Editing Bill Kenwright (section)

===Chairmanship===
On 1 June 2004, Kenwright became chairman of Everton Football Club. On the same day, [[Trevor Birch]] was appointed chief executive officer to replace the outgoing [[Michael Dunford (football executive)|Michael Dunford]]. Kenwright said that Birch would be his "sounding board" and that the new CEO should "dictate the policy of the football club". Kenwright stated that Birch had not been brought in to sell the club, but that a new investor can have his shares as long as they "have money to run the club".<ref>{{cite news|last=Prentice|first=David|title='I want to be Trevor's sounding board'|newspaper=Liverpool Echo<!--|access-date=13 July 2011-->|date=2 June 2004}}</ref> Birch resigned six weeks later.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/e/everton/3901225.stm|title=Everton chief Birch resigns|last=McNultty|first=Phil|date=16 July 2004|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=19 November 2009}}</ref> He resigned after a meeting with True Blue Holding (Kenwright, Woods, Gregg and Abercromby) where the board opted not to sell the club. Gregg claimed there was a refusal to relinquish control by other directors and that it was preventing progress at the club.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hunter|first=Andy|title=BIRCH QUITS; Birch resigns after Blues board refuse to sell club|newspaper=Liverpool Echo<!--|access-date=13 July 2011-->|date=14 July 2004}}</ref>

====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"/>

====2004 Extraordinary General Meeting====
By September 2004, concerns amongst fans had grown about the future of the club.{{citation needed|date=August 2013}} An [[Extraordinary General Meeting]] was called by shareholders; "''The shareholders of the Company express their deep concern at the current state of affairs in the Company''". It called for the board of directors to resign if they did not address previous motions to the satisfaction of shareholders{{citation needed|date=August 2013}} Kenwright is considered approachable by fans and prior to the EGM he contacted a fan website before the press regarding the meeting.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nsno.co.uk/comment.php?comment.news.262|title=Bill Kenwright|date=27 September 2004|publisher=Nsno.co.uk|access-date=31 May 2009}}</ref>

====2008 Extraordinary General Meeting====
In 2007, Kenwright said in an interview on ITV that Goodison Park would soon fail to obtain a ground safety certificate and announced that he would like to move the club to [[Kirkby, Merseyside|Kirkby]] as part of a proposal known as [[Everton Kirkby Project|Destination Kirkby]] which included a [[Tesco]] supermarket and a [[retail park]]. The pursuit of this project led to minor shareholders of the club calling for an Extraordinary General Meeting in 2008. After it was confirmed that the EGM would go ahead, [[Keith Wyness]] resigned and was replaced by [[Robert Elstone]] who was promoted to the position from within.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/e/everton/7542638.stm|title=Kenwright open to 'right' offers|date=6 August 2008 |publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=14 December 2009}}</ref>

At this meeting, Kenwright revealed that he took business advice from retail industry leaders [[Sir Philip Green]] and [[Sir Terry Leahy]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.evertonfc.com/news/archive/egm-date-confirmed.html|title=EGM Date Confirmed|date=7 August 2008|publisher=Everton F.C.|access-date=31 May 2009}}</ref> The minority shareholders determined that the club should not pursue the project due to a growing number of concerns. However, Kenwright and the other majority shareholders, using one share one vote forced the resolution to be defeated and the project to proceed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.evertonfc.com/news/archive/egm-resolution-defeated.html |title=EGM Resolution Defeated – The Official Website of Everton Football Club |publisher=Everton F.C. |date=3 September 2008 |access-date=6 August 2014}}</ref> The project was called in by the Secretary for State and a public inquiry determined that the project should not proceed after hearing evidence from groups who opposed the scheme such as Keep Everton In Our City (KEIOC).

In April 2008, he agreed to produce ''Dixie: The People's Legend'', a documentary on Everton legend [[Dixie Dean]] produced by Liverpool-based company Tabacula.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tabacula.blogspot.com/2008/04/notes-from-director-1.html|title=Notes from the Director 1|date=23 April 2008|publisher=Tabacula|access-date=19 November 2009}}</ref>