Match-day tips for first timers from USA?

Hi Jefff. If you are planning on coming over in May 2015, there are only 2 home games left of the season, Sunderland on May 9th and spurs which is the final home game and also the final game of the season on May 24th

There are plenty of pubs around the ground. I normally go to The Brick which is on County Road, and although can sometimes get very busy is good fun. There is normally a few away fans in here although there is good banter. There is also a fair bit of singing going on here after the last home game of the season. You would have no problem blending in here as there are all different age groups.

There are plenty of other pubs on County Road, but wetherspoons is probably the best. Also you could try Liverpool city centre which is also very busy before a home match and is within easy travelling distance to Goodison.

Regarding any songs, the most favourite is "It's a grand old team". Others include "Forever Everton" and "Banks of the Royal Blue Mersey"(not sure this is the real title though). I'm sure you can Google to find the full words to these song plus many others.
Others can no doubt help out with other songs.

As for food/drink in the stadium, I don't normally bother, but they do sell Chang and you can try a Scouse pie. There are also giant hot dogs and sausage rolls you can buy.

You might also want to start thinking of trying to buy tickets around mid March to be sure of securing any.

Above all, once you have experienced the Everton match day, it will never leave you and you will want to return. As Alan Ball said, "Once Everton has touched you nothing else is the same".

Have fun!!!

Hey Jeff......
I'm a new(ish) transplant to Portland. Had been making a yearly trip to Goodison but not for past couple of seasons. Don't expect any similarity between Portland and Liverpool boozers. The closest might be the Wetherspoons on County road or some of the pubs in the city center....the big house (the vines) is a good pre bus ale. Get the 19 out to Goodison a good 3 hours before the game and hit a few pubs on the County Road and around Walton. Typically I'd hit The Brick and the Oak and then a final in the Winslow (now the Peoples Pub, only open matchdays) opposite the main stand on Goodison Road. There's also the Spellow but not sure if it's still open. You'll hook up with other fans who'll drag you to an ale house or two pre game. Don't bother having a drink in the ground....tepid Chang....but if you've never been to the Old Lady, it's great to get in a good half hour before kick off and soak the place up. I've never done a ground tour but they're not done on matchdays, nor the day prior from my recollection. I've stayed in a few places in the center, the last being BaseToStay which I thought was good value.
In any case, have a jolly over there and if you ever want to grab a beer in PDX, let me know (out of town til November).

Gonna back what the fellas have said but make sure to stay in The Malmaison Hotel Liverpool, boss hotel, boss location, right down by the river, youÂ’ll love it! The Baltic Fleet, White Star, Philarmonic, boozers are musts. As the lads says, County Rd is the place to go on match day, Oak and Brick are just terrific for the atmosphere. DonÂ’t eat any food in the ground. But you have to go to the Goodison chippy - fish and chips. Go to Liverppol 1/Everton 2 in the city centre. Just enjoy the city and the match. Best city on earth. Best fans on earth. I moved to Chicago from England 14 years and not a day goes by when I donÂ’t think of my home city Liverpool. Will be there September for 2 games and then I have 2 months in London next Feb/March and piles of games!

Enjoy Jeff. Make sure to get tickets month ahead, especially for the spuds game, and stay in the Malmaison, youÂ’ll love t!

Sorry, meant to say hope you and Shannon have a great time!

Hi Jeff
Go to the church attached to the ground St Lukes upstairs there is an exhibition of Everton memorabilia Efc books and programmes for sale before every home game, its run by supporters who will answer any questions you might have about the clubs history.
Then just across the road is the Winslow pub right opposite the ground in Goodison Road, Dixie Dean, Brian Labone and many other Everton legends have drunk there. Ex Everton players have been landlords so you are in a good place.
After a pint or two make your way to the Fan Zone at the Park End of the ground less than 100 yards from the Winslow.
Just around the corner from that is the Official Club shop, and then there is the Dixie Dean Statue and all the dedicated bricks on the Wall.
When you have done all that walk back down Goodison Road and opposite the Church is the best chip shop in the World the Goodison Supper Bar, fish and chips are recommended so are the potato scollops.
Inside the ground don't worry about it looking empty because at Goodison its always a last minute thing. Five minutes before the kick off it fills up. Then when the team run out and Z cars plays, that is the time to look at your partner and say "Hey We Are Now Official Evertonians".
Have a great trip.

