Everton Legend Harvey Reveals New Stadium Verdict

Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium has been given the seal of approval by Club legend Colin Harvey, who’s labelled the Blues’ new ground as “very, very special".

Harvey – a former FA Cup and title-winning player with the Toffees, as well as former manager and coach – recently visited Everton’s world-class waterfront ground for the first time.

A lifelong Evertonian and part of the Club’s famous ‘Holy Trinity’ who were immortalised with a statue outside Goodison Park, Harvey spoke to evertonfc.com during his tour of Hill Dickinson Stadium.

“Oh, it’s very impressive!” he said, sat in the home dressing room. “I mean, I love Goodison, but you look at something like this, it’s state-of-the-art and the dressing rooms are fantastic.

“So, it's a big, big step up. Honestly, it's very, very special.

“It is a modern trend, you know, the round dressing room, but it is very special, and when you're out on the pitch like we were earlier on, and you look up at the stands, it's fantastic.

“I mean, Goodison in its prime was great, but this place goes another couple of steps up.”

Harvey's cherished memories at the Grand Old Lady even go beyond his time as an Everton player, manager and spectator.

In 1966, he took in every World Cup game staged at Goodison from the stands.

“I was in the Gwladys Street and watched from behind the goal,” he recalled. “It was a great atmosphere and everything else, but I don't like watching games from behind goal, so that took the edge off it a little bit.

“But the fact that the Brazilians were there, it was absolutely brilliant.”

At Everton’s 52,769-seater new ground, there’s not a bad seat in the house, agrees Harvey, who continues: “It's a fantastic set-up and a lovely place to watch a game from.”

So far, the Toffees are victorious in their opening two fixtures at Hill Dickinson Stadium. A comfortable 2-0 victory over Mansfield Town under the lights in the EFL Cup followed a lively Premier League opener for the stadium – a 2-0 win against Brighton & Hove Albion.

The atmosphere was electric for both contests, and for Harvey, it’s crucial Everton can continue to bring the intensity and intimacy of Goodison Park to their all-new home.

“It'll be the same people coming here, only there'll be more of them,” he added.

“So, once things settle down, it'll be a fantastic ground to play on and to watch from the stands, as well.”