TFG add US billionaire Christopher Sarofim as new Everton investor

Christy, there is one already. The plush Titanic Hotel, which is literally across the road from the stadium
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Titanic Hotel

Probably why Sarofim is joining the board. Some big investors are going to make a hell of a killing in the future.

Although the orange manchild is doing his best to knacker that.

I am going to assume that he will be here to look at business development opportunities in the area around the stadium and hopefully invest some funds into the transfer kitty.

This is all positive news, but there is still a lot to do on the future playing infrastructure (academy, scouting network, management).

We have been a ''poor relations'' club for many years and way behind the Saudi backed clubs and of course the Americans behind RS.

It's no surprise the product on the field has performed better since Moshiri went and Moyes was appointed.

Obviously we need new blood to get up to Blue heaven but the signs are there that good things are happening.

I, for one, cannot wait till this season ends and the new era begins at the new stadium.

Sounds like we’re finally entering the 21st century. What a difference from the Moshiri/kenshite clown show with their “board” containing The Three Stooges.

Btw, this guy doesn’t appear on Google or Wikipedia. Are we sure he’s real?

Does give you the impression doesn’t it Martin that we are at long last starting to have some serious people involved at the top of the tree as opposed to a West End theatre impresario.

Barry@9

I also like the fact that TFG keep their business to themselves until there is something worth announcing Barry. Some on here though wont like that particularly when it comes to the summer transfer window.

Sarofim has been an advisor, board member or patron of multiple local medical organizations like MD Anderson Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Heart Institute, UT Health Development Board and Texas Children's Cancer Center.

He just retired from the BOD of Kemper Insurance and is still on the board of a private real estate development company.

So this is a deep-pocketed investor with a long history with Friedkin, previous professional sports investing (he owns a piece of the NFL's Houston Texans) and some serious business chops. Interesting that he'll be a Board observer, at least to start with, rather than a full director.

Nigel #16, yep, I've mentioned that before about the Friedkins. They keep their cards very, very close.

Thanks for the info, Mike. I couldn’t find him anywhere. So what’s he going to do for us? Show us the money!!

The deluded rs have no sense of irony, Jeff.

Erm indeed Jeff. They are pathetic. Did he mention their own capitalist owners? I doubt it very much. They are honestly ridiculous.

Money is going to be spent on a poor and neglected area of the city that has been in decline for decades because of us. But it's best not to try and engage in sensible conversations with them as they can't see past their Bill Shankly and Stevie Gee framed pictures.

Collectively a very sad and bitter bunch.

Loadsamoney!!!

The bigger the investors buying into us, the more input there will be, better commercial opportunities and somebody to come in should the majority shareholders suddenly sell up.

As people have remarked above, I like TFG's discretion. They get things done and we hear about it once completed. BK used to blab to his media contacts from what I can tell.

Really interested to see what unfolds next season.

They have very, very brittle egos. I can only guess it comes from the fact we were always the bigger club until the 1970's (?) and their hiatus from the league title for so long.

I don't pretend to understand sending death threats on social media to their own players, burning their shirts or the criminal damage they cause while 'celebrating'.

I also cannot fathom that sense of entitlement they carry about.

Champion of the working classes. Ffs.

Was that the best offer that Thelwell could get? He should take Broja on loan with him.

Now, what is LOL?

Now seen as a catch-all phrase to describe both radical followers and opponents of the greatest commander in chief and tarrif apostle.

Eze, Guehi, Olise, Wharton, Mateta. Was linked with United.

I remember a lad trying to wind me up in the gym, saying that they had just been saying on talksport, that Rangers are bigger than Everton, until he heard my reply that I thought they might also be bigger than Liverpool!

That was a few years ago now and our neighbours, have grown beyond belief and must now be amongst the ten biggest football clubs in the world, but I’d argue both Glaswegian teams would make the top twenty five because they are both international teams, when it comes to how they garner so much support.

The premier league is where the money is though, and on this scale the Scottish premier league is light years behind it’s English counterpart.

Whenever you look at clubs, who have got a great record of buying then nurturing players, before selling them for a decent profit and then watching them prosper in a bigger league, then Glasgow Celtic, must be amongst the best on British soil, so maybe this is what Rangers, might be thinking, with the appointment of Thelwell?

Only time will tell🤷‍♂️

It intrigued me because it wasn’t really about coaching children, which seems to be the vogue in this modern age, but more about letting the kids play inside cages, which probably creates an environment similar to playing in the street, which has sadly been lost over time.

They highlighted the skills of people like Wilfred Saha, and said that there’s no way on gods earth, that some of his skilful trickery could be coached into a player, so the conclusion was that he had taught himself.

Innovation is everything imo, and I live in hope that somewhere along the line, Everton can find themselves a talented innovator🤞

THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT!

It's becoming no different and as predictable.

Liverpool had won the league and the bottom three were relegated by Christmas. I don't need hindsight or "told you so" to tell anyone on here that.

I leap to the assumption that he went back through my posts on whatever thread announced Thelwell's departure (as is his wont) only to discover that indeed I never said "big" club or "huge" club or anything resembling it... only that he'd be re-employed quickly. And so he is -- just six weeks later.

But rather than concede the accuracy of my prediction, or simply ignore the response, Mr. Integrity invents a false claim of words being massaged and manipulated.

How Trumpian.

Pig sphincters? People do realise the meat is covered in skin in life? Do they understand physiology, respiration, excretion through a variety of routes? If you are that squeamish best to avoid meat altogether.

I have always believed that American society has a substantial stratum that is deeply bigoted and susceptible to demagoguery and fear mongering. Trump‘s primary appeal is rage-driven.

That was my explanation for his first election, in which he actually got fewer popular votes, but got what he got in the right places. That stripe of society was enraged after spending eight years under the leadership of a black president. An articulate and effective black president.

That he has come back a second time after being convicted of 34 felonies and adjudged by two civil courts to be a rapist… and actually won the popular vote… that I can only ascribe to the rotting of America’s moral core. This country has a hole in its soul.

Not much I can say beyond that.

I suppose throwing a Blue smoke flair in the Kop is pushing it.

Not much to ask.

I can only quote a right-wing but anti-Trump commentator named Jonathan V. Last:

"The American age is over. And it ended because the American people were no longer worthy of it."

Says it for me. I'm kinda glad to be in the final quarter of my life so I won't see our final slow fade into irrelevance.

The Americans I know that support Trump are all well educated university engineering degree holders, and a lieutenant* in the marines.

*Pronounced leftenant for our American readers.

Trump is going on and on with his appalling tariffs regime, during which mega-rich supporters of his have sold at a high price their shares in whatever company, just before he spouted his current tariff shite - thereby massively reducing the value of the shares they'd just sold at the top price, thereby enabling those wealthy, avaricious bastards to re-invest their ill-gotten profits back into the far lower value shares they originally sold.

Those wealthy avaricious bastards win big-time whilst ordinary folk suffer, and pay extra for the privilege. No doubt Trump gets bunged a few $million in gratitude though.

Further, he's on telly despising whoever authorised what he now calls "this terrible trade deal with Canada" - trying to crucify that noble country as a consequence.

The fact is that it was Trump in 2018 who authorised that very same trade deal, and loudly boasted of it on telly.

And yet American people vote for him.

I've enjoyed the thread, and especially the reference to pigs' arseholes, but there's way more dangerous things to humanity these days than a pig's arsehole; alive, dead, cured, preserved, clean or pickled!

By the way, do pigs trump too?

One restaurant I went to had rooster balls on the menu, the missus refused to ask whether the dish was for a pair or a dozen.

They have restaurants dedicated to whole animals, like a pig restaurant will prepare and server every part of the animal including the arsehole and all the intestines that the shit travelled through to get there. Pigs ear salad is very like somtam for those that know Thai foods.

In a goat restaurant they served us a dish that looked like soft fingernails, it was foreskin. Then the main course came and it was the full stuffed penis with balls attached. Last week I was drinking goat bollocks wine with the bro-in-law.

There is also a restaurant dedicated to snakes which I've not tried yet but have had pigeon and rat several times.

