Seamus Coleman and Sean Dyche pay tribute to Everton chairman Bill Kenwright

By PA Sport Staff

Everton boss Sean Dyche and captain Seamus Coleman have paid tribute to chairman Bill Kenwright, who died on Monday at the age of 78.

On Wednesday morning, Dyche and Coleman laid flowers at the statue of Dixie Dean outside Goodison Park, where the Everton squad were holding a training session.

All players and staff observed a minute’s silence before the session and Kenwright’s image was shown on the stadium’s screens.

Everton announced on Tuesday that Kenwright had died following a battle with cancer.

Dyche was told of the news midway through Tuesday’s training and called an immediate halt to the session as players and staff paid their respects.

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.

Liverpool-born Kenwright was a successful theatre and film producer when asked to join the Everton board in 1989.

He bought a majority 68 per cent stake in the club in 1999 and became deputy chairman before replacing Carter in his current role.