It was one of those ‘I was there’ occasions that is already part of Everton history.
had experienced its first senior game in front of fans against Roma on August 9. The first competitive game came against Brighton & Hove Albion on August 24; Mansfield Town’s visit on August 27 brought the first cup tie; Aston Villa supplied the opposition for the first Saturday 3pm match on September 13 and, when West Ham United arrived on September 29, it was the first Premier League night game under the lights.
So, when Crystal Palace rocked up last Sunday, it seemed on face value to be the first encounter that didn’t have any kind of special landmark associated with it... cue first stoppage-time winner at their new 52,769 capacity home on the Mersey waterfront as Jack Grealish’s 93rd-minute strike completed a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory that denied Oliver Glasner’s FA Cup and Community Shield winners from extending their unbeaten sequence to 20 matches.
For many decades to come, it will be a cherished memory for all those Evertonians who were fortunate enough to be inside the stadium that day.
The Blues played at Goodison Park for 133 years, so perhaps folk might even be talking about the momentous goal come the year 2158 when we’re all gone?
Yet there was someone seemingly conspicuous by their absence during this magic moment... . When the ECHO enquired whether he would be attending, club top brass insisted they were not aware of any visit.
Since , of which he is chairman and CEO, completed their purchase of Everton on December 19, Friedkin hasn’t attended a single game.
He never chose to watch the Blues at Goodison Park and that in itself proved somewhat curious to many Evertonians. But perhaps Houston-based Friedkin was saving himself for the club's pre-season visit to the USA in the Premier League Summer Series?
Having that proved not to be the case, maybe he was waiting for the dawn of the new era and the move to Hill Dickinson Stadium? But, instead, the absence continues.
In fact, when Friedkin’s son Ryan attended the aforementioned inaugural first-team game in front of fans, it was claimed he was primarily visiting to catch up on Roma matters.
Fast-forward to October 5 and Everton’s game with Palace seemed to present the 60-year-old with his easiest chance yet to watch the Blue boys in action, but still he wasn’t there.
An avid golfer, Friedkin was making what has become a regular trip for him in recent years to Scotland for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. He was playing in the pro-am tournament alongside Lucas Bjerregaard, who he also partnered in 2018 when the Dane lifted the trophy, defeating ’s Tommy Fleetwood, a lifelong Evertonian who was part of Europe’s victorious team in this year’s Ryder Cup the previous weekend.
Although strong winds brought by Storm Amy meant there was no fourth round of play and a shortened 54 holes played rather than the normal 72, Friedkin was still in the UK at the event the day before men were in action.
This is certainly not a Friedkin knocking piece, far from it. He is the man who saved Everton from potential financial disaster, made what seems like the shrewd decision to bring back Moyes at this pivotal moment in the club’s history and has subsequently overseen their largest ever net spend in a single transfer window.
As super-rich businessmen go, he appears to be one of the good guys. Currently placed at number 392 with an estimated fortune of $9.17billion by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a daily ranking of the world’s wealthiest people, Friedkin is chair of , which uses modern technology to repatriate US Second World War soldiers missing in action in the Pacific Ocean. Then there is the Friedkin Conservation Fund, which protects millions of acres of endangered wildlife areas and stimulates community development in East Africa.
Showing up on matchdays alone is not the benchmark for judging a good owner. Just look at the way that the Blues’ previous prospective buyers, he now collapsed enthusiastically infiltrated the Goodison Park directors’ box during their protracted and ultimately unsuccessful attempts to be given the green light for a takeover.
was once a fairly regular visitor himself. That changed dramatically towards the end though – crucially before the protests began – and following a 5-2 capitulation against Watford on October 23, 2021, he was not present for another Premier League game for the last three years of his tenue, only returning for the Carabao Cup tie against Burnley on November 1, 2023, when wreaths were laid on the pitch following the death of chairman . Although ironically since relinquishing his shares, Moshiri has already been spotted at two games at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
As senior Everton insiders have pointed out, there are representatives of TFG at every Everton game and running the club on a daily basis, so there is no actual requirement for Friedkin himself to be present.
