listed building, however there are a number of potential sites in that area and that’s where I would put my money on-No on second thoughts, the tenner’s going on that we’ll still be talking about this in five years time.

The ’announcement’ will be the same tired rhetoric we have been hearing for a few years now.

They have ’Identified’ a site where a new stadium COULD be built.

There may possibly be some interest from a large supermarket chain who will have the land gifted to them by the Council for regeneration purposes, if they are prepared to build the cheapest possible stadium as part of the deal.

No-one on earth will give Bill & friends a freebie unless there are millions in it for their own ends, it certainly will not be in the interest of Everton F.C.

Think about it, who the hell will donate their time & money to the 3 muti-millionaire main shareholders of Everton?

Ray, 747, if that’s true then it’s every bit as bad as the King’s Dock scenario and Bill should be run out of town. No, he should be run out of town anyway. I live in hope that one day he will be exposed for what he is. A fraud of the highest order.

Joe Anderson says in the Anfield Echo "I’m sure an announcement will be before the start of next season." That indicates to me that the meetings are not far from some agreement.

Either that, or Billy Bully has been on to that lad in his Manchester Bedsit...

What we really need is something like this (swap the red for white!!) – I live quite close to it and I can tell you it’s absolutely brilliant.

http://biznes.gazetaprawna.pl/galerie/624003,duze-zdjecie,1,klatwa_budowlanki_nad_stadionem_narodowym.html

When lit up it’s like this ...

http://photo.bikestats.eu/zdjecie/224792/stadion-narodowy

Can you imagine match nights?

Incidentally, it cost 400 million quid... believe me, it puts anything in the UK, including Wembley, in the shade. That’s the sort of quality a club like ours should be thinking about.

Victor

That is probably the ugliest stadium I’ve ever seen. It looks like a giant clown hat.

The full house notices now being posted at GP shows that the crowd potential is much greater than indicated by our average gates in recent years. Should we now be on the rise under RM then extension of GP is a must. We keep on hearing that it can’t be done. I recall Man Utd saying that a few decades ago when their Board was trying to persuade their supporters that they had to move.

The potential for expansion at GP is obvious. Problem is it costs. Problem is Bill hasn’t got the cash; and his fellow Board members won’t part with theirs. But on a limited scale there is still much that could be done without needing hundreds of millions.

First of these would be the reroofing of the Main Stand and making it cantilevered. The stand is ugly, but it could be massively improved and obstructed views reduced by the resultant removal of the two roofing pillars. While were at it, why not spend a few bob putting Leitch-type criss-crossing on the fascia of the Top Balcony, matching that of the Bullens -- superficial yes, but at least it would return some of the traditional harmony to the overall design of the ground. More radically, could the stand not be extended towards the church (though cantilevering supports might take up this space)?

Regarding the Bullens, again we hear that nothing to be done to expand it. But in the 80s Glasgow Rangers built another tier on top of their Bullens-like stand.

And then of course there’s the Park End. The possibilities of redevelopment there are obvious.

At the moment the external and internal appearance of the Main Stand is a disgrace, with no redeeming features. It would appear we can’t even afford to give a lick of paint over its rusting corrugated cladding. Embarassing.

John Gilfoyle (#686) and Eugene Ruane (#708):

I agree 100%. Goodison Park could and should be redeveloped. A wrap-around of the Main Stand starting with the Park End, leaving the Main Stand, relocating the screens and making the church completely visible.

Like you, Eugene, I would only want a move to a spectacular site like Stanley Docks, overlooking the Mersey, with a decent stadium. So, on that basis, the better and still my first choice would be Goodison Park.

Who do they think they’re kidding? The site will be Walton Park and the stadium, although different in design to Kirkby, will be as cheap and as cheap looking.

Steve Carse (#722)

"And then of course there’s the Park End.The possibilities of redevelopment there are obvious".

