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The Everton team is expected to move into their new stadium at the start of the next season, but they will initially hold trial matches there.
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The Under 18 team took on Wigan’s U18s in a friendly match on Monday evening.
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He’ll be at the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock on Monday evening for the first game at the ground.
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Everton will stage a number of matches and events at the Bramley-Moore Dock site this year and it kicked off on Monday with the Everton Under 18 team participating in a friendly.
Tickets will cost £5 for adults and £2.50 for concessions. The second test event will have 25,000 allowed in for an Under 21s friendly in over a month’s time.
Everton are not allowed to play competitive matches at the stadium just yet. The test events – a third one is likely to take place at nearly full capacity later in the season – will give the club the chance to get the necessary licence and safety certificates.
‘The first team coaching staff are now being led by Keith Southern. Everton were thinking of having a women’s match to officially open the stadium, but the schedule didn’t make this feasible.
The game, which was against Wigan, began at 7pm, with the match being broadcast live on the club’s YouTube channel.
An account for the stadium shared footage from an interview with two fans, with one saying they felt as excited as a child on Christmas morning.
“I’ll be heartbroken to be leaving Goodison, but this is something completely different, this is something else,” the fan was saying from inside the ground.
Footage was also shared of fans seated inside the new South Stand, as the club requested supporters to submit their photos and videos from the occasion.
Everton have been based at Goodison Park for almost 134 years, but chose to relocate in 2017, with Bramley-Moore Dock being the preferred location for the new stadium.
Work started in July 2021, and the foundation was declared ready for use after the final concrete layer was put in place in February of the previous year.
The contractor handed over the stadium in December, and Everton will now start playing matches so as to get the necessary permission.
By the time the match against Wigan kicked off, the ground was less than a fifth full, but supporters took their seats in the South Stand to watch the friendly contest.
The opening goal on the new pitch was netted by Wigan, with Harrison Rimmer being the player to find the back of the net.
Rimmer had a grand time celebrating putting up six fingers – likely in reference to Liverpool winning the Champions League six times.
Everton’s team competes in the U18 Premier League, while Wigan participate in the U18 Professional Development League.
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