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ECHO feature writer and Kop season ticket holder Tony Barrett....

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Do You Really Want Everton To Quit The City?

Posted by Tony Barrett on July 24, 2007 2:32 PM | 

I know I don't.
There, I've said it.
As much as I will enjoy the comedy if they do go I just think seeing the city of Liverpool reduced to just one club can only be a bad thing.
Manchester, Glasgow, London and Birmingham will all have at least two big clubs but Liverpool will have just one.
We would be deprived of a genuine derby as Everton's new local rivals would be Kirkby Town (and there's no point arguing any differently cos derby matches are local skirmishes, they're all about geography and proximity).

You can go on about the boundary between Liverpool and Kirkby being an arbitrary all you like but the facts are that all boundaries are arbitrary and Kirkby is in a different area to Liverpool just as England is different to Scotland.
Like it or not, Everton belong in the city of Liverpool and they should not even be contemplating quitting the city. What does it say about the leaders of this city and the people who run Everton Football Club if they cannot come up with a way of keeping one of Merseyside's biggest and most well known businesses in Liverpool?
If it was Liverpool FC I would be gutted and I doubt whether I would still be as fanatical about a club which had willingly given up its roots in the local community.
But money talks of course and in the present economy Tesco's billions shout loudest. Sir Terry Leahy wants a new supermarket in Kirkby, not in Scotland Road or anywhere else, and because of this Everton are dancing to his tune.
It is a sad sight to see a great Merseyside institution acting in such a manner and the way this "dream move" is being sold to the fans leaves a nasty taste in the mouth.
If there isn't a Plan B, why isn't there one?
Surely a club like Everton should be able to come up with more than one possible location for a new stadium after all this time.
Like I say, I don't want to see Everton leave Liverpool and it will be a sad day for this city if and when it happens.
Are messrs Kenwright and Wyness really ready to go down in history as the men who forced Everton FC out of their hometown?


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Comments (7)

Greg O'Keeffe wrote...

It's only a shame we can't ask for the ground back from where our original stadium stood....you might be familiar with it....(but many of your Liverpool-based fans might not).

Posted by: Greg O'Keeffe  | July 24, 2007 3:12 PM

tony barrett wrote...

You couldn't afford it Greg. You can't get a two up two down in Anfield for less than 80 grand now you know.
And remember the problems you had with the rent last time?

Posted by: tony barrett  | July 24, 2007 3:16 PM

Ken Whiteside wrote...

As a Red I think the blues should remain within the city boundaries, however Tony Barrett states both Manchester clubs are within the city limits . Wrong only Man City play within the city of Manchester, United are in Trafford. If you regard them both playing within the city of Manchester then Kikby is within Liverpool.

Posted by: Ken Whiteside  | July 25, 2007 8:23 AM

Big Dave wrote...

I think it will be a bad thing, but what people forget is that the Bitters have had more than 1 opportunity to relocate to other parts of Liverpool and because their board were not willing to stump up the extra cost of that, this is the main reason why they now must leave the city!

Posted by: Big Dave  | July 25, 2007 9:31 AM

tony barrett wrote...

Good point that about United Ken. Schoolboy error on my behalf.
I think there's a crucial difference between Everton and United though. United are a national and international brand which can pull in fans from all around the world no matter who they are playing.
Everton, on the other hand, are very much rooted in the local community and shifting them away from their power base can only harm them in my eyes.
Also, United carry the name of the city whereas Everton do not.

Posted by: tony barrett  | July 25, 2007 9:43 AM

Bill Ward wrote...

The sooner they go the better, the North America league sounds about right

Posted by: Bill Ward  | July 25, 2007 11:25 AM

Gareth Roberts wrote...

"Everton are very much rooted in local community". So they say. And they're the "People's Club". But only 12,000 of them can be bothered to go to a pre-season friendly at Goodison against a top European side. Answers on a postcard...or a ballot form.

Posted by: Gareth Roberts  | August 1, 2007 1:36 AM

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