Pre Season Matches.

[TexanToffee]

Can anyone who has been to these stadiums before confirm that you have the ability to enter the lower tier concourses if you have an upper tier ticket? This is usually the case in American Stadiums. We got the cheapest tickets in the rafters but I will be looking to slope into the lower tier.

You can absolutely be in the lower concourse, just depends how strict security is when trying to enter the lower seating area.

Not going to lie, the stadium experience at English football games was a bit of culture shock for me when I realized I wasn't allowed to go to other parts of the stadium. Felt like I was in prison lol

 

[Verbal Kint]

I've been to Soldier Field in Chicago a good few times. Mostly for Bears games but on one occasion I watched Chicago Fire Vs Derby County in a pre season game. If I wanted I dare say I could have sat on either team bench such was the sparse crowd, absolutely no one bothered me. Probably won't manage to do that If the famous EFC visit.

 

[Timbucktoo]

You can absolutely be in the lower concourse, just depends how strict security is when trying to enter the lower seating area.

Not going to lie, the stadium experience at English football games was a bit of culture shock for me when I realized I wasn't allowed to go to other parts of the stadium. Felt like I was in prison lol

You need to make a trip to Millwall as an away supporter if you ever get a chance. The only ground in Engand where you`re kept locked up in a pen after the game for half an hour, so that the locals can disperse back to where ever they crawled out of.

 

[Tylard]

You need to make a trip to Millwall as an away supporter if you ever get a chance. The only ground in Engand where you`re kept locked up in a pen after the game for half an hour, so that the locals can disperse back to where ever they crawled out of.

I went to a Milwall match on my pilgrimage to Goodison. I inadvertently starting walking up towards the away entrance and got a very stern rebuke from the police there. Everyone else warned me not to get stabbed at the Den. Still an awesome visit, I'll never forget London is Calling cranked before the game on a crisp April evening.

 

[Tylard]

Nah, if i didn't have kids, those cities all would be worth a trip. I had to be bullied by the wife to cough up the 400 odd for my family's tickets.

I'm leaving my kids at home, cut my costs down big time.

 

[GrandOldSte117]

Have to say, I’m uncomfortable with Everton doing a pre season tour in the USA given their financing of the genocide in Palestine, the locking up of political prisoners and critics of the government and Israel, and their own bombing and killing of civilians in Yemen. That’s not even scratching the surface of the current administrations descension into fascism.

If it was Russia doing this we wouldn’t be going over. The US shouldn’t be treated any different.

 

[Toffe3m4n]

I completely agree with this point. Part of the fun of pre season is to watch the club play teams they wouldn't normally match up against. I'd love to see Everton take on pretty much anyone outside of the English leagues.

I get why they're doing this, and I'll admit I'm extremely excited to see not just Everton but also the other PL teams since I'd never get to see them otherwise. I'd still rather this not be the case though. Let us play NYCFC or Atlanta United or someone else different. Plus it'd keep me from the hordes of American Man U fans that I'll have to put up with this July

With all due respect to those MLS teams - I'd much rather play Prem-level opposition in pre season irregardless of where they're played.

 

[JelavicBrate2]

Can't understand the point in going to America, it made sense when we had Tim Howard and Donavan, but we effed that up, by not doing enough marketing to take over America, when it was an untapped market. I would much rather we played some decent teams and got ready for season. Why not play Roma away, Juventus or AC at home. It's no surprise to me that, in Martinezs 1st season, when we played decent opposition we started season well. It was no surprise in 2010, when we made trip to OZ, we started season lethargic.

 

[jaybx1878]

I watched that Jeffrey Dahmer thing on Netlflix not long ago, I'm planning a detour to Milwaukee to see the site of his apartment when we are on the Chicago leg of the tour. The missus thinks i'm a mental case who is obsessed with serial killers and is refusing to join me.

 

[Lanolin]

Can't understand the point in going to America, it made sense when we had Tim Howard and Donavan, but we effed that up, by not doing enough marketing to take over America, when it was an untapped market. I would much rather we played some decent teams and got ready for season. Why not play Roma away, Juventus or AC at home. It's no surprise to me that, in Martinezs 1st season, when we played decent opposition we started season well. It was no surprise in 2010, when we made trip to OZ, we started season lethargic.

I honestly don't think it makes the slightest bit of difference who you play (as long as they're of a level where they can give you some kind of game obviously). I don't think there's any correlation at all, it's just one of them weird things people get obsessed about and convince themselves really matters. Every year there's a big fall out as if every other club is playing Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and PSG and we're playing Marine, Bootle, and Purps.

 

[mightymoyes]

Have to say, I’m uncomfortable with Everton doing a pre season tour in the USA given their financing of the genocide in Palestine, the locking up of political prisoners and critics of the government and Israel, and their own bombing and killing of civilians in Yemen. That’s not even scratching the surface of the current administrations descension into fascism.

If it was Russia doing this we wouldn’t be going over. The US shouldn’t be treated any different.

whilst you have something of a point, our own country is aiding and abetting the genocide in Gaza too.

 

[GrandOldSte117]

whilst you have something of a point, our own country is aiding and abetting the genocide in Gaza too.

Oh, 100%. Can’t really boycott them though.

 

[JelavicBrate2]

I honestly don't think it makes the slightest bit of difference who you play (as long as they're of a level where they can give you some kind of game obviously). I don't think there's any correlation at all, it's just one of them weird things people get obsessed about and convince themselves really matters. Every year there's a big fall out as if every other club is playing Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and PSG and we're playing Marine, Bootle, and Purps.

Pre season in 2014, was appalling and rushed and we had an awful start, I agree I don't think too much can be made of losing pre season games, but getting players back to match fitness is of vital importance.

 

[Lanolin]

Pre season in 2014, was appalling and rushed and we had an awful start, I agree I don't think too much can be made of losing pre season games, but getting players back to match fitness is of vital importance.

I think that's much more to do with what's going on behind the scenes in training. You don't get more match fit playing Barcelona than you do playing Blackburn, it's 90 minutes of running around and kicking the ball either way. If players aren't ready for the start of the season it's because something's not gone right with the training and conditioning work they're doing day in day out for 6 weeks before the season starts, not because we didn't play a glamorous enough club in a friendly.

For some context, in 2019 we played 4 top level clubs (Monaco, Mainz, Sevilla, and Werder Bremen) but only won 2 of our first 8 games and sacked our manager after 15 games because we were in the relegation zone. A year later we played Blackpool and Preston then went on to win our first 4 games and after 15 games we were 2nd.