First Look at Bramley-Moore Dock
The stadium is superb and the sense of occasion was huge. Dan Meis, our magnificent architect, and his talented team have done us proud.
During these last few weeks, the lottery of life has been generous to Evertonians and it’s not before time.
Everything that is old is new again. David Moyes, once more presides over our beloved team. I’ve lost count of the managers we’ve had in the interim but I clearly remember it was laced with anguish, delight, disappointment, deception, manipulation, ecstasy and drama.
In a stroke of fortune, I got a ticket for the first ‘test event’ at Bramley Moore Dock. It was to be a live match with a 20% crowd capacity: stress-testing the infrastructure, transport links, press boxes, safety requirements, catering, stewardship, toilets, camera angles, advertising hoardings, PA system and all those other things we take for granted.
Aware that the Waterfront has its own, unique microclimate, I dressed accordingly: two pairs of socks, boots, leggings under my jeans, thermal vest, merino wool polo neck jumper and a chunky cashmere over that. Sheepskin gloves, retro scarf, a hat and my partner’s ‘big coat’ completed the ensemble, yet it was still colder than that day in February 2002 when I watched Oldham v Brighton from the terraces at Boundary Park with tears in my eyes.
The train from Birkdale went without a hitch and I noticed I was sharing the journey with a couple of other Evertonians, I recognised them from the occasional flash of their royal blue livery, like the iridescent underside of a magpie’s wing. We were all on the march to Bramley Moore Dock – our majestic new football stadium, nestled on the banks of the royal blue Mersey – life imitating art indeed.
It seems like numerous lifetimes since the King’s Dock (now the M&S Arena) was mooted as a potential home for the senior club in the city of Liverpool and another, since work began on the Bramley-Moore Dock. Goodison Park, the Old Lady of L4, is past her best and whilst, like Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman, she’s pretty in her own way, she’s been blagging it for a while now. A new fascia, the splendid photographic timeline, murals, autographed bricks, numerous coats of paint, a revised badge, pop art, you name it, we have it, but the fact remains, our landlocked old girl is punching.
Bramley-Moore is a name I’ve been familiar with all my life as my Stepfather was born upstairs in the pub in early 1937. His parents were the licensees of the Long Bar and made a respectable living from thirsty sailors and dockers. Family legend has it he was born as the Ark Royal was being launched at Cammel Laird’s – over the water. Scousers love a rebel and he told us that John Bramley-Moore was an alderman and the chairman of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board who declined a knighthood. For decades, we had a chiming wall clock with an engraved plaque: ‘Time and tide wait for no man’ – presented to George and Dorothy Booth by the Bramley-Moore Buoys.
My friend, Paul is a die-hard Kopite who lives alongside the canal at Sandhills Station. He met me from the train and we went to his for a pre-match coffee and a chat about Jimmy Tarkowski’s 98th-minute derby equaliser earlier in the week - he was fuming then and he still is now. I gently reminded him of the Don Hutchison derby incident when the referee swore he’d blown the final whistle; unseen and unheard by everybody, but the pain is still too raw for him to be reasonable.
For the last two years, Paul’s view has been our beautiful stadium emerging from the unforgiving waters of the River Mersey. He would begrudgingly send occasional photos and whenever I went to Liverpool on the train, I could glance it with my own eyes. Dedicated drone flyer, Mark Thomas has created a superb, in-depth catalogue of the construction with his footage, and I feel as if I’ve literally laboured on the site, but nothing will prepare you for the first time you see BMD in the flesh, lit up against the River Mersey - the most splendid of all of backdrops.
Amicable, Hi-Viz-coated stewards were everywhere, guiding people towards the South Stand and taking photos of families and friend groups alongside the stadium, on request. The wind was whipping in from the river as we strained to see our names on the incomplete and fenced-off Walk of Fame … ours reads NTAS – Netley Tactical Assault Squad – Pioneers of the Internet (if you know, you know).
Once I passed through the bad-boy turnstile (nobody is bunking in past that brute, trust me) there were royal blue escalators to the nosebleeds on the right and to the left, the concourse itself: neat, shiny, immaculate, practical, spacious and all ours. There are as many Ladies toilets as Men’s although the ambiguous signage will undoubtedly cause confusion for eternity - look for the ‘ponytail’, is my best advice. As promised in the ‘What to expect’ section of the ballot comms, there was a basic menu, mainly pie based, donuts with blue icing and a variety of drinks. No cash transactions allowed and put your own rubbish in the appropriate bin.
The allocated seating area was behind the goal and my seat was towards the back of the first tier. I’m long limbed so the leg room is usually unsatisfactory, like that on an economy flight. Tall people master sitting at an angle, and this was no different. The steps are steep and each row has its own crash bar which was reassuring because I still have occasional flashbacks to the MEN Arena when I grabbed hold of a stranger’s hair to stop me from tumbling to certain death during a Simon and Garfunkel gig.
Again the stewards were helpful, patient and happy to take photos with a hinterland of the greenest pitch I’ve ever seen. The air raid sirens sounded, segued into Z-Cars and the first roar of thousands gave everybody goose bumps. The Under 18s from Everton and Wigan entered the field of play and that was how it began. The kits were reminiscent of when we were kings.
‘Everybody knows a blue shirt and white shorts is Everton, we don’t need our name on our shirts’ - Harry Catterick.
Plain royal blue with no sponsor and no name, I loved it and felt my eyes drawn to number 8 as a silent and respectful nod to Alan Ball. About 20 seconds in, the lad in front of me came out with the famous shout, ‘Get into them, Everton – these are shite!’
