Absent duo will feel pain of drop just like fans
EVERTON’S fiery season will come to a conclusion this evening with its chairman banished to his sitting room watching the TV and a legendary player engrossed with the grandkids.
In normal circumstances both would be occupying seats in the directors’ box, kicking every ball as their beloved Toffees search for the win against Bournemouth that will secure Premier League survival.
But after continuous protests that reached fever pitch following the 4-1 home defeat to Brighton in January, the club advised chairman Bill Kenwright, former striker Graeme Sharp, owner Farhad Moshiri and other executives to stay away for the next match.
Moshiri was never a regular at home games but for Kenwright and Sharp – named by fans as one of Everton’s top 10 all-time legends – it was like chopping off their right arms. Neither has been seen at Goodison Park since.
For Kenwright, the home game
IN THE FIRING LINE: Sharp (left) and Kenwright at Goodison
routine now entails watching the matchday TV feed courtesy of the BBC.
Sharp will often content himself with playing with the grandchildren, while the family dog has enjoyed more walks than normal.
The Scot is trying to make sense of why he has been targeted by a vociferous section of support who believe the current regime are responsible for the club once again being in a nervy relegation fight. While Moshiri will sell up at the first viable opportunity and move on to pastures new, the bond between club, Sharp and Kenwright has been strained but not broken.
It’s why relegation would hurt them just as much as any rabid Gwladys Street fan – it’s just that no one apart from their close family will witness it.
Two empty seats will testify to that.