Angus, Jack, Wazza & The Diamond

It is not every day you receive an email from Everton's CEO inviting you and your family to be his guests at a Premier League home game. But this is precisely what happened to me three days before one of the most contentious and dramatic transfer deadline days in recent memory.

This story is centred on my family’s brief and memorable engagement with Angus Kinnear, the widely criticised CEO of Everton Football Club, and features a headline appearance from Jack Grealish, a few Everton legends along the way and the most enthralling, enticing and exhilarating 1-nil "draw" I've ever witnessed in my 42 years supporting this football club.

But our story begins with my younger brother Phil.

Phil, Dad Roy, and I (Chris) are ex-season ticket holders from the first David Moyes era but, for a number of reasons, are now firmly in the Forever Blue Plus contingent. Unfortunately, back in February 2025, Phil suffered an acute stroke aged 31 which was, without exaggeration, life changing overnight. Phil needed an emergency craniotomy to save his life and a further surgery to remove an infection from his brain.

After seven days in a coma, Phil thankfully woke up and has been in an intense period of rehabilitation since, relearning to walk and talk and rebuilding his life from scratch. Earlier this year, Phil had his third major operation where a metal plate was inserted into his skull, meaning it was finally safe for him to go out in public again. Once the latest operation was deemed a success, this meant only one thing for Phil: he could finally visit Everton’s iconic new stadium and be involved in our family's matchday experience, which now includes my 12-year-old daughter, Edith. 

Dad, Edith and I have already been fortunate (or unfortunate depending on your perspective) to visit Hill Dickinson Stadium on many occasions throughout the inaugural season. As Phil was doing the hard yards in rehabilitation, we were chipping in too, witnessing 4-1, 4-2 and 3-1 home defeats to Newcastle, Brentford and Sunderland respectively. We all know following Everton is an endless character-building journey but it’s fair to say resilience is a strong attribute in our family!

The sliding doors moment

Dad and I targeted the Ipswich game for Phil's first trip and were keen to ensure we did everything to make his experience as safe as possible. Remarkably, Phil is not wheelchair-bound, which is a miracle according to his medical team due to the severity of his stroke. However, if you had met the force of nature that was Phil 1.0 our family is not the least bit surprised to witness him continue to break boundaries in his recovery. 

I contacted Everton’s accessibility team for advice and was included in a specific ballot for fans that needed special assistance. Ironically, having spent the day with Phil at the Ipswich game, Dad and I have since concluded that we think he will have no issues navigating his way to row 50 in the top of the North Stand. But at the time we were being understandably cautious.

After four days of silence from Everton’s ticketing team, we resigned ourselves to the fact that we had been unsuccessful in our quest for tickets. This was the catalyst for me to adopt a different approach. 

Now, I accept my next few comments may be controversial, but the reason I decided to contact Angus Kinnear directly, is in my opinion, I believe his intentions are sincere for our football club. As we all know, Angus recently completed a series of interviews with Everton fan channels and local media, and whilst his comments have been dissected and scrutinised by many people, my overriding feeling was that this man was desperate and determined to improve Everton.

Angus was overwhelmingly positive about our core group of young players, which, as of today, is bearing fruit, and was intent on returning to the key objective that drives him, his staff and supposedly the owners: winning on the pitch. Whether you believe there is a mis-alignment with our managerial messiah or he was hung out to dry by the near-departing Friedkins, I bought into his message, and this was fresh in my mind as I penned the email and told him Phil’s story. 

Angus’s reply was classy, empathetic and surprisingly brisk. Approximately three hours after I reached out, we knew we would be attending the Ipswich game as guests of the club.

The Salt & Pepper Chicken upgrade

Around 10 days before the game, Angus’s team confirmed that we had been allocated four tickets to the Arch Hospitality Lounge, one of Everton’s premium hospitality spaces. Now, if you are like me and you spend most of your days doom scrolling the Seat Unique listings and wondering if your marriage is worth risking for a Tunnel Club ticket, this was the dream outcome. Dad, Edith and I have become accustomed to the Salt and Pepper Chicken in the family stand, and, in truth, our only ask of Angus was to help us access some general tickets for the game. We knew at this point Phil’s first experience at HD was going to be a special day for all of us. 

