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Blue Union Strategy Meeting – LIVE
Welcome to SOS1878.co.uk’s live coverage of the third Blue Union public meeting.
Over the next few hours we will be reporting the key points of the evening right here, first.
The Blue Union’s chairman, Dave Kelly, will introduce the night addressing the audience before being joined by the group’s secretary, Simon Magner, and supporter liaison officer John Harrison to answer questions from the floor.
Please refresh your browser every few minutes to get live updates.
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21:05 – The meeting finishes with a unanimous decision for further and more consistent positive action (protest) starting at the earliest opportunity. The Blue Union will be consulting with Merseyside Police as early as tomorrow.
20:55 - Dave Kelly: ‘We’re going to take on board all the views that have been made tonight and we’re going to put the wheels in motion from tomorrow. We’ll be straight onto the City Council and Merseyside Police in the morning.’
20:53 - The Blue Union are currently in the process of applying to become an official supporters club affiliated with Everton, Dave Kelly confirms.
20:50 - From the floor: ‘If we want to buy a page in the Echo, or hire a plane to fly over Goodison, funds are going to be an issue. Have you not looked into having a membership scheme?
20:45 – From the floor: ‘We’ve got 300 people here who want to protest against City, what happens if Everton blow us out the water on Saturday and sign a £10m striker?’….a massive level of laughter follows.
20:40 – From the floor: ‘We can talk all night, we’ve got to have a consensus of opinion on our direction going forward. We need to be more constructive in what we’re going to do.’
20:37 – Lots of calls and support for a demonstration outside the directors entrance before the Manchester City game on Tuesday.
20:30 – From the floor: ‘We need a figurehead; we need a legend behind us. Someone who won’t be bought with freebies in the Joe Mercer.’
20:28 – From the floor: ‘If we protest in the ground we leave ourselves open to massive criticism from our detractors and the club.’
20:22 – From the floor: ‘We need to show him up for the charlatan that he is; and he is a charlatan’
20:11 – From the floor: ‘Robert Earl is worth 290m, he’s not a pauper. There’s people at the top level of EFC who have hundreds of millions of pounds, where is the exposé on these people? We must target them.’
20:09 – From the floor: ‘We need to leaflet and have a presence at every game. We must educate.’
20:03 – From the floor: ‘Evertonians who applauded us in the Oak beer garden like we were returning from the war need to put the pints down and join us. We need to become the majority.’
20:00 – Dave Kelly calls for a show of hands amidst calls to take protest into the ground. The response is unanimously in favour.
19:59- Call from the floor: ‘We must target all the sponsors and Kenwright’s own shows in the west end.’
19:57 – Call from the floor: ‘We need to take the protest into the ground. Let’s do something after a game in the Main Stand where the media can’t ignore us.’
19:52 - Call from the floor: ‘The local media are getting away with murder. The Echo’s coverage has been a disgrace.’
19:50 – Call from the floor: ‘I don’t think the club gives a toss. It’s about time, as a group of supporters, we did something that makes the club sit up and take notice. It’s about time we got nasty.’
19:48 – Dave Kelly: ‘Once again I would like to thank you all for attending this evening. It’s your meeting, it’s for you and fellow Evertonians. Together we can win this fight, a fight to rid our Club of the under achievement and mismanagement that has blighted us for a number of years.
19:37 – Dave Kelly: ‘The Blue Union have also been criticised by our detractors of “KOPITE BEHAVIOUR”.Long before Spirit of Shankly engaged in KOPITE behaviour Evertonians displayed a passion for protest.
The GFE anyone?
Kirkby Golf Course?
Cronton?
Who will ever forget the utopia on the final day of the season against Coventry City when a draw was enough to stave off relegation. The utopia quickly turned to anger with we want Johnson Out.
KEIOC and its fight with Everton Football Club, the biggest retailer in the UK in the shape of Tesco and a Local Council.
All campaigns long before Spirit of Shankly or Man United fans against the Glaziers with the Green and Gold campaign, Spurs and the N17 protests. Chelsea Pitch Owners, all relative newcomers by comparison.
Dare I even suggest that they were accused of Evertonian behaviour?’
This is a fight we can ill afford to lose and one we don’t intend to.’
19:24 – Dave Kelly: ‘The Blue Union have been accused of many things by the custodians of our great Club. And YES I will get personal on this one. Bill Kenwright has often accused The Blue Union of betraying Everton Football Club.
Well Bill I challenge you publicly and openly. With only a week left before the transfer window closes I challenge YOU personally before the window closes next week to put up or shut up regarding your outrageous claims that The Blue Union breached a confidentiality agreement by taping a confidential meeting.
Show us your confidentiality agreement or produce one shred of evidence to support your taping claims. If you do we will make a charitable donation to Everton in the Community and Formers Players Foundation. If you do not Bill, we would expect you to do the same.’
