Toffees ponder Liverpool ground-share as plans axed

TWO days before the 212th Merseyside derby, Everton face an even bigger battle with Liverpool if they are to convince their closest rivals to ground-share.

The Toffees’ plans for a new £400 million (€439m) 50,000-seater stadium and shopping complex in Kirkby, in association with Tesco, are in tatters after being rejected by Communities and Local Government Secretary John Denham.

Chief executive Robert Elstone admits the club will now consider all possibilities, including teaming-up with their neighbours across Stanley Park.

On the face of it a ground-share would seem the obvious option with Liverpool having put their advanced plans for a replacement to Anfield on hold.

However, the Reds’ American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett are opposed to the suggestion as it would severely impact the anticipated revenue streams which come from sole ownership of a 61,000-capacity stadium.

Rival fans would also not welcome a ground share but Elstone admits, with a club debt of £36m (€39.5m), they have to explore every alternative.

“It’s certainly one of the options that we will need to cover,” he said. “We are going to look forward and look forward positively. A shared stadium is perhaps an option if it’s affordable.

“We’re going to have to be open-minded about solutions.”

However, Liverpool’s deputy executive director Peter Shaw played down the possibility of the city’s two clubs sharing.

“It’s not on our agenda at the moment. Liverpool are progressing forward with our own stadium. That is the position we are still in,” he said.

“The LFC stadium is quite far progressed and once the financial markets reopen the LFC stadium will progress further.”

When asked whether the idea of a groundshare with Everton could be a possibility, he said: “That’s not for me to answer.”