Seasons2021-22Everton News
Prentice takes communications role at Everton
Prentice spent years as a football correspondent for the Liverpool Echo and Daily Post before being promoted to head of sport media when the company was known as Trinity Mirror.
Prentice, who is married to the grand-daughter of Goodison legend Dixie Dean and who published a memoir of his time covering the Blues, will depart his current role in the higher echelons of what is now called Reach PLC to move into Everton's comms department.
Reader Comments (20)
Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer
2 Posted 24/01/2022 at 02:10:57
3 Posted 24/01/2022 at 02:27:47
Oh, of course, silly me – all of Dave's now former colleagues will oblige.
Probably a smart move taking a job like this one. Being a journalist these days is akin to being a farrier after Henry Ford brought out the Model T.
4 Posted 24/01/2022 at 12:15:24
5 Posted 24/01/2022 at 12:46:52
He is also seemingly well informed.
When he publishes something on the BBC, I take note.
6 Posted 24/01/2022 at 15:31:52
He has always been prepared to give the club the benefit of whatever doubt there is. But when there is no doubt, he calls a spade a spade and tells it as it is. Even when that means upsetting people within the club. I include the fans in that.
Putting positive spin on some of the recent activity may take an even greater wordsmith than Mr Prentice. But I think this is a good move which should help keep those of us who watch on from the outside, better informed.
7 Posted 24/01/2022 at 15:35:10
8 Posted 24/01/2022 at 15:48:27
We have been asking the club to knock square pegs into square holes, this feels like they have done so.
9 Posted 24/01/2022 at 16:12:37
Yes, he likes Bill Kenwright. Yes, he likes Farhad Moshiri. Those are not disqualifiers. He wouldn't have been hired for this job if he didn't.
Prentice has an insight into people and knows how to elicit information. This is an account (from his book) of his first conversation with Moshiri, who is talking about the establishment of his relationship with Kenwright and his choice to invest in Everton: "Meeting Bill, and especially in his office, was what had the greatest impression on me. That was a real man, totally obsessed in whatever he's doing. I saw all the photographs of the musicals, the movie productions and the great moments of Everton. His enthusiasm for Everton was infectious. "You couldn't find anything negative, his heart was Everton and I just found him a guy very much in my own mould in being driven and committed to what he liked. "He talked about the history, values and heritage of Everton. We kept on meeting each other and we became friends, he met my family, we got to know each other, and after a while there was no real other option -- it was Everton."
That's important information that, to my knowledge, no other journo has brought forward. Moshiri REALLY likes and admires Kenwright. That's why he has trusted him to help him with major decisions -- not always taking his counsel (e.g. Benitez) but listening to him. That's why he hasn't taken the action so many here would like and pushed Bill out of the club.
The book was published in 2020, a year before Benitez, but it sure does lend some clarity to the current situation. And I think a guy like Prentice will bring a great deal of very welcome clarity to a murky situation.
Well done, Everton. Bravo. And about effing time.
10 Posted 24/01/2022 at 16:17:28
I used to ask him now and again why he stayed with The Echo when quite a few of his comrades had moved on to bigger and better( well nearly every paper is better than the Echo) jobs, I think he was happy and content there, I dont think the job is the same as a reporter, not breaking news, just putting a positive spin on Everton news and Everton have been doing that as long as I can remember, take it with a large pinch of salt. I hope the job is well paid with a good pension pot for Daves sake, best of luck Dave, he knew me as the fella who rang up and asked him “ Have you got a couple of minutes to spare Dave” most times he had.
11 Posted 24/01/2022 at 16:33:26
12 Posted 24/01/2022 at 16:44:54
The problem being the communications director at Everton is it's a very precarious job, and I guess whatever he would want to communicate to fans will have to be rubber-stamped by those in power. As Alan Myers found when he had this same job, it's fraught with danger.
I see Moshiri has informed Jim White he will be communicating with the Everton fans now so he has told Jim "Don't expect any tweets from me for a while."
Be interesting to see how long that lasts, and even more worrying for Dave as to how long he will stay in the job, given how poor Everton are at communicating with their own fans.
13 Posted 24/01/2022 at 17:29:01
The stuff we read about chaos and confusion behind the scenes, about for example the Chairman and Owner holding differing views on the appointment of previous managers, undermines the clubs standing in the eyes of its own employees, sponsors, supporters and external audiences. It also creates a climate for protest.
Once the new team manager has been appointed he ought to be guaranteed the full, unambiguous public backing of everybody at senior level within the club. Bill Kenwrights notable silence following Benitezs appointment left the manager isolated at a time when he needed the maximum support from the clubs hierarchy.
I hope Prentice is able to make a success of his new position.
14 Posted 24/01/2022 at 18:38:54
A Blue himself, association to Dixie etc
However to me hes just another lackey to the Club and Kenwright
Ill not forget the absolute zero support or even questioning the DK fiasco.
The Echo and Everton correspondents just towed the Club line.
They were looking after their own interests, access to the Club and hospitality
I seem to remember the Echo was banned for a short, very short, period for not fully supporting the Club. As soon as they got back in line, back on the large GTs
Sorry, for me a direct job with the Club is just a continuation of the job he had at the Echo
15 Posted 25/01/2022 at 16:26:01
16 Posted 25/01/2022 at 16:42:54
I appreciate he needs to convey the message of his new employer, but perhaps his standing in the game and reputation will give him enough clout to actually advise. He's actually been pretty critical about Everton over the past couple of years.
I can't see how he takes on the job unless it's convenient and closer to home.
[BRZ]
17 Posted 25/01/2022 at 16:47:19
Two senior well-balanced posters I respect in Peter Mills and Dave Abrahams speak well of him in their personal dealings with him.
Then you have the two Johns (Keating and Raftery) taking a more questioning view.
David Prentice in taking this post has now lost his independence as a journalist, able to write and speak with openness and honesty.
He is now open to the charge, already used, that he is just another club lackey mouthing the Newspeak the club wants the public to believe.
This has probably been in the pipeline and negotiated over some time. But because it has been announced now, it could be interpreted as a poor prioritizing by the club given all the other problems we have to resolve.
So good luck David. I fancy you are going to need it.
18 Posted 25/01/2022 at 17:56:40
19 Posted 25/01/2022 at 18:04:55
I respect the balancing act that has been necessary throughout his time reporting on all things Everton as the reality is that access is required to gain insight and that door can slam shut very quickly if you lack diplomacy.
I understand supporters' frustration at an apparent lack of deep investigative journalism during testing times (Destination Kirkby comes to mind) but I think Mr Prentice has walked a fine line wisely in an era where access has become so limited and commentary too scripted.
His book is a fantastic read and I've enjoyed his candid but balanced commentary with Gav Buckland, Adam and Sam on the Royal Blue Podcast. He's not been shy to be forthcoming with his opinion.
What we need to appreciate is that, in his new role, he is no longer a journalist from whom we can expect probing enquiry but rather a club representative responsible for helping improve communication with the supporters and the football community at large.
I can't think of a better candidate; a man of seeming integrity who is Blue to the bone and who will very likely seek to change things for the better in whatever way he can find influence on the inside.
Best of luck to him. A positive move from the club. COYB.
20 Posted 28/01/2022 at 19:09:18
Add Your Comments
In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.
Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site.
1 Posted 24/01/2022 at 01:35:40