Everton release first look at Finch Farm plans

, 30 March, 36comments  |  Jump to most recent
Everton's recently-announced proposal to upgrade their Halewood training facility have been fleshed out more with the release of colour outline drawings of the plans.

The images show the location of the new accommodation block and improved pitch for Academy fixtures that manager Roberto Martinez see as vital additions to Finch Farm.

The "recuperation block", which will provide lodging for Academy and senior players alike will be constructed as an annex to the existing building complex while the new pitch will be located immediately to the left of the driveway next to planned groundsman's facilities.

"We're building now," Martinez explains at evertonfc.com.

"All the work we're doing is for the rooms we're going to have for the players, a new recuperation and regeneration area and also a showpiece pitch.

"The seating area will be big enough for us to have games there. Regulations dictate that we need to have dugouts and some seating as well."

Read more at Everton's official site

 

Reader Comments (36)

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Helen Mallon
1 Posted 30/03/2016 at 17:56:14
Who cares? We don't own it and if he's in charge nothing will change game-wise.
Gavin Johnson
2 Posted 30/03/2016 at 17:59:43
Ditto, Helen, the development's welcome but, when all's said and done, shouldn't we buy the place first?!
Darryl Ritchie
4 Posted 30/03/2016 at 18:36:37
Not counting on many spectators, by the looks of it. I get the impression that the U21 ground was a required item, not an optional one.
James Marshall
5 Posted 30/03/2016 at 18:41:25
So what if we don't own it? What difference does that make to anything at all?
Karl Masters
6 Posted 30/03/2016 at 18:43:46
Maybe we are planning to buy it? In Moshiri We Trust!
Mick Davies
7 Posted 30/03/2016 at 18:44:58
Wonder if our new owner could buy it back, then build our new ground there? A bit like the Eastlands complex.
Phil Walling
8 Posted 30/03/2016 at 19:15:40
I'd be a bloody sight more excited if these were plans for the new ground we should have had in 1998. But it will probably attract a few 'young stars' who will finish up at Brentford!
Kevin Bennett
10 Posted 30/03/2016 at 19:30:28
Well I for one think its fantastic news – another statement by the club that it is intent on progress and it bodes well for the future.

Well done, Blues.

Paul O'Neill
11 Posted 30/03/2016 at 19:35:17
Oh, Good Lord.... cheer the hell up, the lot of you. It's a positive development and investment in an already smart facility.

So what if Everton don't own it? I don't own my house but I still get to live there! They may buy it back but, in the meantime, it's progress. It's not a new stadium but it's a good move. Nobody died, for goodness sake! :-)

Gordon Crawford
12 Posted 30/03/2016 at 19:37:43
We need to buy the place back first. But it does look very good.
Jay Wood
13 Posted 30/03/2016 at 19:48:58
Who cares...? Well, I do for one.

Finch Farm, not Goodison Park, is where the players and coaching staff do the bulk of their work. It is already an impressive facility.

These improvements further enhance it, which can only make it an even more attractive option to young players we are seeking to join the academy, or first team targets we wish to sign.

It is an investment in the playing side of the club, for now and for the future, regardless of who the manager is and regardless of whether we own the deeds to Finch Farm or not.

So a big 'well done' to the club from me.

Eugene Ruane
15 Posted 30/03/2016 at 19:55:53
Maybe they could build a supporters 'recuperation block' in Stanley Park.

So we can all head into a nice, calm, safe environment after home games... and weep loudly.

Paul Hewitt
17 Posted 30/03/2016 at 20:16:44
If we don't plan to buy it back, then why bother? Most businesses don’t spend millions on a building they don’t own.
David Barks
20 Posted 30/03/2016 at 21:02:39
Most businesses do not own the building they operate in, they lease it. This "not owning it" line is just ignorance, I'm sorry.
Peter Morris
22 Posted 30/03/2016 at 21:37:48
I'm sorry, but this obsession with ownership is misguided and irrelevant. It's the conditions of the lease that matter. If the club can occupy the land for as far ahead as any of us can look, and the terms are favourable, then fine with me. What would be the best alternative? Sink £15m into buying Finch Farm, and save, what, £1m a year in rent? Or, invest the £15m in player development?

Most of the high value properties in Kensington and Chelsea are leased, and the very best retailers in the country frequently conduct sale and leaseback deals to raise capital to fund the expansion of their businesses. It's a perfectly normal and rational way to support any business undertaking, including a football club.
Shane Corcoran
23 Posted 30/03/2016 at 22:00:01
What's with the ownership problem?

When we had Deulofeu on loan, did we not care cos we knew he was leaving?

Everton use it. If they bought it, there'd be no material change to anything in any of our lives.

Martin Mason
24 Posted 30/03/2016 at 22:07:24
Peter, it's number 3 in the book of Blue myths.
Jim Hardin
25 Posted 30/03/2016 at 22:10:18
Looks good, get moving on it ASAP. But why are the buildings called a "block? Sounds a little like a prison then. Seriously, given that it is a positive step then great.

Plus, now all the lawnmowers I keep hearing about can be put to good use by the academy players as part of their chores.

