Everton Fan Advisory Board sends 14 questions to 777 amid takeover talks
Prospective Everton owners 777 Partners have been sent a list of 14 questions by the Everton Fan Advisory Board (FAB) following a fan engagement meeting last month, according to Liverpool World.
The digital news publication shared on Monday (9 October) that the list had been sent by FAB chairman Dave Kelly, who is hoping 777 will review and respond to the list at the earliest opportunity.
The 14-question list included topics such as the source of their funding, reorganisation of the board, influence on the local area, continued engagement with fans, and the funding of the Everton Women’s team.
Key questions asked by the FAB included:
“Will 777 commit to ensuring Bramley-Moore Dock will remain an asset of EFC and will not be sold off, to be leased back by EFC?”
“How confident are 777 of passing through the various regulatory approval requirements? This includes the Premier League’s “Owners and Directors’ Test” and those of the Football Association and the Financial Conduct Authority?”
“How will EFC operate within the 777 multi-club model? Are there concerns with potential regulatory interference with the practice from governing bodies? Furthermore, can 777 explain how it plans not to prioritise one Club over another?”
“In August, Josh Wander spoke to the Financial Times and said, “We have a strong view that there’s a new wave of commercialisation coming to football.” Can you expand on this?”
The trust of the fans is of paramount importance
As Farhad Moshiri quickly discovered, having the faith, support and belief of the Everton fans at Goodison Park is crucial to the successful running of the club. Without the fans on the side, things can be made difficult very quickly.
One concern in that area would be the protests against 777 Partners’ ownership at both Hertha Berlin and Standard Liege, but given the level of fan interaction from the group so far, it has been a positive start on those terms.
The questions from the FAB are crucial to the future of Everton football club, and while they may not have any bearing on whether the takeover eventually goes ahead, addressing the concerns of the fanbase would be a good start.
Some questions are likely difficult for 777 to provide a solid answer. Whether they are confident of passing ownership tests, of course, they’re going to say yes. At the end of the day, they could just say what fans want to hear, but a response would be a start.
In other Everton news, Alex Iwobi has sent a two-word message to a former Goodison teammate.