Everton Football Club will pay its respects to heroes from the Armed Forces and Merchant Navy on Sunday with a tribute ahead of the Premier League game against Tottenham Hotspur.
The Blues will also honour the memory of former manager Walter Smith, who passed away last week aged 73.
Fans attending Sunday’s game are encouraged to arrive early to join the Club for both tributes.
To mark the second of the Premier League’s remembrance weekends, the two team captains will lay wreaths in the centre circle ahead of kick off (2pm GMT), while a performance of The Last Post is heard.
Players, staff, fans and representatives from both Everton and Tottenham Hotspur will then join the match officials in observing a minute's silence to remember all those who made the ultimate sacrifice during conflict. During the tribute, serving members of the Armed Forces will be seen observing the silence on the stadium’s big screens. A banner designed by the Gwladys Street 1938 fan group and featuring the words 'We will remember them', from the poem, For The Fallen, will be displayed in the Howard Kendall Gwladys Street End.
Following the silence, supporters inside Goodison Park will be asked to applaud in memory of Smith, who was in charge at the Club between 1998 and 2002.
Smith joined Everton after guiding Glasgow Rangers, a club where he achieved legend status, to seven straight Scottish titles. Following his four-year spell with the Blues, he later managed the Scotland national team, before returning to Rangers and winning a further three titles, taking his total haul of major honours with the Ibrox side to 21.
Following his passing, Everton Chairman Bill Kenwright and manager Rafael Benitez were among those in the football community to pay tribute to Smith, with Mr Kenwright describing him as a "great leader and a great man".
In addition to the planned remembrance tribute, the Tri-Service Toffees, an affiliated Supporters’ Club established in 2019, will be among the guests on the Club's pre-match show Everton Live, while Benitez has paid tribute to the fallen in his notes for the official matchday programme.
Everton’s players will once again wear shirts embroidered with a poppy, which will be auctioned online after the game to raise money for the Royal British Legion. Supporters can also donate by purchasing Everton poppy badges from The Poppy Shop here.
To read a booklet about the fallen of Everton and Everton de Viña del Mar, produced by the Everton Heritage Society to mark Remembrance Day 2019, click here.
WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING AT SUNDAY’S GAME?
Evertonians attending Sunday’s Premier League fixture against Tottenham Hotspur are advised of an increase in Covid spot checks at Goodison Park.
Supporters are again advised to arrive early, as the Club will continue to ramp-up Covid checks around the perimeter of the stadium, in line with protocols and Premier League guidelines.
Supporters aged 18 or over should be prepared to present, if asked when entering the stadium, a valid NHS COVID Pass OR valid alternative proof that they have been fully vaccinated (see FAQs) OR proof that they have registered a negative COVID test in the previous 48 hours.
However, we strongly recommend that supporters look to upload their vaccination details onto the NHS Covid Pass, as this is likely to become a requirement of entry should the Government adopt their ‘Plan B’ protocols.
For more information about these requirements and matchday spot checks, including fans under 18, click here.
FAN ZONE CLOSED AND PARK END ENTRY INFORMATION
The Fan Zone will not be in use for this fixture. This is in order for the Club to accommodate additional changing room facilities at the Park End of the stadium for visiting teams as part of Premier League protocols to maintain a bubble for players and staff.
Additionally, the Sir Philip Carter Park End will only be accessible via Goodison Road and will open for fans from 12.45pm (BST). All other stands will be open 90 minutes before kick-off, from 12.30pm.
FOODBANK DONATIONS
A group of foodbank volunteers and their unmissable purple vehicle will be based on the corner of Winslow Street and Goodison Road, next to The Winslow Hotel public house.
MATCHDAY HUB AND HERITAGE SOCIETY
The Matchday Hub based at Everton Free School will also not be in operation for the Tottenham Hotspur match, however the Everton Heritage Society at St Luke's Church will be open from 12pm (midday).
HOW TO REPORT DISCRIMINATORY BEHAVIOUR
Everton has launched a new text number for fans to report any discriminatory or abusive behaviour they witness during matches at Goodison Park.
If you see or hear something, report it to our Stadium Safety Team immediately by texting HELP and your message to 84300, or email reportit@evertonfc.com. In your message, please include details of what you have witnessed and where.
You will be sent a text, or email confirming your message has been received by our Stadium Safety Team.
GOODISON FOOD AND DRINK OPTIONS
Our official Catering Partner, Sodexo, will have the below 'Early Bird' offers, available up until 30 minutes after the gates open:
- Buy one pint/bottle of Carling lager and receive your second half price
- Buy a standard pie and receive a free hot drink
- Buy a sausage roll and receive a free hot drink or bottle of water (Family Enclosure only)
NB: All payments inside the stadium will be contactless.
