Everton move to make peace with club legend, 64, after two-year exile from Goodison Park

EVERTON have moved to make peace with club icon Graeme Sharp by inviting him to attend one of the last matches at Goodison Park.

The former director, who won two league titles, the FA Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup as the star striker for Howard Kendall’s all-conquering side in the 1980s, has not been to an Everton game for over two years due to safety fears.

Sharp and the entire Everton Board were advised to stay away from Goodison due to a “real and credible threats”; received before a home game against Southampton in January 2023.

Sharp resigned from the Board at the end of that season, along with chief executive Denise Barret-Baxendale and strategy officer Grant Ingles, and has not been back to Everton since.

The former Scotland international was criticised by some Everton fans for defending the unpopular ownership of Farhad Moshiri, who finally sold the club to the Friedkin Group last year.

Banners featuring the words “Sharp Out”; were brought by fans to several matches and he stood down after just 18 months on the Board.

Sharp was unpaid non-executive director with no real influence over the club’s decision making however, with many at Everton feeling he was treated unfairly.

Everton’s new owners are aware of the situation and have reached out to Sharp, making it clear he is welcome back as a guest at Goodison at any time.

David Moyes’ side have just four matches left at their 137-year-old home before moving to their new £800million stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.

Moyes is thought to be particularly keen to welcome Sharp back to the club as the pair got to know each other well during his previous spell in charge.

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In an interview with the Scotsman last year Sharp said “I don’t see myself going back”; as “the stick that I got was totally underserved,”; although he had not been invited at that stage.

The 64-year-old has also attended a number of Everton fan events in recent months and been well received, which friends of his say may prompt a change of heart.