Ground share moves a step closer
I hate to say I told you so but, as I predicted, Destination Kirkby has been thoroughly kiboshed by the government.
It was, financially, a good deal for Everton and an affordable way out of a crumbling ground badly served by surrounding infrastructure.
But it was also a good few miles away from Goodison and came with a bundle of other leisure and retail strings attached.
Communities secretary, John Denham, was apparently worries about the negative impact on surrounding areas of a vast out-of-town development.
It’s almost enough to make one what Liverpool One’s management team made of it all.
So, Everton are still looking for a way out, having ruled out tarting up Goodison. So is Liverpool, but it’s by far the more resistant of the two to any notions of ground sharing.
LFC is still banking on Stanley Park, but it’s now faced with a council and regional development agency keen on a shared ground.
I suspect that will also be the government’s view, with a mind on a 2018 Olympic bid, having turned down Kirkby.
LFC remain tight-lipped. I suspect a groundshare is a financially-attractive option but it’s likely to be a hard-sell to Reds.
So, the situation is unchanged. A goundshare may be still be the least-worst option for both clubs, and it’s moved a significant step closer to reality.