Everton’s new ground, Hill Dickinson Stadium, has gone over well with most supporters so far, but one part of the set-up has not impressed Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish.
Tottenham Hotspur ended Everton’s unbeaten run at their new ground over the weekend, handing out a 3-0 loss that did not quite match how the game felt for David Moyes’ side.
While Moyes may not have felt the scoreline told the full story, it still went down as their first defeat at the stadium.
This weekend will also see a rugby match played there, giving Everton’s ownership group a chance to show off their ability to host different types of events in Merseyside.
The Toffees have now played five Premier League matches at Hill Dickinson Stadium, and it has been mostly positive so far. The venue is also scheduled to be used during Euro 2028.
But after visiting earlier this month with Palace, Parish was left annoyed by one aspect of his experience.
Crystal Palace owner underwhelmed by Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium
James Garner has praised Everton’s new stadium and the energy created by the home crowd.
That is actually what has annoyed Parish, who was impressed by his visit to Merseyside at the start of October.
Speaking on the Men in Blazers podcast, Parish admitted he had hoped the new ground would not match Goodison Park’s reputation. He said:
“And as a football fan that’s trying to compete and win against you, I’m hugely disappointed to say that the new stadium is almost as good (as Goodison).
“I was really hoping that it would be, you know, big and soulless, and you would have somehow lost something. But unfortunately, when you equalised from the penalty spot against us the other day, it was really unbelievable.”
Birmingham City owner Tom Wagner was also impressed by Hill Dickinson Stadium, considering similar steep stands for his own designs.
There were concerns among Everton fans that moving to a new stadium might strip away some of the club’s character. But early signs suggest it has not been an issue at all.
Hill Dickinson Stadium continues to see upgrades
The stadium may have only been open for a couple of months, but small changes are still being made to the site.
Everton recently showed off new banners and displays that had been put up to give the place more of a home feel.
It is just one of the latest steps in helping make Hill Dickinson feel like home, and strong results will only aid that process along.
Despite the result against Spurs, there were plenty of positives to take from the performance. Fans should have reasons to believe they can get back on track next week against Fulham.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
