Dan Friedkin issues emotional goodbye to Goodison Park

I have a suspicion we finally have the owners we need and deserve.

Nice to see our motto remembered too. Its a long time since we heralded that.

This summer holds huge trepidation, but maybe, for the first time in a long while, some hope.

Lewis - Trust the new owners. They are intelligent, good businessmen, and know what they are doing. Look at what they did at Roma. They are long term looking and pragmatic. Be patient. They'll get us back near the top. Don't expect flashy signings, a catapult to the top of the table, or any such nonsense. They'll stabilize us, get us up the table, and long term have us battling with a team we can get behind for trophies and Champions League. I'll be a lot of money on that.

The words are from the heart and he has bought into Everton.

He respects Goodison, but is the person who has given us the future.

He's an Evertonian now. As we all know, there is no going back. Once you are in, it's for life.

Er... why has it taken the Echo at least 4 days to find this gem?

Just bizarre.

Their colour is red with a Liver bird in the red mix.

Excuse my OCD, but I like everything in alphabetical order. But no, on their website, it's LFC before Everton FC on the title bar.

I give them a miss and have done for decades.

Standby for the love fest on Monday.

Really nice to see your tribute to the fans and Our Grand Old Lady, would have been nice if you could have delivered those words in person on the pitch on Sunday.

Totally agree with Brian, actions speak louder than words and those words should have been spoken in person from the pitch.

Jury's still out for me.

I’ve had enough of owners taking the spotlight. Let them be in the background

But that doesn't matter. They want to make a return on investment. The only way to build value is success. They may be smart enough businessmen and football aware to do that. The proof will be in the eating.

We can do the emoting. What we can't do is the financing. To each, their own.

Despite the desperate efforts of one of our Yanks to show us that Dan the man and his lad were at The Old Lady [“the beating heart of English football”: straight from Dan’s pen, not] for her last men’s game, they were not. The son, apparently, chose to turn up for a meaningless match at Roma rather than hop on a plane for the 900 mile-ish trip to Liverpool where “a sacred moment in our club’s story” was taking place. Dad couldn’t even be arsed to fly his own super Gulfstream G650ER jet (registered as N28UD) over the pond for a quick turnaround at John Lennon (he loves flying it, apparently).

This love-message was probably penned by a secretary. I’ll bet 500 quid that Dan the man did not write a single word of it. He couldn’t even spare the time/commitment to drum up a thirty-second video for this “sacred moment in our club’s story [to] salute the Grand Old Lady” and with sad face send his "emotional goodbye".

So, don’t give me all this sugary and teary “breathe in that history” shite Mr. Friedkin. It sounds so plazzy. You should have been there at “a sacred moment in our club’s story”. A single appearance a season is worth more than this contrived piece of paper (you couldn’t even persuade the boy to hop on an executive jet for a short flight). But you chose to be elsewhere despite those ever so passionate, emotional, and wholeheartedly dedicated words. I’m a tad surprised that someone – anyone – who is so emotional and passionate about EFC did not show up, even though he had a nice comfy free seat.

Just keep on making big $$$$$$$$$$ you ace corporate bigshot. Your job is to give us some of it. Let’s see what you do for us over the summer – words/actions, actions/words. Meanwhile, you have to understand that whenever your corporate team comes up with some of this emotional drivel to placate some fans that others might not be prepared to drink them in at face value. There’s always another narrative. It’s not hard to find it.

G'wed lad, get typing, put ZCars on.

" For 133 years, this ground has been more than a stadium. It's been the beating heart of English football, where legends are born, generations unite, and hope echoes far beyond the terraces".

CORRECT DAN - SO WHY WERE YOU NOT THERE ON SUNDAY ?

You are the owner of our great club - show up - you should have been in the centre of the pitch speaking to the fans - you missed a huge opportunity.
Pretentious for me - only winning a trophy will change my mind, so get on it!

But if their cold professionalism brings us success, then we will embrace the new culture. But don’t make out you understand us. If you did, you would have been there on Sunday.

For 133 years this ground has been more than a stadium. It’s been the beating heart of English football, where legends “were” born, generations “United” and hope “echoed” far beyond the terraces.

Thank you for all you have given? We don’t want thanks Dan, we do it all off our own back and always will do, but we do want people who care and want to make us great again.

I personally don’t need words, but I’m very interested in actions though. The last owner fell on his sword, but his actions in building a new stadium, have hopefully paved the way for a much brighter future and the one before who was great with words, took a lot of us for absolute fools.

If it really was our passion and spirit that drew you to Everton, then why didn’t you come and see how great the Evertonians, can be on Sunday?

I also genuinely hope the women start winning things, but when is someone inside our club, going to start talking about triumphs for the men

Keep well, keep posting and keep entertaining Paul - I sometimes wonder if Chicago knew what they were letting themselves in for!!

Friedkin is exactly what we hoped for in an owner. He's serious, reputable, scandal-free and a massive financial powerhouse. He isn't a gambling magnate, a shady investment partnership buried in fraud allegations, a sanctioned oligarch's caddy, a showbiz impresario or an Arab country's wealth fund. He isn't a Glazer, a Ratcliffe, an Ashley, a Liebherr, a Levy or a Lewis. That makes me happy.

