Opinion: PR disaster for Everton

You will have heard about the financial situation at Everton Football Club and you will have heard of the Blue Union, the often militant group set up to oust Bill Kenwright as chairman because of what they describe as broken promises and downright lies by the self-declared Everton.

Throughout this season it is fair to say the Blue Union has not enjoyed the full support of Evertonians. They are often disruptive and regularly their voices scream of self-promotion and wild accusations with very few solutions.

But the past few days could see a turn in the perceptions of normal Evertonians after a double PR disaster by the club that has firmly set itself in direct opposition to the majority of blues.

First, a bit of background. The average Evertonian has watched wearily as assets – first physical and then players – were slowly sold to service what is fast becoming an unserviceable debt (see the excellent Swiss Ramble for more on this).

Over the past two years a team on the cusp of the top four, who had reached an FA Cup final and boasted current and future England internationals, has slowly crumbled, leaving older players and green youngsters thrown into the deep end.

For the rational Evertonian, this was inevitable and unavoidable. Without a magical new investor the club will have to live within its means and suffer – the alternative is an unscrupulous owner coming in and destroying the club ala Blackburn and Portsmouth.

But when Mikael Arteta was sold at the last minute (literally) on transfer deadline day for £10m to Arsenal, the club was adamant the money was to be used for players in the winter window.

The club even took the dramatic step to force an apology out of local paper, the Liverpool Echo, for insinuating otherwise. At least, thought Everton fans, here is a bit of good news in a season where the lighter side of things seems a long way away.

Then, this week, David Moyes ‘revealed’ the money had all gone to bank – adding that he was sure everybody ‘knew that’.

Not Evertonians, who were convinced the measures the club had taken against the Liverpool Echo were a definite sign things would be different.

The anger of Evertonians on social networks was understandable, but even that paled into significance to events today.

The official Everton Twitter channel decided to post a link to an article in the Daily Mirror not only comparing Everton fans challenging Kenwright to the racist abuse a player received from a fan at Anfield recently, but it also used the death of Gary Ablett, a former Everton player, as a stick to beat those fans with.

The Everton Twitter account (it was also posted on Facebook) called it ‘interesting’. It had very rarely posted a link to an external media site before.

In one tweet not only had Everton posted a highly controversial article about a recently deceased Everton player but also alienated not only the Blue Union but all other Everton fans, no matter what side of the debate they were on.

Very few Evertonians (or Liverpool fans for that matter) would have read that article and not be appalled by the cheap point scoring as the article began as a tribute to Ablett and ended in a senile rant pulling in both sets of fans.

By endorsing it, Everton have upset a huge amount of people at a time when attendances are at their lowest in ten years.

Most Evertonians can accept what is happening at the club, even if they dislike it, but they will not accept being lied to, or the club supporting vile articles attacking its own fans.

And no, I do not support the Blue Union or endorse anything they do.

by James Thomas

Category: Editorials, Everton FC