Goodison Park: Everton FC

Goodison Park is rife with history. It has been Everton Football Club’s home ground since its completion in 1892 and is one of the oldest purpose-built football stadiums in the entire world. The Grand Old Lady, as it is known to Everton fans, has hosted more top-flight games than any other stadium in England.

Located less than a mile from the home stadium of Everton’s fierce city rivals, Liverpool Football Club, Goodison has hosted the maximum number of league games possible since the Premier League was introduced in 1992. The ground has hosted the FA Cup final as well as the semi-final of the 1966 World Cup between West Germany and the Soviet Union.

Stats

Goodison Park Stats
Year Opened	1892
Capacity	39572
Average Attendance	39058
Record Attendance	78299 (Everton v Liverpool (1948))
Pitch Size	100 x 68 (6800)
Nickname	The Grand Old Lady
Owner	The Everton Football Club Company
Clubs Hosted	Everton
First Fixture	Everton v Bolton Wanderers (02/09/1892)

Everton Stats
Year Founded	1878
Nickname	The Blues, The Toffees, The People's Club
Club Mascot	Changy the Elephant
Rivals	Liverpool, Manchester United, Tranmere Rovers
Previous Stadiums	Anfield
Kit	Blue and White (Home) / Pink and Black (Away) / Yellow (Third)
Training Ground	Finch Farm
Shirt Sponsor	Stake.com
Team Owner	Farhad Moshiri
Record Goalscorer	Dixie Dean (383)
Record Appearances	Neville Southall (750)

Goodison Park Photos

Goodison Park Seating Plan and Where to Sit

Goodison Park is a traditional 4-sided stadium that sits close to the pitch, allowing for an intimidating atmosphere when The Grand Old Lady is in full swing. The four stands at Goodison are The Bullens Road Stand, The Goodison Road Stand, The Gwladys Street Stand and The Park End Stand.

Together they give the stadium its 39,572 capacity.

• The Bullens Road Stand – Divided in the Upper Bullens, the Lower Bullens and the Paddock, the Bullens Road Stand is the area of the ground that away supporters are housed in. Its capacity is currently 10,546.
• The Howard Kendall Gwladys Street Stand – Split into the Upper Gwladys and Lower Gwladys, this is the area of the ground that houses Everton’s most loyal and vocal fans. It is known to the locals as ‘The Street End’ and is behind the goal that the Blues like to attack in the second half if they win the toss. Its capacity is 10,611, and is named after the Toffee’s most successful manager. His name was Howard Kendall, if that wasn’t already obvious.
• The Goodison Road Stand – Famous more for the church that lies between it and The Gwladys Street Stand, The Goodison Road Stand has two decks with two tiers on the lower deck. There is also a middle section known as The Main Stand that houses the family enclosure. This is also the stand that has Everton’s hospitality facilities in it. The capacity here is currently 12,664.
• The Sir Philip Carter Park Stand – Originally called The Stanley Park End as it backs on to the famous park that separates Goodison Park and Anfield, it was simply known as The Park End until 2016 when it was renamed in honour of the club’s former Chairman. The only stand in Goodison Park to be single tiered, it has the lowest capacity in the stadium at 5,750.

Everton Ticket Prices

Tickets for Goodison Park are amongst the cheapest in the Premier League. There are often tickets available for Everton matches right up until kick off, unless the match is one of the more prestigious ones, such as the Merseyside derby. The pricing structure is very simple; the only thing that will affect the price you pay will be your age, other than Juniors who get cheasper tickets in the family zone.

Here are the prices:

League Games

• Adults: £55.00
• Concessions: All tickets £37.00
• Juniors: £15.00 – £25.00

How To Get Everton Tickets

You can get tickets online by going to the website (you’ll need to sign up) or by calling the ticket line. You can also pick tickets up in person at Goodison Park, at the Everton Two shop in the Liverpool One shopping complex in Liverpool city centre, or at the Ticketquarter.

The box office is usually open Mon-Fri 8am – 6pm via phone (4pm in person) and 10am – 3pm on Saturdays when there is no match on, or until kick off when there is.

Where to Buy

• Ticket Compare

Getting To Goodison Park

Much like Liverpool’s stadium Anfield, Goodison Park isn’t actually in the centre of Liverpool. It’s still reasonably easy to get to, though, with a host of different options available to you, including walking which would take about 50 minutes.

