SHAREHOLDERS' SEATS
STORM AT
EVERTON
Dictatorial, meeting told
PROTESTS that "dictatorial directors" had robbed the
shareholders of their customary stand seats and
removed them to a place "near the boys' pen" were made
by shareholders at the annual meeting of Everton Football
Club last evening.
This was the biggest bone future he would be sitting.
of contention at the meeting, He asked whether it was a
which lasted an hour and a mistake or a calculated insult.
half. The chairman: "I think it
Mr. R. E. Searle (chairman) was a mistake. We all apologies
presided. to you. It will not happen
The meeting was only two again."
minutes old when a note of The member: "If it does
protest was heard. happen again we shall finish
Mr. Searle had opened by up in the boys' pen."
saying that they were all look- After some heated exchanges,
ing forward to next season in the chairman said, "I disagree
the finest ground in the country with you about dictatorial
and had paid a compliment to directors. I have apologised
the ground staff, when a Mr. for a mistake. We might con-
Gregg said it was most dis- sider the whole thing again
appointing to read from the during the close season and I
balance sheet of a reduction of cannot go any further than
£1,600 from the sale of season that to-night."
tickets. Was this not due to Mr. W. M. Tickle said: "May
the increase in the price of I propose we all accept the
tickets and the law of dimin- chairman's promise."
ishing returns working against Mr. Barton seconded and the
the club, he asked. chairman added: "And I will
support it."
£5,900 for scouts Mr. W. Dickinson (secretary of
Another shareholders pointed the club) said last year they
out that there was an item of had 449 applications for the
£5,954 for scouting expenses. north-end stand and 552 for the
Was the club getting the full members' stand, a total of 1,001.
benefit from this expenditure, Up to a corresponding date
he asked. The reason he asked this year, there had been 430
was because he had recom- six-guinea applications, and 960
mended a boy to Everton who seven-guinea applications, a
had now been signed by total of 1,390, a net increase of
Arsenal. It was true that this 389 and £3,995 in cash over
had happened before the arrival last year's figure.
of Mr. John Carey as manager The member: "That is satis-
and he did not think it was fair factory and I am sure the
that he should be saddled with shareholders will be pleased to
the blame for it. hear it."
The chairman said that he Mr. Dickinson said the seating
himself had recommended one capacity of the new share-
or two players but they had holders' stand was 951, with a
found their way to other places. value of about £300, exclusively
"We could have got one or for shareholders.
two players," he said, "but we
are not prepared to pay under No money to
the table." buy players
In answer to another question, The chairman said the club
the chairman said their bank had no money. Otherwise they
overdraft was £25,000, and they would not have to borrow.
had received an interest-free Without money they could not
loan of £16,000. buy players.
A shareholder: "This surge
"Deprived of of economy comes after spend-
birthright" ing thousands of the club's
Mr. Colin Askham, a member money in making yourselves
of the board, proposed that the comfortable. You took a lot of
club pay a 5 per cent dividend seats which were bringing
free of tax, but before this was revenue into the club into the
carried a member said:- directors' box and you suddenly
"I propose that the amount be decided that the shareholders
used to provide centre stand should be moved."
seats for shareholders who have Mr. Searle, Mr. F. Micklesfield
been deprived of their birthright and Mr. J. Taylor the retiring
by dictatorial directors." directors, were unanimously re-
The member went on. "It elected for three years, no vote
breaks my heart to think of being necessary. Mr. D. M.
directors going to New McPhail, a fourth nominee, had
Brighton instead of the withdrawn because hospital
Continent and smoking treatment had left him with no
cigarettes instead of cigars. I opportunity of circularising
never thought there were so shareholders of his policy.
many people desiring to take Manager John Carey, who
money out of the Everton club. was greeted with great enthu-
"Therefore I support the siasm, closed the meeting on a
proposition." more harmonious note. He
A Mr. Barton said the board, remarked that it was encourag-
without asking the share- ing to find so many people with
holders for their advice, altered the welfare of the club at heart.
the arrangements for seating
accommodation in the stands. 29 full-time
"It was an underhanded way professionals
to go about it," he said, and Mr. Carey said Everton now
added that he and others were had thirty-four professional
prepared to pay the difference players, twenty-nine of whom
between the cost of their own were full-time.
ticket and that asked under the It must have noted in
new arrangement. the balance sheet there was a
They felt it was a great deficit of £35,000 on the item-
slight upon them and they did transfer fees.
not hear about it until a fort- No club could afford to buy
night after the ordinary mem- all the first class players it
bers, by which time it was too needed, but he added, "I am
late. happy about the outlook at
The chairman said that Mr. Goodison Park. I think many of
W. Dickinson, the secretary, the young boys who are un-
had a block of seats in reserve heard of at the moment will be
for members and shareholders. coming to the forefront.
Mr. Parry said it might have Perhaps not immediately but as
been more in keeping with the soon as we can possibly get
traditional dignity of the club them there. I am not suggest-
if they had been informed ing you have to wait two or
before the season-ticket holders. three years before we have a
He personally had found good team.
himself in an embarrassing "The time to have a good
situation by being told by a team is now. I shall do all I
non-shareholder where in can to bring that about."
