“All over the place, from the popular culture to the propaganda system, there is constant pressure to make people feel that they are helpless, that the only role they can have is to ratify decisions and to consume.” ―
And so it appears at Everton Football Club. Where is the fan fury over the running of our football club? Rightly, the Premier League felt the fury of the Everton fan base over the handling of the profitability and sustainability breach, and no doubt will do so further as the results of the next Commission’s findings are published in the coming week.
Yet, the people (person, perhaps?) responsible for the decisions and actions over recent years that have resulted in the breaches, the person directly responsible for Everton’s current position, the person who saw, knew of, the forthcoming existential crisis; the person responsible for the uncompetitive position we find ourselves in football-wise; the person whose choice of prospective owner hugely threatens Everton’s future regardless of whether 777 Partners are approved or not gets a virtual free pass.
Yes, Farhad Moshiri – the man who is responsible for our ills, who if memory serves me right has only spoken to the shareholders association or their representatives a couple of times plus largely ignored the fan advisory board and individual representation to him in over eight years. Yet, the very same man buckled several times under pressure from the 27 Campaign and others, responding with ill-considered remarks and responses to open letters.
In the understandable and highly laudable desire to get the club “over the line”, fans have been extra-ordinary in their support of the players and football management teams. It is undeniable that our survival in the Premier League would not have been possible without the backing of us, the fans. Something that the football management and players willingly and freely acknowledge.
Therefore, why cannot that collectivism be carried over to peaceful, polite but strong protest as to the running of our club? The demand for accountability? It doesn’t follow that criticism of the ownership or directors of the club impacts the performance of the manager and players. It’s inconceivable that the management and those players who care for the club’s future don’t have the same concerns? The management and players must be more aware than any as to how well or not the club is run? How does the running of the club compare to other clubs, for example? They know the answers to those questions, as do others elsewhere in football.
Fan engagement
Much has been made in recent years of the progress made in fan engagement, the progress driven initially by the fan led review under Tracey Crouch MP, the (as always) self-congratulatory, “we are first” claims of Everton FC to set up a Fan Advisory Board. Yet, the reality (certainly at Everton) is that the accountability of owners and directors has reduced further, and the belief that the fan base can influence any significant event not promoted by many parties, including fans and even some independent media channels is dismissed and rubbished.
The ability to, and the channels available to fans to protest, to raise concerns, has reduced, not increased. The very creation of the fan advisory board was formulated by a process designed and approved by the club. The structure, composition and remit has created a channel that by design promotes majority held views and all but negates the prospect of minority, often independent views from being heard. A board that has no legal standing or construct.
It also allows the club, its owner and directors to fall back on the “you have a process, you have “elected” representatives and we engage with them” shield of unaccountability and deniability.
I ask this question not because I want to have a go at good, well-meaning, hard-working Evertonians who voluntarily dedicate time and effort into the structures permitted by the club. I ask, because I see no evidence from the club that supporter concerns are in any way taken into account, especially over critical issues such as the club’s finances and its future ownership.
The club, its owner and directors hide behind the commercial sensitivity argument, the “we are in a regulatory environment therefore cannot comment” society and frankly too few Evertonians challenge this line of thinking. I know many Evertonians are desperate with worry over the future of the club, yet no information is made available to us, and the logic behind Moshiri’s choice of future ownership never explained or justified.
Moving on?
There’s a perceived logic that says once the decision over 777 approval or not is made then we can move on. The reality is far from that. Everton’s challenges the day after approval or denial will be equally great and our future equally uncertain. This is the position Moshiri has got us to.
The six month, and counting, directors and ownership test decision making process has materially weakened Everton’s position regardless of outcome. We are in a worse position than we were six months ago, and a future owner who has had to spend six months to convince of their suitability is undeniably in a weaker position generally, and in the case of 777 Partners specifically. A point which the club, the Premier League and Farhad Moshiri fail to acknowledge. Whatever minimal credibility 777 Partners had six months ago has vanished – vanished with the avalanche of disturbing news and evidence as to how they are run, their finances, their legitimacy and their very own questionable future.
We, the fans, have to use the evidence presented and reported upon in the last six months (and earlier) to bring this process to a halt. Even in the bizarre circumstances that the Premier League granted approval (something that is not happening) 777 couldn’t solve Everton’s deepening problems. Our management demands and financial condition has deteriorated significantly at a time when 777 have lost many key management personnel and critically, their finances have deteriorated by an even greater degree. So we now have a target company (Everton) in a much weaker position than previously being targeted by a company (777 Partners) whose capacity to provide solutions for Everton has reduced significantly and will reduce even further in coming months.
