Interim CEO provides update on stadium progress

I can't read the whole article because it's behind the Telegraph's paywall, but surely Chong couldn't have been clearer in his utterances in the above article.

Perhaps Chris has more information relating to this story, deeper in his article? At first glance it seems to be an unwarranted headline.

Maybe we should put Laing in at centre-back and O'Rourke in as striker. I think they could do a job...

I know plenty of Blues who have misgivings about ditching the Grand Old Lady mid-season while there are others who say we need to capitalise on the commercial/financial benefits of the new stadium as soon as possible. It's not a straight-forward decision and the club are right to weigh the pros and cons.

EDIT 7:19pm: They have changed the headline now to: "Everton stadium move: Fans face longer wait for 𧺬m new home"

I was involved in a bit of a debate on here a few weeks back when the club was getting savaged because the press said we wouldn't be in the new ground at the start of the season.

My point was the club never once said they would be. Only the press. And it was instantly used as a stick to beat the club with because they had fallen behind on a date they never set!!!

Glad Chong has come out and set the record straight. I'm not saying he deserves a place on the board permanently because I don't know enough about him. He's done a great job on the stadium and deserves his (temporary?) promotion.

The bits I have seen from Colin Chong (and I've met him) have been impressive. Well done.

If you absolutely knew it would be ready by 1 October a year in advance, then you could plan marketing, staffing, season ticket sales etc to allow for that. But if, as is often the case, it's almost a last-minute thing with inspections etc (eg, Spurs), it would be logistically very difficult to pull off at short notice.

Challenging climate for cranes to operate means winds. Was it particularly windy during the winter? Can't have been that bad if he says they're "weeks ahead of schedule"

"there will be one more unpredictable winter to navigate"

If they're working on interiors which will be the major part of the remaining work once the envelope is done then the weather won't affect them. Although there will be lighting and gantry work in the elements that could be affected by wind.

Whilst it's important that fans feelings are taken into consideration, I wish the club's leaders would concentrate more on making their case, for whatever decisions they deem to be correct and then make the decisions themselves.

The fall-out from the ill-fated badge debacle shouldn't dictate every single decision that the club makes. More action is needed and less worrying about Public Relations. For example, fans aren't consulted on transfers and neither should they be.

Was he talking about the weather here, or what?

They could put on an event at Goodison at the end of the season to give it a proper farewell (loads of ex-players or even a testimonial match).

Everton stadium move: Fans face longer wait for 𧺬m new home

Everton could stay at Goodison Park for another two seasons under revised timetable for move to new home

Everton may stay at Goodison Park for a further two seasons after confirming their new dockside arena will not be ready for the start of the 2024-25 campaign.

It was originally anticipated the forthcoming season would be the last full one at their current home, with the 𧺬m Bramley-Moore Dock venue ready in late 2024. However, newly appointed chief executive Colin Chong has disclosed that the current timeframe could be revised because it may be impractical to move mid-season.

In a lengthy statement – his first since replacing Denise Barrett-Baxendale this month – Chong insisted the building work remained on schedule and a decision about when to move is based on the merits of when to relocate.

Because the new facility will be complete midway through the 2024-25 campaign, it guarantees Everton will be starting the next two seasons at Goodison.

“The one question I'm asked more than any other is, ‘When will the stadium be ready and finished'?” wrote Chong, who has overseen the project as the chief stadium development officer.

“There is no delay, and the project remains firmly on track and on schedule. A precise moving-in date for our new stadium has never been publicly set by the club. We have repeatedly stated that the schedule of the development will see the keys for our new home handed to us from Laing O'Rourke during the 2024-25 season.

“When a new stadium is completed from a build perspective, it must be put through its paces and the building tested. We will be working on the planning for those test events with the aim of them taking place in the final months of 2024. What they will look like and how supporters can take part is yet to be determined. In parallel with the planning for those test events, the question of when our senior men's first team will play their first competitive game at our new ground will be determined.

“I can confirm, after overcoming a full winter where we lifted the heaviest materials in the most challenging climate, we are confident the stadium will be completed in the final months of 2024.

“This means we won't be starting the 2024 season at Everton Stadium – but, to reiterate, the club has never publicly confirmed an intention to begin the 2024-25 season at our new home. If the project remains on schedule, it raises the question as to whether the club moves in mid-season or alternatively, do we wait and give the Grand Old Lady a fitting send-off before commencing competitive league games for the senior men's team at the start of the 2025-26 season.”

More reassuring is Chong's assertion that the building work is continuing according to Everton's schedule, especially given the constant speculation regarding how majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri is funding the project.

Chong said: “Whatever decision is reached, it won't be based on sentiment; it will be reached in consultation with fans, while also considering the impacts it will have across our football club in terms of our football operation, our commercial partners and third-party contracts, our staff, seasonal workflows and the impact, of course, on supporters.”

