'That's out of order' - Paul Gascoigne hits out over Everton director's transfer claim
Loyal but long-suffering Evertonians are hoping that the Friedkin Group’s proposed takeover ushers in a bright new future, yet Paul Gascoigne reckons some of those in the Goodison Park boardroom during his time at the club had the money to make a difference but weren’t prepared to put their hands in their pockets. Gascoigne, arguably the most gifted British player of his generation, turned out 38 times for Everton towards the end of his career and scored once between 2000-02.
Dan Friedkin agreed a deal on September 23 to obtain wantaway majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri’s entire 94.1% stake in the club and with an estimated net worth of $11.8billion on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a daily ranking of the world’s richest people which currently places him at #213, the Houston-based Toyota distributor, who also owns entertainment and hospitality businesses, has the financial clout to help revive the Blues’ fortunes. However, back when Gascoigne was on Merseyside, he reckons some of the club’s top brass would boast of their personal wealth, even though they were reticent to spend on the team.
He told SportsCasting UK: “At Everton, the directors had loads of money, but they wouldn’t put any of it into the club. I spoke to one and he said, ‘Gazza, I’ve got more money than all of these put together.’
“I said, ‘so why don’t you put some money into the club?’ because I was sitting next to him watching a game once. He went, ‘no, I’m just happy being a director and having my name there,’ and I thought, ‘that’s out of order,’ Bill Kenwright loves the club.”
READ MORE: Jordan Pickford could have made Everton transfer - he has shown his true qualities
READ MORE: New Iliman Ndiaye injury update shared after 'concern' raised over Everton star
Gascoigne’s local club Newcastle United where he started his career are reportedly considering relocating from their long-time home St James’ Park and although the 57-year-old acknowledges it’s often not a great fan experience for visiting teams, he hopes the Magpies remain in the city centre. He said: “It’s an unbelievable stadium but I do feel sorry for the away fans. They’ve travelled so far, and they come and spend a lot of money and then the next minute they’re like right up in the corner.
“I remember I played there once for Everton and I did a backheel to Kevin Campbell and he scored – God bless him, he’s not with us anymore – and then you’re thinking where are our fans to celebrate with? And then all of a sudden you see them up in the top corner up in the gods.
“I remember when I left Newcastle there were about 20,000 or 30,000 people on the waiting list for a season ticket. It would be a shame if they built a new stadium outside the city, that would be stupid.
“You can’t move from the place it is. Keep it in the city centre.”
Everton faced Newcastle United last time out before the international break and having seen his penalty saved by Jordan Pickford in front of the Gwladys Street on his latest Goodison Park return, Gascoigne admits Anthony Gordon’s miss will have been eating away at him. He said: “Yeah, it definitely will be.
“I always tell people, the clubs they play for, say Aston Villa or Everton and they look brilliant there and then a manager will think, ‘right then, I’m going to sign him,’ and then all of a sudden you go from that to the atmosphere at Newcastle, it’s completely different. Some of the players’ arses go and you think, God almighty.
“So for a lot of them, it’s too much for their nerves, you know, a hell of a lot, because when you’re playing in front of like the Gallowgate End, the noise they’re making is completely different because they’re just fanatical, like Rangers fans are fanatical. Man United’s are fanatical, Liverpool, so when you go to stadiums like that, or playing for teams like that, it does pick up the nerves and you think, ‘God, I’ve got to impress them.’”