And without getting knee deep in the other discussion, let me add this: The strategy that paid off was appealing to low-propensity voters, which is basically a 'fuck you' vote to the system. These voters were also likely to take the message that the "elites dgaf about you'. Whether that crowd can do some basic math and figure it out is debatable. They seem just as likely to look upon politics as some sort of social sport.

I wrote that respectfully and objectivel, please don't light me up for that. Chew on a porky rim if that helps. That was funny John.

Which they probably do.

With equities, stocks and the dollar down, he will cave soon on tariffs claiming a victory because he does a deal with Vietnam.

As for Vance, he looks like funk man’s transitioning daughter from Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Since then he claims to have seen the light.

Like his bent boss, he's a dangerous twat.

.........shaping the world we all live in.

Trump's big appeal is he's not a politician, he's a business man. People are sick of the politico double speak that gets the voter no benefits while the politicians rape millions of dollars with insider dealings (Pelosi et al...allegedly).

Trump speaks the language of the common man so garners more trust.

On Viet Nam tarriffs, the Chinese companies are already moving their transhipment operations to Indonesia. Trump will have fun chasing the dragon.

And when Trump's turn of office is over he now has a ready made successor in Vance, who of course he woukd offer advice to.

Maybe Rangers in Scotland and Northern Ireland Tony. I see Celtic gear all over the city here and hardly ever if ever see anything Rangers.

There is no way that Thelwell would have gone to Ibrox if a decent PL club offered him a job. No way. And it's likely that the wages will be lower there. This is a backwards step for Thelwell.

I think that he would rather have gone sidewaysish to Palace or equivalent although, as Ian (60 shows), Freedman has done a better job at Palace than Thelwell has with us.

Imagine if we had Eze, Guehi, Olise, Wharton, Mateta, and Conor Gallagher. That woud solve every major issue we have except for full back.

Didn't Freedman leave Palace in the spring for Saudi money? Looks like Thelwell who was available did not interest them at all.

I've met his wife a few times. She did a PhD at Yale on economic policy in late seventeenth-century England. When I last met her not that long ago she was a raging democrat. And I mean 'raging'.

Why did you choose to use Pelosi when there is a far more obvious candidate to name?

Like Paul@13 said, TFG is targeting investors with tons of network who can open doors to more funding channels. I am guessing that TFG has learnt their lessons at Italy: better grab the lands around the stadium first (like in the Monopoly game) and develop them into an Entertainment & Hospitality hot spot (imagine 20 times bigger than Albert Dock) before putting money back into the Playing Squad (with FFP, they can't spend without thinking anyway). Hence, more investors like Sarofim are needed (TFG might still be smarting on the huge amount of money they poured in on players at Roma with nominal returns).

Mike@19, Sarofim himself has a typical CV: upon graduating from university, went to Goldman Sachs to learn the ropes for 2 years before heading back to work for his father's investment management company, before working his way up to secure the Crown Prince status. One point not to overlook: Sarofim's late father-in-law was a mayor of Houston, in other words tons of network within the political circle that might be able to complement TFG.

But this just goes to highlight how badly our club has been run for years... no need to name names.

Seems like we have some real professionals now overseeing Evertons future.

I look around the Western world and no longer see sovereign states but populations being managed and manipulated by the wealthy. The return of the Great Pirates.

In my experience, I think most of their supporters would welcome it and to me it makes sense, but maybe there is resistance or football politics with the Scottish and English FAs? I can't see the SFA wanting to lose their biggest assets by far.

There is no theoretical reason it couldn't happen. We already have several Welsh teams in the English leagues and Berwick play in the Scottish league. But it throws up a number of questions.

At which level would they enter? Straight in at the top or League 2 to work their way up? Would it be restricted to just Celtic and Rangers or consider the likes of Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen? Would it require a complete re-structuring of the football pyramid? Probably, which I would welcome anyway. And would it take us down a British League route, would that result in the potential merging of the English, Scottish and Welsh FAs? Would that result in change at the national level and see the nations compete as the UK in international competitions? Are Celtic and Rangers happy with their lot as the big fish in a small pond? Joining the English or British league would present as many risks as it would opportunities. They certainly wouldn't be top dogs anymore with almost guaranteed success.

There was talk of a Celtic (not the football club) league being formed not so long ago. The proposal was for the leagues of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic to merge. I seem to recall something similar being discussed for the BENLUX leagues, involving the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg. Again, it never flew.

Anyway, back to TFG and Everton. This is a positive move and already in the space of months, our new owners have shook up the management structure of the club, are stamping their mark and attracting investment. They've achieved more in 4 months than the previous regimes did in 40 years. Moshiri, despite his financial incompetence and taking us to the brink, gets one pass for the stadium. Lots to look forward to, providing this all translates to where it matters most. On the pitch.

One final, minor point. It's early morning, I'm going through my regimented routine of exercise, walking the dog and breakfast. My OCD is always at it's peak this time of day. Everton are not yet subject to UEFA's FFP as we are not yet competing in European competition. We are subject to the Premier League's PSR rules. They are similar, but there are also subtle differences. I know it's just a phrase, but thought I'd point it out!!!

To begin with, huge numbers of the population don’t vote or don’t pay any attention before they do. As Mike G. said, there are a good number of far-right types, maybe 30%, who are quite bigoted in one way or another, despite many claiming to be good evangelical Christians. Somehow those people will vote for a thrice-divorced lying narcissist felon no matter what, falling for his lies.

The rest of the Trump voters are made up of Republicans who didn’t believe Trump would be this bad this time around; despise Democrats more than anything else; or still believe that despite Trump’s awfulness, his anti-immigration, low-tax, anti-transgender, isolationist, otherwise confusing ideology makes the authoritarian desires all worth it. Or something like that. With a healthy dose of independent and former Democratic voters mixed in.

And at the end of the day, the Democrats in America have royally fucked up for decades actually doing little for many working people, and most non-elites saw the party for what they were, rich bastards masquerading as progressives, and the common folk stopped giving a shit about having their backs in their faux identity politics wars that didn’t help the working man and allowed the 1% to keep amassing more wealth even when they were in charge. So they deserve a whole lot of credit for fucking things up, not least putting forth two pretty bad candidates in Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris.

Generally come on here for the escape from politics, but since we somehow ended up here, presumably because Trump is single-handedly working to destroy the world. And because I’m a proud American who somehow has to make sense of this horror show. I think it’s time to move to the new neighborhood outside Bramley Moore.

Link

It will be interesting to see if they have the expertise to overhaul the football operations structure, including recruitment, in similar fashion.

I am reserving judgement on this as the proposed appointment of Nicky Hammond from Leeds (mooted) does not impress me.

One hundred and fifty thousand people on the streets of Manchester, is a lot of people. A pilgrimage of sorts when you consider 75% of the people wouldn’t have had a match ticket, and although I have always been a Celtic fan, I have to admit that my respect for Glasgow Rangers, definitely grew after that game.

They are sly bastards the English, because if it’s true the 26 counties left on their lights, there was no need to take it out on the other 6 counties, by turning the television off!

I don’t know enough about the Chinese, but what I see is that they work hard, keep themselves to themselves, and appear to be very patient people, who probably wouldn’t back down to anyone unless it suited them?

My belief is that Trump, and his advisors have got a plan to make themselves even richer, and when people start saying that he has finally seen a bit of sense, that will be the time to check their bank accounts?

The left and the right wing politicians are both only interested in one thing, imo. The only universal religion in the world has always been the root of all evil, and has definitely won more souls, than all the other religions put together.

There absolutely is. The Welsh involvement in our footy is historic - Wales, by the way, was fully incorporated into the Kingdom of England by the Laws in Wales Acts of 1535 and 1542. The concept of Britain as a unified archipelago did not exist then.

Celtic and Rangers would only join us and Arsenal etc. in a British League. If, IF, they joined our structure it would be D1/D2. So we relegate 5 in one year to accept the two I the PL?

No chance. If Rangers joined the PL next season they would finish 17th/20th; Celtic 15th/17th. Think of the violence Danny.

Why would we bother? We don't need them. The PL is already the richest world in the league by some distance.

Erm, Eric, 89:

'Democrats call for insider trading investigation over Trump’s tariff pause'

https://www.aol.com/news/democrats-call-insider-trading-probes-064700749.htm

How did they count them?

