KNOWSLEY Council last night appeared to downplay the prospect that the Government could rescue Everton FC’s aborted move to Kirkby.

Council leader Ron Round said it had not ruled a stadium “in or out” of future plans, but emphasised the regeneration of Kirkby town centre was the leading priority.

It came after the Daily Post revealed yesterday that Prime Minister Gordon Brown had intervened to try to revive the £400m Destination Kirkby scheme.

The PM wants to see the scheme for a 50,000-seater stadium and Tesco superstore, without the accompanying shops that led to the project’s rejection.

Under the new plan, to be launched this week, the additional retail space would instead be built in Kirkby town centre proper – one of the centres that a planning inspector ruled would be damaged by the original proposal.

The rescue plan will be put forward after Mr Brown urged ministers to find a way out of the wreckage of the project.

The Prime Minister is concerned not only about the impact of the rejection on the region, but also its effect on England's troubled bid to win the 2018 World Cup.