BILL KENWRIGHT (1945-2023)
That Bill Kenwright was devoted to Everton, and wanted the best for his beloved club, is without question. He died this week at 78, still the club chairman, in the job he loved – even if it had brought him untold trouble and disappointment. No trophy was lifted during his almost 20 years in the chair, though he had been on the club’s board when the FA Cup – Joe Royle, Joe Parkinson, Paul Rideout and all that – was won in 1995. There were the David Moyes years, too, 11 years when Everton, routinely cash-strapped, always punched above their weight and became a model for solidity, endeavour and a tight bond between fans and players. “The people’s club,” they called it, a knowing nod to that more globalised, corporate lot across Stanley Park.
