Sheikh denies takeover reports

Ian Phillips — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:17:58 +0000

After days of hope, excitement and our message-board in meltdown, the same news agency that broke the story of a takeover of an unnamed Premier League Club has announced that Sheikh Ahmed bin Saqr Al Qasimi has denied making a bid.
Sorry to have ruined your day

Have Everton been taken over by a Sheikh?

Ian Phillips — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:15:40 +0000

Last night an official Arab news station WAM claimed that Sheikh Ahmed bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Ras Al Khaimah Department of Customs and Seaports, has acquired 60 per cent of a leading English club in the Premier League.
With Everton up for sale this has led to speculation that Everton could be this club. We believe there is a good chance that that club is Everton as there aren’t many “leading Premier League clubs” who are for sale. The only top-4 club that could potentially be sold is Liverpool but after selling some assets, George Gillet appears to be focussing on Liverpool rather than his other sports teams so that rules Liverpool out. Aston Villa and Man City are certainly not for sale and Tottenham are a PLC which means the deal would have had to be announced on the stock market. It could potentially be Fulham but would Mohammed Al Fayed really sell 60% of the club? West Ham have just been taken over and Al Fahim, the prospective buyer of Portsmouth, has denied that this has anything do with him buying Pompey.

The fact that this deal is only 60% of the club would allow Bill Kenwright to remain in charge. We’re not saying that Everton are the club in question but its certainly a possibility. The deal will be announced within the next few days. Watch this space.

Gunning for Glory

Ian Phillips — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:00:09 +0000

Everton will start the 09/10 season at home to Arsenal. Last time the Gunners visited Goodison for the opening fixture Everton suffered a 4-1 reverse but went on to qualify for the Champions League. David Moyes will be hoping for a similar campaign to the 04/05 one. The first Merseyside Derby is just a few days earlier than it was in that famous 04/05 season with the Reds visiting Goodison on November 28th. The end to the campaign is certainly a good one; out of the last 10 fixtures only Aston Villa and West Ham finished in the top half last year with Pompey visiting Goodison on May 9th for the final day.
The scheduled game against Manchester City on August 18th will be postponed due to Everton’s Europa League commitments.

Blues boss makes first major move

Ian Phillips — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:32:36 +0000

Everton have made a bid of £3.5 million rising to £5 million for young Sheffield United full-back Kyle Naughton. This is Moyes’s first major move in the transfer market and we await news of whether the bid will be accepted. Many members on the FollowEverton forum who say “I won’t take any notice unless its on the Everton website, BBC or Sky Sports” will have been delighted when the story was broken on Sky Sports News this afternoon.

Liverpool sign Bent

Ian Phillips — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 13:24:13 +0000

Jacobsen and Jo to stay as Moyes wield the axe

Ian Phillips — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 20:13:52 +0000

David Moyes has culled his squad by as expected, releasing Andy Van Der Meyde and Nuno Valente. Segundo Castillo has returned to Red Star Belgrade after his unsuccessful loan spell. However there has no been word from Everton about the future of Lars Jacobsen and Jo. FollowEverton believes that Jacobsen will be offered a new deal at the Blues after impressing in his limited appearances towards toe end of the season. With no official confirmation that Jo has returned to Manchester City we believe that the striker who scored 5 goals in his 4 month loan spell last season could be subject of another loan bid from the Everton gaffer.

Blues to land teenage sensation Delph

Ian Phillips — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 09:18:56 +0000

FollowEverton understands that Leeds United youngster Fabian Delph is going to join Everton in a £4 million deal. Everton have reportedly beaten off competition from Man United, Fulham and Sunderland to sign the midfielder who won the Young Player of the Year award for League 1 last season. Delph is tipped to have a very bright future and the signing would underline that fact that David Moyes has no intentions of leaving any time soon as he builds for the future.

Respect Campaign - Cup Final Allocation

Liam White — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 09:00:52 +0000

Before our FA Cup Final Appearance an awful lot was made of our poor allocation, but nothing done. Every year every club and every fan go up in arms over allocation, yet every year nothing gets done. Having seen many Evertonians forced to pay hundreds to touts for tickets supplied to them by the FA, I’ve decided that I could not go to another final knowing I’ve done nothing, so, following the FA’s call for Respect, I’ve started my own ‘Respect Campaign’ calling for a rethink on ticket allocation for future finals.

Please read below and follow the link to sign the petition if you agree. Please leave any comments and ideas of how to help the campaign in the Respect Campaign thread on the FollowEverton forum.

The FA have called for respect in football. Respect referees, respect competitions by not fielding weakened teams, they’ve used the tag line ‘Lose Respect, Lose the Game’.

As an Everton fan, having seen many Evertonians being forced to pay hundreds above face value to touts to see their team in the final and stories of more being conned by fake tickets, seeing such a tag line flash up in Wembley before the final was laughable, considering the FA had supplied every single one of these touts with the tickets in the first place. A pitiful 25000 was given to each club out of 90000, leaving a 40000 supply of tickets potentially available to touts.

This is not a problem that only affects the top 4 fans, it will affect many fans in the future. In the last decade 12 teams outside the top four and 4 outside the top flight appeared in the Carling and FA Cup finals, a total of 20 different teams have appeared in the two major finals, and any club from 60 clubs in England has a chance to get to a major final in the next decade. This is an issue which affects most fans.

We understand the financial problems with the FA, and we understand the need for Club Wembley, but what is unexplainable is the 23000 tickets given out to people who have little interest in the game itself and inevitably via an extortionate price tag, the tickets go back into the hands of the fans of the clubs playing. If most of these tickets will be taken up by fans anyway via touts, then surely the FA should cut out this extortionate middleman and supply the tickets directly.

The Respect Campaign is calling for a rethink from the FA about a fairer allocation, a look into who deserves to be counted as the football family, a greater protection of fans from touts, and a general show of more respect to the life blood of English football, the fans.

So if you want to support the Respect Campaign, please sign the online petition part of our campaign.

Thank You For Your Support.

http://www.petitiononline.com/facup71/petition.html

There is also a facebook group where we will post any updates on the campaign, all are welcome to join. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=87769364695#/group.php?gid=87769364695

Petition - The FA’s ticketing policy

FollowEverton — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 20:37:53 +0000

FollowEverton member SchoolofScience as started a petition regarding the FA’s ticketing policy which he calls “The Respect Campaign”

Click here for the petition

Facebook Group:

“To: All Football Fans

The FA have called for respect in football. Respect referees, respect competitions by not fielding weakened teams, they’ve used the tag line ‘Lose Respect, Lose the Game’.

So if you want to support the Respect Campaign, please sign the online petition part of our campaign.

Thank You For Your Support.”

http://www.petitiononline.com/facup71/petition.html

Chelsea Thugs Attack Evertonian Philip Heron… our message

Ryan Grant — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:10:32 +0000

We at FollowEverton would like to send their best wishes to Evertonian Philip Heron, who was beaten up badly by a group of shaven headed Chelsea fans after the FA Cup final.

Philip was traveling back with his son Andrew and their Liverpool accents and Andrew’s Everton top drew the attention of a group of Chelsea fans sitting nearby.

One Chelsea fan called the father and son a “pair of Scouse gits’.

One thug tried to attack 24 year old Andrew, Philip threw his body in front of his son and took the vicious assault. At least one other Chelsea fan joined in while Philip lay bleeding.

Philip is now recovering at his home in Liverpool, so get well soon!