Royal Blue

Everton owner Farhad Moshiri has entered into a period of exclusivity with US billionaire Dan Friedkin over the sale of the club. Having seen the long-doomed pursuit of a Toffees takeover by Miami-based 777 Partners finally end last month after the struggling firm failed to come up with the funds to complete, AS Roma owner Friedkin was one of a number of interested parties to show their hand. While it is a step closer to a deal for the club, and provides a credible candidate with football experience and considerable resources, people familiar with the matter stressed that it was not a deal that was done and dusted. Friedkin and his team have now started the process of due diligence and will be analysing all aspects of the club’s business to get a full understanding of the financial situation and the risks that they will be undertaking in acquiring the Toffees. A potential purchase price was not disclosed. Join Ian Croll, Joe Thomas and Gav Buckland as they discuss the latest news coming out of Goodison Park. 

In the week in which we learned what the final fixture at the Grand Old Lady will be, the latest episode of Goodison Park: My Home sees ECHO Everton reporter Chris Beesley speaking to a true Blue legend, Derek Temple. Liverpool-born Temple, 85, wrote himself into Everton folklore when he scored the winning goal in the 1966 FA Cup final to complete a sensational 3-2 comeback victory against Sheffield Wednesday. A prolific scorer in schoolboy football, he had to pick of both his local clubs plus some other top sides vying for his signature ahead of him making his top flight debut at Goodison Park against Newcastle United on March 30, 1957. Temple, who made 275 appearances and scored 83 goals for his home city side despite losing over two years of his career to national service duties in Kenya, recalls netting twice for Everton in a 3-3 draw against Manchester United’s ‘Busby Babes’ in the season of the Munich air disaster while also offering some refreshingly candid views on the Blues bosses he played under plu

The final league game at Goodison Park will be against Southampton. Everton will face the south coast side on the weekend of May 18 in what will be an emotional send off to the Grand Old Lady. It will not, however, be the final game of the season with the Blues scheduled to end their campaign at Newcastle United the following weekend. Join Ian Croll, Chris Beesley and Joe Thomas as they delve into key dates, schedule, first game and of course, the final game at Goodison Park. Everton FC podcasts from the Liverpool ECHO’s Royal Blue YouTube channel. Get exclusive Everton FC content - including podcasts, live shows and videos - everyday.  Subscribe to the Royal Blue Everton FC YouTube Channel and watch daily live shows HERE: https://bit.ly/3aNfYav Listen and subscribe to the Royal Blue Podcast for all your latest Everton FC content via Apple and Spotify: APPLE: https://bit.ly/3HbiY1E SPOTIFY: https://bit.ly/47xwdnY Visit the Liverpool ECHO website: https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/all-about/everton-fc Follow us

Everton great Kevin Campbell passed away over the weekend. The striker, whose legendary spell in the final stages of the 1998-99 campaign helped lift the Blues to safety, was aged 54. News Campbell was battling serious illness had emerged earlier this month, prompting an outpouring of heartfelt messages of support. Kevin Campbell's son Tyrese paid an emotional tribute to his father following the Everton great's death at the age of just 54, which has triggered a wave of tributes from across football. Campbell arrived at Goodison Park on loan from Turkish side Trabzonspor in the spring of 1999 with the club's Premier League status at risk. His run of nine goals in five games led the Blues to safety and paved the way for a permanent move. In total, the former Arsenal and Nottingham Forest star scored 51 goals across 164 appearances for Everton, including a fourth-minute Merseyside derby winner against Liverpool on September 27, 1999. It is a result that remains the Blues’ most-recent success at Anfield in front

Farhad Moshiri's quest to sell Everton continues with a number of parties interested in a takeover.  Last night the race took a fresh twist with reports of new bidders ( Vici Private Finance) joining the mix. That wasn’t the only news circulating online late this week as reports surfaced that a deal for Everton to sell Jarrad Branthwaite to Manchester United was close. Everton are currently holding out for an offer in excess of £70million.  In other news the transfer window has officially opened with the Blues recently linked with a whole host of incomings and outgoings.  Finally, this morning the club confirmed a ‘club record’ deal with sportswear firm Castore that will see them become the Toffees’ technical kit partner from 2024/25 and also the club’s first Founding Partner for the new stadium. Plenty to discuss on today’s live Royal Blue Podcast with Ian Croll, Gav Buckland and Joe Thomas.  Everton FC podcasts from the Liverpool ECHO’s Royal Blue YouTube channel. Get exclusive Everton FC content - includin

