Everton get green light from fans for Kirkby move

LONDON, August 24 (Reuters) Everton will go ahead with plans to leave Goodison Park for a new stadium in Kirkby having received the backing of almost 60 per cent of fans voting in a ballot over the proposed move.

The Merseyside club said today it had received 15,230 yes votes, constituting 59.27 per cent of the total 25,761 votes cast. There were 10,468 no votes (40.73 per cent).

Everton had sent ballot papers to more than 36,000 season ticket holders and shareholders. The ballot received a turnout of 70.27 per cent.

The projected move had generated plenty of debate among the club's supporters because Kirkby, which is four miles from Goodison, lies outside the Liverpool city boundary.

The planned 50,000-capacity stadium will cost an estimated 150 million pounds and is part of a 400 million pounds development planned with British supermarket giant Tesco.

Everton hope to be there in time for the 2010/11 season.

Goodison, which staged a World Cup semi-final in 1966, has been home to Everton for 115 years since they moved across Stanley Park from Anfield in 1982.

REUTERS TB RN1646