Opposing Stagnation
January 26, 2012 
5 Comments
The following is a blog entry submitted by Jamie Rowland, the latest in a long line of new bloggers here at NSNO. As such, and with all blog entries to the site, it may not totally reflect the editorial position of the website, but as part of our aim to publish all opinions on Everton Football Club, should be read with an open mind.
If you are an Evertonian of the belief that there is no need for change at Everton FC then you have to answer the questions regarding the clubs condition equally as much as the current boardroom does. I say ‘HAVE’ in that last sentence because what no supporter can deny is that we are in a mess.
I disagree with the Blue Union’s stance of opposing stagnation because quite frankly suggesting the club is stagnant is incorrect. I would take stagnant while we attempt to encourage change. The sorry fact is that we are not standing still, we are going backwards. I will quantify ‘fact’ from that last sentence also: during the mid 90’s we were lucky to be competing in the Premier League. During the late 90’s we were lucky to be competing in the Premier League. Moyes came and eventually, with a plan, built a team that was capable of cup finals, European football and top 6 premier league finishes. He didn’t spend massive amounts of money (in comparison to his peers) either. I don’t believe we were punching above our weight at all – we had improved and rightfully so. We moved forward from our recent 1990’s past into a new era of what seemed like prosperity. From that position the club has seen some of our best players leave and not be replaced. We have no competition for first team places and the squad is threadbare leading to complacency. Attendances are woefully low and we are now fully expectant to finish mid table at best, with anything above 10th seen as a bonus. Our trading in the transfer market is scarce and at times non-existent and we are selling players to fund debts accrued from living beyond our means. To me, that is decline – a movement in the wrong direction.
When reading the above, stagnation seems a luxury as it could afford us time to make positive change. Surely, given the state of the squad, the lack of resources available to add to it, an unhappy fanbase, declining attendances and regular financial loses with the inability to improve in the short term provides enough indication that things are far from rosy at Goodison Park? Surely, as an Evertonian that has witnessed even the last 10 years, you can see the decline in our fortunes and our performances both on and off the field. Surely, you realize the need for change?
If not why not? Where is the money? If we relied on a certain number of TV appearances – why didn’t we invest in the team to make sure we were good enough for sky to want to show us? Why have we sold player upon player with no return? Why have we sold players, given the money to the banks but seen an increase in debt and not a decrease? Why does David Moyes have to scrape the bargain basement barrel every transfer window for freebies or loan deals? Why has Reading, West Ham, Birmingham (twice), Chelsea, Man City, Liverpool (twice) all found new owners/investors in much shorter time periods than we have? How can other teams, such as Villa, Spurs, QPR, Bolton, Fulham etc spend much more money than us? I can carry on with the questions…but my point is still very simple – you have to have answers to these if you still believe the current board and executives are running the club well.
The Blue Union, realizing that fan power may make a difference, are trying to muster up support that aims to encourage change. The creation of such a group has caused a sour divide amongst fans that is unhealthy and unwanted. But I don’t believe that all fans truly understand the motives of the Blue Union. For example – The Blue Union have been accused of being kopites for protesting and wanting their 15mins of fame. They have also been accused of bully tactics, hidden agendas and propaganda. Comments like:
20:09 – From the floor: ‘We need to leaflet and have a presence at every game. We must educate.’ (Said at the meeting on 25th January at Casa)
Certainly don’t help but what fans have to remember is that this comment, along with the questioning of Bill Kenwright (when he arrived for the Tamworth game) and the abuse across social media sites; does not come from the Blue Union itself but from supporters that are not entirely understanding of the group’s motives either.
At the same meeting, the following comment shows the group’s willingness to listen to ALL fans regardless of their stance:
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. (Said at the meeting on 25th January at Casa)
The Blue Union has clear aims and objectives, is open to suggestion and constructive criticism and does not support the barracking of fans that are either in opposition of what they stand for or are still unsure. They almost certainly do not want to see a fan divide that is causing argument, discontent and abuse. Deep down, I am sure they don’t even want to protest up and down the streets but they see no other viable option at the moment to help get their message across.
Protesting in the manner employed is also not reminiscent of ‘kopite’ behavior. Evertonians have protested when needed throughout our history. In fact I can remember Kenwright himself encouraging fans to voice concern when he was trying to buy the club from Johnson.
(In the same breathe; calling an Evertonian a ‘sheep’ because he believes that the club is okay and being managed well is also not acceptable. We are all entitled to our opinion and should not be abused because of it – The Blue Union has never asked its supporters to label, abuse or insult fans for not following their cause. If you are a Blue Union supporter, please refrain from belittling others for their opinion. All it serves to do is discourage those fans from pledging their support to the ONLY current supporters group trying to make a difference).
As far as I have witnessed, the Blue Union bases its’ ethos on open and fair discussion. Their meetings are open – anybody can attend and anybody can have their say. If you don’t like what they are doing or you don’t think it is working – please let them know, constructively.
