Everton’s board of directors will not attend the club’s game with Southampton following reports of a “real and credible threat to their safety”.
The club issued a statement explaining the warning follows “malicious and unacceptably threatening correspondence”. It also pointed to incidents of “targeted physical aggression”.
Those on the board have accepted the advice and will not attend, the club added. The statement came just hours before Everton were due to host Southampton in a crucial Premier League fixture. A ‘sit in’ protest, which organisers have called to be conducted peacefully, is due to take place after the match as part of a campaign over concerns about the running of the club.
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Everton’s statement, released just after midday, said: “Everton’s Board of Directors have been instructed not to attend today’s Premier League fixture against Southampton because of a ‘real and credible threat to their safety and security’.
“Chairman Bill Kenwright, CEO Denise Barrett-Baxendale, Chief Finance and Strategy Officer Grant Ingles and Non-Executive Director Graeme Sharp have reluctantly accepted the outcome of the safety assessment carried out by security advisors.
“The board members received the instruction following malicious and unacceptably threatening correspondence received by the club and increasing incidents of anti-social behaviour – including targeted physical aggression - at recent home matches.”
As part of the statement, the club provided a quote from a security and safety adviser that said: “Following a thorough risk assessment, and in response to tangible threats received by the club and intelligence we have gathered, the Club’s Board members have been told they must not attend today’s fixture.”
A club spokesperson added: “This is an unprecedented decision for Everton Football Club – never before has our entire Board of Directors been ordered not to attend a match on safety grounds. It is a profoundly sad day for Everton and Evertonians.”
Fan campaign group NSNOW took to social media and posted a response to the reports, which said: "Everyone involved in our campaign and indeed every reasonable Evertonian utterly and completely condemn any threats to any Everton employee and/or officials & directors of the club."
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