Yes, I know my history and the incorporation of Wales into England before the English and Scottish crowns were unified (1603) and political union in 1707.

Cardiff City, Swansea City, Newport County, Wrexham and Merthyr Town (didn't know that one), had no option to apply to join the English league because in the 1920s, when they did, a Welsh league didn't exist.

Fast bowler Mark Murphy will have to confirm as cricket isn't my thing, but I believe Welsh cricket is represented by the England and Wales Cricket Board and Welsh players can represent England, the name the team goes under for international matches?

History moves on and times change, hence my "theoretically possible" statement. It could happen if there was the will to make it happen. I think I covered resistance. In my opinion, that would definitely come from the Scottish FA and maybe the English and Welsh FAs.

I personally wouldn't have issue with it, but, as I said, it would throw up more questions than answers, so will probably remain in the "all too difficult" pile. File and forget, mark and avoid.

Like Tony, I too have always leaned towards Celtic as my Scottish team, but have a lot of respect for Rangers and quite a few very good friends who are fanatical supporters. I see Rangers are currently in the due diligence phase of a proposed takeover by a US investment consortium. I haven't gone into the detail, but as the would be investors already have a stake in Leeds, it would have been in doubt had Leeds not been promoted, but now they have been, it's okay. Figure that one out!!

"The UK government has established the Shared Prosperity Fund to replace EU funding for projects like docklands development, focusing on three key areas: communities and place, supporting local businesses, and people and skills. This fund aims to level up regions, with local leaders having a greater say in how the money is spent.

Bramley-Moore Dock and Central Docks area in Liverpool qualifies for central government funding through Homes England, specifically for its role in the Liverpool Waters regeneration initiative. This funding, which includes a £56 million investment, is aimed at accelerating the regeneration of the city's northern docks and boosting housing supply.

Treasury approval for Liverpool Waters’ £56m brownfield housing boost

30 Oct 2024

A £56m investment by Homes England to speed up the regeneration of a major brownfield site within Liverpool Waters and bring life back to the city’s historic northern docklands, has been given final approval by HM Treasury.

The funding will support the creation of a new public park and vital infrastructure that will accommodate approximately 2,350 new homes and is all part of the government’s plans to build 1.5 million new homes across the UK in the next five years.

The investment by Homes England relates to Central Docks, the largest of five neighbourhoods within the emerging Liverpool Waters district. Owned and master planned by waterside regeneration specialists Peel Waters, Liverpool Waters extends over 2km along the banks of the River Mersey and has outline planning permission across 60 hectares. The Central Docks neighbourhood alone is projected to attract over £550m in private investment.

There are currently around £1billion of new developments under construction across Liverpool Waters, including the new 52,888-seater Everton Stadium, the Mersey Heat district heating network served by an innovative Water Source Heat Pump energy centre, and over 600 new homes currently being built – adding to the nearly 1,200 homes already completed and occupied across the Princes Dock and Central Docks neighbourhoods. The Isle of Man’s new £70m ferry terminal also located within Liverpool Waters completed in June this year.

In July, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet agreed to enter into an agreement with Homes England to accept Brownfield Infrastructure Land grant funding and act as accountable body on behalf of Peel Waters to deliver site infrastructure and follow-on development.

The Central Docks scheme at Liverpool Waters was also identified by the Liverpool Strategic Futures Panel, chaired by Mayor Steve Rotheram, and forms part of Liverpool’s ambitious 20-year plan for the whole of its iconic waterfront.

Liverpool City Council has also made a similar brownfield site commitment in its draft housing strategy, currently subject to a public consultation, which supports the delivery of 2,000 new homes every year to 2030 and to double the number of affordable homes across the city.

The key infrastructure within the 10.5-hectare scheme, which comprises underground utilities, roads, pavements, public park, green spaces, and public amenities, will lay the groundwork for future investments and the development of a diverse mix of new housing in addition to commercial, community, retail and leisure facilities. 20% of the new homes planned at Central Docks will be affordable.

With full planning approval for the site preparation work, the comprehensive plans for Central Docks include the creation of an interconnected network of public spaces. The proposed new landscape will be enriched with the planting of hundreds of trees, with the centrepiece being ‘Central Park,’ a sprawling 2.1-hectare oasis, set to become one of the city’s largest urban green spaces.

Central Park’s design will celebrate the site’s industrial heritage and coastal location, blending coastal and woodland plantations, wetlands, and open parkland. Embracing inclusivity and sustainability, the park will feature amenities such as shelters, sports and recreational facilities, play spaces and wildlife habitats, to be enjoyed by both residents and visitors.

The development will also significantly enhance connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists, with the ultimate aim of creating seamless open access between the city centre, Princes Dock, Central Docks and Everton’s new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock."

All similar type developments are not car friendly ,being concerned with their Carbon footprint.Parking is normally out of town.

Football didn't exist in the 1500s Paul!!

Trust me on this one mate. 'Football' appears hundreds if not thousands of times in Tudor and Stuart sources.

I remember a little firm of Russians as well, whom like a lot of foreign visitors were absolutely disgusted by our lack of brothels!

I remember a couple of the Russians were being their arrogant selves, and I said to them you wouldn’t even be in the final, if it wasn’t for Everton, and one of the English speakers out of their little firm suddenly grabbed his mates, and must have been telling them to thank the Evertonian, because they suddenly started smiling and clapping😂

I agree with you about the violence Paul, and think Rangers would be a lot worse than Celtic, even though they are the group that want to be part of the union?

It's going to take time and there is frustration that the local Government authorities sat on their hands for 4 years instead of getting ahead of the game.

From the detail you provide, it seems there is a lot going on in the background and now the club are taking the initiative. Maybe that will kick the council and city region into gear. Bless them, they've probably been too busy planning the Devil's victory parade. Well, those of them not on bribery charges.

But it's happening.

I've always thought Rangers caused more trouble. Didn't they at Goodison in a pre-season friend in the 90s? Whereas I've been to pre-seasons against Celtic, both at Goodison and Celtic Park and there were no problems.

Even though I'm Celtic leaning, I must admit to feeling uncomfortable with the IRA songs, for obvious reasons. And yes, Rangers obviously support the union and wave their Union Jacks as much as Celtic do the Tricolour. In Northern Ireland a lot of the Rangers supporters there turn to England for international matches, as well as Northern Ireland, whereas the Ulster Celtic lot turn to the Republic in general.

There's another one. I've often wondered why the North and Republic haven't followed Rugby Union's suit with regards to the national team. That seems to work.

I don't doubt that Paul. I should have been more specific. Organised Football Association football.

It was 1603 Paul. After the death of the childless Elizabeth I. James IV of Scotland became James I of England and Ireland.

What does this new investor do to the total number of shares and the low price of said shares that the many, as I call them, 'Legacy Shareholders' are now stuck with?

their is clear evidence that the mega embassy they want to build in London would have cells for prisoners.

Illegal police stations have been uncovered in USA

They have also put bounties on HK dissidents in this country and Starmer is asking foor a trade deal. They have little respect for our country or our laws

Link

Link

Christ, it must be a tough life being a billionaire…

I did worry at first if it was a good idea for a company that own other football clubs being our new owners but so far all the appointments they have made make me feel these guys are here for the long haul.

If Rangers and Celtic were ever allowed to play in the EPL, clubs like Spurs and Newcastle, Chelsea and even City would get a graphic demonstration of what a big club actually looks like

We took a walk from the Pier Head down to Bramley Moore on Sunday morning and it is disappointing that so little has been done in the areas surrounding the stadium. However the potential is obvious. We have confirmed our status in the Premier League, and we have serious businessmen now in charge of the club. I would hope and expect that the investment and development will start to flow.

I think all the uncertainty with points deductions, relegation fears and even going into administration, along with the lack of a clear plan from our previous owner must have acted as a deterrent to potential investors. The amount of space leading up to the stadium on both sides of the dock road provides great opportunities for new business. I would expect that TFG will be bringing pressure to bear on the council to enable new business development to be accelerated.

The stadium looks a bit isolated at the moment but it should now kick start further development all around it. Lets hope so.