Following the collapse of 777 Partners’ attempts to acquire Everton last month, the door has been opened to other interested parties but who are the serious contenders? Join Matt Jones live as he sits down with our Business of Football writer Dave Powell to discuss the latest on Everton’s takeover.  Everton FC podcasts from the Liverpool ECHO’s Royal Blue YouTube channel. Get exclusive Everton FC content - including podcasts, live shows and videos - everyday.  Subscribe to the Royal Blue Everton FC YouTube Channel and watch daily live shows HERE: https://bit.ly/3aNfYav Listen and subscribe to the Royal Blue Podcast for all your latest Everton FC content via Apple and Spotify: APPLE: https://bit.ly/3HbiY1E SPOTIFY: https://bit.ly/47xwdnY Visit the Liverpool ECHO website: https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/all-about/everton-fc Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LivEchoEFC Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@royal.blue.everto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Ian Croll and Connor O’Neill as they discuss and debate who would be the ideal fit to take over at Everton. There are currently a number of parties who have lodged formal bids with reports of further interest from those waiting in the wings. So far there has generally been positive feedback from Blues fans with regards to those who have shown interest, however are there any red flags Everton fans should be aware of? What is the best fit for Everton short term and long term? #efc #EvertonFootballClub #EvertonFC Everton FC podcasts from the Liverpool ECHO’s Royal Blue YouTube channel. Get exclusive Everton FC content - including podcasts, live shows and videos - everyday. Subscribe to the Royal Blue Everton FC YouTube Channel and watch daily live shows HERE: https://bit.ly/3aNfYav Listen and subscribe to the Royal Blue Podcast for all your latest Everton FC content via Apple and Spotify: APPLE: https://bit.ly/3HbiY1E SPOTIFY: https://bit.ly/47xwdnY Visit the Liverpool ECHO website: https://www.liverpoolech

A myriad of prospective new Everton owners are now emerging to take over the helm at Goodison Park.  With Everton released from the grip of 777 Partners after their Share Purchase Agreement expired some eight-and-a-half months on from wantaway majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri striking a deal to sell his entire 94.1% stake to the controversial Miami-based private investment firm, an increasing number of interested parties have stepped forward to offer varying takeover bids. In today’s Royal Blue Podcast Ian Croll, Joe Thomas and Gav Buckland discuss those who are in the running and who is most likely to.  Everton FC podcasts from the Liverpool ECHO’s Royal Blue YouTube channel. Get exclusive Everton FC content - including podcasts, live shows and videos - everyday.  Subscribe to the Royal Blue Everton FC YouTube Channel and watch daily live shows HERE: https://bit.ly/3aNfYav Listen and subscribe to the Royal Blue Podcast for all your latest Everton FC content via Apple and Spotify: APPLE: https://bit.ly/3Hb

ECHO Everton correspondent Joe Thomas joins ECHO Everton reporter Chris Beesley for the latest edition of the Royal Blue podcast.  The pair discuss Everton’s ongoing takeover saga and what Farhad Moshiri does next after the expiry of 777 Partners’ Share Purchase Agreement, including John Textor’s prospects of purchasing the club. This summer also promises to be a significant period of change in terms of playing personnel both coming into and going out of the club and transfer options are also on the agenda with the likes of Amadou Onana and Kalvin Phillips both in the spotlight. Everton FC podcasts from the Liverpool ECHO’s Royal Blue YouTube channel. Get exclusive Everton FC content - including podcasts, live shows and videos - everyday. Subscribe to the Royal Blue Everton FC YouTube Channel and watch daily live shows HERE: https://bit.ly/3aNfYav Listen and subscribe to the Royal Blue Podcast for all your latest Everton FC content via Apple and Spotify: APPLE: https://bit.ly/3HbiY1E SPOTIFY: https://bit.ly/4

Everton and 777 Partners are expected to officially end talks over a takeover with Farhad Moshiri's deadline approaching today. Meanwhile, on the pitch the Blues are interested in signing Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips, while they have also been linked with Heidenheim winger Jan-Niklas Beste, who would appear to tick a lot of boxes. Everton are insistent there will be no 'fire sale' of Sean Dyche's current squad, and they have opened contract talks with Calvert-Lewin. Join Ian Croll, Gavin Buckland and Dan Haygarth as they discuss the latest news coming out of Goodison Park.  Everton FC podcasts from the Liverpool ECHO’s Royal Blue YouTube channel. Get exclusive Everton FC content - including podcasts, live shows and videos - everyday.  Subscribe to the Royal Blue Everton FC YouTube Channel and watch daily live shows HERE: https://bit.ly/3aNfYav Listen and subscribe to the Royal Blue Podcast for all your latest Everton FC content via Apple and Spotify: APPLE: https://bit.ly/3HbiY1E SPOTIFY: https:

