Reasons to be cheerful?

Bill Kenwright is still chairman, despite rumours about ‘some fella with a few bob and a suit doing a stadium tour’ there’s no sign of a buyer or new investor, there’s the dire home games with attendances falling dramatically – for the first time in the Premiership under Moyes, against Bolton, the gate was below 30,000 and for Blackburn it was 3,400 down on the corresponding fixture last season.

Predictably the club have retreated into the bunker of denial with Bill Kenwright accusing the Blue Union of ‘betrayal’ and then there’s the misnamed ‘Fans Liaison Officer’ Graeme ‘One Man And His Dog’ Sharp, who doesn’t ‘liaise’ with any fans outside of the ‘Bill Kenwright Fan Club’. Even the shareholders have been frozen out, with AGMs cancelled in favour of ‘consultative meetings’.

Let’s be grateful though, without ‘Keep Everton In Our City’ (KEIOC) by now cement would have been poured into the foundations of the Tesco-Value Kirkby Stadium and thousands of Evertonians would have been preparing to ditch their season tickets. In response to the ‘There’s nothing we can do, let’s just go the game and support the team’ brigade, let’s remember that KEIOC took on the club hierarchy, Knowsley Council and Britain’s largest retailer, Tesco, and won. During the public inquiry the club’s case for Destination Kirkby fell apart – Tesco described it as ‘mediocre’ stadium, it wouldn’t generate extra income, infeasible targets for fans arriving by public transport had to be realised and rather than Tesco helping Everton it was the other way round.

Bill Kenwright has been busy trawling through his extensive network of media contacts, so we’ve had long articles praising, ‘the greatest Evertonian’, ‘True Blue’ and ‘Romantic Evertonian’, with stories about the boys pen and tearful reminiscences. Then there’s the Echo, the self-styled ‘voice of Liverpool’ since 1207. The defining moment for me came in 2009 when they printed a sanctimonious editorial condemning Royal Mail for moving letter sorting from Copperas Hill to Warrington, ‘social responsibility… jobs lost forever… duty to the city… etc, etc,). Weeks later without even blinking an eyelid and surely qualifying for the Hypocrites of the Year (Corporate Award) they announced that the Old Hall Street site would close and printing would be moved to… Oldham. For good measure they also axed 70 of the 400 journalist’s posts. There’s also that ‘relationship’ between the Echo’s owners, Trinity Mirror, and the club, because they print the club’s programme and magazines. Who is going to bite the hand that feeds them?

Inevitably the debate has centred on Bill Kenwright and there is a big difference between the protests at both Man United and Liverpool and Everton. Nearly all of the supporters were united in opposition to the Glazer Brothers and Gillett and Hicks, even some of the former players who are desperate to stay on the clubs’ hospitality gravy train, saw the way the wind was blowing and voiced their disapproval. With Bill Kenwright fans are divided, he’s still got a line of credit for removing Agent Johnson, appointing Moyes and then leaving him to get on with the job of managing the team.

The most important thing we have to do is to win the propaganda war. We need to convince the fans and not alienate them; above all we’ve got to support the team at the games. Both Blue Union protests have been marked by their peaceful nature, dignity, humour and passion for the club.

At the meeting in the Casa the issue was raised about protesting inside the ground, whilst I wouldn’t rule it out, apart from the logistical issues, I just think it would be the wrong tactic at the wrong time. It would be a gift to the club hierarchy, they would be able to claim that the Blue Union wasn’t supporting the team. It is of course all very well to demand ‘unity’, just that the different fans groups have been trying to talk to the club for years. Only after negotiations had failed did they agree to launch the Blue Union.

Let’s be clear, however, the façade of the Kenwright regime is beginning to crumble, there was the spectacular resignation of Ian ‘Comical Ali’ Ross with the admission about ‘paranoia’, ‘working in a kindergarten’ and ‘financial meltdown’. Then the stunning admission, not from the Chief Executive Robert Elstone, but the manager David Moyes that the money from the sale of Arteta would not be spent on new players. There’s also events on the pitch where the limitations of our threadbare squad are there for all to see.

Just as no ruling class leaves the scene of history without a struggle, so Bill Kenwright seems desperate to retain control of the club, whatever the cost. Maybe it’s stubbornness or personal vanity, possibly like other rich people he’s used to being indulged and is surrounded by sycophants and ‘yes-men’ who don’t want to point out that the Emperor has no clothes.

