Everton FC In Focus: Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue

The word I’d use to sum up the second test event at Bramley Moore is anticipation. The palpable anticipation of 25,000 Evertonian’s, the anticipation and pride on the faces of those involved in the making, and the anticipation of what to expect, come August, from the council.

With the history, memories, and atmosphere that comes with Goodison, the new Everton Stadium at Bramley Moore has a lot to live up to. The authenticity of L4 4EL, the friends we’ve made sitting next to us, the rituals we go through marching down the Goodison Road. It’s hard to beat. However, the creation of Bramley Moore has obviously been intended to carry on tradition, there is a very nuanced feel about the place. Here, grandeur and detail go hand in hand, amazement and emotion combine, it is a very well executed stadium.

To briefly take you through the main talking points following the second test event at Bramley Moore, I have given subsections a rating out of 10, reflecting my personal experience. Please note, I cannot account for the feelings of all of the thousands of fans who experienced the same event.

Bramley Moore: The Main Talking Points

Experience inside the stadium (10/10)

Inside Bramley Moore the world looks HD, to put it simply the stadium is incredible. The pitch, overall finish, and the energy that resonates from the stands is unbelievable. Before entering the stadium, the word on social media was that there’s not a bad seat in the house, and I would concur. The steepness of the stands makes the place feel immense while being bounded at the same time, while the glass panels from the North and South stands create masses of daylight for the pitch to bask in. The whole place feels alive, and I cannot wait to feel the rush all over again on a match day, come next season.

Food and drink (6.5/10)

Ever since the first test event, the one thing on my mind has been the Toffee donut, I sampled it and here are my thoughts… Lush, 10/10, no notes! Moving on, the service was good if not a bit lacklustre, and the main issue was running out of food. I expect that come a normal match day, there will be plenty of food to go around, however running out at a test event isn’t the best look. There was vegan food on offer, an alternate version to the chips & chili, however after paying we were told the food had sold out and a refund had to be given. Perhaps not the best look, but this is why test events exist.

Facilities (9/10)

There was nothing to complain about with entry to the outdoor concourse and ground, it was seamless, and the mobile ticket entry was simple to use. I cannot account for things such as wheelchair accessibility, however I was not aware of any major issues or holdups with admission. The female toilets are a welcome change from Goodison with plenty cubicles and the cleanliness was top-notch, I cannot give any opinion on the men’s toilets. However, I will note that signage is currently slightly confusing as the pictures of a male and female, distinguishing the two sets of loos, are small and perhaps hard to read. I wouldn’t get hung up on this though as it is still pretty easy to figure out the difference between the two.

Travel infrastructure (4/10)

The real let down of the event was the infrastructure. And this isn’t to do with Everton, this is Merseyrail and the council. The trains that ran before the event were 4-car, not substantial enough for the number of fans, and the extra trains that ran after the event only ran from Sandhills. This information could’ve been relayed more clearly to fans attending Bramley Moore as a lot of people decided to avoid Sandhills on the way home and subsequently crowded Regent Road into the city centre. As you’ve probably heard, to combat the tide and the weight limit on the bridge, there were stewards in hi-vis with stop/go signs and a man on a lifeguard’s chair with a megaphone. Laughable. You can tell Bramley Moore has been built in an area with poor infrastructure, the stadium is otherworldly while the infrastructure feels outdated.

Planned evacuation (8/10)

About halfway through the 2nd half, the planned evacuation commenced, and supporters were told to exit swifty following stewards’ instructions. As a result of a successful operation, Everton will be awarded their safety certificate. The evacuation led to my favourite moment of the day. The Tannoy was in use, “Prepare for Operation Everton Stadium” followed by a much quieter “Just checking!” … Overall, well executed and made supporters feel safe in the knowledge it is effective, should this needed to be implemented next season.

Overall thoughts…

The nods to Archibald Leitch, architect of Goodison, are beautiful. The railings around the perimeter are in his iconic style and the matching panelling has been so fittingly considered. Further, outside there are blue flecks ingrained in the floor and beyond that shimmer in the sunlight, Bramley Moore is truly a piece of brilliance. Hopefully, the creases outlined will be smoothed and we can bid a fond farewell to Goodison with the excitement of entering a perfect stadium in August.

The blue jerseys are about to feel right at home on the banks of the royal blue Mersey.

Signing off,

Lauren Briscoe