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Everton Would Consider Sharing With Liverpool After Stadium Plans Rejected - Robert Elstone
Chief executive indicates Toffees might think about moving in with the neighbours...
| Bet: | Returns: | Everton £31.00 | Draw £32.50 | Chelsea £22.50 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Everton £33.00 | Draw £31.00 | Chelsea £23.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Everton £32.00 | Draw £32.50 | Chelsea £23.00 |
|
| Bet: | Returns: | Everton £32.50 | Draw £33.00 | Chelsea £22.50 |
|
| Bet: | Returns: | Everton £33.50 | Draw £33.50 | Chelsea £23.00 |
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Nov 26, 2009 10:04:36 AM
Everton chief executive Robert Elstone has revealed that the club are considering their best course of action after plans for a new stadium in Kirkby were rejected by the government yesterday.
The £400 million proposal was turned down due to the negative impact it was felt a supermarket that was part of the development would have on local businesses.
Elstone also hinted that the Toffees were now prepared to consider sharing a ground with neighbours Liverpool.
"If the scheme was rejected in a way that means we can amend it or tailor it to give it greater chance of success than that's clearly something we'll look at," Elstone told Sky Sports News.
"We'll sit down with the partners and review the decision before we make our next steps on that particular point."
As for whether the club's current ground Goodison Park can be upgraded, Elstone doesn't feel that the potential for redevelopment exists.
"It's a very small site, it's locked in by houses and businesses and a church and a pub and a school, so to redevelop would be incredibly challenging," he explained.
"When something is challenging and perhaps ambitious the other word that often goes with that is expensive.
"We believe redevelopment of Goodison is very, very expensive. Future stadium potential for Everton is not necessarily about land, it's more about the cash, the affordability.
"That was the beauty of the Kirkby scheme which did come with a substantial subsidy from Tesco. So any alternative is going to have to address affordability.
"I would say as well that Kirkby for a long, long time has divided the club and divided the fans. And who knows really the proportion of fans who were for or against it - we don't know that.
"I think now is the time for the club to be reunited, because for 130 years we have been united. Fans, partners, all of us really need to get behind the next steps for Everon whatever they might be."
As a result, Elstone felt that the possibility of sharing a new stadium with Liverpool was now an option to be seriously considered.
"Perhaps it will, and it's certainly one of the options that we will need to cover. I come back to what I've just said though," he added.
"A shared stadium is an option perhaps if it's affordable. It's the affordability point we have to look at.
"Where we can raise money, potentially Liverpool will have to contribute to that. Liverpool City Council perhaps might need to find some money.
"So it's affordability on the shared stadium, it's not any deep-seated opposition to sharing. Our history is one of creation and innovation and if we're the first major English club to look at sharing then we're not scared of making those decisions."
Zack Wilson, Goal.com UK
The £400 million proposal was turned down due to the negative impact it was felt a supermarket that was part of the development would have on local businesses.
Elstone also hinted that the Toffees were now prepared to consider sharing a ground with neighbours Liverpool.
"If the scheme was rejected in a way that means we can amend it or tailor it to give it greater chance of success than that's clearly something we'll look at," Elstone told Sky Sports News.
"We'll sit down with the partners and review the decision before we make our next steps on that particular point."
As for whether the club's current ground Goodison Park can be upgraded, Elstone doesn't feel that the potential for redevelopment exists.
"It's a very small site, it's locked in by houses and businesses and a church and a pub and a school, so to redevelop would be incredibly challenging," he explained.
"When something is challenging and perhaps ambitious the other word that often goes with that is expensive.
"We believe redevelopment of Goodison is very, very expensive. Future stadium potential for Everton is not necessarily about land, it's more about the cash, the affordability.
"That was the beauty of the Kirkby scheme which did come with a substantial subsidy from Tesco. So any alternative is going to have to address affordability.
"I would say as well that Kirkby for a long, long time has divided the club and divided the fans. And who knows really the proportion of fans who were for or against it - we don't know that.
"I think now is the time for the club to be reunited, because for 130 years we have been united. Fans, partners, all of us really need to get behind the next steps for Everon whatever they might be."
As a result, Elstone felt that the possibility of sharing a new stadium with Liverpool was now an option to be seriously considered.
"Perhaps it will, and it's certainly one of the options that we will need to cover. I come back to what I've just said though," he added.
"A shared stadium is an option perhaps if it's affordable. It's the affordability point we have to look at.
"Where we can raise money, potentially Liverpool will have to contribute to that. Liverpool City Council perhaps might need to find some money.
"So it's affordability on the shared stadium, it's not any deep-seated opposition to sharing. Our history is one of creation and innovation and if we're the first major English club to look at sharing then we're not scared of making those decisions."
Zack Wilson, Goal.com UK
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