COMMENT: Staying within city could end up a slick move for Everton

"Once a blue, always a blue" was the ironic cry from one Evertonian scribe but given the backdrop to this game it would appear more likely that any Liverpool player in attendance would only be present to gloat following a week that had been the culmination of a summer of frustration at Goodison.

Ahead of kick-off there were no new signings for the home side to parade after a blank close season to date in the transfer market and having failed to recruit any fresh faces to his squad, David Moyes has still not penned his new deal.

Off the field, chief executive Keith Wyness had left the club in still to be explained circumstances and barely 48 hours before kick-off, Wyness's 'baby' Destination Kirkby - the club's controversial plan to build a new stadium outside the city boundaries - had been 'called in' by the Government.

But while remaining Everton officials have predictably expressed their disappointment for the significant delay in their stadium plans - a decision which could well scupper a move to Knowsley full stop - many of the club's staunchest supporters have seen the verdict as a blessing in disguise.

Sometimes, having one door slammed in your faces just puts you on your way to a clearer path.

Just think how much Everton would have regretted splashing a club record £12million on Manuel Fernandes a year ago had the Portuguese midfielder not gone back on a handshake with Bill Kenwright to go and sign for Valencia instead.

Also, back in 1995 Everton lost out to their neighbours in the chase for Stan Collymore's signature. They won't feel glum about that now.

Whether you were for Destination Kirkby or not, what Everton do have now is a genuine chance to discuss viable alternatives to the project at sites within the city with council officials. That's something that the now-departed Wyness seemed reluctant to do, claiming there was no 'Plan B.'

For all his business acumen, you felt that as something of an outsider Aberdeen-born Wyness failed to fully grasp the location issue of Everton playing within the heart of their home town.

Liverpool more than any English city has a sense of self-awareness when it comes to locality.

Any move outside of Liverpool, even to a neighbouring borough, could have, and still could, prove suicidal for Everton in terms of maintaining one of their largest plus factors - a substantial local fanbase.

The club's hierarchy can talk all they like about the financial benefits of such a move, even bringing the players and manager on board to support their case but ultimately they're all transient. It's the fans who are the constants actually making the club who they are.

What would happen to Everton Football Club in another 20 or 50 years if they were out of sight and out of mind from the football-mad youngsters living in the city?

With one major trophy in the past 20 years, Everton have a hard enough task as it is attracting young fans who have never seen them win a cup in their lifetime to pledge their allegiances to them ahead of Liverpool, who are still regularly competing for honours.

A move to Kirkby won't give them any excuse as it could totally alter the image of one of the most traditional institutions in English football that dubs itself 'The People's Club.'

Instead of entering Liverpool and seeing a sign saying the 'the home of Everton FC and Liverpool FC' this would be a one-club city with Everton just becoming a fringe rival from another part of Merseyside like Tranmere Rovers.

So instead of mourning the potential demise of Destination Kirkby, Evertonians can instead look forward to the prospect of their board getting their heads together with the great minds at Liverpool City Council and coming up with great sites for a stadium closer to 'The Grand Old Lady'.

After all, the council have already allowed Liverpool to build on an inner city park and they have seemed so reluctant of late to allow Everton to move out to Kirkby.

Come next Saturday Moyes might even have made the odd signing or two.

Follow that up with a win against Blackburn and suddenly the skies won't look so grey over Goodison.