Crucial Everton stadium vote to be revealed today

Aug 24 2007 by Larry Neild, Liverpool Daily Post

EVERTON FC fans will today learn the results of the crucial ballot on whether the club continues towards a move to Kirkby.

In what will be one of the most significant announcements in club history, the results of the ballot of 38,000 fans will be released around 11am.

Reports last night claiming the result was already known started furious speculation on fan websites but were strongly condemned by the Goodison Park hierarchy who are determined all fans should hear the news together this morning.

Last night, Everton spokesman Ian Ross said: “The reports were hopelessly premature. The news organisation in question chose to speculate at the result without making any attempt to verify this with the club. The ballot did not even finish until noon yesterday and the result will neither be known nor revealed until this morning.”

Club chairman Bill Kenwright has already announced the Everton board will abide by the decision, even if fans vote no to the club hierarchy’s preferred scheme that would see the club leaving Goodison Park.

Club chief executive Keith Wyness famously told the Daily Post the Kirkby move was “the deal of the century”.

Mr Kenwright’s view is that a simple majority will decide the issue, once and for all, with the fans deciding whether negotiations on the move to Kirkby should proceed.

The club is confident the vote, even by a narrow margin, will back the proposed deal with supermarket giant Tesco and Knowsley Council.

Mr Kenwright took the decision to allow the fans to vote on whether to switch homes, saying the three-way deal represented Everton’s best hope of acquiring a brand new 50,000-seater stadium.

The respected Electoral Reform Services was commissioned to conduct the pool among around 35,000 fans.

Despite owning more than 10,000 shares in the club, Mr Kenwright, like other directors, had just a single vote in the ballot.

Mr Kenwright explained why he opted for a ballot: “It never occurred to me that we wouldn’t give the fans their say. That’s because people say to me ‘What’s it like to own a football club?’ I don’t own a football club. I am a shareholder with three other major shareholders. The fans do own the football club and that’s why we go back to what is a good chairman.”

Voting closed at noon yesterday and votes were being counted and checked last night.

Mr Kenwright added: “Goodison is a magnificent stadium. It’s one of the great old stadia, but we have reached the optimum at that stadium financially that we possibly can. There are so many obstructed view seats that for us to sell out every home game would be more than difficult.”

Even if there is a Yes vote the club face another hurdle, winning the hearts and minds of the people of Knowsley.

The results of a consultation by Knowsley Council released yesterday showed although many people in Kirkby want to see the town centre regenerated, they are less convinced about the wisdom of building a massive football stadium alongside the shops.

The regeneration scheme, though, comes as a package, with the stadium, a Tesco supermarket and major shopping centre all essential parts.

Campaigners wanting the club to remain within the city boundary, notably Keep Everton In Our City, will eagerly await the ballot result. They have put forward counter proposals that would mean Everton improving and enlarging Goodison Park or moving to a new site in Liverpool. A plot known as the trumpet loop off Scotland Road is the favoured option though Everton remain convinced that site is far too small.

Even if there is a Yes vote today it seems likely that KEIOC campaigners will continue their battle to prevent the club leaving Liverpool.

KEIOC spokesman Dave Kelly said: “Whatever the result the ballot has just served to split the fans, and that makes me sad as an Evertonian. There is still a long campaign ahead because public opinion in Kirkby against a football stadium is growing.”

FULL results of the ballot will be posted on the Daily Post website, www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk from 11am today.

larryneild