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Why Liverpool and Everton can't live together
There is no room for sympathy on the ground-share issue. The Merseyside clubs should always be separate entities and celebrate their differences.
by Joe Clash on 31 May 2008
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Everton suits are already getting in their excuses nice and early for the collapse of their Kirkby ‘super-stadium’.
In reality this could be a graveyard for shopping trolleys and a dead-end for Everton’s ambitions - it looks like some desperate Blues are after a ground-share with Liverpool, surely a sign of extreme anxiety and it shows what a truly rotten idea Kirkby is.
Despite all the Blues’ claims that destination Kirkby was a good proposal, this proves they will leap on anything to stay in the city. And for those reasons we should do our utmost to crush this idea, and leave Everton with no option but to slide out of Liverpool, leaving it to us.
In all seriousness, though, wind-ups like the above aside, I have always been opposed to a ground share with Everton, and not just because it represents a more economical and practical answer for the Toffees than leaving the city – and anything that is good for them, is usually bad for us.
Our two grounds, Anfield (and, yes, I know all about Everton’s history there) and Goodison, are the essence of who we are. This is why so many Evertonians are up in arms about leaving their home, and sharing a ground would by no means sweeten the pill of moving. The case that always gets wheeled out is the San Siro – but ground sharing is much more common in Italy, and rather than seeing a ground-share as one wonderful Merseyside footballing focal point, I see it as moving two footballing shrines into one place – a needless merging.
On the issue of ground-share, Liverpool City Council leader Warren Bradley said: “I’ve been working behind the scenes on a joint Liverpool and Everton stadium. I have talked to the sports minister and to the Northwest Regional Development Agency and I’ve spoken to Everton chairman Bill Kenwright.”
This is all well and good but the lack of any Liverpool figures in the statement by Bradley tells me a lot. Any argument for ground-share seems to be on logical, cold and calculated principles.
The problem is football support isn’t a science and cannot be measured empirically. The joy of bellowing in an Evertonian’s lughole when we’ve crushed them at fortress Anfield would diminish if we knew that it was theirs, too.
Keep both clubs separate, I say, ground-share is a horrific idea – meshing together two independent clubs in a Frankenstein stadium with a Liverpool end and an Everton end is not the way to go.
Comments (8)
by Bakkus Blauti on May 31, 2008
litlaton að reyna að troðast á risapool..skamm skamm
by scouser blue on May 31, 2008
when liverpool move i don't know why everton can't rent anfield for a couple of years, that way they can either demolish all or part of goodison and rebuild our new stadium, remember we did play there first
by phil jeffries on May 31, 2008
Let's all get real here. I'm an Evertonian and our Kirkby move is a shocker. It's not backed by the fans and it's getting called in by the government, so game over. And it's the best thing in the long run for Everton FC. As for Liverpool, you are struggling for cash and Hicks has openly stated there isn't an open pot of cash available for squad or stadium. So what do you want? We either share or both go our separate ways and struggle.I'd rather eat my own face than share with Liverpool. But what I do want is to strap Kirkby, and let LCC put their money where their mouth is and offer us a better/equivalent deal. Everton have always been realistic. We know what we can achieve and we want top 4. Liverpool every year think they can win the league. You spend big, but you keep ending up 4th. Sooner you admit you aren't competing and try a new appraoch, the better you'll be. As a team, Everton are better and if the blues invest better this year, you could end up in the Uefa next year. Not just by EFC, but maybe Villa or Spurs?
by Kenny Harper on May 31, 2008
As its stands right now the whole seperate stadiums wish look about as possible as Wimblepool actually putting together a full season challenge instead of their annual 6 weeks, for different reasons, Evertons looks doomed because they have yet to sell their soul and dont have a rich backer to build one for them, and Wimblepools look doomed because the people they sold their souls to are skint and have hocked the club for the next 20 years just to pay for their investment. I would be dead against a shared stadium becuase in my honest opnion the only club it would benefit would be Wimblepool, we would basically be paying half for them to get their 70,000 seater, were as now that looks doomed, why should we help them out? As for us, well i would prefer we did what Man Utd did, re-build one stand at a time.
by jobo on May 31, 2008
One thing is sure - Everton pride themselves on being the self proclaimed 'peoples club'. They use this slogan to make them feel better about the lack of success - whilst Liverpool on the other hand, have won about 8 majors since 2000. Everton cling on to their slogan - and this is the real reason why so many fans oppose the Kirkby move. Everton are not interested in the financial gains or the major opportunities this could present - they hate the idea of Liverpool being the one club in the city of Liverpool - and to be honest - I bloody love it - so here is a message from all reds fans - F*** off to kirkby - the city is all ours.
You sound like the desprate one jobo... the irony of a fan of a club who is supported by lads who turn up every 6 months via Lime St or John Lennon Airport and your attempts to claim the city as yours shows shear desperation and a certain amount hurt by Moyes' comments of the peoples club. Quality.Nevermid though eh, even if we did move to kirkby you could still throw a rope aroudn around 90% of our lads and it wouldnt go very far, your lads ahve a long way to travel to siong about merseyside now dont they?
by Davo on May 31, 2008
You bitter red bellend. Your an american franchise and you even talk in their language. What's a fúcking major? Biff
by Jobo on May 31, 2008
I am sorry guys, I agree us Liverpool fans have to travel from Norway, USA & Dorset and suppose I got a little bit jealous of Everton on the rise while my beloved Liverpool seem to be goin the wrong way under Rafa, I just want us to be noticed in a few years so am clinging on the hope of being the only club left in Liverpool itself hope I didnt offend too many people, who knows 1 day way may share a stadium! Love you all Jobo
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