Everton U21s 1 – 0 Bolton B
Sunday sees the second test event for the new Everton Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock take place, with 25,000 fans watching Everton U21s play Bolton Wanderers B team. Kick-off: 2 pm GMT.
The test event is part of a process that will allow the club to obtain the necessary licence and safety certificates to operate the Everton Stadium at its full capacity of 52,888 when it officially opens ahead of the 2025-26 Premier League season.
Everton Under-21s are pushing for a play-off spot in Premier League 2 and are currently in 14th place, with the top 16 in the table advancing to the knock-out rounds.
U21s Head Coach, Paul Tait is sure that this test will provide the players with a huge lift for what will be a fantastic moment for players, staff and families alike.
“There’s a real buzz as we get closer and we’re preparing,” Tait told the club website.
“The lads were looking on a little bit enviously when the Under-18s got the first test event, so they have all been champing at the bit to get to Bramley-Moore Dock.
“(It’s the same for) staff as well. It’s going to be a fantastic occasion for them and their families to get on that turf and play in front of a crowd of 25-30,000, we’re hearing.
“It will be just a fantastic experience, something that they will never forget for the rest of their lives.
“I’ve already told them that they’ll all play,” said Tait. “So however long we play, they’ll all get some minutes on the pitch.
“It’s only fair, and I’ve actually got a couple of lads who’ve been injured and they’re fit next week.
“They’re all queueing up to get on that pitch, so they’re looking forward to it.”
Who plays for Everton Under-21s?
These are the players who have been turning out for the U21s so far this season
| Everton Under-21 Player | League | Goals | Cup | Goals |
| Omari Benjamin | 16 (2) | 8 | 3 (2) | 1 |
| Isaac Heath | 14 (0) | 2 | 5 (0) | 0 |
| Aled Thomas | 13 (0) | 3 | 7 (0) | 0 |
| Odin Samuels-Smith | 12 (6) | 0 | 5 (2) | 0 |
| Callum Bates | 12 (3) | 0 | 3 (1) | 0 |
| Roman Dixon | 12 (0) | 0 | 4 (0) | 0 |
| Reece Welch | 10 (0) | 0 | 2 (0) | 0 |
| Jake Patterson | 9 (6) | 0 | 5 (1) | 0 |
| Luke Butterfield | 9 (3) | 1 | 4 (1) | 1 |
| Martin Sherif | 8 (2) | 3 | 3 (1) | 4 |
| Charlie Whitaker (now Notts County) | 8 (1) | 7 | 4 (1) | 1 |
| William Tamen | 8 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 |
| Fraser Barnsley | 7 (1) | 0 | 4 (0) | 0 |
| George Pickford | 7 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 |
| Jack Bulter | 6 (2) | 1 | 3 (2) | 0 |
| Coby Ebere | 6 (1) | 1 | 0 (0) | 0 |
| Braiden Graham | 5 (1) | 1 | 0 (1) | 0 |
| Owen Barker | 4 (8) | 0 | 3 (1) | 0 |
| Zan-Luk Leban | 4 (0) | 0 | 2 (0) | 0 |
| Jacob Beaumont-Clark | 3 (6) | 1 | 5 (1) | 2 |
| Bradley Moonan | 3 (3) | 1 | 2 (1) | 0 |
| Jack Tierney | 3 (1) | 0 | 4 (1) | 0 |
| Harrison Armstrong (Derby Co on loan) | 3 (0) | 1 | 3 (0) | 1 |
| Nathan Patterson | 3 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 |
| Francis Gomez | 2 (4) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 |
| Francis Okoronkwo (Salford City on loan) | 2 (0) | 1 | 1 (0) | 0 |
| George Morgan | 1 (5) | 0 | 0 (2) | 1 |
| Kingsford Boakye | 1 (2) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 |
| Halid Djankpata (now at Spezia) | 1 (1) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 |
| Armando Broja | 1 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 |
| Eli Campbell (Ross County on loan) | 1 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 |
| Youssef Chermiti | 1 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 |
| Jarrad Branthwaite | 1 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 |
| Jamal Baptiste (Trialist) | 1 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 |
| Stan Mills (now at Oxford Utd) | 1 (0) | 1 | 0 (0) | 0 |
| Josh van Schoor | 0 (3) | 0 | 2 (2) | 0 |
| Matt Apter | 0 (3) | 0 | 1 (3) | 0 |
| George Finney | 0 (1) | 0 | 1 (1) | 0 |
| Henry Foster | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 (2) | 1 |
| Justin Clarke | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 |
| Joao Virginia | 0 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 |
| Norberto Beto | 0 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 2 |
| Jake O’Brien | 0 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 |
| Jesper Lindstrøm | 0 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 |
| Jenson Metcalfe (Chesterfield on loan) | 0 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 |
| Luca Davis | 0 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 |
| Joel Catesby | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (2) | 0 |
Today’s U21s team
There’s a new name playing in goal: Abdulla Alhammadi, a trialist from UAE.
Everton U21s: Alhammadi, Dixon, Samuels-Smith (46′ Moonan), Tamen, Welch, Butterfield (46′ Gomez), Heath (46′ Barker), J Patterson (46′ Bates), Sherif (46′ Boakye), Graham (46′ Beaumont-Clark), Benjamin.
Subs not Used: Gospel-Eze.
Martin Sherif was denied by a brilliant double save after 10 minutes, the first a powerful header and then his follow-up strike.
Luke Butterfield raised a big cheer from the crowd when his defiant tackle stopped a Bolton player. Braiden Graham had a huge chance to open the scoring but could not control his effort.
Benjamin was brought down on the edge of the box, but the resulting free-kick came to nothing. However, another huge sve denied Sherif. his low drive tipped around the post.
Paul Tait made four changes after the break and substitute Jacob Beamount-Clark was denied after Everton were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box.
Just after the hour mark and Dixon put a peach of a ball into the box and Kingsford Boakye made no mistake to put the Young Blues 1-0 ahead.
But that was pretty much it as the evacuation was called on 65 minutes and the remaining fans departed with the game abandoned.