Democracy is a wonderful thing.
It gives a voice to the people.
And I am a firm advocate of everyone using their vote.
But today I have a dilemma.
How should I cast my vote on whether the 'People's Club', Everton F.C., should quit Goodison Park, its spiritual home for over a century, in favour of a new stadium outside of Liverpool, in Kirkby?
UPDATE: First images of new stadium here.
UPDATE II: Kenwright, Moyes, Johnson, Cahill all say Yes here.
I qualify for the vote as a member of the Evertonia supporters club. So does my wife.
Around 33,000 season ticket holders and members are promised a say in the ballot to be organised by the Electoral Reform Society.
Everton chief executive Keith Wyness says in today's Daily Post that the move to Kirkby, in partnership with supermarket giant Tesco and Knowsley Council, is the 'deal of the century'.
Others aren't so sure.
The financial argument seems to stack up like the shelves at any superstore.
The deal is worth £50m to the club, will increase revenue adding £10m-a-year to the pot for buying new players, and it could be up and running by 2010.
I first attended Goodison Park when I was eight years old, when Alex Young and Fred Pickering wore the royal blue shirts; I queued to squeeze into the last seats in the top balcony of the first phase of the 'new' Goodison Road stand to see the Bues beat West Brom 2-1 to win the old First Division championship in 1970 - I remember it was Alan Whittle and Colin Harvey who scored.
I had a season ticket years ago, standing in the Gwladys Street for some wonderful European nights, when steam rose from the swaying crowds, and the noise was so loud you could hardly hear yourself think.
Moving around Britain for a succession of jobs mainly denied me a place at some of the club's greatest games but I always aimed to return to Goodison Park whenever I could because it holds so many irreplaceable memories.
Now those returns are restricted to less than 10 times a season due to a 400-mile round trip from Cardiff.
My heart wishes that the old stadium could be redeveloped but we are told that the cramped terraced streets around Goodison Park will not allow that option.
My head says that the club needs to progress like others have done in order to compete at the top end of the Premiership.
But there are many fans who get to more matches than I do and may be denied a vote.
A determined campaign is under way, Keep Everton in Our City (KEIOC), who also have some compelling argments.
Is the Kirkby deal the only show in town?
The postal vote is sometime in August.
Citizen wrote...
Everton get something out of the deal. Possibly a kick start to some success on the field wherever it maybe. Think of Bangor City who will be moved from the historic Farrar Road site to make way for another shopping development. How preverse an in town shopping development and an out of town out of sight football ground, sans atmosphere, sans support. The spirit of Tommy Jones will turn in his grave more methinks over the City's move than that of the toffees.
Posted by: Citizen | July 17, 2007 1:44 PM