John Dean
26 Posted 30/03/2016 at 22:26:02
This is really good news. Let's not cut our nose off to spite our club by rubbishing it.
Tommy Webber
27 Posted 30/03/2016 at 22:40:01
Anyone else feel like watching Everton is like watching a car crash in slow motion and we're all in it? FFS, we need to concentrate more on the training staff rather than the training field. Any chance we can get Ian Wright to join us to work alongside Dunk? (Shit, I'll settle for Wisey at this rate). I'd even have Moyes to sort out the back 4 if he didn't show his face so much.

When the exodus happens next season and we don't have Lukaku's goals to cushion us from the phenomenal drop, we'll be praying for a Ranieri of sorts to work his magic on us. Stating the bleeding obvious, I know, but we are on shaky grounds (new billionaire or not)!

William Colman
28 Posted 30/03/2016 at 22:41:23
Moshiri could buy it out of his spare change, and probably will.
Adam Fenlon
30 Posted 31/03/2016 at 02:09:55
Good news. Investment in the club improving its players is welcome.
Kieran Kinsella
31 Posted 31/03/2016 at 02:34:11
Norwich has the fanciest toilets in the league after a renovation under Robert Chase right before they were relegated. The money he spent to flush crap away in the stands had no effect on the crap on the field.

Similar situation here with cash blown on fancy bunks in cell block H but Krusty the Clown and Sideshow Bob still running the one thing that matters – the team

Jay Wood
33 Posted 31/03/2016 at 03:14:29
Strewth Kieran! You're a laugh a minute, aincha?

D'ya do kids' parties too, by chance ..?

Brian Sephton
34 Posted 31/03/2016 at 08:09:49
I love these dimwits who think because we don't own Finch Farm it is wasted but would happily see us rebuild Goodison Park with a loan of hundreds of millions...

They really should concentrate on their school work.

Denis Richardson
35 Posted 31/03/2016 at 11:41:39
Where's the Helipad?

Jim Burns
36 Posted 31/03/2016 at 13:27:47
Great news – when they've been recuperated – can we train them to defend as a unit and from the front to protect 2-goal leads?
Craig Walker
37 Posted 31/03/2016 at 13:42:47
The recuperation block will have two wings: the Pienaar wing and the Hibbert wing.
Eric Myles
38 Posted 31/03/2016 at 15:13:49
Brian (#34), if you think it will cost hundreds of millions to rebuild Goodison Park, you really shouldn't be calking others dimwits.

Peter (#22), it's more than just saving £1 million a year, it's saving £1 million a year for 50 years, at the end of which you still own nothing and have to continue to pay.

Dave Richman
39 Posted 31/03/2016 at 15:41:23
Craig Walker (#37), if that is the case then surely the entire block has to be named 'The Gibson Centre'?
Ian Hollingworth
40 Posted 31/03/2016 at 19:51:11
Need to spend money on a decent manager and coaching staff.

Our players don't need rest – they need to be drilled in defending.

Martin Mason
41 Posted 31/03/2016 at 20:00:50
The negativity over such positive news as this is amazing or is it scouse humour?

The future of the club is in the quality of the facilities we have to train and develop players. We've been particularly good at development although we have the same struggle as many other clubs in getting the transition of developing players to the first team squad without weakening it.

Michael Williams
42 Posted 31/03/2016 at 20:54:16
Only here can fans be upset that facilities are being upgraded. I am laughing right now. Seriously.

"Everton Football Club Announces Good News - Supporters Revolt."

Martin Mason
43 Posted 01/04/2016 at 12:25:53
Where can I hire a plane for my "No Finch Farm Upgrading" banner?
Tom Hughes
44 Posted 02/04/2016 at 11:09:55
Let's not rewrite history here. I think we all understand the relative merits and dangers of owning or leasing our facilities. I'm not sure how comparing with shopping outlets is relevant given that they're highly site specific businesses that have to fight for footfall on existing high streets.

However, we're missing the point. The fact is, first and foremost, the club already owned it's own facilities. The money they earned from selling it was a one-off payment that was originally partly earmarked for kick-starting the new stadium; that money has long gone and has left us with an additional outlay we didn't have before. I suppose we should all be thankful that Sir John Moores didn't go down the rental route in the '60s and invested enough in our previous "state-of-the-art" training facilities to allow the club to sell it (and the rest of our property assets) to survive under our previous owners... but let's not now make out that this was some great business move rather than a necessity due to poor management of the whole stadium issue, and a total reluctance to invest over many years.

Yes, improved training facilities are a good thing, but I'm not sure I'd elect to build an extension on a council house I didn't own... plus let's face it, when we had Bellefield and LFC had the wooden sheds and a few open air pitches at Melwood.... it was still them that were parading the trophies most years.

Kevin Kolasinski
45 Posted 11/04/2016 at 15:08:34
Any word on a new stadium yet??

And how about a new kit sponsor since Chang only pays £6 million a year...

And how bout EFC owning Finch Farm. And owning their own team store?

Maybe wishful thinking... huh?


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