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Exactly 125 years ago today Goodison Park opened its gates for the first time.

Not for a football match. That came a week or so later.

But on August 24th 1892 the finest and most handsome football stadium in the country was opened to "sports, illuminations and fireworks!"

Here's how it was reported in just a handful of publications of the era.

Cricket and Football Field

The event of the week in Liverpool was the ceremony of opening the new and handsome ground at Goodison Park of the Everton Club, on Wednesday evening by Lord Kinnaird, president of the English Football Association.

Everton were always distinguished for thoroughness, and since the “Spilt” they have been more through then ever.

The marvelous manner in which they have converted within three months a “howling wilderness” into a veritable “garden of Eden.”

As regards the requirements of football, is proof of their business aptitude; and, again, the opening festivities were conceived in the same liberal and hearty spirit.

These commenced with a dinner at the Adelphi Hotel, the most capacious and best arranged hostelry, perhaps, in the town and then the party drove in carriages to the scene of what, it is to be hoped, will be some day historic incidents in connection with international matches or cup-ties.

There, amidst the plaudits of a big crowd, Lord Kinnaird declared the Goodison Park opened, and after sports had been indulged in, illuminations and fireworks feasted the eye. So began Everton’s new era!

Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette

It is without doubt one of the best appointed and most commodious football enclosures in the country. When finally completed it will be capable holding quite 40,000 people. The covered stand is quite unique in its way. I believe that few other football clubs in the kingdom can boast of a covered stand able to accommodate at least 4,000 people, and it is so constructed that each individual spectator can get a perfect view of the game.

The Liverpool Mercury

Lord Kinniard, whist replying to the toast of “Association Football,” at the same time proposed “Success to Everton.”

He believed Association football to be as good a game as any other, and his object is to save the game from the taint of rowdyism and betting.

He thought the time was coming when football lovers ought to try and secure grounds for the next generation. He was anxious that they should seek not only the lease of their grounds but the freehold; otherwise 20 or 320 years hence, the landowners would step in with the builders in their train, and they would lose the ground.

After dinner the party drove in carriages to the splendid new ground at Goodison Park. This was crowded with thousands of spectators, who cheered lustily as Lord Kinnaird briefly declared the ground open. A short programme of athletic sports was next gone through, the prizes being distributed to the successful competitors by Mr. Mahon. The band of the 3 rd V.B. K.L.R performed a selection of music during the evening. The festivities concluded with a display of fire-works.

Lancashire Evening Post

The Everton Football Club, which, it will be remembered, underwent a decisive change last winter, celebrated the opening of its newly-acquired ground at Goodison Park, Anfield, last evening. The club is lucky in having secured one of the finest grounds in England.

There is accommodation on the ground and Stands for fifty thousand people.

The Liverpool Courier

The interesting function in connection with the formal opening of Goodison Park as the home of the Everton FC, of which Lord Kinnaird the central figure, was a complete success, for the weather was bright and inviting, and as there were not less than 12,000 persons present, a most cheering forecast was given as to the future of the good old club.

Goodison Park will rank as one of the finest football arenas in the country, either in point of size or equipment; and when it is remembered that the work of construction was not commenced until April was well advanced; the progress made by the contractors is truly marvelous.

Already the turf is in splendid condition –as perfect almost as a bowling-green and ready for the practical opening against Bolton Wanderers on Thursday next.

The covered grand stand on the eastern side is a magnificent structure of its kind, close upon 420 feet in length, with an elevation furnishing thirteen tiers of seats.

The uncovered stands at the rear of the goal posts stretch the full width of the playing ground, that at the north end considerably beyond, and each of these thus an elevation of eighteen tiers, the standing space being double towards the sunset.

Field Sports

A day of supreme happiness to the managers of the Everton Football Club was last Wednesday, and their faces beamed with smiles of twelve-inch gauge. In the words of the poet: -

“Such a night you never saw,

Before they'd time to say the prayers,

Scraps and bones were all that were left

Of the banquet at the Adelphi.”



The band played, the players ran, fireworks blazed, ten thousand people seemed to be vastly diverted, and officials brimmed over with affability as they reckoned upon shekels and prosperity. Thus a new era in Liverpool football was auspiciously ushered in, and there is small blame to those who had laboured so hard for months past to get things in order for feeling more than usually proud on a day which was one of the greatest in the history of the Everton Club.