The title relates to the much anticipated series about the Liverpool underworld that has just started on the BBC, but could be relevant to what lies ahead for Everton. Not so much a match report, and I pondered putting some of this in as a comment on the main thread. More one of my usual day out reports on my own experience.
 
An earlier than usual start to get to Lime Street on the train arriving at 11:20 am. All was going to plan. But then a slight train malfunction on my part. The Liverpool and Manchester trains were on adjacent platforms, but using the same queue. 
 
I blindly jumped onto "the" train. Still on track. This was too easy today. Or so I thought. We departed, in what I thought was a few minutes early. About 15 minutes in, the train manager announced the stops. Milton Keynes… check. Rugby… check. Stafford… check. Stoke? Okay, we must be going the long way around as it's Sunday. Stockport??? This doesn't sound right. And then the bombshell: Manchester Piccadilly. Wrong train! 50/50 choice and I took the wrong turn.
 
I recovered quickly, knowing that both trains stopped at Milton Keynes and the Lime Street bound one was 4 minutes behind. Minor situation resolved. 

Arriving at Lime Street, I was met by the welcome party of Neil and Mark. A bit of discussion before we opted to try the 919 bus from Communication Row, near Lime Street, £4 return.
 
I won't be doing it again. It took ages, snarled up in traffic as it tried to make its way onto and along Great Howard Street. This may well be Everton's stadium, but it is an opportunity for the city. The local authorities really need to pull their fingers out and come up with something more than a few buses and a ferry from the Wirral that takes people to a place where they can already get a train to.
 
As we didn't get near the stadium until gone 12, we headed to the Tai Pan restaurant to meet up with Derek, Peter and Bill in line with Derek's instructions (Bramley Moore Pub at 11, onto Tai Pan from 12).
 
It seemed they got "stuck" in the Bramley Moore Pub. I don't think it was down to crowds this time! We took a table and ordered a selection of appetisers. A very different experience than the Goodison Supper Bar. To cap it off, David James was on the table next to us!!
 
We finished up and headed towards the Everton Stadium, entering through the dock gates. Although it feels like cheating on Goodison, you can't help but have your breath taken away. She is simply stunning from the outside. Forget capacity, which I know not everyone is pleased about, but the magnitude of the structure has to be seen close up to be believed.
 
With some of the old dock buildings remaining and the original dock walls preserved in the shadow of a state-of-the-art stadium, it is totally unique in design and no other club will be able to replicate it. 
 
As you walk across the plaza, there is an outside drink stand, with food trucks including pizza, Indian, fish & chips and Greek. I'm sure more will be added. We walked past the Everton Way, which is currently fenced off, but you can look in.
 
There are some nice touches and it isn't just a paveway of black stones. Some are grey/white. There are some inside the more simple adaptation of Prince Rupert's Tower that appears on merchandise, with a blue surrounding. And across the whole thing, the letters spelling EVERTON, which would make a great aerial shot.
 
Into the stadium without any issues at the turnstile, and up the stairs for the second breath-taking moment. What a stadium! I was in the Lower South Stand in line with the corner, not too far from where my seat will be next season in the corner of the Lower East Stand.
 
I don't think there will be a bad view in the house. I do agree with the sentiment that a few cosmetic touches are needed to finish off the look, especially the tunnel entrance to the pitch. It is currently grey concrete and bland. Minor point.
 
The concourse is spacious and the catering selection offers a lot more than Goodison, including a Toffee doughnut, covered in blue & white icing, which the kids and one or two adults seemed to enjoy. Those upper sections do look steep and as you get higher, I imagine they won't be for the faint hearted and a bit of a lick out getting there.
 
As was said on the main thread, not a lot to write home about the match. This was about the stadium. The keeper didn't do too much wrong. The two centre backs, Welch and Tamen had good games. I liked the number 6 (Butterfield); he put in a crunching, but fair tackle that got appreciation from the crowd.
 
I've heard a lot of talk about Sherif, but for me, today, he looked lethargic and was watching the game too often. Graham looked lively and energetic. Dixon, who I hoped would get more involved with the first team soon, was disappointing.
 
If I was to pick a stand-out on the day it was Heath, especially the first half. I don't watch the U21s regularly enough and it's probably harsh to judge on one match, but I didn't see anything that would step up to the first-team squad right now.
 
As well as the transportation issues, we have this iconic modern stadium surrounded mostly by a lot of derelict or closed buildings. Back to the powers that be. I know it will take time, but sort out the much-vaunted and much-needed investment in the area, like the city was told, would be part of all of this.
 
On the way back to Lime Street, I walked towards the Pier Head, passing several bars that are already labelling themselves with Everton crests and flags. Obviously the Bramley Moore Pub, with its now blue and white signage. Murphy's Distillery, Ten Streets Social, an indoor Golf Place offering its bar open, with banners portraying Everton players on the adjacent Regent Road.
 
As I got to the Pier Head, I noticed the Three Graces directly opposite. Flying Irish and Everton flags, the tricolours having Everton crests on the white strip. Now, if I am correct, this has connections with the red cousins or Klopp in particular? Have they changed their colours? Or are they going to switch them depending on who is at home? I've never noticed the place before to be honest.
 
Baby steps and not exactly painting the town blue… yet, but, that will come; it's a start. We can mark that area as ours and create a Blue Mile from the Pier Head to Bramley-Moore Dock.
 
