Steve Rotheram details 'frank and open' talks with 777 Partners over Everton takeover

The city region mayor met with the CEO of 777 Partners' football operation on Wednesday

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17:03, 28 SEP 2023
Updated17:06, 28 SEP 2023

A photograph taken on June 5, 2023 showing an aerial view of Everton's new stadium under construction at Bramley Moore Dock (Image: PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Steve Rotheram said he had a "frank and open" discussion with prospective Everton owners 777 Partners over a number of key issues, including the financing and completion of the club’s new stadium.

The Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, who wrote of his concerns over the state of affairs at the Blues and the direction in which the club was heading in the Liverpool ECHO this week, met with the US investment firm on Wednesday.

During the meeting, scheduled after his intervention, he discussed the stadium development along with wider issues including the plans for a legacy project on the site of Goodison Park after the club’s move to the Liverpool waterfront.

He said he would continue to ask questions of the group while it bids for regulatory approval.

STEVE ROTHERAM: I have written to Everton for answers as this club belongs at the heart of Liverpool

An agreement through which 777 would acquire current majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri’s 94.1% stake in Everton was announced earlier this month. It was the latest development in an 18 month search for investment and financing for the club and stadium. The plans are set to be considered by organisations including the Financial Conduct Authority and the Premier League, both of which will assess the viability and suitability of the proposed takeover.

Mr Rotheram has been watching developments in and around the club with concern and wrote to Everton to seek assurances and information over a number of key issues. In his words for the ECHO, which formed part of a special report on the takeover and state and future of the club, he wrote: “Everton fans across the region and beyond are understandably concerned about what the future holds. Will the stadium be finished? Will the struggles on and off the pitch be resolved? Will the club deliver on the Goodison Legacy Project? Do 777 Partners have the best interests of the club at heart and the funds to deliver on them?

I share many of those concerns and have written to the club to seek assurances and request a meeting to get answers to the questions on so many lips.”

Following the meeting, he said: “Yesterday afternoon, I met with Don Dransfield, CEO of 777 Partners’ football division to discuss the questions I have around the future of Everton Football Club, the Bramley Moore stadium development, and the proposed takeover of the club.

“There was a frank and open discussion on a range of topics from assurances on the financing and completion of the new stadium (especially given its significance as a catalyst for the wider regeneration of the Ten Streets area), the delivery of the Goodison Legacy project and the Combined Authority’s funding of heritage assets around Bramley Moore and potential future working on any successful Euro 28 bid.

"I was clear that should 777 Partners’ takeover be completed I would expect further and ongoing dialogue with the ownership to continue to discuss these and other important matters - and was encouraged by their initial response to this.

“While we await the relevant regulatory clearances with the Premier League and Financial Conduct Authority, which could take up to 12 weeks, I will continue to ask questions on behalf of Evertonians and people of the region.”