Early indications are that he's going to hire people and let them run the club. Will he make the right hiring decisions? Well, he's been successful in every business venture of his life, in the process hiring everybody from sales directors to movie directors to resort designers to conservationists. He's had a few bumps at Roma, but he seems to be getting it right now. I feel a hell of a lot better about his judgement than those of his two predecessors -- or our other potential buyers.

Was he at Goodison last weekend? Who cares? The Athletic reported "family members" and the executive chairman were there. His son was at the Roma game and the Italian press speculated that he went to Everton. Me, I couldn't care less. I care about him putting the right people in the right jobs and providing them with the financial and technical resources to deliberately restore this club to its former glory -- without legal, political, financial or Tandoori chicken complications.

And I believe that's what he will do. It'll take a while -- there are lots of puzzle pieces to juggle -- but I think we got the right guy.

Oliver #20, if Moshiri had succeeded in selling us to 777, you can bet those two shifty clowns would have been out in the center circle at Goodison with microphones in their hands -- and security guards around them to keep the process servers away.

I like this way better.

But I’ll reserve my judgment for when it matters. Big decisions on hiring, firing, spending, work in the community, and such.

At this point, we can all at least agree that the best thing that happened in the past year regarding ownership is that those 777 snakes went down in the mud where they belong, never to return to our beloved Goodison or set foot in the fancy new HillDick or whatever we’re calling it.

Well, ALL Evertonians I spoke with do - and found it very strange he was not at the ground, even non Everton people think it was disrespectful so I would say many many Evertonians care.

Also IMO it will take a hell of a lot longer than one window to determine whether the people he hires know what they're doing.

Oliver #29, God knows I wouldn't have missed that game. If I'd been the club's new owner I'd have been out there yelling my lungs out and waving a flag like that little girl who was shown swinging one about five times her size.

But everybody makes their own choices. I met enough team owners in my years as a journo to know they come in all types -- and whether they were good or bad owners wasn't determined by whether they came to games. I think our fans will forgive him quickly if he does his job well.

Our club, has been to hell and back though so I would definitely expect things to take time, although I will be making a judgement on the Friedkin’s, once I see how much money they are making available for new signings though.

The older I get the more I realise that nothing beats having a well thought out plan - so this is my biggest wish with regards these new owners.

"I love it when a plan comes together" 

Now BMD, and next season, is his baby and I’m sure he’ll make an appearance, or announcement, on day one. If not, then it will just show us we are part of his business portfolio ie just another brick in the wall.

Either way, as long as he invests in the club I don’t give a toss if he shows his face or not.

I’d pay to watch that, Jonathan. Maybe Don King could promote it.

Have you learnt the Z-Cars tune yet? You see, as a professional writer and interpreter of sources, cutting and pasting is just that, cutting and pasting.

Adding words, pay attention, is called interpretation. No words, it's cutting and pasting. You had a cracking weekend.

To Mike's earlier point about the character of your club's owner and how it relates to their actual ownership, I wish I'd never met the guy who owns my local club. It's always there in the back of my head what a scumbag he is when I give him my hard-earned money and cheer for the team. (And to be fair, our team appears pretty competently run.) I will always be annoyed this asshole owns my club no matter how well we do.

But that of course highlights a big difference between many American professional clubs and football clubs around the world, where the people are the real owners, the “owners” just the caretakers and bank account. It's a bonus if they actually seem to care about wins and losses and the fans.

It’s stupid really because all that money (what is made) can’t be spent when you have gone, and the only thing left behind is whatever legacy you leave.

I’m being honest and would have a dual ownership of Putin & Trump, if it meant Everton, started winning things again, and if we had those two, we wouldn’t be far off having as much power in the media as our lovable neighbours!

I don't think Roma's 3 - 1 win over AC Milan was meaningless mate. They now go into the last game within a point of Juventus and a Champions League place. Ironically, they play Juve's city rivals Torino.

Maybe his Goodison decision was also swayed by leaving that to us? His focus will be on the new stadium and the future. That's just a thought, not knowledge.

I'm on the side that he doesn't need to be here all the time. As long as he shows face occasionally, I'm okay with that. This feels different from Moshiri. He has put people in place to run the club and will no doubt be keeping tracks on how it is running, like I'm sure he does with his other 20 businesses.

Those charged with running Everton will be held accountable.

I agree with the views that the summer will give us an indication of his ambition for Everton. Words are fine and welcome, but it is action that speaks.

"But that of course highlights a big difference between many American professional clubs and football clubs around the world, where the people are the real owners, the “owners” just the caretakers and bank account. It's a bonus if they actually seem to care about wins and losses and the fans".

You explained well there a gulf or a difference and others of your nationality would do well to try and understand it.

Mr. Friedkin probably calls us his "franchise". And if the world was the same on both sides of the Atlantic, he would not hesitate to move us to say Milton Keynes or Skegness if it put mor $$$$$$ in his deep pockets.

Mind you, Everton Skegness Raiders has a ring to it.

That fella sounds like scum. Glad you're rid of him.

Speaking of showdowns where is Barry Rathbone? I haven't seen him posting since he announced he was going to America and offered Paul a "straightener" whilst he was in the hood.

That's several weeks back.

Paul F... have you something to share?

"The best place to end might be with Roger (80): “I think anonymity [on social media] should be banned, if you have an opinion, have the cojones to stand by it”.

