How will we even get there?

I have heard it said that, although Liverpool were down in the doldrums when Bill Shankly took over, they had a very passionate fanbase that were absolutely desperate for success, and this is how I view Everton Football Club right now.

Not many football clubs would still be playing Premier League football after the shite they have had to endure over the last few seasons. Villa are flying now, but I knew they were going down in September, after watching Everton destroy them in during the final season of David Moyes.

Although it's been horrible, and a lot of us must have been mentally preparing ourselves for Championship football, the fact is, the great Evertonians continued to rally-round, so whoever purchases Everton is buying so much more than just a football club, imo.

Everton FC are an English institution, so don't let anyone tell you otherwise!

I liked your post better than Scott's, but I think many outsiders – not Evertonians – will view his as the more accurate.

Our football club has been hit by enough storms to have broken half a dozen clubs. We have been run by people who would have sunk any other club in world football. We've lost everything we held dear – nearly.

I'm not even sure if we will own the stadium by the time we move into it. What I am sure of is that you and hundreds of thousands like you will stand resolute. The club remains an institution because of you.

Whoever decided to play "We Shall Not Be Moved" before Everton games all those years ago must have been able to read the minds of people who hadn't even been born yet.

Until good management can restore the fortunes of this club, we (the fans) are all that's left of Everton.

JLATTSBTWS

I think your view and analogy is very sound. It is a case of 'when' not 'if'.

I have no doubt that the passionate and knowledgeable fans Everton has the benefit of attracting will show how it is done as and when there is a trophy parade again.

This fan base has stubbornly refused to stand down or be moved. Despite the trauma of the past few seasons, we wouldn't give in, and that must have resonated onto the pitch.

We are about to go again. Let's give Goodison a blue smoked send off before we head to the Grand New Lady.

Always the optimist, who says we can't make Europe? It wasn't long ago Villa were in the Championship. I think we've got the right manager for where are now and just need the ownership sorting out. We're too big an opportunity.

My analogy was more aimed at the club’s financials, and the general murkiness that is bound to afflict a club that has been owned by Usmanov and his bag man.

I suspect that the withdrawal of The Friedkin group was the accounting equivalent of getting underneath a 2013 Mercedes E-Class and finding rot that wasn’t apparent on the surface.

We might need to change hands twice before we can go from where we are now to being a proper ‘shiny’ club.

When you are fucked, you usually have two options: roll up your sleeves, or put your hood up and then curl up in a ball. So, if Richard Masters and his merry men are getting ready to give Everton another points deduction, it wouldn't surprise me if some clever Evertonians file a lawsuit against the Premier League for approving people who are not fit enough to run our football club, even though they passed the fit and proper ownership test!

Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail.

Aaaagh! Confucius, he talk too much!!! Back to the drawing board!

Prospective owners learn from that and will take pleasure in screwing Moshiri to the wide, deservedly.

Whether or not in today's world of effective UK government support of mega-wealthy global cabals screwing the UK population without constraint prevails is a mystery.

Steve Rotheram, 62, is a Labour politician who is now the mayor of "regional Liverpool" (not the city of Liverpool) and admits to always having been a 100% Koppite, yet he has always repeatedly gone for years on public record as supporting the new stadium project and thereby our club.

Now, hopefully, with a new Labour government on record of having said they want to pay more than the mere lip-service the Tories gave to, ahem, levelling-up, we and the city of Liverpool can (very) shortly look forward to UK government backing in terms of transforming the north Liverpool waterfront at least, with BMD as its catalyst.

If not we're truly bolloxed – far far more seriously than Moshiri in his worst nightmares can imagine.

........ inadvertently unexpectedly falling to his death from a penthouse balcony in Monaco apart of course!

I can't remember where, but I definitely read it.

As you say with the new Everton Stadium at the centre of it.

Now for those transport links.

Or a fall from his yacht, like Murdoch.

I think you'll find it was Robert Maxwell who fell to his death from his yacht.

Rupert Murdoch is still very much alive (93).

Danny, if you look on Google at RE-Invest or just enter “North Liverpool Regeneration” there's quite a bit of information on what proposals are in place for North Liverpool.

Planning consent has already been given for certain projects. Quite interesting. The owner of The Bramley Moore pub must be in dreamland!

I said that about the Bramley Moore pub the first time we went there. They are sat on a gold mine.

I always get them mixed up!!

It should be called… answers please, TWebbers.

£100 Million, is the estimated cost, and is supposedly one of four new stations that Steve Rotherham has pledged to build.

