Bill Kenwright

[Steve Wigan]

It's really hard this issue with Kenwright & ex-blues at our club, but then it isn't. I get it - it's great to have people who love the club here, working for it. But it's crucial that we also have skilled people who can do the job. We definitely have enough money to pay well - at least promoting executives, coaching staff and Finch Farm staff with smaller PL or Championship clubs, if we can't compete with the Champions league clubs. We should be always looking out to improve our staff.
Big Dunc, Kenwright, Unsworth, Jeffers, Ebbrell, and some others, are unfortunately symbols of the mediocrity. Yes, they are blues, but they only have the FA Cup to show as experience of success, and we need to combine blue blooded people with skilled coaches who want to make a name for themselves. even if we're currently 'just a Premier League team' we are still a big draw for ambitious football staff (coaches, medical, training, physios etc). And now to work with Lampard & His staff, and a good group of 10-12 players in the first XI, at least 10-15 from U18-U23 are decent, good pay and good job prospects - we should be attracting excellent staff.

Our outlook is a bit old fashioned. It's easy to combine both love for the club with people who are not connected to Everton and BK and DBB need to understand this and either do it or quit straight away! Lampard is a great example - a big Chelsea man, but he's fallen in love with Everton, or at least knows how to deal with the passion, expectation and connection with fans at Everton.

Interesting and well balanced post, A number of years ago(it was at the opening of a cinema in Victoria Railway Station in Manchester) I had an interesting conversation with Sir Alex one to one. WE talked about his love of westerns, especially John Wayne and then got on to football...after some stuff about Man United he asked me if I was a United supporter and I said that I supported Everton. :Excellent he said adding that 'Everton was a very well run club'....very business like. and organised. Over the years I've heard similar from Tommy Docherty,the late Jim Smith, and a few more. Now all this was pre Moshiri,but at that time ,whatever many Everton fans thought of Bill,he was well thought of amongst the hierarchy of people who actually run football clubs. This good rep may have changed now(since Moshiri?) but it has always been apparent that the only reason Bill is still at Everton is because Moshiri rightly or wrongly relies on Bills knowledge and negotiating skill. Bill I think has more input to Moshiri than we might think, but never the final word.. Your use of the phrase 'old fashioned' is very pertinent. BIll has always been a 'traditionalist in his core theatrical business but this does not neccessarily sit as easily in the football business, and this has always been the stumbling block to Bills tenure. I don't know a football chairman/owner who doesn't take a lot of stick from supporters(except maybe City and to a lesser extent the RS) but some of the stuff thrown at Bill is just crude and without substance. Like most chairmen, he did a lot that turned out to be wrong, and some things that turned out to be right.

 

[Carlito]

Interesting and well balanced post, A number of years ago(it was at the opening of a cinema in Victoria Railway Station in Manchester) I had an interesting conversation with Sir Alex one to one. WE talked about his love of westerns, especially John Wayne and then got on to football...after some stuff about Man United he asked me if I was a United supporter and I said that I supported Everton. :Excellent he said adding that 'Everton was a very well run club'....very business like. and organised. Over the years I've heard similar from Tommy Docherty,the late Jim Smith, and a few more. Now all this was pre Moshiri,but at that time ,whatever many Everton fans thought of Bill,he was well thought of amongst the hierarchy of people who actually run football clubs. This good rep may have changed now(since Moshiri?) but it has always been apparent that the only reason Bill is still at Everton is because Moshiri rightly or wrongly relies on Bills knowledge and negotiating skill. Bill I think has more input to Moshiri than we might think, but never the final word.. Your use of the phrase 'old fashioned' is very pertinent. BIll has always been a 'traditionalist in his core theatrical business but this does not neccessarily sit as easily in the football business, and this has always been the stumbling block to Bills tenure. I don't know a football chairman/owner who doesn't take a lot of stick from supporters(except maybe City and to a lesser extent the RS) but some of the stuff thrown at Bill is just crude and without substance. Like most chairmen, he did a lot that turned out to be wrong, and some things that turned out to be right.

I like the anecdote Ferguson tells about Kenwright in his book, where he's talking about finalising the Rooney deal.

Very professional.

