More than a year after the men’s team said their emotional farewell, Goodison Park will stage senior men’s cup football once again – with Preston North End confirming their Carabao Cup first round tie against Huddersfield Town will be played at our famous old ground.
The fixture kicks off at 3pm on Saturday 8 August, and while Evertonians won’t have a horse in the race, there’s something quietly satisfying about the Grand Old Lady being called upon when a fellow club needed a proper home.
How did this come about?
Preston are ripping up the Deepdale turf this summer to install a new hybrid pitch, an investment north of £1.5 million. With the work due to be finishing right around the date of the cup tie, the Lilywhites didn’t want to risk their pristine new surface, so they applied to the EFL for permission to play elsewhere – and once granted, agreed a deal with the club to borrow Goodison for the afternoon.
It’s a one-off: Preston have confirmed Deepdale will be ready for their first home league game against Wolves on 22 August.
There’s even a faint blue thread running through the match. Huddersfield captain Ryan Ledson is a boyhood Evertonian who came through the Academy at Finch Farm before making his way in the game elsewhere. He’ll now lead a team out at Goodison – just not quite in the circumstances he might once have dreamed of.
The details
Fixture: Preston North End vs Huddersfield Town, Carabao Cup first round
Date and time: Saturday 8 August, 3pm
Venue: Goodison Park
Why: Deepdale’s hybrid pitch installation (£1.5m+ investment)