Everton chairman Bill Kenwright has broken his silence and issued a statement surrounding concerns raised over the health of the Toffees chief.
Kenwright has inked an open letter to supporters, after a section of the fanbase raised questions over his continued role at the club. Campaigners calling for change under the banner of ‘All Together Now’ suggested Kenwright had been suffering from health issues that were now “hampering his role”.
Kenwright, 77, has responded with a lengthy statement. It reads: "Dear #Alltogethernow, I have read your letter to the Club. Firstly, can I thank you for your care and concern regarding my health.
"You may well know that in April 2015, I was advised I had a chronic illness that would probably be with me for the duration. This is, pretty inevitably, only the start of a journey where the issues usually increase. And they have. What you may also know is that most people find a spirit that will not give in and hopefully not be beaten. Sometimes it’s not easy but there are many worse off than me.
"If I may, I will take this opportunity to address a couple of points from the rest of your letter.
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"The Chairman does not run the football club. We have a Chief Executive Officer who does that, as is true with most clubs. In the eyes of most of the football world, Denise is amongst the best of the best. The truth is she has to be to deal with what every other Premier League club copes with in a hugely competitive environment in addition to the problems that the world has thrown at us over the last three years and, closer to home, in the last year or so.
"You may think it is not a massive challenge to relentlessly push forward the new stadium currently taking shape on the waterfront. I promise you it is! Financiers amongst your group will tell you why.
Both Kenwright and owner Farhad Moshiri have come under fire over the running of the club (Jan Kruger/Getty Images)"You write that “The rumours tell you from ‘well placed and trustworthy sources’ that investment is imminent.” Right now, that could be half right, a quarter right…etc. But that has been the situation for some time now. Again, those of you that know about raising hundreds of millions in investment will tell you it’s a relentless journey where hopes are built and squashed in a heartbeat…
"But it’s a quest that we undertake relentlessly and we will succeed. We are succeeding. Farhad and myself are on it hourly … along with the Board and its advisors.
"For what you believe to be the best interests of the Club you are committed to the removal of this Board. As you’ve shown.
"For me, the horror of seeing Grant Ingles, our Chief Financial Officer, and Graeme Sharp being attacked is more than difficult to comprehend. Putting your chairman on a bed sheet in a distasteful way is something that, although it hurts, I have to get used to but…Grant and Sharpy?!?! On banners?!?!
Everton supporters came out in their numbers to protest against the club's ownership earlier this term (AFP via Getty Images)"The short window you refer to will, you infer, be helped by the removal of your Board. Have you ever pondered whether your manager and players would agree with that? Whether Frank would have rubbed his hands with glee last year at the thought, rather than rushing to the Directors’ Box to acknowledge where his biggest support had come from? And what about other clubs around us? Are they thinking “the Everton Board has gone… it’s going to be easier for us now!!!”? I’m confident of the answer to each of those questions.
"Finally, there is one indisputable fact. Your Board cares. It’s not nice going through what we have gone through but it hasn’t stopped the workrate, the desire to grow and improve and the loyalty to this Club and to Evertonians.
"I’ve often said that I would never deny the right of protest to any football fan, especially Evertonians. I know, inevitably, your day will of course come. Just as I knew that I would find you a billionaire when the loud and long protests claimed I wasn’t even looking.
"In the meantime, I thank you again for worrying about my health problems. In truth, a week off would be great…but I can’t see it happening…as it hasn’t for many years…
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"I wish you what I have wished every Evertonian since I joined the Blue Family nearly seven decades ago…a happy weekend…the season end we all hope for…and a return to better days thereafter. Chairman Bill"
Everton, who sit 17th in the Premier League table, only outside of the bottom three on goal difference, face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
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