Season › 2024-25 › News David Moyes wants to usher in a successful transition to new stadium Anjishnu Roy 03/06/2025 35comments | Jump to last David Moyes is excited about Everton’s “new era” as the club prepares to move into the Hill Dickinson Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock after bidding goodbye to Goodison Park this season. The Scottish manager wants to usher in a successful transition to the new ground. Built on the banks of the river Mersey, the state-of-the-art stadium has a capacity of 52,888 and is expected to elevate Everton’s status as a club and help the club’s commercial ambitions. The Blues have played their home games at Goodison Park for 133 years and bidding goodbye to the ground in the penultimate league game against Southampton was a nostalgic and emotional experience. “It’s a huge boost for the football club, and I think we’re all excited about the thought of the new stadium. I think everybody here has been waiting for a long time for the move from Goodison,” said Moyes. “I think we’ll be sad – sad that we’re moving on from Goodison, but I’m sure we’ll always think back to the great days and what it was like here. But to move forward into a new era, I think it’s what we need, and we’re all looking forward to that step.” While the idea of physically moving into a new stadium sounds exciting, Moyes is aware that the club will be losing a lot of prestige and history that was previously associated with Goodison. He is keen on ensuring that Everton fans continue to bring the same kind of intensity, passion and atmosphere to the Hill Dickinson Stadium. “We’ve built an iconic stadium on the waterfront and I think, from a build perspective, it looks as if we’ve done everything we can to try to make it work for the players and the club. “I don’t think it’s an easy thing – moving stadium – but I hope we can take the Goodison noise and all of the things we love about it into the new place. I think the new stadium is similar to Goodison in that the supporters will still be close to the pitch but it will be really important now for the supporters to feel at home quickly – and, of course, the big thing is giving everybody a team they can shout about.” Moyes’s return to the club proved to be season-defining. Everton were struggling in the final months of Sean Dyche’s tenure and lingering dangerously close to the relegation zone. The Scottish manager not only steered the club to safety but did it comfortably and helped the Blues to their highest points total since Carlo Ancelotti’s time at Merseyside. Everton beat Southampton 2-0 in their emotional sendoff to Goodison Park last month with Iliman Ndiaye writing his name in history after scoring a brace. Reader Comments (35) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer () Mal van Schaick 1 Posted 03/06/2025 at 20:37:50 The dawn of a new era beckons and It's brilliant to have a new stadium, new owners and looking to build a squad that is befitting of the owners, manager, staff and fans expectations.Thanks to all who have made this possible and good luck to all in making more history and success to Everton FC. Jakob Herd 2 Posted 03/06/2025 at 20:54:58 It's become hard to read this regurgitated tosh, it's like you're writing for people who don't follow the club and have no idea that, for the past 4 years, Everton have been building a stadium. ToffeeWeb is slipping into the same standards as the Echo with clickbait articles full of copy and paste comments. Change your style or you'll see your investment die from the corporate malaise that usually accompanies these types of takeovers. Peter Moore 3 Posted 03/06/2025 at 23:26:53 That's very blunt, Jakob. And spot on. Well said. I thought the article must have some current fresh news in it. Alas, no. Nicolas Piñon 4 Posted 04/06/2025 at 00:07:54 Much off topic but is there any evertonian here living in Los Angeles who knows if the Everton shirt is sold over there or nearby?I'm travelling in a couple of weeks to Santa Mónica. Rick Cole 5 Posted 04/06/2025 at 00:29:57 Job, I completely agree. While I'm at it can anyone tell me what the old ToffeeWeb podcast is now called please? Steve Dawson 6 Posted 04/06/2025 at 00:35:18 Podcast is Evertonia, Rick. Steve Dawson 7 Posted 04/06/2025 at 00:37:39 But I think "Talking the Blues" is better: latest is Link Paul Hughes 8 Posted 04/06/2025 at 08:28:25 Does anyone know if there is any truth in the rumours flying around - that the opening will be delayed for a couple