I’ve often wondered why the club don’t start by putting another tier on top, maybe two with two rows of boxes to separate the tiers. That would increase attendance massively and bring in much needed money from corporate facilities. Gradually, land could be purchased for future redevelopment.

This Board, for whatever reason, are not interested in Goodison Park.

Richard Reeves (778) the foundations of the Park End are insufficient to support an additional tier — the club was warned of this but, short-sighted as ever, they carried on. This means the whole thing would need to come down if they want to enlarge the stand.

As an aside, the council offered to move the school and get the club’s owners the lease to the lorry place on the corner. That would allow development but the club said ’No’ to that.

We will still be at GP in another 10 years. No way can we afford a new stadium.

New stadium? Get in there... just what we need. I cannot wait.

Oh, hang on, I think I have heard this before: Kings Dock... Kirkby Tesco stadium... what a load of bollocks.

Oh well... we can dream.

Pitiful, isn’t it? The Board could have had us playing in the King’s Dock for a few seasons now, or redeveloped Goodison one side at a time, with an expanded footprint. Instead, we’ve made no substantial improvement to the ground since the botched redevelopment of the Park End.

Kenwright should have been tarred and feathered for screwing up the King’s Dock.

As for Destination Kirkby...

Why should anyone trust a blind word that tosser says, ever again?

There may be a glimmer of hope in this story having some foundation as the Chancellor of the Exchequer is going to make it easier for the Tax-man to prosecute those who escape paying tax by using tax-havens. If those with money have a choice between paying their tax bill and using that money elsewhere they will choose to invest it in something solid rather than giving it to HM Government.

I don’t see a problem with a shared stadium with the RS. Neither club can afford to build one by themselves. But together, and with help from the council, it could be possible.

The shape of the stadium ’footprint’ is one of the problems: even if the council moved the school and got the club’s owners the lease for the lorry place, then it would still limit the redevelopment. If those things were done and the club’s owners had a bigger footprint, it would be a strange-shaped footprint. In those circumstances it would still need vision, radical design work and money.

Through our history, we have had Boards with vision who embraced radical design and who would put up or borrow funds to fulfill the vision. Now, we have this lot... who can’t even turn up for meetings with Peel.

Vijay #671, we've all been on the Kenshite bus to nowhere for a decade and a half, in all of those long years he has delivered the square root of fuck all, the council can be pulled in to discuss who it has options for any private business with either the acumen or funding to redevelop a piece of land to produce whatever they want on it be it a supermarket or football stadium.

Now's the crunch back to Earth and our illustrious gang of carpetbaggers and blaggers on the Board, not a hope – I repeat, for those of hard of hearing at the back of the church, and anyone who has been living on the edge of the universe for the last decade and a half – the Chairman and every last man-jack of the major shareholders has no interest whatsoever with speculative investment in the club and ONLY a profit off the back of it.

Bill Jong Ill tried to shovel us out to Kirkby to line his useless pockets with silver; don't expect any sudden change of Modus Operandi or benevolence from them; it isn't coming.

Ray (890), I can't see this at all. In this day and age anything can be supported. Anyway, as most envisage it, what would need to happen at the Park End is the top half of it taken away, to make way for its upward and backward extension. So I don't see where the issue of supports comes into it.

Steve #036 whilst the engineering envelope can be pushed these days, if you don't have the foundations sufficiently deep to accommodate it, you aren't building anything onto the Park End. You could drop something over it, but it would be expensive, and take quite a while. These rules don't apply in China - where by the way, I've seen a new built block of flats fall on its side due to a "miscalculation with the foundations". Luckily it wasn't occupied.

The other difficulty with redeveloping Goodison, is if the enabling partner is to get their retail development, then we'll be left with 5-a-side in the car park. These carpet baggers aren't putting their own money in, therefore as long as they are in power, redeveloping Goodison is not, never has been, and will not be an option.d

Nice piece of revisionism in the Echo story.

"Proposals for a 55,000-seat ground in the Kings Dock were rejected more than 10 years ago".