I literally exploded in laughter so loud it startled the dog. That one goes straight into the Self-Own Hall of Fame. Especially the "cojones" part. Classic.

I know Z-Cars very well, thank you. (I even know how to spell it.) Why do you ask?

Anyway, we've effectively moved out, all the big stuff, sofas, beds, the boxes, are in the van, all that's left is the final clean for the new tenants.

But that's all it is - words.

Its Day 1; What we need to see, with baby steps in some cases if that what it takes, are Deeds!

I'm totally with you on the criticality of the planning. Our new CEO was pretty transparent about his plans when he was at Leeds, and I hope he is similarly open with us. Not knowing what's going on is pretty frustrating.

What say you, TW?

In terms of where we were and the impact Moyes made when he came in... very satisfied.

Is there a prize?

And on your attempted smarmy snide name comment. Water off a duck's back lad. A rather pathetic attempt. The people I care about on here know the full story about me, including my university advising us at the time when we signed up for media not to use proper names because of two cyber-attacks and the murder of a faculty member through trolling.

So, MG, enjoy your little minute in the sun, keep up the arrogant corrective tone of so many of your posts (I'm sure you've noted the comments on that), and, if you want, I can put up that LF post and many more similar from last year: "Hey PF that's a great sandwich. How much does it cost ... Wow, do they do takeout PF". And then the DCL great goal shite happened. Right?

Obsessed. Delusion. Is that really all you have got? Substance, Mr. Gaynes, substance. Try once to deal with arguments and prove them wrong. I mean, for example, I would welcome it if you took my post on they were there apart measured point by measured point to show how wrong I was, Mind you, there were a fair number of comments supporting me. Likewise, my post today on your corporate hero.

"Why burden me with your miserableness though."

You logged in and read the thread though?

I'm more unsure about your chosen general characterisation of those of us who dare to hope that Dan might have piloted his own super Gulfstream G650ER jet (registered as N28UD) over the pond for a quick turnaround at John Lennon for what "he" called “a sacred moment in our club’s story”: "Some of you must live on the very edge of being constantly unhappy. Your entitled. Why burden me with your miserableness though".

Why "constantly unhappy" Mike? I see that a lot. It's so trite. Do you think that Dan not being there actually makes me or anyone else "unhappy". Trust me, from the horse's mouth, it didn't make me unhappy. I have many more things that matter more that I could actually get unhappy about. What does "Your entitled" mean Mike? Could you explain that? "Miserableness", Mike, seriously? It's you alone who burdens yourself with what you choose to read.

How did I do MG? 9/10?

I get you guy's get a buzz off of it...but it's Sean Dyche like football on ToffeeWeb for the rest of us.

And I know you'll say "scroll on"...I have done but it fucking keeps coming back

"Snide": derogatory or mocking or insulting and contemptuous in an indirect way.

Do you see anything "indirect" on this thread Mike? I see zero that is snide in posts suggesting that it might be a good idea for Dan to have been there. Would you like Mike to go through this entire thread and give us an example of a "snide" remark against, I presume FRIEDKIN NOT FRIEDMAN. Nor do I believe that anyone insulted him or treated him with contempt. Perhaps you might show me otherwise?

How did I do MG? I'm thinking 9.5/10?

Seriously guys. I know from what you both post, you are passionate blues and I think what both of you are ultimately saying is that (as I said earlier) emoting does not cut the mustard, it's how well the club is run and financed that matters. On that topic I am mildly encouraged by the new CEO if only because we finally have a real CEO, not a fake one.

Friedkin can always pop over for the opening match in the new stadium. That would be good PR. Hopefully he and his team have got a halfway decent team together by then

If he and his team on site bring a modicum of professionalism, including ruthlessness, to what has been a shambolically run business for most of the last 40 years, I'll be more than happy. If that means he gets a return on his investment, he'll have done his job. As others state, maybe the emotional connection will osmotically build. cf. Dan Meis.

Because if he'd been "Rah rah Everton, the mighty Toffees" from day 1, I'd have been suspicious.

Oh and Danny #9, I have a variation of that condition called CDO. It's a bit like OCD, but the letters are in the correct order

I find the use of our motto “Nil Satis, Nisi Optimum” very encouraging. Dan Friedman has set the bar very high for himself.

We are moving into a wonderful new stadium and I for one want to give Farhad Moshiri a great big thank you for that. It cost him a packet.

So now the Friedkin group are in the fortunate position of building on the foundation laid by Farhad Moshiri. Let’s hope they build well.

I personally don’t care that he didn’t show up but I am very glad that our mad women Evertonians of all ages and their daughters did. It makes my “heart go boom, boom, boom”. There is something very special about that for me.

After over 30 years of bullshit hope is very welcome.I personally have found the past tarnished by these so called do gooders who have jumped on the back of the good work of others in Everton in the Community.I have seen these bullshiters time and time again in organisations,

Thank you Dan for acknowledging our history and adopting our motto as your rallying cry, which you already are applying in your running of Everton.We are in a better position than we have been for years.Moyes was the right choice despite my reservations.I will be hard on Moyes, but he has pulled a few surprises for me.

Keep up the good and necessary work.

Pass me the puke bucket.

“Thank you Dan for acknowledging our history and adopting our motto as your rallying cry, which you already are applying in your running of Everton”.

