‘That team’ - Tony Bellew hailed Bill Kenwright’s legacy at Everton a week before his passing

Tony Bellew hailed Bill Kenwright a week before his passing, praising his influence which helped to build a strong squad prior to the takeover of Farhad Moshiri in 2016.

Kenwright, who died aged 78 yesterday, was chairman of the club for over 20 years and has been described as ‘synonymous’ with Everton played a big part in helping to build some of the more successful teams in the 2010’s.

From 2006 until 2014, Everton never finished below eighth place in the league and since 2019, they’ve failed to finish any higher than 10th. Prior to Moshiri’s takeover, Everton boasted a side with Romelu Lukaku, Leighton Baines, a prime Idrissa Gueye, Seamus Coleman, Ross Barkley, John Stones, Gareth Barry, Kevin Mirallas and Steven Pienaar, to name a few, and the club failed to refresh the squad properly after the cash injection.

It has led to successive relegation battles and the overall fall off of a club expected to be challenging for European football year in, year out. The Moshiri-era is reportedly close to coming to an end, as the Miami-based investment firm 777 Partners are hoping to become the future of the club.

Bellew, who spoke to LiverpoolWorld prior to Kenwright’s passing, delivered a passionate rant about the current state of Everton comparing the quality of the team in 2016 to now - a team that he was built with help from the former chairman.

“Look where Everton Football Club was when you took over us and found us and look where we are now. Just look at the starting line-up. Just look at the team.

“Look at the team that was in place when Farhad Moshiri took over. We were in the Europa League, we were flying. How have we spent £600million and we’re behind where that is? It’s absolutely insane.

“Only Everton Football Club could manage such things but I’ll be eternally grateful for where Farhad Moshiri tried to take us, but it has to be addressed and people will go on about ‘Oh why, aren’t you going on about Bill Kenwright’. Well, I’m sorry to tell you, but that team I’ve just named was formed, guess who under? Bill Kenwright.”