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Everton Ground Name: Goodison
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| What's The Ground
Like? Future Developments Looking Towards The Gwladys Stand (photo) What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? Where To Drink? Main Stand (photo) How To Get There By Car & Where To Park By Train Bullens Road Stand (photo) Local Rivals Admission Prices Park Stand (photo) Fixtures 2007-2008 Programme & Fanzines Ground Tours Ground Layout Disabled Facilities Record & Average Attendance Fans Ground Reviews Hotel Accommodation Feedback Return To The Main Menu |
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| What's The Ground Like? | |
| Looking from the outside,
Goodison, with its tall stands seems huge.
The crowds filling the narrow streets around the ground
on matchday, make you
feel that you are going back in time, to when the outside of every football ground
appeared
like this. However, that's Goodison's problem. Apart from
the newish Park Stand (which has an electric scoreboard on its roof),
the rest of the ground looks tired. Yes the ground is still large, but it needs modernising. For example
there are lots of supporting pillars (at least the club don't sell tickets directly behind
them) and the ground just looks as if it has seen better days. Nevertheless unlike some
new grounds, Goodison oozes character and the three tiered Main Stand is still an
impressive sight. There are two large video screens at opposite corners of
the ground. If you are a home/neutral fan who is not
scared of heights then try and get a ticket for the top balcony of the Main
Stand. Not only do you get a 'birds eye' view of the game, but also views
across Stanley Park, with Anfield in the distance. Now thinking about it if
you were an Everton fan you probably wouldn't want to see Anfield during the
game, so this advice is for neutrals! A unique feature of the stadium is a church called St Lukes which sits just beyond one corner of the ground (selling teas & snacks at reasonable prices, plus upstairs it normally hosts a small programme fair on matchdays). If you have time before the game look out for the statue behind the Park Stand; a tribute to the legend that was Dixie Dean. After all these years, the Everton team still come out to the theme tune of the old police series, Z-cars. |
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The Club have announced plans to build a new 55,000 all seated stadium at Kirkby. The development would also include a large Tesco's outlet. Unlike most modern bowl designs, where the ground is totally enclosed, this new Everton stadium will be comprised of four separate stands, giving it more of a traditional look. The proposed move has infuriated some Everton fans as the stadium would be located outside Liverpool, as Kirkby lies beyond the city boundary. |
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| Looking Towards The Gwladys Stand | |
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| What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? | |
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Away fans are located in one corner of the two tiered, Bullens Road Stand, which is at the
side of the pitch, where just over 3,000 away fans can be accommodated. If you can, try to get
tickets for the upper tier, as the view from the lower tier can be quite poor. In the
rear of the lower tier there are a number of supporting pillars that can hinder your view, the seating
is of the old wooden type and the gap between rows is tight. The front
of the lower tier is a lot better having newer seats and no supporting
pillars to contend with. Some visiting clubs elect to
take a lower allocation than the 3,000 on offer, if this applies
then only the lower tier is given to away fans, which houses around 1,700. The facilities within the stand are basic and it is really showing its age. However,
away fans can
generate some noise from this stand, making
for a great atmosphere. The
catering includes amongst other things; a Scouse Pie (£2), Steak Pie
(£2.10), Chicken & Chilli Pie (£2.10) and Sausage Rolls (£1.90). I have enjoyed a couple of good days out at Goodison. The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly, with both sets of fans mixing freely before the game. Neil Thompson a visiting Preston supporter adds; 'The stewards inside the ground were superb and the best I have seen at any ground. they just ran things with a sensible head and communicated with people, first class. There are lot of grounds that can learn from the Everton stewarding'. On a poignant note, if you do happen to notice some flowers lying around the perimeter of the pitch, this is because the ashes of a number of supporters (over 800) have been interred around it. |
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| Where To Drink? | |
| I found a moderately busy pub called the Anfield Hotel. I guess
with a name like that a lot of Evertonians boycott the place! To find this pub, walk up to Walton
Lane (the A580 dual carriageway) from
the ground. Turn left and take a ten minute walk down Walton Lane, passing Walton police
station. As you go under a bridge the pub is a short distance down the next road on your
left. Tom Hughes adds 'The city centre is
usually the best bet for a pre-match drink, There are hundreds of pubs available ranging
from designer types to real-ale and saw dust bars. The pubs nearest to Lime Street Station
are best avoided with the exception of the big-House (the Vines) next to the Adelphi
which is worth a visit. Nearer Goodison 'The Hermitage' (a friendly pub,
5/10 minutes walk up Walton Lane and under the bridge) on Queens Drive is also
okay'.