So, where now? I think we need to be patient and prepare for the long haul. The Blue Union should try to make its presence felt at every game, not necessarily through a demonstration, but with leaflets, stalls and petitions. If you go to Old Trafford the anti-Glazer group have covered the approaches with banners and stickers. Above all we need to build the base of the Blue Union. Here’s some suggestions:

1) Start a membership scheme with a nominal fee of ₤5.
2) Create a supporter’s group, with no extra rights or privileges, who will make a regular monthly donation.
3) Launch a mass petition for change.
4) Hold regular monthly meetings.

On the last point the Internet has its uses but the people tapping away on their keyboards aren’t always the ones who will be prepared to take action. You can’t beat the exchange of ideas at a meeting. It wasn’t Twitter or texting that got rid of Mubarak but the thousands of demonstrators in Tahrir Square.

Are we getting anywhere? There is frustration because the club have put up the shutters and are trying to ignore the demonstrations. When I was awake in the R.E. lessons the one story I do remember is Joshua and the Walls of Jericho, faced with the seemingly impregnable city walls the Israelites marched around them for six days, on the seventh day they let out a might roar and the walls crumbled to dust. Joshua 6:21 ‘And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.’

Er… not advocating that, but still, let’s keep on marching.

Richard Knights

Tim Cahill has hit back at criticism that he is a puppet for the board of directors at Everton Football Club.

The Australian talisman has always been quick to defend theatre impresario Kenwright, and in September described the applause the chairman received when his face appeared on the screen during the Aston Villa game as ‘special’.

Cahill told the Echo after the 2-2 draw with the Midlands side: ‘We try not to get too much involved because sometimes it can get thrown in your face, but today it was special for the players to see that for the chairman because he’s as passionate as everyone else and sometimes that can be a hindrance more than a positive.

‘I suppose in general, the protests, if you look at it now, was probably something which shouldn’t have happened, but I know deep down they really do appreciate the chairman.’

Speaking with Sky Sports prior to last night’s televised victory over league leaders Manchester City, Cahill discussed his goal drought which spanned 30 Premier League games and the fans’ frustration at the club’s stagnation.

Cahill told Geoff Shreeves: ‘It’s a serious moment for the club. I take criticism very personally for the football club because I’ve been here for so long. When you see a club struggling and you’re a player and you can’t do as much as you can to help make things change, you’ve got to look at yourself. You can’t just say it’s the chairman, it’s the gaffer…..you have to look at yourself as players.

‘The fans seem to think that maybe the players are puppets, certain players are puppets, and I suppose when you’re so passionate about a football club it works in reverse. Anyone that knows me knows I’m not a puppet and I always speak my mind.’

AEK Athens defender Kostas Manolas has rejected a move to Everton, despite the Blues agreeing a fee with the Greek giants believed to be in the region of £500k.

David Moyes is desperate to bolster his defensive ranks given the injuries to stalwarts Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin but Manolas will not be moving to Merseyside during this tranfer window.

Stavros Adamidis, the president of AEK Athens, confirmed: ‘Manolas is staying. We had told the player that if he and Everton agreed terms we wouldn’t stand between them. It didn’t happen’

Nikica Jelavic will today demand to be allowed to move to Everton, according to Scottish newspaper the Daily Record.

According to ‘Record Sport insiders’ David Moyes made his move yesterday when an official bid was tabled with Rangers for their top-scoring Croat.

It’s understood the opening offer fell as much as £3million short of the Ibrox club’s £8m valuation of the 27-year-old.

But Jelavic is determined to push a deal through and has told his advisers he will not take no for an answer.

The 27-year-old will demand showdown talks with the club’s owner Craig Whyte today in an attempt to force the issue and open the door to a deadline-day move to Merseyside.

The insider said: “Nikica is very close to his agent and he has made it clear to him that Everton is the move he wants.

“Rangers could be left with a very unhappy player on their hands unless Craig Whyte is prepared to do a deal.”

The Casa, as predicted, was crammed with disenchanted Evertonians.

On a cold wet Wednesday winter evening, Blue Union supporters, concerned by the all too apparent crisis enveloping our great club, packed into a Liverpool city centre venue to take part in a strategy meeting.

The purpose of the strategy meeting was for The Blue Union Officers to listen and gauge the mood of the fans, demonstrate to them that they’re an inclusive part of The Blue Union and allow them to participate in a democratic vote which will direct The Blue Union officers as they develop a strategy for the first few months of 2012.