of weeks, and we've asked for the first 3 or 4 games to be away? Mike Hayes 9 Posted 04/06/2025 at 08:32:17 Not heard that one Paul but someone on here said about it not being ready until September 🤷 the Everton curse strikes again 🥳 Steve Dowdeswell 10 Posted 04/06/2025 at 08:47:55 With the amount of work still being done on the exterior of the stadium, scaffolding and seating being covered I have concerns that we will be playing at Goodison Park until Christmas.There seems to be an awful lot to do but very little progress being made on the outside so can only imagine what is still left to do on the inside. John Chambers 11 Posted 04/06/2025 at 09:05:42 Paul, Steve, it has been mentioned on another thread but is only a rumour.Personally I doubt it but I guess well find out in a couple of weeks when the fixtures are out Danny O'Neill 12 Posted 04/06/2025 at 09:15:30 I know situations change, but I would be amazed if the club hadn't announced it already.They've just put on the End of an Era display at the last male's match at Goodison, have announced it will be the home of the female team and have been selling season tickets for the new Everton Stadium.I've no idea where these rumours have generated from. I've not seen or heard anything, either online or from family back home.I'm confident we will play our 3rd test event and start the season at our new home. Matt Traynor 13 Posted 04/06/2025 at 09:23:09 I don't see how they could play the first couple of games at Goodison when all the ticketing has been issued for the HD Everton Stadium. We've added around 10k general admission seats have we not?On GOT the rumours were that the hospitality areas are behind.Fixtures are released on 0900 on 18th June. Guess we'll know then. Rob Halligan 14 Posted 04/06/2025 at 09:25:00 Weve sold an extra ten thousand or so season tickets, some have splashed out thousands on corporate seating, seats have been removed from Goodison and yet Steve # 10 has concerns that we will still be playing at Goodison until Christmas. Steve, up until Christmas a club can play upto ten home games, so it will cost the club millions in re-imbursing those new season ticket holders, those in the new corporate sections, as well as installing new seating, unless of course, we all sit on concrete or wooden flooring! Matt, whatever happens, the mens team will not be playing at Goodison ever again. Dave Abrahams 15 Posted 04/06/2025 at 09:26:05 I was working on a job, a new building that the owners were insisting that it must be ready by a certain date so the builders brought in an old idea to make sure the job was finished in time——overtime and plenty of it! Danny O'Neill 16 Posted 04/06/2025 at 09:41:15 And yes, there are few cosmetics to be worked on, but it's like decorating your house.We've done it with Goodison pre-season over the years, when we introduced the blue wall around the stadium to dress the old girl up and make her easier on the eye.Let's not go there for people with wandering minds!!! They're all beautiful.I didn't see covered up seats at the 2nd test event. It all looked good to go for me. And it was.I see the in the Government's planned £15bn investment in transport infrastructure, the Liverpool City Region will get £1.6bn to improve and make faster links to Speke Airport and the Everton Stadium according to the statement. The only negative is that they included Anfield in that.Over to the council now they are to get the funding and invest in the north docks and the city's premier football and sporting venue.We've only got two grounds. Brian Williams 17 Posted 04/06/2025 at 09:49:20 The club HAS requested the first THREE games to be played away.No word, as yet, whether that request has been granted.The men's team WON'T be playing at Goodison. Joe McMahon 18 Posted 04/06/2025 at 10:19:01 Brain, add to that the first (pain in the arse) international break. First game at BMD could be end of September/early October. Danny O'Neill 19 Posted 04/06/2025 at 10:26:39 Brian, there is a worrying thought.Old Trafford, the Etihad? Or god forbid Anfield. Although there might be a sense of satisfaction seeing it full of Evertonians and blue smoke.Until the club announces it, we won't know.I don't, but having already played two matches there, with a third likely, I don't see how we wouldn't start the season there.We'll have to wait and see. Brian Harrison 20 Posted 04/06/2025 at 10:42:23 Brian17If these rumours are true then serious questions would have to be asked. How