DO the powers-that-be know what they’re doing? Do the “Yes” voters know what they’ve done? I hope so. I really do hope so. So, Everton are going to Kirkby. And we’d better get used to it because we won’t be going for a holiday. We won’t be going for just a few seasons. This will be Everton’s home for the rest of all our lives. Unless, I suppose, Liverpool city council leader Warren Bradley is right and the new stadium does turn out to be a glorified cowshed – and collapses during a light summer breeze. To me, moving to Kirkby will be a bitter pill but, as I believe in democracy, I’ll take a deep breath and swallow it. And here, I wish to applaud Everton chairman Bill Kenwright for his insistence that more than 30,000 Evertonians should be given the chance to vote on such an important issue. How many other clubs would do the same? However, the concept of “choice” presented here was a touch unusual. Did we want: A) A future in Kirkby, or ... B) No future at all? Evertonians cannot be blamed for having low expectations off the field, as their club hasn’t the best track record in what chief executive Keith Wyness would term “deliverability”. There was, for example, the Kings Dock stadium-that-never-was and the Fortress Sports Fund investment that didn’t happen. And the more some fans heard from Wyness, the more some fans dug their heels into the ground occupied by the “No” camp. He told us there was no Plan B, which left many Blues speechless. And frustrated. And angry. Then, after Bradley and the Bestway company put forward plans for a stadium in Scotland Road – a dream prospect for romantic Evertonians – he seemed to come over all bullish and belligerent. Wyness ended a highly-sarcastic open letter by saying: “Without wishing, in any way, to call into question the integrity and professionalism of those who have pulled the Scotland Road ‘rabbit’ out of a hitherto cunningly-concealed hat, we do find it curious that it is being portrayed as a genuine, realistic and deliverable scheme at the precise moment our supporters are being invited to participate in a ballot about our proposed relocation to Kirkby.” He must have been so confident of a “Yes” vote. What would have happened if it had been a “No”? How would he have approached that difficult first meeting with Bradley, arranged to discuss keeping the Blues in the city? Or would he have just told his chairman: “Well, there’s no Plan B – so I’m off!”? I feel it’s important to stress here that while I believe Bradley deserves credit rather than scorn for his recent efforts – and don’t forget the practical difficulties he faced while Everton, Knowsley council and Tesco were cosying up during their exclusivity phase – Everton and its fans have been let down by earlier city council inactivity. Although it’s been difficult to call (I sensed many fans were keeping their “Yes” votes to themselves), there is one reason why – deep down – I’ve felt that this particular Everton project would succeed. And his name is Sir Terry Leahy. How often does the man with the Midas touch back a loser and end up with egg on his face? Not very. He succeeds. But if he succeeds in getting me excited about Kirkby he’ll qualify for superhero status. The debates entitled “How important are political, administrative and geographical boundaries?” and “What is a Scouser?” will splutter on, but the fact remains that Kirkby is part of Knowsley, not Liverpool. Yes, our new home will be just a few miles from L4 4EL – but so is Birkenhead and I don’t think it’d be right for Everton to relocate to Wirral, either. And yet, to my eyes, it’s not as simple as that. Would I be happy to move to any area which falls within the Liverpool boundaries? No, I wouldn’t. Speke is in Liverpool but, like Kirkby, I view it as being out on a limb. No offence, Kirkby. No offence, Speke. In the petty and childish world of football banter, some of those loveable Reds are bound to roll out the “One city, one club” line, but we can be petty and childish right back and remind the Johnny-come- Latelys we were Liverpool’s first team, they wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for us and that these, for them unpalatable, facts can obviously never change. But, still, things would perhaps have been much easier if the Boundary Commission had been successful in its bid, back in 1990, to wipe Knowsley off the map and place Kirkby, Huyton and Co into Liverpool. Perhaps it can try again. No offence, Knowsley council. And if a few of Liverpool’s best pubs could be moved, brick by brick, to the Kirkby area, all the better. My late grandmother, who lived in Garston (miles from Kirkby!), always told me: “You can get used to anything.” I hope she was right. | 
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