By half time we were 2-0 down but having never left a game early, I decided this was not the time to break my own rule although the people were departing in their droves and who could blame them? On the final whistle, we’d been beaten 2-1, our goal was a calmly-taken penalty by 16-year-old Ray Robert, but the result didn’t even matter; I’d seen the future of our club, and as I made my way outside, a 30-mph Baltic wind casually blasted in off the river.
Setting off at pace towards Sandhills Station in the moonlight, Terry’s Timber yard has never looked more beautiful. It was a brisk walk, the roads were closed to traffic and there were buses parked intermittently en route. Kudos to the smart, clean Heritage chippy which will surely become the next Hot Wok/ Blue Dragon, they must be buzzing. I can only imagine and hope that this is the start of gentrification for the next trench of the neglected docklands.
Bearing in mind, about half the fans had already made their way home, my arrival at Sandhills was smooth enough. There were signs on the barriers for your destination and you could proceed on production of a valid ticket. There are few things more thrilling than dashing to the station and seeing your train is due in three minutes, and I bounced up the steps to the platform which was absolutely heaving with humanity, those two, averaged-sized platforms were full to bursting. Just saying.
The train doors opened and I sidled into a vacant seat bedside a guy, who, it transpired was on the wrong train, he was heading to Kirkby and had misread the signage. The train was packed to the gunnels but I had a seat, a phone charger and was slowly thawing out. I was home in Southport by 9.30pm eating chocolate, drinking Bailey’s coffee and warming my feet beside the fire.
I was incredibly proud to have been there, the stadium is superb and the sense of occasion was huge, no wonder our neighbours are salty. A shout out to Dan Meis, our magnificent architect who lost his home and all his worldly goods in the California fires of January 2025. He and his talented team have done us proud, we see you and are sending love and gratitude your way.
So, once again we’re on the march with Moyesies Army and I’m loving it.
Up the Toffees!
More images:
Reader Responses
Selected thoughts from readers20/02/2025 04:05:10
Great write-up Becky!
Thanks for sharing. Can't wait to hear the "New girl" rocking as 54,000 roar it out.
20/02/2025 10:05:35
You are one of the people whose thoughts I have been awaiting, Beck. It’s a cracking read.
20/02/2025 11:05:31
A really nice read from someone who is both long enough in the tooth and also sensible enough to know how cold it’s gonna be down by the riverside in the winter months.
Refusing a knighthood, has just endeared me to John Bramley-Moore, and in times of reflection it must be very intriguing to think about your stepfather being born opposite our new ground Becky?
Goodison has many ghosts, best referenced by Peter Mills, (after last April’s derby victory) so hopefully it’s the same at Bramley-Moore, where loads of Evertonians, who are no longer with us - are waiting 💙
20/02/2025 11:08:52
Excellent review Becky, I felt I was alongside you. Funny but a few years back when BMD was first announced as our new home, I thought about how cold it would be on a Winters night with an icy wind blowing.. that wind cuts through some serious winter protection! Lots of hot tea, Oxo or Bovril needed!
The photos look FAB, I can't wait to see for myself, hard as it is to believe I will never set foot in Goodison again, BMD is a fitting replacement, an icon in the making already, thanks again Becky..
20/02/2025 12:20:04
Excellent as always Becky
20/02/2025 16:57:02
Fab article, Becky, thanks for sharing it with us. I wasn't aware that poor Dan Meis and family lost their home and all their memories and stuff - we owe him a massive thank you for his vision and his comprehension of who and what Everton are
20/02/2025 18:13:01
Great review, many thanks Becky. I’m really looking forward to being among the 25,000 at the second test event. Hopefully by then four layers of attire will suffice.
20/02/2025 18:57:19
Great review Becky, can’t wait to go to the second event at least if I’m not on holiday that is!
21/02/2025 09:51:21
To echo the old Blackpool postcards - it was ‘bracing’. I’ve been freezing cold at Goodison in the Top Balcony and this matched, so wrap up warm fellow blues - the wind blows straight down the Mersey estuary from Ice Station Zebra without a stop in between.
My own thoughts. The stadium design is fantastic, the potential for 4 walls of noise in big games and non of the ‘famous obstructed’ views. The operation of getting you through the turnstile and to your seat was smooth and the stewards were efficient and friendly with a couple of old faces from Goodison Park. The catering and choice of food and drink was ok but nothing to write songs about. By the way, there’s a video doing the rounds of some gobshite taking food without paying and ‘doing a Toby’ whatever the fuck that is. I hope you’re proud of yourself you complete blurt, you could have cost that kid you robbed his job.
The transportation links are completely inadequate and if is not addressed might lead to delayed kickoffs for the first few full houses. Liverpool City Council, you’ve had 4 years to sort this, it needs you to get your fingers out with urgency.
All in all, magnificent stadium, wonderful seat up in the gods, fantastic stewarding, adequate catering, piss poor experience getting to and from the venue (outside the club’s control) but it needs addressing by the relevant authorities or there will be huge problems with potential disruptions.
Dan Meis - take a bow son
22/02/2025 09:39:02
What a wonderful read Becky - well done! I feel as if I've already visited the stadium myself. I've actually been outside it and taken pictures last Summer, but going in to a real event is something special. I'm so jealous!
I would just like to comment on the transport problems. Do you think there has been a conspiracy against us by the Liverpool Council (as most of them are probably kopites) that they don't want to help us with transportation and will do anything to stop us having anything better than them! My conspiracy theory anyway, but does anyone agree with me? 4 years and no help seems rather suspicious!
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20/02/2025 03:30:29
Thanks Becky. I'm very envious. That final picture reminded me of those Winter days in the UK when it can hurt to be outside.
Not sure when I will share your matchday experience but next time we are back (and these days it's usually in the Summer, without any footy) it will have to be a compulsory visit.