Denise Barrett-Baxendale’s resignation from the Everton board has brought some relief to the disgruntled fans, but Kevin Campbell believes there is still more to be done to heal the club, writes the GoodisonNews. The former Toffees CEO, along with board members Grant Ingles and Graeme Sharp, left amid widespread protests from supporters against the board’s actions. However, the departure of Chairman Bill Kenwright is still being demanded by fans, and Campbell anticipates “more pain” before the situation is resolved.
Campbell, a former Goodison Park captain and now a Sky Sports pundit, expressed his views on the situation in an exclusive interview with Goodison News. He acknowledged the stain and stench around the club and attributed part of the problem to Barrett-Baxendale’s involvement. While he sees Graeme Sharp as an innocent party who got caught in the crossfire, he believes the recent board resignations are just the beginning of the changes the fans are demanding.
“It’s positive because there was a stain, a stench, around the club, and she was part of the problem with the fans, wasn’t she?” Campbell remarked. “The fact that three board members have gone, again I think Sharpy was just caught in the crosshairs unfortunately, he was the ex-player on the board who could probably cross the bridge from fan to player. He kind of got caught in the crossfire; it’s sad the way it’s happened, but he’s taken his medicine and he’s resigned. Three of them have resigned, but there’s still more things the fans want, definitely Bill Kenwright gone.”
While change was inevitable due to the broken relationship with the supporters, the chairman’s position remains unchanged for now. Campbell emphasized that the club’s future and healing the fractured fan base depend on the forthcoming decisions. The recent exits from the board reportedly cost the club around £7 million, possibly impacting the vital transfer budget. If a comparable scenario arises with Kenwright’s departure, it could be a painful process for Everton.
The upcoming period will be crucial in determining whether Everton can enter a new era and rebuild the relationship with their fans or continue to face uncertainty and unrest. The fans’ demands are loud, and the club’s leadership will need to take decisive action to address the underlying issues and bring about positive change.