Everton FC: Failure Rate Gathers Pace

If it were at all possible to measure an audible expression of an online community, then the collective *sigh* following Everton Football Club's latest commercial failure would surely have registered significantly on the well-worn 'sad-but-predictable' EFC failure rate scale.

If news that the planned '£9m' retail and hospitality development 'Everton Place' will now not open until the summer of 2012 came as no real surprise to long-suffering supporters, the cross-wired explanation emanating from within the club as to the reasons behind the 12 month delay, only served to re-enforce the general consensus concerning the powers-that-be at Goodison Park.

Addressing the concerns of shareholders, the club announced work on the development would begin in December 2010. Broadcast as being a 'cash-positive' project and at 'no cost to the club,' the four-storey building, incorporating a club shop, museum, café, corporate hospitality and administrative offices would be completed prior to the 2011-12 season. 

In November 2010 the 'Club Everton' hospitality tent was removed, followed quickly by the re-housing of the much-loved Dixie Dean statue in preparation for the commencement of on-site work. Alongside this, planning permission was applied for and obtained for land close to Goodison Park to replace the lost parking spaces at the Park End.

All systems go then, at least that's how it seemed at the time.......

In February of this year, with no visible progress having been made, shareholders were informed by Robert Elstone, that the delay was due to "minor legal issues,"  with the CEO giving reassurances that work would be starting "soon." Later that same month and somewhat ominously, Mr Elstone in his official blog expanded on this explaining that "We expect to start work soon as we wade through some complex legal matters."

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On Wednesday March 23 and coinciding with the unexpected lifting of a local press ban, the Liverpool Daily Post and Echo reported that the development had now been delayed until the summer of 2012, 'the club say the complexities surrounding IT moves and office relocation make it sensible to avoid a mid-season move.'

According to the preposterously titled 'Head of External Affairs,' Ian Ross: 

“This has been the acknowledged target date for some time as operationally it would have been difficult to open it mid-season. All of our partners are happy with the current timetable.

“This is a complex project involving several partners which when completed will deliver a prestigious multi-use building, one which will unquestionably benefit both club and supporters.”

In a later edition of the publication, Mr Ross felt the need to clarify the clubs position by claiming his CEO's previous reasons for the delay, surrounding "complex legal issues" were in fact incorrect: 

'Today Mr Ross denied legal issues were the cause of the schedule change.'

Interestingly and 5 days in advance of Ian Ross' 'IT relocation' excuses published in the local press, the Everton supporters pressure group, KEIOC, reported a very different take on their website: 

'Further examples of this contemptuous relationship are numerous; shareholders were told construction of the boards latest solution to our inept commercial ability, the development at the park end, was due to commence in December, following the West Bromwich home game, yet nothing has happened.

The little known official explanation, that some minor "legal difficulties" are being experienced, is being offered, yet for some time now KEIOC's information, from their club source, has indicated that "funding difficulties" are the greater problem as, yet again, Everton discover that there's no such thing as a free lunch, that mysterious and unexplainable deals aren't as cash positive as one would like to think and that nothing is, dare we say, effectively free.

The fans and shareholders are, as ever, being kept completely in the dark as to the degree of concessions to our "partners," concessions that may benefit them greatly yet see us firmly at the bottom of the premiership club commercial revenue generation league; a result that highlights Everton's commercial performance equating to just 11% of our total income whilst our peers deliver double and treble this amount.'

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Who to believe then? What excuse should we supporters plump for? Is there a 'delay' or a 'schedule change?' Are we backing CEO Robert Elstone and his "legal Issues" or getting behind Head of External Affairs Ian Ross and his 'can't find a decent removal company' story? Or, with rumours circulating of a construction firm 'pulling-out' of the planned development, are the "funding difficulties" suggested by KEIOC closer to the mark?

It would seem in any case and once more all to sadly and predictably, concerned Evertonians, due to the glaring mixed-messages coming out of the club, are left to come to their own conclusions......... 

 

  

Everton FC: How To Alienate Fans And Lose Supporters

On the back of the news that Everton FC have banned the local press, it turns out that 'the club' have decided now is the time to flex its muscles by threatening a number of its own supporters with legal action.

