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Mersey rivals set for ground talks
Liverpool and Everton will hold talks with sports minister Richard
Caborn tomorrow over the possibility of sharing a new stadium
against a backdrop of fierce opposition by fans to such a
move.
Everton supporters have rejected any suggestion of renting a
stadium from their neighbours and bitter rivals, while Liverpool
club officials insist they are committed to single ownership of a
new ground.
Liverpool already have planning permission for a new
60,000-capacity stadium in nearby Stanley Park but are around
£30million short of meeting the £110million cost and are due to
announce debts of £21million at their AGM on Thursday.
They have applied for a grant from the North West Development
Agency but in doing so have had to agree to talks on the
possibility the ground could be shared.
It is understood Liverpool would be happy to allow Everton to share
the ground under a rental arrangement, but that is regarded as
unacceptable by Blues fans.
Ian Macdonald, spokesman for Everton Independent Blues fans group,
told the Press Association: 'That idea is a non-starter. Everton
fans would be walking down Bill Shankly Way and sitting in the Bob
Paisley Stand - can you imagine that?
'Everton would be regarded as Torino are when they share with
Juventus - 125 years of history as one of the founder members of
the Football League would go out of the window.
'The only proposal we would even consider is sharing a stadium that
we own 50-50 and managed by an independent body such as the
council, but that would leave us with debts of £90million, a
millstone round our neck at a time when we cannot afford it.'
Macdonald conceded Goodison Park was in urgent need of
redevelopment but insisted that was the fans' preferred
option.
He added: 'That is what Manchester United and Aston Villa have
done. Everton's priority should be to build on the little bit of
success we are enjoying under David Moyes, to strengthen the side,
try to get into Europe and then use the income from that to fund
stadium improvements.'
A Liverpool spokesman said: 'The position of Liverpool FC remains
unchanged. We have asked the North West Development Agency to
consider our grant application on the basis of our single club use
of a new stadium.'
The talks tomorrow will involve Caborn, Liverpool chief executive
Rick Parry, his Everton counterpart Keith Wyness and Blues chairman
Bill Kenwright.
Should Liverpool share ground with Everton?