Crystal Palace part owner John Textor is said to be stepping up his bid to buy Everton and is thought to be the frontrunner to buy Moshiri’s shareholding.  Join Ian Croll, Chris Beesley and Connor O’Neill for Tuesday’s Royal Blue Podcast LIVE.  Everton FC podcasts from the Liverpool ECHO’s Royal Blue YouTube channel. Get exclusive Everton FC content - including podcasts, live shows and videos - everyday.  Subscribe to the Royal Blue Everton FC YouTube Channel and watch daily live shows HERE: https://bit.ly/3aNfYav Listen and subscribe to the Royal Blue Podcast for all your latest Everton FC content via Apple and Spotify: APPLE: https://bit.ly/3HbiY1E SPOTIFY: https://bit.ly/47xwdnY Visit the Liverpool ECHO website: https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/all-about/everton-fc Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LivEchoEFC Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@royal.blue.everto Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LiverpoolEchoEFC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fresh from attending Sean Dyche's pre-match press conference for Everton's trip to Arsenal at Finch Farm, Joe Thomas joins ECHO colleague Chris Beesley in the car to record another edition of the Royal Blue podcast on the road. The pair look forward to Everton's final fixture at the Emirates Stadium of what has been a tumultuous season on and off the pitch with Sean Dyche's men having achieved safety last month but Mikel Arteta's side battling Manchester City for the title. They discuss who they would like the manager to bring into the side against the Gunners and the continuing takeover issues with 777 Partners. Everton FC podcasts from the Liverpool ECHO’s Royal Blue YouTube channel. Get exclusive Everton FC content - including podcasts, live shows and videos - everyday. Subscribe to the Royal Blue Everton FC YouTube Channel and watch daily live shows HERE: https://bit.ly/3aNfYav Listen and subscribe to the Royal Blue Podcast for all your latest Everton FC content via Apple and Spotify: APPLE: https://bit.l

Richard Masters appeared in front of a select committee on Parliament's Football Governance Bill and offered new insight on the attempted takeover of Everton by 777 Partners.  Masters was asked why he had not rejected 777's takeover of Everton. You can listen to the full committee meeting right here on the Royal Blue Podcast channel.  Everton FC podcasts from the Liverpool ECHO’s Royal Blue YouTube channel. Get exclusive Everton FC content - including podcasts, live shows and videos - everyday.  Subscribe to the Royal Blue Everton FC YouTube Channel and watch daily live shows HERE: https://bit.ly/3aNfYav Listen and subscribe to the Royal Blue Podcast for all your latest Everton FC content via Apple and Spotify: APPLE: https://bit.ly/3HbiY1E SPOTIFY: https://bit.ly/47xwdnY Visit the Liverpool ECHO website: https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/all-about/everton-fc Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LivEchoEFC Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@royal.blue.everto Follow us on Facebook: https://www.fac

Former Everton co-owner Paul Gregg has spoken to the ECHO's Chris Beesley for a special edition of the Royal Blue podcast to coincide with the release of his autobiography Backstage Without A Pass. The theatre impresario - who sold his entertainment company for the equivalent of £350million in today's money - arrived at Goodison Park in 1999 when he matched Bill Kenwright's £7.5million stake in buying the club from Peter Johnson. Gregg tried to bring about Everton's first attempt to relocate to the Mersey waterfront with ambitious plans for a stadium at King's Dock but ended up having a well-documented fall-out with Kenwright over the failure of the project. During his time with the Blues, he helped strike sponsorship deals with Keijan and Chang while also having disagreements with the chairman over managers Walter Smith and David Moyes. Despite the tumultuous nature of his time at Everton, Gregg still looks back on his time on Merseyside with fondness but also has strong opinions on both the current ownershi

Everton finished the season with a fifth successive home win as they defeated already-relegated Sheffield United 1-0 at Goodison Park. It wasn't a classic but once again, Sean Dyche's side got the job done thanks to a first half header from Abdoulaye Doucoure. The absence of any figures from 777 Partners was not a surprise but told a story of its own. For so much of this season the US group has had a high-profile presence in the directors box of the club it has been trying to take over for eight months. Figures were in attendance as recently as at Luton Town, the club’s last match before the visit of Sheffield United. But after 10 days that have seen the firm hit with a civil lawsuit centred on $600m fraud allegations and its Australian airline entered into administration, the dreams of those who have repeatedly filled seats in L4 and beyond appear to be in tatters. Join Ian Croll, Joe Thomas and Chris Beesley as they look back at a fantastic weekend for the Toffees.  Send your feedback to the lads on Twitter