 

[Tom Hughes]

Interesting and well balanced post, A number of years ago(it was at the opening of a cinema in Victoria Railway Station in Manchester) I had an interesting conversation with Sir Alex one to one. WE talked about his love of westerns, especially John Wayne and then got on to football...after some stuff about Man United he asked me if I was a United supporter and I said that I supported Everton. :Excellent he said adding that 'Everton was a very well run club'....very business like. and organised. Over the years I've heard similar from Tommy Docherty,the late Jim Smith, and a few more. Now all this was pre Moshiri,but at that time ,whatever many Everton fans thought of Bill,he was well thought of amongst the hierarchy of people who actually run football clubs. This good rep may have changed now(since Moshiri?) but it has always been apparent that the only reason Bill is still at Everton is because Moshiri rightly or wrongly relies on Bills knowledge and negotiating skill. Bill I think has more input to Moshiri than we might think, but never the final word.. Your use of the phrase 'old fashioned' is very pertinent. BIll has always been a 'traditionalist in his core theatrical business but this does not neccessarily sit as easily in the football business, and this has always been the stumbling block to Bills tenure. I don't know a football chairman/owner who doesn't take a lot of stick from supporters(except maybe City and to a lesser extent the RS) but some of the stuff thrown at Bill is just crude and without substance. Like most chairmen, he did a lot that turned out to be wrong, and some things that turned out to be right.

The only thing he got right was employing Moyes. He then papered over the cracks of a club that had been run into the ground and was running on fumes and TV money. All around us had invested heavily in their clubs, modernised their stadia and still outspent us on the pitch. Moyes performed minor miracles on a tiny budget, but the club's infrastructure, finances and standing was only going one way. Moyes left a strong side for Martinez who was able to acquire Lukaku to further strengthen and the momentum lasted a little while longer, but soon fell away!

 

[davmaher]

I think it is beyone time for Kenwright to move on, although I also believe he plays an important role as a lightning rod for Moshiri to draw blame away from the owner. I don't think things will actually change much when Kenwright does go and can only imagine any Moshiri appointment being a disaster, alongside most of his other appointments.

 

[paultheblue]

Interesting and well balanced post, A number of years ago(it was at the opening of a cinema in Victoria Railway Station in Manchester) I had an interesting conversation with Sir Alex one to one. WE talked about his love of westerns, especially John Wayne and then got on to football...after some stuff about Man United he asked me if I was a United supporter and I said that I supported Everton. :Excellent he said adding that 'Everton was a very well run club'....very business like. and organised. Over the years I've heard similar from Tommy Docherty,the late Jim Smith, and a few more. Now all this was pre Moshiri,but at that time ,whatever many Everton fans thought of Bill,he was well thought of amongst the hierarchy of people who actually run football clubs. This good rep may have changed now(since Moshiri?) but it has always been apparent that the only reason Bill is still at Everton is because Moshiri rightly or wrongly relies on Bills knowledge and negotiating skill. Bill I think has more input to Moshiri than we might think, but never the final word.. Your use of the phrase 'old fashioned' is very pertinent. BIll has always been a 'traditionalist in his core theatrical business but this does not neccessarily sit as easily in the football business, and this has always been the stumbling block to Bills tenure. I don't know a football chairman/owner who doesn't take a lot of stick from supporters(except maybe City and to a lesser extent the RS) but some of the stuff thrown at Bill is just crude and without substance. Like most chairmen, he did a lot that turned out to be wrong, and some things that turned out to be right.

Could you tell me what you think he has done right?
Apart from employing Moyes which by all accounts was by recommendation from Walter Smith but credit where it's due he listened to him.
I am not trying to point score it is a serious question what were the things you fèel he done right?

 

[Lawrence]

Steve loves Bill. That's fair enough. Cinema in Victoria Station, that's a new one on me. What is fact and not fiction is in Fergies biography. No respect for Boys Pen, just the opposite. This well run club rubbish. We became a feeder club for the two Manchester clubs. Huge income for the greatest living Evertonian, but not even new spectator facilities, never mind a new stand. I can't think of one good thing Kenwright has done.

 

[ForeverBlue92]

Steve loves Bill. That's fair enough. Cinema in Victoria Station, that's a new one on me. What is fact and not fiction is in Fergies biography. No respect for Boys Pen, just the opposite. This well run club rubbish. We became a feeder club for the two Manchester clubs. Huge income for the greatest living Evertonian, but not even new spectator facilities, never mind a new stand. I can't think of one good thing Kenwright has done.

Im convinced Steve Wigan IS Kenwright

He gushed about Bill 24/7 on Kipper.