You're talking about the former St James Station which closed in 1917 and will be reincarnated as Liverpool Baltic at, as you say, the staggering cost of £100M!

In 2018, Maghull North cost ~£13M with a car park the size of Goodison. Baltic lies in a deep cutting and will be difficult to construct but the cost is immense.

As for a new station to serve the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, this has scarcely had a mention since the days of Joe Anderson. We'll have to make do with a bit of access improvement at Sandhills.

It's just a shame we are not still in Europe because I'm sure the club and the city might have been helped with a big grant, but something has got to be done which will probably combine with them also building a new station for Liverpool FC, which will probably be built on the ground that was next to the old Clarence public house.

I went to a viewing 6 months ago, 95% of the building remains a wreck. It will take a development company with very large pockets to even contemplate converting it into anything like a viable concern.

Whilst we have a couple of chippies outside the ground and Danny can't get a pint at half-time from the bar. I really dislike Sodexo.

I am really hoping that we have put some thought into that area of the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock. The card transaction numbers they hinted at (note, no values given) were huge. So it would be good to be able to walk up to the counter and get served in a reasonable manner.

There are also three sets of flats getting built opposite the Titanic Hotel as this area starts slowly coming back to life.

In railway parlance, it is 'Up' to London and 'Down' to the rest of the country; nothing will ever give as much to the UK as is enjoyed by London.

Touchside at Bramley-Moore Dock

They are trialling them in Perth, Western Australia

Perth ART Trial

Trackless Trams Business Case

I can't believe this will happen when the Hunts Cross to Southport line already covers these 4 (?) stops.

Surely just putting on extra match day trains would suffice.

Hope you are well mate.

The distance between James Street and Sandhills is a fair hike. Believe me, I had to get my skates on from the Bramley Moore to get to Lime Street just in time.

I used the Hunts Cross station to get to Kirkdale frequently. But as far as I know, there are no stations near the new Everton stadium.

Instead of battling through the Fiveways traffic and driving along Queens Drive before parking on Cherry Lane, I will instead be going on the train from St Michaels to Sandhills. It is then just 4 stops (approx 10 minutes) which I think are Brunswick, Central, Moorfields then Sandhills.

The walk from Sandhills is also only about 10 minutes. Unless of course you stop for some refreshment at one of the many, many locals that are popping up around there.

So many people are going to be changing habits and routines they have done for years. We have to embrace it I know, but that doesn't make it any less strange.

So many pubs in L4 have already gone and once we move I fear the smaller shops will go the same way.

I hope Barnes Travel survives. So many aways arranged by them for me and my mates in our younger years. A real local legend in the football landscape of Merseyside. Right up there with Jack Sharp's.

Ahhh, the dog crud waltz, I know it well. 😂

Where is this extra Rolling Stock going to come from. where will it be held?

How will it fit in between existing services - especially at peak evening times.

How will the empty trains be recirculated to pick up the next lot of passengers

Where will it be 'parked' while the game is on? Where will it go when the game is finished?

Where will the extra staff come from to run them? And, last but not least.

Who will pay for both staff and trains?

It's sometimes sad but it's also very true that life moves on and this is why I think it's imperative that Everton start laying down some new foundations and create a new area that stretches from Bramley-Moore Dock all the way into town, taking in the whole north side of the city centre.

With regards to the takeover, and after hearing news that the club, might have just become unsellable, when are those people at the Premier League going to step in?

They were quick enough to tell everyone that they didn't want to punish the fans when six clubs tried to break away, so surely they can't punish Everton again, when the only thing that is apparent is that no Everton fans want Moshiri at our club because he has shown he his not capable of running the club in a fit and proper way – even though he somehow passed the league's fit and proper person test.

These types of tram could get to the very edge of town (by the side of the Crowne Plaza Hotel) around 600-800 metres away from the two Moorefields stations, and a similar distance to James Street Station.

And they could go the other way, stopping around 400 metres short of Sandhills, opposite the current Audi car showrooms.

I currently get the train from Huyton to Lime Street and then the football bus from Commutation Row. If I can hang on for the new stadium, I'll probably do the same, rather than walking to and from Sandhills. I think for all of us, it will be a case of suck it and see which method suits us best.

It is an easy 15-minute walk to Sandhills (I've done it and I'm in my 70s). There'll be shuttle buses to Bootle and the city centre and probably Sandhills, too.

Sandhills has 24 trains an hour Monday to Saturday and about 18 in the evening and on a Sunday. 12 to Liverpool and 4 each to Kirkby, Ormskirk and Southport. Also, Merseyrail are now trialling 8-car 777s on the Southport line.