After more uncertainty over 777 Partners’ takeover of Everton, reports surfaced that midweek that MSP Sports Capital are exploring buying The Toffees.  After months of talks with Josh Wander and the Premier League, Farhad Moshiri looks set to pull the plug on the deal which was struck back in September of last year.  All of this is yet to be confirmed, however should a deal fallthrough, which is looking increasingly likely, where does that leave Everton and Farhad Moshiri?  Everton's majority shareholder is finally considering alternative options to 777 Partners with MSP said to be the front runners to take a majority stake.  In today’s Royal Blue Podcast, Ian Croll, Joe Thomas and Gav Buckland discuss the latest on the Everton takeover saga. Send your feedback to the lads on Twitter: @Iancroll1 @GavinBuckland1 @joe_thomas18 Everton FC podcasts from the Liverpool ECHO’s Royal Blue YouTube channel. Get exclusive Everton FC content - including podcasts, live shows and videos - everyday.  Subscribe to the Roya

Everton owner Farhad Moshiri has held face-to-face talks with potential owners 777 Partners in London this week after fresh doubt was cast on the deal being done. Moshiri, who agreed to sell his 94.1% shareholding in the club to the Miami-based investment firm back in September of last year, has held talks with 777 co-founder Josh Wander, as first reported by Sky Sports and since independently verified by the ECHO, in a bid to try and gain some clarity over where the deal stands. Join Matt Jones live as he sits down with our Business of Football writer Dave Powell to discuss the latest on Everton’s takeover.  Everton FC podcasts from the Liverpool ECHO’s Royal Blue YouTube channel. Get exclusive Everton FC content - including podcasts, live shows and videos - everyday.  Subscribe to the Royal Blue Everton FC YouTube Channel and watch daily live shows HERE: https://bit.ly/3aNfYav Listen and subscribe to the Royal Blue Podcast for all your latest Everton FC content via Apple and Spotify: APPLE: https://bit.ly/3

Join Ian Croll, Chris Beesley and Gav Buckland as they discuss the latest in the Everton takeover saga.  The Everton FC Shareholders Association have called for action from Farhad Moshiri and demanded that he recognise that 777 Partners are not “fit-and-proper” prospective owners of the club. This comes on the back of accusations labelled at 777 over a $600m fraud scheme involving double-pledging and forged documents which is on the brink of collapse.  Everton FC podcasts from the Liverpool ECHO’s Royal Blue YouTube channel. Get exclusive Everton FC content - including podcasts, live shows and videos - everyday.  Subscribe to the Royal Blue Everton FC YouTube Channel and watch daily live shows HERE: https://bit.ly/3aNfYav Listen and subscribe to the Royal Blue Podcast for all your latest Everton FC content via Apple and Spotify: APPLE: https://bit.ly/3HbiY1E SPOTIFY: https://bit.ly/47xwdnY Visit the Liverpool ECHO website: https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/all-about/everton-fc Follow us on Twitter: https://twit

In the latest edition of Goodison Park: My Home, Chris Beesley speaks to a true Everton hero, Graham Stuart on the 30th anniversary of the “Great Escape.” On May 7, 1994, Stuart saved Everton Football Club with a stirring two-goal display in their dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Wimbledon to complete a “Great Escape” from relegation on the final day of the Premier League season. With their top flight status on the line, the Blues recovered from going 2-0 down just 20 minutes into the contest against an in-form Wimbledon side as Stuart halved the deficit with one of the biggest-pressure penalties in the history of ‘The Grand Old Lady’ before netting the winner nine minutes from the end to take his side out of the drop zone for the first time all day. Just a year later, Stuart was part of the team that beat Manchester United 1-0 at Wembley to lift the FA Cup – Everton’s last major trophy to date – while these days he is back with his beloved Blues, working as a club ambassador. Everton FC podcasts from the L

Joe Thomas joins Chris Beesley for the first ever edition of the Royal Blue podcast - on the road.  Fresh from covering the 1-1 draw against Luton Town at Kenilworth Road, the ECHO’s Everton correspondent and reporter analyse the action, including Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s penalty, Jarrad Branthwaite’s clearance and the booing of Ashley Young. The pair also discuss the possibility of a potential summer transfer return for Ross Barkley to Goodison Park while negotiating the UK’s motorway network. Everton FC podcasts from the Liverpool ECHO’s Royal Blue YouTube channel. Get exclusive Everton FC content - including podcasts, live shows and videos - everyday. Subscribe to the Royal Blue Everton FC YouTube Channel and watch daily live shows HERE: https://bit.ly/3aNfYav Listen and subscribe to the Royal Blue Podcast for all your latest Everton FC content via Apple and Spotify: APPLE: https://bit.ly/3HbiY1E SPOTIFY: https://bit.ly/47xwdnY Visit the Liverpool ECHO website: https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/all-about/ever