Jerome, sit down, take a deep breath, Dan didn’t write that love-message and there is in fact a decent chance that Dan has never read it. I’m sorry Jerome, Father Xmas does not exist, and this is a piece of ghostwritten corporate obligatory fluff. Dan knows as much of our history Jerome as you know about Agnes Bowker from Market Harborough who gave birth to a cat on 16 January 1569.

Jerome, I’m sorry, your Dan doesn’t really give a shit about me, you, his cheerleader on here, or Dixie Dean. He is interested in $$$$$$$ unless he sees us as a philanthropic project.

One last question Jerome, can you give us the reasons/evidence for why you think that Dan “has a [sic] affinity with the Club”?

The volume on the tele and the car radio must be set to even numbers, even though the wife would occasionally change it to 21 when I wasn't looking just to wind me up. Similarly with the temperature setting on the climate control.

9 league titles; I want 10. 5 FA Cups; I want 10 and 6.

Paul K @53. Of course they are here to make money. I'm sure Abramovich was at Chelsea. They make money, we make money by default. We are the consumers. The alternative option is to not attend or not subscribe to the various TV providers that screen matches if we disapprove.

For a long time, we've bemoaned the club's inability to generate revenue to compete. Well, now I feel it's going to change. I hope they can strike a balance. There are all sorts of potential tiered schemes they could consider, but we'll have to see and it will involve more than the extortionate price of a hot dog with blue ketchup. I don't eat hot dogs by the way.

I think (don't know), that we will start seeing more of them at the new stadium. Goodison wasn't theirs, the new stadium is. Although fair credit, they've decided to keep Goodison and its heritage. I for one, didn't expect that. An indication that they are starting to understand the club.

It's early days, but looking at how they have managed Roma gives me confidence that we will finally be run professionally for the first time since Sir John. They are on the brink of Champions League and guaranteed European football next season with investment in a new 55,000 capacity stadium on the horizon.

Not him, but his representatives visited Goodison, the new stadium and our offices in our Liver Building.

I get the sense they mean business. They will get to know Everton and Evertonians. It will take time, but the message shows they are paying attention.

Mark @69. Be careful with AI. It isn't in a place where the media would have us believe. The term has actually been around since the 1950s, but AI as is currently used as a buzz word, is still in its infancy.

I thought I'd give it a go, using the MS Chat GPT. Instead of a letter to the council about council tax, it threw up a request for an appointment at a school parents night!! You will always need human scrutiny until machines take over the world. But we've been talking about that since I can remember. We just used to call them robots and daleks.

You can take the boy out of Liverpool, but you can't take Liverpool out of the boy.

What is it about These rich born-with-a-silver-spoon Yanks that makes them believe the rest of the worlds population were born yesterday ?

post 63

"Its Dyche like football on Toffeeweb for the rest of us"

Oh the irony. At least Messrs Ferry and Gaynes have something to say and dont litter every thread with meaningless comments pedantically picking up on other peoples posts.

His father served and trained alongside the Royal Air Force in WW2. His Grandfather was a Russian born Jewish tailor, so they are from humble beginnings.

Yes, they've made their way in life through innovation and business and their children were handed the platform they created.

I can't deny them that. Don't we all want better for our kids than we had? I do.

Then you read this in the programme and you think about it in the cold light of day and really such a massive moment should have been acknowledged by the owners. A fluff piece in the programme is not great especially when you see one of them attended Roma.

I'm still kind of undecided, him not being there on the day in the moment didn't matter, it's only after you think maybe more should have been done. This debate would not be happening if the half arsed fluff piece had not been penned. Maybe saying nothing would have been better afterall.

I do wonder though if they see the new stadium as the start of the new era, and the start of them taking control and that's when we'll see them more

I mean he may take us back to the glory days of 40 years ago but so far, apart from a bit of a lazy and unimaginative managerial appointment he's done nothing.

Colin, I've been here for 25 years mate. Trust me, most Yanks believe that 'merica is the world's greatest idea, experiment, country, democracy, and force for good in the world. I've been physically threatened more than twice for suggesting a more rational approach.

Most Yanks never leave 'merica but fuck me they understand the world. Friedkin is one of a long long chain of Yanks who treat the world as their corporate commercial hunting ground but dear Sheedy they adore and idolise European culture and want to be connected with it and its traditions. There's a reason why Yank universities are the only ones in the world to teach a course called 'The History of Western Civilisation' and that is in the words of the two profs at Columba who invented it in 1921 to claim that 'merica is in a direct lineage to the ancient European past. It's a meaningless and meandering course but it's 'merica, a 'modern' country of a little more than 135 years who have to justify themselves and USA USA USA - chanted in St. Peters like the Ryder Cup when Leo got the nod - and $$$$$$$$ are the main weapons.

They don't understand us Colin.

Missed opportunity? In hindsight, possibly. As I keep saying, maybe they decided to leave the occasion to us, who have grown up with it since our first living memory that will last forever. Their focus will be on what's next.

Your last sentence says it for me. A new era in the history of this proud club and I'm sure they will be more visibly present.

I think saying nothing would have drawn equal if not more criticism.

When I arrived in 2009, I came to do a job. I left with something far greater. Love, memories and a second home. Goodison gave me more than just football. The Gwladys Street, the Park End, the chants, the passion. You carried us when our legs were heavy. You demanded more, because you knew we had more. And I loved that, I needed that.