Peter Bennett suggests the following; 'Pubs on Walton Lane or The Spellow and Wilnslow Hotel outside Goodison are recommended. The only pub that away fans should avoid is The Royal Oak.' Alcohol is served in the away section of the ground, including beer from the Club's sponsors Chang. |
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| How To Get There By Car & Where To Park | |
| Follow the M62 until you reach the end of
the motorway (beware of a 50mph speed camera about a
1/4 of a mile from the end of the motorway). Then follow the A5058 towards Liverpool. After three miles
turn left at the traffic lights into Utting Avenue (there is a McDonalds
on the corner of this junction). Proceed for one mile and then turn right
at the corner of Stanley Park into Priory Road. Goodison is at the end of
this road. If you arrive early (around 1pm) then there is street parking to be found around Walton Lane. Otherwise park over towards Anfield or in Stanley Park itself (the entrance to the car park which costs £6, is in Priory Road). Randy Coldham adds; 'If you approach from the M57 (to join the M57, leave the M62 at Junction 6), and then leave the M57 at Junction 4. Take the A580 towards Liverpool, and on the the right you will reach the Warton Sports Centre where you can park for £3. It is then a 15 minute walk to the ground with a very good Chinese Chippy on the way. By parking there you are well away from the traffics jams that you tend to get at Stanley Park after the match and only a five minute drive from the motorway system. For a map showing the location of the ground click here (to take you to the Street Map website). To go to a simplified page, containing the directions, train and pub info, which you can print out click here. |
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| By Train | |
| Kirkdale station is the closest to the
ground (just under a mile away). However, it may be more
advisable to go to Sandhills Station as this has the benefit of a bus service to the
ground, which runs for
a couple of hours before the game
and around 50 minutes after the final whistle. The bus
drops you
off within easy walking distance of
Goodison. Gary Beaumont adds; 'The best route for away fans from the city
centre if they want to use public transport is definitely the Merseyrail
Northern Line to Sandhills where they alight and catch the special
Soccerbuses; trains can be caught from Liverpool Central. If
fans are buying their train tickets in Liverpool, ask for a return to
Goodison Park as opposed to Sandhills even though that's where you're getting
off. The advantage of doing this is that the train ticket is valid also for
the Soccerbus and the additional fare is only £1
return as opposed to £1.50 that you'd have to pay on the bus if you
only bought your ticket to Sandhills. Both Sandhills & Kirkdale stations
and can be reached by first getting a
train from Liverpool Lime Street to Liverpool Central and then changing
there for Kirkdale. |
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| Local Rivals | |
| Liverpool. | |
| Admission Prices | |
| Home Fans: Main Stand - Adults* £33, Over 65's £23, Under 16's £19 Main Stand Top Balcony - Adults* £31, Under 16's £17 Family Enclosure - Adults*£31, Under 16's £17 Bullens Stand (Upper Tier) - Adults* £33, Under 16's £19 Bullens Stand (Lower Tier) - Adults* £28, Over 65's £21, Under 16's £17 Bullens Stand (Lower Tier Paddock At Front) - Adults* £31, Under 16's £17 Gwladys Street (Upper Tier) - Adults* £31, Juniors £17 Gwladys Street (Lower Tier) - Adults* £28, Over 65's £21, Juniors £17 Park Stand - Adults* £34, Juniors £19 Away Fans: |
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| Fixtures 2007-2008 | |
| For the Everton fixture list click here (to take you to the BBC Sports Website). | |
| Programme & Fanzines | |
| Official Programme: £3 Satis Fanzine: £1 Speke From The Harbour: £1 |
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| Ground Tours | |
| Tours of the ground are available at a cost of; Adults £8.50, Concessions £5, or there is a family ticket available (2 adults + 2 children) at £20. Tours take place daily except Saturdays and some matchday Sundays. Call the Club on 0151-330-2212 to book. | |
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| Disabled Facilities | |
| For details of disabled facilities at the ground please visit the relevant page on the National Association Of Disabled Supporters (NADS) website. | |
| Record & Average Attendance | |
| Record Attendance: 78,299 v Liverpool, Division One, September 18th, 1948. Modern All Seated Attendance Record: 40,552 v Liverpool Premier League, December 11th, 2004. Average Attendance: 2006-2007: 36,739 (Premier League) 2005-2006: 36,860 (Premier League) 2004-2005: 36,834 (Premier League) |
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| Fans Reviews Of Goodison | |
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Tom Mann (Newcastle
United) 13/9/03 Sarah McFall (Tottenham Hotspur) 17/8/02 Stuart Watson (Arsenal) 19/10/02 |
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| Hotel Accommodation | |
| If you require hotel accommodation in the area then first try a hotel booking service provided by Football Hotels who are powered by Activehotels, who specialise in locating accommodation near or within a short travelling distance of the football ground. They also have the added advantage over some other hotel booking services that you pay on departure. Yes this site will earn a small commission if you book through them, but it will go to help with the running costs of keeping the Guide going. To access their Everton and general Liverpool page click here. | |
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Feedback |
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If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me and I'll
update
the guide. |
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