Must be my age, but I seem to recall Everton being given preferred bidder status, and not being able to raise the funds (which apparently weren't as ring-fenced as we were led to believe).

It was my understanding that the Park End foundations were designed to accept another tier, it was just that the club didn't sanction the upper tier, so it is possible. Either way, a simple goal post design could be utilised to support a higher roof.

By the way, there's no chance of a shared stadium as the new main stand over the road is out to tender now.

New stadium? What fantastic news! Quick where's my season ticket renewal form!

Sainsbury's & Walton Hall Park , that's what it is.

Take the roof off the Bullens Road Stand and build a freestanding extension behind it. A row of corporate boxes looking over the old stand and 5,000+ new seats above. Put a big new cantilever roof over the lot, old and new. Several stories worth of space in the new structure for function rooms, offices, apartments or whatever.

Joe I agree that Sainsbury's and Walton Park would provide enough space. But the park is a well used community facility and I can't see people in the area being happy with the prospect of a huge football stadium on their doorstep.

Also where would the investment money come from?

Linda (#084),

The investment money is already there, Linda, in the shape of Barkley, Coleman, Mirallas, Stones... add that to the Fellaini money and the Champions League money, if we get there, and also the money for the Premier League placing and any other player Billy Bullshiter can get more than two bob for...

We can also probably say goodbye to Martinez as he won’t put up with Kenwright’s shite the way the rest of us do.

Ultimately this comes down to two things.

Primarily it is an investment decision. Do the numbers on any new stadium hold water and are they in the best interests of the club in the long term?

Secondly is the site a suitable location from a transport, community and cultural perspective?

Kirkby failed both tests, if there is anything in these rumours surely they couldn't be so stupid again?

No one needs to answer that last point!!

What's at Kings Dock these days? Is there any option if sticking up a Stadium now? Not from Liverpool so sorry if this seems a ridiculous question.

David, there is now the Echo Arena standing where our stadium should be. This holds a range of events from the like of Michael Buble to Peter Kay etc.

Dennis Stevens @973

Dennis, that is very unfair of you. Yet another example of someone having a dig at the club.... Why, only three years ago they lagged the pipes AFTER the Birmingham game was cancelled.

Joe Bibb, Edge Lane (old Littlewoods site), off Great Howard Street or EFC side of Stanley Park. We have a potential name sponsor, but I think the main sponsor in LCC.

I think every single one of us would prefer the club to somehow redevelop Goodison Park into modern 50,000+ stadium. It is possible – there have been a number of studies (not least the excellent Tom Hughes/KEIOC effort from a few years back). And it would be perfect. A modern stadium, built in phases, that retains the best of Goodison Park while increasing capacity, corporate provision and removing obstructed views.

Unfortunately it's pretty clear that the club have no intention whatsoever of pursuing this option. If the money is not there without a financial partner, that's the end of it. A real shame considering Liverpool are improving Anfield rather then move, and that the council are helping them expand the footprint to do so. Joe Anderson would surely do the same for us (he's a Blue after all).

Kings Dock was a farce but was over a decade ago now. Time to move on – but take important things from it:

(1) The plan was perfect. Iconic, city centre location; an imposing, modern and bespoke stadium. This must be the brief for a new ground. (I for one would be very disappointed if I was a Spurs fan right now, as the plans for their new stadium are very similar to the Emirates, just with a slightly smaller capacity). I would want Everton's new ground to have an identifiable Main Stand, separate from the other three, as we always have done. It should also have two or even three tiers all the way around, and the fans must be as close to the pitch as possible. It should have echoes of the Leitch stands and lattice work. It should scream "Everton Football Club".

(2) The finances MUST be secured before any plan is even announced. Kings Dock and Kirkby were poorly planned – we can't afford a third failure. Get it right before going public. If we must have a commercial partner, so be it – but Everton comes first.

