Prime Minister talks to the ECHO about potential sale of the club he supports and his optimism for the years ahead
Prime Minister Andy Burnham attends England's first wildfire resilience summit, at the National Resilience Centre of Excellence in Aintree
Prime Minister Andy Burnham attends England's first wildfire resilience summit, at the National Resilience Centre of Excellence in Aintree(Image: Temilade Adelaja/Press Association)
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Andy Burnham has made a bold prediction for his beloved Everton Football Club as he told the ECHO there is much for Blues fans to be hopeful about. The Prime Minister was in Liverpool today to visit the National Resilience Centre of Excellence in Aintree for a summit aimed to developing a better response to the devastating wildfires the country experienced this summer.
While he was in town the ECHO took the opportunity to ask him about a range of subjects, including The Toffees.
Everton have made a solid start to the season, but off-field matters have once again come to the fore after news that owners The Friedkin Group are considering selling up.
We asked the Prime Minister, a match-going Blue, how he feels about these latest developments and whether this will be unsettling for fans in the city and beyond.
But Mr Burnham was bullish when talking about Everton's prospects, both on and off the field.
He told the ECHO: "We've got the best stadium in the country, I believe we've got the best manager in the country in David Moyes and we've got a strong squad, although light in a few areas - we were unbeaten until last weekend. We've got a difficult game this weekend.
Andy Burnham is a regular at Everton home games
Andy Burnham is a regular at Everton home games (Image: CameraSport via Getty Images)
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"I keep saying to David, I hope he is listening to this, I know he does read the ECHO. I keep saying let's have a cup run.
"It is my view that the League Cup can be the catalyst sometimes for clubs in terms of getting that positivity and that momentum going. So no pressure David I'm hoping that is what we can do."
Speaking about a potential new buyer for the club he has supported all his life, the Prime Minister added: "Everton is a fantastic opportunity for someone now to take on now the club has been stabilised, it is all there and I think we are in a stronger position playing wise than we were last year."
He said he had met with Everton star Jack Grealish at the Pride of Britain awards this week and thanked him for his commitment to the club, adding: "You talk about Everton Football Club and the power it has and the way people buy into that and Jack has done that."
Such is the optimism the Prime Minister has for his beloved Blues, he was prepared to make an ambitious prediction to the ECHO.
He said: "I'm hopeful, here is a prediction, I think Everton will win a trophy in the next five years and you heard it here first."
Asked if he would order a national bank holiday were this to happen, he added: "Let's see where it goes. You won't believe what will happen!"