Everton fans: Take us to Kirkby

Aug 24 2007 by Larry Neild, Liverpool Daily Post

EVERTON fans have voted to move their club to a new stadium in Kirkby.

Ballot results announced by the club this morning showed 59% voted in favour, and 41% against.

That meant 15,230 supported the move, while 10,486 didn't.

Around 11,000 votes were not returned during the three-week ballot, making the response 70%.

Everton thanked the season ticket holders, shareholders and fan  club members who took part, saying they were “pleased” a positive  result was achieved.

A club statement said: “Everton  are pleased that a majority of those  Evertonians who were eligible to  vote in the ballot do support the  club in its desire to relocate to a  new home in Kirkby.

“We are the only major club in  Europe to have handed over a decision of such importance and magnitude to its fan base, something  which simply serves to underscore  the enormously high regard in  which we hold our supporters.

“We now have a mandate to carry  on negotiations with   Knowsley council and  Tesco.

“The club’s board  of directors,  the  management  staff and the players would like to  thank all those  who participated  in the ballot.

“We would also like to thank  Electoral Reform Services, who ran  the ballot on our behalf in a diligent  and wholly professional manner.”

The result means the club will now continue talks with Knowsley Council and Tesco about the move.

A group of fans called Keep Everton In Our City had mounted a strong campaign against the plans, and are expected to continue to push for a new stadium in Liverpool.

Club chairman Bill Kenwright had 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”.

But Liverpool City Council responded to the ballot by insisting a new site could be found within Liverpool.

A council spokesman said: “Liverpool city council remains keen that Everton FC stays within the City of Liverpool boundary.
                                                                                                                      
“The club makes a valuable economic and social contribution to the city and we want to do all we can to help it achieve its ambition of a new world-class stadium.
                                                                                                                
“The sites we have suggested to the club remain on the table. We are willing to meet at any time and in any place to discuss the options we have put forward.     

“We are convinced that there is a viable alternative for Everton FC within the city boundary which can be delivered by working with the city council and its partners.”

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.

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."

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.”

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.

KEIOC spokesman Dave Kelly said: “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.”