Last week, Everton welcomed a limited number of fans to their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock for the first time. The test event saw 10,000 supporters fill the South Stand for the initial trial, which is the first of three over the next few months. During the event, Everton’s Under-18s suffered a 2-1 defeat against Wigan Under-18s.
The state-of-the-art stadium, which cost approximately £750 million to build, is scheduled to fully open for the start of the 2025-26 season.
Keith Wyness, the former chief executive of Goodison Park, told Football Insider that the nearby train links to the new stadium are “not fit for purpose.” The nearest train station, Sandhills Station, is about a 15-minute walk from Bramley-Moore Dock.
Finance expert Stefan Borson told Football Insider that the responsibility for funding the necessary infrastructure improvements around the stadium lies with the local government.
The next test event will feature a friendly between Everton Under-21s at the 52,888-seat stadium, with the crowd capacity increasing to 25,000 in late March or early April.
Borson emphasized that the authorities must work to improve the transport links to the new stadium. He remarked, “I don’t think it’s feasible for the club to cover the costs of these improvements. Under the new ownership, the club must have considered how the stadium would function. It’s the local government’s role to improve the infrastructure around the new stadium and support the area’s redevelopment. This is a major project that involves both the club and the authorities.”
He added, “The local government must find a solution. These are short distances from established infrastructure, so it should be achievable.”
Regarding Everton’s squad, the club had a relatively quiet January transfer window, signing midfielder Carlos Alcaraz on loan from Flamengo. This led to some fan disappointment, as many had hoped for a larger overhaul after The Friedkin Group’s takeover. Borson had previously stated that a “massive” rebuild is expected at Everton due to numerous players being out of contract at the end of this season.
Meanwhile, manager David Moyes has made significant strides with the team, guiding them to 14th place in the Premier League.
‘It Has To Happen’ – Stefan Borson drops Everton stadium claim after new issue emerges