19:16 - Dave Kelly: ‘I understand that Greg O’Keeffe is representing The Echo. I am sure that we will all look forward to a full, forthright and honest appraisal of this evening’s proceedings.’
19:11 – Dave Kelly takes the microphone and begins proceedings. The Casa, as predicted, is crammed.
19:09 - A message of support from the Irish Toffees: ‘Would just like to send you and The Blue Union team our very best wishes from Dublin.
We thank you for your time and effort that you have donated in the battle to save our great football club EFC from the hands of those seemingly determined to destroy everything connected with the club including the devaluation of our famous and prestige motto Nil Satis Nisi Optimum.
Not only have you managed to bring our plight to the world of football, you have managed to do it with style, peacefully, democratically with integrity and within the law.
Let’s hope the reign of misery and greed will soon be behind us and a new fresh outlook, approach and financial support can lift this great club back up where it belongs to the peak of British football.’
19:04 – A message of support from The Netherlands: ‘The Dutch Blues ‘know their history’ and wholeheartedly support The Blue Union. The years of unaccountability and off the field mismanagement has to come to an end before it is too late for the institution we all love, Everton Football Club’
15:15 – NINE times league champions and still the FOURTH most successful club in England.
Think back to Wembley and the number of fans we took down there, absolutely dwarfing the turnouts of the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United..and imagine what it will be like when we are dining at the top table again.
13:14 - According to UEFA, a key objective of the liaison officer clause, Article 35 of the 2010 UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations, is to achieve transparency and improved communications between the parties involved.
UEFA go on to say that the evidence shows that if fans have a say in the way they are treated, they will behave better, whereas exclusion and repression demonstrably do not work very well. They believe that liaison officers can help enable supporters to become more responsible partners and also improve the quality and utility of the dialogue.
12:38 - Graeme was invited in his capacity as Everton’s appointed fans liaison officer, a position that is a requirement of the UEFA club licensing platform, a position that centres on improving communication and providing a focal point for supporters to organise themselves better and make their voice heard.
12:15 - The Blue Union invited both Graeme Sharp and John Thompson from the Liverpool Echo as guest speakers for tonight’s meeting. Unfortunately, prior engagements and conflicting appointments mean they will not be in attendance.
10:17 – In nine hours time The Casa will be crammed with Evertonians disenchanted with Bill Kenwright’s chairmanship of the fourth most successful club in English football.
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27 Comments
The Blue Union has to continue to apply pressure and keep the board’s misdemeanours in the public eye, but ultimately it is now surely the case that the only real catalyst for change is to stop attending matches.
Next season’s application form for season tickets should be ripped up and sent back to the club.
Gaping holes in the crowd, and a large downturn in revenue, is the most telling sign of trouble possible. As many a tabloid columnist would opine, ‘it’s the only language they understand’.
I wish I could be there tonight but I live in London and I am getting a total hip operation in a couple of days. Like thousands of Everton fans I am totally dismayed as to what on earth is going on at the club.
Tactics on the pitch get more negative every week. To be honest I was duped by the cuddly Bill persona and felt great to know we had a fan at the helm. That feeling was completely dispelled when I saw the clip on YouTube – some Blue Union lads asking him relevant questions about the state of the club.
His skulking replies and body language was that of a rogue car salesman – I am not in the Blue Union but i would be if I lived in Liverpool. Everton are in BIG trouble unless something is done fast.
It is past the time when the lies, deceit, incompetence and contempt for the fans is replaced with some honesty, business savvy and a will to develop the club.
Unfortunately Bill Kenwright and so called “friends of Everton” have brought the club to it’s knees yet still will not relinquish control.
He must be forced out and BU is the only vehicle that looks able to achieve this.
Well done lads.
I have supported EFC all my life(50 years +) I’ve even saddled my southern softie kids with the EFC burden as well !! I have seen some dire times, but I’ve also been fortunate to see some great times. I always respected BK and was made up when he got shot of PJ. We should have been the envy of all clubs having a Chairman who was such a die hard Blue. Surely he wouldn’t let anything happen to his ‘beloved Blues’ would he?
Despite being a total knob on the telly, I was always grateful that he bigged up EFC every time he spoke. However, the goings on that we have witnessed these last few years, (Kings Dock fiasco etc etc.) and his recent attitude towards genuine Evertonians has left me thinking that he has no intentions whatsoever of giving up his position. He is in total denial. We can only wonder what is going through his head. His bird must be giving him right grief !! I’m sorry Bill but yopur time is well and truly up. Do yourself a favour. If you love the club……. Good luck tonight boys, you surely must be turning the corner now and getting the doubters on board. Wish I was there.
I think consideration needs to be given to impacting on Bills theatres business. We want him pressured and Everton not to be affected – that is a possible solution to both. discuss….
Hi – sorry cannot attend tonight.
Question – re the next protest. Will a more professsional video be made ie getting an over view shot on Goosison Road (using steps) etc – maybe contact a video company in Liverpool (Evertonians ?).