In terms of location, given Liverpool are staying at Anfield, this is our chance to move to a central location. Anyone visiting the city should be smacked in the face by the new stadium. We can reclaim the city. Ignorant tourists will get off the train and see a huge stadium and ask "Is that where Liverpool play?" "No, that's Everton's stadium" will come the reply. "Liverpool are a couple of miles out that way."

Be it on the waterfront or near Lime Street, there are numerous brownfield sites that fit the bill. Let's hope the board finally make the right call at the third time of asking.

For me I do not want to hear about another stadium until literally everything is in place, from the design, to the architect, to the builders, to the funding and location. Effectively the approval has been given by the Board and all that's left is to actually build.

Announcement: Everton approve new stadium and is breaking ground in 3 months.

If we were to get a new stadium would that not increase the value of the club therefore making it harder to find a buyer?

Mike Goodison 081- thats exactly what the other lot are doing with their main stand. Build a large cantilevered stand behind the existing then whip the old roof off and refurbish the existing terracing. We'd have to move the School of course, which is where Joe Anderson would come in.

The only problem with staying at Goodison is that the club miss out on all those pennies that the punters pay to other businesses for all the beer, chips, pies and parking which currently go into business's pockets that are located near the ground.

And that my friend is why the club want to move out in the sticks to get their hands on that revenue. so they can create a captive audience.

100 months is a long time...

Everton playing at Red Bull Stadium... Perfect compromise?

Stu, I was always under the impression it would be easier for us to find a buyer if a stadium situation was sorted. That would be millions they wouldn't have to plunge into the club on a stadium. Then they could focus on managing our debt, improving and modernizing our revenue streams, and buying players. Ummm...easy.

Ray Roche #093: My apologies for the oversight - glad to hear they had the players doing some practical work for the benefit of the club in lieu of playing the match!

Chris, I never understood why any potential new owner couldn't buy the club at its current value and then sort out the stadium as he sees fit. After all, he is going to pay for it anyway.

Peter, I thought the problem was that the Club isn't for sale 'at its current value' & our Board think that billionaires who are astute enough to realise this will, when presented with a plan akin to DK & planning approval, just lose all their astuteness & hand over all their readies. Seems like we could be stuck with this Board for a very long time yet...

Of course Dennis, we are looking for a billionaire with a sound history of astuteness which is diminishing at present. Preferably a blue. Didn't Bill tell us recently how Sheikh Mancity would have bought us had we got the go ahead for the cow shed in Kirby?

There are those who say BK and his Board have done a very good job of getting us to the elevated position we now hold.

Or does ALL the credit go to Moyes and Martinez ?

Answers on a postcard, please.

Phil - Imagine what we could have achieved with either of those managers if they had 'real' financial backing. We may well have been celebrating a trophy in a month's time.

There's a quaint saying that you get out of life what you put in. BK and his cohorts have put nothing into Everton, but they won't leave Everton with nothing.

Agreed Patrick.

But I wouldn't be comfortable about giving either of these managers unlimited funds. I think they've both done well working on a constricted budget which may well be their forte.

I think BK is a luvvie pillock but there are now so many crap owners, he's probably amongst the best of them!

Who fucking cares. New stadium, slagging of the BK & any sniff of new owners, who gives a fuck. At the moment its all just blah, blah fucking blah.

We are on the threshold of a place in the top 4 of the EPL and a place in the Champions fucking League. This great club is competing with the billionaires of the EPL, this club will have to ensure that the Arsenal, the ginger twat Manx’s and the ever spending Spurs all end up looking like a bunch of fucks because Everton have got what it takes.

Wednesday night is happening, oh fucking yes it is and it’s not down to Joe Anderson and whatever the fuck he wants to happen, it’s all down to RM and those eleven blues who have just won 7 on the bounce.

The new stadium shite will continue long after this season ends but right now all I want is 3 points against Palace.

We all want 3 points against Palace, Mike.

But you can't ignore an issue as big as where you are playing your matches. There is life beyond the end of your nose!