This is the issue that Moshiri fails or refuses to recognise. It’s something eventually (possibly this week) that the Premier League must formally recognise. In doing so, it removes one problem, namely 777 Partners – it does not provide a solution however. Additionally, I have no confidence in Moshiri’s ability to provide an additional, alternative solution.
The role that fans have to play, now
This intolerable situation has to be publicised and requires the attention of independent, individual fans, fan groups and the fan advisory board. It, in my opinion, requires the shareholder association to recognise the seriousness and immediacy of our crisis and add their weight and voice to providing a solution. It requires the creditors of Everton football club to realise that their position deteriorates over time, and that Moshiri’s proposed solution to them (777 Partners) is not the solution that works in their best interests.
It is an incredibly tough time to be an Evertonian – it has been incredibly tough for many years, particularly the last few. Yet despite the exhaustion we can’t give up, as frankly there’s no-one but us to fight our cause. Moshiri, 777 Partners, the Premier League all want us to follow
Categories: Uncategorized
I have just read your article and agree with every word you say, but HOW do we fans do this ? I certainly have the passion to take part in a show of strength for our beloved club,and bring Mr Moshiri out of hiding and ask him to once and for all clarify his intentions for Everton, as you say there are a lot of people who have just let us deteriorate and seemingly hiding in plain sight ,surely SOMETHING has to give in this situation, Thankyou for caring for our club, we WILL rise from the Ashes 💙💙🙏🙏
Exactly, Allison. What can we possibly do that would be meaningful?
The Esk’s article is well written, articulate and makes all the main points well. But he misses the point. We are utterly powerless.
We can demonstrate, remonstrate, kick and shout as much as we want and it will make no difference. Moshiri is impervious to what fans think and in fact is adversarial when we have the temerity to challenge him.
The Esk says if 777 take over we’ll be in as bad a position as we are now. Financially maybe. I don’t want them but feel
anything would be better than the leaderless scenario we have now
Hi John, Yes exactly, I agree. If there was something meaningful we could do , count me in, it is almost unreal the dire circumstances we are in , I think anything is better than this limbo we are experiencing surely something will happen in the next couple of weeks and I hope with all my heart , Everton FC will rise from the Ashes.
Not every fan can individually impact decisions but collectively we all can play a part (as proven with the PL corrupt campaign)
A very good article Paul. Even our recent younger selves would be have been bewildered, crushed and shamed by the events that have lead you to pen what you’ve written over the last months.
I do agree with you, in a practically sense most fans are collectively letting Moshiri “off the hook” and I place myself firmly in that camp.
I think it’s largely borne of a helplessness in ever being able to get him “on the hook”.
I think his actions are decided and dictated thousands of miles away in a world of different financial and moral responsibility. He and his larger associates will continue to do exactly as they please unless something or someone bigger stops them.
It’s taken Covid, Ukraine and a threat of a regulator to derail him to this current position (I don’t think they’d admit to themselves how their mismanagement had any influence to the clubs current plight). Why would they? I wouldn’t. That would be a painful, humbling and embarrassing admission. Best to re-arrange the deck chairs and ask the band to play louder. Their intentions have always been for Everton and themselves to succeed after all. They haven’t tried to sink the ship, events and less than capable staff have let them down I think you’ll find.
So, should efforts be aimed try to influence Moshiri’s moral side? (No one can seriously believe that if he had still been at Arsenal when the ESL was dreamt up he would have been anything but fully committed) or should we hope to finally unlock his professional, ‘custodian of the club’ side (a man who communicated to the fan base, shareholders, staff and sponsors as he saw fit after a couple of drinks [allegedly] to Jim White?
From my own layfan’s view, If the substantial knowledge and passion of the likes of yourself and other influential Everton supporting politicians and business figures haven’t altered the course of his actions or enabled or influenced creditors to lean on him either, (they see what you see and if they don’t I sure you have supplied them with expert knowledge). What more can be done?
Previous and more recent vociferous fan action at Newcastle and Reading doesn’t really seem to affect owners of this ilk and ego.
I know I sound defeatist if not meaning to be defeated, but as Allison above posted and I can hear Andy and especially George exclaim “What the hell can we do?” On paper we can do lots of things but what would work?
I genuinely think blowing smoke up and praising him as the saviour of Everton, the enabler of the club to find a new home within its heartland and portray and promote him as a quiet, financially powerful, sage would have more impact that “negative” protest, but don’t really have an appetite for that, as I’m sure most don’t.
I think he and his backers are influenced by a handful of people and unfortunately I don’t think any of those few people give a second thought about Everton.