This place isn’t just a stadium, it’s a soul. For six unforgettable years, I gave everything in the royal blue, felt every tackle, lived every victory and carried every defeat.

Now, as the time comes to say goodbye to this sacred ground, my heart is full. Sad, yes, but also proud. Proud to have been part of Goodison’s story. Proud to have shared that pitch with warriors. Proud to have heard my name from these stands.

Goodison may fall silent but its spirit will echo through everyone that walked through those turnstiles. It’s not just the end of a chapter, it’s the celebration of a legacy.

Forever grateful. Forever Everton. Merci

Once a Blue, Always a Blue. 💙

Who knows how it will pan out but this summer will be a key factor I imagine.

To give Moshiri some credit, when he first arrived he did back the manager with substantial funds, it's just that he selected the wrong manager for the task.

I personally would have backed Martinez with the moneyband given him one season with it rather than appoint Koeman who basically screwed it up fantastically in summer 2017.

Let's see what happens this summer, should be a very interesting time.

You're not the first to say that but it's still a great point mate. Let's see if posters saying that they did not want to detract from the day by their attendance has any legs. And, as you say Andy, let's see if Dan is there on the first BMD game.

One thing I know for sure, Mr. Gaynes will be. scouring The Athletic on that day for a whiff of proof.

So given the choice of a no show owner or Kenwright I know which I prefer.

Despite the end of season improvement, the season for me was horrible. Count me in the ‘Not Satisfied’ category

.I really don’t think we should ever be satisfied with a high of 13th. I know it could have been worse. We have to reset our mindset, or, reset our ‘ Nil satis nisi optimum’ motto.

Mark. Stop it mate. I'm trying to focus on Newcastle on Sunday.

Seriously though, I saw that yesterday. Beautiful words from Distin. Another player I rated, but had friends and family, who were ready to pounce on any mistake he made.

Football and any sport is littered with mistakes. He was a very good player for us, and he obviously caught Evertonianitis as John Senior calls it.

At the risk of you editing my post to make it say what you wanted it to say. Can I suggest you do a little research.

First research his father Thomas H then research his grand father Kenny.

I'm not really interested in your slight of hand by referring to them as "They" in order to portray Dan as a guy who came from humble beginnings. At the age of 35 he was handed keys to a kingdom ordinary people cant begin to imagine.

The archetypal silver spoon

If they continue to be hands off, fine then it shows they are just running us a business unit in their portfolio, but then they need to knock the sentimental shite on the head and stop pretending to care.

If they do genuinely start to take an interest great we might finally have owners that not only care but are also astute business people.

To be perfectly honest it has no bearing on my match day experience how I feel about the owners.

Everton has and always will be about the fans, without fans there is no Everton.

I'm still going to cheer when we score fume when at concede regardless, hopefully under their ownership the former is more prevalent than the latter

Mark, we've sat and stood together this season. We knew back in October that it was going wrong. We didn't care to admit it, and I was in denial. But deep down, we were heading to the Championship.

You know me well enough to understand my almost dismay when we re-appointed my second cousin. But he turned it around against the odds. Relief, but at least it came months before, not on the last day.

Now to Sunday and the future.

1. I think it's better our new owner didn't attend the game and of course his comms team wrote the message. Standard practice. Friedkin had very little to do with Goodison Park, so why attend as Sunday was all about nostalgia, I'd prefer him to be looking forward.

2. Sometimes I wish this site had an ‘ignore' feature.

3. In response to an earlier post, if Donald Trump bought into Everton I'd have to support a different club.

TFG has basically saved the club from oblivion and a bit of gratitude would be nice. I know its highly unlikely, but if they ever found this site they'd be horrified by some of the response.

I wonder if the Friedkin comms team(let's face it probably penned it) follow Everton sites to judge how their messages are perceived. It would be funny if this thread made it's way to them.

'Hmmm… those Everton fans aren't stupid, what did we do wrong with our piece in the programme, how did they see through us?'

Let's do a follow-up piece, Dan the man, from humble beginnings to the world stage... just like Everton a small acorn that grew to a mighty oak etc etc.

The thing is, we have been asking, for many years, for our owner to be a "hard headed business men".

Apparently, now, we have one, and as a general rule, they don't do "emotion", that is why they are "hard headed".
It wouldn't trouble me if Dan, or son, never physically visit Liverpool again, provided they guide Everton footbal club back to where we, the fans, believe we belong, ie, at the top of the Premier league and regularly contesting the Champions League etc.

Not you Andy, just in general, tell me a senior politician, high level military leader or CEO of a large corporation that doesn't have speeches and messages written for them?

I've penned them myself. They review, amend and approve.

I'm not sure why people are surprised by this. He probably has countless requests for approval put in front of him, or his PA team every day.

Random thought, the Silver Spoon is a dreadful bar if you get the wrong end at Wembley. I much prefer it when we are Green Man side.

Again, Hugh mate? How about for the first time mate?

Hard to disagree with most of your post mate

You repeatedly claimed I had said something I didnt say and despite another poster advising you to put the shovel down, you kept digging and refused to hold your hands up.

You have tried to misrepresent me again today. The third time in a week - I let the first one slide.

I spoke specifically about the silver spoon Dan Friedkin was born with but you decided to change it to "they".

Ignoring the millionaire status of his arl fella you condescendingly tell me to do MY research and claimed he served in WW2 – it was over when he was 11 years old.

