Michael Ball tackles the big issues at Hill Dickinson Stadium during the international break
Nobody from other parts of the world should be in any doubt that Everton Football Club come from Liverpool after the next European Championships with their new stadium hosting five matches in the tournament
Nobody from other parts of the world should be in any doubt that Everton Football Club come from Liverpool after the next European Championships with their new stadium hosting five matches in the tournament
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Nobody around the world should be in any doubt as to where Everton play their football after our magnificent new home by the banks of the Mersey was selected to host five matches at the next European Championships. We look at our history at Goodison Park and we always talk about Eusebio and Pele playing there.
That was before I was born, but I do remember going to Goodison Park for the Umbro Cup in 1995 when Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos were turning out for Brazil against Japan and that was great for the local community as back then, most of the internationals in this country were at Wembley.
One of the reasons we built this new stadium was to generate as much revenue as we can for the football club, but also to get Everton as a brand out there, outside the Liverpool bubble and onto a worldwide audience.
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It’s brilliant just for the whole city that there are going to be five games there and fans can witness world-class players on their doorstep.
Because of a ban on sponsors names, the Hill Dickinson branding won’t be mentioned, but I think it’s good news that our home will be known as Everton Stadium for the Euros.
Everyone will be able to see what a wonderful built-for-football venue it is and we can showcase that.
The restaurants and hotels in the city will also benefit, so it will be a major boost for the local economy.
Another beneficiary could be all the fans from the younger generation who could come and watch the matches as it could give them a buzz to try and become a football like I experienced back in 1995 and then within a couple of years, I was making my first-team debut at Everton.
I remember when Germany had the World Cup and then the last Euros and watching the fixtures, you start noticing stadiums for clubs that you weren’t previously familiar with. You’re like: ‘Wow, who are these?’
We’re following suit now.
For all the younger generation out there across the world who don’t have an existing knowledge of English football, who don’t know where Everton come from or who they are – they certainly will after the Euros.
It’s a fantastic stadium which should generate fantastic atmospheres.
It’s an opportunity for visiting fans to witness what we now see week in and week out, both at the ground and around the city.
They’ll realise that there is another club in Liverpool who are on the up.
Everton Stadium will put the Everton brand on the map and bring more eyes on the club.