Paul Brown, CEO, Sisk gives his insights into his memories of Goodison Park, the move to Bramley-Moore and how the new stadium is already paying dividends with wider infrastructure investment in Liverpool
Today marks the last ever game for men at Goodison Park for Everton and therefore the last opportunity for any fans to watch the men’s team there. This brings so many emotions to the fore, sadness that we will all never make that same walk to the ground with our friends and loved ones or make that visit to the local pub after the game to analyse the action! I have so many wonderful memories of visiting this ground after my first visit in 1978, with my dad to blame for creating this Achilles heel in my life and my older brother too!
I was brought up in Anfield and would walk to the ground with my dad each Saturday, through Stanley Park, past another stadium and I can still recall the smell of cigars, the noise and the excitement as a child of visiting there in the 1980’s watching the title winning sides and enjoying the good times.
The football may have been up and down since then, but one thing that remains was our consistent attendance at Goodison to watch our team, that is what’s instilled in you. I have too many games to remember, but my favourite match was the title winning game v QPR in 1985 where Graeme Sharp scored the final goal to seal our first league title in 15 years.
I have visited there for many years with my children, my dad (who is no longer with us) and so many memories will be invoked today when we enter and when we leave the stadium for the last time. I have played on the famous pitch myself and watched my daughter play there too for Everton women’s team so the connections are so vast and them memories so varied.
The ground is a cauldron which creates an intensity and intimidating football fortress and it will be missed however, I was personally delighted to see the news that Everton Women will continue to use the ‘Old Lady’ for their games in the WSL. This will continue the legacy in this local community and I am sure there will so many more memories made there.
The move to Bramley Moore is essential for the club, not only financially but to mark a new era, hopefully with competitive times ahead. Whilst we are sad this morning, we must also all focus on the future too, a future with optimism and a future built from our Goodison past but now on the banks of the River Mersey.
On a professional level, I would like to congratulate Laing O’Rourke on building such a spectacular arena at Bramley-Moore Dock, the engineering behind the stadium is incredible. Having recently visited the stadium, I was blown away with the quality of the product and the ‘ampitheatre’ style of the surrounding stands. It’s a striking new landmark along the dock and it is equally impressive that the local heritage of the site has been preserved.
It is estimated that the stadium will generate a £1.3 billion boost to the local economy, create thousands of jobs and attract 1.4 million visitors to the city each year. This is a real catalyst for regeneration and type of infrastructure that the city is crying out for.
I recently attended a roundtable discussion hosted by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Mayor of Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotherham at Albert Dock. There was authentic commitment from the Prime Minister to harmonise regulation and to encourage growth and investment. Such collaborative efforts between city councils and contractors signal a promising future where streamlined policies and partnerships pave the way for sustained economic growth.
With the UK government recently approving plans to regenerate parts of Liverpool's northern waterfront with space for thousands of new homes, the Isle of Man Ferry Terminal, only 1KM away from the stadium, completed by Sisk, and our recent announcements with Liverpool City Council - Highways Planned Works Framework and Wirral Council in Birkenhead Town Centre, these types of projects will breathe new life into Merseyside. The city region will benefit profoundly from these and many more developments.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, it's crucial that as a sector we continue to build on these vital pieces of infrastructure to foster an environment for future generations.
Paul Brown, CEO, Sisk