Ian Chivers

Perfectly summarised

@RBMersey Feel really sorry for Swindon, relegated 2 divisions in late 80’s for illegal payments to players. Why the disparity in punishment?

This is the punishment for 36 undisclosed payments worth £47.5m over 11 years relating to player transfers. Reminder: the Premier League wanted Everton deducted 12 points for a £19.5m FFP overspend and didn’t think a fine was a suitable punishment

@martynziegler Didn’t Swindon get relegated 2 divisions for illegal payments in the late 80’s?? Why were they punished so severely???

Updated: Chelsea receive £10.75m fine from Premier League for secret payments to players + unlicensed agents during Abramovich era. £47.5m spent off the books to sign Hazard, Ramires, David Luiz, Willian, Eto'o, Schurrle, Matic. thetimes.com/sport/football…

@andyj60 @henrywinter @andyj60 c’mon on! it’s not putting the club out of business. But I really struggle to see the consistency in punishment with Everton and Forest. Or Swindon back in the day, effectively relegated 2 divisions for illegal payments…

@henrywinter You wouldn't be happy unless they forced the club out of business

Good result for Chelsea: club fined only £10m and given a suspended transfer ban after Premier League found 36 separate undisclosed payments totalling £47.5m made “to 12 persons or entities on behalf of the club”. Lenient sanctions. No sporting sanctions. Yet these are serious offences, as the sanction agreement between the PL and Chelsea makes clear, stating “they were not only obvious and deliberate breaches of the rules but also because they involved deception and concealment in relation to financial matters”. Yet no points deductions. Just a manageable (if record) fine and a “suspended one-year first-team player transfer ban (suspended for two years)”. Surely they gained a sporting advantage by recruiting such players? So surely a sporting sanction should be in order? And where's the consistency? In 2008, Luton Town received a 10-point deduction for irregularities in dealing with agents (nb from FA). There still could be some further sanctions by the FA following its "ongoing investigation". PL points to mitigating factors: current owners Clearlake/Todd Boehly in May 2022 voluntarily self-reported potential historical breaches from the Roman Abramovich era. Club co-operated extensively and helped provide (with others) 10,000 documents for PL investigation. PL established “that between 2011 and 2018, undisclosed payments by third parties associated with the club were made to players, unregistered agents and other third parties”. Payments related to the purchases of players including Eden Hazard, Willian, Samuel Eto’o, David Luiz, Andre Schurrle and Nemanja Matic - there is no suggestion any were aware of the illicit payments. The detailed work of the investigators – and level of Clearlake’s co-operation – is impressive. The sanctions less so. It is a legitimate debate: should a club be punished for offences under a previous owner? Yes, most fans of other clubs would scream. It's a deterrent. And the value of those players' contribution and subsequent sales arguably still benefits the club. PL also investigated “potential breaches of the Premier League’s Youth Development Rules, committed by a former senior employee, relating to the club’s registration of Academy players between 2019 and 2022”. Again, self-reported by the club, this time in 2025. Chelsea punished with £750,000 fine and immediate nine-month ban from registering academy players from PL and EFL clubs. #CFC

@TheAdrianDurham @AlanBiggs1 Can’t understand why it’s not the same as an LBW review in cricket. If it is really close then stays with the on field decision.

@AlanBiggs1 VAR not been lumbered at all Alan. This is something that should've been foreseen. Before they imposed this garbage VAR on us why didn't they thoroughly work out what could go wrong rather than clunkily change the laws every 5 mins cos nobody had the brains to foresee the issues?

The reason for the rumpus over hairline offside calls & finding reasons to disallow goals is that the law is against the spirit of the game. It demands microscopic precision & must be changed. Loathe as I am to defend VAR, it has been lumbered in this case.

@GoodisonHistory At the time Ian Durrant was seen as the one who would make a difference to the side.

Everton manager Mike Walker presents loan signings Ian Durrant and Duncan Ferguson to the media at Goodison Park in October 1994 🔵⚽️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

@kjwhitey Difficult to bring through youth players whilst batting relegation. Hopefully more stability means better opportunities

10 years and that is the list of Academy graduates its shocking tbh. Apart from Gordon & maybe Kenny how many have started a few games. This is where we need to invest massively, either the coaching isn’t good enough or we are scouting the wrong players.

@Paddy_Boyland @TheAthleticFC Classic DCL performance last night, held the ball up well, ran the channels, gave the centre halves a hard time, missed a great chance and a one on one, blowing out of his arse after 60mins

There was a sense over summer that DCL's time at Everton had come to a natural end. Parties far apart in talks & player open to a move after previous interest from top clubs Leeds have benefitted, finding a way to get him fit & scoring... @TheAthleticFC nytimes.com/athletic/69937…

@EvertonViews @markgoldbridge @AFTVMedia Quality footballing insight!

Thanks for backing the opposition guys, carry on

@merseyrail If you have ever watched Murder on the Orient express and they all get trapped by snow. Well this is nothing like that!!

⚠️❄️Weather Warning – Liverpool City Region The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for the Liverpool City Region today, Sunday 4 January. This may affect train services. Please check the latest travel updates before you travel - merseyrail.org/journey-planni…

@merseyrail I have never seen so much snow! It’s nearly 1mm thick. Absolute shambles!!!!!!!!

Services are suspended between Chester/Ellesmere Port & Rock Ferry Rail replacement buses are in operation between Chester/Ellesmere Port & Rock Ferry. Ticket acceptance in place on TfW services between Liverpool Lime Street and Chester via Halton Curve.

@merseyrail it’s the north west of England, not Siberia!

@merseyrail Miseryrail strikes again!

🟩 Due to poor weather conditions, services are suspended between Rock Ferry & Chester/Ellesmere Port. 🚆 A limited service will start and terminate at Rock Ferry. 🚌 Rail replacement buses are being requested to run between Rock Ferry and Ellesmere Port & Chester.

@thebullensview Is this a trick question?

Who was your Man of the Match? 🔵

@charles_stevo Can he play fullback???

Everton would be interested in signing Brennan Johnson. Crystal Palace and Spurs already in agreement. Would you be happy for the Toffees to gatecrash this deal? 🔵

Honestly, and for reasons I’m only partially aware of, but I can’t ever hear this without ending up in bits Hits parts of my soul I’ve no control over Beautiful

@StanCollymore Pat Jennings

Was thinking of how many greatest ever players at one club also played for their biggest rivals ( John Robertson Forest but played for Derby). Any other big ones you can think of? Will allow recognised (as opposed to your favourite) top 3 ever at your club to have played for BIGGEST rivals.

@EFC_FanAdvisory @RWGbluenose Still problems with tickets on phones. My son’s season ticket was denied last night, yet my phone lets us both through! Surey that isn’t supposed to happen!?

Due to the late timing of this game, we're aware lots of tickets will have been passed on to other members, who might be visiting Hill Dickinson Stadium for the first time. Here's a reminder about downloading and using digital tickets on your phone. Please share this.

@efc_fanservices issues with phone based tickets again. My sons ticket was declined but when I passed him my phone back through the turnstile he was let it!?!!