Money talks - when the board speaks

Today is the day after Friday 13th. It appears that someone in the blue half of Merseyside walked under a ladder, tripped on a black cat that sat on the cracks of the pavement. This morning, he felt the need to unburden himself, to appease Toffees and media alike, and let them know the expense of running a football club.

In a blog on the Everton website, the chief executive Robert Elstone seeks to debunk the myth that Everton are broke, and has produced some graphs to show that they have spent nearly £500m in the last five years, with a huge amount (£244 million) going on player wages. The opposing graph shows that their main income is TV, matchday and commercial income. Will it make a difference? The fans appear to be revolting against the board, and despite the club doing well to stand still, they could benefit more than most from a sugar daddy.

Moyes's watch paid for a Gibson, a Neville and half a Donovan

Arsenal on the other hand appear to be a page from another book. Two billionaires own the majority of the shares, and by all accounts the club are sitting on a transfer kitty of as much as £50 million. Majority owner Stan Kroenke is generally known as Silent Stan, and has only given one major interview, to the Telegraph in September. Kroenke made his money in the US, largely for improving the value of his clubs, and doesn't appear to have put much of his own money in.

Kroenke is a disciple of Billy Beane, the man behind Moneyball. The quote he gives to the Telegraph talks about spending money and extracting value. While this board are at the club, and Arsene Wenger is at the helm, we can expect plenty of rough diamonds being brought in, polished, and sold on at a profit. Who needs big money moves? Wenger was clearly uncomfortable during his late August trolley dash, and although the signings have largely settled the club, a huge influx of money to his kitty would probably sit there gathering dust.

Stan's idea of picturing them naked didn't work with the youth team

It could be worse of course - Blackburn's owners don't talk much either. The owners Venky's took over, and swiftly replaced Big Sam Allardici with Steve Kean, and virtually threw him to the wolves. The runnings of the club are a mystery, with rumours that they are advised by a group of agents. The latest noises is that the club is seriously in debt, and look like having to sell their best players this January window to keep the banks happy.

The ultimate insult came during the summer, when the Rovers players were filmed in an advert for their paymasters, although it looked like David Dunn had been on the greasy chicken long before the takeover...

'Colonel' Dunn flies down the wing

The old adage that the fans own the club has long gone, and no-one wants an owner that is a loudmouth. Celebrity chairmen are dangerous, and for every Silent Stan, there's a Simon Jordan. But accountability and transparency are the way forward - if the board want the fans on-side, just let them know what's going on. Is the manager tight, or hamstrung by debt?

Maybe there should be an FA rule, ensuring all chairmen are on Twitter... Or just a fit and proper person test that works would be a start!