A turbulent 2023 for Everton off the pitch as well as on it culminated with the resignation of three directors at 5pm on Monday – with the same announcement detailing there would be a further statement about interim appointments and the future of chairman Bill Kenwright in the subsequent 48 hours – but how did the Blues get to this point?
Here’s a timeline of the events just from this calendar year which played their part in leading to Goodison Park’s boardroom exodus.
January 6: Following the 4-1 home defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion that saw Frank Lampard’s side drop into the relegation zone, the Everton Fans’ Forum send an open letter to majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri asking him to listen to their concerns and speak with Evertonians directly.
January 11: Moshiri responds with a letter of his own in which he reaffirms his commitment to the ownership of the club as well as delivering a vote of confidence in Lampard.
January 12: During a radio interview with Jim White on talkSPORT, Moshiri says: “I put my money where my mouth is and that is the most an owner can do and I have done that,” while quoting a £760million cost for the club’s new stadium which is under construction.
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January 14: The board of directors stay away from Everton’s 2-1 home defeat to the Premier League’s bottom club Southampton due to what they describe as safety advice with club sources claiming that chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale was “put in a headlock” by a fan at a previous fixture. After the game there was a peaceful protest by fans within the stadium with banners proclaiming ‘Kenwright & Co, it's time to go’ and ‘Back the team, sack the regime’ although video footage later shows Blues defender Yerry Mina talking to supporters who surrounded his vehicle and winger Anthony Gordon’s car being blocked by angry fans.
January 16: Merseyside Police issue a statement in relation to alleged threats towards the club’s directors, confirming they were liaising with Everton over the matter although the release adds: “At this stage no offences have been reported.”
January 18: The Everton Shareholders Association release an online petition calling for “a vote of no confidence” in the club’s board of directors.
January 22: After staying away from Everton’s previous home game – none of them would ever return in their roles – the club’s directors turn up en masse for the 2-0 defeat at West Ham United, alongside owner Moshiri, attending his first match since the 5-2 home defeat to Watford on October 23, 2021.
January 23: Lampard is sacked as Everton manager.
January 24: Moshiri insists Everton are not up for sale and tells the ECHO he remains committed to the club after earlier appearing in a video interview with Jazz Bal, the club’s Fan Advisory Board chair.
January 26: It emerges that Moshiri is in talks with a US investment fund MSP Sports Capital over taking a stake in the club.
January 30: Sean Dyche is appointed Everton manager.
January 31: The January transfer window closes with Everton the only team fighting against relegation not having strengthened their squad despite director of football Kevin Thelwell understood to have been looking to bring in two attacking recruits, Moshiri declaring in his aforementioned interview with Jazz Bal: “If we need a striker, we’ll get one”, and Gordon being sold to Newcastle United for £45million.
February 4: The first pre-match fans’ protest march (they’ll continue for six home fixtures in a row) against Moshiri and the board takes place before Dyche’s first game in charge – a 1-0 win over Premier League leaders Arsenal – while a plane flies over Goodison Park ahead of kick-off carrying the message: ‘22 YEARS OF FAILURE BILL @ TIME2GOBILL.’
February 17: Another US-based investment firm is interested in Everton, 777 Partners LLC, which has invested in a network of clubs across the world.
March 10: The NSNOW Campaign issues an open letter to Everton board member and non-executive director Graeme Sharp, urging him to fill what they describe as “the leadership vacuum” at the club and to personally communicate with fans.
March 13: Merseyside Police confirms it is making enquiries over the removal of a sign featuring an image of Bill Kenwright from the side of the Main Stand at Goodison Park.
March 16: The aforementioned sign featuring an image of Kenwright is found in the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.
March 23: The Everton Shareholders Association calls for club to reinstate the Annual General Meetings.
March 24: Everton release a statement insisting they are “prepared to robustly defend” their position after the Premier League referred the club to an independent commission for an “alleged breach” of profit and sustainability rules.
March 31: Everton reveal their accounts for 2021/22, announcing financial losses for the fifth successive year after reporting a £44.7million deficit with Kenwright writing in his foreword notes that instructions given to himself and fellow board members not to attend matches at Goodison Park “has hurt deeply.”
April 10: It emerges that Thelwell answered questions on the January transfer window and presented details of the strategic framework he has implemented at Everton when he met with the club’s Fan Advisory Board (FAB) although the group expressed their disappointment that no members of the board were able to attend the meeting, which took place on March 31.
April 21: The Everton Fans’ Forum criticise an open letter from Kenwright, claiming the response from the Blues’ chairman is an “insult to Evertonians.” While Kenwright expressed his gratitude for the worries about his condition, the Everton chairman criticised Blues supporters for the nature of the recent protests towards the board.
April 28: Everton’s Fan Advisory Board declares it has no confidence in Kenwright.
May 22: It is confirmed that Everton have entered into a period of exclusivity with MSP Sports Capital over potential investment in the club.
May 28: Everton secure the win they required to stay up on the final day of the Premier League season with Abdoulaye Doucoure’s goal enough to defeat Bournemouth but moments after the final whistle, chants of “Sack the board” ring out around Goodison Park.
May 29: Everton fan group All Together Now urges Moshiri to share plans that could help to repair the relationship between the club and supporters, declaring in a statement: “We implore the owner to communicate on the actions he is looking to take that will begin the process of high-level change.”
June 1: The Everton Fan Advisory Board confirms that no members of the club’s board attended their quarterly meeting the previous night.
June 3: A number of unhappy Everton supporters gather outside the Royal Liver Building (the location of the club’s offices) to show their dissatisfaction with the running of the club for a rally organised by the All Together Now group that lasts around 45 minutes.
June 12: Everton make the announcement that three board members – chief executive officer Denise Barrett-Baxendale; chief finance and strategy officer Grant Ingles and non-executive director Graeme Sharp – have all departed with a statement about interim appointments and the future of chairman Bill Kenwright in the next 48 hours.
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