The initial information was released by Everton FC supporters site and forum NSNO. The site, officially recognised by Everton Football Club, were surprised and disappointed to receive an email from a Newcastle based law firm warning them to remove the moniker 'EFC' from t-shirts available to buy on the NSNO site, or face the consequences of legal proceedings against them by 'the club.'

NSNO were surprised to find out that 'EFC' was a registered trademark belonging to 'the Club' and disappointed that the initial contact on the issue was an email threatening legal action.

The owner of the site was clear that a simple and less costly email from 'the club' would have solved the problem without any threat of legal action. "The letters ('EFC') will be removed.  They would have got the same action if they'd sent an email themselves." I do take issue with the club feeling unable to contact me directly and rather using expensive solicitors instead.  A direct email from EFC would have just resulted in me taking down the t-shirts and carrying on, nobody would have ever known anything, because clearly no fucker wants to buy them anyway! haha!"

Apparently NSNO have sold just 3 'offending' t-shirts in the last 12 months.

The next supporters to feel the recent wrath of Everton Football Clubs internet snoops were Podcast producers Followtonians. As with NSNO, they are recognised by Everton Football Club as an unofficial Everton website and were similarly surprised to find themselves under threat of legal action by Everton Football Club.

In an almost identical situation, the people at Followtonians received an email from an image rights solicitor warning them to remove t-shirts from their site that featured any images of Everton Football Club players.

Further to this, it has emerged that Everton Football Club had taken the decision to disassociate itself from Followtonians due to one of its founders making his feelings known on twitter. Apparently and according to 'the club,' tweeting  “Fuck off, Howard” after a mistake that led to a Spurs goal and “Fuck off, Moyes” after he subbed Yakubu in the same match is tantamount to making personal threats against Everton staff.

The madness doesn't stop there! Only yesterday, the excellent The Peoples Forum was not surprised to be contacted by an image rights company by the name of NetResult, bizarre as it may seem, a forum run by Evertonians for Evertonians is not allowed to use the Everton FC crest as the Premier League owns all the image rights to all club crests. The forum host, Boardhost, received a similar email and The Peoples Forum was warned to remove the image within 24 hours or the board would be taken offline.

It seems someone at Everton Football Club has enough time on their hands to warn the Premier League that one of its supporters fora is in breach of image rights law. Which is very erm, vigilant of them.

Likewise, the Everton supporters website and forum Grand Old Team, after receiving a similar email has agreed with Everton Football Club to post the following warning to its users: 

'Our client (Everton Football Club) has highlighted Player/Match Action Images, Club Crests and Fixtures among the posts and as member’s avatar’s in your forum

I understand that due to the huge number of posts the tracking and removing of infringing images would prove difficult and very time consuming to perform.

A suggestion I have made with other football forums, is that when you do come across new images please take steps to remove them, but I would be grateful if you could routinely post a message to members warning them of the issues in question.'

 

 

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If you are a member of or are running an Everton supporters website/forum/facebook page/blog and currently find yourself scratching your head in disbelief, confusion and fear over what image/words/avatar you can or cannot use then you are just a click away from salvation. Well maybe:

http://www.ipo.gov.uk/types/tm/t-os/t-find/t-find-adp?propnum=0556745001

Who knows how many Everton supporters or their websites/fora have been threatened with legal action by their own football club? One thing is certain: 

Be warned, Everton Football Club is watching you! 

 

 

 

 

Everton FC: You're Banned

Sources at the Liverpool Daily Post & Echo (LDP&E)  have confirmed that a press blackout, enforced more than three weeks ago, remains firmly in place.

The banning of the regional newspapers, with hard-copy readership in the region of 100,000 and a combined online daily unique user figure of over 62,000, was imposed by Everton Football Club in the aftermath of a week-long series published by the LDP&E entitled: Everton FC in focus: Just what does the future hold for the Blues?  

The series of articles, which the club declined to participate in, focussed on the clubs finances, comment on the ongoing stadium issue, the 'search' for new owners and the fans view through a supporters poll.

Since then, the local journalists who have been denied access to players and staff as well as press-conferences, have had to make do with reporting second-hand news and mend by writing filler comment-pieces.

