The Future of Everton: Bill Kenwright and Farhad Moshiri’s Boardroom Shake-up
Introduction
Everton Football Club has recently announced a major shake-up in their boardroom, with long-serving chairman Bill Kenwright remaining at the club and owner Farhad Moshiri joining the board. This news has been met with mixed reactions from supporters, who have long called for Kenwright to leave his post. In this article, we will explore the implications of this move and what it could mean for the future of Everton.
Bill Kenwright’s 34 Years at Everton
Bill Kenwright has been a part of the Everton board of directors for 34 years. He was first invited to join in 1989 and rose to deputy chairman after buying a majority 68% stake for £20m in 1999. He was appointed chairman in place of Sir Phillip Carter in 2004 and a year later the Toffees secured a place in the Champions League qualifiers under the guidance of manager David Moyes.
Kenwright’s stake eventually fell to 1.3% when British-Iranian business Moshiri first bought a stake in Everton in 2016, before upping it to become majority shareholder in 2018. In April, Kenwright wrote an open letter defending the way the club was being run and denying suggestions health issues were affecting his ability to do the job.
Farhad Moshiri Joins the Board
Farhad Moshiri will join the board alongside John Spellman, described by the club as “an experienced chartered accountant, successful businessman and Evertonian”. Moshiri said that Kenwright’s “knowledge and vast experience” was key for Everton and that he wanted him to remain as chairman during this important period of transition for the club.
MSP Sports Capital Investment
Everton are also awaiting news of any potential sanctions after being referred to an independent commission by the Premier League over an alleged breach of financial fair play rules, with the club “prepared to robustly defend” their position. Last month, Everton entered into an exclusivity agreement with MSP Sports Capital over investment in the club, with the New York-based company likely to expect representation in the boardroom.
Protests from Supporters
Supporters regularly held protests before home games last season, marching down Goodison Road while holding banners and chanting “Kenwright out”. In March, a panel featuring a picture of Kenwright that was stolen from outside Goodison Park was found in a canal. The Everton Fan Advisory Board responded by saying it had “no confidence” in the Toffees chairman, with the club narrowly avoiding relegation in the past two seasons.
Conclusion
The future of Everton remains uncertain, but with Bill Kenwright and Farhad Moshiri at the helm, it is clear that they are determined to bring success back to Goodison Park. The potential investment from MSP Sports Capital could be a major boost for the club and could help them to achieve their goals. However, with protests from supporters still ongoing, it remains to be seen whether this move will be enough to quell the unrest among fans.