ESSG coalition develops fan involvement proposals

Anybody any idea who and what makes up the ESSG?

If it is a group of small shareholders, then they possibly carry more gravitas than the loose alliance of the 27-27 movement.

Even if not, that they have also worked for 6 months compiling a paper linked to the government's fan-led review which they now intend to present to the club for the way forward in the hierarchy's interaction with fans, is also impressive.

That the club has agreed to meet with them shows that if approached in an acceptable manner the club will listen to the fans.

Like others, I am interested to know if this is part of the 27-27 movement, or are they independent of each other?

EDIT: just seen that while I was writing the Esk clarified who he believes ESSG is and that no, they are independent of the 27-27 movement.

Whoever they are, they currently have the jump on 27-27.

This needs to be coordinated and centralised.

What we don't need is multiple fronts and protest groups. It needs to be unified or it will get lost in the noise and ignored.

Otherwise, we're going down the route of Monty Python. The People's Front of Judea arguing with the Judean People's Front. As the Romans (owners / board) standby and watch them divide themselves on the approach.

That would be so Everton. As my younger, more pragmatic Evertonian brother would say, only Evertonians can argue with each other about the one thing we all agree on!!

Paul the Esk says they may include the Fans Forum, but they already are recognized by and have regular contact with the club. If true, that probably explains why ESSG were able to secure a meeting.

I've mentioned before that the Fans Forum does have meeting minutes published on the Official Everton Website. Maybe I need to look back and see if this was ever discussed?

I also think it would be good if the Everton Shareholders Association were involved. They too have periodic meetings with the club, but have obviously lacked the power in the past to make any progress on changing the way the club is run.

May 2021: the minutes say that the Fans Forum had hosted six workshops with key sections of the fanbase to discuss the Government's fan-led review". The findings would be presented to CEO Denise Barrett-Baxendale in June 2021.

June 2021: Presentation to Denise took place on Tuesday 22 June. "... will be followed by a release of information, to update fans on the findings of the workshops...

"Fan Engagement at board level had been discussed and welcomed Denise’s comments from the meeting on the importance of the roles fans can play as custodians of the club."

July 2021: "the Forum is continuing to work with stakeholders [Who?] to propose what effective fan representation looks like."

August 2021: There is something called the "Fan Engagement Team… covering the function of the supporter liaison officer."

"The Forum has met with 8 other supporter groups and associations to discuss the next stages of developing proposals to the Club on effective fan representation at the board level. The groups include the Shareholders Association, EDSA, the Supporters’ Club committee, FSA members, the Heritage Society and international Supporters’ Clubs."

September 2021: Minor mention of Fan-Led Review stuff.

October 2021: Nothing about Fan-Led Review.

All very ironic. Calls for greater transparency from the club and how they communicate to the fans, but the groups attempting to engage with the club are themselves opaque.

Who are they?
What authority do they have to presume to speak for the fan base?
What's the content of their proposals?
Do their proposals resonate with the concerns of the broader Everton family?

Following a meeting in June it was promised there would be a release of information about the discussions with fans.

What month are we in now? Anybody seen anything akin to that?

I’ve noticed two things on the minutes about the existing fans forum. Firstly they meet with people from the club I’ve never heard of so not the powers that be. Secondly their discussions seem to be limited to things like BMD updates and nothing about football etc. In other words it seems like a meaningless show forum with no real benefit

Everton
Supporters
Solidarity
Group

???

...but remained essentially anonymous to major supporter websites & online presence. And no-one here appears to've heard of it after six months of activity? Nor the workshops.

I guess there's zero crossover between TW and the Fans Forum, or other "Stakeholders". Strange.

Engineered
Supposed
Supporters
Group?

"The groups include the Shareholders Association, EDSA, the Supporters’ Club committee, FSA members, the Heritage Society and international Supporters’ Clubs."

I think this fits with what Paul the Esk was saying. But I agree, I can't recall anything resembling that release of information about the discussions with fans... I was hoping you'd have the answer!

Paul the Esk said that the objectives are purposely not clear. This is the case because it is the start of negotiations, ultimately to force Moshiri's proper engagement in the running of the club and communications, which Paul the Esk has stated.