Also either New Megaphone or portable speaker – could not hear Dave Kelly 4 rows back.
A tad trivial in the circumstances I know but important none the less.
Please let me know re Video as if no takers I will get involved.
Good luck tonight
COYB
Paul
Just a final point I’d like to make – whats all this 4th most succesful club bit – we are the most successful – 4 seasons outside the top flight needs to be bigged up compared to the rest of them. Don’t dumb down on Everton.
Would just like to pass on my thanks to all the guys involved in The Blue Union. As an exiled Blue down south I used to travel to Goodison every home game but this year have become one of the missing 6000 on the gate. The club has not only stagnated under Kenwright’s stewardship but it has started to go backwards and until it changes afraid trips to goodison have become a thing of the past. I will continue to support any actions for change in anyway I can. Family connections at Sky Sports News and other free lance sports journalists so can do all I can to highlight our plight to them.
Re: Protests
Why not protest outside Park End? More room, not congested in terms of bystanders standing on either side and sends a message to those at the ‘entrance’ to the club.
Also, time to take the protest INSIDE the ground (after the match) – possible sit-ins perhaps?
Well done boys, immensely proud of everyone’s efforts. Nobody can fault what you’ve achieved in such a short space of time.
Question on the role of the Shareholders Association and what their position is. As far as I am aware they have not made a comment either for or against the current board?
I wish I could be there tonight boys, but I’m working. Doing fantastic guys, not just demanding them out, but a logical, well presented argument to open the opinion of what is happening at our wonderful club.
Are we taking the protests inside the stadium any time soon?
Hi lads, sorry I can’t be there. How to you aim to sway the large section of the fanbase that occupies the middle ground neither pro or anti-BU? Dave
Good shout Dave Kelly, let the board and Bill start showing us facts and not just spin and lies. EFC board get ready because the peasants are revolting.
@ Danny Williams – Looks like that is an issue raised tonight.
I really hope The Blue Union can get the board at our club out we are a real laughing stock now.
Where is all of our money going?
How about getting a plane or something to fly over Goodison and have a Kenwright out message? A bit like KEIOC did.
Well done to all of those who attended, I unfortunately live in the Midlands so getting to Liverpool midweek is difficult, I do attend home games and games when the Blues visit Villa etc, up until 3 months ago I was on the fence with this, I had the be careful what you wish for attitude. But not anymore, the buffoon that is Mr Kenwright needs removing from his post ASAP. See you all at the City game. COYBU!!!!
Well done tonight. Keep the pressure on. COYB
Thought it was a good meeting, some good ideas put across, we need all other Blues to get off the fence and see, look at the facts, look at the lies, and look at what has happened to our club.
It’s 93-94 season all over again, we need to act, and we’re not Kopites for caring about and wanting to protect the club we all live for
the comment about the club blowing us out the water by signing a £10 million striker ,we know its not gonna happen , the point being made was that the bu have got to set the wheels in motion for a protest , if by tuesday nothing has happened then surely the people sitting on the fence will see what is going on and join the protest ???
Great work everyone engaged in this. Although there was not a shout of support from the “Norwegian Blues” tonight, I am absolutely sure they are right behind you.
I live in Devon now and can’t get to see many games now but I remember meeting BK once on a train back from Wembley after the first League cup final game against Villa. He was chatting away with a group of us and we all swapped stories of favourite players, games etc. You could not meet a more passionate Blue loving our great club. Now, when I see (the car park conversation) and read all the stories about the King’s Dock and Kirby fiascos. it saddens me to see how he has become the one person dragging us nearer extinction ( Yes it is getting that bad )and he cannot see that it is his and the board’s actions that is squeezing the life out of us. Please Bill, do the right thing and step aside and leave with some dignity and our club might still have a chance to survive. Don’t forget Bill, we are all “born, not manufactured” supporters of the greatest club in the world.
Work in Hamburg stopped me attending last night. Best of luck with everthing, hope to be at next protest.
I hope that we dont sign anyone this transfer window,, yes i have just said that because we need the people that are aka: sittin on the fence to start too open there eyes. we cant wait till the summer when we have the same thing happen as last. because we will go down next season. were as this season there is teams worse than us(just). we need pressure on bill an his boys now, lets get the protest in the ground.We need the national press to take notice.
we all need to get behind the blue union now, because i believe that we will never sell the club the way things are going, because who wants to buy a club over priced, with a stadium just passing health and safety checks, a club that dont own their training ground, that have sold out to kit-bag for 3million a season for ten years, season tickets are already paying for a 20 year loan and a club that makes no profit an his in 25-50 million debt. if we put so much pressure on kenwright, then in the end he will be forced to lower his asking price. maybe we won’ t find a buyer, but the days of doing nothing are over.
Sat on the fence over this if you are a true blue please Kenwright sort this mess out before it’s too late.