You would do very well to "Just leave it there", Danny. I may not be an academic, but I am not a fool. Don't take me for one.

Fuck me, imagine Danny penning speeches for others.

Ghandi.

Growing up, you knew the manager and the players. The manager was a guy in a suit who looked way older than your da and whom you suspected the players called "sir" or at least " Mr".

I'm thinking,Tony Waddington, Joe Harvey, Stan Cullis, Jimmy Armfield, Harry Catterick etc.

The players, even in the old pictures, didn't look young. The owners of the club were "The Board". A collection of shadowy figures whose role seemed to be to thwart the manager at every turn.

I think, sometimes, we know too much.

Colin, I haven't tried to misrepresent you. I would call it challenging you, as you have done so, rightly with me and others.

I hope we get to meet face-to-face. I am confident we would get on fine.

I genuinely couldn't care either way, the point I'm making is Everton fans are not stupid. We all care about this club, live and breath it, as most fans do. They need to up their game before we fall for articles like he posted.

As for humble beginnings, I have no idea about his history or care about it, I was making a point about the debate further up and if this was read by the comms team.

Regardless, I'm genuinely looking forward to the future for once. I've got my seat in the new ground, I do think we are now being run properly, we will be rebuilding the team.

If they turn up great, fair play; if they don't, just spare us the faux sentimental stuff and just look after the club.

It's dead late but semester over marking all done and I'm taking today off so one more glass. Loving this proper TW back and forth, unlike ......

Enjoy Paul and speak later. I never mind being schooled.

There's been a few crackers on this thread, and I'm being serious when I say that Paul F, has educated me a couple of times (not bad for a guardian reader) but I had post after reading Colin C, smash Brendan into the pavilion!

A virtual pub, is definitely better than a real one because I'm still struggling from all that ale I drank on Sunday, best described in the other Paul's post@59!

Mike G@49, none of us know how much we can spend but I still think this first window will tell us quite a bit about the way we are going to operate under The Friedkin's.

Andy @ 104, good post, your right its a different looking ball game now. I think it was more entertaining in them days.

Raymond, I know we clash but respect for you.

Tony, meeting you is on my pre-death bucket list. Can I come round for Sunday lunch at Dave's or is it Tuesday when you go round for tea? What a combo you are. Something I treasure about this site - Tony, who's picking the kids up.

1. Does it work?
2. How well does it work?
3. Does it make me alot money?

Everything else is irrelevant. There is no emotional attachment.

Tony @42, we came close enough already, swerve that thanks!

Mike @50, of thosechoices, satisfied.

Mark @69, humour always welcome.

One more match, then just these threads to feed off whilst the dust settles and the new season emerges as the air clears...

The X at the top of the page, the back-arrow, or the just scroll past option.

I use all three at different times

Tommy Lawton told a story of how he went to see Theo Kelly, who was manager, about a pay rise. Tommy just went to the manager's office, opened the door and walked in. Before he could open his mouth, Theo Kelly roared at him “When you come to my office, knock at the door, and when I say 'Enter', you can come in — now go outside and knock at the door!”

That's the way it was — imagine players getting treated that way these days — there'd be nervous breakdowns all over the place.

As a bowler I beg to fcuking differ, Tone!

I love opening TW around 7am every morning to read the carnage.
Vic Reeves often comes to mind - "You wouldn't let it go"!
UTFT

On a serious note Tony, and I speak for others, thank you for the lifts from Lime Street. And I always remember you going out of your way to venture south and pick me up from South Parkway.

A passionate Evertonian and follower of football, you always manage to put things into perspective.

Dave taught you well. Then again, I wouldn't argue with Dave. He knows way more about Everton and football than I could hope for!!

And tomorrow or today evening we have a $350 discount coupon for one of Chicago's top restaurants. I mean top. The bill will be $700ish but we get half off that. COYB Chicago only yummy best.

“I'm still struggling from the ale I drank on Sunday.”

Fuckin' knew it — stick to milk and drink plenty of it — you're a fuckin' nuisance on the other gear!

And yet they mean absolutely nothing to me.

Dan Friedkin doesn't think any of those things. How could he? And he didn't write it either - we know that!

That could sound like I'm being critical of him. I'm honestly not. I'm past the concept of an owner who has to prove their blue leanings. Run us well, Dan. That's what you want, that's what your investors want, that's what the staff want, and that's what we as supporters want. I don't care for his emotion, I kind of hope he has none when it comes to Everton.

And yet a YouTube video of a lone trumpet going into the first notes of a song I've heard a thousand times can still break me, days on from when it happened.

I genuinely think Sunday figured a few things out for me. The reason that clip gets me is because about 37,000 in the ground and thousands more around the world all authentically, genuinely and simultaneously felt the same things at the same time. It's so fucking beautiful. What else does that but this magnificent club?

Owner's statements can never come close and I really don't care. You do your job and you'll be alright by me.

I was rereading my post which was neutral, with good grammar and a few extra words that I cannot blame autocorrect. I had achieved rebalance from my more extreme tendencies. Then I came across your technicoloured yawn post.

You seem to miss getting your ass licked by Kenwright & Co. Mike Ashley had a few beers with the lads, though I doubt he got all the conversation and then wondered why they were shouting at them, as if his life was in danger.

