Waldron's Everton future uncertain after tapping up ban
Martin Waldron has worked for Everton for 23 years
Written by Simon Austin — November 9, 2018
THE future of Everton’s Academy Head of Recruitment Martin Waldron - father of Academy Director Joel - hangs in the balance after the club was found guilty of tapping up a former Cardiff City schoolboy in 2016.
Waldron was alleged to have offered the schoolboy’s family a paid-for rented house plus a monthly allowance to join Everton. The deal fell through, causing serious problems for the schoolboy and his family before he signed instead for Manchester United.
When asked for an explanation in September 2017, Everton immediately admitted the wrongdoing, having also uncovered misconduct in relation to six other Academy players. They suspended Waldron pending the result of an internal investigation.
That investigation remains ongoing although a decision is expected shortly. Yesterday the Premier League banned Everton from signing players between the ages of 10 and 18 until 2020 and fined the club £500,000.
Waldron has worked for Everton for 23 years, having initially joined as an Area Scout. He was promoted to senior scout, then Head of Local Schoolboy Recruitment in 1998, and Head of Academy Recruitment in 2014. In his role, he manages a team which is responsible for all areas of recruitment, at international, national and local levels.
Joel Waldron joined as Academy co-ordinator in 2011, was promoted to Academy Chief Operating Officer in 2017 and then Academy Director in July 2018.
STATEMENTS
Premier League: “The Premier League received evidence alleging that Everton Academy staff offered inducements to a player and his family to encourage the player to register with the club. When presented with this information, Everton immediately admitted the allegations and set up its own internal inquiry which established that similar misconduct had occurred in relation to six other Academy players.
“In certain cases, it was found that the club provided false information to the league when questions had previously been raised about the circumstances in which Academy players registered with the club.
"The club will pay a fine of £500,000 and will be banned for two years from registering any academy player who has been registered with another Premier League or EFL club in the preceding 18 months. The club will also pay additional compensation payments to the former clubs of two academy players.”
Everton: “Everton has worked alongside the Premier League over recent weeks to conduct a full and thorough investigation into allegations relating to our Academy’s operational methods in some areas of player recruitment.
“In short, we are extremely disappointed with some of the practices we have found which are not in line with our values and not acceptable to Everton Football club. Accordingly, we have accepted the penalties imposed on us by the Premier League and have given them our strongest apologies.
"We have already commenced a full review of our Academy operations and are committed to ensuring that issues like this do not happen again at Everton.”