The informal structure is necessary to counter Moshiri'x informal way of engagement in running the club and communications. It means that individual fans can put forward their opinions of agreement or disagreement by whatever forum they choose. The trends of these opinions can be forumlated into coherent objectives by the coalition representatives. Who I suspect will be capable of doing so.

The advantage of the informality is that Moshiri can be engaged and forced to the table through his own informal channels. It also means that the current club structure and those wheeled out, have a difficulty in engagement, by the fact that Moshiri initially will not be present. The coalition can ask also for engagement in the strategic review.

Such a coalition can develop the focus and consciousness of the fanbase. Everton's fanbase is particularly suited to this initiative, with it's values of strong community, built on families, traditions and long-suffering loyal fans.

This Fan Forum will not be within the structure of the club or use the existing Fan Forum.

That will develop. Through Paul the Esk, we have been informed of discussions and objectives. Whilst ToffeeWeb has kept us informed of developments and allowed discussion. The intial presentation by the Coalition is a reflection of the objectives of the Fan-Led Review.

Businesses and companies at this level operate like power regimes. The top people, or in this case, the great dictator owner Moshiri, will be untouchable, shielded by an army of lower minions whose job it is to deflect criticism and pacify the prols.

Like it or not, the lifelong supporters can never get the changes they clamour whilst the temporary custodians of the cClub potter about.

Man Utd fans showed the way but that revolution fizzled out.

Everton
Should
Sell
Gbamin, maybe not...

I think we have worked out the Everton Supporters Group, but missing what the other S stands for.

Wrong, Jerome.

The Esk has already clarified that ESSG has nothing to do with the 27 for 27.

Michael, I've done some digging into the groups mentioned. Some are familiar. Some are not.

EFC Shareholders Association (Dr David France as Life President. This link shows a simple mission statement by them).

EDSA is the club's official Everton Disabled Supporters Association with membership available via the official club site here:

Join EDSA

The Everton Supporters Clubs Committee is again an initiative overseen by the club, with branches UK wide. Biogs of different branches listed on the official club site here:

Everton Supporters Clubs Committee

I have to presume that FSA members refers to the Everton Fans Forum, another body of fans officially associated to the club. Their mission statement reads:

'To provide an open, honest, transparent and independent dialogue with the Club and its supporters on all Club issues and supporters' match day experience.'

The Everton Fans Forum has an entire section dedicated to it on the club's official site. It is limited to 15 members, total.

Official Everton Fans Forum

Maybe it's listed as FSA because recently they became members of the FA's Football Supporters Association.

Everton Fans Forum Joins FSA

The admirable Everton Heritage Society also has Dr France as its founder and Life President and again is closely intertwined with the club. It holds monthly meetings at the EFC Director's Boardroom in the Royal Liver Building, having previously held such meetings at Goodison.

This link shows its members' websites. There is a very dubious one, right at the top of the list!

Everton Heritage Society

The Everton International Supporters Clubs can also be found on the official club site, with the committee being the same one as the Everton Supporters Clubs Committee already mentioned.

A directory lists a considerable number of clubs worldwide here:

Everton International Supporters Clubs

Not denigrating any of them or their members, but there is clearly an existing and very close association to the club with all of them, so in that case, not truly independent.

The involvement of Paul the Esk is the best part. Hopefully the whole process doesn't become too unwieldy and mired. Let's see.

Despite the front that the club puts on, ie, the awful moniker that is "The People's Club" and EitC, they actually care little for the fans' actual point of view – especially those that would involve some sort of change, thinking most of them are just mindless plebs happy to clap along to all the sentimental jingles belted out over the PA system.

We may have lost a director this week but real change is as far away as ever. The show goes on.

There's a common thread emerging here... they are actually all club-sanctioned entities with existing relationships and access pathways enabling dialogue with the club already.

And the ESSG document seems to have been developed by or through the Fans Forum, explaining exactly why it has not been published to the uncontrollable internet rabble. Seemed odd that they would suddenly appear on Twitter and get a nice story published in the Echo.

So it must be a development from the Fan Led Review then. They would need to take on the objectives of 27 for 27 as outlined by Paul the Esk if they are to progress; otherwise, they will be just be absorbed into the Everton unproductive structure.

Looking back, he was a regular poster on ToffeeWeb. That was until he entered the hallowed sanctuary of the Fans Forum... His last post on here was at the end of June 2021.