Far better to have an owner who doesn't beam blue with balloons with a hand in your pocket or talk to Jimmy White with a shit yawn.

The affinity is trying to run the club properly, something we have all wanted for years, and gradually getting to know us, which is more respectful. Not giving pullover interviews and dishing out sop, which was in fact was slop or do they call in broc (Any Broc) in Liverpool.

Kenwright. 'You seem to miss getting your ass licked by Kenwright'. Dear Lord. Let me sleep and I promise to take you apart when I rise.

It will not be hard for me to do so. Choose your battles more carefully lad. ZZZZZZZ.

He isn't one of us, He never will be. We are shaped from childhood with no going back.

His words are nice and complimentary, but we will judge him on his actions, as others have said.

Had he said nothing, I suspect he would have come in for a lot more criticism.

So now we have what looks like proper business people in charge, the likely initial price is that we read a lot of corporate gloss and business-speak. So fucking what? They'll never be Scousers, they'll never be real Evertonians, we know this is an investment vehicle for them, or any other wealthy owner, so why waste our energy on that?

He's put his money down, That's half of what matters. The other half is what he does with his investment. To me, that's more important than whether he shows his face around here.

Some of you sound like entitled kopites.

It's probably an even split. The likes of myself who await with optimism and anticipation with how TFG will invest in and lead the club into a new era and couldn't care less if they were at Goodison with me and 37,000 others on Sunday.

Others think they should have been there.

That is a difference of opinion, nothing more than that.

I would refrain from labelling a difference of opinion as being likened to an entitled kopite at fellow Evertonians. Below the belt.

Just add more context, which you often do. Take or leave that advice.

You're not a bad wordsmith either Dave.

It didn't look good then, and I'm assuming Sunday was a reoccurrence of that.

Not that it matters but it would have been good to have him to face Isak (if not injured or being preserved for a summer transfer) on Sunday.

Never played nor really watched cricket but if Colin's comment is a "six"...seems like a very eas y game.

The guy is a business man – nothing wrong with that, I am looking forward to being able to buy EFC merchandise at John Lennon Airport or indeed just seeing our colours around the City instead of being eternally hamstrung by the ridiculous Fanatics deal.

TFG got a bargain when they acquired Everton Football Club Ltd. They got a team guaranteed to sell out the brand new ground (that they didn't build) every home game and with a substantial waiting list for season tickets, when they want to expand. They didn't have to put their corporate hands in their pockets to any great extent – The Grand Old Lady is still mortgaged to the hilt, just to different lenders at more favourable rates.

So yes they have made a reasonable start and I'm not expecting any eye catching signings this summer. Slow and steady wins the race, but he should have been there.

One of my thoughts on Sunday was how much I used to love a cup of tea when I first went to Goodison Park, because they used to make it with Sterry Milk.

Speak to Mark, about bad bowling, Brendan, and get saving for your next visit to Liverpool and your first game at Bramley-Moore Dock!

Yeuch! Do they still make it??

Tony. Sterilised milk? My stomach has just gone back years and turned. My mother and aunties used to buy it because it lasted longer and didn't have to go in the fridge.

I could just about take it in a cup of tea, but on cereal, it was torture and when poured a glass, I used to sneak out and pour it down the drain and pretend I had liked it.

By avoiding Goodison on that day, he may have saved us all from some nauseating, saccharine rehabilitation of Bill.

I liken this thread to the OFM turnaround. We were in the shit, decent posts as rare as Gana shots on target, and now we are getting back to form with new owners. Some friction in the locker room exists, but when the ball is in the midfield circle for that first match at BMD, we will have a match-ready squad of wordsmiths and windup artists.

Ryan, I'm not being funny but can you please elaborate on your description of kopite behaviour mate? (Sorry I've just read your description again Ryan, but I'm not deleting my post because I think it's very important that people remember what KEIOC actually did for our club.)

"Outraged at everything but ashamed of nothing" was a perfect description, once written on a flag, but I saw someone when I was driving down Goodison Road last week, and during the Kenwright era, a lot of Evertonians described this fella's movement as doing or showing Kopite behaviour, and I still shudder at the thought that Everton nearly went to Kirkby.

Thank god we had those people in The Blue Union and KEIOC showing kopite behaviour instead of being gullible bastards like a lot of the Everton fanbase who were taken in by a complete and utter fraud.

Hell no. Look at Man Utd, a superb operation. The Glazers have put not one penny in, and have drawn out billions. they will be on the front of every business magazine for the next 25 years. But their business acumen involves actually rinsing the club, and leaving the fans very unhappy.

We have no idea what the Friedkins will judge as success on the field, it could be anywhere from 'not getting relegated' to 'Champions League'. At this point, we can only read the runes, and they are not promising.

Old Pa Friedkin not getting to Goodison once shows he cares not a jot for the club. It's strictly business. And the recent weasel words of the new CEO, his target of pragmatic progress and 'making Evertonians proud' are also alarming.

We will know an awful lot more about their game by the end of the Summer by the gob on Moyes. If he's still making barbed comments about the Friedkins being able to 'see what needs to be done', then we can buckle up for a whole load of nothing.

People say it doesn't matter that Dan Friedkin wasn't there last week, and in one way that's right. But what it does show is that he doesn't care about what the fans think. He knows his non appearance will have raised eyebrows, and he thought 'who cares'.

