Work to turn the stadium into a home - for club and supporters - is moving forward
The installation of the first Everton crest to adorn the outer walls of the club’s new stadium has now been completed.
Work started on adding the giant Blues badge to the east stand of the Hill Dickinson Stadium this week. Three others will be added to the stadium as the club moves to make its new ground feel like home.
The feature is not the only new addition to the stunning stadium complex to have either been finished - or to have moved closer to a conclusion - over recent days.
As well as the first crest, the stadium’s name is now fully visible from above with the Hill Dickinson Stadium now imprinted onto the roof of the same stand. The move follows the agreement with the Liverpool-headquartered, global law firm over a naming rights deal that was announced in May.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Everton supporters will soon get details of the location of the commemorative bricks they purchased in the poignant Everton Way.
In total, 36,000 tiles - most featuring messages and tributes to Blues past, present and future - will make up the walkway that runs alongside the south stand. They will be placed among nods to some of Everton’s greatest players and sit beneath a timeline of club achievements. Intaglio Creative, the company installing the scheme, said it was “very, very nearly done” in a post on social media on Friday night.
The Royal Blue podcast logo
The Royal Blue podcast logo
The pathway will not be the only personalised fan feature of the stadium, with a fan wall also being created. It will consist of supporter pictures arranged to create a mosaic of Everton heroes on the western terrace. Phase one of the two-phase project is almost full and the club is urging supporters who want to be part of it to submit their images as soon as possible.
Work is taking place with the first senior men’s game at the ground just weeks away. A pre-season friendly with Roma will mark the opening of the stadium on August 9. Followed by a legends game between the clubs, it is intended to be the final test event at the Hill Dickinson, with the first Premier League match, against Brighton, scheduled a fortnight later.