I'm taking nothing away from what an achievement it's been to design and build this stadium right on the banks of the River Mersey. I can't wait for nearly 53,000 to fill that place. As impressive as it was visually today, that will be special and something to behold.
 
A great day out with good company as always.
 
A week off and then back to reality. The necessary trip to Anfield and then Arsenal at Goodison for an early kick off. Teacher Mark was again giving me singing lessons on the words to the Ndiaye song, which I keep forgetting. Hopefully I get tested if he's back soon. I would love to see him and Alcaraz running at that vulnerable Liverpool defence. Neil and I both agreed to it being a great song, but the Charly chant is easier!!
 
Finally, credit to the club. Only £5 for an adult ticket and £2.50 for kids and seniors. It encouraged us and probably many more to add a few quid to EitC.
 
The City is Ours. We built it in 1878. The Originals and the future.

Reader Comments (10)

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Jeff Spiers
1 Posted 24/03/2025 at 10:29:30
Danny, nice one. The City has always been ours.

On the banks of the Royal Blue Mersey. That is why the RS hate us so much!!

Paul Washington
2 Posted 24/03/2025 at 11:54:31
Good notes as ever, Dan,

That Blue Mile suggestion is great, let's hope it develops.

Three Graces / Jurgens was originally called Tom Halls after the Liverpool boxer, we used to go in a lot until it became Jurgens.

Paul Ferry
3 Posted 24/03/2025 at 19:24:18
Thanks Danny and with some minor points about transport it was good to read a celebratory article on the stadium inside and out. There is too much drab grey at the moment, especially in the concourses. Hopefully, that will sort itself out over time.

I was massively impressed by the clearly thought-through facilities for our wheelchair-bound fans, with clear spaces and those neat looking blue stools in-between the fans. Great view too from the one space that I saw. Brilliant.

But story-after-story-after-story of "issues" is something that we cannot take too lightly. Sandhills is my main concern. I cannot see how any degree of managed “funnelling” will sort things out, especially with the supposed extra trains that will also be available for countless shoppers. The highest number of Saturday shoppers in town is said to be 244,000 on a Saturday in 2021. Now, if only a quarter or even a sixth of a number anything like that need to get on Southport, Ormskirk, or Kirkby trains … Well, I think you know the point that I’m making.

Also, the two games have taken place on Sundays (a fourth test match on a busy Saturday with shoppers packing trains would tell us so much more), with greatly reduced crowds, and a large number of them left at HT or after the evacuation, I'm told. There were also no away fans.

This cannot be an accurate representation of a busy sold-out Saturday. It simply cannot. These tests are set up as much for getting the necessary clearance and badges as for testing infrastructure and transportation. Probably more.

On a separate note, I do worry about trouble with some important bottlenecks, the one large entry into the plaza, trouble in the plaza itself, home and away fans on the slither of platform at Sandhills, and inside the ground where the distance and structures between us and away fans might be a cause for concern.

Does anyone know where the away coaches will be parked?

It's great to hear everyone's first impressions of the stadium. But there was plenty of food for thought in the many varied posts.

I genuinely hope that Brian W, Phil G, Mark M, Rob H and others are right and my worries turn out to be misplaced (you have been there and I won’t have that chance until August). I sincerely want you fellows to be right and for me to be wrong. I hope the only stories in the papers after the first home game are about our great win and not anything else.

Brian Williams
4 Posted 24/03/2025 at 19:47:39
Danny, the Three Graces has been bought by a Blue/s after the previous rs owners/s sold when Red Rum's dental model left town.
Robert Tressell
5 Posted 24/03/2025 at 20:01:32
Really brought it to life there Danny. What a fantastic stadium. It will be amazing to see it full and bouncing.
Martin Mason
6 Posted 25/03/2025 at 01:00:22
A bit sad for me as it makes home games an epic from Horsham to say nothing of getting tickets which may be even more difficult than now. May be that most away games are easier. Not sure how it would be parking a bike at BMD but it's a harder journey through the City compared with getting into Goodison from the M56/62 side. I will be trying though as things get ever harder to do as you get to your mid 70's and regrets at the end are sad. Doesn't seem 5 minutes since weekends at me Nan's and Alec Young.
Matt Traynor
7 Posted 25/03/2025 at 01:42:15
Martin #6, I assume you mean motorcycle -– No idea what motorcycle parking arrangements are.

But the shocking revelation is that your Nan shacked up with Alec Young!

Martin Mason
8 Posted 25/03/2025 at 05:43:51
So much for my memoirs, Matt, I was thinking about how I could describe how Everton was for me then – Roy Vernon, Bobby Collins, Jimmy Gabriel, Alex Parker.

It's usually easy to find a space for a bike but, at my age, mauling it around in heavy traffic and tight parking spaces is never easy.

Danny O'Neill
9 Posted 25/03/2025 at 08:01:16
Thanks for the background on the Three Graces. I'll stop there next time out at the Everton Stadium.

While it's still called that. In other news, I see Eric Williamson, the President and General Manager of Gulf States Toyota is to become a non-executive director on Everton's board, with Dan Friedkin moving to become Chairman. Friedkin is also on the board of Gulf States.

Well, I've been calling it for a while, without any knowledge, just a hunch and stab in the dark, but I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes the Toyota Stadium / Arena.

This move would add fuel to that theory, and that's all it was from me.

Mark Murphy
10 Posted 25/03/2025 at 17:35:05
I'm just giggling imagining Martin cycling 250 miles up the M40 and M6 on his Pashley Roadster!

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