Peter Reid, who played for Burnham’s beloved Blues during their halcyon days of the 1980s, said there was “no chance” the new PM could return to his usual seat at the Hill Dickinson
Footy-loving Andy Burnham has “no intention” of giving up his Everton season ticket despite becoming prime minister. But club legend Peter Reid – who was outside Downing Street to cheer Mr Burnham into No10 – warned against it.
Ex-England midfielder Reid, who played for Mr Burnham’s beloved Blues during their halcyon days of the 1980s, said there was “no chance” the new PM could return to his usual seat at the Hill Dickinson.
Speaking after Mr Burnham was sworn in by the King, Reid said: “I think he’s in the South Stand. That will last one game. He told me that (he’ll keep his season ticket) and I said ‘behave’.”
Liverpool-born Mr Burnham is a lifelong Evertonian and has been a season ticket holder for decades. And he told the Times he had “fought to stay” in his own seat the Hill Dickinson.
He said in an interview: “I’ve already got a commitment. I can try it, at least. It’s where I’ve gone wrong, sometimes in my political career. It’s when I’ve not been true to my instincts.
“I’ve got to find a way of keeping that: sitting in my own seat. It’s actually the best thing I could do. Every game there would be a mega focus group on me.”
When he stood for the Labour leadership in 2015, he told FUBAR radio he had no intention of missing the Toffees’ games even if he became PM.
Asked if he’d sacrifice his seat then-home ground Goodison Park, he said: “No. Never. No, never. I will always go and watch Everton. Always. All my life, it will never change.”
Mr Burnham spoke to reporters outside Downing Street on Monday just minutes after Sir Keir Starmer visited King Charles in Buckingham Palace to formally resign as PM.
And his predecessor in No10 was also a huge football fan who refused to stop attending matches. Sir Keir, a lifelong Arsenal supporter, came under fire for accepting corporate hospitality from the club.
The Premier League club has made two seats available to Sir Keir, a season-ticket holder, in the corporate area of Emirates Stadium. Sir Keir said he would rather be in the stands but was advised it would cost the taxpayer more in security costs to use his normal seat.
A source told the Guardian newspaper last week: “Being home for the weekends for the family and Everton is sacrosanct. If people think that Keir dug in over Arsenal games, it is non-negotiable. It is not for spin – he will not give that up.”