There is no "revised" timetable. Mr Chong makes it clear that the schedule hasn't changed, that there was never a commitment to starting the 2024-25 season in the new stadium, and that a decision will be made whether to change grounds mid-season or at the start of the next season. There is no delay – on the contrary, as the article itself states, the build is ahead of schedule.

The article states: "It was originally anticipated the forthcoming season would be the last full one at their current home, with the 𧺬M Bramley-Moore Dock venue ready in late 2024". Late 2024 is still the expected completion date, situation, as Mr Chong says in his statement, and this season still might be the last full season at Goodison.

Still, who reads that shitrag?

I had hoped that I might be able to buy my seat but, seeing as I would have to smuggle a saw in to detach the back, this may not be practical. I love it and will miss it enormously, but not the absence of hot food which is just ridiculous.

I write to the club about it every season, always without reply.

Goodison is to be turned into a museum to honour the years of incredible work and dedication of Chairman Bill and all the good times he gave us.

When the fateful day finally arrives and Chairman Bill leaves us for a higher place, there are plans for a huge mausoleum to be built at the centre circle at Goodison. 10,000 gold-plated steps underground will lead to Chairman Bill's final resting place, modelled on the Tomb of Tutankhamun.

It is anticipated that the final cost of the project will far exceed the overall cost of Everton Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock but funding is not anticipated to be a problem, as Chairman Bill has told Mr Moshiri that the project will be paid for by large donations from the Everton fanbase around the globe.

Hope that helps clear things up, Ian.

If we are scheduled to play Mordors XI at home after mid-season, tell them they must change at Goodison, making sure the electricity, gas and water are turned off.

Lay on the crappiest charabanc we can hire to transport them to the new stadium with Fred the Courier to give them a detailed insight into all things Dock Road as they travel towards the best Stadium on Merseyside. Then stuff them!

Companies have something called depreciation – where the value of an asset is reduced over its life. Say the stadium will cost 𧼐M (latest is $678M). Say we think it will last 50 years. Therefore we should charge 㾸M into the accounts each year.

My company only started this process when an asset came into use. We once installed a new production line and it lay idle for 2 months until 1st January as the cost of 1 year's depreciation was more than any profit that would have been made by moving production in house from the company who had been making the product. Our rules were such that even if only one item was made, then we started the depreciation.

Perhaps Everton's accounts do the same so why open up the stadium to make ٣m extra in the last 5 games of the season, when it would result in 㾸m being charged to the accounts and make the loss for the year ٥m higher?

Just a thought… and maybe one more reason not to rush.

They can watch videos on loop of all our midfielders like Onana and Gueye while waiting in vain for them to do anything of value and saying how great they are and then screaming abuse at Maupay when he gets no service and doesn't score.

They can sing nasty songs about Sharp because he sat next to Kenwright or Barrett-Baxendale for having the audacity and sheer affrontery of being apprehensive going from her car to the ground due to our delightful Twitter blues who poured vile abuse on social media about her while chasing players in their cars.

The Lower Bullens is an experience. If you are towards the back and manage to see through the numerous posts, if the ball goes high, you are left wondering where it has gone and will land! Likewise if you land in the wrong place in the back of the lower Gwladys.

I'll miss the charm and memories of Goodison, but we are moving on to a stadium that will light up the city and the blue Mersey.

Nearly pre-season.

Just like that woman who stands with folded arms and never serves me at half-time.

It's probably my fault as I won't leave until the whistle blows.

If we are going to get a striker (which we desperately need), I would go for Chiba Akpom from Middlesbrough. I think he is a star in the making.

Obviously there will also be big plus points at the new stadium, although not on the cost front for supporters. I love the history and everything else about Goodison so, if we spend another two full seasons there, I will be delighted.

Telegraph is embarrassing, why lead with a loaded headline if they're not trying to spin Everton in a negative light?

No ‘maybes' or ‘could bes' in the headline, he saves them for the smaller print direct underneath. What a coward and shyster.

"…a star in the making..."

Really! He is 28 next birthday..

This then YTS “journalist” for the Red Echo should be remembered for his never-ending negative and caustic comments about the club so take his line with a truck full of salt.

Maybe Boxing Day 2024?

That said, his comment at the end, namely "we will be consulting supporters further on our digital journey and the migration process as we seek to make a fully informed decision" shows me he still has a bit to do to cast aside the spell of "Little Miss Dynamite"!

Nothing to worry about?

Sure, there will be teething problems during first few games with a big complex move but sooner we move the sooner we iron them out.

We shouldn't be ruled by sentimentality or if it suits some people it should be the most practical, most efficient, most cost-effective time that the move happens.

If we're doing well, clear of relegation threats then I can see a mis-season move. This will disrupt our season and we'll end in a relegation battle wishing we wouldn't have stayed at GP.

So very Everton.

Perhaps you've just got to accept he's not the wrong side of 60.

Chairman Bill

Under the lights for a midweek evening game will be special.

(Just hope it won't be Rotherham we'll be entertaining.)