On the 20th January 2026, the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) set out the proposed scope of its first in-depth analysis of men’s professional football in England. The State of the Game report […]
Talking the Blues Podcast, Aston Villa (a), stunning away form continues…..
Welcome to this episode of Talking the Blues with Andy and George Costigan when we look back on the Villa game at the weekend. Everton and Villa is the most played fixture […]
The events of the last 5 years are a useful context in which to place Everton’s current position
With disappointing recent performances on the pitch, a lack of communication from our current owners, and the recognition that there’s much to do rebuilding the squad and sorting operational issues at the […]
The Analysis Series:Post Diarra (part II), further analysis of the football transfer system (Jan 2025 – present day)
Post-Diarra: A legal, economic, and governance analysis of the football transfer system (January 2025 – January 2026) The governance of global football has historically operated under a unified, vertical command structure centered […]
The Analysis Series – Diarra Judgment Case C-650/22 (Part I)
On October 4, 2024, the Grand Chamber of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) delivered its judgment in FIFA v. Lassana Diarra (Case C-650/22), a ruling that has essentially […]
Talking the Blues Podcast – Sunderland (h) FA Cup 3rd Round – the thrill has gone!
Welcome to the post Sunderland, third round FA Cup edition of Talking the Blues Podcast with George and Andy Costigan. We go through the terribly disappointing events of the day and do […]
Talking the Blues Podcast, Wolves (h)…. absurdity & carelessness reaches new levels
Welcome to the post Wolves (h) Talking the Blues podcast with Andy & George Costigan. We talk about the match but focus also on all the stuff around the game at present […]
Talking the Blues Podcast – Brentford (h), we explore the inconsistencies of this current Everton
Welcome to this week’s Talking the Blues. After another terrible result (and performance) we get together to try and make some sense of the inconsistencies befalling Everton at present. With Andy and […]
The Analysis Series: The Independent Football Regulator’s Owners, Directors & Senior Executives regime (ODSE)
The Independent Football Regulator has published its response to the their consultation on the new Owners, Directors and Senior Executives regime (ODSE). The regime sets clear standards for those who own and […]
Talking the (Jolly) Blues Podcast – Nottingham Forest (a), what a way to finish the year!
Welcome to the post Nottingham Forest (a) Talking the Blues podcast with George and Andy Costigan. Simply, unbridled joy, and now expectation! Thanks to everyone for listening through 2025 – wishing everyone […]
The Analysis Series: Analysis of dividend regulation in English professional football, rule 34, and capital distributions
Financial regulation in English professional football has evolved from a Victorian-era ethos of community custodianship to a system defined by global capital markets, private equity, and institutional shareholder supremacy. At the beginning […]
The Analysis Series: Analysis of financial regulation in European professional football
The financial regulation of European professional football has evolved from a nascent, disparate collection of national bookkeeping rules into a more sophisticated, multi-layered architecture of economic control. This transformation has been […]
Talking the Blues Podcast – Burnley (a), fixture list compilation, its impact, the Friedkins and the role of money
Welcome to the post Christmas, post Burnley (a) Talking the Blues Podcast with George and Andy Costigan. We skate over the Burnley match as quickly as possible for linking VAR, the fixture […]
Questions to be asked of Roundhouse Capital and the Friedkins
In the past when flagging concerns about Everton’s ownership and governance, going back to Kenwright, then Moshiri, then his choice of potential new owners, I have often been accused of drawing unnecessarily […]
The Analysis Series: Value extraction in the global sports economy:
The evolution of asset stripping Historically viewed as community assets or the vanity projects of local benefactors, sports franchises and leagues have increasingly been reclassified as an alternative asset class within the […]
Proposed dividend payment to Everton shareholders raises questions that require answers (IMO)
Significant corporate or financial news released in and around a key holiday period, particularly Christmas, can often be viewed with some cynicism. It is, as is often stated, a good time to […]
Asset Match offer new auction for Everton shares
Asset Match, the privately owned company that offers the opportunity for investors to buy or sell private, non-listed shares has announced on its website that a new auction for shares in Everton […]
Proposed dividend payment to Everton shareholders arising from sale of EFCW
Further to the announcements made on Companies House and covered in detail here and here, the Board of Everton Football Club Company, Limited have proposed the payment of a dividend in the […]
Balance sheet tidy up details confirmed, revealing previous year’s losses & scale of Roundhouse Capital’s funding of Everton
Further to yesterday’s announcements (23 December 2025) the details relating to the tidying of Everton’s balance sheet have now been released on Companies House. They reveal further information that would normarily only […]
Capital reduction by Friedkins to tidy up Everton’s balance sheet
Companies House is the UK government’s official registrar for companies, and is responsible for incorporating, dissolving, and maintaining the public record of limited companies and LLPs in the UK. As such it […]