The Echo, L'Equipe and Everton

[BiggyRat]

I always liken Everton board behaviour to governments, right down to how the press self-censor themselves to continue to get access. Mainstream journalism isn't just dead in the sports pages!

I think I need to stand up for Governments here....

 

[OneTrueLegend]

I read that and don't really understand it, I think it translated badly in places.

Are they basically saying that Philip Green, Robert Earl and others are setting up companies like Vibrac and JG funding, so that they can loan clubs like ours millions of pounds, and charge them 10% interest on it? So they loan us £20m at the start of the year and we pay them £22m at then end of the year, when the TV money comes in. Then we take out a new loan, No risk for them, as the money is assured, all reward. But it is a way for money to be siphoned out of the club by the "owners" and they are never under any real pressure to invest, because they are always paying off debts.

If so, I don't think this is illegal, but it is underhand, because it essentially means, we will never pay down our debt and never be at a point were we can compete with the teams at the top of the league

 

[Verbal Kint]

Think it's time for another boycotttheredecho campaign, they had the cheek to say they were going to question the inner workings more. Shame on us for believing them, gullible lot us Evertonians at times.

 

[Groucho]

Haven't bought a newspaper for about five years now.

Don't intend to start again either.

 

[atrottel]

I read that and don't really understand it, I think it translated badly in places.

If you poke around the EvertonViral site (which is WatchedToffee) you will find the original articles that the French articles are based on and his/her claims about the financing (especially if you look for a page Who Is The Main Player In The Everton Show?). A Google search for 'EvertonViral Vibrac' should find plenty to look at. I don't want to quote or link the articles, which may or may not be accurate, since I don't want the owners of GOT to be affected by any subsequent legal and financial problems.

 

[jonesboy]

"The loans are granted at rates of up to 10% and the quality of collateral (the British TV rights!) Leaves no doubt about the reimbursement. Overall an excellent return on investment to zero risk". That is why we haven't been sold. Kenwright is the bag man for Green and Earl and Everton are a nice little earner for them. Why should they sell when they can earn millions from the high interest rate they charge on their loans.

just as a matter of interest, how much would a company expect to pay in interest on a yearly loan of 20 million, is 10% extortionate? I know inflation is at an all time low but could I borrow 20 million from the TSB at the same rate, assuming my house was worth say 40 million as collateral? I wish.......... may be naïve but just interested...Everton Football Club would always come first for me , but this is a minefield???

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

And we had the new editor telling us a few months ago how they'd heard our voice and things were going to change.

Who came across as a patronising bellend.

 

[mightymoyes]

If you poke around the EvertonViral site (which is WatchedToffee) you will find the original articles that the French articles are based on and his/her claims about the financing (especially if you look for a page Who Is The Main Player In The Everton Show?). A Google search for 'EvertonViral Vibrac' should find plenty to look at. I don't want to quote or link the articles, which may or may not be accurate, since I don't want the owners of GOT to be affected by any subsequent legal and financial problems.

i think you're safe enough, no way they want their shady dealings brought up in court.

 

[atrottel]

i think you're safe enough, no way they want their shady dealings brought up in court.

I've been the target of lawyers' letters a couple of times for stuff I have published online (nothing to do with football) and believe me it has the renowned 'chilling effect' when you start thinking of the costs of defending any action. (Doesn't have to get anywhere near court before you start thinking about big sums.) So I'd rather leave it to Dan and Dylan - or the sensibly anonymous EvertonViral - to decide if they want to publish information on their sites rather than put them in a situation where they might be picking up the pieces afterwards.

 

[atrottel]

Note that the original article in L'Équipe has been removed (!) although anyone who would like to look at it can still find (for a short time) the article via the Google cache (if you search for Quand-un-supporter-d-everton-enquete-sur-les-emprunts-obscurs-des-clubs-anglais) and then click on Cached Version on the L'Équipe result. The blog post and the EvertonViral blog are currently still up.

 

[Deleted member 28206]

Greg is defo @davek

 

[davek]

Greg is defo @davek

Please, never associate me with riff raff again!

 

[Deleted member 28206]

Too easy.

 

[The Esk]

The L'equipe article has been removed.

 

[allezlesbleus]

The L'equipe article has been removed.

Shame. Would like to have seen that. We do not get much coverage en France.