 

[Lawrence]

They may be collaborating on a musical for the floral pavilion. The greatest living Evertonian Bill Kenwright, written by Bill Kenwright. Staring Bill as TGLE. Steve as his Butler. Jenny and Arteta the golden donkey come on with Uncle Cyril at the end, with a rousing rendition of money, money, money.

 

[Gwladysstreetlad]

Utterly shameless. If anything is named after him at Bramley Moore, a stand, a lounge, even a toilet.... It shows as a club we reward failure.

I don't know about that mate. I think that naming the toilets after Kenwright would be pretty fitting considering that he's spent over thirty years defecating all over the club!

 

[Marius57]

Interesting and well balanced post, A number of years ago(it was at the opening of a cinema in Victoria Railway Station in Manchester) I had an interesting conversation with Sir Alex one to one. WE talked about his love of westerns, especially John Wayne and then got on to football...after some stuff about Man United he asked me if I was a United supporter and I said that I supported Everton. :Excellent he said adding that 'Everton was a very well run club'....very business like. and organised. Over the years I've heard similar from Tommy Docherty,the late Jim Smith, and a few more. Now all this was pre Moshiri,but at that time ,whatever many Everton fans thought of Bill,he was well thought of amongst the hierarchy of people who actually run football clubs. This good rep may have changed now(since Moshiri?) but it has always been apparent that the only reason Bill is still at Everton is because Moshiri rightly or wrongly relies on Bills knowledge and negotiating skill. Bill I think has more input to Moshiri than we might think, but never the final word.. Your use of the phrase 'old fashioned' is very pertinent. BIll has always been a 'traditionalist in his core theatrical business but this does not neccessarily sit as easily in the football business, and this has always been the stumbling block to Bills tenure. I don't know a football chairman/owner who doesn't take a lot of stick from supporters(except maybe City and to a lesser extent the RS) but some of the stuff thrown at Bill is just crude and without substance. Like most chairmen, he did a lot that turned out to be wrong, and some things that turned out to be right.

Leicesters owner.

Also, being well run is great if you are winning things. We haven't won anything being a 'well run' club for 28 years. So well run he couldn't get any investment and he then sold us to a clown.

Well thought of by other clubs, because they knew we were no threat.

 

[Simon Buttle]

Leicesters owner.

Also, being well run is great if you are winning things. We haven't won anything being a 'well run' club for 28 years. So well run he couldn't get any investment and he then sold us to a clown.

Well thought of by other clubs, because they knew we were no threat.

A well run club would never have had the stadium debacle we had nor would it ever have associated itself with the likes of Philip Green.

 

[Tom Hughes]

A well run club would never have had the stadium debacle we had nor would it ever have associated itself with the likes of Philip Green.

Exactly.... endless catastrophic failures and dereliction of duty that left us way behind so many other clubs. The only thing the club has going for it is a sizeable but aging fanbase, built up over the previous generations.

 

[StreetEndBlue]

With the failures at Kings Docks, Kirkby (thank god for that one) and Walton Hall Park, Kenwright's got an unprecedented three stadium failures on his watch. No other Chairman/owner I know of has got that many.

 

[LeeCarsley]

Never in my life did I think Everton would wait 28 years without success in any shape or form, and I sat through the 14-year drought in the 70s! Bill has presided over a disastrous tenure and he and his boss Farhad have gambled with the future of one of England's oldest clubs. He must be held accountable.

 

[BNJ1878]

With the failures at Kings Docks, Kirkby (thank god for that one) and Walton Hall Park, Kenwright's got an unprecedented three stadium failures on his watch. No other Chairman/owner I know of has got that many.

Kings Dock - Could have happened, but it would have meant relaxing his vice like grip on his trainset. Non-Starter

Kirkby - Nudf said

Walton Hall Park - I never really felt this had any genuine momentum. The cynical side of me suspects it was little more than a 'Look, we tried' exersize.

There was of course a 4th option, a redeveloped Goodison which would have been feasible, no matter what the club tells people. The issue was Bills mates wouldn't make any money off that. When you also factor in the club didn't have the money to do it, or the faith from the banks they could pay it off. Never going to happen.

Bramley Moore will be lovely, particularly in about 10 years when the Ten Streets is fully up and running as well as a (hopefully) much progressed Liverpool Waters.

I do feel KD was massive missed opportunity, commercially its put us at least 20 years behind where we could have been today.

Still, he saved us from that Kopite Johnson, eh lads.