Hope you're still reading at least, Barry. Maybe you could ask the club's permission to be the direct conduit for inside information from the Fans Forum especially for those Everton fans on ToffeeWeb?

That's probably not gonna work, is it?

He probably had to cut ties with ToffeeWeb and other Suppressive Persons as is the norm when you join similar entities to EFC such as Scientology for example.

That's why, IMO, the 27 for 27 movement has to be slicker and more structured than it currently is, with a far broader appeal than it has acheived to date, to even have a sniff of a chance of being heard at club level.

Not too keen as others have mooted, are they (whoever they are) going to represent, or forward, all Evertonian's concerns or just a selected few?

Even as Michael K says, if they are serious, they would surely have contacted other Fan Groups and Forums to introduce themselves and invite any serious suggestions, that they perhaps had not thought about. Smells fishy to me.

You unfortunately could be right. This could be an attempt by the Club to highjack the Fan-Led Review recommendations and counter 27 for 27 as outIined by Paul the Esk.

Bill has been quick of the mark.

It's obvious now. It's the 'coalition' of:

Everton
Sanctioned
Supporters
Groups

I think it's funny the club have suddenly sanctioned meeting these folks as the 27 for 27 group has gained traction. I guess Paul The Esk is the Lach Walesa of Evertonians and his group Solidarity.

These fellows maybe the Polish communist party's official workers delegation. Better known as the Happy Clappers who get excited when Bill pops up onscreen at Goodison.

What a bloody crowd to have running a football club.

Paul the Esk said they've got people with experience, inside this campaign. But when I saw that word “experience” I instinctively thought of our chairman, who has survived for a very long time because he knows how to play many Evertonians, imo?

I wonder if the Barry Williams who got onto the Everton Fans Forum is the ex-GB hammer thrower (a Birkenhead guy and a blue as I remember it). I knew him at Uni - don't argue with him, he's a big lad.

Let's hope he drops the hammer on the board.

Not as part of something sanctioned by the board in self-preservation mode.

Those supporters who spend hard earned money travelling up and down the country to watch and support the team no matter what must have a genuine voice. Both those who travel away, or like me, fork out to attend home games with time and cost.

I'm no rent a mob protester. The likes you see in London regardless of whatever the latest outrage is. But I am a passionate Evertonian. Passion not understood by my wife or close friends, but engrained into me from a very young age.

27 for 27 for me. It has to be the supporters' voice. Not a token effort by the club to be seen to be doing something and "listening". But then doing nothing.

Wake up and realise who you are Everton.

Free speech, regarding those occupying the corridors of power at Castle Goodison, is merely an inconvenience best overlooked.

They know exactly what they're doing and, once you're compromised, it's nodding donkey duties all day long.

What it really highlights is weak management.

This does look like a put on and perhaps a simple statement of who is with 27-27 and other groups specifying what improvements are demanded could pressure them to at least say something substantive. That is when it will get obvious that they're (in my opinion) part of the problem if they are not themselves willing to discuss the obvious and sensible improvements laid out in the statement.

They've reacted so far, so a little artistic work on the presentation of the other group could make a difference. At that point, you may get a tap on the shoulder.

Overall though, nice work and keep it going. What has happened so far is a turn so it is somewhat about momentum at this point. Their little chat party won't stem the momentum of discord around the club, it is a delay tactic while they assess the situation.

Need to bypass the existing Everton Structure and target Moshiri using his informal way of doing things. This ESSG coalition is an attempt to block any formal approaches.

ESSG has probably already formulated its proposals with the club, which will be granted according to the club's terms and accepted using office space at the Liver building.

If a video was posted of the event craven smiling, glad-handing and discussion about the cake would be front and centre.

Another job for the boys has been handed out to David Harrison, to fill Brands void.

Me personally, I would have given it to one of our loyal supporters, after all, being an Evertonian is good enough to keep you on as Chairman.

I am not sure what this new fan set up will achieve, we have already seen our club refuse to answer awkward questions at previous agm, now we have a very convenient online agm where questions will just put pre selected, with the ones making certain people hilighted, while the others will be put to one side.

Good luck to these that are trying to start up a fans meeting, I really hope it works, but have a feeling selected agenda, will be given the nod, quite conveniently as the 27 for 27 was gaining momentum.