We discussed the match and before we parted ways, I asked him why he wasn't Mayor of the Liverpool City Region. He smiled and responded "good question"!!

Nigel, I get what you're saying and appreciate you will be talking about them as a collective. I served with a lot of Celtic and Rangers supporters, who got on fine. Yes there was rivalry, but not much different to Everton-Liverpool and mostly banter.

I have mentioned this before, but when patrolling in Northern Ireland, not that we didn't know, but you could tell which area you were in by the flags on the lamp posts. It got a bit weird in my opinion when the Unionist/Loyalilst areas started also flying Israel flags alongside the Union Flag and the Nationalist/Republican area the Palestinian flag alongside the Tricolour. It didn't make sense to me. That was mainly in Belfast and Derry.

Matchday can bring out the worse in supporters. Tragedy singing about Munich and Heysels. Okay, not quite sectarian, but songs and chants with political undertones. Those aimed at scousers that belong in the 80s (sign on, we pay your benefits etc) and our very own chanting f@%k the Tories at away matches when we head south. I'll expect that one on Saturday at Chelsea as well as the rent boys one.

Football is tribal.

James, what an anniversary to remember, and it brought me back to the Everton Stadium and the opportunities. It made me think. We and other generations have memories. It won't be too long before a sizeable number of our supporters will only know Everton at Bramley Moore Dock. Let's look to them building a future on our history and having the same experiences and stories to tell that we have.

Could ease road and foot traffic congestion..

Fair points Danny.

He's just come on board to offer advice more than anything.

Rich people entry is having skin in the game, and putting chips on the table to be in 'the club'.

This rarely comes free unless you're an employee with specialist skills.

Time will tell, but I guess he's ponying up.

Free advice? Nothing is free.

Your post prompted me to look at how much Palace paid for the players in your list and when:

Eze - £17m in 2020
Guéhi - £18m in 2021
Olise - £8.3m in 2021 (initially on loan)
Mateta - £14m in 2021
Gallagher - Loan for one season 2021/22
Wharton - £22m in 2024

As can be seen all bar Wharton were recruited in 2020-2021 when, in the pre-Thelwell tenure, we were still splurging money on the likes of James, Allan and Doucouré. By the time Thelwell arrived in February 2022 all Moshiri/Usmanov’s money had obviously gone with our transfer dealings determined by the requirement to sell key players and the preparedness of other clubs to accept transfer fees on ‘buy now, pay (much) later’ terms.

Thus we found ourselves outbid by other clubs for a whole host of players with the likes of Wharton beyond our reach. Interestingly Palace are one of the few teams in the Premier League we have regularly beaten in recent years including this season’s double.

I, for one, fully support your call for the 1878 group to be brought onto the pitch for the faithful to show their appreciation for a job well done.

As for the ticker tape reception. You've got my heart racing. One of my fondest memories in football was the first time I saw Cesar Menotti's Argentina side walk out at the River plate to open the World cup. I was totally gobsmacked. I had never (still havent) seen any team receive reception like it.

After that. I would never miss the start of any BBC game during that tournament because the program would open with the footage to the tune of Argentina Melody.... Spine tingling.

I would love to see it replicated from all three upper stands and the rafters in Park End.

Lets ditch that awful tinny "Grand old team" and play Z Cars a little earlier. Lets have the players come out to a blizzard of ticker tape. A sea of blue flags. Sirens and thunderous and joyous rendition of "spirit" ringing around our forever spiritual home.

Lets show those anthem singing gobshites (and the rest of football) what a proper Evertonian reception looks like

As is often the case, I'm just referring to the front face mate. I have always had a feeling that those little yellow men from the east are absolutely ruthless. The last time I was in Turkey, the fella whose boat I ended up going on told me he had lived in Thailand for 5years.

I obviously turned the conversation and started talking about that wonderful country, and the Turk said to me that the front face might be beautiful but the back face can be truly horrific.

I can imagine the Chinese to be even worse. My view is that, once a Turk starts talking about a race being extremely brutal and violent, then it's time to start listening!

The only problem is that it definitely wouldn’t stop there otherwise who fucking knows!?

That’s the first World Cup I can really remember Colin, Mario Kempes et al and the Scots wanting their money back after being beaten by Peru. If we could replicate that ticker tape reception and flags flying it would truly be amazing. Let’s hope it happens.

Would I invest in the club now, a definite yes and its a long time since I thought that.

Glad I could help.Your ideas are always heading in the right direction and it seems there is solid back up and plans.

Andrew #129

As I was researching the above I was wondering where the Light rail project was???.Thanks for the information.As a infra structure project it would be cost effective to install. Overhead would seem to fit the bill, answering alot of questions.

It seems that not only Everton needed Proper Professional input, but is was a essential contribution for the whole Docklands Development.

Fortunately Moshiri &Co are only in the Liver building, which they will have to exit in the future.There front seat Dockland Development plans are in tatters.

Going to Bramble Dock could be a wider experience than just going to the match.Everton will become a integrated part of the Whole Development.

Colin, agree with you on Grand Old Team. I've never liked it as much as Mark dislikes Marching. Spirit is rousing, especially at away matches. Don't get me wrong, it's fantastic at Goodison before and after with the background music, but when the away supporters are smashing it out in full voice, there is no better sound to hear at a football ground. Leicester a couple of seasons ago. Look at those young supporters.

Link

The countries mentioned, speaking from a professional perspective in my line of work, the ones to fear in this day of the internet and social media, in no particular order, are Russia, China, North Korea and Iran.

The US and UK are no saints, especially if you look at it from a historical perspective. We just play the good guys.

I get your point Tony on both counts. Yes the Chinese, if we are talking about the Chinese communities that have integrated into UK society, they have probably been the best. They will keep themselves to themselves, but they will have their own code of conduct.

China as a nation however is a different ball game. But we're all at it.

The 52-year-old has joined Roundhouse Capital Holdings, an entity within The Friedkin Group (TFG), which completed its takeover of Everton in December. Everton executive chairman Marc Watts said in a news release that Kidd will be an “incredible resource” for the club.

Elevated monorail, from the Albert Dock to Bramley Moore Dock with stops along the way.

A. modern day tip of the hat to the Docker's Umbrella, serving the city's visitors and Everton.

Respecting the past, but looking to the future, which is what this move is all about.

I remember driving near Granby and this Vietnamese man, said to me, “they are very bad people these Somalians, you know and I started laughing and said isn’t everyone.

Seriously they kidnapped a Vietnamese ship, and demanded a ransom off our country, he was telling me, and when I asked him how their leaders responded, he said they just never picked up the phone!

The same kid told me that it would have been a lot easier growing up in Vietnam, if the Americans, hadn’t been chased out, using South Korea, as the example of what they could have become, but I also remember reading about those Vietnamese, destroying the French, so make sure you behave yourself Eric!, because they also come across as being ruthless!

Those Argentina’s, were an absolute delight Colin, and I can still remember our class getting banned from the football tournament during the last week in Cardinal Godfrey, before it shut its doors for good, because one of the lads come into school with a massive sportsbag, full to the brim with ripped up paper, and it didn’t go down well when it was thrown from the balcony on top of the staff room.

Great days, who didn’t love an Argentina 💙

NBA Hall of Famer and Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd has joined the ownership group of Everton, the Premier League club announced on Thursday.

Kidd has joined Roundhouse Capital Holdings, which is part of The Friedkin Group -- the U.S. firm that completed its takeover of Everton in December.

"I'm honoured to be joining Everton's ownership at such an important moment," Kidd said. "With a new stadium on the horizon and a bright future ahead, it's a great moment to come on board."

The 52-year-old has been hailed as an "incredible resource for Everton" by executive chairman Marc Watts and joins with extensive experience in the NBA, on and off the court. Kidd was a 10-time NBA All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medal winner with the U.S. national team, and has since coached the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and the Mavericks.

Watts added: "As one of the NBA's greatest players and now a successful coach, his knowledge and winning mentality will be an incredible resource for Everton.

"He is a respected leader and household name for many sports fans and will bring a deeper understanding of high performance as we collectively strive to build a brighter future."

Actually, I have no idea what he brings. Except a little celebrity power. And maybe he can help Alcaraz with his passing.

