It may have been a dark and frozen night on Monday night on the banks of the mesey, but the Evertonians expect this day to mean the beginning of a new brilliant future.
The magnificent new Everton stadium in Bramley-More Dock opened its doors for the first time to 10,000 fans of the Lucky Toffee successfully on a ballot for a friendly of children under 18 against Wigan.
Four years in the creation and an estimated cost of more than £ 750 million, the club will move completely during the summer in time for the beginning of the 2025-26 season.
The first thing that hits you when you approach the stadium along the road of the Liverpool dock is its large size. It is absolutely huge.
Goodison Park, flanked on three sides by rows of Victorian housing on terraces, can sneak into you. But this place is not missing. A gigantic and futuristic mesh of steel and red brick, which combines the old and the new.
The Bramley Moore pub, directly opposite, is making a roaring exchange, with “I suppose Elton John that is why they call it blues” supplying the speakers. The feeling of anticipation and emotion is palpable.
“He is out of this world,” said Andy, a headline for Goodbye Season Tickets who has registered in Bramley-More next season.
“We could not have wanted a better stadium. Everyone is excited, old and young.
“It will be an English key to leave Goodison, but when you see this, it will be the envy of all.”
It is difficult to imagine that this was a spring that worked only three and a half years ago. It was completed during the three -month space, with a dredge that made 130 round trips to 20 miles in the Irish sea to collect 480,000 cubic meters of sand, pumped to form a solid base for the bases of the stadium.
The land with a capacity of 52,888 will be the largest seventh of the Premier League and has been selected to organize matches in the 2028 Eurocup. The project is expected to contribute an estimate of £ 1.3 billion to the local economy.
There are winks to the past everywhere. The old railways and the Victorian hydraulic tower that is quoted in Grade II have been thoroughly restored. The design of network networks by renowned Scottish architect Archibald Leitch, still present in two of the four positions in Goodison Park, joins the brick.
Only one stand is open for tonight’s game: the South of South of a steep level that will eventually house 14,000 people. Inside there is a row after row of food and drinks. You can find your standard football rate: the three flavors of the cakes are sold well. But also in the menu is the Korean submarines of chicken and salt and pepper salt.
The “donut of toffee” is also well sold, evident by the number of people wandering with the remains of the real blue glazed on their lips.
A huge glass window runs the entire length of the support that offers a spectacular view of the Liverpool sun that fades behind the horizon.
“Do not get that view in Anfield,” says a smiling administrator of yellow shirt. Everyone here are excited.
There is a vivid feeling of anticipation and child wonder while fans go up the steps to throw the first home of their team.
“It is a moment of hormigueo of the column,” said Tom, who together with his son Elliott, registered to seasonal ticket holders for the next season. “What land was Goodison, but it’s time to move.”
The first thing you notice is the stend steep gradient: it is as steep as the regulations allow, keep the fans as close as possible to the field.
There are two huge television screens at each end of the ground, accompanied by an incredibly strong PA system: I could probably listen to it through the Wirral.
The players enter the field to the theme of the Z -Cars program of the 1960s, as they have done in Goodison for more than 50 years. Another wink to the past wrapped with futuristic clothes.
Harrison Rimmer de Wigan, a Liverpool fan of childhood no less, asked a trial question in the coming years when scoring the first goal in the new stadium. He took the most of the occasion holding six fingers, referring to the six titles of the Liverpool Champions League.
Cole Simms gave the young Latics a few minutes later, while Everton responded late with a penalty of Ray Robert, 16.
But tonight it was not about the result, it was about the occasion: one that the fans present will never forget.
“It is impressive,” said Dave, another head ticket holders that will go to Bramley-More next year.
“Goodison has been our spiritual home, but you can’t blame this. It makes us up to date.”
