Rounding off 2017 yesterday watching Everton be second best on the South Coast for the third time this season under a third different manager was not the end to 2017 I, or most of us, imagined.

It has been a proper rollercoaster year for the Blues. Yes, we had the glorious victory over City, European qualification and a barrow load of cash to splash in the Summer. But then we properly screwed up the summer window, with the notable exception of Jordan Pickford, the team lost all confidence and, with no goalscorer, we forgot how to defend, sending us hurtling at great speed out of both Europe and, if we were not very careful, the Premier League.

Big and little Sam were summoned to put the wheels, the engine and the chassis back on, whilst Shakespeare arrived to write a new masterpiece. History, comedy or tragedy?

I’ll remember 2017 most fondly, though, for many new friendships made with fellow Blues, not least of all John and Paul the founding fathers of EvertonBusinessMatters. Who on earth thought people would listen to the three old farts (Fun Boy Three?!?!) talk about:

• Engagement
• (SuperSexy) Amortisation
• FFP & STCC

But listen they did in their droves. Supported and produced expertly by Lord David Downie of the BlueRoom we have now made 15 episodes and have some great stuff planned for 2018.

In fact the New Year will start with a bang.

• EBM16, due out in a couple of days, will preview the AGM on Tuesday 9th Jan.
• EBM17 will then provide some reaction

Paul has already produced an excellent analysis of the latest accounts which you can read at your leisure whilst nursing the New Year hangover.

We will continue to offer opinion and insight into our Club’s activities off the pitch as there is a proven clear demand. Our observations will always be constructive, although some of our ideas may seem revolutionary. We won’t always agree, but we’ll always endeavour to hold the current custodians of Everton to account. Most importantly of all, Paul will never pick the intro music.

We have always said that activities, behaviours, skills and personnel off the pitch must improve in order to drive the success we all want on it. I am not going to bang on about that too much here.

Suffice to say, though, that a couple of exciting “artist’s impressions” of a stadium on the banks of the Royal Blue Mersey will not have us popping champagne corks at the AGM. Nor will a six-figure salaried CEO telling us that “79p in the £1 of all our income” is gifted from TV revenues have us on our feet applauding.

In 2018 we need to see transformational change off the pitch:-

• The appointment of a Chief Engagement Officer
• An ambitious Plan to build a world class brand beyond “The People’s Club”
• A Board and Executive Team with the necessary skills to deliver that Plan
• Roles and responsibilities of that Team clearly identified making them accountable to all stakeholders

Only by making NSNO the guiding principle off the pitch in every thing we do, every last detail, can Everton make the step from transition to transformation, and from there to success on the pitch.

Happy New Blue Year!

It ain’t what you do it’s the way that you do it, and that’s what gets results.

@rodgerarmstrong