Train – The closest national station is Liverpool Lime Street, though Kirkdale is on Merseyrail’s Northern line and is about a mile from the stadium.

Taxi – A taxi from Lime Street Station to Goodison should cost about £7 and will take around 10 minutes, traffic depending.

Car – The M6, junction 26 will take you on to the M58, which you can travel on until it ends and you join the M57. Exit that at junction 7 and take the A580 and you’ll be well on your way to Goodison. If you’re coming from the East then the M62 will take you to the M57 at junction 6, leading you on to the A59 and that will have you heading in the right direction. If you’re coming from the west take the M53 then go through the Mersey tunnel before following the signs to the ground.

Bus – There are numerous bus routes from Liverpool centre to Goodison including the 19/19A, 20, 21, 130,, 210, and 250, from Queen’s Square Bus Station. There is also the Soccerbus that runs between Sandhills station and Goodison Park.

Air – Liverpool John Lennon Airport is about 11 miles from the ground. You can get a bus from their to Liverpool South Parkway bus/rail interchange and from there get either a bus towards the ground or the train to Sandhills before meeting up with the Soccerbus. A taxi would cost you around £20.

Parking Near Goodison Park

Car parking is available at Stanley Park, which is near to the ground, or you can find some on street parking a short walk from the stadium. This often fills up, though, so don’t rely on it too much if you don’t have much time to spare.

• See Available Parking Near Goodison Park

Useful Resources

• Parking - Just Park

Goodison Park Hotels

Liverpool is a fantastic city with loads of history and plenty to do. It has seen a lot of investment over the last decade so it’s well worth travelling over the day before the game and having a mooch around and a nice meal out. Here are some great places to stay if you choose to do that:

Pubs and Bars Near Goodison Park

Famous for its nightlife, Liverpool has no shortage of watering holes either. These would be our go-to boozers if we were in town:

Facilities

Goodison Park is full of all of the top-end facilities that you’d expect from a Premier League ground; kiosks to buy a pint from, places to grab a pie or a hot dog and even bookmaker’s huts are all located inside the concourses of the stadium.

Much like with all of the league’s top teams, Everton have a club shop. Unlike most, however, it isn’t actually part of the stadium itself. Along with the shop located in central Liverpool there is also a megastore a few minutes walk from Goodison Park. There is a smaller shop located within the footprint of Goodison that is called The Toffee Shop, though it doesn’t have as much merchandise as the megastore.

Prices

• Programme: £4
• Pie: £3.9
• Cup of tea: £2.3
• Beer: £4.55

Hospitality

Everton’s hospitality has won industry awards, so you know you’ll be in for a treat if you choose to make the most of your trip to Goodison Park with a hospitality package. As well as the usual Executive boxes you’d expect to find at a Premier League team there are also numerous lounges that you can visit to soak up the atmosphere. There are a number of different packages to choose from, so we’ll have a look at some of the more popular ones here.

The People’s Club – This is the most informal of the hospitality packages on offer at Goodison. Relax with your fellow Blues, have a meal and enjoy a cash bar before and after the match before taking your seat in the Park End Stand. You can wear your replica shirt, jeans and trainers in here and enjoy the atmosphere until kick off with the bar closing at 6pm.

The Dave Hickson Private Dining Package – If you’ve got £5k+ to spare this one really is the mutts nuts. Probably targeted to businesses since you get a full-page advert in our matchday programme and your company name on the halfway line pitch side static advertising board, as well as appearing on the TV screens within the hospitality lounges and on the official Everton teamsheet. Guests will receive champagne, a 3 course meal from an award winning chef and their team plus all inclusive drinks, visits from multiple Everton legends, the very best seats in the directors box on the halfway line, an Everton themed gift for each guest plus a signed shirt for one of the party – you’ll have to fight over who gets that. It also includes a stadium tour before the game.

The 1878 BrasserieThis is one of the more intimate and exclusive match day hospitality options – so much so that there is even a dress code. You’ll get a glass of Champagne on arrival, a top notch three-course meal, complimentary bar with waiter service, executive Main Stand seating, half-time tea & coffee, match programme and team sheet.

