Moyes condemns fans' 'betrayal' of Kenwright

David Moyes has launched an impassioned defence of the beleaguered Everton owner Bill Kenwright even if, as he outlined yesterday, a top-half Premier League finish is likely to be too difficult to achieve this season.

Kenwright has had a week to forget after private warnings to fans group the Blue Union about the parlous state of Everton's finances were in fact published on the internet.

The theatre impresario did not hold back during his three-hour discussion with the group and believed his dark mutterings about the lack of cash at his disposal were only for the ears of those in the room.

That faith was comprehensively betrayed by the fans' group – who feel justified in releasing Kenwright's ominous thoughts – but Moyes is privately furious at the way the Everton chairman has been treated.

Kenwright outlined that any future funds raised by the sale of Everton players will have to be used to service the club's overdraft rather than be spent on new squad members and that has been underlined by the complete lack of transfer activity at Goodison Park this summer.

While that in itself is a concern to Moyes, he is currently more disenchanted with the actions of the Blue Union and was quick to praise the stability Kenwright has always offered during his nine-year tenure as the manager at Everton.

"It is totally unacceptable to go in to what is a confidential meeting and then tape the proceedings," Moyes said. "I really feel for my chairman. He certainly gets my backing because he's a great chairman.

"I can tell you loads of managers in the Premier League who aren't enjoying working for their chairmen. I do enjoy working for mine because he's a supporter, he's got the club at heart and he's desperate for me and the team to do well.

"The aim this season is to be competitive, to get to 40 points and be safe in the Premier League," Moyes added. "This time last year I think I thought I was going to win the league so let's get the first bit done first and then we'll see where we can go from there."

He added: "It will be really difficult for Everton to finish in the top 10 this year. I think we are going to have a big struggle. Look at the spending Stoke and Sunderland have done, Fulham have added one or two players as well, and West Brom are improving their team. But we've got a good team already. We don't need five or six players here, we need maybe one or two."