FORMER Everton chief executive Trevor Birch says Goodison Park is the key factor deterring potential new owners from buying the club.
Birch, who left his role after only six weeks in 2004, believes the Blues will never compete at the very top of the Premier League unless they build a new stadium to increase match-day revenue.
Former Liverpool player Birch, who is now head of restructuring and insolvency at accountants PKF, said: “They simply cannot generate sufficient revenue when Man Utd are earning £3m a game and Everton £500-700k.
“The gulf is just too great for them to compete.
“When someone looks at Everton and says they want to buy [the club] the first thing they have to do is look at building that stadium. A stadium costs £300-£400m. Who is going to make that investment?
“Basically they are buying a club that has incurred losses of £30m over the last five years. So you are not going to make any money and have to build a stadium.”
Birch, who was also chief executive at Leeds, Chelsea, Derby and Sheffield United, added: “Those clubs with great stability, which Everton have, with the younger players coming through, you could look with enthusiasm to the future.
“But what they won't do is ever compete for the league title again in the short term.”
