It was a proud moment for Everton club legend Graeme Sharp when he was invited to join the Goodison Park board of directors.
But the former Scotland international could never have imagined that 12 months later he would be prevented from watching his beloved Toffees at their home ground. Along with the rest of the board and a number of decision-makers, including chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale and chief finance and strategy officer Grant Ingles, he was advised to give last Saturday’s game with Southampton a miss.
Police were worried that an increasingly toxic environment surrounding the relegation-threatened club could escalate, leaving the directors’ box vulnerable to physical abuse. Chairman Bill Kenwright had also received personal death threats.