Blue Union chair, Dave Kelly, after paying a tribute to recently deceased former player Gary Ablett and Spirit of Shankly Vice President, Paul Rice, who were both separately and warmly applauded by all present, delivered a rousing opening speech attacking the club’s policies which have been the breeding grounds for deceit, mismanagement and underachievement which has ultimately, and all too predictably, led to the club’s stagnation.

Following Dave’s rousing opening speech; Simon Magner delivered a brief presentation on the Blue Union’s own “Everton prospectus”. Simon, secretary of The Blue Union, explained that having looked at the attempt the club had made in producing a sale prospectus The Blue Union believed that they could deliver a much more professional version and highlights of this were displayed for the audience.

John Harrison, The Blue Union’s fans liaison officer, also gave a brief presentation on the club’s all too apparent lack of a genuine and cohesive communication policy with the fans, which is a constituent part of UEFA’s licensing platform.

John heavily criticised the cosmetic attempts that have been made by Everton to comply with this regulation; attempts such as the clearly artificial fan’s forum that is, despite numerous suggestions by The Blue Union, largely anonymous, unapproachable and essentially impotent as a medium for addressing the major problems that fans, and ordinary shareholders, are experiencing; namely the increasing unaccountability of the present board which initiated the fight back from The Blue Union who endeavour to expose the truth over the actions of this board that we are having to endure; a board that has decimated the business and whose actions are now being made apparent on the field of play.

The meeting was then thrown open to the fans. Whilst some expressed their frustration at the board many spoke passionately and offered a variety of suggestions for The Blue Union to consider and following a lengthy meeting, the following evening, we have now agreed upon our strategy for the coming weeks.

In deciding this strategy The Blue Union officers need to consider peoples safety and well being. They also need to comply with many rules and regulations and we have a need to consult with Merseyside Police and the City Council, as it is imperative that all our organised activities are peaceful, legal and, importantly, repeatable. Our campaign isn’t spontaneous; it’s well planned, deliberate and is designed to achieve our objectives.

Lots of positive suggestions came from the floor.

Whilst it was felt by those at the recent meeting that a protest at the Manchester City match on Tuesday 31st January was desirable, it is, after consulting with Merseyside Police, unfortunately impossible due to operational difficulties.

However, The Blue Union have agreed on a plan of action which is designed to bring maximum media attention to our cause and give the supporters the opportunity to vent their frustrations at the intransigence of a board that refuses to listen to an ever growing number of their fans.

In addition to the Blue Union’s ongoing behind the scenes activities, we plan to conduct a mass leaflet campaign at the Chelsea match on February 11th and demonstrate outside Radio City on the same day as we are vehemently opposed to their policy of refusing to allow Graeme Sharp to accept calls from fans wishing to discuss The Blue Union.

Our main focus will be on delivering a spectacular “Day of Protest” in and around Goodison Park at the Spurs game on 10th March 2012. The day’s activities will include an aerial protest before the game, a mass demonstration outside the ground, leafleting matchgoing Evertonians and picketing strategic points before and after the game. The day’s activities will be filmed and transmitted live over the Internet and the whole event will be preceded by a conventional media and an Internet social media campaign to highlight the reasons behind the day’s events and bring attention to the individual director’s performances whilst running OUR club.

Organising events such as this take time and effort and we are grateful for all those who have offered to help the campaign following our recent meeting; we need more. These activities take time to arrange and are expensive; so in order to cover the cost we shall be organising a fundraising event and details will be passed to all our supporters. We need your help and together we can make a difference.

We are determined to be the vehicle for our supporter’s frustrations, but in doing so we will always endeavour to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of all Everton supporters and as ever we will only advocate peaceful activities with the prerequisite that they are at all times within the law.

The Blue Union

Everton are still on the hunt for a new director of communications after Ian Ross’s departure, with the club confirming that Paul Tyrell will be working on a ‘short-term’ basis at Goodison.

In the meeting notes published on the official website from last month’s fans forum, it was confirmed the club are in the process of recruting for the vacancy.

‘Paul Tyrrell is working with the Club on a short-term basis to help the Senior Executive Management Team on Club and PR related issues.’

Following on from Ross’s departure, head of media and communications Mark Rowan was quick to rebuff any suggestions that Tyrrell’s appointment was a direct result of the leaked emails which cost Leeds United supporter Ross his job.

Rowan said: ‘It’s nothing to do with the emails. He’ll be working on a variety of projects and providing PR support to the chief executive and the PR team.’

Tyrrell started his career at the Liverpool Echo but secured his first major football role when he became head of communications at Manchester City.

