Initial thoughts on the new stadium

Third test event and media picking at negatives and to some degree some supporters.

So let's have a closer look at it.

First and foremost, it was a test event to iron out any issues, so let's have a look at the bigger picture.

For some, it was their first visit to the new stadium and will take some getting used to in regards to getting there, transport, getting inside the stadium, and into your seat.

First things first: we all know the transport link from the train station and also buses are not the greatest; however, the buses from town centre and Pier Head were actually half decent. I managed to get the shuttle bus from the Duke of Wellington statue, to close to the stadium and also back into town afterwards.

People left in staggered stages so it cannot put a true reflection on this, for me they need to put on a couple of additional buses from the stop close to Lime Street Station I think there were 4 shuttle buses but an additional 2 should at least get the fans to and from the stadium a little quicker.

Getting inside the ground, for me there were large queues, we have to bear in mind most fans were used to physical cards and matchday tickets, instead of digital. I think once fans are more familiur with the new process, this will speed up getting inside the ground quicker.

Getting to the upper tier in the East Stand, again those flights of stairs were brutal and that is before anyone has a seat toward the top of the top tier.

Again, most had no idea there were lifts to get you up to the concourse for the upper tier, myself included, until I noticed them as I got to the upper concourse. The lifts will not be for everybody, but the likes of the older generation like myself will benifit from the lift. Not a lot they can do about the steps you go up to for your seat if you are near the top, but the lift to the first floor will certainly help.

I can manage without a pint in the ground or food so will leave that part for others to comment on how it was.

Overall we are not used to change but once we get used to it, it becomes second nature, for years we have found our own way to Goodison, it became second nature, for some yesterday it was into the new and change.

The issue with parking and especially for disabled, there needs to be something arranged for that.

We need to accept change and in time get use to our new surroundings. But that was the point of having a third test event, not everything will be perfect, but lessons hopefully learned from the event.

My downside was as soon as you walk through the dock walls, everything is digital, from buying a programe, to even buying an ice cream or bottle of pop from the ice cream cart, cash is no longer king, once you cross that wall. 😬

I'm sure that a lot of lessons will be learned from this match re: the catering and how all the concourses functioned. The real test is the first home Premier League game. The demands have increased a lot both on the normal concourses and with all the new hospitality – let's hope that it improves throughout the season.

When you mention your climb to the seats in the South Stand, do you mean that everyone enters at the bottom of the bowl and walks up an aisle to their row, which in your case was 59 rows?

From there, you then pass trough a vomitory where you then have to climb the steps upto your row. It is impossible to install lifts or escalators beyond level two.

ps: The other really positive that I forgot to mention was that I met Martin, an old school friend who I last saw 52 years ago!!

That was my 2nd visit and there had been quite a few improvements, mainly cosmetic.

Overall I was impressed.

I did forget to mention one plus. Well, a minor negative turned into a minor plus and not stadium related. My train arrived into Euston 20 minutes late. I'm entitled to compensation. Only £20, but small victories.

The quality of the food and drink is the last of my worries. More concerned about the atmosphere. Will we ever get the bear pit back?

Even more concerned about the lack of goals in the team (and I don't just mean the strikers).

There are things that we would all question. The Club View isn't a premium upgrade on the rest of the stadium.

No escalator to the top tier, and then a steep walk up to row 59 after a mile walk is going to keep you fit.

The concourse is basic. No seating, nothing on the walls, no additional sales station for merchandise, book makers etc etc. There are some lifts which we found on the way out.

The two beer stations were both closed. The main food and drink station doesn't have enough beer taps, and so the staff are all standing around. The temperature was fairly unbearable until the air con eventually kicked in. Tee-shirts were wet through in 40-minute queues, and fans around me weren't happy.

Lack of parking, lack of rail infrastructure. A great big club shop, but practically impossible to park next to.

The Dan Meis design is brilliant. The finish by the club less so. Things are going to need to improve, and future spend will probably come.

It would be impossible to do it as you would need to cut through the raker beams and also the terracing units before you… nah, it's just impossible to do.

The climb I mentioned isn't from the very bottom of the bowl but from the level 2 concourse. From what people are saying, there appear to be some lifts to get to that level…… and the climb starts there.

Another negative just strikes me: Why no oxygen supplied halfway up!?

Anyone know if the West Stand plaza/steps will be open to fans in the future? I was looking forward to seeing that yesterday but it wasn't accessible. I asked a member of staff who said it was closed so the players could get in but this was at about 2:15 pm. I went back after the game and still closed off.

I had a look in the Hydraulic Tower windows – it looks like it's being used as a temporary storage facility. Any news on what's happening with this?

Thanks all

I can't wait for a night game, under the lights with points on the line it will be big!!

If we've managed to get Heinz on board with turning their ketchup blue, it. wouldn't be out of the question.

I was most unimpressed by the service in the Docklands Kitchen concourse in the East Stand. Starting to queue for a halftime beer just after the whistle, I finally got to the front at the point where they stopped serving alcohol as they said the teams were coming out for the second half.

The lad who was serving just wandered off without any explanation and I had to ask a supervisor what was going on. Not sure if it is a stadium rule or whether they made it up because they were having problems with the beer engines.

I finally had a pint after a long wait after the final whistle and wondered why I had bothered. The staff generally seemed like a load of untrained casuals without much of a clue about service or the importance of customers.

I expect the American owners will get this sorted as, in many US venues, they are good at that sort of thing.

My seat is in Club View and the seat itself was great but the queue for drinks was horrendous and staff seemed unable to cope with the technology once you got to the front! I was expecting the exclusive concourse in Club View but maybe that won't happen till the Brighton game.

Overall, pretty positive really. Prices for food seemed expensive possibly but I'm not going to quibble over that — and I think the tea and coffee was probably similar to Goodison.