Talking of which, you never see much about how people are actually going to get to this new stadium of ours if we are still running by then!

Travelled from Australia season before last to see us surrender to an average Fulham side. Of course there should be suitable arrangements in place for travel to the stadium, and your comments are justified.

It's just that you may not realise the privilege you have to be able to get to the games by whatever means. Taxi, bus, walk, at least you can attend the games in person and not rely on a trip of a lifetime just to see your beloved team play in one game.

A new station and / or a tram system makes sense.

Or walking shoes and trainers!

Either way, we'll get there.

Personally I have a feeling that momentum will gather, there will be a lot of interest in terms of travel.

I wouldn't be surprised if we have water taxis on the canal from Albert Dock with stops at the Pier Head, Crowne Plaza, Malmaison… maybe even the new Isle of Man Steam Packet terminal.

In terms of extra rolling stock for trains? Bank Hall and the Kirkdale depot are only minutes away.

It's Sandhills, Bootle Strand, Lime Street and a fleet of soccer buses!

It's the road system that needs to be vastly improved.

People could park and cruise from the Wirral, which would lessen the amount of traffic around the area on match days.

A few shuttle bus loops from, say, Bankhall station, County Road, and Moorfields should work as long as the traffic flow around the Pier Head doesn’t get blocked.

I know Goodison has a great walk-up contingent but not sure BMD would work the same. No doubt plenty would walk from Sandhills but not sure there wouldn’t be carnage if everyone assessed it as their best option.

Faced with no foreseeable parking nearby, could the club consider a bus shuttle service from the city centre or, as my mate suggested, from (say) the existing Stanley Park car park?

The club needs to put proposed arrangements into the public domain fairly soon.

Useless thread!

Things are becoming a bit fucking pathetic.

I've taken up parachute lessons and I will be hiring a plane on match days and dropping in (gently) in close proximity to the stadium as long as the mythical wind which is gonna blow the stadium down anyway isn't blowing at the time.

Ridiculous?

You started it.

I wonder why we don't see more articles like this?

Join me on my pedalo!

The gang plank is fixed in place. Just finishing the Klopp effigy and how to get it walking that plank.

I'll probably do the same going to the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.

No, I'd walk over hot coals to watch Everton but, bearing in mind that the average age of a Premier League fan is in the late forties and many of us Blues are a lot, lot older than that, we need to be told what transport arrangements will be put in place.

Brian, your comments are actually quite insulting. My mates are all in their late sixties and seventies. We don't need to be picked up for the match but not everyone lives in the city and has access to local buses or trains. Is there even a bus that goes near the stadium?

Have you ever been to Brighton's ground to see what I'm driving at? Believe me, I don't expect to be mollycoddled.

The young-uns can skip along the dock road from town to go the match and the queues will be shorter at the bogs. We might also be able to save a bob or two on St Johns Ambulance staff.

There would be fewer complaints about awful rave, trance, and house music and we wouldn't have to put up with the wrinklies shouting "What? Speak up! I can't hear you." when another one of them bangs on about some 1940s right winger whose name he can't remember.

Peter 37 and Dermot 51, total respect to you chaps. Amazing fans like both of you sum up our Evertonian spirit.

Derek 33, I actually don't think any extra train services will be needed. Not on the Hunts Cross line anyway. It will probably just be the case that existing trains will be fuller, similar to when a concert is on at the Kings Dock.

I think an extra station, new trams and a monorail probably won't happen either but no matter what, those of us fortunate to be making the move to BMD will find a routine that works.

Just for clarity, I'm not moaning. I consider myself lucky to be a STH, especially when you hear some of the shenanigans of those currently on the waiting list!

If the towers of Wembley were scaled to get in during the Golden Age of the early and mid 1980s, getting to the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock will become routine and part of the ritual.

There's heaps of character along the way from the City or the Bootle side. Inspiration and hope to get to our new home ground.

Personally, I don't see any new station going up. But opportunities for new business and over time maybe Rikshaw lanes to take Evertonians from the pubs in a 1-mile radius to the ground.

Who knows what will happen, but Evertonians have been to hell and back for the best part of 30 years and this has galvanised a resolve forged and tempered in Hell but made in Blue Heaven.

Onwards to the promised ground and to a very exciting but what will be an emotional farewell season at the Old Lady.

Great memories, games, family and friends past and present, which can take us to the Mount Olympus, equivalent in terms of the best British Stadium by miles...

