Everton board members advised not to attend Southampton game due to 'safety threat'

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.