A dangerous yet warm Barry encounter

As the Arch stipulated a smart-casual dress code, it gave us all the rare opportunity to wear a blazer with accompanying Everton crest pins, Burnham-style. As my Dad pointed out, this was the first time in his 69 years of supporting the club that he wasn’t wearing a replica Everton shirt to the game. Edith, however, was showing off her new Grealish 10 home shirt which, as you will soon discover, will never be washed or worn again! 

The club had been kind enough to arrange a car parking space in West Quay adjacent to the stadium and to be frank it was exciting enough entering Hill Dickinson Stadium in this fashion. By coincidence, Edith had watched a video on Youtube a few days before, showing the players' sports cars arriving at Finch Farm, so as we were directed to our spot she was simultaneously locating Jack Grealish’s Lamborghini Urus and even knew where Jordan Pickford's wife had parked! This information would prove very useful later in the day. 

What happened next turned out to be a good omen for how the day and game unfolded. As we were walking gingerly across to HD, another Lamborghini skidded erratically into the players' car parking area, narrowly missing the four of us. Out stepped Thierno Barry, who was evidently the last of the players to arrive pre-game.

After receiving the customary nod of approval from the car park steward, Edith politely asked for an autograph and as we stood for our first memorable photo of the day, I quietly whispered in Thierno’s ear ‘you’ll score today’. It was hard not to be drawn in by Barry’s ocean wide smile and warm energy, even if he had almost killed us moments before!

As we headed to the hospitality entrance, we all concluded that if that was going to be our only encounter with an Everton figure today, we would be happily satisfied. (As an aside, I immediately shared the pic with my close friends, one of which felt it was symbolic enough to put 20 quid on a Barry brace. The relentless invasiveness of bloody VAR continues to infiltrate every facet of the matchday experience!)

Practicing gratitude with a commemorative mug 

As we strolled into the Arch in awe of the world class facilities and services, we were pondering whether Angus would come and say, "hello". I am a big believer in the practice of gratitude and I felt we had to make a small gesture. What can you buy a CEO of a Premier League football club? Well, it's obvious — a commemorative mug of course. Not just any Everton mug, a retro one courtesy of Forever Everton (shameless, unauthorised plug) with abstract prints of HD depicting a new dawn.

As I wrote in our thank you card, I am sure the mug will come in handy for all those strong coffees at Finch Farm to help manage those pesky medicals and last-minute signings on deadline day! I proactively located one of the more senior-looking members of staff and politely asked if they could pass a message on to Angus that we had a gift, or if someone could at least come and collect this precious item on his behalf. As my Dad guzzled his third glass of wine (even though he had declared multiple times in the days prior that he would not be drinking on the day) and we all finished our main course, Angus appeared at our table. 

What then happened was frankly beyond our wildest dreams. After exchanging pleasantries, Angus invited us to take a walk with him. Now, let's just pause for a second and remember why we are here. Phil has not seen Everton live since his stroke and never visited Hill Dickinson Stadium. To watch Phil immerse himself in this experience and take a ‘walk’ with Everton’s CEO after everything he has been through was a moment of pure joy for us all. Angus guided us carefully down to the players' tunnel and led us onto the pitch in the glorious sunshine. At approximately 1.50pm we were engaged in casual conversation and posing for pictures in the dugout. Angus graciously took pictures of our family on my phone and although he humbly tried to tap out from the photos, I ensured we had some snaps of the five of us. 

Wazza & The Diamond

Now, subjecting your child to the gift and accompanying pain of supporting Everton is quite the responsibility for a parent, but I also believe it's about continuous education. So, as Edith and I travelled down from our native North East on the Friday night, I took the time to speculate on the key figures we may or may not meet as we anticipated a very different matchday experience. I trawled through the likes of Reidy, Burnham, Bellew, Big Dunc and even the Diamond. 

Graham Stuart is the first Everton player I idolised after attending my first games at Goodison in the early 90s and he is clearly synonymous with our greatest moments in that period — from saving us from relegation to winning the FA Cup with the Dogs of War. It was fitting, therefore, that as Angus led us back to the Arch, I spotted the Diamond in the Directors Box and when Angus acknowledged my reaction, he changed course and guided the four of us in to say, "hello".