No ground has a vista like the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock. Loads, to look forward to, and every days a good day.

Danny, I hope you and your family are well, and looking back and moving forward with the best memories and hope.

All have a great weekend and let's see how Everton play at Salford today.

Oi!

You can go off people y'know!

Brian, your comments are actually quite insulting.

Ray, they're not insulting. You FIND them insulting. There's a huge difference.

And just for clarity. I'm in the same age group as your mates and I've had rheumatoid arthritis since I was forty, have to stop for a piss every fifteen minutes coz some fucker stole my prostate (well I did actually give him permission) but instead of bleating on about how hard things are or are going to be I get on with it, AND surprise surprise enjoy the fact that I'm here to do it!

While I don't apologize for you finding my comments insulting, as that's your choice, I'll say I didn't mean to insult you or your mates.

Have a listen to Oleta Adams singing "Get Here" and imagine it's BMD singing it to you.

UTFT!

PS. This post isn't meant to be a challenge!

Everything from the 1950s “Singing The Blues” to the ‘dirge' (your word!) about candles.

Okay, I haven't got a clue where the candles are about but, if it gets the crowd going, who cares? It's like the new kit every year, you can't please everyone!

I've wondered about the candles and the only thing I can come up with is that the song originated during wartime.

But people tell me differently, I would love to know!

Mark, I know how much you don't like "Marching". I a big fan. If we going shed one, I don't like "If you know your history". It's not unique to Everton, with Tottenham and Celtic using it.

That aside, it just grates me.

Like all music, I suppose we all have our tastes.

Mark, drop me a message when you're next up or down for a match.

I was told the candles were a reference to the Blackouts during WW2. People would light candles during Blackouts when lights were turned off.

Like you, I don't get how or why they should appear in a football song? Mind you, the song is from 1966 I think, when fans went to the FA Cup Final and many of those fans would have experienced the war years and the blackouts, and would have still been fresh in their memories.

To make clear things about the new stadium, I’m overjoyed about it, am NOT complaining about its location and am prepared to walk miles in any weather to get there to watch the Blues.

I was trying (and obviously failing) to point out that the club needs to announce something about potential transport facilities for the new ground. It’s nothing to do with how heroic some people are flying over from far off places to see the match, more about the rank and file fans who walk, drive, get dropped off etc. We, like all football clubs, have an ageing fan base who park nearby to Goodison, get buses there, walk in, get dropped off etc. None of that will be as easy at Bramley Moore in the short term due to its location. Forget an extra railway station, monorail, landing jetty etc - they may well come in the future.

It’s surely not too much to ask the club to outline its plans for helping fans get to the stadium. If you’ve ever been to the Amex Stadium in Brighton, you’ll understand what I mean. A fleet of buses from three car free parking locations. Without some form of arrangements in place, the traffic will be chaotic.

Whatever, I’ll be there.

Me and my wife went to what turned out to be a rave about 18 months ago in a warehouse not far from the new stadium. We are both in our 80s and, as we were walking up three flights of stairs to get to where everything was being staged, a young fella in his 30s said to us “Are you in the right place? This a rave you know!” This was around 8:00 pm, my wife “Yes we are okay mate we know what it's about.”

Around 2:30 am, I was walking back up those stairs after being to the toilet, the same fella, who asked us did we know it was a rave was coming down the stairs holding on to the rails and taking his time — being fair, he'd a few. Me and my wife got a taxi home around 4:30 am with another couple in their seventies.

I even got up at 8:00 am to go to mass before I realised I was in no condition to listen to the mass and told myself to get back in bed, you stupid auld so and so.

Where there's a will, then there's a way, as Brian Williams has pointed out so eloquently — in his Birkenhead way. By the way Brian, “Will that parachute take two”?

Hey no apology necessary, mate, honestly. If we'd met, you'd understand my sometimes warped sense of humour which I know full well isn't to everyone's taste (shut it ,Mr Abrahams) and hopefully realise I mean no harm (usually).

I'm hoping there'll be "soccer buses" from the city centre, which would be great for me and a lot of others.

And if you do struggle, mate, I'll carry you because you're my brother and I'll just say "He ain't heavy." [I'm trying to start a musical themed thread!]

It will take two but, if you carry on, you'll be getting "released" over the water!

Although it will be a free service, Brent will be grateful for any charitable donations to help maintain his pedalo. Anyone who would like to help with the pedalling is guaranteed a free season ticket at BMD, courtesy of Brent!

Jeez Rob why'd you go and say that!