could you possibly have had 2 test events with a 3rd scheduled and with a couple of months to go suggest that BMD might not be ready for the start of the season. But this is Everton, who got a special licence for the last game at Goodison to allow fans to take a beer into the ground after the game, only to find in my stand Upper Bullens they had sold out of beer at half time. Ian Wilkins 21 Posted 04/06/2025 at 10:46:48 There are a few rumours about requests to play first few games away before starting at BMD. Presumably due to need to secure a Safety Certificate, requiring a game at full capacity ( the awaited 3rd trial- note no date set), plus resolving issues that have emerged from first two test events ( not least managing safe access and exit). It is clear from number of trades still on site that work is still ongoing on fit out ( hospitality presumably). In the absence of any communication from the club we are left to speculate again. June fixture list will give us the answer. Agree Brian, that beer thing was a fiasco. Derek Knox 22 Posted 04/06/2025 at 11:05:11 Maybe Moyes is super-confident that based on the last season just ended, we have pulled off some surprise away wins !Does seem strange, that any such request would be made. I was at the Test Events and although numbers were limited for safety reasons etc, there didn't seem to be any other reasons why all seats couldn't be occupied. My observation was no clocks in the ground, and some of the toilets lacking paper towels/bins and or hand dryers, but hardly reasons to request postponements. Hospitality arrangements have been mentioned, but surely that only affects a few, not thousands, and seemingly little or no reason to prevent the 'home fixtures' to go ahead ! Andy Duff 23 Posted 04/06/2025 at 11:54:41 Danny the so called investment in transport is really a glorified bendy bus from town to the stadium. The new line serves Warrington no Menston of improving the frequency of trains on the existing Northern Rail line via Huyton. The 3 new stations are nowhere near or ground, Rotherham is hiding behind the pens like herding animals that will be used at Sandhills. Complete joke not worth reading. Danny O'Neill 24 Posted 04/06/2025 at 12:02:29 Brian @20 (just so I don't confuse the Brians),Yes, the only sign of potential trouble at the Southampton match I witnessed was when the bars ran dry on the Park End only had on 24 x crate of fruit flavoured cider!!!The travel arrangements for the new stadium should have been given more foresight.But if Goodison, with it's wooden seats and packed amongst rammed narrow terraced streets get's it's safety certificate, I would be very surprised if the Everton Stadium didn't.Andy, I've stood on bendy buses in Germany, just avoid the bendy bit in the middle as it affects your balance!!If the council and City Region Mayor don't use that to serve the 4th Grace that is going to be an international sporting venue in the north west of England, we need change. It's already been mentioned on national media. They can't hide and Everton should be all over them. Kevin Molloy 25 Posted 04/06/2025 at 12:43:25 first three games away in reality means we want to play the first game away, then swap the home game for an away game, so it's really only one game that's out of sequence. Jim Bennings 26 Posted 04/06/2025 at 13:08:36 Could it be a method in our madness if something is not right with BMD by August that we will begin at Goodison.It would be not shock me at all because we haven't yet had a full 53,000 fans in the new stadium, we have zero idea yet how it's all going to develop Kevin Molloy 27 Posted 04/06/2025 at 13:12:15 you do wonder how they are going to get the two teams into the stadium, with there being one road in and out. It's going to be bumper to bumper 2 hrs before kick off. Colin Glassar 28 Posted 04/06/2025 at 13:17:25 Kevin 27, its going to be chocca on match day, 52000+ trying to get in and out at the same time. Ive thought the same and hope the authorities have as well. Neil Copeland 29 Posted 04/06/2025 at 13:37:00 Kevin and Colin, jet skis! We may even lose the odd one en route. Colin Glassar 30 Posted 04/06/2025 at 13:59:58 Or a mini Dunkirk with a small boat flotilla, Neil. Next stop, Albert Docks Danny O'Neill 31 Posted 04/06/2025 at 14:03:51 Yes Kevin,But trying to get out of Goodison on County Road or Walton Lane is also a nightmare. Likewise, the tributes to Queens Drive, even if you try negotiating your way down Utting Avenue