Everton beat Port Vale 2-1 in behind-closed-doors friendly at Hill Dickinson Stadium

Stephen Meighan

1 Posted
22/07/2025 at
14:32:48

Suppose a win is a win. onwards and upwards.

Paul Hewitt

2 Posted
22/07/2025 at
14:50:18

Unbeaten at the new stadium.

Paul Kossoff

3 Posted
22/07/2025 at
15:10:23

Why was the first senior game at BMD in hystory, played to no one?
Can you imagine the other lot having built a new billion pound stadium playing the first senior game behind closed doors. They would have sixty thousand in, all paying full price and filmed for posterity, probably against a top side. We, oh, first game at BMD, we don’t want anyone seeing that, it must be behind closed doors, we are frightened that something will go wrong. It’s more like the stadium isn’t ready as someone cocked all the paint work up. Which is actually true by the way.

Ray Robinson

4 Posted
22/07/2025 at
15:16:44

Paul, I honestly think you’re looking for something to beat the club up with. Games behind closed doors are regularly played in the build up to the new season – probably because they’re arranged at very short notice. Liverpool themselves played one the other day. Nothing to do with painting work cockups.

Paul Kossoff

5 Posted
22/07/2025 at
15:38:43

Ray, but it’s hystory, it’s the first teams first game. Everton even ordered a drone video to be taken off YouTube the other day because they didn’t want anyone seeing the first team train, that was hystory. First training session at BMD. We can’t see it. We couldn’t go and see the first senior game at BMD. As I said, the other lot would have had a capacity crowd, and bloody Sky sports in 4k, and to know it. Yes I do beat my team up a bit, sadly, most of the time they deserve it.

Iain Johnston

7 Posted
22/07/2025 at
16:16:42

Cracking free kick from Garner with Alcaraz being the first of the 1st team squad to score at BMD.

Michael Nisbet

8 Posted
22/07/2025 at
16:21:55

I believe, and I may be wrong here but, the Roma match is the third test event, which must be completed before we are allowed to officially start using the stadium in anger.

I don’t suppose we would have been allowed to have fans at the Port Vale match if they’d wanted to.

Minik Hansen

9 Posted
22/07/2025 at
16:45:31

So Port Vale scored first, in the hystory of BMD first senior team match. No mention of who from Port Vale.. Because it’s behind closed doors? Because it’s unofficial?

On that note, good to see Charly and Garner hitting the net.

Jake FitzGerald

10 Posted
22/07/2025 at
17:04:06

And if you know your hystory…

Minik Hansen

11 Posted
22/07/2025 at
18:20:56

From Port Vale OS:

“Ruari Paton becomes the first player to score past Everton in the brand-new Hill Dickinson Stadium as Darren Moore’s Valiants lose narrowly to Premier League opposition in our latest pre-season outing.”

Irish Ruari Paton (24) from Dublin, former U16 Ireland international. There you go.

Ian Jones

12 Posted
22/07/2025 at
18:22:48

Deleted post as Minik has named the Vale scorer…

Danny O’Neill

13 Posted
22/07/2025 at
19:11:14

Paul, as mentioned by Ray, it’s quite common for some pre-season matches to be played behind closed doors and, until this one was announced a couple of days ago, it was not scheduled.

It wouldn’t have been 60,000, as the dock doesn’t hold that.

And attendees wouldn’t have been paying full price. The Roma match is capped just below the maximum attendance at 50,000 and adult tickets were £25.

David West

14 Posted
22/07/2025 at
19:34:16

Been saying for while, the club should have had more friendlies for the first team at BMD (HD).

When the season starts, it’s going to be tough, every team will have that bit of extra incentive to play well at the new ground.

It would’ve made sense to play a few full-house friendlies to let the players feel at home when the Premier League kicks off.

Don’t see why people are against behind-closed-doors games; the more the lads play there, the more confident and comfortable they will be.

Paul Kossoff

15 Posted
22/07/2025 at
19:39:10

Danny 21. Did I say… We had a capacity of 60.000? I said they would have sixty thousand in, all paying full price and filmed for posterity, probably against a top side, and the Pope, blessing the pitch, and ordaining the new ground as a holy site!

It wouldn’t matter what fans paid, Everton could have called it a charity game and gave all proceeds to Alder Hey hospital.

Danny, The Roma match is capped just below the maximum attendance at 50,000 probably because they will still be painting.😁

Brian Harrison

16 Posted
22/07/2025 at
19:45:55

Anybody know what side started the game and what subs were made.

I know Gana captained the side and Alcaraz and Garner scored after Port Vale opened the scoring.

Danny O’Neill

18 Posted
22/07/2025 at
20:08:59

My bad Paul,

I just read your post again and you were talking about them.

You’ll have to excuse me. I need to go to the opticians, but I’m in stubborn denial!!

I still wouldn’t read too much into behind closed doors or the result (again). More minutes on the pitch.

The stadium will be ready to go. It pretty much is now and will be gleaming come August.

The new official store has been turned around in weeks.

I would imagine 50,000 has been agreed to pass the 3rd test event. They need to hit 50,000, which has been sold out for weeks now. The email from the club requested that if you had purchased a ticket and could no longer attend, to return it for resale and receive a refund, as they have to hit the 50,000.

Ernie Baywood

25 Posted
22/07/2025 at
21:36:00

I cared about all the “last ever” moments over the past year.

These “first ever” moments don’t mean anything. They’ll only matter once the season starts.

Mark Andersson

26 Posted
22/07/2025 at
22:12:24

Two good goals. DCL in the stands, along with Jack H.