Everton’s 2025-26 Premier League season begins against Leeds United

I remember playing newly promoted Leeds at Goodison. The famous Neville Southall incident, when he came out on his own and sat against the goal post. We lost 3 - 2!!

The club has requested the first three games to be played away. That was from a trusted source who hasn’t been wrong in the past 5 years.

Won't even have any new players anyway apart from Kyle Walker, Jack Harrison and Stuart Barlow.

I wonder if we're going to win the league at Spurs or whether we'll wrap it up against Sunderland in the previous home game?

Liam, I'd go as far as to say we only have 19 home games before the end of the season, so yes, potential stadium issues. Let's hope they can resolve them soon :)

despite several teams pushing them and snapping at their heels Evevrton held on. Sunderland were beaten at a nervy BMD 2-1 to eventually raptorous scenes.
David Moyes even smiled.

I can dream can't I

My cousin has already been onto me. He's going to sort tickets for Chelsea away in December at Stamford Bridge, so that's me in with the Chelsea supporters again.

But worth every penny Iain.

Squad needs sorting.

At the same time as the source was saying such, The ceo was telling the FAB there was no such club request.

I stand by what I posted Michael. I know he wouldn't lie and doesn't go in for windups.

Another one just before Villa and Liverpool. I think my phone will be busy.

Mark, Brighton should be fine, as will Brentford. My cousin will sort out Chelsea. Dust off your cunning disguise. Lyle & Scott jumper, turned up jeans and Dr Martins!!!

'A team cannot start or end the season with 2 home or away matches'

First game - Away

Last game - Away

'A club cannot play home or away twice for the fixtures which take place on or around Boxing Day and NYE'

26th Dec - Away

30th Dec Away

Obviously rules are there to be broken!

Leeds away takes me back to the start of a season in 1956 (?) when Ian Buchan had taken over managing the team, he was a rookie from Loughborough College (?), he stopped the coach a mile or two from the stadium and told them to walk to the ground— a lovely summer day didn’t feel to good at half time with the score 5-0 to Leeds it got worse when the rain came down during the second half although we did score a goal to make it 5-1——Happy bleedin’ days!

We play Sunderland on Bradley Lowery's birthday.

It was a notification from his family on their foundation page on social media.

I hope the club goes out of it's way to host them and mark it.

Gonna be strange for Pickford to play against Sunderland, I'd have thought?

Also, at Christmas/New Year, we are currently down as

Sat 20th Dec Home
Sat 27th Dec Away
Tue 30th Dec Away
Sat 3rd Jan Home
Wed 7th Home
Sat 17th Away
3 home, 3 away

Swings and roundabouts. Think they try to keep alternate Saturdays Home and Away, and work midweek out around it. Perhaps logically if they gave us the 30th Dec at home, we then have 4 home games in 6 and other changes would need to take place.

Am sure there's more to this malarkey, like we currently play Liverpool as part of Matchday 5 out of say the first round of 19 games. Then the second game is match 33.

Also, why do teams play each other twice in a few weeks, we have Forest twice in December.

The weird one for me is Forest at home on 6 December, then again away on 30 December, only 3½ weeks later. That second game is the 19th fixture so, in theory we shouldn't be playing return games at that point. I'm not going to tie myself in knots trying to make sense of it all though!

I bet it's bloody complicated to put together, with all sorts to take into consideration. For example, it's no coincidence that our first post-Xmas game, on the 27th, is in the North-West (Burnley away).

Not a direct quote, but the family are saying they are made up. Two clubs dear to their heart.

We'll all be singing the Jordan Pickford song together!!

I said to a mate at the weekend that we'd be away to a promoted club first game of the season, my spider senses were tingling.

I hate the place, I hate their obnoxious fans. I also believe that they will be the surprise team next season and will stay up.

In 1995, I was at the FA Cup semi-final at Elland Road. Great day as we know, but I'd spent the night at a friend's place in Shipley the night before, and went back after the game to have a meal, re-watch the game, then head back to the South Coast.

Changed trains at Doncaster, and as I'm walking to the stairs, a couple of hundred Leeds fans were walking towards me.

Lamenting the fact that I'd now be watching the final from a hospital bed, if I was lucky, it turned out that a) they disliked Tottenham more, and b) they'd just won at Anfield, so a quick 3-minute chat and a shared can of beer, and we were on our way.

Didn't Rooney score the winner at Elland Road in his breakout season for us — when we hadn't won there in a long time?

Hopefully Moyes can fix that mindset by getting us some comfortable wins over the first month or so.

With my memories going back to the mid-'70s and '80s, there was the obvious bogey in the room, who I won't mention...

