In an era of modern bowl stadiums – identical on all sides, large white girders stretching into the sky, bereft of history or tradition – Everton’s Goodison Park stands as one of England’s last remaining great, old grounds. Relatively untouched or redeveloped in recent years, Goodison still holds within its confines the ghosts of past success for the blue half of Merseyside.
The reality is, however, that many Premier League clubs have left Everton behind in terms of facilities. Tottenham Hotspur’s state-of-the-art new stadium, the redevelopment of Liverpool’s Anfield, and the expansion to Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium means those three clubs can boast significantly higher capacities and greater facilities than the Toffees.
With that in mind, the July news that Everton have been granted permission to build a brand new stadium on Liverpool’s Bramley Moore Dock will have been greeted with jubilation by supporters. While Goodison holds such fond memories, a new stadium will undoubtedly help them to ascend to a higher level, on the pitch and off it.
At a time when the so-called ‘top six’ have established something of a monopoly on the upper reaches of the Premier League, those pretenders to the coveted Champions League spots need every advantage they can get. If Everton’s new stadium can see the club grow to compete with those clubs, then brighter times may lie ahead for the Merseyside club, and may cause punters to think more highly of Everton when it comes to Premier League betting with Paddy Power.
Tottenham are the perfect example of what Everton are trying to achieve. Spurs’ new stadium has given the club significantly more potential to attract investment and increase ticket sales. Where older English grounds fall short is that they have little room for corporate boxes and suites, which is an area where clubs generate a lot of revenue in the modern game. Spurs have been able to make their home highly attractive to that kind of personnel, and after years where the club was held back by inadequate facilities at White Hart Lane, the road ahead looks much more lucrative.
Everton have been left behind financially by many other clubs, with the Toffees unable to splash the kind of cash needed to really compete for consistent European qualification. The increased revenue generated by their new stadium will help Everton compete in the transfer marker, and attract the best European talent.
A new stadium usually represents the start of a new era at a club. Brighton & Hove Albion have gone from strength to strength since moving into their new home, while Manchester City’s move to their ground after the 2002 Commonwealth Games gave the club a valuable asset when it came to attracting the takeover to which City unquestionably owe so much of their success. Liverpool, too, have lseen increased success on and off the pitch since rebuilding the main stand at Anfield.
Everton will hope that a new ground can have a similarly galvanising effect on the club, that it might herald a new beginning. The Toffees haven’t won a trophy since their 1995 FA Cup triumph, and that long wait for silverware has become too much to bear for many fans. However, a new stadium can provide the platform on which to build a squad capable of winning trophies.
While Goodison Park retains so much charm and tradition, it is not a ground on which Everton can build a successful, trophy-laden future. Though we hold old stadiums so closely to our heart, modern football demands so much more than a rusty, corrugated iron roof and a few hard, wooden seats. Everton’s new stadium will be of the ilk required to challenge domestically and in Europe. For now, Toffees fans can enjoy the few remaining years in their faithful old home, before the club takes the next step towards future glories.