Everton’s board of directors missed the Premier League defeat by Southampton at Goodison Park due to what the club described as “a real and credible threat to their safety and security.”
The unprecedented move was announced before a sit-in demonstration against the board by thousands of Everton fans, who called on owner Farhad Moshiri to make “sweeping changes” at chair, board and executive levels. Moshiri dismissed those demands in a letter to the Everton Fans’ Forum this week, prompting the resignation of several members of the forum plus Fan Advisory Board.
Before the protests over Everton’s long-term decline and latest relegation battle, chairman Bill Kenwright, chief Denise Barrett-Baxendale, chief finance officer Grant Ingles and non-executive director Graeme Sharp were advised to stay away from the game by the club’s security advisors. Everton are liaising with Merseyside police over the threats, although the latter has not confirmed whether an official complaint has been made.
A club statement revealed: “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.”
Moshiri has not attended an Everton game since October 2021 but Kenwright, Barrett-Baxendale, Ingles and Sharp, the second leading goalscorer in the club’s history, are regular attendees. 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.”
The organisers of the sit-in protest initially condemned the threats in a post on Twitter, only to issue an update denying that any threats had been made. “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,” read the first post on NSNOW.
It later claimed: “Further to the above, every fan & group we have engaged with re the sit in protest have been clear it would be peaceful. We are not aware of any threats. It is now clear that the relationship between the board & fans has broken down beyond repair. Their position is untenable.”
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Everton’s 69-year residence in the top flight is looking increasingly precarious, along with the job prospects of their manager, Frank Lampard, after the 2-1 defeat by Southampton. It was the team’s 10th defeat in 13 games in all competitions and leaves the club second from bottom of the Premier League.
“It is a difficult time,” said Lampard of the board’s enforced absence. “I don’t want to comment on it now, I’m more concerned that we didn’t win the game. That’s not me making light of anything. I hear the noise but I just have to keep working. Everyone involved here, on every side, is for Everton and working to improve things. When I wake up in the morning it will be with a determination to work hard and go again.”