In more recent times, Arsenal, going back to Ian Wright, who must have been delighted when he saw when they were playing Everton.

Even more recently, Bournemouth have become an annoying wasp.

Not an easy match at Elland Road with their vile supporters, hopefully we'll have 4 or 5 new young additions!

Turns out our last game of the season has been away 5 times out of 8 (including this coming season).

We've played Arsenal twice, Spurs twice and Bournemouth twice, which seems statistically unlikely (but I know next to nowt about statistics so I'll shut my gob about it). Newcastle and Man Utd were the other opponents.

Our record is W2, D1, L4. Hmm, not great is it? I suppose a rosier reading of the data would be that we've won 2 of our last 3 final games! Yeah, let's go with that.

I've been in the changing rooms at Elland Road, as it happens… although I suppose that's neither here nor there.

Premier League clubs who have made signings so far:

Aston Villa
Bournemouth
Brighton
Burnley
Chelsea
Everton
Liverpool
Leeds Utd
Newcastle Utd
Man City
Man Utd…

Need I go on?

I think it might be a myth about us not winning there for a long time.

Over the length of time from the fifties ‘til Rooney scored the only goal of the game around 2002, how many games did we play them in the league?

Not a great deal I think.

The game to which you refer was played on 18 August 1956. The story I heard some years ago was that Ian Buchan told the players that by running into Elland Road they would demonstrate they were fitter than their opponents.

Back in the dressing room at half-time with the team losing 5-0 Tommy Eglington quipped… "It's a bloody good job we're fitter than they are, boss!" Final score was 5-1.

Let's hope the outcome is better for us on 18 August 2025!

Not many transfer are being made apart from existing commitments and low-key youth players. Club World Cup teams excluded.

Most players will be signed in July and August. The vast majority of players will be on holiday.

John (48), Yes that's the story I remember with Eggo's bit added on.

You remember correctly some times and think you remember others!

Thanks John — Sorry Martin!

Many Evertonians may have wished for the inaugural Premier League fixture of the 2025-26 campaign to take place at the Hill Dickinson Stadium; however, the Blues will have to wait patiently before facing Brighton. 

The game takes place on 23 August, which is north of 2 months away. Before this, however, Everton’s first domestic challenge will be a trip away to Elland Road against newly promoted Leeds United.

After marginally winning the EFL Championship, on a frantic final day, The Whites will be eager to begin their campaign positively. On the other hand, Everton have maintained an unbeaten record against Daniel Farke’s side since November 2020 and will be determined to preserve this.  

Both fixtures may prove to be challenging for the Blues, given the hostile atmosphere Elland Road tends to provide, and Brighton’s impressive form at the back end of the previous campaign. Nevertheless, Everton supporters will undoubtedly be encouraged to see their team make a positive start to the 2025-26 season.

Also, the U21s European Championship has to be factored in: there are talented lads playing in that who will likely change clubs in the next 2 months. I have my eye on Tom Fellows, the West Brom winger, who I reckon would shine for us in the number 11 shirt. Moyes likes plucking talent from the Championship and we need more productive wide players, so I reckon it makes sense.

This is a time for sorting out the wheat from the chaff, in terms of existing contracts and whether or not to renew them, etc. It's not the time for making bold moves; that will come later...

ps: is "Billy Birmingham" (@51) a real person? I very much doubt it. If he is then, he should reply to me in a humanoid fashion. If not...

Apparently it's not the trains that are the problem, it's the "analogue signaling" which cannot manage additional services on the line that need to be upgraded to digital signaling.

So after all that, finally, the pointless discussions, promises made, the reality is laid bare. The rail system cannot and will not cope and it's pointless to add further services as the line capacity cannot cope with any more services on the line.

One every 10 minutes that should move about a thousand people in the first hour. Utter bloody incompetence. Years in the making. Finally the reality is clear.

Walk and Wait. The new concept for supporters who cannot park or face delays in trains and buses. Sheer disgrace... staggering.

No extra rail services to be put on as first fixtures at new stadium confirmed

Staggering, but not surprising. If you still lived here Christine, you'd understand what I mean. I lived away from Britain for 20 years - came back because I lost my job because of covid - and I have been staggered in what I have witnessed here.

Basically, the city have been given an £800 million pound gift (over a billion if you include what might be done to Nelson Dock) – had years to prepare for it – and what have these incompetents done!?

Very very little. Yet, Council tax continues to rise, as the rubbish piles up and the local transport network remains expensive and inefficient.

On top of that – have the council, local government, or national government even thought about doing anything with Goodison, or is that going to be left to private enterprises too?

The fact that we need Everton in the Community in the 6th biggest world economy is staggering too!

Beyond staggering really!