On Somalis, worked with a few, great guys, but they weren't wearing eye patches or have parrots on their shoulders.

Viet Nam's development was held back after the American War by the losing side not allowing any country in the rest of the world from investing in it. That changed with Clinton's visit in 1994(?) And look at it now!

Well at least you can when you visit soon. It's booming since then and still growing, tariffs notwithstanding.

Halong Bay looks incredible but I suppose I’ve sailed past loads of rocks coming out of the sea in Thailand. One day hopefully, and I’m glad it’s booming because those people have suffered down the years.

It sounds like Jason Kidd, was or still is, an expert in his chosen sport, Mike? My own belief is that you can’t have too many of these people, so let’s hope this is part of a much better professional strategy being introduced into our club.

MAKEEVERTONGREATAGAIN##

Tony, I just hope he becomes a marketing resource. Dallas may be the hottest soccer market in America, and he's a beloved star there.

Pete #170, thanks for looking up those other examples.

Different sport, but sometimes sport is sport and these people might just have some valuable ideas and principles? That’s why I personally take this view, anyway 🤞

Asking for a friend

I lived in both Hanoi and Saigon - like anywhere, the only way that you get to see the real culture of a place is to either live there or know a local living in the place, or a long-term ex-pat. Sometimes you can discover many things about a culture that are also very distasteful too, or even a bit mundane on the day to day level!
These days Saigon is also a place to see a part of Japanese culture - great Japanese food there - I lived in Japan for almost 6 years - so, yeah can back up that claim!
But yes, trying to get the real cultural experience is very very hard when on holiday, though you do get a taste of the culture to a degree.
On to Everton - things seem to be taking shape in a professional proper way - but, let's wait and see!

Out with it Curt

Nigel (119): But Rangers/Chelsea would be a family gathering mate.

Great post John (90). I genuinely learnt a lot from it. Thanks.

No way is he 62 Scott (122), no way. He looks ancient and gaunt. I wish the eds would get rid of that photo.

Roger (124): You speak in such crude and dangerous polarities. You fall for all the lazy stereotypes to tar and feather the fan bases. On your shite about Celtic's "huge, toxic fan base" being anti-Semitic, I'll just quote from one response to this crap:

"Antisemitism is a charge often leveled at Celtic fans. When you have the gall to ask these idiotic accusers for any evidence, their response usually goes like this: “Well, look at all the Palestinian flags”. Once more for the hard of thinking: support for one group of people does not equate to hatred of another. This is right-wing dog-whistle politics at its very worst".

I am Pro-Palestinian Roger. But I’m not fucking anti-Semitic.

I know Celtic fans who are most definitely not "antisemitic", are not against Britain, and despise the IRA. I know only two Rangers fans and neither are "virulently anti-Catholic and anti-Irish". There is nothing worse than someone - you Roger - castigating and stigmatising the entire "huge, toxic fan base" on both sides with these blanket ignorant general characterisations/condemnations.

I'd go further Roger; your rancid generalisations cause the people who fit them to bask in them even more and to spout and act on their own shite from your shite.

Funny you should say that Paul, I remember a home game against Chelsea maybe late eighties early nineties. Celtic and Rangers didn’t have a game so a whole bunch of them came down to our game. Rangers to support Chelsea and Celtic presumably for Everton. My brother and I were passed by a coachload of Rangers fans beforehand as we were walking down the road. I couldn’t say if it was sectarian stuff they were singing and shouting as I literally couldn’t understand a word of it.

1. They started on the very same day as the 7 October pogrom - before the Israeli state had even started to consider its response.

2. The people shouting about the Israeli “genocide” -which it isn’t, the civilian-combatant casualty ratio in Gaza is less than the US/UK have ever managed - completely ignore real anti-Muslim genocides going on in the world in China and Myanmar and elsewhere. Only when Israel is involved do they get exercised.

3. The behaviour of the protestors, with calls for Intifada and violence against Jews. Only this week in Essex, a pro-Palestinian march just happened to take place outside a synagogue, at Passover. Police routinely advise Jews not to go near these marches. Many support Hamas, an organisation recognised as terrorist by the UK government.

Maybe you and they aren’t Jew-haters, I don’t know, but that is the impression given, for the reasons above. You may know that many Jews are leaving the UK, and hiding their Jewish identity in public.

As for Celtic and Rangers, of course there are many fans, probably a majority, who are decent people (and it is disingenuous to say I was referring to ALL the fans), but when you see grounds covered by the banners I refer to, and listen to the tens of thousands chanting vile songs, you can’t deny it looks like a huge toxic group. Or perhaps you think the songs are normal, just “banter”.

Finally, the language you use does no favours for you or your arguments, it is best to re-read before posting.

Jason Kidd, the Head Coach of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, has joined Roundhouse Capital Holdings, part of The Friedkin Group.

Kidd, a 10-time NBA All-Star, is widely regarded as one of the best players of his generation. As a player, he won the 2011 NBA Championship with the Dallas Mavericks and was a two-time Olympic gold medal winner with the U.S. national team in 2000 and 2008. As a Head Coach, he had spells at the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks before joining the Mavericks in 2021 and leading them to the Western Conference Championship in 2024.

As one of the NBA’s greatest players and now a successful coach, his knowledge and winning mentality will be an incredible resource for Everton.

“He is a respected leader and household name for many sports fans and will bring a deeper understanding of high performance as we collectively strive to build a brighter future for this storied club.”

It still happens nowadays. My 17 year old came back from a party last week where a load of rugby players were at.

There was a dartboard. One rugby lad put his hand across it and offered anyone who wanted to take potshots. Ended up with all 6 darts in his hand. The prick. My lad had the photos of this grinning mullet haired, ketamine hulk proudly showing it off.

His mate tried to put his knob and balls over the dartboard but after 20 mins of trying to get in the right position using a number of chairs gave up. For some reason all these rugby lads all had their tops off.

My lad came home and said no wonder my grandad (who actually played for Fartown, now known as Huddersfield Giants) said I should never play rugby.

The giant teddy story is quite funny though 🤣

If there were no hostages, then there is no reason for the IDF to be in Gaza (apart from trying to find those firing rockets at Israeli citizens) and all of us can then ask why they are still there when they do not withdraw.

Interesting post.The managing of pushing expectations in American Sport always comes across as a step above. It seems TFG are prepared to be innovative.

As I'm here I'll add my bit. The issue with the protests and counter protests is that either side never accounts for the atrocities on their side. It's who shouts the loudest about what the other faction has done.

Pro-Israel supporters call all people who protest at stopping the war Hamas supporters (not true) and Palestinian supporters call all Pro-Israel supporters Zionists (not true)

Hamas are scum and Netanyahu is also scum and a Zionist who is keeping the war going to save his own skin. He knows he's sitting in court as soon as the conflict is over, and that's just in Israel. That's not including the international warrant for his arrest as a war criminal.

I do politics/history/shite in general on Twitter.

A ridiculously simplistic and one sided post. Others on here have already educated you if you’re open minded enough to consider a differing viewpoint

My only addition is that there is no excuse, NO EXCUSE to kill tens of thousands of unarmed children, to injure tens of thousands more and to starve so many innocent people

Palestinians didn’t have a choice about whether they wanted Hamas in charge or not. And the conditions they were living in even pre October 7th were a variant on a nightmare. Sadly that nightmare is considered a heaven now.

And whilst I don’t necessarily support Hamas, consider one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter.

We can condemn October 7th by Hamas and STILL consider the Israeli genocide to be deplorable….both things can be true

But it all started on October 7th eh Mark?

Alright, I will give you the easy one; Make Everton Great Again. The other is so obvious that I think you just want to see some fireworks. Oh wait, they are already happening.

And didn't Bebe have their playbook? With intelligence assessment that it was a real document to be concerned about?

I know there's been some whispers about AJ Bell doing some level of sponsorship, but it would be beneficial if they both joined this new group of backers.

I say the more billionaires involved with the club the better, as long as it's not Elon Musk or Steve Bannon money.

I also remember a time when a country was attacked by terrorists and mobilised the whole world in a "War on Terror" attacking and occupying a country that had no part in that terrorist attack and killing innocent women and children along the way.

