Latest news with #BrianSorensen
The Sun
17-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Goodison Park to be made smaller as Everton reveal what it could look like as women's stadium
GOODISON PARK will be made smaller as part of its conversion for the Everton Women's team. The iconic stadium will be repurposed by the club after the men's team moves to the new ground at Bramley-Moore Dock. 5 Goodison Park was first opened in 1892 and has a capacity of 39,572. But that is set to be reduced as multiple parts will be reconfigured. This will be done by reducing the number of seats in each row in order to add space. Everton's women's team currently has an average attendance of 2,062 at their current home of Walton Hall Park. The club has offered season ticket holders and hospitality members the chance to buy the seat that was theirs for this season. It would act as a souvenir of the historic stadium following Sunday's home match against Southampton. The women's side are excited about the prospect of playing their regular football at Goodison. Captain Megan Finnigan has insisted that the team will belong at the ground. She said: "To walk out at Goodison Park as our permanent home will be a real honour. "It's where we belong — and we can't wait to create new memories there." 10,000 attend test event at Everton's new stadium 5 5 While manager Brian Sorensen insisted that it can help the club's dreams grow. He added: "Our players will now have a stage that matches their potential. "Our fans will have a place to build an even stronger matchday culture. "Young girls across Merseyside will see that this is a club where dreams can grow and come true." Goodison Park will feature more branding of the women's team on the upper tier of the Howard Kendall Gwladys Street End. Meanwhile, the new 53,000-seater Everton stadium has had its formal name revealed. The club has partnered with legal firm Hill Dickinson, which has taken the naming rights. The stadium will now be known as the Hill Dickinson Stadium. 5 5
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Inside view on Everton overhaul from one of Friedkin Group's first signings
One of the first signings of the new dawn ushered in at Everton has opened up on the positivity around Finch Farm. The takeover by The Friedkin Group (TFG) was completed in December and has already sparked changes on and off the pitch. Perhaps the most visible has been the intent to support Everton Women, with manager Brian Sorensen backed heavily in the January transfer window. With his counterpart David Moyes set to embark on an overhaul of the men's squad this summer, Wales international Hayley Ladd said the Blues 'feels like a great place to be'. The 31-year-old was signed from Manchester United in a deal that brought a wealth of experience to Sorensen's ranks. READ MORE: Everton confirm plan and prices for supporters to purchase Goodison Park seat READ MORE: Everton handed mixed Richarlison transfer verdict as return rumours build Ladd's career has taken in, among others, stints at Arsenal, Finnish side Kokkola Futis 10 and Birmingham City before the move to Manchester. After winning player of the season in her first campaign at United, Ladd became part of the dressing room leadership group and was part of last season's FA Cup winning squad. Her five-and-a-half-years at the club came to an end in January, with Ladd seeking more minutes ahead of the Euros this summer. Speaking to the ECHO, she said: 'I looked at a number of options and Everton was one that really stood out to me. I think it was nice to see a team that wants to play and kind of wants to dominate the ball and play exciting football, something that I enjoy doing myself as a player. 'There was good energy around the club at that time. I think In my meeting with Brian, he said he was hoping to sign other players as well and you really had a sense that it was a really exciting time to join the club, with the new owners. It feels like a great place to be and we've got good momentum.' Ladd said she had been impressed by the project that is building on Merseyside, where results have picked up since the new year. The transfer window, which also saw the arrival of the likes of France international Kelly Gago and Norway captain Maren Mjelde, was a statement of intent that has lifted standards in the squad and provided early evidence of TFG's ambition. Another positive sign was initial meetings with TFG representatives in which they showcased their ambition and respect, something that is not always apparent - Wolves Women, for instance, are now set to meet with club chiefs after narrowly finishing second in the northern section of the second tier. It has emerged the club did not apply for a licence for the top flight, meaning promotion would have been rejected even if it had been won on the pitch. Of the conversations between TFG and the squad, Ladd said: 'Even though that's probably the minimum, it's something in the women's game that we've not been used to. So even that starting place was impressive and something that hopefully shows the intent. We've seen small changes on the ground but obviously the fact that six of us signed in January shows a lot of intent in itself. It kind of just builds the excitement of being here at this time and under their ownership.' At the first club in their portfolio, Italian giants Roma, TFG backed both senior teams. A first league title was secured for Roma Women in 2022/23 and that was followed by an historic domestic double last season. Everton Women will have a difficult task to achieve similar feats. Chelsea, who were crowned Women's Super League champions on Wednesday, are 34 points ahead of the Blues, who are eighth in the 12-team league with two matches to play. Second-placed Arsenal, meanwhile, will meet Barcelona in the Champions League final after a thumping win in Lyon at the weekend. But for Ladd, who recently reached 100 international caps and is hoping to tap into her experience to help guide the squad to better things, there is an opportunity for Everton to start closing the gap to the dominant sides. She said: 'I don't think there's any reason why we shouldn't be really considering ourselves as a really top team within this league. Obviously, that's a really competitive landscape. We know that every other team is investing so heavily and there's such an exciting place to be within the WSL. 'There's great investment, great interest commercially as well, so who knows where the league can grow, but I think the values of Everton Football Club are clear and I think that really anchors the club and really makes sure that every game there's a really strong performance, that there's a really strong culture… it's an exciting place to be with hopefully more investment, more opportunities.' A positive summer will be crucial to progress next season and the foundations have already been laid with TFG backing the work of Sorensen and his assistant Stephen Neligan with new contracts. There is important business ahead of then, though, with the Merseyside derby at Anfield on Sunday. The Blues head into the trip to their fierce rivals fresh from the shock of a late comeback defeat to Brighton & Hove Albionbut have not suffered a league defeat to Liverpool since 2019. The opportunity to play in such a renowned fixture was another factor in Ladd's move to Everton and she said she was looking forward to being part of such an illustrious fixture. Adding that she thrives off the intensity of games like this, she said: 'Even having watched from other teams, you can see the Merseyside derby is huge, in the men's and women's game. I think we've kind of adopted that rivalry in the women's game and I really feel that. Having come here, I can feel that from the inside as well. 'We've got a culture here that we want to go into every game and give it our all and definitely, even though it's coming to the end of the season, these games are no different, especially a derby.'
