Everton
chief executive Robert Elstone has revealed that the club are
considering their best course of action after plans for a new stadium
in Kirkby were rejected by the government yesterday.
The £400
million proposal was turned down due to the negative impact it was felt
a supermarket that was part of the development would have on local
businesses.
Elstone also hinted that the Toffees were now prepared to consider sharing a ground with neighbours Liverpool.
"If
the scheme was rejected in a way that means we can amend it or tailor
it to give it greater chance of success than that's clearly something
we'll look at," Elstone told Sky Sports News.
"We'll sit down with the partners and review the decision before we make our next steps on that particular point."
As
for whether the club's current ground Goodison Park can be upgraded,
Elstone doesn't feel that the potential for redevelopment exists.
"It's
a very small site, it's locked in by houses and businesses and a church
and a pub and a school, so to redevelop would be incredibly
challenging," he explained.
"When something is challenging and perhaps ambitious the other word that often goes with that is expensive.
"We
believe redevelopment of Goodison is very, very expensive. Future
stadium potential for Everton is not necessarily about land, it's more
about the cash, the affordability.
"That was the beauty of the
Kirkby scheme which did come with a substantial subsidy from Tesco. So
any alternative is going to have to address affordability.
"I
would say as well that Kirkby for a long, long time has divided the
club and divided the fans. And who knows really the proportion of fans
who were for or against it - we don't know that.
"I think now is
the time for the club to be reunited, because for 130 years we have
been united. Fans, partners, all of us really need to get behind the
next steps for Everon whatever they might be."
As a result,
Elstone felt that the possiblity of sharing a new stadium with
Liverpool was now an option to be seriously considered.
"Perhaps
it will, and it's certainly one of the options that we will need to
cover. I come back to what I've just said though," he added.
"A shared stadium is an option perhaps if it's affordable. It's the affordability point we have to look at.
"Where
we can raise money, potentially Liverpool will have to contribute to
that. Liverpool City Council perhaps might need to find some money.
"So
it's affordability on the shared stadium, it's not any deep-seated
opposition to sharing. Our history is one of creation and innovation
and if we're the first major English club to look at sharing then we're
not scared of making those decisions."
like that liverpool vs everton, and everton vs liverpool how.
home away?!?!?
like that liverpool also more $$..
Good-Anfield Park.
Andison Field?
An from Anfield
dison from Goodison
Field from Anfield
Nickname "The GAP"
Liverton park.
how about
Loser-tons Field?
suit liverpool now
but seriously, i dont fancy the idea of liverpool merging with everton.
we must be rivals, not friends!
aiya. the English version of the Milaneses (Milans) - AC and Inter sharing San Siro wat...
Nothing much.