27 JUNE 1957 THE LIVERPOOL ECHO, THURSDAY [SHAREHOLDER'S PLEA FOR EVERTON TEAM IMPROVEMENT] Only one shareholder among the seventy who attended Everton's annual meeting last night had anything to say about the performances of the team and the anxiety which is felt by many of their supporters about the coming season. Yet it was obvious from the murmur of approba- tion which greeted his brief excursion into this debatable and controversial field that, despite their silence, some of his hearers were similarly perturbed. You can count me among them. The questioner was Mr. W. Macaulay. of Wallasey, who is Jack Bond, the former Bolton not unknown for his pointed League player, whose 72 for remarks at previous annual Lancashire against Somerset meetings. To say that he intro- was the star item of the duced a discordant note would county's innings and his be putting it far too strongly, highest score in first class but at least he got to the crux cricket. or the matter. Up to this stage the meeting [Ranger's had been devoted to a review NOTES ON stand because children and by the chairman of the various SPORTS] others with complimentary sub-committees of the work tickets had got there before done by their departments. them. Each had given a succinct and son. The answer was simple- Mr. Searle promised to see pithy summary; none had better than the allow the what could be done about this. neglected to pay tribute to the young potential to rusticate excellent work done by his for years and lose heart in the COUNTY WATER POLO colleagues, which though doubt- junior teams. less well earned, seemed to The board were determined verge a little towards a mutual to persevere with and intensify admiration society. their youth policy. The shareholders listened From now on, names and carefully and undoubtedly reputations would, have no learned much of which they had meaning in the club's plans. previously not been aware The men who would hold regarding the inside workings their places in the League team of the club. would do so on merit and on "WHAT ABOUT THE TEAM?" merit alone. Mr. Macaulay, referring to Competition for places would the drop in gate income last obviously be keen but to season-which was subsequently young players with the desire. explained by the secretary, Mr. determination and ability to W. Dickinson-said that for a get to the top and stay there. company which lived on they would give the utmost public support something should encouragement. be done about the team. a NO MAGIC WAND remark which drew the first The building of a successful "hear, hear" of the evening. first team was not something "It is all very well talking that could be done overnight by about the ground and what you the wave of a magic wand. have achieved," he went on. Neither could it be done by "Admittedly you have done a means of an open cheque book good job. but all that will not as Everton, along with other bring one extra supporter into clubs. had found to their cost. the ground. It is the team Mr. Searle spotted Alderman which counts. and something John Braddock in the room and should be done to improve it for suggested he might like to say next season." something of what he saw when Replying to Mr. Macaulay, he. and other shareholders, were the chairman (Mr. R.E.Searle) taken round the ground recently said that the shareholder had already heard the report of Mr. T. C. Nuttall-read be Mr.C. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Balmforth in Mr. Nuttall's WISE AND OTHERWISE absence in hospital-in which an assurance had been given Following are other state- regarding the future. ments made at the Everton "We want to strengthen the meeting:- team," he continued, "and I I think we shall get back think within the next twelve our floodlighting expenditure months we shall do so, but I inside 12 months.-Mr. R. E. have my own opinion about the Searle. wisdom of spending £20,000 and putting a player into the dress- * * * * * * ing room who might possibly We should wait two or three create disloyalty. years to see what results the "In any case we cannot spend coaching brings.-Mr. Burgin money, because the bank will (shareholder). not lend it to us. We have a * * * * * * coach, and we are all satisfied We shall not play ant mid- with him. He has not yet been week afternoon matches. They with us a year. You must give will all be floodlit games.- him a chance." Mr. F. Micklesfield. * * * * * * CHAIRMEN'S STATEMENTS We have the best ground in the provinces.-Mr. C.H. Prior to this passage-at-arms Askham. which was conducted with perfect friendliness on both * * * * * * sides. the sub-committee chair- Mr. Askham should have men had all spoken. said we have the best ground Mr. Jack Sharp, head of the in the country.-Mr. R. E. Finance Committee, detailed Searle. the work of that body and the need for economy. * * * * * * Mr. Fred Micklesfield spoke The way the team plays one of the floodlighting Sub- would think the goal were at Committee's labours, explained the sides and not the ends.- how far the work-which was Mr. W. Macaulay. six weeks ahead of schedule- had progressed, and said that * * * * * * everything would be ready for lighting tests as soon as the The drop in gates was due to nights drew in around the petrol rationing.-Mr. F. middle of August. Micklesfield. Mr. C. Askham likewise reviewed the work of the ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Maintenance Committee, and gave details of how £27,886 Alderman Braddock said he had been spent during the past could not think of any more year. He instanced one example improvements which could be of a painting job done by the made. permanent staff, at a cost of There was evidence that £2,000, for which contractors maintenance of the ground had asked £4,600. during the last few years had "We were forced to do all been badly neglected. this work," he added. "Some of From what he could see, the it should have been done a long ground was in first-rate con- time ago." dition, and those responsible were to be congratulated on POLICY JUSTIFIED spending large sums of money on work that should have been Mr. T. C. Nuttall's report done years ago. stated that the Playing Staff Mr. W. Dickinson (secretary) Sub-Committee had been faced said that Everton drew a lot of with many problems. "We had their supporters from far away to regretfully recognise," he places and they came by car. said,"that several members of When petrol rationing was our staff were past their useful-introduced they did not turn up. ness as First Division players Bad weather on Boxing Day whilst at the same time there and matches with attractive was an inadequate supply of opponents which had had to be even partly experienced young put off until mid-week had players of the requisite robbed the club of several standard in our reserves. thousands of spectators. "There was an urgent need for a complete reassessment of AT THE BOTTOM our resources, and we decided to follow the bold policy, Mr. Macaulay had an answer which may not have pleased to that. "They stayed away on everybody, of including in our Boxing Day because the B.B.C. senior team some of the young broadcast the Christmas Day men who had, for several years, game at Tottenham, and every- been languishing largely in our one heard the six goals going junior teams. in the Everton net." "We feel that the promise of Mr. Micklesfield tried to come several of these boys has to to the rescue by pointing out some extent justified our policy. that, up to petrol rationing, the Whether they will all make the club's average gate was 42,367. grade only the future can tell, By the end of rationing it but they cannot be denied the dropped to 31,500. opportunity of doing so. Mr. Macaulay was not to be put off. Waving a cutting MARKED PROGRESS from a newspaper, he said: Another pleasing feature of "This is a chart of popularity the policy had been its effect away from home. Everton are on the other young players. at the bottom." several of whom had shown Mr. Askham agreed that marked progress during the some of the criticisms about past season. bad play were justified, bit This was attributed to the claimed that all clubs had had fact that they realised that reduced gates. there was now room at the top Mr Searle announced that at Goodison Park for any lad letters expressing a wish that who had what it takes to make they would soon be well had a First Division player. been sent to Mr Nuttall and Mr In the last fifteen months E.Green, both of whom were nine young players had been in hospital. introduced into the first team. The meeting finished with a Some had expressed the view few shareholders complaining that too many inexperienced that they could not always get boys had been played last sea- the seats they wanted in their