Now it seems terrorist attacks can be excused and retaliation frowned upon by the whole world?

And if you didn't find any good Vietnamese food and culture you were not in the right places, too much time in Pub Street? or Drinking Street as it's known locally. It used to be called Beer Hoi Corner and had little local restaurants selling good food and cheap beer but turned into that loud over priced tourist trap it is today so locals avoid it.

The Old Quarter is made up of 38 streets all selling something different, seems you only went to one street. And you didn't manage to see all the little temples hidden away in those streets? Or the traditional houses?

Although he might have been referring to the Minions!

Everyone understands the right to fight back when attacked, but the World War II approach to killing civilians is impossible to justify.

It has to stop.

Jason Kidd, as stated above, has been announced as a minor investor. In general, a mostly unremarkable news story, because while a hall of fame player and decent NBA coach, he’s not on the level of LeBron or Tom Brady as a celebrity American owner. He’s not moving the needle much to garner American support of Everton, though certainly doesn’t hurt I guess.

But every time I think of Kidd, I’m reminded that he once punched his wife. I’m all for second chances and such, but also become wary of celebrating people with that kind of past (among other questionable decisions, as detailed below). Let’s see how spicy this debate can become.

https://www.espn.com/blog/new-york/brooklyn-nets/post/_/id/19596/history-of-jason-kidds-past-incidents

I see that you’ve moved well beyond the Glasgow “thing” Roger.

So, “aggressive pro-Palestinian protests are anti-Semitic”. Presumably you accept that “pro-Palestinian protests” are not anti-Semitic? What makes a protest “aggressive” and how balanced is that likely to be if the definition comes from one Jewish-sympathising side? I am surprised that I still need to do this. Do you not realise that the vast majority of pro-Palestinian protestors are protesting against the Israeli Government and the fanatic who is in charge who cannot even set foot in countries who will serve the warrant against him.

Roger, do you even bother to think through the clear differences between Israel as a political entity and the Jewish people or between pro-Palestinian protest and anti-Semitism? It appears to me and others on here that you are unable to do so or do not want to do so. If this is indeed the case, then it makes your position staunchly ideological and unshfiting and dangerous. Anything that does not question itself is dangerous.

Have you spent any significant time in Israel Roger? I have. I spent 9 months at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and that was one of several visits. My Jewish friends would despise your view on the protestors’ anti-Semitism as much as they despise Netanyahu and his government. Are my Jewish friends anti-Semitic Roger? They would call your views one of the root causes for the situation we are now in. Every day that I have spent in Israel has always featured the most disgusting depictions of Palestinians whether simply overheard in a café or on the street. Jerusalem is full of Palestinian hating people encouraged by rabid calls from the most extreme media. What my friends call “settler speak” and calls for destroying Palestinians are every bit as bad as your Essex story. Spend some time in a room with some militant Orthodox Jews Roger and listen to the contempt they have for the Palestinian people and they also refuse to join the army, by the way.

Your first point I don’t know about so could you inform me and post evidence and links that directly show that pro-Palestinian protests began in Britian on October 7?

What on earth is a “civilian-combatant casualty ratio” Roger? You mean the proportion of deaths that are civilian compared with combatants. You claim breathtakingly that the rate in Gaza “is less than the US/UK have ever managed” (what person would use “managed”).

Want some figures and events Roger? The UN agency has verified the details of 8,119 civilians who were killed in Gaza from November 2023 to April 2024. Ready Roger?: 44% of the victims were classified as “minors”; 26% were classified as women. The most represented ages among the murdered were five to nine-year-olds. Around 80% of victims were killed in residential buildings. The UN recorded seven mass casualty events in Gaza in six days: 24/29 October 2024. The UN's Human Rights Office has condemned the high number of civilians killed largely due to “Israel's use of weapons with wide-area effects in densely populated areas”. The same Office said it found "unprecedented" levels of international law violations, raising concerns about "war crimes and other possible atrocity crimes".

The highest estimated civilian death rates in WW2 lie somewhere in the range 61-67%; the same for WW1 is 42-59%. And your point was what Roger? That the Israeli government is what “nicer” and “more caring” than the US and UK government because they killed a smaller proportion of civilians – which they have not? Unbelievable.

How shitty of you to write that “maybe” I am not a “Jew-hater”. How dare you write that. I condemn any act of violence irrespective of who the perpetrators are. Your bias comes out from its porous hiding place a lot Roger. You must be a fully paid-up international member of Lukid. Roger, do you condemn Israeli civilian atrocities in the Gaza Strip?

Your continuing efforts to stigmatise Glasgow fans are not worth any more of my time Roger. I will say one thing more. Think a little more carefully when you next use “fan base” not least when you decide not to qualify what you man by this.

I’ll end by restating a question Roger: do you condemn Israeli civilian atrocities in the Gaza Strip?

Perhaps, ‘amazingly enough’ Phil, because it isn’t? Perhaps Phil because the atrocities in Gaza are the work of one side?

October 7 was also a disgusting atrocity. It began this horrible cycle. But it is still used now to justify Israeli Government atrocities in Gaza. That is not accepted by the UN or anything with human rights in its title.

Hamas needs to be defeated. No one of anything near a right mind would not want them out of Gaza, not least the majority of Palestinian civilians who innocent are killed in sickening numbers by Israel’s government. Justifiably so, that government says, because they believe that there are some Hamas fighters in bunkers below them.

On December 29, 2024 the IDF said it had killed 8,000 Hamas fighters in all. 8,119 civilians were murdered in Gaza from November 2023 to April 2024 alone. On December 30 2023, Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor recorded 2,353 Hamas deaths and 27,681 civilian murders.

That, Roger, is a civilian murder rate of 92.16%. Would you be able to show me a higher rate for how the UK and US have ever 'managed' civilian deaths? There's another question that you need to answer.

I have yet to see any hint of moral outrage, or mass demonstrations, against any of these wars.

Neither have I seen any continuous, non-football, threads about the treatment of women and girls in Iran, Afghanistan or many African countries (FMG). Or the use of child labour in third world counties or, for that matter, famine and disease throughout large parts of the world

If you are so disturbed, and sickened (and rightly so) by what is happening in Gaza, maybe ask yourselves, why these other conflicts don’t merit your concern or outrage.

A regional (nuclear) war could be about to break out between Pakistan and India over the recent terrorist (or should we call them militants) attack in Kashmir. Will our resident experts in geopolitics be writhing long essays justifying one side or the other? I somehow doubt it.

We all have our own ideas, beliefs, prejudices, fears etc…but as I said previously (post 218) this is not the ideal venue to spout these on

I've been to Israel and the West Bank, both professionally and as tourist. It is a complex situation.

Name me a conflict over the centuries that hasn't resulted in civilian collateral (a term we used). I'd be impressed if anyone could pull that one out, because I doubt it exists.

During my last operational tour in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, the politicians and generals imposed a policy of "courageous restraint" on us, meaning we had to, within reason, hold off if there was a danger of causing civilian casualties. Even if that was to our own cost, as the people you are fighting often blended in to the civilian population and used them as human shields, whilst still having a go at us. Sadly, it didn't completely eradicate casualties of war. That is from personal experience, not anything I've read.

A terrorist organisation started this very sad latest episode in a volatile region that has been a source of conflict for centuries. I defend Israel's right to respond against Hamas. I just question the techniques and tactics. Carpet bombing is very WW2 or Vietnam (take your pick). They could have been far more surgical in specifically targeting Hamas leaders. The technology is there to back up the firepower to do so. Would it have totally erased civilian casualties? No. But it would have significantly reduced them. Again, that is from experience.

Anyway, Manchester today for a charity event in the build up the VE/VJ Day. Suited and wearing my 8 x medals and then back to London for Chelsea v Everton tomorrow. Can't wait for match day. It can't come quick enough.

Even Ukraine only registered on everyone's outrage radar in 2022. The fact that Russia annexed Crimea (Ukraine) in 2014 and had been fighting a proxy war in the east of the country from around that time, including shooting down a civilian airliner, went largely ignored.

Likewise their invasion of Georgia in 2008, a country where they still occupy a percentage of territory.