I’m not an expert in football finance but I think the idea of building big stadiums is very moot right now. Domestic ticket sales have hitherto been hugely significant in the revenue mix, but the real growth is going to come in the future from global TV rights and leveraging global sponsorships. The payback on the vast sums required to build a new location stadiums are marginal to non existent.

It probably only stacks up if you are moving into a stadium built with someone else’s money (Man City and possibly West Ham) or your current stadium lies in some of the UK’s most expensive real estate and you can fund things from property sales (Arsenal, and even then, that made them impecunious for many years before coming good). Of the major clubs, only Chelsea could probably justify a new location stadium (on the same model as Arsenal).

That’s before one even considers potential demand. It’s hardly worth even thinking about unless it’s a 55,000 plus seater and historically, we’ve struggled to get even 40,000.

I think the only practical option is to look at a limited upgrade of GP and the focus there needs to be on ensuring our corporate hospitality offering is brought into the current century. Without that, we have no chance of attracting the kind of global sponsorship our rivals do.

Bill Kenwright has had to make two major decisions in his time as our chairman.

The first was to appoint David Moyes.

The second was to appoint Roberto Martinez.

Therefore he has done alright in my book. Potentially his biggest decision of all will be who to sell to, and his tenure can't properly be judged until this time comes.

Leaving Goodison has also been his decision twice, Luke.

The first time, he messed it up; the second time he made the wrong choice of location, design and tried to deceive the fans.

He has also misled everybody saying he is seeking investment 24/7 when in reality he is looking for some fool to hand over tens or hundreds of millions just to sit beneath him even though he himself has put in next to nothing financially. Never gonna happen in reality. So when he eventually oversees the Sale for those two Spurs fans who really run the show, it's highly likely people like yourself will be disappointed in the long run.

Karl.

Please. The new stadium shite pops up whenever season tickets need renewing or an AGM is around the corner.

However. How fucking ever, what is currently happening on the pitch needs putting into perspective. Seriously, big time. For me, champions league qualification is a must and it is so, so close, I can almost feel it!!!

Look at it. We currently do not have a striker on our books, yeah a number 9. The one’s we had we sold; Yes, yes I know, BK did bring in a good un - problem is, he fucks off back to his proper club in about 5 weeks. So, if we are to repeat this season next season, we will need money and fucking buckets of it. So for me qualifying for the Champions League - we. must. do. it.

I have no doubt that next season we will see Spurs, the Manx and Arsenal spending shed loads over this summer and I can guarantee you that the RS, Chelsea and Citeh will. I can also assure you that they will be looking at Barry, Lukaku, Barkley, Coleman & Mirallas, Jags, Delboy and Stones - fuck it, they will probably be looking at all our players. Big spending fucking twat clubs that they are and not a proper club amongst them.

To move to the next level we must progress on the pitch and all this endless chat of moving stadiums is pure pie in the sky. It obvious to every man and beast that BK will only offer us what someone else is offering him, but if BK has Champions League footy, Lukaku, Barry and RM, plus Barkley and Coleman & Baines, and the iconic Stones ........ well, fuck me, that is one good hand that he’s putting on the table.

Please, lets hold off this moving stadium chat and cheer on the blues because Karl, this topic has been done to death. My nerves are as shaky as fuck, I’m waking up thinking about it, I’m now watching games through my fingers and I’m singing for my life to get the boys over the line.

Bollox to the stadium move, that’s what I say, reality is this Wednesday then Sunday and we must, must, must get Champions League football.

I agree Mike, a qualifying round place is the next step, and don't forget we fell at that hurdle in 2005, so money is not guaranteed by coming 4th, but we can discuss off-the-pitch matters as well. There's reasons we haven't got the spending power of those other clubs and they aren't all to do with success on the pitch, although that will help.

I'll be there tomorrow cheering them on like you. COYBB!!

Mike.

Well if all you care about is the Palace game then sod off to a thread where it's being discussed a leave people who want to talk about the stadium issue in peace.