Joe Mercer Suite – Known simply as ‘The Joe’, this is like your local pub replicated inside Goodison Park. Pub food is available to buy and there is a pre and post match cash bar there too. You’ll take your seat in the director’s box when the game starts, so no replica shirts here, unfortunately.

The ’85 Lounge – Named after Everton’s most successful team, The ’85 Lounge will see you enjoy a four course meal and a cash bar as well as an opportunity to meet the Man Of The Match. It’s a more intimate environment so the dress code is smart casual and no club shirts. Your seat is in the director’s box, though.

The Dixie Dean Suite – As befits the most famous of Everton’s sons, The Dixie Dean Suite will have you enjoying an incredible six course meal, all-inclusive drinks and a half-way line luxury seat in the director’s box. The dress code here is formal, so it’s shirt, tie and jacket time.

There are quite a few other lounges and restaurants available at Goodison Park that you will need to pay for on a seasonal basis, but they are all much of a muchness in terms of what is included.

Private Hire

Goodison Park is an iconic venue and, as such, is the ideal place for a special occasion. Weddings, birthdays, conferences and even funerals can all be taken care of by the Everton private hire team. With a host of lounges and executive boxes to choose from there is the ability to host conferences and meetings of all shapes and sizes.

Stadium Tours & Museum

Goodison Park is over 120 years old and, as such, has an incredibly rich history. For that reason a tour is a ‘must do’ if you’re ever in Liverpool or the surrounding areas. The tour operates every day of the week but you need to book in advance. Do be aware, however, that there are no tours on match days or on the afternoon before a home fixture featuring the first team.

The behind-the-scenes tour takes in the dressing rooms, tunnel and a pitch side experience as well as an opportunity to sit in the famous Goodison dugout. It lasts about an hour and fifteen minutes. You can also experience a Legends tour, which operate on a Thursday evening and will be given be an ex-Everton legend. The price for the regular tour is £23.50 for adults, £20 for concessions, and £15 for 16 year olds and under.

The Legends tour costs £99 for adults and concessions and £79 for Under 16s, which is very expensive, but you do get a Q&A with three former Everton players, photo & autograph opportunities, inclusive drinks & light refreshments in one of the Club’s hospitality lounges, an Everton themed gift, and a 10% discount in the Club megastore – as well as going on the tour itself of course.

About Everton

Although Everton haven’t won a trophy since 1995, they remain one of the best supported clubs in England and have an incredible history. The Blues have competed in the top flight of English history for a record 112 season, spending just four seasons in the second tier of the game. In the 2016-2017 season they set the record of being the most defeated team in the history of the top-flight.

The Toffees have won the First Division title nine times, the FA Cup five times, the Charity Shield nine times and the European Cup Winners’ Cup once. Many of Everton’s former players went into club management, including Peter Reid, Joe Royle and Howard Kendall. The club loves its traditions and to this day a ‘toffee lady’ walks around the perimeter of the pitch and throws toffees into the crowd before kick off.

Goodison Park History

Built in a residential area and known for hosting more top flight games than any other ground in the country, The Grand Old Lady still knows how to rock when the occasion calls for it. Goodson has hosted the FA Cup in the past and has also been the venue for numerous international matches, most notably some games from the 1966 World Cup Finals.

Everton originally used to play at Anfield, the ground that is now home to their fierce rivals Liverpool Football Club. whilst there they become the first club to introduce goal nets to professional football. A dispute over rent with the ground’s owner led to them moving to their own purpose built stadium, however, and it became known as Goodison Park because of its location near Goodison Road.

Future Developments

Bill Kenwright, Everton’s long time chairman, made no secret of his desire to move away from Goodison Park for a brand new stadium. It was something of a contentious issue, however, with Everton’s fans not wanting to leave their famous ground. Nevertheless, a plan to move the club to a new 52,000 seater stadium is underway, with the build in the later stages. Kenwright will never see his dream become a reality however, as he passed away in October 2023.

The location is Bramley Moore Dock on the banks of the River Mersey, due for completion during the 24/25 season. Everton are expected to move to their new stadium ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Fans were consulted on stadium design and capacity as well as other considerations, in an attempt to keep them happy and give them some ownership of the new stadium that not all of them really wanted. The old stadium will regenerated and turned into a multi-use space including housing and commercial units.