Everton supporters flew protest plane before team ripped next manager's side apart

The start of the new football season is supposed to be a time of optimism but on this day nine years ago, an emphatic Everton away day success was being played against the backdrop of off-the-field protests. The Blues had actually opened their campaign with a 2-2 draw at home to Watford a week earlier but on August 15, 2015, sporting a new military green and orange third kit for the first time, they were on the manoeuvres on the south coast and the mission proved a success as they triumphed 3-0.

That individual victory taken in isolation does not tell the full story of the season that would unfold though as, while Everton won the battle, it’s difficult now with the benefit of hindsight to say whether they also won the war. Like their now late chairman Bill Kenwright, who came in the firing line from some supporters that day, the green kit proved somewhat divisive.

The unusual but striking colour combinations were, like current Blues boss Sean Dyche has described himself, a ‘Marmite’ choice given that they seemed to create strong opinions either way whether people loved or hated it. Whatever individual opinions were of the change strip, the decision to debut it at St Mary’s seemed a curious one though given that there was no clash with the Saints in using Everton’s traditional royal blue jerseys and white shorts and the use of the third kit on this occasion meant that the visitors were, like their hosts, also wearing black shorts.

A first half brace from Romelu Lukaku put the away team in command. On 22 minutes the Belgian international rose at the back post to head in across goal when meeting Arouna Kone’s lofted right wing cross before a cool low left-foot finish from the edge of the area doubled their advantage just before the break after the striker was fed by Ross Barkley.

Everton’s home-grown midfielder would then complete the rout himself six minutes from full-time with a curling shot from 12 yards out after a marauding run by Seamus Coleman but while everything clicked that day on the pitch, all was net well behind the scenes. Fans protesting against the Everton board organised for a banner to be flown over St Mary’s just minutes before the game and a plane went over the stadium carrying a message which read ‘Kenwright and Co - #TimeToGo NSNO.’

The decision to organise the plane was taken at a fans’ group meeting the previous weekend and came at the end of a week in which disgruntled supporters have voiced their concerns on national radio. Joe Jennings, from fan group SOS 1878, said: “The media see Everton as a well-run club, with relatively little debt, and a true blue safeguarding its future; for an increasing number of fans the reality is somewhat different.”

Everton manager Roberto Martinez was asked by BT Sport, before the match, about the prospect of the banner being flown, and said: “You get a lot of talk in the media, but we have a real consistency in our squad.

“We finished fifth two years ago, we are more mature and have a lot of young players. We’re working really hard behind the scenes to make sure the squad is as strong as it can be before the transfer window closes.

“We showed in the last two years that the board and everyone at the club is working extremely hard to keep improving. It should a sense of working together and trusting each other.”

However, before the season was out, Kenwright had sold his controlling stake in Everton to Farhad Moshiri and Martinez was sacked by the new majority shareholder with one game remaining. The Catalan’s successor would be none other than Ronald Koeman, the Southampton manager beaten 3-0 in this game as Moshiri craved a big name appointment to compete against the likes of Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp, Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola and Manchester United’s Jose Mourinho in England’s North West, a region he dubbed “the new Hollywood of football.”

The Dutchman would be one of eight incumbents of Goodison Park’s home dugout in as many years with a period of reckless spending – by Moshiri’s own admission – resulting in a downwards spiral in results which has included the lowest equivalent points score in the club’s entire history and two separate points deductions last season. Despite having entered into four periods of exclusivity with potential buyers over the past two years, the Monaco-based businessman, who has not attended a home fixture in the Premier League since the 5-2 capitulation against Watford under Rafael Benitez on October 23, 2021, has so far failed to offload the club.