The current chairman and board of directors seem to have caught the banning bug; AGMs, EGMs, local journalists, all fair game for the current regime.  

The message from The Bunker is clear then; do not dare to criticize, analyze, question nor examine, refrain from inquiry, scrutiny and inspection or we will ban your arse brother.

[caption id="attachment_297" align="aligncenter" width="250" caption="Your Arse"][/caption]

In related news, the clubs official site has proudly announced they will be holding an exclusive Fans’ Conference in April.

Apparently, if you have already purchased your 2011/12 Season Ticket you could be one of the lucky 200 hand picked supporters who will be given the chance to pose questions to Chief Executive Officer Robert Elstone and a specially selected panel and 'talk about Club matters close to your heart' (local journalists and curious Evertonians need not apply). 

I'm preparing my question as we speak:

"Hi Robert, firstly can I say thank you for allowing us plebs to take up some of your precious time, we are not worthy.....and erm, could you tell us all whether Mikel uses gel, wax or mousse on his gorgeous Spanish barnet?"

Marvellous!

Nah! He's Probably Just Making It Up

The Liverpool Daily Post & Echo is up in arms, the Government you see have not only ordered condemned quango the North West Development Agency (NWDA to you and me) to sell off £50m plus of its assets, they have the brass neck to "slap" a "secrecy order" on the upcoming fire sale.

According to the distraught Daily Post correspondent, everything from Wavertree Technology Park, the famous Littlewoods building, on Edge Lane, and the Estuary Commerce Park, in Speke, including the National Bio-manufacturing Centre and the former aerodrome site could be sold as early as next month, crucially it seems, without the knowledge of local people.

The article goes on to claim that proceeds from these "secret sales" will no doubt go to "fill treasury coffers." 

Despite their best efforts, our reporter hits a brick wall of Governmental silence when rebuffed by business minister Mark Prisk, who repelled the enquiry with that old chestnut: “We have to be very careful around a whole series of commercial confidentialities. We have taken the view that, rather than get into part of the story, it’s far better to maintain confidentiality.”

Down but not out, our intrepid crusader dusted him/herself off and turned to posh, shocked and disgusted Wavertree MP Luciana Berger who "condemned" the "secrecy" so much, she has promised to table a Parliamentary question on the subject this very day.

The ConDems will be quaking in their brogues.

Despite this they should be applauded on their attempt to lift the lid on this particular story: Good work The Daily Post, huzzah!!

Meanwhile closer to home and in the wake of an abysmal FA cup exit, a sports reporter with a name made for journalism, Richard Askam, revealed exclusively on BBC's NW Tonight that Everton Football Club has been the subject of recent and numerous takeover attempts. In an interview with David Bick, the 'takeover advisor' disclosed he has been approached on multiple occasions by various people looking to buy Everton FC, he went on to claim that one particular bid was made by a "very serious investor" with "deep pockets." A bid David Bick says "went a long way down the track and then stopped." 



Obviously it is all a bit cloak 'n dagger this reporting on a possible takeover and no doubt there would have been, as with the NWDA report, assurances made based on 'commercial confidentialities.' To add fuel to the fire, when invited to respond by the BBC, Everton Football Club 'declined' the offer.

So, all very hush-hush then and so 'secret' as to be right up the (Old Hall) street of the Liverpool Daily Post & Echo's fearless investigators. After all, with a captive Evertonian audience desperate for this sort of news and the chance to move more copy, you'd imagine the journos and their editors in question would be clambering over one another to have a go at this particular scoop.

Well, nah. It seems that possible and multiple takeover bids for a world-renowned multi-million pound local business is not deemed newsworthy by the powers that be at the Liverpool Daily Post and Echo. Apparently David Bick, a man involved in the takeovers of many a football club, including Man City, could be simply 'making it all up.' 

Maybe Mr Bick has too much time on his hands, or could it perhaps be that the LDP&E's recent rap across the knuckles from Everton Football Club, has put the publication back into its well-worn place, as the loyal dog who once in a while steps out of line and gets a clip on the nose.....or something like that?

Daily Post & Echo
A quick mail from a friend of this blog to Richard Askam has confirmed that Everton Football Club had nothing to do with the information highlighted on the NW tonight report.