How on earth DO we change his psyche?
A very good article Paul. Even our recent younger selves would be have been bewildered, crushed and shamed by the events that have lead you to pen what you’ve written over the last months.
I do agree with you, in a practically sense most fans are collectively letting Moshiri “off the hook” and I place myself firmly in that camp.
I think it’s largely borne of a helplessness in ever being able to get him “on the hook”.
I think his actions are decided and dictated thousands of miles away in a world of different financial and moral responsibility. He and his larger associates will continue to do exactly as they please unless something or someone bigger stops them.
It’s taken Covid, Ukraine and a threat of a regulator to derail him to this current position (I don’t think they’d admit to themselves how their mismanagement had any influence to the clubs current plight). Why would they? I wouldn’t. That would be a painful, humbling and embarrassing admission. Best to re-arrange the deck chairs and ask the band to play louder. Their intentions have always been for Everton and themselves to succeed after all. They haven’t tried to sink the ship, events and less than capable staff have let them down I think you’ll find.
So, should efforts be aimed try to influence Moshiri’s moral side? (No one can seriously believe that if he had still been at Arsenal when the ESL was dreamt up he would have been anything but fully committed) or should we hope to finally unlock his professional, ‘custodian of the club’ side (a man who communicated to the fan base, shareholders, staff and sponsors as he saw fit after a couple of drinks [allegedly] to Jim White?
From my own layfan’s view, If the substantial knowledge and passion of the likes of yourself and other influential Everton supporting politicians and business figures haven’t altered the course of his actions or enabled or influenced creditors to lean on him either, (they see what you see and if they don’t I sure you have supplied them with expert knowledge). What more can be done?
Previous and more recent vociferous fan action at Newcastle and Reading doesn’t really seem to affect owners of this ilk and ego.
I know I sound defeatist if not meaning to be defeated, but as Allison above posted and I can hear Andy and especially George exclaim “What the hell can we do?” On paper we can do lots of things but what would work?
I genuinely think blowing smoke up and praising him as the saviour of Everton, the enabler of the club to find a new home within its heartland and portray and promote him as a quiet, financially powerful, sage would have more impact that “negative” protest, but don’t really have an appetite for that, as I’m sure most don’t.
I think he and his backers are influenced by a handful of people and unfortunately I don’t think any of those few people give a second thought about Everton.
How on earth DO we change his psyche?
A very good post Ross, thank you for taking the time to articulate your thoughts. There are no easy and obvious answers. Finding leverage to apply to Moshiri has proved to be a difficult task. However, I would say one thing, that in the protests surrounding the board some 12 months ago he did crack a little. He did respond to the open letter placed in the national media, even if his response made no great sense. There is another reason for continuing to maintain pressure on the current owner and that is to make a new owner aware of the depth of feeling across the fan base as to how Everton should be managed and looked after. If nothing else, campaigning for better ownership and better ownership behaviour should put any new owner on notice as to what is expected from them.
I never believe we should give up and just accept what is cast before us. We never know what state of mind the owner is in and how he might just respond to considerate and careful alternative views from fans
Thank for your reply Paul, and for providing a forum where people can share their thoughts.
Yes…..
You are right, we should never give up. I feel so may emotions at the same time thinking about Everton at the moment I couldn’t see clearly enough to have thought that anything we do would marker of standards expected and demanded by anyone who comes into contact with our club in the future.
Thank you for your focus and clarity. I can completely understand that trail of thought and feel positive and energised about action in that context.
The last few years of Everton have been like seeing a loved one slipping away in a badly run hospital. Many of us too reverent or unconfident in ourselves to challenge and call out bad and neglectful practice from supposed professional medical staff. Sitting quietly in inertia, our own agency nullified really by ourselves. I certainly have felt at an almost total loss.
As you say we never know what fine margins it would take to alter the path Moshiri takes. I do think he is no more than a weapon of mass distraction (latterly distruction) though. It feels like we are banging our heads against a wall, trying to get sense out of Penfold when Baron Greenback is the one calling the shots.
Thank you for your clarity and focus Paul 🙏
Onwards!
I understand the complexities of business deals, but the lack of communication and information is deafening.
I’ll put myself forward for the FAB this summer.
I genuinely don’t know a fanbase that would put up with this suffering.
But we do.
Sold out week after week when you look at other clubs’ stadiums with glaringly obvious empty seats. Unbelievable support, but I would not expect anything different from the most passionate supporters in the country. Many struggle to get tickets. We have a season ticket waiting list of about 30.000.
The owners and board are custodians. We, the supporters and the constant. Cradle to grave. When they are gone, we will still be here.
