Carragher leads tributes as Everton chairman Bill Kenwright passes away, aged 78
Bill Kenwright was Everton chairman until his death on October 24, 2023
Tributes have poured in from far and wide after Everton football club announced the sad passing of their chairman and lifelong fan, Bill Kenwright.
The 78 year-old first joined the Everton board in 1989 and succeeded Sir Phillip Carter as chairman in 2004, had undergone treatment in August to have a cancerous tumour removed from his liver. The club initially posted an update to state the treatment had been “completely successful”, but complications meant Kenwright required a lengthy stay in an intensive care unit before continuing his recovery at home.
He passed away in the early hours of Tuesday morning surrounded by his loved ones.
In a statement, Everton said: “Everton Football Club is in mourning following the death of Chairman Bill Kenwright CBE, who passed away peacefully last night aged 78, surrounded by his family and loved ones…
“The club has lost a chairman, a leader, a friend, and an inspiration. The thoughts and prayers of everyone at Everton are with his partner Jenny Seagrove, his daughter Lucy Kenwright, grandchildren and everybody who knew and loved him.”
A successful actor, who made his name on Coronation Street, Kenwright was to leave the soap and become a world-renowned theatre and film producer, working with Sir Tim Rice among others.
He bought a 68% stake in Everton in 1989, later upping that upon replacing carter as chairman in 2004, paying just £20m for the club.
He later sold a portion of that share to Farhad Moshiri, but stayed on as chairman at the new majority owners request. Kenwright continued working for Everton right up to the day of his operation with Moshiri agreeing to sell his stake to American investment firm 777 Partners, which is stil awaiting official ratification.
Tributes flood in for Bill Kenwright
A host of past and present Everton players paid tribute to Kenwright after his passing was made public.
Tony Cottee, an FA Cup runner-up with Everton in 1989, wrote on X, “So sad to hear of the passing of Bill Kenwright. Everton have lost a great Evertonian and I have lost a friend…RIP Bill”.
Ashley Young, a current Everton player and one of Kenwright’s final signings, wrote: “RIP Mr Chairman. Thank You for The Welcome You gave me when I joined Our Club.”
There was also a touching message from Jamie Carragher, who grew up as an Everton fan before his long association with neighbours Liverpool.
He wrote: “Really sad news this. A huge Evertonian who served and loved his club to bits. I’ll never forget his and Everton’s support every year around the Hillsborough memorial. RIP Bill.”