Jeff, I can recommend the Thomas Cook package at the Hotel Indigo, you get a decent enough Hotel in the City Centre, more pubs and bars than you can shake a stick at. A decent Ticket, pick up at ticket office on match day. Handy for train / bus combo to ground for a couple of pound per person. Taxis may be plentiful going in but with 40K coming out all at once a bit scarce

Plus, the Icing on the cake, a pretty much all you can eat - guaranteed kill or cure hangover remedy- Full English Breakfast. YouÂ’re going to have to stay somewhere so, with the ticket thrown in itÂ’s a winner. There might be a slight premium built in but it takes out all the ticket hassles...With it being the last game it will be on Sunday, though they may move it to 5.00pm like they did last season

I also recommend the ground tour on Fridays prior to match day 11am and 1.00pm 10 pound each, book early.

The Indigo is a really nice option, Derek is right, but the Lpool Maimaisson around the same price - perhaps a little more depending on what you want - is more spectacular and in a much better position.

Indigo prides itself on being contemporary for a middling budget, fine, but not really that interesting. But either, Jeff, is a real nice option.

Hi Jeff, I'd pretty much echo a lot of what has been said above.
My regular pre-match pub is the Chepstow Castle on County Road, a buzzing atmosphere full of Blues, but don't expect any comfort or pleasing decor!
I'd agree that you miss nothing by not eating inside the stadium, there are plenty of altenatives on the streets outside.
I'd recommend. for a first time visit, getting to the ground 45 minutes or so before kick off, to get a bit of the build up - players warming up; the team line ups; Everton goals from down the years on the big screens. As kick-off approaches, you'll be amazed how a seemingly half-emplty stadium can fill up in about 5 minutes.

I love to have a bovril at the game. I guess less so in May though, it's a Jan/Feb drink!

Fish,chips and curry in the Goodison Supper Bar. It's the equivalent of being knighted by the Queen for the first-time match-goer.
All other food pales into insignificance, as the lads have mentioned, most pubs on or around County Road will be full of blues, especially if we are challenging for a CL place that late in the season.

Don't expect to much in the way of facilities as the ground and surrounding ares are quite run-down but, by God, it will stay for you for the rest of your life.

Enjoy and be careful of our real ale, it's not the ice cold chemical piss most beers are in the States.

Jeff, just to get an idea of just how superb the interiors of The Vines or The Philharmonic pubs are, if you Google them and look at the "images" pages you can see them in all their glory. And at the opposite ends of Hope St, where the Phil is, are the two Cathedrals. In the Anglican Cathedral you can visit the roof top and enjoy the view right across Liverpool, the river, the Welsh hills etc. Well worth a trip. In fact, The Hope Street Hotel is quite tasty and handy for the places I've mentioned.

Dave....the ale in Portland is second to none. 52 breweries in the city limits, most producing amazing beer including some of the finest IPAs around. Well ahead of the curve and shite ale doesn't last with the degree of competition. Gone are the days of the Bud/Miller/Coors only fare. PBR remains popular and well cheap......hipsters and old timers. When back in Ireland and the UK I actually miss the piss here!
Pack some Fort George or Pfriem with you I'd say Jeff; you could trade that gold or a couple of tickets.

I know it's not possible in May but the best time to go to Goodison is for a night game.

The Old Lady under the floodlights in a big game is the Ultimate in terms of atmosphere.

Hope you both have a great trip. And we win , obviously.