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, a newspaper report on the building the Park End stand in 1909.
“Richest Club in the world”. I never thought I’d see that connected to Everton!http://bluecorrespondent.co.uk/evertonstand1907.html
Apparently our motto was once "forward"
Everton's New Stand 1907
Everton's new Park end stand 1907
TRULY A “GRAND STAND”
August 10, 1907.
The Liverpool Football Echo
A View Of The Everton Football Clubs New Building
Players For The Forthcoming Season
Distruction To “Season”
The Shareholders Meeting
“Next Please.” It was a sharp request from the sharp voice of a sharp man. But how pleasant were the faces of those men when they answered to the roll-call. The scene was not a barber's shop; it was the Everton Football Club's well-appointed and luxurious office, and therein was Mr. W. C. Cuff looking exceptionally well after his tour through Taffy land.
Mr. Cuff was busy; it was pay day (that was not the reason I found afterwards, that he asked me to give him a call on that day, which was Wednesday. The men filed up and in most sense received the maximum wage for something they had not done! However, they have got to do it, and it's real hard work, too, that lies before them. Some of the men have been taken on to Upper Bangor for a few days, and there is no doubt the Everton officials consider the cares of their players most generously; they always seem to be looking for a means of helping them. Ask a footballer anywhere round the country which club treats it's players well, and it is almost a certainty that Everton will be named among others. It was a pleasant sight to see these men just entering on a course of practice to fit them for the ardours of the season and it would have been additionally pleasant had one been able to share with them in the lucky bag which was being slipped into so frequently by the secretary.
The men looked well –some of them, it is true were a it on the heavy side –but a week of exercise will move the superfluous fat off any of them. I saw Walter Abbott who has been o Wales again this year for the vacation and Crelley. Both were in good trim even before they commented training.
Mention of the local full backs reminds me that I ought to ask Everton supporters and friends to bear in mind that Crelley, Young and Trainer Elliott are to divide the proceeds of the match in which the Aston Villa club will form the visiting ranks. This match is always a big attraction, and this season it will be fraught with exceptional interest. The football public have a short memory, and this must be jogged later on so that Sandy Young's goal which caused the “English” cup to come to the Mersey side for the first time in its career will be brought back to memory. The turf looked as well as ever, I have seen it.
Groundsman Weston was at the very moment busily engaged in giving it a clean shave. You know the weather has been all in favour of the altered playing space. No ? Didn't you know that the pitch had been altered somewhat? Yes, it has. The playing space has been removed slightly while the advertisement inside the ground have been removed wholly, the latter showing that the directors are determined to make the ground look attractive. With the alteration of the paddock it was found convenient to take off a yard of the turf on the Bullens road side and transfer it to the sixpenny side. The actual size of the field is as before.
The paddock looks very acceptable now. It is sheltered, and will be even more popular than in previous years. The players will be able to enter the field without rushing past admirers, which made the entrance become a bit of a nuisance. The players will find the railings that have been erected must convenient. In future there will always be a dry footing for the man in the paddock for there have been laid down some fifteen steps all of concrete. There are crush barriers of iron placed in suitable capons, and I should say that the paddock will be one of the best places to view the match from, because there is a duel advantage.
It will be possible to see the game in any kind of weather without getting wet, and, furthermore those people in the paddock are conveniently close to the playing area and will be able to see all the nice little points that the gentlemen of the Press Box are unable to see. Mr. Cuff took me round to see the sights and the followers of the club will agree with me when they have visited the ground and noted the new constructions that the many changes are all excellent in idea and construction. They all tend to improve the lot of the spectators. As I have said the Paddock improvements are welcome and well done.
What shall we say of the new and imposing stand that has been erected? It is situated at the back of the town goal and replaces a wooden structure which was awkward in every way. It was always a popular stand with the six penny spectators, was the Stanley end goal always providing, of course, that it was a me other goalkeeper than “Billy” Scott who was stationed at the end, and was being beaten by the forward. But it was out of date stand and was not credit to the richest football club in the world. Everton have as their motto “Forward” and living up to it, they spent their time and much of their spare money (the extent I believe is about £10,000) in erecting a new stand at the back of the aforesaid goal. It is a startling and delightful change which meets the eye as one enters the ground. There is a fine accommodation and strongly built stand nearing completion now. There is only one end left and one at present and the contractors assure that it will be complete and ready for use by the time the football season opens.
