EXCLUSIVE: Chris Beesley speaks to Yuka Momiki ahead of Everton Women's first-ever game at Hill Dickinson Stadium
With an urban area of over 37 million people, Tokyo is the world’s largest city, but even life in the sprawling metropolis of Japan’s capital which is a sea of humanity does not compare with the intensity of Scousers when it comes to footballing passions.
That’s something that Yuka Momiki has learned quickly since making her summer switch to Everton Women from Leicester City. Speaking at Leisure United Jericho Lane ahead of a session with a local grassroots club who will join the Blues’ players before being surprised with some tickets for Sunday’s Women’s Super League game against Manchester United at Hill Dickinson Stadium, Momiki told the ECHO: “I really enjoy it. If you walk in the city, you can see either blue or red.
“My nearest cafe is run by Evertonians and I always say ‘hi’ to them. If we win, then after the game they give me a high-five and that’s rare to see, in Tokyo, that never happens.
“In Leicester, rugby is big and so is cricket, and when I was there, I was living outside of the city centre, so I didn’t see so much. Being in Liverpool is so much different to the others, but I like that intensity.
Author avatar
Author avatar
“When I started football, there was no professional league for women in Japan, so I didn’t dream about this (playing for a living), but I always wanted to be the best, both on the pitch, but also the best version of myself. That desire brought me here.
“When I was playing in Sweden (after starting her career with Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza in the Kita ward of Tokyo, she turned out for Linkoping), we could see that the Women’s Super League was the best league in the world, so from that point, I always wanted to come to England to play football.
“After I graduated from university in Japan, I worked for a year. I was employed by my club, and I created events for football and business to interact together and share ideas.”
Although Sunday’s game is being played at the Blues’ new 52,769 capacity home on the Mersey waterfront as what club chiefs believe is an opportune time to enable fans who might not have sampled the venue yet to come along, with all WSL teams required to hold at least one game per season at their nominated main stadium, the 29-year-old is honoured to be playing regularly at the first purpose-built football ground in England and a venue that hosted a landmark fixture in the women’s game with Goodison Park becoming the permanent home for Everton Women.
On Boxing Day 1920, 53,000 fans crammed into Goodison – with an estimated 10,000-14,000 locked outside – for what wasn’t just the biggest attendance on Merseyside across that year’s festive period but a world record crowd for a women’s club game that stood for over 98 years as Dick, Kerr Ladies defeated St Helens 4-0. The tale proved inspirational for Momiki who said: “Before I moved to Everton, I went on the guided tour of Goodison Park. They told me about the women’s football history and the attendance record which was incredible and Goodison has so much history.
“I’m so proud of our opportunity now to be new history makers and now this weekend we’re going to play at Hill Dickinson Stadium. I watched one game there against Aston Villa and behind the goal, the stands are so steep, and the atmosphere is amazing, so I can’t wait.
“Fans who have got season tickets for the men’s team can come to our games, so hopefully with them having a free weekend, lots of them will come down and support us. I’ve played in front of big crowds against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium and in the World Cup, but not many.
“Playing in front of attendances like that gives the players more excitement over your football, so it is always enjoyable.
“When I was at Leicester, we didn’t have a big derby game, so, going to Liverpool was my first one. Playing at Anfield was incredible and beating them at Anfield was unforgettable.”
With over 17,000 tickets already sold, Everton are hoping to attract the biggest crowd for a WSL game outside the Emirates Stadium so far this season. Some 38,142 watched Arsenal’s derby against newly promoted London City Lionesses with 24,712 taking in the Gunners’ clash against Aston Villa and for context, the Blues’ record attendance for a women’s game is 22,161 for a Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park on March 25, 2023.
Like David Moyes’ men, Everton Women made nine signings over the summer, including attacking midfielder Momiki who netted five goals in 34 matches for the Foxes and broke her duck for the Blues with a penalty at Goodison Park in the 2-1 defeat to London City Lionesses, and she is now one of four Japanese players in the squad. While they’re a tight-knit group, the quartet are all unique in terms of what they bring.
She explained: “One of us (centre-back Rion Ishikawa, 22, who is playing outside her homeland for the first time) doesn’t speak English at all, so I’m always sitting next to her. I think she’s enjoying it, even if she’s outside of her comfort zone right now, but she still shows her character.
“Hono (midfielder Honoka Hayashi, 27, who joined from West Ham United) was already here from last season, but she didn’t talk much, and the other players said they never saw her smiley face, but I think she’s happy she’s got us to speak to now. Hikaru (Kitagawa, 28, a defender who like Momiki has experience in Sweden but with Hacken) has settled in well, but we’ve all got different personalities and hopefully our different strengths can help the team.”
With so many new faces, manager Brian Sorensen took the team on a pre-season trip to his native Denmark to get to know each other but having become acquainted on and off the pitch, Momiki admits that with just one win so far this season, it is now time to deliver. She said: “We did lots of team-bonding activities during pre-season, including a beach competition and frisbee golf, which was fun.
“In pre-season, almost everyone was new, so it was a little bit challenging to build our football style as a team. Brian has got many principles in terms of how he wants us to play but he is very clear in his instructions and if we follow those principles then the overall picture will be correct.
“We had a good pre-season but since the league started, we have maybe not been getting enough points compared to what we expected. Our feeling is that it’s frustrating, but also it is taking time for new players to gel, so this next game is so big.
“Maybe for these first five games we can say that it takes time for a new team to come together but now we need to start showing what we can do with both our performances and results. This weekend’s game should be a turning point for us, we’ve put everything in during training, and we believe that a result will come on the pitch.”
The Regent Road wall and turnstiles will open at 10am. A gaming van will be on the Plaza near the hydraulic tower for fans to play EA Sports FC26.
There will be face painting, balloon artists, magicians and musical acts on the stadium’s concourse between 10am and kick-off. DJ Ash Wozza will be providing the music in the stadium bowl between 10.45am-11.45am and Barclays will be giving away foam hands to children.
Women’s Season Ticket Members can secure their ticket as part of their Season Ticket package and can also purchase up to six additional tickets per member.
Tickets are available on general sale priced at £12 for adults and £6 for under-18s anywhere in the stadium. A special Season Ticket family offer is available for both Goodison Park and Hill Dickinson Stadium Season Ticket Members, with two adults and two under-18s able to attend for £24 – a saving of £12.
Non-Season Ticket Members can also access a family price, with two adults and two under-18s for £30, saving £6. For Supporters’ Clubs and larger groups, a reduced rate of £9 per adult applies when purchasing 10 or more adult tickets. Premium Members and supporters interested in bars, restaurants and experiences at Hill Dickinson Stadium are encouraged to register their interest with Beyond, Everton’s tunnel club experience, as well as Trinity Bar and Restaurant part of the offering for this fixture.