Editing Bill Kenwright (section)

====Fortress Sports Fund====
In August 2004, it was reported that a [[Brunei]]-based fund '''Fortess Sports Fund''' (FSF) were interested in buying a stake in Everton. Following the public fall-out with director [[Paul Gregg]], it was anticipated that Gregg's shares in addition to others would be sold to the fund. Kenwright and Everton director [[Jon Woods (programmer)|Jon Woods]] were in favour of accepting the investment whilst Paul Gregg was sceptical and refused to endorse it.<ref>{{cite news|last=Prentice|first=David|title=Fortress saga is dragging on; Board split signals further hold-ups<!--|access-date=11 July 2011-->|newspaper=Liverpool Echo|date=2 April 2005}}</ref> Gregg believed that the fund under-valued his investment, it was reported that the fund's bid was £12.8&nbsp;million for 29.9% of the club.<ref name="mcnulty-2005-1-13">{{cite news|last=McNulty|first=Phil|title=Fortress may be crumbling|newspaper=Liverpool Echo<!--|access-date=11 July 2011-->|date=13 January 2005}}</ref>

In February 2005, [[Keith Wyness]] stated that the club had begun to look for other potential investors.<ref>{{cite news|title=Blues' new investors|newspaper=Liverpool Echo<!--|access-date=11 July 2011-->|date=3 February 2005}}</ref> In April 2005, Samuelson stated that "the Fund is completed and registered" but Everton director Paul Gregg publicly questioned the FSF: "As a director I have not received any proof of funds – or that they even exist."<ref name="gregg-fund">{{cite news|last=Prentice|first=David|title=Gregg: I'm not the issue in Fund farce; Gregg's fund blast<!--|access-date=11 July 2011-->|newspaper=Liverpool Echo|date=5 April 2004}}</ref> The ''Liverpool Echo'' described the FSF situation as a "farce". Paul Gregg stated that he had been "led down the garden path and that the whole exercise has embarrassed the club."<ref name="gregg-fund"/> Samuelson re-iterated that funds were ready; "The fund is approved and ready to go. I have not received the actual certificate of incorporation of the fund but that is a technicality." He stated that an EGM was necessary to confirm the FSF fund. "As far as I'm concerned it's a fait accompli – subject to the approval of an EGM of shareholders."<ref>{{cite news|last=Prior|first=David|title=Boardroom battle may resurface at Goodison; Gregg lining up rival investment as Fortress deal still not settled<!--|access-date=11 July 2011-->|newspaper=Liverpool Echo|date=5 April 2004}}</ref> An EGM was never called and the question of investment into Everton from the FSF fell away from the public eye.{{citation needed|date=August 2013}}

In November 2005, at the following AGM. Kenwright said that Samuelson "was someone who I believed could have come up with the money, he had his credentials and thought he could come up with a deal that was good for the club&nbsp;... but he didn't, like many many other people, come up with the goods."<ref name="prior-2005-11-25">{{cite news|last=Prior|first=David|title=Search for investment goes on as Fortress fails; Kenwright tells AGM of '24 hours a day' finance quest<!--|access-date=11 July 2011-->|newspaper=Liverpool Echo|date=25 November 2005}}</ref> He added: "I am spending 24 hours a day trying to raise finance for this club. I had a meeting today, three yesterday, all involving money that would dilute my shareholding – but I'm not interested in that."<ref name="prior-2005-11-25"/>