In 2008 he left “by mutual consent” after a reported dispute with executive chairman Garry Cook.

After setting up his own PR company specialising in sport and broadcasting, Tyrrell couldn’t resist a return to football when the offer came to head Liverpool’s press department in March 2010. Tyrell left Liverpool in September 2011.

Last night SOS1878.co.uk blogged live from The Casa bar on Hope Street as The Blue Union held their third public meeting since formation.

Below is an extended ‘blog’ timeline of the evenings proceedings, expanding on the live transcript with the addition of a few other points of interest that we simply didn’t have the time to type.

—————————————————————————————————–

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.

21:03 - 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.’

20:57 – From the floor (in response to a call for boycott): ‘The most important thing foremost in everyone’s mind should be this club staying in the Premier League this season. But lets not forget at the same time when we’re talking about financially damaging the club, this is a club that Keith Harris suggests is up for sale at one hundred and fifty million pounds….there’s certainly no harm in knocking some value off that figure’

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: ‘I don’t know whether we have a membership and you pay £10 or £20 but you can have my money. We need that to get planes. I spoke to you last time about putting a full page in the Echo. Johnson was a twat, but he was nowhere near as bad as Kenwright has been for this club. Lets do it, lets buy a page.’

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 will stand up and speak out for us. What about Neville Southall? We all remember his famous pitch protest.’

20:28 – Dave Kelly: ‘The people involved in The Blue Union have already spent their own hard earned cash. We need to raise funds. It’s quite expensive to put a plane in the air with a message. I think we need to get real. We’ve got to grasp the nettle now and go for it. There is momentum being gathered, there is an undercurrent. People are genuinely concerned for the club’s immediate future.’

20:25 – From the floor: ‘While the team is struggling and Moyes looks frankly depressed, if we protest in the ground we leave ourselves open to massive criticism from our detractors and the club. If the struggles continue on the pitch, we’ll be blamed for the malaise.

I’m absolutely frustrated. I spend most of my waking days thinking about how we improve the situation at our club but we have to do it sensibly against a hierachy who have already proven they will use any means necessary to blacken your name, good objectives or not.  We need to give this serious consideration. This is a strategy meeting and that is a serious strategy. Consideration, that is all I will say. Thank you, it’s time for change.’

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.’

20:07 - From the floor: ‘Why is the club’s fans liaison officer allowed to go on an independent football phone-in and shout down Evertonians who don’t agree with his employers? I phoned up City after the Tamworth game wanting to talk about Kenwright’s claims that we had betrayed the club. They woudn’t let me on. We’re controlled.’

20:05 - From the floor: ‘The most important thing that we have to do as a group is get more Everton fans on board, it’s as simple as that. It’s packed here tonight but I personally wish we were in a big hotel conference room with thousands of Blues. We should be, the fact that we’re not comes down to apathy.’

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: I don’t believe the protests are really effecting anything. The way to hurt them is in the pocket. We must target the sponsors: Chang,  Sodexo, Kitbag, Thomas Cook. Barclays too. We have to target Robert Earl and Philip Green’

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.’

19:55 - Dave Kelly: ‘We need to crank the campaign up a gear, we need to step it up. We need to be more proactive’

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.

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.

—————————————————————————————————–

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.

All smiles: Samuelson's Thames Sports Investment are set to takeover at Reading

Chris Samuelson has confirmed that there was a ‘very good reason’ why the Fortress Sports Fund never materialised at Everton.

Samuelson fronted the Brunei-based fund that would have taken a 29.9 per cent stake in the club in 2004. Ian Ross described the episode as ‘a means to an end’ to fend off former Everton director Paul Gregg.

‘There was a very good reason why we withdrew from the transaction with Everton. I’m not going to go into it here. It’s confidential between me and Bill Kenwright.’

The father of Everton’s Russian international set for a return to his homeland has revealed that his son had no choice but to leave the Blues.

Speaking with Russian news network RIA Novosti, Rinat Bilyaletdinov said:

‘The situation at Everton has reached the point where he has to leave. Diniyar has wanted to leave for six months. I don’t think he has a choice, especially with Euro 2012 coming up.’

Rinat was critical of the way Everton manager David Moyes utilised his son, suggesting that forcing him to contribute to defensive duties limited his effectiveness.

‘In terms of his creativeness Diniyar has stagnated. The same thing happened to Mikel Arteta. I don’t want to question Moyes’s qualifications, but if he’d got more out of his defensive players, then his creative players wouldn’t have dropped off so much in recent years.’