download All Football App

Everton fans hold protest ahead of their crunch relegation clash with Leeds

  /  autty

Everton fans were seen marching outside Goodison Park on Saturday as they took part in a peaceful protest ahead of their relegation scrap against Leeds.

The supporters held banners telling the board they were 'not welcome' and labelling chairman Bill Kenwright 'the world's worst Evertonian'.

They also let off blue flares and sung 'it's time to go' among other Everton songs - before the club's victory over Leeds.

It comes after a string of protests about the way the club is being run that have taken place this season.

Everton have endured a shambolic seven years since Farhad Moshiri took over as majority shareholder, getting through ten managers in that period and producing disappointing results on the pitch despite heavy spending.

A recent Sportsmail investigation was told of a 'toxic' envirionment on the club's board, with Kenwright wielding considerable influence despite owning just 1.3% of the club.

The protests began under Frank Lampard's management, as fans waved 'sack the board' banners and staged sit-ins at Goodison Park amid a poor run of form for their side.

While the vast majority of protests have been peaceful, there were allegations that director Denise Barrett-Baxendale had been put in a headlock by a fan after a game at Goodison on January 3 against Brighton, while she and Kenwright have also received hateful correspondence on email.

The board has since been urged to stay away from Goodison Park, and empty seats in the Director's box have become a feature of Everton's home games.

There was also footage widely circulated following Everton's 2-1 loss to Southampton that showed supporters accosting players as they sought to leave the area surrounding Goodison Park on Saturday evening.

Defender Yerry Mina was confronted by a supporter after the game, while midfielder Anthony Gordon was chased down the street by another fan before he left the club.

Results have taken an upturn since Sean Dyche replace Frank Lampard as Toffees box, as they have taken two wins out of three games under the new boss.

The protests have remained, though, with Saturday's march proceeded by a banner flown over the ground during their last home game that called Everton 'the league's worst run club.'

Recent action from fans does appear to be focused solely on the board and not at the players or managers, as a statement from Everton fan organisations shown to the Liverpool Echo ahead of the protests said:  'We demand that the board and owner refrain from attending any further games.

'Such attendance would prove to be an unwanted distraction for both the fans and the team. It is our belief that you are not fit to lead our club, and your presence would only have a further negative impact.

'Put your egos aside and leave match days to the fans who care about the club and will attempt, once again, alongside Sean Dyche and his team to drag this team closer to safety at every opportunity available.

Everton bounced back from their defeat to Liverpool earlier this week, by seeing off fellow relegation rivals Leeds 1-0.