Recently by Richard Down

EVERTON FC will hold an online ballot for FA Cup semi-final tickets.

Supporters gathered in vain outside Goodison Park from as early as 4.30am yesterday.

But the disgruntled fans were told that management were meeting to decide how to distribute the remaining prized tickets.

It emerged that a small number of tickets for the clash with Manchester United at Wembley would go up for online ballot for lucky fans today at 9am.

A TOP police officer has personally apologised to Everton FC star Victor Anichebe over his treatment on a Knutsford street.

But Cheshire Constabulary has firmly denied any racial overtones to the incident last Wednesday.

The 20-year-old footballer was surrounded by officers while window shopping with a friend and accused of attempted theft.

EVERTON FC star Victor Anichebe was at the centre of a police racism storm last night, after suggesting he was detained by officers because of the colour of his skin.

The Nigerian international hit out at Cheshire police after he and a friend were stopped near his apartment in Knutsford.

Officers were called by CCTV operatives who spotted two men "acting suspiciously" outside PR Jones's jeweller's on Wednesday.

Police apologised last night after the injured striker claimed an officer tried to grab his crutch, put his friend in handcuffs and accused him of attempted robbery.

Last night, Anichebe, thought to earn £15,000-a-week, said: "Both myself and my friend, Lee, were accused, by Cheshire police officers, of 'attempted theft'.

"Sadly, even when I explained who I was and what I was doing, they continued to treat both of us as not just suspects but as criminals.

* VIEW a series of new video reports about the Kirkby inquiry by Liverpool Daily Post reporter Richard Down here

EVERTON FC'S chief executive last night said alternative plans put forward by those seeking to keep the club in Liverpool were "flimsy" and based in a "fantasy world".

One week after the public inquiry into the club's bid to relocate to Kirkby ended, Robert Elstone said the club remained confident of winning the approval of the planning inspector for the controversial move, which is a joint £400m project with Tesco.

Mr Elstone said: "We've been very pleased with the way we've presented the case and with what we've put forward.

A DECISION on Everton FC's plans to build a 50,000 seater stadium in Kirkby is unlikely to be made for another four to five months.

Inspector Wendy Burden wrapped up nearly three months of evidence yesterday by explaining how long it would take to make her recommendations to the Secretary of State Hazel Blears.

She said: "Having regard to the time required to complete a report on a case that's not straight forward and where there are a number of complex issues that have not been resolved, I would expect the report to be delivered by the middle of June."

Warring councils went head-to-head on the penultimate day of the nine-week public inquiry into Everton FC and Tesco's proposals for Kirkby. Richard Down reports on the closing statements

EVERTON and Tesco's £400m Kirkby scheme fails every test that the Secretary of State has set it, opposing councils told a planning inspector yesterday.

Roger Lancaster, barrister for the combined authorities objectors, said the plans put the supposed needs of a private football club and a multi-national supermarket above that of the people of Kirkby.

The plans will damage the town centre, regeneration will never actually take place, and Kirkby's neighbours will be pulled down along with it, he added.

OPPONENTS of Everton FC and Tesco's £400m development plans for Kirkby have again criticised transport plans in their summary at a public inquiry into the project winds down.

Keep Everton In Our City, Kirkby Residents Action Group, Kirkby Traders Association and Kirkby Liberal Democrats said the travel plans outlined in the proposal "failed miserably."

The inquiry is considering plans for a 50,000-capacity Everton stadium, major Tesco superstore and other retail outlets.

THE final evidence submitted at Everton FC and Tesco's nine week-long public inquiry heard Kirkby residents object to the scheme.

Caroline Pethard, chairwoman of the Grange Residents Association, said the plans would disrupt the lives of those living along Whinberry Drive to the south of the proposed development, both during the building phase and once the 50,000-seater stadium was completed.

She read directly from her written evidence, which was critical of the three attempts developers have had at designing an acoustic bund aimed at cutting down the amount of noise coming from the stadium.

"SELLING 10% of Everton FC's future stadium seats to the corporate sector in a new-build stadium would help the club raise £110m, an inquiry heard.

Campaign group Keep Everton In Our City (KEIOC) said this could mean that Everton would almost entirely fund a new stadium, such as the one planned for Kirkby, without incurring debt or cross-subsidy from Tesco.

This sort of plan would work best on the Kingsway tunnel loop site off Scotland Road, the campaign group believes.

Colin Fitzpartick, speaking for the group yesterday, said: "The main element of this funding plan, Equity Seat Right (ESR), provides a contribution through the securitisation (life-time purchase) of corporate seats.

A LIVERPOOL property expert has criticised Everton FC, Tesco and Knowsley for failing to release full financial details of their £400m plans for Kirkby.

In a short session yesterday, Charles Hubbard, managing partner of Edmund Kirby consultancy, was asked to give evidence on behalf of the combined local council objectors.

He attacked the developers' decision to withhold the financial rationale behind the move, because it is a matter of "commercial sensitivity".

In a written summary, he said: "Without the full appraisals, it is impossible to analyse the project.