"He doesn't care about what the fans think. He knows his non appearance will have raised eyebrows, and he thought 'who cares'."

Pure made-up shite of the first order.

You have no idea what he cares about, what he thinks.

Not in question is that thus far they are running the club professionally and on a far sounder financial footing. Thank you for that.

The Summer and putting up the cash that our PSR position permits will certainly tell us a lot more. I think they will.
I suspect the silence will be golden so long as the club maintains an upward trajectory.

So I can do silence forever if it brings success. I don't hanker for front of stage celebrity status leadership. I've not heard anybody that does.

I would go with an arm's length show of affiliation. An occasional appearance, akin to JW Henry. I'm sure it will happen next season.

You've started something with sterry milk. Maybe we should have another thread.

For the record I always thought it should be reported under the trades description act for calling it milk in the first place.

You have rare taste buds mate. I couldn't stand the smell never mind the taste.

Anyway back to TFG. I don't care that they weren't there at the weekend. Gone are the days when the likes of Sir John was religiously in the dressing room every game.

It is a much bigger game now and some investors prefer a lower profile and let their people do the talking while others can be in your face like "The greatest Evertonian" and look at how that worked out.

I have no problem with either approach as long as we are managed effectively and successfully.

It was the people demanding Dan Friedkin turn up and that he doesn't care etc etc.

A lovey and an interferer took us to the brink.

What is apparent, though, is that we have been bought by a global corporate conglomerate, and messages like Dan's 'heartfelt' goodbye to Goodison will be the probably norm. Welcome to the franchise?

I'm still laughing at Tony drinking steri out the bottle.

We aren't allowed to infer intent from actions, we must not speculate. We must only offer opinions on the owners of Everton when we have concrete proof of their malfeasance. I am obliged for your courteous reminder.

He didn't attend. For what reason, we don't know.
Maybe he wanted the focus on the occasion and not him? Who knows.

If him steering the club in the right direction and to the top happens. Who'll care? We have to believe it can happen or what's the point?

His non-appearance will be forgotten about, when, not if, we eventually win something.

Watching Spurs win the Europa League should give us hope that it's achievable. Same with West Ham in 2023.
Even Palace have shown us how it's done.

Dan Friedkin will 100% want silverware for what it'll do for his ‘business'. His Roma won the Conference League not so long ago. He turned up for that!

Roll on the blue tide.

Focus is on Sunday and then a massive summer.
COYB.

The owners in my opinion should get judged on how they run the club and on field success. Either way, I couldn't be happier with what I've seen and read from them so far.

We're on an even keel for the first time in ages and we have an owner that has money to invest and a good track record. Plus I'm pleased they're from the US and not from elsewhere.

I wish I hadn't mentioned having a cold bottle of sterry, now Jay, because it's been on my mind all day. I just hope I don't wake up in the middle of the night, because I might end up going for a drive, looking for a milkman!

Seriously I used to open the bottle with my teeth (not easy - those bottle tops are a lot stronger than they are on a bottle of lager!) really enjoy that acquired taste, and then go home and sleep like a baby!

I'm fuckn dying for a bottle now😂🤦‍♂️

And I don't know whether it's for the defence or the prosecution.

The owners in my opinion should get judged on how they run the club.

Match attendance or not could conceivably be one aspect of that Ben.

Information overshare. It wasn't as bad as when the water was cut off so the toilets wouldn't function. We had to answer the call of nature in shared bin bags and had a shift roster to empty them into the affectionately named "shit gobbler". If the wind caught you in the wrong direction, you ended up with brown freckles.

A diet of UHT fuelled Weetabix, no water and bin bags. The perfect storm.

Apologies, let's get back to milk.

Good story though, Danny, it instantly took me to one of Dylan's greatest songs. He's the number one lyricist in my book…. Singing the answer is Blowing In The Wind!

I bet Forest fans wish their owner didn’t turn up at games!

I had to explain. If I've got my geography right, just off Queen's Drive, bordering West Derby and close to the nationally renowned Alder Hey Children's hospital that serves so many.

That Forest owner is a tool. Stay out of it. For all the talk, sometimes, owners are best left in the background, giving direction and leaving it to those they have trusted to implement.

Those bottle tops on sterilised milk and lager were called jinks, by the way it cost me and your mam bleedin' Brewsters to get your teeth fixed because of your addiction to sterilised milk

Bob Dylan is your top lyricist? Didn't I ever tell you about Cole Porter?

I used to love that version of swell party, with Debbie Harry & Iggy Pop, even if I do prefer sterry milk, to French champagne!

Dan in short is barely through the door. He also wanted to ascertain that Everton will still be a Premier League team. Roma in contrast have won about 16 games on the run. If you were Ryan, which game would you want to attend?

Like others have said, it's not really important whether Dan flew his jet over and attended. Goodison ends an old era for a changing of the guard into a new Bramley-Moore Dock, Hill Dickinson era.

If he comes, he comes. We need him to run the club effectively and bring in players to compete in the Premier League, and be nowhere near relegation fodder, which is hardly an endorsement to want to be part of Everton in the sense of attending games.

If he's here to make money, fine — as that means we're successful.

He was seen standing on the corner by St Luke’s wearing a blue and white scarf and a pilot's hat shouting, "Any spares?" and later getting off the 82c at Speke airport.