Of all the conflict zones I have been to, I would say Bosnia was the worst one. We weren't in a combat role, but witnessing the devastation, destruction and ethnic cleansing that had gone on was pretty traumatic.

I see we have another investor onboard. Things are starting to take shape off the pitch. Hopefully this will trickle down in the summer to get it right on the pitch.

I most certainly am 'concerned' about the wars you rightly list. Sudan and Somalia for me in particular where I have done what I can in the form of giving for years now.

It's not a ToffeeWeb thing Colin. Look at the coverage in the UK/US media - it's all Israel/Gaza and the Ukraine.

I'm very glad that you posted this CG. A timely reminder.

That's not true Danny mate respectfully. The Crimea has always been on the agenda in the media that I follow. That plane often turns up in discussion/debate/reporting.

Paul F @245, it goes deeper and way back from there. Ukraine is considered part of Russia by the Kremlin. It was the birthplace of the what became the Russian Empire and modern state, Kiev / Kyiv was the original capital. It's not too dissimilar to what Kosovo means to the Serbs.

It is ingrained in history and a significant percentage of the Crimean population is ethnic Russian. If they hadn't taken it illegally, they might have had a claim.

But let's not kid ourselves over nostalgic history. There is the small matter of the port of Sevastopol, home of the Soviet and now Russian Black Sea Fleet.

There is always another agenda. A bit like ridding the world of an evil dictator and weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Oil anyone?

Who is he and what will he bring to the table?

I’ve always believed BMD will herald a new dawn for us and it’s starting to look that way.

'It is ingrained in history and a significant percentage of the Crimean population is ethnic Russian. If they hadn't taken it illegally, they might have had a claim'.

That was Adolf Hitler's justification for Lebensraum.

Putin, being ex-KGB has never really got over the break up of the Soviet Union. Belarus in his back pocket, Georgia and now Ukraine in his sights.

WW2 and the build up to it dating back to the late 19th century, is one of my favourite periods of history, so I am very familiar with that. There is a good and popular docu-series on Netflix "Hitler's Circle of Evil". Worth a watch.

I've probably spent about 5 years of my life in Germany. It took them a long time to come to terms with being proud to be German and fly their flags. It was probably as late as the 1990s before they felt comfortable doing so.

Was hoping to see the Chelsea v Everton preview for a Friday morning.

Are we thinking O'Brien moves centrally to partner Branthwaite and Patterson and comes in at right back?

I don’t think Patterson will be with us next season.

Time to get into match day mode.

Come on MK, get us back on track!!

I'm up late with a dry white watching true blue Billy Moore - 'hello my mate' - in Widnes on Utube. Only, like Paul Simon, gone through the station, but he got off the train. What a shithole. Domestic thug Barton's new home.

If Hamas has not killed 1,500 Israeli civilians on 7/10/2023 then there was no reason for the IDF to go into Gaza and the civilians could have continued their deprived existence thanks to their government lack of care for their people.

Mark 214 - a bit like that football only started in 1992, the debate about the conflict in the Middle East only started in 1948.

Around 2000 years ago that land was settled by Jews. In fact 700 years before that part of it was called Israel. They were kicked out by the Romans and displaced around the world. In WW1 it was under Turkish rule and Britain was given responsibility given Turkey picked the wrong side in the conflict. 1922 it was agreed to form a separate state so that the Jews around the world could return to their historical home. Things got in the way, like WW2, so it took until 1948 to happen.

Of course we must also ignore the ethnic cleansing that has happened in Palestine as many were Christians but they have been forced to leave by Muslim Hamas and also ignore the power struggles between Hamas and Palestinian Authority. We must also ignore that Hamas wants to remove all Jews by either deportation or death (I presume that is their favoured option) and so Israel is actually fighting for its own existence. With that in mind it is amazing that the IDF are not treating all Palestinians with care.

I remember the huge outcry when Saddam Hussein placed Westerners in strategic positions as Human Shields. Ever watched "The Train" as the Germans put French civilians on the locomotive so Bert Lancaster would not blow up the tracks, derail the loco and kill his own civilians? But putting command centres in hospitals, putting rocket launchers in housing areas it seems it is perfectly OK to use human shields if they are your own people.

Afterall, Hamas are such nice people. Yeah. Right.

Interesting that you mention Hitler here Paul. I can only go with my own personal experiences of the Ukraine, borne out of our away trip to Metalist Kharkiv in the Europa league.

There were Nazi salutes accompanying just about every Metalist song. The worst case was a 6 year old boy who wanted his photo taken with me and my mates underneath our big Everton banner. It was only when we looked back at the photo did we see this 6 year old boy with his arm raised in a Nazi salute on the photo. We were absolutely flabbergasted by this, a 6 year old boy.

Now this 6 year old hasn’t come to his own conclusions on this, he has been taught by his parents or whoever. No way is this a justification for what Putin has done and neither should we take the views of a selection of football fans, Zelensky is Jewish I believe, but it certainly added a new angle for me especially when I hear of Putin wanting to de Nazify Ukraine and protect abuses against ethnic Russians.

Remember the Ukrainian and Tatar Nazi SS death squads during WW2, largely responsible for administering the holocaust in Ukraine for Hitler. Saying that there were also partisan units operating against Hitler from the Ukraine.

As I said I’m not defending Putin in any way I think he is an imperialist megalomaniac but my experience certainly opened my eyes that there could be more to this than meets the eye.

Your WW2 erm 'observations' are just I'm sorry ignorant and your subjectivity.

This is disgusting - If Hamas has not killed 1,500 Israeli civilians on 7/10/2023 then there was no reason for the IDF to go into Gaza and the civilians could have continued their deprived existence thanks to their government lack of care for their people.

Absolute contempt for civilian life. I did. my best to point this out. You cling to your 7/10/2023 justifications in your frozen warped world Phil. Thank God in my world you are in a tiny minority, and that includes my Jewish friends,

What you have done you xxxxxx is to give Israel's government the green light to murder civilians you xxxxxx Nine out of ten Israeli killings in Gaza are murders of civilians you xxxxxxx

Rub salt into the wound you xxxxxxx You think Gaza people lived 'deprived existences'? You know nothing you condescending. I bet you've never been to Gaza and would never go. Ignorance is bliss right. You disgust anyone who cares about human rights, including Israelies.

I'm familiar with the Kiev past and WW2 accounts and you're right.

The lame in me says the lesser of two evils but we've housed a Ukrainian mother and three kids - husband killed later in the war - and they have suffered like no comparable Russian family in this war. Not one.

It is an occupying power, backed, funded and armed (signed bombs and all) by the greatest military power on earth.

According to international law an occupying power cannot be at war with an occupied people.

All carried out (in Gaza) inside a blockaded area with the most fortified border on earth where food, water and electricity is withheld arbitrarily by the occupiers.

It is the world’s largest concentration camp where civilians and children are not only burnt alive in their tents whilst sleeping but are starved too.

There is no war in Gaza, there's an occupying power committing GENOCIDE.

If he's not getting sent on loan, time to get him back involved with the first team squad.

If 7/10 had not happened - would the IDF have gone into Gaza?

If all the hostages were released - is there any justification for the IDF to continue.

I assume from your response you would say yes. I say No.

And given the international money being poured into Gaza to support the citizens - why does Gaza not look like Israel, a veritable industrial powerhouse compared to the rest of the region? Probably because Hamas used it all to buy munitions to attack Israeli citizens. So next question - How many rockets fired at Israel (and they are all indiscriminate so no chance of them targeting military facilities) in 2023 and how many Israeli airstrikes on Gaza.

And you are laying no blame on Hamas for starting it all. If you cannot see that hitting back after the other sides started a conflict then you need to look from a more neutral point of view and not just take one side. Do I think the level of IDF violence is right? No. But at least I think the blame is not 100% on one side which your passionate support of the Palestinians puts if 100% on Israel. I suspect you would like to see, as does Hamas, the destruction of Israel and maybe all Jews killed or deported?

The simple view that one side recently 'started' the conflict in Gaza/Palestine/Israel just doesn't stack up. Things don't happen in a vacuum. Never have and never will. Complexity, nuance and critical analysis become concepts that are swept aside to the all conquering simplicity of 'opinion'.

