Everton, of late, are a club shrouded in misery. But that was not always the case.
Generations gone by have had the pleasure of watching the Toffees dominate both English and European football in spells, and the bitterness that prevails today is born of their fall from grace over the last few decades.
Many know how good this club can be, so are left frustrated when they fall so painfully short of those expectations.
Yet the only people capable of taking such a fine club to where they feel they belong are the owners, and we all know what a mess that has been of late, as Kaveh Solhekol notes.
Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol on Everton’s takeover
Speaking on Sky Sports, the reporter was drafted in to offer viewers a deeper insight into the takeover troubles that have dominated Everton for a good eight months now.
And whilst there are so many negative things to pick out, it was refreshing to see him focus on the positives.
After all, as 777 Partners’ deal with Farhad Moshiri seems set to buckle as alternative investors prepare to swoop in, there is cause for optimism at last on Merseyside.
Solhekol claimed: ‘It sounds a little bit crazy for me to say this but I don’t think it’s all doom and gloom as far as Everton are concerned. I think there is some light at the end of the tunnel, but only if we have a resolution to this 777 saga.
‘And the reason why I say it’s not all doom and gloom is one: Everton are a great club with a great history. Two: They have a fantastic fanbase who stick with them through thick and thin. Three: They are a Premier League club, they have made sure they’re going to be in the Premier League next season. And fourthly of course: They have a new stadium that’s going to be opened soon, and that stadium now is valued at about £1bn.
‘So, my understanding is there are other options for Farhad Moshiri. There are other investors waiting to do a deal for Everton, but nothing can be done until somebody comes out and says once and for all the deal with 777 is off.’
There is cause for rare positivity with Everton
Even if this season has been one dominated by negativity that threatens to spill over into the summer, Solhekol is correct in his assessment.
After all, despite their decades of disappointment and their barren run without a trophy, they still remain one of England’s biggest and most historic clubs.
The Toffees’ nine first-division league titles are still the joint-fourth-most in English history with Manchester City (for now), and they are eighth for major honours won compared to other English clubs.
Not only that, but they are a club rich with a history of being the first to do many things in the country, including construct a stadium purpose-built for football, wear numbers on the back of shirts, the first in Britain to host a World Cup semi-final and the first to play 100 seasons in the top-flight.
Buying Everton buys into the legacy and the unwavering fanbase that comes with it. With an intelligent business model, this is a club just waiting to explode.