Indeed, given Moshiri’s meddling, which is understood to have included him almost single-handedly trying to smash the club’s transfer record to sign Wilfried Zaha in 2019, surprising new director of football the previous summer when the Dutchman thought he’d be going into a room to interview for the manager’s job only to be told the majority shareholder had already appointed him, and churning through eight managers in as many years, perhaps Friedkin would be wise leaving experienced football people to get on with the football side of the operation.
Whatever the potential pros and cons of Friedkin’s policy when it comes to attending games – as the ECHO was informed during Moshiri’s long-term absence, all Premier League owners are provided with matchday feeds – it represents a distinct change of tack compared to the approach he continues to adopt with the first major European football club he bought, Roma.
Chairman and founder of the Air Force Heritage Flight Foundation, Friedkin is believed to be one of only nine civilians in the United States who are qualified and allowed to fly in demonstrations with Air Force pilots, and he personally piloted both former Everton striker and coach Jose Mourinho into the Eternal City on two separate occasions when they each joined the club.
He has also attended several games at the Stadio Olimpico, paraded around Rome in an open top bus tour with son Ryan when the club won the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2022, and having been pictured laughing with caretaker boss Claudio Ranieri, who he’d travelled to London to hire the previous autumn, on a visit to the Serie A side’s training base in May, he was back there on Wednesday, photographed shaking hands with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini and player Stephan El Shaarawy.
On the flip side, there have also been ructions with Roma’s often volatile fanbase, so is Friedkin wary of upsetting them by showing any love towards the Blues?
Alan Ball famously proclaimed: “Once Everton has touched you, nothing will be the same.” But can this merely be an investment opportunity for an owner who for now at least has kept himself at arm’s length?
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This December, join Everton for three nights of festive fun on Village Street, as the club raise a glass to celebrate their first Christmas at Hill Dickinson Stadium. From Friday, December 5, Village Street will be bursting with street food stations, DJs, live music and entertainment.
With availability on December 5, 12 and 13, you can indulge in the Christmas spirit with access to Kendall’s, Dixie’s Sports Bar, The Queen’s Head and The Prince Rupert. All four of these social spaces can be accessed from Village Street, where guests will be greeted with a welcome drink on arrival, and enjoy all-inclusive beers, wines, spirits and soft drinks until 12:30am.
Book your tickets .
Everton are delighted to announce a new partnership with leading European catering equipment provider GGM Gastro.
The agreement will see the German company, which specialises in supplying professional standard machinery and accessories, become an Official Partner of Everton Women during their historic first season at Goodison Park.
GGM Gastro’s brand mark will feature on the back of the shorts worn by Everton Women, as well as appearing on LED boards at Goodison, at Sunday’s WSL game at Hill Dickinson Stadium and across the club’s digital channels.
Meanwhile, fans attending Sunday’s game at Hill Dickinson Stadium against Manchester United will be allowed to consume alcohol in their seats. The club continues to be part of a league-wide pilot, which is trialling the responsible consumption of alcohol in seats at all Women's Super League and fixtures.
Please note that for this game, an alcohol-free family area will be in effect in the North Stand lower tier. Safety protocols will be in place across the stadium to support a responsible and enjoyable fan environment, with stewards and staff trained accordingly.
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Young Blues can follow in the footsteps of their heroes at the next International Academy Experience Day at Finch Farm this half term. After a series of hugely successful events held during school holidays, Everton’s training headquarters will once again welcome young footballers for this exclusive one-day event on Wednesday, October 29.
There are two sessions available for children aged 6-13, which can be booked via the following links: and
Each session is carefully designed and delivered by Everton International Academy coaches, based on the current Category One Academy curriculum to help young players develop and enhance their football skills. Set within a world-class training environment, the experience is sure to inspire the next generation of Everton talent.
All participants will receive an Everton certificate, medal and a signed photo as a memento of the day. Spaces are limited for these popular experience days, priced at £85 per session, so you can book now using the links above.