Season › 2019-20 › News Derby venue decision pushed back Michael Kenrick Tuesday, 9 June, 2020 22comments | Jump to most recent UPDATED The decision on whether the upcoming derby game on June 21 can be played at Goodison Park or should be moved to a neutral venue will not now be taken until Wednesday at the earliest. The final decision rests with Liverpool City Council's safety advisory group after most local entities (the police, the mayor, the clubs) have all expressed their support for the game going ahead at Goodison Park. Apparently, the relevant documents were not received by members of SAG until last Friday and they need more time to read them. The Goodison derby had been on a list of fixtures which the UK's football policing lead, Deputy Chief Constable Mark Roberts of South Yorkshire Police, said local forces had requested to be played at a neutral venue. Article continues below video content However, Merseyside Police appeared to contradict DCC Roberts by saying they were happy to police matches in Liverpool. And the Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, has spoken out in favour of the game going ahead at Everton's home ground: “We are in a better place than we were four weeks ago and we've been able to convey why it's so important nobody congregates outside or near grounds,” the Mayor told The Athletic. “We have had the opportunity since then to speak to fans and the clubs have done their part and got the message across that the supporters need to stay away. Both clubs have made it clear. “So I would have no objection to the games being played at our clubs' home grounds, both the derby at Goodison and Liverpool's games at Anfield.” The next SAG meeting was expected to be on Friday but Joe Anderson has indicated it will be brought forward to Wednesday to reduce the uncertainty moving forward. Reader Comments (22) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer Darren Hind 1 Posted 08/06/2020 at 11:47:03 How deeply embarrassing.Anyone believing the Kopites will not be crawling all over the streets is deluding themselves Bobby Mallon 2 Posted 08/06/2020 at 12:05:08 I must agree with Darren. If they can win the league by beating us at Goodison then they will be outside in numbers. That will definitely antagonise Everton fans no matter what the mayor says Mike Connolly 3 Posted 08/06/2020 at 12:26:05 If it's played at a neutral ground and they beat us to win the Premier League, they will still be out in numbers around Anfield and across Norway. Martin Nicholls 4 Posted 08/06/2020 at 12:35:30 In the absence of their usual match-watching environments (ie pubs) rs will also be gathered in numbers in each other's houses. I just do not understand why matches such as this are being allowed to go ahead, particularly when the perceived wisdom is that the spread of the virus is increasing in our region. Reckless and foolhardy. Brian Murray 5 Posted 08/06/2020 at 12:42:59 Time for Boris to get wise and stop this madness. Failing that our chairman has partly undue years of his ineptitude and say we want nothing to do with this big risk on the health and well being of the public. Joe McMahon 6 Posted 08/06/2020 at 13:06:37 Even if it was played at Plymouth Argyle it wouldn't makes any difference. The streets would be full of them, they are everywhere. I've even seen 2 of them of Holly Island FFS. Tony Abrahams 7 Posted 08/06/2020 at 13:13:54 Joe Andersson must have taken some stick off Liverpudlians to back-track, but he was right the first time, and who knows what tit for tat, this might start, if Liverpool don't listen to their manager, and become the best stay at home fans in the world! Tony Everan 8 Posted 08/06/2020 at 13:21:10 Martin 4. That's true, there will be many fans watching it together in the same house with the beer flowing. Social distancing ignored. The R value will be edging up. There needs to be a big campaign from TV companies and government to warn people from doing it. It won't solve the problem but it may help a bit. Alan J Thompson 9 Posted 08/06/2020 at 13:23:41 The whole thing seems a mess. If it is played at Goodison, then it will be people gathering in an area where there are new cases every day but if they go to a neutral ground then they may be moving several hundred people (even without any fans) from an affected area to one with comparatively fewer problems. Steve Brown 10 Posted 08/06/2020 at 13:24:06 The streets of Milton Keynes will be packed. Kim Vivian 11 Posted 08/06/2020 at 13:38:28 I know we won't have our voice there but I do think playing in our own stadium will give us a slight advantage rather than being at a neutral venue. Fuck the rs celebrations anyway because we're gonna best them. Mike Keating 12 Posted 08/06/2020 at 13:53:06 Johnson is already talking of relaxing restrictions for beer gardens and outdoor spaces at pubs from the 22nd, so any delay in proceedings (Man City or Everton victories) and the Kloppites will be really out in force for their final games. Social distancing under those circumstances? Impossible. A Ryanair flight would be a safer option. Darren Hind 13 Posted 08/06/2020 at 14:00:34 There lies the problem Kim. Whilst I would never lump our fans in with those horrible bastards. There are an awful lot of Evertonian's who will not be able to refrain from taking to the streets if we do beat them. Once again we find ourselves in a no win situation.If they win. They WILL pour onto the streets and you cant bet your house that they will be excused for their "understandable exuberance". if we win. It would only take one Evertonian on the street for us to be labeled bitter irresponsible virus spreaders celebrating our "cup final"One of these days we will really twat them. If this match has to go ahead. Let it be now John Keating 14 Posted 08/06/2020 at 14:01:23 Anderson, the police and both clubs must be on a different planet. They really don't believe that the half wits won't be on the streets? Unbelievable!The R value is already creeping up so