Like someone else pointed out on here, Bill dodged a bullet on Monday, and has more chance of survirving Chairmanship, than a cockroach in a nuclear blast.

I know some will say another Kenwright bashing so why not have a poll Kenwright to stay or go, respect those who have different answers.

If a poll cannot be put up by the Ed’s, I will start the ball rolling with go.

Make sure it's a fucking Big Sledge Hammer, those flies can be crafty buggers and just fly off, wouldn't want to miss it!

The concept. The canvassing. The construction.

Personally, I am memserised by the progress videos they post, with thorough yet clear description of what is being done.

The engineering and scale involved is fascinating, as the latest video again shows.

Water Displaced in BMD

There is a longer term strategy in place that will see us proudly sat on the banks of the Royal Blue Mersey with an iconic stadium in our north Liverpool heartland, for those who that is important for. With our HQ in the Royal Liver Building looking on. Our time is coming again.

I'm a south Liverpool lad, so would have taken Speke!

It's just the short term that is a concern. But we'll get there.

I've always been a long-term, strategic thinker, so I'm in for the ride.

Kieran #27, I've been trying to come up with a School of Scientology joke off your post but I've failed utterly. Want to take a run at it?

In fact, ESSG is really Billy’s shopping list:

Eggs
Sausages
Soup
Gammon

I totally agree about the 'then and now' compilation, but can't take any credit for it, as it was Tony Abrahams who sent it to me, so I thought I should share it. I love all the History aspect myself.

When you think of the 'Age' and the conditions, the Craftmanship on a lot of the Buildings has not only stood the test of time but is a marvellous testament to their skills.

My one and only hard working brain cell has its firewall up and on hight alert for this particular gesture of altruism and goodwill by the club towards a group that's communicating from the shadows.

And then, on these pages, we got an answer to why don't we do that… it was the usual: “It's Not The Everton Way”… Yeah… That's why they are they are there… and we are … not!

I support these people.

This man is cleaning out the stables. He's going to turn us into a hard, difficult side with the odd surprise up our sleeve and maybe something more again, sooner than we expect.

Moyes, but with trophies, and then he'll leave it to the next man. Hold tight.

Everton to Meet ESSG

Everton Stakeholder Steering Group.

The meeting follows consultation carried out by the ESSG – which represents more than 3,000 supporters – informed by the findings of a fan survey about the future of football completed by more than 10,000 fans.

The ESSG is made up of representatives from various Everton fan and Stakeholder associations...

The messaging is so atrociously poor. Why put something out there with no context, no background, no explanation? Yes, those in the know don't need to be told who the stakeholders are… Such a presumptuous lack of transparency and honesty drives me batshit crazy with this club of 'ours'.

And speaking personally as a member of the Shareholders Association and one of more than 10,000 who completed the online survey, I should be able to feel that I am one of the 'stakeholders' whose views have been integrated into 'the document'… But I don't.

I found the online survey formulaic comprising multiple-choice lists, restrictive in terms of its scope, and deviod of anything addressing the real issues of concern, yet it apparently forms the basis for this document. Although, if it took 6 months to prepare, then perhaps it is based on a little more than simply processing and analysing the thousands of survey responses. Given its importance, I regret now not doing more at the time to document the questions on here and record my answers.

The annoying thing about doing an online survey like that is you don't know what questions are coming, and they only cover a limited range of issues. I think it may have had a 'Back' button that allowed you to review your answers, and a couple of places to write out your own input, but there's only so much back and forth you want to do.

Surely at least the 3,000 'stakeholders' should be provided with a copy of this 'document' prepared on their behalf?

Season ticket holder of 53 years and official member. No one has bothered to ask me.

I imagine the stakeholders are the 8 umbrella fans groups sanctioned by the club to be part of this ESSG enterprise. By extension, the fans represented in each group are likely seen by the club to be 'stakeholders'.

The point you raise is a very important one: being a season ticket holder, and no doubt holding "Official Membership" of Everton Football Club, which of these stakeholder groups does that put you in?

The answer seems to be, unless you are a shareholder, or disabled, or a member of a recognized regional Supporters Club, or the Heritage Society, then you are not represented.

When this story first broke in the Echo (on the Esk thread), as I wrote in my post @ 1 here I was initially impressed, thinking such a collection of diverse supporters groups had more gravitas than the fledgling 27-27 movement.