Don't you know Dave's nickname is Uncle Albert!

I have wondered whether I'd be allowed to use a pedalo in the dock that backs on to the south stand? Just for a laugh before one match.

Pedalo with you and me in it. Both dressed as pirates. Great advert for Everton and the new stadium. Anybody got a contact who could authorise this?

Musical theme:

Did you think I would leave you crying
When there's room on my horse for two?

Showing my age.

The Echo letters section.

My sons are now supporting this new team as walking to this new ground on the other side of Stanley Park from our house in Green Lane, Tuebrook is too far and Mickey the Cart has told me it will be an extra tuppence per passenger), to go on his cart due to the distances now involved and the increasing cost of stabling, hay and carrots.

Can we have a petition to get the trams running to this ground as I'm not really comfortable with my descendants supporting this new lot in the future. I smell trouble ahead.

We were warned.

- The best stadium in the North West of England;

- A settled manager (for the first time in years) who overperforms the level of investment;

- New owners who might not go on a spending spree but should at least invest at the same sort of level of those around us;

- A squad that still needs some development but could be a window or two away from genuinely competing back in the Top 10 or Top 8 (with realistic dreams of more to come).

That's a good position.

Surely “It takes two baby, me and you, just takes two”….

Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston..great song.

And I would walk 500 miles…

😁

53,000 all leaving at the same time with only the one main route out, however, and everybody wanting the same taxi, train, bus at the same time will be very challenging.

Not a fan of “'istory” either, Danny. “We Shall Not Be Moved” and hang all the gobshites do it for me.

I'm off to Greece today for a weeks rest, then I'll check the fixture list when I get back. I don't “do” footy until September but I look forward to seeing you soon, Danny boy! Hope you're taking care of yourself. ATB

I lsed to live by the Crown in Norris Green and it took me about 20-25 minutes to Gwladys Street going across Walton Hall Park, without needing a defibrillator...

In my 70s now and I could still do it. Dunno about an all night rave mind… 🤔

I'll help you bail out when you land at BMD. All that splashing about is bound to fill the pedalo up with water.

Just make sure you have a bucket or two on board!

You can parachute down with AI and risk nothing.

£2,000,000 per nonsense.

Down the years, I have walked from 75 Everton Road, and when my Mother died in 1950, I went to live with my Grandma in Argyle Road Anfield, the latter being nearer to Goodison, a 10-minute a stroll.

In1967, I moved to Skelmersdale and traveled to the match by bus. Lately I have attended games via train from Ormskirk, and walking from Kirkdale Station. And as I've stated, "Some win and others lose".

I'm still living in the days when all the green buses tied up there. Apologies.

From Pier Head to the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock can be no more than 1½ miles, so I reckon can be no more than 20-25 minutes walk.

Me and the missus were by the cruise terminal a couple of years back, and you can see BMD in the distance, so we walked down which took about 15 minutes. I really can't see any problem with walking from the city centre to BMD, although I suppose which part of the city centre you are in?

Would anyone walk from Concert Square, near Bold street, for example? Probably not, but from the Albert Dock, or any of the other bars in that vicinity it will be a pleasant stroll, weather permitting of course.

The way some people go on, you'd think BMD was in the middle of absolutely nowhere. Ray # 64 talks about Brighton which is in the middle of nowhere. I've only ever been there by coach which drops you outside the ground, but there is nowhere to walk too for a pint.

I've done the walk from the Bramley Moore pub back into the city centre and it's not that bad. Although as we get older, we might want better transport links. I am sure they will come with the redevelopment of the docks around the new Everton Stadium.

I watched the footage of the stadium having the final cladding fitted. Wow! Just wow!! She looks stunning!!!

Mark, We Shall Not Be Moved should be our signature, alongside Spirit Of The Blues. See you soon mate.

After the match, we'd walk down Scottie Road to Dale Street, stop and look in the motorbike showrooms (Cundles?), and then down to the Pier Head where he'd buy the Football Pink before getting the Crosville bus out to Tarbock Road in Huyton.

Can kids walk that far these days?

Rob # 84, you take one step for three of mine. Walking beside you is like being a toddler again!

It's been great watching the ground grow from outside the pub, pint on table... so much for "It'll never get built, it'll be crap".

Yer can stick your loft extension...

After that, I went on the tour of the Liver building. I never timed myself but it did not seem to take too long and it was nice and flat.

And I will be 84 in October.

If you are in your 70s and still doing Quadrant Park Reunion all-nighters in the Invisible Wind Factory, however (👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼), then something tells me you may be able to shave a few minutes off that time.

