Goodison Park

Tensions are undoubtedly high as the decision draws closer, it is thought if the government do opt to call the proposed redevelopment of Everton Football Club to “nearby” Kirkby in then effectively; the proposal will be dead in the water.

Bill Kenwright, if you are the Evertonian you truly claim to be, don’t slaughter the heart of the football club. Deep down inside you Bill, you know that moving to Kirkby is the WRONG proposal for Everton Football Club. You can prevent this, the club is in your hands, you are accountable.

“I’d stay at Goodison forever, but it’s not an option; I’m afraid for the future of this club. If the Kirkby scheme goes ahead it would not only provide Everton with a state-of-the-art facility, but would also mean a multi-million pound regeneration of Kirkby.”

We can stay at Goodison interminably, it is infact cheaper than the pitiable proposal that we find ourselves ravaged with. You’re proving yourself to be a coward Mr Kenwright, opting for the easy route out, do you smell profit?

Nostalgia is a wonderful thing, but I am afraid it simply doesn’t apply with this topic, the proposal is simply unworthy, unwanted and frankly unsuitable for a club of Everton’s stature. Goodison Park has, undoubtedly, proved a powerful symbol for Everton FC and all that it stands for. I want to step into tomorrow with genuine hope for the future, strength and honour, Kirkby doesn’t meet such criteria.

If we move out then the future supporters in Liverpool are likely to follow the “Red Shite”, believe it or not. They will be the only team in Liverpool and the children will, in the main, grow up to support them. We are recognised in having the highest percentage of local support in the Premiership. If we begin to lose that, unless we are extremely successful and make a name for ourselves in Europe, then we will see our attendances dwindling. We can prevent this, Bill can prevent this, do we really want the children of tomorrow donning red jerseys?

This is not about being melancholic, it is about saving the club from imminent disaster. Once we leave Goodison, we’re gone forever, there is no turning back, we must realise that. You can talk about city boundaries, it being only four miles from Goodison, once we leave we cease to be the Everton Football Club that many thousands of people cherish.

The goose bumps you get as your heroes emerge from the tunnel to the tune of Z-Cars wells you with self respect at the fact that Goodison Park is Everton’s and Everton’s only. The Z-Cars theme, the electric green grass, the blue shirt, the ashes scattered around the hallowed turf, the history — all combine to create an extraordinary inner feeling of sheer pride.

Goodison Park is genuinely unique. What price does anyone put on anything that is unique? There’s so many things to be said about the Old Lady, good and bad, but please let’s not churn out this ’can’t be redeveloped’ nonsense. Of course it can.

This proposal to go to Kirkby, is the latest, and possibly the most damaging, in a list of moves by Mr Kenwright which some might call incompetent, others might call fucking shite. I refer to the aborted deal with NTL, to the abysmal fiasco of the loss of the Kings Dock. Blimey, if we had to move from Goodison, what an absolutely fantastic ground we would have had. Then we had the Fortress Sports malarkey, what was that all about? How long can we turn a blind eye to what is happening around you, how long can we forgive and forget?

I even miss Goodison during the close season. The ditsy catering staff, the smell of horse shit, the greasy takeaways stalls, Mr “Everton Hats..Everton Scarves…Everton Programmes”, the smell of the grass, the hustling and bustling on Goodison Road. That is what you’re leaving behind, our heritage, our tradition, our identity.

If your hairs really stand on end when Z-Cars is played, if you really do bleed blue, if you love the boys pen as much as you say you do, don’t exterminate us, don’t prise away my greatest passion.

A redeveloped Goodison Park is the first-rate option, you know it, we know it, the whole world knows it. This club is unbelievably special, our home, our heritage is a MASSIVE part of that. How anybody could ever want to leave the Old Lady is beyond me, it truly is mesmerising.

Quite frankly, I don’t want to leave Goodison in floods of tears, victim of a desperately mistaken decision by a ruthless idiot with a hidden agenda. Nil Satis Nisi Optimum; Nothing But The Best Satisfies. Don’t do it, Bill. Don’t be the man that murders our great club.