they allow this? The bloody lot of them are a disgrace. Rob Halligan 15 Posted 08/06/2020 at 14:19:03 It seems odd that the shite can play their first home game when the season restarts, against Crystal Palace, at Analfield, yet it is still undecided where the derby should be played. There will be thousands of the scum congregating outside that shithole anyway. As Darren rightly says, anyone who thinks otherwise is totally deluded. FFS, even Alan McAnally on SSN said last week, even if the shite were to play Brighton away needing to win to win the league, people would be deluding themselves if they thought RS fans wouldn't congregate outside The Amex stadium. I'm surprised he hasn't been lynched already for that comment, so offended are the RS by every comment against their glorious club / fans.Everton need to take a firm stance and say they will not play the game unless it's at Goodison. We all know, or course, that will never happen. Why should we forfeit any small advantage we'd have just because of the most vile scumbag fans on this earth? Jay Wood[BRZ] 16 Posted 08/06/2020 at 14:20:09 I've just watched the morning news here in Brazil, a compilation of smaller leagues playing behind closed doors. It was short and sharp so I may have got the country names and setting wrong.Only one league allowed fans into the stadium - Croatia, I think it was - as the club were to be crowned champions. Supporters were asked to maintain social distancing. They all packed together behind one goal in an otherwise 3/4 full stadium.In Hungary, they filmed outside the stadium with fans using many ways to peer over the 3 metre perimeter wall: step ladders, standing on truck cabins, using a truck with a lift for changing street lights, etc.In Cyprus, 100s accumulated on roof tops overlooking the stadium.Good luck if you think there is not going to be any large gatherings of the 'bours desperate to be crowned champions wherever and whenever they play.It will be a badge of honour to claim 'I was there'. Michael Lynch 17 Posted 08/06/2020 at 14:40:22 After all the BLM marches over the weekend, I don't think anyone will raise much of a fuss about the RS celebrating their paper title. Seems as long as most people wear a mask and make a bit of an effort to socially distance, then the minority going crazy will be tolerated.If we still had terraces, I think we could start allowing fans into the grounds. We could have cut the capacity by two thirds, handed out a few masks, and let the fans decide how much they socially distance. That's been the way it's gone not just on the protest marches, but also on the beaches when it was sunny.There seems to be a clear divide now between those who are still shitting themselves and want everything to stay shut, and those who have taken the loosening of the lockdown restrictions to mean "anything goes - but bring a mask". There's absolutely no doubt whatsoever that there will be big crowds on the streets when the RS take the crown. Some will make a token effort to socially distance, but once a few cans have been sunk, it will be a free for all. Makes no difference if the game is at Goodison or in Timbuktoo, the kopites will be out in force. Mayor Joe knows it, the police know it, Klopp knows it, the government knows it. To suggest otherwise is a joke. Tony Abrahams 18 Posted 08/06/2020 at 14:50:11 It's more than odd Rob, and I think Darren, has just absolutely nailed it with his post@13.Maybe the authorities might actually be right for once, because if Liverpudlians, think they can go and congregate outside Goodison, who knows what the response would be? And It wouldn't take long for a situation to get out of control, especially considering it's obvious many people are now on very, very, very short fuses. Brent Stephens 19 Posted 08/06/2020 at 15:06:39 If the kopites aren't allowed to congregate outside Goodison, what are the odds they'll still congregate somewhere else to enjoy and celebrate their moment (I guess we might do the same)?And that somewhere is less likely to be at Anfield (??) and more likely to be in town and Stavanger? At Goodison, they can only infect each other. In town might be a different matter.I can't say I'm arsed about them winning the league (though I'd never want them to clinch it against us) and I'm not arsed if they congregate outside GP if it's a choice between there and in town. John Keating 21 Posted 09/06/2020 at 07:05:05 Michael, spot on. The minority will always hijack the situation, as per the recent marches. Something worthwhile will be swamped by a few idiots and always be remembered for that.Mind you, our neighbours have form. A relatively few idiots caused Heysel – which apparently never happened according to the history of LFC – the outcome was the rest of us suffered and they literally got off Scot free.If there are any "issues" either at the derby or whenever they clinch the league, for sure it will be everyone else's fault and not theirs. That bastion of righteousness the SOS will no doubt lead that call.I am afraid the authorities, the Premier League, clubs and players have not covered themselves in glory since this virus hit, and, unfortunately, I include my own club. Kim Vivian 22 Posted 09/06/2020 at 16:39:45 Sad to say but, if it is played at Goodison, I could anticipate large numbers from each team congregating at Goodison, and following it on their phones. Likely as not, all the RS hanging out down the Park End and our lot along Goodison Road or Gwladys Street. I don't know if preventative measures could be carried out but I would expect a neutral venue to be appointed to avoid the issue. Mark Andersson 23 Posted 09/06/2020 at 21:22:42 There seems to be a lot of animosity towards our red cousins on here...Everton should refuse to play, give them 3 points, and go on holiday until this madness gets resolved. Add Your Comments In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site. » Log in now Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site. About these ads