Everton are considering a move away from Goodison Park, their
home for the last 114 years, to a new stadium outside the city of
Liverpool.
Under the plans, which have provoked angry opposition from many
supporters, the new stadium would be built in the nearby town of
Kirkby as part of a development in partnership with Britain's
biggest supermarket chain Tesco and Knowsley Borough Council.
Goodison has been Everton's home since 1892, when the club moved
from its former base at Anfield, which was taken over by local
rivals Liverpool.
The ground has a capacity of just over 40,000 and local planning
constraints mean Everton cannot expand on the site to capitalise on
their potential to draw bigger crowds.
Club chairman Bill Kenwright told the annual general meeting of
shareholders on Monday evening that a move was vital for Everton's
future.
"I would love to say here forever," he said Tuesday. "But it is not
an financial option for Everton to remain at Goodison Park."
Although club executives stressed that no decision had been made on
the proposed move to Kirkby, Everton will not look at alternative
sites.
Liverpool are close to finalising plans to leave Anfield for a new
60,000-seat stadium at nearby Stanley Park in time for the start of
the 2009-10 season.