Hey ho!

We need to tell the world whose stadium this is. I also wrote to the club 3 weeks ago on this and still no reply… any ideas folks?

I look forward to meeting him (them?) at some stage!

We still lost, but I’ve never forgotten that goal.

No doubt they'll revert to using the old rolling stock on match days and nights. At least they can then have 6 carriages. The new trains have 4 carriages and from what I've been told cannot be doubled up.

I said 4 years ago, that a ferry terminal should be built next to the stadium, as to me that's common sense! A park and sail system in Wallasey and Birkenhead would have cut back on the amount of cars coming to the BMD area from the Wirral and North Wales.

I don't get overly concerned about the official crest. It has always been there, but we didn't adopt it on the shirt until the late 70s OR early 80s? Although it always looked impressive as you look up at the approach to the Main Stand at Goodison, especially on night matches.

As I've said before, on the shirt, I'd like the new simplified interpretation of Prince Rupert's Tower, with maybe the
'70s style diagonal EFC underneath it.

I've had lots of mates onto me already today. A very good longstanding group of friends, who have followed Leeds all their lives have invited me (as previously) to Elland Road "for a fight". They're soft as shite really. I've told them, they can come to the Everton Stadium and Liverpool for some culture.

All the new trains have air conditioning which I have found works well. The trains can, and frequently are doubled up to 8 carriages between Liverpool and Southport. I think there is a problem at one or two stations between Liverpool and Hunts Cross because the platforms are not long enough to accommodate 8 carriages.

The train service is barely adequate on a normal weekend. Most certainly it will not cope with the demands of a matchday venue 10 minutes walk from Sandhills station. Had the issue been raised in planning, I suspect the stadium would never have been approved.

Jack @62, everywhere I travel, you can't open windows on most trains now. It's like in a car, it negates the air-conditioning if you have windows open.

Maybe that's the issue, if they haven't switched it on or it breaks down. I've had that a few times and had to move carriages.

Also, not forgetting that there are no loos on the new trains. Hopefully plenty of portaloos at Sandhills.

The 8-carriage train can carry just under 1,000 passengers but, even if there are 12 of these an hour, Sandhills can't manage 12,000 passengers an hour.

For example, Euston at peak handles under 8,000 departures an hour.

Roma will be interesting.

So how's Merseyside weather in January? Just checking.

I understand why you'd think that to be honest, but no, I am not a robot haha. I must've clicked post as comment instead of as fan article.

I know, mate – but it cannot stay in its current guise if it is just hosting the women's team because the capacity is far beyond what the women's team will attract at this moment in time – so it will need some development or redevelopment and be used for other functions as well.

According to the many fountains of knowledge on County Road, the upper tiers will be covered, leaving the Park End, Paddock, Enclosure and front end of the Lower Gwladys open.

Eventually, I can see remodeling. Still no mention of the U21s and U18s playing there. I think that would be a good move.

Memories good, bad and some times over rated, but credit where it's due, to Everton, going to Leeds.

These days going there in the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, was always a challenge.

These days, from mid 70s to now, it's still a challenge, going there, getting out of theirin my time.

But if Everton can beat Leeds and Bournemouth the resurrection, and healing will begin, better than expected.

Take a draw at Leeds, but I believe, Everton, will win v Bournemouth, then the rebuild and belief in all matters Everton FC, will scale.

The future is bright,
-Viva Santo Domingo!
Viva Everton!

UTFTs!

The new trains have 50% more capacity than their predecessors. Although 4 and 8 cars, the end car units only have one set of doors, set back, which was designed to allow them to serve most platforms with only minor modifications - the drivers cab now is ahead of the platform so signals / signs / repeaters etc. had to be relocated.

The problem is the signalling, and the fact that 8 car trains will be on the Southport line only. At Sandhills there's in theory 12 trains per hour per direction, but 2/3 of them go via Kirkdale, and 1/3 on the Southport line. Plus on a Saturday late afternoon / early evening, they'll already be busy.

Whatever solution they come up with will have to be bus-based, at least in the medium term. I agree with those who say they've had long enough to plan for this - perhaps the authorities judged Everton's previous record on stadium moves and assumed it wouldn't happen.

And that's the nub of the problem. Normally matchdays are at a weekend, which is ordinarily outside peak use (e.g. workday mornings / late afternoon) - therefore you'd expect the local operators to provide such a service - either on a commercial basis, or if it is free, under contract to the club.

When clubs like Southampton (and I think Brighton) built new stadia, there was a planning requirement (Section 106 for the fellow dullards) that required Season Ticket holders to have complimentary travel to and from games. All they had to do was show their season ticket.

