In the Daily Mail this week, Everton chairman Bill Kenwright has spoken about his opposition to the European Super League plans.
“I thought ‘This is potty, it can’t work’. Particularly that founder members couldn’t be relegated but who came in could. Is that fair? I thought it was silly.
“I said so. You can’t fool people in football and you particularly can’t fool the fans. I knew it was mad, taking on football supporters. They were taking on the wrong sport.
“They should be punished. It’s got to start with getting rid of their obvious feeling that because of what they believe they represent to football, they are not getting the respect and rewards they deserve. Wow. That’s arrogance.”
During an exclusive interview with Nigel Martyn, he told Everton.News how much integrity he feels the Toffees chairman has and how pleased he is that his old club didn’t get involved.
“Bill Kenwright is a man with huge integrity, and I think he would have been the guy with his heart said it’s not what we should be doing,” said Martyn.
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“Definitely. I would hope against hope that the owner would be exactly the same. The strength has to be with the majority all the time.
“If the owner says he wasn’t going to do it then I’ll believe him and hope that he genuinely means that.
“Those six sides will already earn more than everyone else anyway – how much more do they need? I just hate the whole idea and I’m glad that our club didn’t get involved in it.
“It’s embarrassing for the clubs that did – the players, the managers, the staff. There has to be some sort of punishment for the clubs.”
The plans showed how out of touch the owners of the six clubs are but Kenwright will never be that type.
He understands football supporters and what it means to be a fan.
In the modern world of football tribalism, there will always be cynical fans who believe that Everton would have taken the money had they been invited.
Reading Kenwright’s comments, it’s pretty clear he wouldn’t have and for that he deserves immense credit for being a rarity among his peers, actually being in touch with what it means to be a football fan in this country.
Nigel Martyn speaking to Everton News: Archive