Try listening to Dylan's 'With God on Our Side' or reading 'Jerusalem' by Simon Sebag Montefiore. Just because something is your opinion, doesn't mean it's the truth.

Thanks for the heads up there Sam, just viewed the Cambridge Union Lecture by Jeffrey Sachs. All is sometimes not what we are spoon fed to believe.

Sam try thousands of years, with atrocities committed by all sides including the colonial powers of more recent centuries.

A war is many things and you know one.

Now if you support our club please move on and discuss how crap Moyes and Doucoure are.

I’m willing to draw a line.

Don't bother to respond to this post as I shall delete this once proud EVERTON site from my contact list as soon as I finish this missive.

The thing to do, not that you'll read this as you'll have flounced off into the distance, is ignore that particular thread. Just don't read it.

Also, not that you'll read this as you'll have flounced off into the distance, if you're going to leave just leave, don't make a song and dance about it.

Peter Taaffe long time force behind Militant has died age 83. Obituary even mentioned he was an Evertonian, as is his mate Derek Hatton.

And someone on here a few days ago was saying a red called him a Tory snob because he supported Everton. Do they have more than two brain cells to rub together?

No mate just the one, they swap it between themselves when one of them feels the need to spout crap.

To flounce off: to walk with large, noticeable movements, especially to attract attention or show that you are angry.

NOT what you were thinking. ;-))

Now everybody. Flounce!

Christine#298.

Completely agree. Thing is though we DO benefit from free speech (within reason) in this country, but like you I'd much prefer politics, war, religion to be discussed elsewhere.

Ah, you learn something new every day on TW Brian 😀

I expect you to practice your flounce for use at your next fallout with your significant other!

My perception on Ukraine is coloured by my Ukranian friends that tell me Russia is safeguarding ethnic Russians (in Ukraine and Crimea) in bordering countries, you know, just like you Brits went to safeguard ethnic British sheep thousands of miles away in The Malvinas.

They're from Donbask and gave me a completely different story than what the media feeds the masses.

Gavin, Michael still has input on here but not sure whether he has does exactly as he did before the site changed hands.

Thanks for the info. I wasn't even aware the site had changed hands. It shows how much I come on TW these days.

Where the fuck are the moderators on this site? Who the fuck are you SAM BARRETT to say who can and cannot go ans watch their team, in this case Everton?

Are you going to stand outside with your fellow Brownshirts with signs saying “Juden eintrit verboten “ or “Juden raus “ stopping any Zionist looking fans from entering? Because let’s be honest, zionists, in the main, are Jews so stop hiding behind euphemisms. Be a man and say what you mean.

I’ve kept quiet so far but enough is enough. You will not make Jewish, or pro-Israeli, Everton fans cower before your pathetic threats. Those days are over.

Feel free to answer with your faux outrage. I will not answer you but! I will be at he Ipswich game with two of my IDF serving cousins. With a bit of luck, we might bump into you and some of your Hamas loving vermin.

Moderators, if you exist, close down this fucking thread!!

Time to shut this down!

I have a lot of Israeli friends and not one of them has a single good think to say about Netanyahu who has had the PM seat for more than 17 years FFS and condemn out of hand each and every of the many atrocities committed against innocent civilians in the Gaza Strip.

Flag this commentI set up the Everton osc in Israel - “Israeli Toffees” We have about 40 odd members. I’m really sad that this thread h

Its the likes of Putin. Khomeini and Netanyahu that are the instigators and propagators of hate and discontent.

And the Germans killed the Jews,

And the Jews killed the Arabs

And the Arabs killed the hostages

And that is the news

And is it any wonder that the monkey’s confused.

Can’t “we see”

It all makes perfect sense

Expressed in dollars and cents

Pounds, shillings and pence

Can’t you see

It all makes perfect sense.

By the way, what is unacceptable about the phrase MAKE EVERTON GREAT AGAIN, Snide?

How on earth can you make the scurrilous claim that I am “laying no blame” on Hamas for starting this. I did so quite clearly but for whatever reason you decided to ignore that. Why was that Phil? Is this not clear enough for you: “October 7 was also a disgusting atrocity. It began this horrible cycle”.

“If 7/10 had not happened - would the IDF have gone into Gaza?”. Yes, inevitably they would have done so as they have been doing for many years now.

Roger Helm, I see that you decided not to answer my questions. That’s all I need to know about you. To be fair my #237 and #240 pulled that scrappy threadbare rug of yours from under your feet.

PH (265): the Ukraine have been bombing Russia.

Lots of Jews around the world rabid Zionists “total bollocks” eh? Who controls the American politicians and media? And the British politicians and media?
Oh dear you forgot Hollywood. You need a new dog whistle.

If this is what the world has become, then god help the lot of us🤦‍♂️

We all know how good Beardsley could be but I personally don’t think he ever reached the levels John Barnes did over the next couple of seasons Kieran, and those lucky bastards across the park, were treated to some outstanding, very easy on the eye, attacking football.

And no one used the R word. The complaint is about using this forum for divisive rhetoric and angry old man rants. Let's keep it simple.

Tony, I hope you feel better after that. I won't respond with an insult.

Does anyone remember what happened on 16–18 September 1982? I doubt many will.

Did anyone see the ex-West Ham player Eyal Berkovic calling for the death of all Gazans on Israeli TV recently? He is one the highest paid TV talk show presenters in Israel.

I just had to Google Eyal Berkovic/John Hartson. It helped a little.

Again, what's that got to do with the price of Borscht?

If there is a genuine Evertonian, on this planet (seemingly besides yourself) that doesn’t want to see Everton become great again, then I would be absolutely dumbfounded, and for you to start going on about Trump, is the reason I chose to use an abbreviation, of your ToffeeWeb name.

Donald Trump, has got absolutely nothing to do with Making Everton Great Again, and yet you deem my phrase unacceptable? Get a life Curt.

I also don't buy the excuse that certain phrases are chosen inadvertantly. Nor that words that use colour to define race are done so in humour, banter, or innocence.

It is 2025 — not 1975. If you are struggling to adapt then try harder.

A professionally run Everton is what we've been screaming out for for nearly 40 years.

No more nostalgia. Now is about the future and getting us back to where we all want us to be.

And the feel better comment referred to your letter switching not the club situation, another diversion.

Your "who does?", Mr Snyder, muddles meaning and is ungrammatical. Did you mean, by any chance, to write this:

"Tony, then why do you capitalize those words if you are not borrowing it from another source? Who does?"

Still fuzzy though. You see your implied meaning then could either be "Who does capitalise quotes?" in a sort of mocking tone, or the opposite "capitalised words are quotes from another source".

You really must write and express yourself more clearly, Curt, and look carefully how you used "Who does".

Also, "Do you want a bunch of this when you use divisive language?" Bunch of what, Curt?

Phew! Good to know that Tony can say what he wants.

It is intended as circumstantial evidence that anyone who claims they don't know who uses caps for that phrase is being disingenuous or mendacious.

I did misspell 'tutelage' on the Live Forum yesterday, I'll give you that.

Without logic = getting forensically analysed for writing Make Everton Great Again.

Paul's last sentence @392, spot on. Nuff said.

How silly. Mountains and molehills stuff.

Not every team wins, but suggesting you want better for Everton might even get you labelled obnoxious and entitled, even after abstaining from trying to win for most of the last 30 years.

But by who, Tony? By people who actually matter to you? This Curt Snyder fella, if he is new(ish) on here, has made a quite dramatically odd and often indecipherable debut.

Make Ferry Great Again!

It won't stop me wanting Everton back again, not surviving by the skin of our teeth as we have done or being satisfied with 7th.

Why shouldn't we believe?

I would say Make Everton Everton Again, to steal the phrase. Challenging for trophies. Competing in the league. Will it happen overnight? Probably not, but I'm not having this "It will take 5 or 10 years" mindset. We can move quicker than that.

1994 (Wimbledon), 1998 (Coventry) and 2023 (Bournemouth). To a lesser degree, 2022 (Palace), that gave us safety with a game to spare. Dark days, but we were there just as we always have been and will be.

No cause for celebration from me. Pure relief? Yes. But that is it and simply not good enough.