Here’s the rub
Imagine you have dealt with a company for years, they have mainly good products but treat you, the customer, as if you were a nuisance to their business model. They even go so far as to blame you for their economic downturn. In fact everything they do, they claim, is for your benefit, it’s just that you are too stupid and don’t recognize their worth. What would you do? Walking away from this company would be the right thing to do – having nothing more to do with them and even slagging them off in social media would be a useful tool in their demise … yes?
When it comes to Everton FC the sensible thing to do goes out of the window. In fact very little argument goes on about ditching this load of nonsense, this ‘dead in the water’ outfit because you are all so emotionally attached to them, your life depends on them.
Well folks I’m here to tell you that you are bigger than this. You have the capacity to rise above all the negativity, the doubt, the depression it gives you by just walking away … it’s in your power to rid yourselves of this enemy, becoming the enemy within because it’s taking over your life, distracting you from the finer things, from the more real things of your existence, your family, your children, your future, your real life …. so what are you going to do … let me guess … it’s often repeated here that by continuing to do the same things you actually get the same result when talking of the team or the manager … but never of yourselves … well. go on, do something radical … I thought to myself at least 10 years ago that Everton FC would not exist in 10 years time … and as a fan from my youth i know what that means … and here we are … I don’t go in for predictions but Danny’s comments above highlight the problem … insanity … you have the power to walk away … I have and you know what, apart from some troubling health problems, I’m fine and focus my life on the things that matter. What are you going to do?
And Paul, if you don’t post this then it’s just more uncomfortable evidence against you, and I’m trying to be kind to you because I think you have made some vastly important commentary on EFC over the years … so here goes
Hi Bob,
On the one hand I do genuinely agree with what you say. Logically we all have a choice to introduce logic into any of our relationships in life and in many ways, be better off for it.
I can only speak personally, but think that also engaging in an illogical conceptual relationship can provide benefits logical ones cannot.
I don’t really support or love the physical structure of the club, every player, fellow Everton supporter or watch all of our games. I support the idea of Everton as I see Everton, which may be different version to others concept of Everton. A bit like England 1000 years ago when it didn’t technically exist. The concept of England and Englishness formed and shaped into an idea of Englishness over time. It wasn’t just the land and the people, both of which were varied and mixed at the time.
Even if Everton turned into Bury or Accrington I would prefer to have experienced my concept of Everton and all the waxing and waining of emotions I have had thus far.
You are completely right, your family, health etc are way more important, and people shouldn’t ruin their lives over a football club,. I’m 100% in agreement, but if interacted with in the right way, there is an enormous resource of something intangible that adds, not detracts from life
There is a lot of common sense in what you say, Bob. When you enjoy the weekends more when the team you love does not play the game you love (& when that situation prevails for years), and when that scenario is played out in a background of 24/7 media bringing you a constant stream of bad news about mis-management the same team, you really have to question if you can cut the cord and just stop caring. My dad loved Everton, and his last memory of them was getting beat 2-5 by Watford and having Benitez as manager – that says it all for me, no matter how bad things are in your life you can always rely on the Blues to add to your woes. One option Paul has not explored about the on-going liquidity of the Blues is liquidation, and a life after Everton – Bramley Moore sitting there like Chernobyl as a monument to incompetent business management and failed dreams.
now here is an issue that belies all sanity and and reasonable thought process. As a season ticket holder for many years now i often and still do look at everton in a positive way never looking for negatives. we are in schtuck financially which impacts drastically our performance on the field and with no leadership at boardroom level there fore resulting in negativity.
Sanity tells me to walk away but for some strange reason i cannot change its like a drug needing daily to get my everton fix ! are they more important than my wife ? erm no . But how is it i can change my wife ( i dont want to ) but i could never change my football team and that is why people like moshiri know that me and many like me will stil show up week in week out blinded by the faith of being an evertonian and donate our hard earned cash into an organiseation that at the moment cannot be trusted to spend it wisely
i fear for our club to the point now its the first thing i think about never mind the days toils ahead and the last thing on my mind when i rest in bed as i scroll through the latest news now everton bulletins.
What really frightens me is most other evertonians seem oblivious that we could into administaration and struggle for years as a result. a 9 point deduction now would be catastrophic but however not as catastrophic as getting another dose of incompetant ownership years.
No academy to speak of, no museum at the new ground, all young players sold on to help the bottom line, no clear and consisive plan in terms of football, no doubt the Goodison legacy project will now be scrapped as some of dan meis ideas ie 1878 seats from goodison in the new stadium etc the future looks bleak if no action is taken! NSNO erm well that doesnt apply any more although it should