Ex-Everton boss Keith Wyness seeking legal advice after shock resignation from club

But fuel was added to specula-tion about a possible move to Real Mallorca after a leading share-holder said he spotted Wyness on the holiday island just weeks ago.

Aberdeen-born Wyness tender-ed his resignation by email late on Sunday night with the club con-firming his departure on their website late on Tuesday.

Wyness's contract included a year-long notice period but Everton say he will not be return-ing to work. Such a sudden severance could only have been sanctioned by the club.

Ian Ross, Everton's official spokesperson, said: "It would have to be a club decision. We could have held him to it. There's been no formal discussion at board-room level, but he will not be returning to the club."

Mr Ross accepted the snap resignation without any notice could give Wyness reason to see his lawyers, but said he knew of no other reason for legal action.

One theory is that Wyness may have become frustrated by an increased role for Arcadia boss Philip Green - a close friend of club chairman Bill Kenwright - behind the scenes at Goodison.

The chief executive and Mr Ken-wright did also fall out recently over a plan to let city rivals Liver-pool FC use a Goodison marquee for match day hospitality, some-thing which horrified the theatre impresario who promptly pulled the plug when he found out. But it is not thought to have been cen-tral to Wyness's departure.

Last night a leading share-holder said he spotted Wyness in Mallorca earlier this month.

The revelation would appear to support speculation Wyness may have decided to quit Goodison for a job with his close friend Paul Davidson, who has just taken ownership of Spanish La Liga side Real Mallorca.

Wyness was spotted on July 7 with his wife Danielle and son Buster in the exotic port town of Puerto Portals, near the island's capital Palma.

The shareholder said: "I recog-nised him. He was there for a holiday, or for whatever reason."

But a club source said Mallorca had always been Wyness's favour-ite family holiday spot and he was on a two-week vacation. It is thought Wyness was last present at Goodison on Thursday and has not returned since.

The club's board of directors will now need to meet to discuss finding a replacement.

Wyness, who joined the club in September, 2004, was instrumental in driving ahead with plans to up-root the club and move to a new 50,000-seat stadium in Kirkby.

The so-called Destination Kirkby proposals would see Ever-ton hook up with supermarket giant Tesco in redeveloping the town centre.

The £400m plan's stakeholders - Knowsley Council, Everton and Tesco - issued statements yester-day insisting his resignation would not upset progress.

There appeared to be no love lost between club chairman Bill Kenwright and Wyness, who led Everton into Deloitte's league of the top 20 richest clubs. Ken-wright said it was "business as usual", adding: "Keith is going but the club is unaffected".

When asked if Wyness may have heard bad news about the Kirkby plans, Michael Kissman, Tesco's corporate affairs manager, said: "We are still awaiting an announcement about a call-in. Everton is still behind the scheme. Of course he (Wyness) was involved. Other people in the club have been involved - like in the planning application being approved.

"But we worked with a range of people at the club and that work will continue."
A decision from Government Office North West about a call-in for the planning application is expected in the coming days.

Fans groups have said they were caught by surprise by Wyness's announcement.

Richard Lewis, chair of Everton Shareholders 2006, which repre-sents 120 shareholders, said: "It was a bolt out of the blue. Totally unexpected."

Lewis said the imminent EGM - called for by shareholders to discuss the Kirkby plans - could have prompted Wyness's move.

The Rodney Street dentist added: "There look to be some flaws in the plans. There's a lot of discontent among supporters."

In a statement Everton said: "The departure of Keith Wyness is in no way connected to that project."
A spokesperson for Knowsley Council said: "As far as Knowsley council is concerned, that an employee has left Everton Football Club does not affect proposals."

Fans' reaction to Wyness's resignation

WYNESS has been the chief architect of the outrageous plan to move out of Liverpool to Kirkby; clearly it's something he's very fond of, having tried to do the same at Aberdeen. It's good to be rid of him, but it's just the beginning.

Wyness never worked on any alternatives (than Kirkby). The dock site option disappeared, which was disgraceful.

If we have to move, that would have been an ideal site. I have never understood why such preferential treatment was given to the other lot. They won't have to move at all.

Anybody who has been in the Club shop would know it's worse than ever. Commercial turnover has declined year on year. My 10-year-old daughter could do better.

He was a very poor communicator with the fans.

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The dates behind the drama of Everton's plans

2004

July: First linked to CEO job after Trevor Birch's resignation just six weeks into the job, when he was still £100,000-a-year chief executive at Aberdeen.
Unveiled as new CEO in September.

2005

November: Everton's stadium plans are like "three-dimensional chess," Wyness says, because of the wait to see what Liverpool FC's move would be.
December: Wyness confirms talks have been held with financiers over bankrolling a new 50,000-seat £125m stadium.

2006

News breaks that Wyness is in talks with Peel Holdings over building a new stadium at Switch Island.

May: Council leader Warren Bradley vows to "fight tooth and nail" to stop Everton FC leaving Liverpool, after it emerges Knowsley was offering the club three possible plots including land next to Kirkby sports centre in Valley Road.

June: Wyness claims that his club could have a new stadium before Liverpool, despite Everton having yet to decide on a site for any new ground.

2007

March: Mr Wyness tells a House of Commons seminar that Everton would be interested in the possible return of a limited standing area if they proceed with a proposed move to a new stadium.

2008

April: Wyness concerned about the long-term ramifications of the club's proposed move to Kirkby if the Government launched an inquiry.

July: Wyness quits as CEO and director of the club.