ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Brick vs plastic

I feel, wherever we build our stadium we need a traditional design. I like the idea of four stands but the big disappointment for me is the use of cheap-looking materials. We have faced the whole stadium in cheap white plastic stuff like at St Mary?s (who used the same designers). As this view shows, it will look horrific in daylight. See

In the US, the trend has been for retro style stadia. They tend to use brick facades, exposed steel, are full of historical decorative features and they look fantastic. My favourite is this one in Baltimore. It gives a real sense of the history and importance of the club ? something that will be vital to keep if we leave Goodison.

My question for any architects (Tom Hughes maybe?): Would a brick façade instead of the white plastic really be that expensive? Can anyone suggest some historical decorative features?

Please, please, please let?s not settle for a square St Mary?s. I fear that in 10 years we will view it as we do the Riverside, and we all deserve so much more.
Ed MacDonald, Lothian Posted 21/07/2007 at 15:06:00

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Karl Masters
1 Posted 21/07/2007 at 18:06:33

Spot on, Ed.It isn’t just about where it is, it’s what it is too. It looks a bit tacky and after 5 or 10 British Winters will look tatty too. You’re right about bricks. Much more durable and you can incorporate patterns in them too. Archibald Leitch crosses, the Tower emblem, even the round windows you see on the end of St Lukes Church in the corner of the Gwladys Street - there’s loads that could be incorporated. Plus the corners aren’t filled in as much as they should be. It’s a cross between Ewood Park and the Ricoh Arena. So disappointing! £150m worth? Give me £150m and I’d design something much better. It’s not even as good as the Cologne one and shouldn’t Everton be trying to improve on that one?

Brian Waring
2 Posted 21/07/2007 at 18:23:51

Do you know what Ed?I read your piece.And you actually got me thinking about the move.I’m voting against the move,I just think Kirkby is the wrong place for a stadium.But,as I said you got me thinking,and for one minute I actually thought, if they had gave us a world class stadium design,it might have softened the blow of moving a bit.But they then come up with this run off the mill stadium.And that was the last nail in the coffin for me.

Steve Guy
3 Posted 21/07/2007 at 19:31:21

At last we are talking about what we can have a voice in.... what the stadium looks like. I too am underwhelmed at present with what is on offer.

John Patrick McFarlane
4 Posted 21/07/2007 at 20:43:31

A few days ago, I said that I wanted something in the new stadium that represented Everton FC. It took a few looks to find those features but there they are in glorious technicolour, CUT CORNERS! What else could possibly symbolise today’s Everton in its true light?

Tom Hughes
5 Posted 21/07/2007 at 23:45:23

Agreed, A brick facade with Leitchesque features are not beyond the realms. I have suggested as much in my design perhaps recycling the original bricks if the Bullens/Street end were to go. There is also the possibilty of keeping one or both of these stands and completely redeveloping the mainstand and Parkends to give a combination of new/contemporary and traditional. No other club boast 2 Leitch stands is it worth preserving them? Things could be done to dramatically reduce the obstructed views with the capacity shortfall made up on the other 2 sides. Assymetrical it would be, but after all isn’t that what Liverpool are trying to do to preserve a sense of history/tradition. We could have it in buckets. Take the cladding off these old stands and have the old walls cleaned and repointed etc. Lower Bullens Reprofiled, new roof with no obstructions in the upper stands and a monster "L-shaped" double decker built around the other 2 sides to reach 50-55k seats....... all achievable on the current site.

Derek Thomas
6 Posted 22/07/2007 at 07:01:13

Havn’t you twigged it yet?? you DON’T have a say, you DON’T have a choice, unless it is the hobsons choice, thats hobsons spelt T.E.S.C.O....penny dropped yet??.

Tom Hughes
7 Posted 22/07/2007 at 11:39:02

I would have probably agreed with you a few days ago.... But now, If we don’t have a choice the whole regime have just signed their own resignations......! They have backed themselves into quite a few blind alleys with their contraditory comments via Wyness, but there’s no getting away from the "The Vote is binding"!!! That’s pretty conclusive really.

John McFarlane [senior]
8 Posted 22/07/2007 at 12:46:16

John Patrick, if the proposed ground move goes ahead, [and I still believe it may not, and if God spares me] there is a distinct possibility that the Everton representation you are seeking, will be present, as it has been since 1948. I have just looked up the definition of the words cynic and cynical, it appears that a cynic "is a person who thinks that people always have bad or selfih reasons for what they do,even if they seem to be acting in a good and kind way". Cynical is defined as " having no belief or trust in goodness, honesty, sincerity, etc,"
To save you the trouble, I have looked up the word Gullible it’s defined as, "easily cheated or decieved"

John Patrick McFarlane
9 Posted 22/07/2007 at 15:52:07

We won’t get fooled again! If JMC senior thinks I am cynical, then I would have to disagree. As I do believe that some people do things for others for no personal gain. I also believe in honesty, sincerity and goodness and try my best to be those things as often as is humanly possible. As for being gullible, that’s always a possibility when people look to decieve others. If Everton’s Board had a better track record and whenever possible they relayed the truth to the supporters then perhaps we would not have to suffer the arguments and tribulations that most Blues have suffered in the past 10 years. Despite the pros and cons of Kirkby, I think the debate between fans at least has been on the whole a healthy and informative one. As for ’cutting corners’, it was meant to be a flipant remark, no more no less.