Now, at this point, all I could focus on was my imminent interaction with the Diamond but my Dad’s eyes were fixated on another iconic figure in the same room, Wayne Rooney, who, as we came to understand, had the day off from his Match of the Day duties and was attending the game with his son. As I was leisurely complimenting the Diamond for his radio commentary, my Dad could not deflect his gaze from Wazza.

It was impossible for the Diamond not to recognise this, so once he had listened respectfully to Phil’s story, he took it upon himself to go and fetch Wazza to come and join our impromptu meeting. This is one of those moments in a story where only a direct quote will do it justice.

“You gave me the best moment of my life when you scored against Arsenal,” an inspired and border-line controversial ice breaker from my Dad with two of his four children in the room. What followed felt like an out-of-body experience to be honest, pictures, autographs, casual conversation with your heroes and at the heart of it all; Angus, doing everything he could to maximise this experience for my brother and our family.  

The 1-nil draw

As we arrived back at our table starry-eyed and overwhelmed, I made a start on the cheese course and began to feel the Everton PMT. The day had been pure perfection so far, but Everton would find a way to ruin it, wouldn’t they?

We settled into our padded and heated Executive seats and quickly realised we might be the loudest and most energetic spectators amongst this clientele. I did my usual, "We are loud but harmless," jibe, a regular comment to describe our family's approach to any public appearances, and naturally got into the flow of the next Everton roller-coaster.

Barry had clearly taken my whisper in his ear as a source of inspiration and by the time the game had ended, I was so emotionally spent that I turned round to my Dad and said, "That is the most exciting and entertaining 1-nil draw I have ever seen," to which my Dad replied: "We won, love," much to my surprise. Now, maybe my sub-conscious Everton pantheon of trauma was so prominent that I couldn’t quite believe we were victorious on a day that meant so much to me and my family, but once the relief sunk in I genuinely thought this day couldn't get any better. I was wrong with that feeling too. 

Now, before we move on to the main event and epic conclusion of this story, a quick nod of appreciation to the people and Everton staff we engaged with throughout this experience. Our hospitality spaces and facilities are world class and whilst I won’t mention names, I had the privilege of chatting briefly with some other senior members of the club's hierarchy.  All were humble, respectful and deeply passionate about the success of our football club on and off the pitch. And, most importantly, they listened to my brother's story and welcomed us with empathy, respect and understanding. 

Midnight Jack and the car park stakeout 

As we slurped our post-game drink and hoarded Toffee Treats in our bags like they were souvenirs, we had one last mission firmly in our minds. Could we find a way to meet Jack Grealish? Having already met Rooney et al, you might be within your rights to call us greedy at this point. But if you are my 12-year-old daughter, Edith, Everton only really became relevant in her world when Jack signed. Now, don’t get me wrong, like any committed Evertonian, I forced her to attend and watch games, a crucial character-building experience in younger years, but Jack flipped the switch on Edith’s real love of Everton. Suddenly, we had a marquee player that she could reference amongst Mackem school friends and, as we came to realise when we attended Sunderland away last season, Jack’s popularity knows no end. He literally had a group of 100 or so Sunderland fans vying for his autograph before that game!

Now, as we were parked approximately 50 yards from the players' sports car forecourt, we wrestled with the prospect of just simply waiting by Jack's car to catch his inevitable exit. Everton’s security personnel who marshal this area had a very different idea of course. We were initially encouraged to wait with the general crowds at the West Stand exit, but once we had politely explained our circumstances, the security team actually started to support our cause.

However, they also explained that our charismatic number 10 had gained the nickname "Midnight Jack" due to the fact that he is consistently without fail the last player to leave the stadium post game. This was in a way a show of affection, as they stated that Jack signs every single autograph and immerses himself in engaging with everyone involved in the matchday experience. As it transpired, Jack’s predictable late exit was a blessing in disguise because it gave us the rare and exciting opportunity to interact with everyone else leaving the car park. 

