Liverpool plan to leave Anfield

Carter told Everton's annual general meeting at Goodison Park on Thursday that the club had not ruled out plans to share a ground with their Merseyside arch-rivals.

Liverpool city council and the Northwest Development Agency want them to consider the plan with doubts over Goodison Park and Anfield.

Everton's scheme to build a new stadium alongside the River Mersey at King's Dock have collapsed, while Liverpool have submitted plans for a 60,000-seater ground in Stanley Park, which they hope will open in 2006.

But Carter said that if the city council wanted to fund and build a new stadium to tie in with the city's Capital of Culture year in 2008, Everton would consider sharing it.

He said: "Should the city be willing to build a stadium for the Capital of Culture, then offer to let both clubs share it, then obviously we would have to re-think it.

"We were approached by the public sector and asked if we would possibly share the stadium that is being designed by Liverpool.

"We have already had one meeting and another meeting is to be held in the next few days. We would only consider such plans if the financial benefits were good for Everton."