It is a double-decker stand, and its errection has caused the directors to revise their rather antiquated turnstile coverings. The entrances now are stoutly made, and that crushing which used to suggest that a fatal accident must happen shortly will be a thing of memory only. Which is good, eh? The stand is formed of bricks and its supports are of strong iron, and no one will have the slightest fear of a calamity, such as happened on the Ibrox Park ground. The shilling stand will accommodate something like 15,000 people all of whom will be able to gain admission easily. Whether they first pay entrance fee of a sixpence (the lower portion of the stand is 6d and the higher 1s) and subsequently transfer or whether they book direct. All those 15,000 people will be able to sit, see the match in comfort and they will have a splendid view of all the players. Whether a player is taking a corner kick or whether Scott is saving a penalty, it matters not, the incident will be seen –unless there is some on in front wearing a matinee hat and if there is my advice is “drop em over board.”
It's a lovely drop! Well judge for yourself by this fact –when I sat on the stand, somewhere about half a dozen seats from the top I was on a level with the directors box. That will give you the idea. Of course if you don't care to be so far from the players or are short-sighted it would be best for you to get there early and take a seat in the front row. If only the people who visit this stand will rigidly stand by the rule. “No standing while play is in progress,” it will be found that this new stand is one of the most comfortable and advantageous. The directors have done their part it remains for the spectators to do theirs.
There have been all round improvement. The huge sixpenny bank in front of the directors stand has been touch up to effect a better view and around the playing area there is now stronger boarding, with a brick foundation and a main prop of iron.
At the base of the boarding there has been laid a splendid dramage system and one cemented step. May it be that at some future date the sixpenny bank may be grounded, as in the paddock with concrete floors. It would be cleaner and better in all ways. How many will, Goodison hold now? It remains to be seen, and proved. It will not have been forgotten that in former years the accommodating power of the Walton ground has been over-estimated. Everyone was convinced two years ago that 60,000 people could be housed. That was an exaggerated figure. However we shall be on safe ground now if we state that Goodison Park will hold 60,000 people, for with the improvements carried out there has been a greatly increased accommodation.
The paddock will hold more than previously, but the great addition will of course be at the new goal stand, which now will hold, say 10,000 on the upper deck and 10,000 on the lower. Yes, when required, Goodison will hold 60,000 –and there well not be any need to call in the mounted police, pretty as was the spectacle when they entered the ground on the occasion of the local Derby last Easter. The season tickets are out, and an advertisement in our columns explains the prices &c. Mr. Cuff will be at the office on Tuesday and Thursday evening from 6.0 till 8 p.m for the purpose of issuing these season tickets.
Mentioning the reminds me that the shareholders are still carrying ahead their determination to get a season ticket at the nominal sun of 2s 6d. A meeting was recently called, and was held at the club offices, Mr. Charles Wright, I believe, being the shareholders leader. The shareholders argue this wise –The club is wealthy and the men who put their money into the club when it was a problematic matter whether it would succeed or not should receive a cheap season ticket. It was at one time stated that the Football Association would look upon the reduced price of a season ticket as a means of evading the law which allows only five per cent, at the utmost to a shareholder.
I have quite unofficial, but reliable information that the Football Association takes the view that the changes of price is purely a matter for the shareholders. However, the change cannot come for at least a year, for the acquisition of the shareholders was not in order, and the solicitor secretary advised the gentlemen present that, being a legal matter, their requisition was not valid. However in the end the meeting was adjourned and the directors themselves have taken the matter up, and will probably propose a resolution concerning the reduction of prices of shareholders tickets at the next annual meeting.
During the summer months readers will probably have forgotten who's who of the Everton club and therefore I will give here a list of the players signed for next season.
Abbott, Adamson, William, and Robert Balmer, Booth, Black, Bolton, Chadwick, Crelley, Couper, Cooke, Chetwood, (transferred by Whitechurch), Donnachie, Graham, T. Jones, MaConnachie, the great capture from the Hibernian), Makepeace, Mountford of Burslem Port Vale now defunct, Rafferty, not Pat of music hall fame, but a chubby young fellow with a strong frame. Rouse (whom we all hope will have a capital season and a smile from Dame Fortune), Settle, Sharp, Scott, Sloan, Stevenson, Strettell, Captain Taylor, Woods (St Helens), Winterhalmer, (West Ham's player), Young and Harold P. Hardman.
Of the men who have left there is Donaldson who has joined McLoughling with Preston North End, McLoughlin has been a peageanting in Liverpool this week and I also saw Alec Raisebeck viewing the Channel Fleet. Thankful are we all that the Liverpool captain is looking infinitely better than last season. Thomas has gone to Leeds, Wright will make Burnley a very useful member indeed and David Wilson has gone to Portsmouth.
Butler, Dorward, Depledge and Gilberton have sought pastures new. I can almost hear the readers asking. What about George Wilson? Mon I dinna ken, wait a wee. George might join the Irish Fleet –sorry, I mean an Irish club. I am asked to make it known to shopkeepers that applications for the club's big season cards to be hung in windows and prominent places must be made before August 17. Bee.
Now ware the shitist
Shame they have the old park end bricked up in the picture... covering up what an advanced stand it was for its time.