Armed with five Sharpies and a starry-eyed teenage girl, we acquired quite the collection of autographs, pictures and memorable moments. First was KDH, who I admit looked a little despondent. He was possibly still ruing the miss of the second half that forced me to remove my blazer and throw it on the floor in rage! Next came Jimmy Garner, Hayden Hackney, Jordan Pickford and the charming Cumbrian tones of Jarrad Branthwaite, who I inexplicably offered to help carry his boots, to which he politely declined as he stared down at me from his 6ft 5 imposing frame.

Then came an unexpected interaction. As we were busy identifying the different players heading towards us, we stupidly hadn't appreciated that the manager would be using this car park too. Our now close friends in the security team had warned us that the Moyesiah is a little more unpredictable when engaging with random fans hanging out near his car. I, for one, know the sometimes grumpy Moyes persona implicitly after many years of watching his interviews and press conferences from a fan perspective, but this version was rather chipper.

Seven games unbeaten, four clean sheets — the perfect time to meet the great man himself. The Moyesiah had a sixth sense about Phil’s condition and listened to us empathetically before posing for some of our most beautiful pictures of the day. As you would expect, a real gentleman and an intensity of focus that is hard to grasp and capture when viewing through the TV screen. 

Only one man remained. True to form, the car park was almost empty and at this point we all needed a bio break, but we would not be deterred! Jack’s car was still there and he could not leave without an interaction with the Maseys! First came his family and entourage, who almost jokingly suggested he would be coming along soon once he was finished signing autographs at the West Stand exit. They duly departed in another vehicle —clearly the sensible approach — rather than hanging around all night like us. And then at approximately 19.00 as dusk fell upon us to reveal the stunning HD lights, Jack approached with a beaming smile on his face.

Now, having already signed hundreds of autographs, we would have forgiven Jack for a swift "hello" and exit. On the contrary, Jack stayed with us for close to 15 minutes. This probably goes some way to explain why he has acquired the "Midnight Jack" nickname, but I was utterly blown away by his passion and commitment to our football club.

At this point, Edith had gone mute because she had clearly crossed from overwhelmed to being completely star-struck, but the rest of us engaged in a surreal conversation that covered many topics such as Jack’s injury, our failed European quest, why he returned to the club and his assessment of the current playing squad, which, for the record, he is extremely positive about.

Jack listened intently to Phil’s story and was so easy and wonderful to talk to, in a way that dramatically surpassed any expectations we had. It was then I truly grasped what a special person and talent Jack is, and how blessed we are to have him represent Everton Football Club. In a further measure of his character, Jack was then apologetic when he asked to leave our conversation, to which we politely granted his request! 

To summarise, we had successfully completed our final mission and Jack Grealish was more than worthy of being the icing on the cake of a perfect day. Edith’s brand new Grealish 10 home shirt left Hill Dickinson Stadium covered with Everton players' signatures and a certain David Moyes autograph, a shirt that will soon be framed and hung on the bedroom wall to remember our special day. 

The final reflection

It is symbolic to me that when Phil was in his coma, his ITU bed was draped with Everton shirts, scarves and memorabilia. The club was with him then in his darkest moments and it has shown up again for him to celebrate his amazing journey.

As I turned my light off on the Saturday night, I started to process our day and relive the experiences one by one to try and make some sense of how my family, just regular, lifelong and committed Evertonians, had been fortunate enough to be granted this incredible opportunity. 

And I kept coming back to Angus. We are not sponsors, investors, partners or have any commercial association with the football club that would warrant this special treatment. So, why did he make this happen for us? Yes, I believe Angus was amazed by Phil’s story, his path to recovery is remarkable and an inspiration to us all. But I believe, rightly or wrongly, that Angus needed this interaction with us as much as we needed him to help us secure some tickets. As Angus led our family on our impromptu stadium tour, I got the sense that this was a man who actually enjoyed spending time with us and it was a welcome respite from what I imagine is one of the most challenging roles in football today. What Angus did for our family represents the true essence of the Peoples club and I for one (respecting that I might be in a minority), believe that our club is in safe hands with him at the helm. 

I’ll leave the final words to our superstar number 10 Jack Grealish, a direct quote from our car park conversation that is worth us all pondering: "Angus is one of the main reasons I rejoined the football club." 

Thanks for reading and UTFT!