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Everton have revealed a record turnover as part of the latest set of accounts which show the "numbers are going in the right direction".

But the Blues have been urged to follow the example of Tottenham Hotspur to build on their improving commercial performance.

Everton posted £171.3million in turnover, a post-tax profit of £30m and a near 66% increase in sponsorship and advertising revenue in the last financial year.

A record-breaking shirt deal with SportPesa, and the sleeve sponsorship agreement with Angry Birds, will see them improve on the £15.4m they earned in 2017.

And since 2013 the club have experienced a 102% growth in commercial income - a greater uplift than any of the top six sides in the Premier League in that period - yet the Blues still lag behind the elite sides with how much money they make from such deals.

Professor Chris Brady, director of the Centre for Sports Business at Salford University, says Everton's latest set of accounts are encouraging yet believes until the club moves into their proposed new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock, they must look to improve their sponsorship and advertising performance.

The Blues' training ground naming rights deal with USM helped see that revenue jump from £9.3m in the 2016 accounts while tie-ins with Sure and William Hill also contributed to a much-improved performance.

Everton's spend on wages, as a percentage of turnover, decreased to 59% and Brady believes Spurs can show them the way forward.

(Image: LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP/Getty Images)

“The top six's revenue is twice that of Everton's, at least, and Manchester United's and Manchester City's could be three times as much,” he said.

“The wage bills of the top five teams are two or three times that of Everton's but Spurs' is about the same so Spurs should be the next stage Everton are looking at.

“How can they be using wages as well as Spurs are using theirs?

“So for the next five years, until they get to the next stage, Everton should be looking at Spurs.

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“Everton are not going to get the big deals at the moment that the other clubs can but they can increase the number of the deals they have.

“Manchester United have around 38 partners and that's the way for Everton at the moment, get smaller deals as the club builds and the they can go after the big deals.”

Everton will talk through their accounts during Tuesday night's General Meeting at the Philharmonic Hall which also revealed that Farhad Moshiri has now pumped £150m into the club which has spent on repaying long-term debt dating back to 2002, other short-term loans, strengthening the squad and making improvements to the ground and Finch Farm.

The Blues have also confirmed that gate receipts fell by £3.6m yet they recorded the highest average attendance in the Premier League at Goodison.

And Brady says the club's commitment to affordable ticket pricing is worth the financial loss, especially in light of record turnover driven by the huge TV rights deal.

“If we go back 10 years, gate receipts would've been quite important,” Brady said.

“But Everton need to keep their profile as the community club and their recent pricing of tickets and the holding of ticket prices is really good PR and although it is going to cost them, it is quite small in comparison.”

Brady added: “Ten years ago there would only have been two Premier League clubs in profit but now all are in profit and the business is getting more stable.

“But where they sit in relation to other clubs, it is probably not so great because they have all shown a big increase in revenues as well.

“If you look at last year's accounts, Everton are still in the same position but the good news is that all the other numbers are going up as well.

“All the numbers are going in the right direction.”