Bill Kenwright, Chairman Of Everton, Passed Away At 78

Bill Kenwright, chairman of Everton Football Club, died peacefully Sunday night at 78, surrounded by his family and loved ones, the club announced. Everton Football Club is in sorrow.

Kenwright joined the board at Goodison Park in 1989 and succeeded Phillip Carter as chairman in 2004 before passing suddenly in August as a result of surgery to remove a malignant lesion from his liver.

Kenwright, a renowned theatrical entrepreneur and film producer from Liverpool, was married to British performer Jenny Seagrove.

Aside from current players, there were tributes from rival teams. The 16-year-old Wayne Rooney, who made his name at Goodison Park, tweeted on X, “Devastated to hear the tragic news about Bill Kenwright.

Throughout the city, people recalled Kenwright’s assistance to the families of Liverpool supporters who lost their lives in the Hillsborough tragedy.

In 1999, Kenwright’s group acquired a 68.8% share in the club, giving it the majority. Disagreements with fans about the club’s future and declining performance on the pitch highlighted his tenure as manager.

In the previous two seasons, Everton came dangerously close to being dropped from the top flight of English football for the first time since 1954. They have not won a major title since 1995.

In 2016, Bill Kenwright sold many of his shares to the British-Iranian billionaire Farhad Moshiri.

Everton has struggled despite Moshiri investing hundreds of millions of dollars in players, Kenwright came under fire from certain supporters who objected to the way the team was being operated.

An agreement was revealed last month to sell the club to American investment group 777 Partners.

After learning that 777 Partners allegedly neglected to provide crucial information to the Financial Conduct Authority, questions still exist whether the merger would proceed.

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