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David Moyes paid a warm tribute to \u201cwonderful man\u201d Bill Kenwright following the death of his former chairman at Everton.<\/p>\n
Everton announced on Tuesday that Kenwright had died aged 78 following a battle with cancer.<\/p>\n
Moyes and Kenwright formed a close bond during the Scot\u2019s 11-year spell as manager at Goodison Park between 2002 and 2013.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s incredibly sad news,\u201d Moyes said at his pre-match press conference ahead of West Ham\u2019s Europa League clash with Olympiacos.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was a wonderful man, he gave me a big opportunity in my career, taking me when I was a young manager in the lower leagues and gave me a job in the Premier League.<\/p>\n
\u201cBrilliantly supportive. I couldn\u2019t have had a better chairman, as a young coach.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I look at modern football nowadays, how difficult it is for any young managers to make their way, Bill Kenwright was great to work with.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had great times over 11 years with him and we had some successful moments together. He\u2019ll be sadly missed.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Wednesday morning current manager Sean Dyche and club captain Seamus Coleman laid flowers at the statue of Dixie Dean outside Goodison Park, where the Everton squad were holding a training session.<\/p>\n
All players and staff observed a minute\u2019s silence before the session and Kenwright\u2019s image was shown on the stadium\u2019s screens.<\/p>\n
In a statement on the club website, Dyche said: \u201cIt\u2019s a very sad time for everyone at Everton Football Club to lose our chairman, someone who has been such an amazing servant to the club in so many ways.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis influence in bringing me to Everton in the first place was important and I have nothing but gratitude and respect for his unwavering support of myself, the staff and our players.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a pleasure to share the moment of reaching our objective last season with him \u2013 a moment I know he felt so strongly about after such an arduous season, on and off the pitch\u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was an incredible professional, in terms of what he did with Everton and also what he achieved in the theatre industry. Spending time with him and learning about his family, you couldn\u2019t help but be taken by his passion.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dyche was told of the news midway through Tuesday\u2019s training and called an immediate halt to the session as players and staff paid their respects.<\/p>\n
Kenwright, who succeeded Sir Phillip Carter as chairman in 2004 after first joining the board at Goodison Park in 1989, had a cancerous tumour removed from his liver in August.<\/p>\n
Liverpool-born Kenwright was a successful theatre and film producer when asked to join the Everton board in 1989.<\/p>\n
He bought a majority 68 per cent stake in the club in 1999 and became deputy chairman before replacing Carter in his current role.<\/p>\n
Dyche added: \u201cBeyond his deep love of his family, one of those big passions, of course, was football \u2013 the game as a whole, as well as his obvious lasting love of Everton.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis story \u2013 a boyhood supporter who went on to become chairman \u2013 is something so rare in the modern game, especially at the top level.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe always believed in Everton and stood by the club, even in the toughest times. He was steadfast until the very end.<\/p>\n
\u201cLike so many who knew him, my heart and my thoughts are with his family at this extremely sad time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp used his press conference ahead of Thursday\u2019s Europa League clash against Toulouse to add his own tribute to Kenwright, adding to that issued by his club on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe thing that I read recently, obviously, (he had) a massive heart for the city and a massive heart for Everton,\u201d Klopp said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the message he gave around the Hillsborough speech he held that time, I heard about: \u2018They chose the wrong city and chose the wrong mums\u2019. That\u2019s a really strong message.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith all of the rivalry with Everton, especially around the games, I don\u2019t think we have any issues with each other left or right of games. This just shows how united we are in these moments, and that\u2019s really big. He found the right words for it. My condolences to the family. I hope they are OK.\u201d<\/p>\n