As deals go, Everton’s agreement with Laing O’Rourke to lock-in the construction costs of their new stadium could prove to be one of the most astute in the club’s long history. At a time when all of us are feeling the financial pinch in our pockets over the ever-increasing cost of living while our wages fail to keep up with dramatic inflation, the Blues have ensured the bill for moving to their new home by the banks of the Mersey do not spiral out of control.
Everton have, understandably, been under significant scrutiny of late over the prudence of their outlays. Former director of football Marcel Brands departed in December with a cryptic parting shot of “is it only the players?” when asked by an angry fan after the 4-1 home defeat to Liverpool if he’d recruited those on the pitch while the team continue to fight for their Premier League lives under Frank Lampard, lying 17 th in the table despite having what is widely reported as being the seventh-biggest wage bill in the division.
But while the Blues continue to strive to get ‘more bang for their buck’ on the pitch, agreeing prices when it comes to their build at Bramley-Moore Dock seems a very shrewd move. In a world where the cost of most things seems to be going up, the raw materials needed to construct a building of this size could be impacted in a major way but Everton have now ensured a significant degree of protection for themselves on this score.