Only, as this was the first time I had heard of ESSG, it nagged at me and I did the digging I did on each group mentioned.

Quite clearly each one of them already has an existing relationship with the club. In some cases an extremely close one. They represent for the club hierarchy an 'acceptable' face of the fan base.

A movement such as the 27-27 group are outside that cosy club and can be considered rowdier, less controllable, potentially damaging and embarrassing.

The more I think of it the more it appears that the Echo story is based on a club Press Release that the Red Rag has run with, possibly verbatim.

Now for me, a journalist needs to be inquisitive. Not accept things at face value. Ask difficult questions.

I was not alone in having a furrowed brow on this thread, asking how and what is ESSG exactly.

Where was (is) the Echo's investigative journalism into this?

Given the rumblings of what 27-27 is striving to achieve, this 'initiative' reads a bit too pat by the club. A pre-emptive strike, if you like, to defuse the 27-27 before it can get some serious traction and start asking difficult questions of the EFC management.

In no way do I wish to be seen as denigrating the individual groups associated with ESSG, or anyone associated with them.

However, as Michael has already pointed out, as a shareholder he could/should be considered a 'stakeholder'. By default he is being considered as someone who endorses ESSG, when he clearly doesn't.

The same might be the case with any number of members subscribed to the different groups.

A liberty is being taken here that may well not be appreciated by some of ESSG's own group members.

Surely that demographic is the vast majority of the season ticket holders. Therefore Everton are effectively disenfranchising the majority of the match going Blues.

These people lead very comfortable lifestyles and do not want to disrupt the status quo, change their position, or leave so the easiest thing to do is drive through some form of bogus fan engagement, which is entirely non-representative and likely hand-picked.

One must remember to pay tribute – to create an illusion of change and hope to appease the media from printing further disruptive stories that would garner the attention of the owner. They've been doing this for years and know exactly how to play it.

Like I've said a million times, nothing will change until Kenwright, Barrett-Baxendale and all their other charges are disbanded from EFC once and for all.

Just to clarify, I have had no involvement or interaction with the ESSG. I'm not a member of the shareholder association or any of the other groupings. It seems that no provision for independent supporters was considered.

Odd given the focus on governance. Full details will be released on Monday 13th December.

Link

With Usmanov's relatives relieved of their responsibilities recently, all that remains of the 'non-executive' directors is Old Bill, himself. The others – particularly the thrice named Chief Executive – are paid employees, as was Brands before he suffered for his disagreement on football principles with Rafa.

The problem facing Everton is that, whilst it would have been normal a few months ago for a representative of chief backers, Usmanov and Moshiri, to serve as directors, the amended 'sports governance code' is obsessed with 'independence', particularly in respect of backers and sponsors.

'Board Out' is a daft call – gawd help us, were it to be acted upon!

A bloke called Ed Capstick, who is on Twitter, has written a very entertaining and pertinent article on Football 365, relevant to the state of things at Everton and the various fans movements.

Worth a read.

Everton: The Most Confusingly Chaotic Club in the Land

I harbour hopes that recent events mark a watershed and that Moshiri will back Benitez to clear a path for us. I understand why others disagree.

The problems pervade the club but the solution can always be initiated on the pitch.

Why are we shit? We know the answer.

Why are we not buying? We know the answer.

Are we buying in January? We know the answer.

Why Rondon? We don't know the answer.

We do not need meeting, we need action. Maybe block car parks and entrances before the next home game that's televised, the club are embarrassing us enough lets embarrass them on national TV then we can dictate when to move into the stadium after a point is made.

Fans on Board?

The article says the ESSG document has been released but I'm not finding it anywhere. However, I see the 4-page Executive Summary is on their Twatter feed.

Twatter

I’d still like to see some real independent fans, in this group, but maybe they might be better than we thought?

Others do have a beef about how representative of the fans any fan representative(s) can be. There's no escaping a division of the fanbase into those supporters groups that are sanctioned by the club as forming acceptable 'stakeholders' representative of their groups' fans (~3,000 in number) and those who are less so (~300,000 and counting), a decent proportion of whom frequent online forums such as this.

But the objectives appear to be worthy... although I'd like to see the full document, not just the Executive Summary, but have been thwarted so far in my efforts to see it.