Football Ground Map
Football Ground Map
Everton are a football club steeped in history. The club have nine league titles to their name alongside five FA Cups, and while the silverware might have dried up as of late, the club will be packing their bags at Goodison Park with plenty in their trophy cabinet.
With the news that Everton are extending the stay at Goodison until the 2025/26 season, it provides the chance for Sean Dyche to give the ground a sendoff more fitting than the club's recent results have suggested. Points deductions overshadowed what has been a respectable campaign so far this term, but with consecutive relegation battles looming over the former Burnley man, the Toffees will have to try and avoid the drop, or the results could be calamitous, with odds still as high as 4/1 for the club to be relegated.
Currently hovering perilously above the bottom three in 16th, Everton know a good run in after the international break should be enough to ensure they head for Bramley Moore with Premier League status secured. The future depends on a club that not only has ambitions of just survival, but one that can aim to end the trophy drought, especially with Merseyside neighbours Liverpool adding to their own champions wall as of late.
There are so many reasons why, despite being such a landmark in British football, there is a need for Everton to replace its longstanding home and move on from Goodison in exchange for the Bramley Moore Dock Stadium. With that in mind, let's look at some of the key components in Everton's first move since 1892.
Situated right on the shore of the river Mersey, the new look design of the ground can be a catalyst for change around both Stanley Park and the Bramley Moore Dock. Just a stone's throw from the Sandhills train station and Liver Building, the ground is conveniently placed so it can be walked to from most parts of the city, or accessible via Meresyrail public transport. This provides a greater chance for fans outside of the city, including international supporters, to be enticed to visit.
The stadium itself is a sheer specimen, and if Dyche can get the atmosphere booming on match days then Everton can become a force to be reckoned with at home. With modern stadium design and improved acoustics, supporters can expect an electrifying experience, as well as a new capacity of over 52,000 Evertonians.
While some will be wary of how new stadia negatively influenced the results on the pitch, with West Ham United's move to the London Stadium a prime example, you only need to look at how the Irons are now flying both domestically and are outsiders for another European run. It's certainly enough to get some fans excited.
Liverpool is a working-class city and its people are very proud of where they come from. Bramley Moore is an opportunity for regeneration, breathing new life into both the club and the community. The redevelopment promises economic growth, job creation, and a rejuvenated neighbourhood to not just Kirkdale and Everton, but Merseyside as a whole. The city prides itself on culture and diversity, and the new jobs provided by the ground bring new faces to the blue half of Liverpool.
While Dyche will be preoccupied with ensuring his side manage to beat the drop this season, he and his staff at Finch Farm have been questioned many times about how the new ground will influence his team going forward.
Given their run of fixtures, the Toffees should have enough in the tank to survive in the Premier League and use that good form to pick up where they left off next season.
As for the 25/26 campaign, Dyche can leverage the new ground as a benchmark to attract better players and establish a side that can compete beyond the realms of relegation dogfights. A campaign where the club are tipped by The Independent to go beyond relegation fights and compete at the highest level of domestic and European football, is one where the joy will finally return to the Toffees.
This is a passionate club that has all the makings of a regular top half outfit, and while that stability might appear unambitious, it's the start of a long-term journey that Everton can build, with Dyche well aware his side have to do the business on the pitch to make it happen.
"The greater good of football wants this [the new stadium]. The Premier League wants the grandeur, the kudos, the money and the fame and the wealth that comes with a new stadium," he said. "There's a lot going on. That's definitely not the responsibility of every player who walks on the pitch in an Everton shirt, it's definitely not my responsibility as Everton football manager to do all of that. My responsibility stands firmly in this - getting the club in a better position than when I got it."
"The players have a responsibility at this football club as well as the manager and staff and we know it is a joint responsibility."
The Bramley Moore Dock Stadium represents more than just a new venue for Everton FC; it symbolises a bold step forward in the club's evolution, promising a bright future filled with possibilities on and off the pitch.
The new stadium represents a fresh start, or a clean slate for those who have felt frustrated with the running of Everton over the last few years. The club have had money to spend but poor recruitment and a disjointed board have led to financial irregularities and points deductions that have meant the whole club has suffered. The new ground provides a saving grace and we're sure many Evertonians will be on board.
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