It was a dark and dismal afternoon at Liverpool Cathedral, but the day was brightened by the amount of royal blue ties on show – and the colourful, powerful stories of those who loved Bill Kenwright.
There are many. Colourful and powerful is also a way to describe the man who revolutionised the West End theatre scene, produced many films, led Everton FC for two decades and fought for justice for Hillsborough victims.
A true giant of the city, there were touching tributes at this memorial service from family members, plus Evertonian mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham, club captain Seamus Coleman and Margaret Aspinall, the former chair of the Hillsborough Family Support Group.
There were touches of Everton all over the service, with all of the first team and academy players present, but there was also a reminder that this city unites like few others. Sir Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush and Phil Thompson were among those of a red persuasion here to honour the life of a son of the city of Liverpool.
It was hard to move without catching sight of a famous face, be it from the sporting or stage world, or boxer and I’m A Celebrity star Tony Bellew. Also present were Coleen Rooney and Kate McCann, the mother of missing Madeleine.
A host of familiar faces – including current Everton manager Sean Dyche (L) – attended the memorial service for former chairman Bill Kenwright on Monday afternoon
There were touches of Everton throughout the service at Liverpool Cathedral
Former Toffees chairman Kenwright passed away aged 78 in October after 19 years in his post
The service started with a rendition of the theme from Z Cars, a song to perfectly sum up the man. It was the television show which gave Kenwright his break in the acting world and the song is also played at Goodison Park as players take to the pitch.
Burnham told a story of how Kenwright gave him a lift home from an away match at Reading and spent the journey on the phone to Everton players, giving them motivational messages, while Aspinall spoke of her gratitude for the Everton chairman fighting for justice after the Hillsborough disaster.
Peter Reid and Coleman spoke of the time, patience and love that Kenwright sent their way as Everton players. ‘He wasn’t just our chairman, he was our greatest supporter,’ said Coleman. ‘He cared for the players and their families and he was always at the end of the phone through the good times and the bad times.’
Aspinall added: ‘On behalf of all the Hillsborough families, and indeed on behalf of our city, we’re all going to miss Bill tremendously. I for one will miss him a great deal. I have some lovely texts from him that I’m going to keep and I’m going to treasure forever. I’d like you all to know that Bill Kenwright will never ever walk alone.’
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham pictured arriving at Liverpool Cathedral
Current Everton forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin also attended the memorial service
Burnham said: ‘For me, his finest hour came in front of the Kop on the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster. There was the Chairman of my football club, giving a speech so full of truth and humanity – and I truly could not have been prouder of him when I heard him speak that day.
‘Nobody was a bigger blue than Bill. Nobody had a bigger heart than Bill, a true son of this city in every way. You always gave us your best. You left it all out on life’s pitch, and for that we are all so much richer.’
But the most touching moment came when his life partner, Jenny Seagrove, took to the alter and a phone in the congregation accidentally rang out loud with the music of Z Cars. ‘I can hear Z Cars… that’s Bill!’ she joked.
‘I want to say my Bill but he wasn’t my Bill – he was our Bill. He was a man, who, as I think everyone has said, never left, never forgot where he came from.
‘Of all the people in my life I’ve ever met, he was the one person who really, really defined the word love. He loved me, he loved our dogs, he loved our home, my word did he love his family… He loved his friends, he loved the people he worked with who became his extended family and, oh, he loved his Club. The royal blue, the Toffees.’
