| Outside the Evertton Boardroom at the Liver Building |
It is truth, universally acknowledged, that I am an Everton FC fan and proudly bitter.
This was of course the background to my recent ‘walk of shame’ for charity where I raised £1000 for wearing a shirt of a certain other local team. No, I am not posting a photograph. There is no shortage of them around! –
I recently visited Everton’s new HQ in the iconic Liver Building. I was discussing the development of links between the club and the local legal profession. In fact, those links go back almost to the birth of the Football League.
William Cuff was a Solicitor who was a Director at Everton from 1894 and was closely involved in the club’s development for almost 50 years. One of his claims to fame was introduction of shirt numbers. It was in the 1933 FA Cup Final that numbers were first used although they did not become obligatory until some years later. He was also President of the Football League in the 30s and 40s. His obituary from 1949 was posted recently by the Everton Heritage Society –
His firm Cuff Roberts continued a long association with Everton. In later years Keith Tamlin of what became Cuff Roberts North Kirk served as a Director until 2004. As a former President of Liverpool Law Society, I am very proud that my name appears alongside both legends who also served in that role.
The links between Everton and local lawyers is not all about history. Former player Gareth Farrell is now a qualified Solicitor and works for Liverpool firm, Bermans as a commercial litigator. I met Gareth a few years ago when we were both taking part in a sleepover at Goodison Park to raise money for Homelessness charities. As we unrolled out sleeping bags in the Park End, I was able to tell him that we were sleeping at the exact place where I was siting when he score his famous goal in 2008 that kept us in the Premier League.
On a different level, it is unusual not to bump into a fellow a lawyer on any given match day at Goodison. I have many ‘red’ friends who would disagree, but the Peoples’ club is in many respects also the Lawyers Club!
There is no shortage of Hospitality opportunities at Goodison where the various lounges are undergoing extensive renovation –