Everton takeover hits difficulties. Neil Wolstenholme reports
A year has passed since Bill Kenwright announced his consortium, True Blue Holdings, had reached agreement to acquire Peter Johnson’s 68 per cent stake in Everton for a knockdown £20 million. Joy was unconfined as Everton, inspired by Don Hutchison, routed Sunderland 5-0 on Boxing Day at a sold-out Goodison Park.
The sports minister reopens the debate on safe standing
There used to be a sign over the stairs leading out of the away end at Upton Park urging supporters to “Remember Ibrox” and leave without pushing. It seemed pretty rich, back in the Eighties, when spectators would struggle to get out of that tangle of unforgiving fences and barriers in one piece.
Goals and wins are what the game's about. So hit it long, says Matt Nation
There must be thousands of people throughout the world whose favourite sporting event is the 25-kilometre walk. They could probably sit you down and explain the whole shebang of pacing techniques, ball-heel rolling and the inability of those participants who have been disqualified to leave the course without having to be clubbed into submission by stewards.
Wednesday 1 Holders Leicester crash out of the Worthington Cup, 3-0 at home to Crystal Palace. “Our players have found out that they are not invincible,” says crown prince Peter Taylor. Arsenal reserves lose 2-1 at home to Ipswich. Wednesday win the Sheffield derby in extra time. Robbie Fowler’s first goal since the Reformation beats Chelsea. Joe Kinnear is named director of football at Oxford, with David Kemp becoming team manager. Tony Cottee replaces John Still, booted upstairs at Barnet. Lou Macari and Joe Jordan are the new management team at First Division laggers Huddersfield.
Dear WSC
Watching the Seinfeld rerun “The Doll” recently, in which Frank Costanza rebuilt his son George’s old bedroom into a poolroom, I happened to see something peculiar behind the back of the ginger Korea vet when he is arguing with his wife Estelle. On the wall is a plaquette with the words “Pool is not a matter of life and death. It is …” well, take a guess.Does this mean that for the first time in history the Americans have picked up a lesson from a foreigner or might it be that Shanks’s quote was not so Shanks at all?
Ernst Bouwes, Nijmegen, Holland