Daily Mirror
13-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Everton make £82m Goodison Park U-turn as iconic stadium gets new lease of life
Everton's new owners, the Friedkin Group, have scrapped plans to demolish Goodison Park and will instead hand over the famous ground to the women's side for the 2025/26 season Goodison Park has been granted a new lease of life after Everton decided against demolishing the stadium in favour of turning it into the home of the women's team. Everton will play their final match at Goodison this weekend against Southampton, but the 132-year-old ground will continue to host games after a major U-turn from the club. The Premier League club had previously announced plans to knock down the stadium and embark upon a regeneration project on the site. Plans had been submitted to spend £82million turning the site into housing, a care home, shops and a park - but they will no longer go ahead. The long-awaited takeover of Everton by the Friedkin Group in December prompted a re-think over Goodison and the club has now decided to hand it over to the women's side. They will swap their current home of Walton Hall Park for Goodison Park for the start of the 2025/26 season. It means that, boasting an official capacity of 39,572, Goodison will become by far the largest dedicated home stadium of any side in the Women's Super League next season, while the ground will also host occasional academy matches too. The move is a big boost for Everton women and is a sign of the American owners' big ambitions for the club as a whole. A flurry of signings for Everton women were sanctioned by TFG in January and they have tied down manager Brian Sorensen and assistant Stephen Neligan to new deals. The news will also be welcomed by the broader fan base as it confirms that Goodison Park - the club's home for so long - has been spared demolition. 'We know how treasured Goodison is, not only to every Evertonian, but to the game itself, and being able to keep such an iconic stadium at the heart of the legacy project is something that has been incredibly important to us," Everton chief executive Angus Kinnear said. "From next season, we are proud to say our women will have an unrivalled permanent home in the WSL – another statement of intent as we look to build the foundations that will help us challenge for trophies. 'The women's game has grown significantly in recent years, and we believe that growth will continue and accelerate. We're under no illusions; there are obstacles we need to overcome to make this a success both practically and economically, but we're confident that we will overcome those challenges." Everton captain Megan Finnigan said: 'This move is a testament to where the women's game is right now and, more importantly, where it is heading. Goodison is a magical stadium with a deep heritage and close ties to the local community. "Leading the team out for that first home match of next season will be nothing short of a career highlight – and the prospect of what Everton Women can become with such an iconic ground to call our home is hugely exciting.'
BBC News
10-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Tottenham draw at Everton to complete worst WSL season
Tottenham Hotspur's winless run in the Women's Super League extended to 10 games as Robert Vilahamn's side closed out the season with a 1-1 draw at Sarri put Everton ahead with a beautiful curling free-kick around the Tottenham wall, before Drew Spence finished off a slick team move to came into the game off the back of an impressive 2-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, and straight from kick-off they looked home side dominated possession in the early stages and pressed Tottenham well - Toni Payne got a foot to Lize Kop's clearance but fortunately for the Spurs goalkeeper the ball deflected away from Ella Morris was booked for halting an Everton attack just outside the penalty area and Sarri scored a wonderful goal, though Kop will feel she could have done better having got a hand to the Sorensen's side almost doubled their lead shortly afterwards when Martina Fernandez's header struck the began to get into the game and equalised through an excellent team move in the 30th Holdt timed her run in behind the Everton defence to perfection as she raced onto Ella Morris' through ball, before producing a low cross that Drew Spence smashed home at the far sides spurned chances after the break - Kelly Gago took too long on the ball when one-on-one with Kop and saw her effort deflected the other end, Brosnan produced a smart save with her legs to keep out Jessica Naz's first-time strike following Bethany England's cut-back.A point sees Tottenham finish 11th in the table, their lowest final position in the WSL, while Everton stayed eighth. Head here to get involved
BBC News
08-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Sorensen in the dark on Goodison Park move
Everton manager Brian Sorensen says he knows nothing about a rumoured move to Goodison Park for the women's team next Toffees host Tottenham at Walton Hall Park on Saturday in their final home game of the Women's Super League season the men's side will leave Goodison Park for a new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, and there has been speculation that the women's team will permanently move into Goodison having played there occasionally asked by BBC Sport whether the Spurs match will be their final game at Walton Hall, Sorensen said: "I know as much as you know. We will see what will happen."Everton could finish as high as sixth in the WSL if they beat Spurs and other results go their they will face the London side without midfielders Hayley Ladd and Mel Lawley, who Sorensen said have come down with illness this a top-half finish would represent a strong season for Everton, who beat local rivals Liverpool at Anfield last weekend."We'll try to end as good as we can, there is a good vibe after beating Liverpool again," Sorensen said. "It has been a long and tiring season, the longest I have had, so I am looking forward to a break."But we want to end on a high. We could end up in sixth, which no one would have thought 10 games ago."