As this is a thread about a site or sites that the Mayor of Liverpool has said a statement will be made, possibly before the beginning of next season, it's only right to discuss the issue here.

I don't think anyone is being distracted from the games that are left by discussing what that statement by Joe Anderson might mean for us. It can't be proved to be pie in sky, until events turn out to call the statement by him and by Everton's Chief Executive as pie in the sky. Talking about the possibility of EFC moving into a new stadium, doesn't distract from what's happening on the pitch, or how we are going to support our team

Reality is Wednesday night, on Wednesday night; and every Blue then will be roaring on the team I should think...and every game until the end of the season.

As for a new site and all that it might mean, my view is that we are in desperate need of a new site, or GP being modernised. A lot of posters have made the case for GP to be modernised and I agree with them

However, that option is ruled out, as the statements made indicate that the board have decided to move. I'd like to think otherwise but to me that means a Kirkby type construction and method of funding, as happened in the last pathetic attempt to stick us in the middle of a retail park.

Does anyone know anything about the possibility of building on Netherfield Rd at the top of Everton Brow? Seems absolutely perfect. Prince Rupert's Tower, the steps up the hill (look on Google maps)... can't you just picture a huge blue stadium at the top of the hill, with views down to the city centre and the Mersey? Looking down on Anfield from the highest point in the city, and the heart of Everton. It's perfect. (And, unfortunately, highly unlikely).

The RS were given permission to build on Stanley Park. No reason at all therefore that we shouldn't be allowed to build on parkland too. Would be fantastic for the area as well as the club and the city.

Yep, that would have been a really iconic place for us. I walk up St Domigo Road to St Georges church quite often. Looking over the city and what was the village of Everton, I'd love to see our ground there but I don't think there's enough room now and with Project Jennifer starting to builkd up old Greatie, there's likely to be e
even less.

If anywhere, my guess is it will be somewhere along the North End of the Docks. Ray Said has mentioned in a couple of posts, that Peel Holdings, were at one time, prepared to help provide EFC with a stadium but evidently their offer was turned down.

Any Evertonian that only wants to watch our club purely based on if there is a stadium move or player purchases doesn't deserve a seat anyway in my opinion. Its almost as bad as all the kopites who are crawling out of the woodwork lately, and only offer their support when their team is playing well.

Personally, I would love nothing more than to stay at GP and redevelop if there was a choice. But adding the dismantling costs (including potentially digging up the 1930's foundations on the Bullens Road side) to an already 200 million+ project does not make much financial sense, when the only driver is maintaining 'heritage' which carries no value in a business case. And as retail enablement seems to be our only option, the GP footprint isn't the right choice anyway in terms of size for a stadium and retail park, and access is poor at best. But even if there is a developer out there willing to fund a new stadium, it doesn't address the underlying issue. We need a new stadium to improve revenue and compete with those above us. But getting someone else to pay for a new stadium means we have to rent from them ad infinitum which doesn't help our club in the long term. Even adding additional risk in the event that the developer goes bankrupt, we become effectively homeless.

The best hope for us is that there is an internet billionaire out there that fancies burning some cash and decides to make our club his/her new toy and goes out of his/her way to make us better than Liverpool. But this is about as realistic as it was to expect a 55,000 stadium on the Kings Dock for 30 million quid.

Thank you for that "contribution" Dan. Lots of big claims made and an acceptance of a retail enablement option that is a non-starter.

James Asquith called it right.

Heritage is a big selling point, Dan, ask the national trust and English Heritage. Or the Americans across the park.

I agree with David O'Keefe-Heritage is a selling point if used wisely and a lot of businesses have done it well-The Boston Red Sox are a good example, Man Utd, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Lords cricket ground are others. The clubs owners have not used the heritage angle at all well as if they willfully ignore what history is tied up in Goodison so they can lower expectations to get the fans to accept a 'one size fits all kit' stadium.