The Board of Directors of the Everton Football Club Co., Ltd., issue this statement today Saturday the 25th February 1956:- At a Meeting of the Board on February 7th, 1956 a Resolution was passed that an Acting Manager be appointed during the absence of the General Manager, Mr. Britton, on the Club's forthcoming American tour. The tour is to extend over a period of six weeks and it was the Board's view that during that time it was essential for someone to be appointed with power to act in the day to day management of the Club, while Mr. Britton was out of the country. The proposed Acting Manager was Mr. H. R. Pickering who assisted Mr. Britton and has been on the staff of the Club for the past 30 years. When it came to the notice of the Board that Mr. Britton took exception to this action the Secretary by the direction of the Board wrote him a letter on the 23rd February in the following terms:- "Dear Mr. Britton, I am directed by the Board of Directors of the Everton Football Club Co., Ltd., to inform you of the intention of the Board, at their next meeting to be held on Friday the 24th instant, to rescind a Resolution of the Board passed on the 7th February last appointing Mr. H. R. Pickering Acting Manager during your absence on the Club's forthcoming American tour. The Board have learned with regret that you have construed their action as a reflection upon yourself and I am, therefore, asked to assure you that the Board had no such intention and that their proposal to rescind the Resolution above referred to is prompted by their collective desire to remove any sense of grievance which you may entertain, however misconceived it may be. I am to point out, however, that the forthcoming American tour will involve you being out of the country for approximately six weeks and it must be manifest to you that during your absence someone will have to deputise for you and deal with matters which, had you been here, would have been dealt with by you in the normal course. It was solely with this in mind that the Resolution, to which you have evidently taken exception, was passed and while the last thing the Board desire to do is to cause you any ground at all for complaint, they nevertheless deem