I think it's all about mindset. I have friends who were overjoyed to leave ‘nightclubbing' behind them in their late 20's and others (like me) who I reckon will be ‘up for it' until the day they die.

However, I do think the to and fro at BMD for matches needs serious consideration. Goodison (and most grounds) can be approached from all points of the compass but everyone will be funnelled at BMD.

Also most journeys homewards will be uphill and people will be that bit more tired. Won't be pleasant in bad weather.

Maybe all the walking that has been going on to and from Goodison explains why so many bums stay firmly planted on the seats?

"It's fuckin freezing" is definitely gonna become a regular phrase, but a much bigger concern is that they haven't got rid of the big wall that runs alongside the only genuine exit points.

Over 50,000 people, all exiting on one side of the stadium, seems very dangerous to me, so hopefully the club are working on more exit points because otherwise it will end up being more than chaos, and might even lead to something much more catastrophic.

This is the only negative I currently have on a stadium that, from the outside, is starting to look absolutely incredible.

Tony, 50, I share your concerns because I can also see potential for serious problems. And I doubt that we'll see more exit points in the early days.

Hopefully, we can start with a few sunny Saturday afternoons, with many people being content to stay in the stadium area for a post-match drink.

It will be more difficult after night games when far more people want to get away as soon as possible, in the dark too.

I await with interest to see what plans the club has to deal with all this.

Then, once out of the stadium area, you find yourself on Regent Road, which is relatively narrow. I think that will have to be reserved for pedestrians and emergency vehicles.

I suspect buses will be lined up on Great Howard Street, which isn't far. But they may have to put supporters' coaches there too, notably the away ones, and this is the A565, one of the main roads in and out of the city.

Hopefully, having sufficient test events, building up in size, will help enormously.

Just a thought.

How a football club that's struggling for money can leave a brand new stadium empty for 9 months is crazy.

But nothing surprises me with Everton.

It would also serve as a test run, which the club will have to do, as did Tottenham. Maybe have the U21s play there if it's ready.

Back to the recent footage, I noted they've tested the roof and cladding for severe wind and rain. Guess I'm going to need to remember my coat!!

There will still be safety checks to be carried out, internal fittings to complete after that, furniture delivered, bars stocked, carpets laid in restaurants, etc, then test events.

The club reckon there will probably be about 4 test events, events where money will be taken for match tickets (can't see them being free), food and drink etc, so for me, this will probably take us to around mid February. So no doubt plenty of money generated there.

So from mid-February onwards, how many league games would we play before mid-May? League games that people have already committed to with season tickets, so no extra income there.

So I'll ask you again, how do you work out 9 months with the stadium being empty?

When will the dry-run testing be carried out in terms of a small number of people attending?

How long might they then need to snag any defects found during the dry run?

Brent, this is an appropriate title to this thread for you, “How will we even get there”!

There will be test runs. There has to be. Tottenham played a couple of U23 matches, ramping the attendance up to 20,000.

You can't just have 52,000 people descending into an untested new arena.

I don't expect to just start using it, test events need to be done. But why couldn't we be in by February?

Further subjects for consideration to bleat on about welcome.

"I don't expect to just start using it, test events need to be done. But why couldn't we be in by February?"

How do you know now what those tests will reveal? Crystal balls.

People have season tickets, that's one of the reasons why the club made the decision not to switch midway through the season.

It will get used and tested, as it has be.

But we are at Goodison this coming season, with the last game, that will be a very emotional occasion.

Re the Amex, I don't get this issue some have, including Danny, who I've travelled to the game there with, regarding accessibility. It's a train into Brighton (free for me with my match ticket as I live so close) and then crossing to another platform in the same station for a 10-minute train to the stadium itself.

If you want a beer, there are some great pubs near Brighton station or, if you're going by coach, there are food and beer outlets around the ground itself and decent beers in the concourse (although I was disappointed to see they didn't have the local Harvey's last time out!

Tbh I prefer going to the Amex to going to Spurs' shiny new ground (where all those wonderful amenities are only available to home supporters), and Chelsea, where all the local pubs are fiercely not away friendly – the worst of all the grounds for that!

On that note, I've never noticed a single one of our pubs segregating home and away fans? Does it happen?? UTFT

Brighton is a great place.

In terms of a pit stop, Doctor Duncan's round the back of St George's Hall.

The secret with Brighton is to have another beer singing 5-1 to the mighty blues while the queues disperse!
UTFT – see you in September!

Rock and roll.