Alan Stubbs: Former Everton captain demands change ‘from boardroom down’ at club

Former Everton captain Alan Stubbs has called for “major changes from boardroom level down” after the club survived relegation on the final day of the season.

The win extended their 69-year stay in English football’s top tier.

“There are two [feelings] – relief and anger,” Stubbs told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“It was a horrible 90 minutes as an Everton fan, watching that and the emotions you were going through.

“The players did really well to play under that pressure – it’s not easy and the manager [Sean Dyche] deserves a lot of credit as well.

“But now Everton need to make some major changes from boardroom level down.”

Everton’s win over Bournemouth sparked jubilant scenes at Goodison Park but crowned a second successive season where the club have flirted with relegation, after finishing 16th last year.

In January the club sacked manager Frank Lampard after less than 12 months in charge, following a run of nine defeats in 12 games, which left them second-bottom of the Premier League.

They turned to former Burnley boss Sean Dyche and he successfully avoided relegation by guiding Everton to eight points from the final five games of the season.

But the club’s troubles run deeper than the results on the pitch.

Everton’s board, which includes owner Farhad Moshiri, chairman Bill Kenwright and chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale, have not attended a game since January, citing safety concerns as fans protest against how the club is being run.

The Toffees have also been referred to an independent commission by the Premier League over alleged breaches of the financial fair play rules.

Stubbs, who made 192 appearances for Everton across two stints at the club, says the board should step down in order for the club to move forward.

“I have to applaud [Moshiri] in terms of what he’s invested in the club but he’s been really poorly advised by people on the board and probably people he’s trusted in as well,” said Stubbs.

“He has to take a step aside because he’s not a football person, so he shouldn’t be getting involved in any football decisions.

“Bill Kenwright, Denise Barrett-Baxendale, thanks very much but it’s time to go because you’ve failed this football club, on and off the pitch. The animosity among the fanbase, they’ve had enough.

“I’d be surprised if there’s nothing coming from Everton today in terms of resignations. Everton is broken.

“It can be fixed but there has to be major changes for that to happen.”