or Townsend Lane.I usually, or as I should now say, used to walk a mile or two to get away from the traffic and catch a bus or taxi.There will always be congestion around football grounds. It's the same in London at Wembley, Stamford Bridge and West Ham amongst others. And Brighton's stadium is a nightmare, waiting to get on the platform in the people traffic controlled queue if you travel by train. West Ham is the same with the stop and go signs as you head back to Stratford station. Wembley the same as you approach Wembley Park Metropolitan Line station.It seems the biggest oversights have been reliance on Sandhills Station, which is ill equipped. And they should have built a Liverpool South Parkway style station near the dock. Maybe they will now belatedly consider that. It has 6 platforms in both directions.And they should have made more provision for parking for those who choose to drive to the match. You wouldn't be able to park close to the ground, you can't really at Goodison and usually have to choose somewhere like the Taxi Club and make a 15 minute walk.Top tip is the Sainsbury's between Scotland Road and Great Howard Street, but I assume they will either start charging increased fees or stop football traffic using it. The Tai Pan restaurant near the stadium was asking people if they were attending the 2nd test event, asking them to show their ticket and turning them away from parking on the retail park.Stanley Park isn't a million miles away, but I appreciate not everyone can make the walk.I rarely drive to the match. The closest I come is parking at South Parkway and getting a train to Lime Street and taxi. I'm sure the taxi drivers will figure out the best drop off spots. The Pier Head is only 15-20 minutes away by foot as is Moorfields, depending on your pace.We'll figure it out. There is always a way. Ernie Baywood 32 Posted 04/06/2025 at 14:18:12 If there's truth in the above then it's a shame. There's a bit of an improved feeling around the club and a good start could be vital.Yes, you still play every team home and away over the season, but we know that momentum makes a difference. It's been periods of positive momentum that have kept us in the league over the last few years. Likewise negative momentum has eroded any positivity. Alan J Thompson 33 Posted 04/06/2025 at 14:32:11 Has anyone heard any word on any subject from our new CEO?I'd have thought he or Mr Chong would be saying something on progress and access to HDS@BMD by at least the end of this month. Steve Dowdeswell 34 Posted 04/06/2025 at 14:47:24 Rob @#14 You only need to look at the amount of scaffolding on the exterior of the stadium and the number of seats covered to allow painting (as has been mentioned by various drone video makers) to realise that there is still an awful lot of work to be done. It appears from the drone footage that the external framework is being sandblasted and then repainted. No expert but it has been going on for weeks and there is a LOT of framework to sort out if that is the case.Don't get me wrong I would love to see the first match of the season kick of in the new ground but just a that nagging feeling it might not happen for a good few weeks. Danny O'Neill 35 Posted 05/06/2025 at 05:20:23 Tottenham delayed their first few matches at their new stadium, switching to Wembley. That was due safety concerns over electrical wiring.I think we are good with the safety certificate, so I don't see why we can't start the season there. I'll wait until the club says otherwise. All I have is an email informing me of my season ticket for the dock.We built a new stand at Goodison during an ongoing season and continuously addressed the cosmetics around the exterior and interior during close season that involved scaffolding and paintwork over the years.Liverpool have been building loft extensions for years and the Centenary Stand (formerly Kemlyn Road). It didn't stop them playing at Anfield. The redevelopment of Old Trafford didn't stop Manchester United playing at Old Trafford whilst it was ongoing. I don't think that can be a reason for not kicking off at the Everton Stadium. The club has probably sold more season tickets and corporate than Goodison could hold.Incidentally, where have these rumours come from? I haven't heard or seen them. Add Your Comments In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site. » Log in now Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site. How to get rid of these ads and support TW © ToffeeWeb