Many Evertonians I have spoken with think that protesting is not the answer – well if it is not the answer what is? The Blue Union gives you the opportunity and platform to offer ideas that could encourage the required change at EFC – use it. Criticizing their efforts without offering up at least a viable alternative is not good enough. We can all comment that something is ‘shit’ or ‘bloody pointless’ (as fans have described the protests to me), that’s easy. The difficult part is offering the workable alternative and doing something about it. While protesting won’t remove the board from their ownership, it will cause concern. Ultimately, any change will require funds well in excess of a lottery win but can you afford to sit back now and watch your club suffer and fall backwards?
I’ll end by suggesting that the Blue Union should run with the motto of ‘opposing decline’ rather than stagnation.
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This is a well written and presented pice. The best from a pro BU I have come across, and has changed my mind from the fact I consider all BU supporters as enamies of the club. However there are a few vital facts missing. Firstlt, the demos are a embarresment to everyone associated with the Blues.the timing of the demos, pre match, can at best be described as negative, and the tactics, and abuse, to a man who saved the club from johnson the kopite is sickening beyond justification. Who, at the end of the season, will be seen as the biggest knoheads on the terraces is a 2 horse race between the bu and a bunch of Blackburn fans.
But where the whole thing falls apart is when bu supporters stay home to watch the red shite instead of attending the meetings, and than slag my beloved club off on forums and social sites for the world to see. Dirty washing in public is not the Everton way. Yes we have protested in the past, but that was in a positive, and united way. The bu is giving koppites and others enough piss take fodder to spoil every visit to the ale house.
So whats the alternative? Simple. Believe Blue Bill when he says he will sell to the right buyer. Why? cos like you he is an Evertonian. Would you kill our club? Did you do as much as Kenwright to oust johnson? Would you stand the course when you, and your family are slagged off at the gates to heaven every home game? The alternative is simple. If your an Evertonian fucking act like one. ETID
Darrel,
Thanks for the compliments on my first NSNO article/blog.
I wrote it because I was also an Evertonian that had had only negative experiences regarding the Blue Union, as I thought. I experienced the invective from fans claiming to be supporters when i expressed differing opinion and as a result had decided the Blue Union to be embarrassing and offering only bully tactics – those supporters of the Blue Union still exist but they have misunderstood the aims and objectives of this pressure group.
The group does not chant ‘Kenwright Out’, they didn’t find the ‘clown’ funny and they do not condone the abuse between Evertonians that support and do not support them.
Even the fans that confronted Bill Kenwright before the Tamworth FA Cup game were not confirmed as Blue Union representatives – the rest of us simply assumed this to be case due to the nature of their questions. If anything, the Blue Union wants to avoid this confrontation in order to be taken serious and open channels of communication with the club. A communication that has been minimal, if not non-existent, and the reason protests have taken place – if the club refuse to communicate with a pressure group containing officers that successfully argued Destination Kirkby was wrong, misleading and costly, then the only realistic option is to make yourself heard – via a peaceful protest.
I challenge you to attend a meeting or have a conversation with one of the officers of the Blue Union (such as Colin Fitzpatrick) and you will see that they can produce convincing arguments against the statement that Bill Kenwright is waiting for the ‘right buyer’. I won’t go into that too much as I am a novice in comparison.
I agree with most of the comments made, but in respect of the clubs you mentioned that have been purchased would you say these have been a sucess. Birmingham relegated and the owner is under investigation of fraud and players being sold. Aston Villa who have had substanial amounts of money injected are at the same levels as the blues. The Redshite were only bought because the old owners got themselves in such a deep mess and the new owners got them on the cheap and now they want champions league football before they invest again. I think it is time for Kenwright to go and I think he wants to leave Everton also, the question is we have to get the right owners in for this great club that is a must.
PJ
Thanks for the reply
The clubs were mentioned to show that, while the board tell us they can’t find a buyer, there are buyers out there.
Randy Lerner has enjoyed improvement at Villa (albeit this season they are struggling), Abramovich has won trophies, Glazers have won trophies and John Henry has raised a nett value of £130m for LFC to invest. The two yanks before him managed to raise astonishing amounts of money (in comparison to EFC’s revenue) for Rafa Benitez to waste – they also raised the turnover of the club to over £200m – they only failed when Gillette’s other investments were hit by recession and he filed for bankruptcy.
For every argument there is a counter but the point is that there are buyers and investors out there and EFC seem to always be second to them.
If you choose to believe that the club are looking for the right buyer ask yourself if there is such a thing. Even the owners of Man City have plunged the club into massive loses – shadowed only by their ability to guarantee them. The business itself is dire.
Thanks for the reply Jammie, but whereas your original pice has some vallied,and interesting points, your reply falls short. Communication has been minimal, well trust in the bu has gone after the breach of confidence. And as for officers, who appointed these officers to speak for me?