Royal Blue column: Everton FC correspondent Joe Thomas on the changes sweeping through the club and the contrast with this point in recent years
All of a sudden, Everton feels like a sensible club. It seems so strange.
I am entering my fourth year in this role and I am used to the club being the centre of headlines at this point in the calendar. But my experience of springtime with Everton is of sleepless nights and nauseating turbulence.
Whether it is in the three relegations battles I have reported on or on boardroom, takeover or financial crises, the daffodils blooming in the Finch Farm borders normally means nothing but trouble.
The contrast this year is stark. If anything, it is going the other way – in the reluctance to get ahead of themselves, the repeated messaging from the hierarchy is that the club remains in a relegation battle. Technically they do, but if David Moyes is uncomfortable saying it I am content to write it: Everton are safe.
Things have improved to the point where the problems almost have to be manufactured in order to prevent feet from leaving the ground. It is a nice position to be in.
This week has been another one of big stories surrounding Everton. The difference to previous years is immense, however.
Confirmation new owners The Friedkin Group have refinanced the stadium loans, cutting the interest fees by millions of pounds every year while simplifying the lending process was massive.
That there was competition to land TFG’s debt package just highlighted the value of the group’s reputation and the result is a deal that should place Everton on a much sounder footing.
Whether the big structural changes announced on Friday will be as positive remains to be seen – in commercial and communications chief Richard Kenyon and director of football Kevin Thelwell, the club loses significant expertise and two figures who played key roles during the club’s fight with the Premier League over Profit and Sustainability Regulations.
Both gave evidence to the panel in the second case and both have been integral to the work on and off the pitch to steer Everton through the turmoil and remain a top flight club.
Colin Chong’s retention, previously reported as expected, is one nod to the work of TFG’s predecessors at Everton and it is pleasing to see he will be at least one figure who gets to move to the new stadium with the club in the summer.
While the moves, with sporting and executive leadership teams being overhauled, represent a changing of the guard, it does at least feel like this is planned. There is a thread of sense that runs through the transition and TFG have earned the benefit of the doubt.
One of the big concerns surrounding their foray into football when they arrived on Merseyside in December was the trouble they were experiencing in finding managers for Roma. They have already struck gold in their appointment of Moyes and the hope is new CEO Angus Kinnear will also help to push the club forward.
What happens next remains to be seen but as the nights start to draw out, the demons are disappearing from the shadows. Everton are starting to act like a sensible club and I’m all for it.
