Source: Daily_Mail
Big investors needed, says Kenwright, as day of the chairman-fan is over
Bill Kenwright admits he is part of a dying breed among Barclays Premier League chairmen and extinction may not be far off.
Staging West End shows and presiding over Everton's fortunes may be a juggling act for the 63-year old theatre impresario, but endless levels of energy and expertise have served him well on both fronts.
As he is all too acutely aware, though, he cannot call on the bottomless pocket needed to continue flourishing in a sporting context.
Neville has Premier League and Champions League winners' medals ... but leading Everton to Cup glory will top the lotRodwell hoping to cap dream debut season by lining up for Everton at Wembley Sitting a few yards from Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, in Wembley's Royal Box tomorrow, will act as a timely reminder of English football's changing face and Everton's growing need for a benefactor, if they are to improve on this season's fifth-placed finish.
Kenwright has known about it, and tried to remedy it, longer than he cares to remember, and the resulting frustrations help produce a swift answer when he is asked to compare the toll taken by the two great loves of his life.
'I am trying to cope with the demands of this football club, and the pressure is like nothing else in my life,' he said. 'But it comes with the territory. At the moment, it is emails from fans who can't get tickets, and that is killing me. After that, it's trying to raise funds to strengthen the squad.
'I love the idea of being a role model for homegrown chairmen, but I don't think about it too much. We've done brilliantly, and I find it comforting to have found a manager who'll put up with the kind of chairman I am, someone who'll back him all the way but cannot give him fortunes.
'There is no room any more for the boyhood supporter as chairman, though, and it has never, ever crossed my mind that we can continue like that. It's the way of things these days that you need investment to be a top club, but the problem is that we aren't living in a normal world.
'There just isn't any money around, and we haven't seen any major investment for a year (talking before this week's Portsmouth takeover). I seem to be talking to people every week, but they fly in from all corners of the globe, say they want a deal done one minute, then disappear the next. I'd fill whatever role an investor wanted. I'd have no problems stepping aside.
This club's wellbeing is my main concern. I'm pretty convinced David Moyes would take us into the Champions League with proper money.'
Kenwright has employed some of the acting profession's top names, and filled the best seats in the house to watch them, but showtime means only one thing to the lifelong Everton fan.
'Being a producer doesn't belong in the same world,' he said. 'I don't want to come across as that emotional guy who is always wearing his heart on his sleeve, but this is what I am, an Everton supporter. I remember standing right at the back at the 1966 Cup final, after queueing all night for a ticket, and seeing us go 2-0 down. I'm wondering why I have waited all my life for this, when we come storming back and win it and suddenly it all makes sense.
'The most extraordinary moment of this season came half-an-hour before the semi-final against Manchester United, when they played the Z Cars theme, and I caught David's eye down on the pitch. There were 30,000 of our fans joining in, and it was unforgettable.
'When it went to penalties, and Tim Cahill missed, I was rehearsing my speech to David, telling him this was our final and how well he'd done. Then (Dimitar) Berbatov missed, and we were back in it. What a day.
'But no one will ever take 1966 away, and escaping relegation in the last minute against Wimbledon was the moment I thought my heart was going to burst.
'When I take my seat on Saturday, I'll ask myself, "Is this really me?" It will be beyond my wildest dreams. I've already organised the Kenwright coach. My mum, family and mates will all be on it. I'll be part of the Everton family, and that's exactly how I like it.'
Kenwright's backing for Moyes has never wavered, and he is convinced most neutrals will be behind him at Wembley.
'I don't deserve any praise for sticking with David, because you would have to be beyond crazy not to,' he said. 'He was one of four names to replace Walter Smith. Within five minutes of meeting him, I crossed the rest off. One thing I have done over 40 years is recognise talent, and I thought this guy was special.
'It was 20 to one in the morning at my home, and my wife Jenny asked if he wanted eggs on toast. He said, "Aye," then added, "you'll not be going down, by the way".
'We were struggling at the time, but we scored 27 seconds into his first game, and I thought, "He's my man". What he's done is a miracle. He has taken this club by the scruff of the neck and given Evertonians reason to believe again.
'I sense there is a lot of support for us. Down in London, people say, "Excuse me, I just want to wish you luck in the final".
'There is a buzz towards Everton, and I think Chelsea know that.'
