How Everton’s first ever game at Goodison Park went ahead of Hill Dickinson Stadium debut

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A new era is beginning at Everton starting Sunday against Brighton as the Premier League welcomes the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

It’s an exciting time to be an Evertonian as the club has gone through plenty of change this season.

As the Goodison Park tenure gets put behind, the Hill Dickinson presents new opportunity for the Toffees.

Although Everton’s new stadium is ‘fantastic’ there are still plenty of elements needed to be improved like any new project.

But as the new Everton ground is soon to debut, Goodison’s first game looked like a cracker.

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Everton’s first ever game at Goodison Park ended in a draw vs Nottingham Forest

With a new beginning for the Blues it’s time to reflect back on where it all started for the club at Goodison.

Brighton presents a tough challenge, and it seems like the 1892 Toffees team worked hard for a draw on the iconic stadium’s debut.

On 2 September 1892, the first league game at The Grand Old Lady was a 2-2 draw as Everton and Nottingham Forest couldn’t be separated in front of 14,000 spectators.

Forest’s Horace Pike scored the first-ever goal as Carlos Alcaraz netted the first at the Hill Dickinson but the first league goal is what really matters.

Now looking to the stadium’s debut, there is the possibility of the 51,565 capacity being full to the brim.

Of course, Goodison’s ‘ridiculous’ atmosphere and legacy won’t be forgotten, but Everton will be hoping to go one better with a win on Hill Dickinson’s maiden voyage.

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Everton’s new stadium is longer than Goodison Park after special FIFA approval

Everton’s new ground certainly packs the wow factor as it’s a stunning look by the Bramley-Moore Dock.

The debut is eagerly anticipated, and there has been some special changes which Everton fans might like.

The Athletic states that the Hill Dickinson pitch is five metres longer than Goodison, at 105m by 68m, as this fits with the FIFA guidelines, but Everton had previously been given special dispensation to have a shorter pitch due the ‘compact nature’ of their old ground.

It will certainly give the feel of Goodison and the Brighton game can’t come soon enough as David Moyes looks to really kick off the 2025/26 season.