Nowadays ticketing technology has evolved to the point that digital tickets could be used - it's just a bit of software modification. The concept isn't new. Western Australia has been doing this for events for more than 20 years. I went to the final of Euro 2000 in Rotterdam, and my match ticket was valid anywhere on public transport in the Netherlands for the whole day.

It will be towards the South Stand, which will be the new Gwladys Street, although not called that. Pretty much like Goodison, if we then lose the toss, the opposition has the choice to switch ends.

The same in Germany Matt. When I go to Gelsenkirchen, you have free public transport to and from the Veltins Arena.

First Win - Palace 4th October! at that point 6 Games in and 3 points.
By the end of November - P13 Points 12.
December & January is 11 games and 17 points
Given the numbers of points needed in the last couple of years, we should be safe by then.
Feb & March - 7 games, 10 points and just one defeat before a 9 points from the last 7 games.

Tough start and 40 points on 11th April.
We lost 12 matches last season and 8 of them are in our first 16 games, 4 in the last 22.
We won 11 and just 2 came in those first 16.

We need to hit the ground running.

Back on topic (sorry, Eds) - a few years ago there was a study about access to EPL grounds, and Everton was up there at the top with the highest percentage of walk-ups. Obviously that will have changed (I never checked if there was a more recent survey), but clearly with the move to BMD it will completely change.

They need interim solutions and fast. Brent above may be onto something with rickshaws - they (or something similar) could provide last mile solutions between Sandhills and BMD - they'd just need to be given proper access and pick up/set down arrangements.

I don't think leaving it to commercial operators will work entirely. The way some of them operate these days, they'd be paying overtime or putting drivers on split shifts, and that would impact the price they'd charge, which would probably kill the demand.

It could have run all the was from near the Albert Dock along the waterfront to Sandhills, maybe even further (Crosby?).

With stops along the way, it wouldn't just serve Everton, it would serve the city.

Rickshaws. Now I have images. In central London, gangs of lads and girls get into separate ones and encourage the riders to race as if they're in chariots. Brent would bring his whip.

What do these people draw a salary for?

''He also said he hoped to encourage more people to walk from the city centre or from other nearby Merseyrail stations, adding that over time he expected fans to develop their own routine.''

Not an option for the older fans, and it will mean a congestion of taxis.

"We need to use Bank Hall more, we need to use James St more and potentially even Moorfields more,"

Two of these stations are on the same line as Sandhills - so people will get off before or after Sandhills to ease congestion?

"We are hoping that as people find their own pattern of behaviour, because that's what happens with football fans, that they will perhaps come into town find a pub that they want, and then people will take their own time and get there in plenty of time for the kick-off."

And finally - put the emphasis on the fans themselves.

I lived in a lot of countries previously, some developed, some not - and we here now act like a developing country. Two of the places I lived were Hong Kong and Japan - this lack of planning, foresight would be totally inconceivable there.

Shame on the government, local MPS and local councils.

Yip, it's not like the stadium has just sprung up out of the dock all of a sudden.

Talked about since around 2019 I think - 6 years ago!

Either he is thick as pig excrement - or thinks the fans are if they swallow that absolute garbage - or he and his overpaid cronies, are just completely incompetent!

Probably a combination of all three.

Not fit for purpose.

Seems to have been put in the file and forget tray.

Rotherham's comments are a cop out. Without wanting to get political, he's echoing Norman Tebbit with his get on your feet reference.

Fine for me, I can walk the distance from town, but not everyone can.

I can't comment too much on Sandhills, as I don't come in that way. Moorfields from Lime Street would make sense for me. But by then, I might as well walk.

As others have said, it's not like the premier sporting and event location in the northwest of England hasn't suddenly appeared.

I anticipate that for the Roma match, there will be a few buses outside the Empire, that drop supporters off on Great Howard Street.

We've got the Euros. Hopefully this council and Liverpool City Region Mayor will sort their act out. For the city as much as Everton.

As I keep saying, let's see what they do with their £1.6 billion grant for transport improvements.

I stand to be corrected, as I left UK in 2003 and not worked on projects there since.

Forget trams - that ship has sailed due to cost, especially after the screw ups of Edinburgh and Sheffield. Liverpool did get close but got scuppered by the (Labour) government at the 11th hour in the late 90s.

There are lower cost solutions available, and £1.6B isn't that much in the bigger picture – needs to be spent wisely.

The Knowledge Quarter, Liverpool: Transport Vision

Never gone anywhere since. Typically.

Fookin' Trent looks like an even worse defender than Alexander-Arnold was! 🤣🤣🤣

You could see his teammates thinking 'This lad is garbage at defending' 🤣

We always knew that though, didn't we?