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Leighton Baines has lifted the lid on what the Everton squad made of the new Bramley-Moore dock stadium designs when they first saw them.

The latest images of the proposed waterfront ground were revealed on Thursday evening at a special event held at the Titanic Hotel for a select number of Blues supporters.

A number of club stakeholders were shown the latest set of designs in a smaller and more low-key gathering earlier in the day, and Baines was one of a number of club officials in attendance to represent the current squad of players.

He revealed they were shown the images briefly on Wednesday - and the designs quickly became the talk of the dressing room.

Baines said: "We had an abbreviated version of this as a group yesterday [Wednesday] and it created a buzz in the dressing room. It's been the talk of Finch Farm for the last day.

"We’ve all been waiting for this day, to get a glimpse of what the new stadium could look like, and it didn’t disappoint.

"The plans are very impressive and it was good to get a look at where we’re heading. It’s still conceptual at this stage but looking at what Dan and the guys have put together and hearing their plans has been really exciting."

The plans for Everton's proposed stadium at Bramley-Moore dock perfectly show the effort that has gone into creating an arena capable of recreating the atmosphere at Goodison Park.

Steep stands and a close proximity to the pitch were a much for supporters - and Baines revealed that's the view of the players too as he and a select number of senior players were consulted early on in the project.

"Yeah that was one of the key thoughts of the players," the defender added.

"We as a small senior group of players were consulted quite early on for our thoughts and we were thinking about it from a player's point of view being out there on the pitch.

"The biggest point probably taken from that was that we would like to retain the atmosphere and the intimacy that Goodison Park can generate.

"I think from the plans and also what's been said up here that it's been taken into serious consideration and, from the designs we've seen, it looks like they're going to make a success of doing it.

"Me as much as much as everyone loves Goodison Park, it was my favourite stadium to play at even before I was an Everton player because of the atmosphere, it sets you alight as a player.

"It’s definitely a stretch to imagine me running out there [Bramley-Moore] as a player but one thing’s for sure I’ll at least be there as an Evertonian."

Thursday's event also showed off the club's plans for Goodison Park and the legacy project at L4 - and Baines was just as impressed with those as he was with the new stadium designs.

He added: "For me, the plans for the space once we do vacate Goodison are equally as exciting.

"To see Denise [Barrett-Baxendale] speaking so passionately about what we’re going to put back into the community and how many people are going be helped in that area is fantastic and so important.

"It’s something I feel passionate about and I think we’ve seen that’s echoed throughout the football club. The fact we’re putting so much back into the people of Liverpool speaks volumes for the football club."