Recent comments from the Liverpool city council leader suggest they will pressure Everton and Liverpool to share a new stadium in the city. Aside from the financial advantages of a shared venue, the council wants a major new stadium in the city to host the 2018 World Cup games should England host the tournament.
But both clubs are highly skeptical of this idea, as Everton go ahead with plans for a stadium in Kirkby, on the outskirts of the city, and Liverpool are still eager to desecrate Stanley Park for their new ground. However, Everton’s plans have yet to be clarified and Liverpool owners are quickly running out of borrowed money so a compromise may need to be considered despite sentiments from clubs and fans.
Sports fans are very protective of their stadiums and very few would like to share. Although it happens in some cities around the world, most fans of clubs with long histories and rivalries are especially reluctant to move in with their ‘mortal enemies’. Although their rivalry is not as poisonous as many others, most Everton and Liverpool fans put limits on the idea of sharing a home. Everton’s Goodison Park and Liverpool’s Anfield are separated by Stanley Park, which acts as an oasis of calm between the two sporting centers of the cities.
Everton is the oldest team in the city and founding members of the soccer league. Not much is known that Everton spent eight years playing at Anfield from 1884-92 and even won their first championship at the field in 1891. But the owner of the field, John Houlding, had increased the annual rent from £ 100 to £ 250 per year. , prompting Everton to move in 1882 to what would become Goodison Park. Houlding responded by forming a new team, Liverpool AFC, and charged them £ 100 per year to play at Anfield.
Goodison soon became the first major football field in England. In the 1890s, the crowd of 30,000 was not uncommon in Everton at a time when such turnouts were considered huge. The grounds went on to host the 1894 FA Cup Final and the replay of the 1910 FA Cup Final. Goodison Park continued to develop with bleachers designed by famous stadium architect Archibald Leitch. The largest crowd at the stadium was 78,299 for a match with Liverpool in 1948. Goodison was chosen to host matches at the 1966 World Cup, including the quarter-finals and semi-finals.
Anfield also became a major stadium and the Kop standing terrace became famous throughout the football world. His record crown of 61,905 came in an FA Cup tie against the Wolves in 1952.
With the advent of stadiums for all seats, the capacity of both fields has been reduced in recent years. Everton can only get 40,000 at Goodison and Liverpool’s cap is around 45,000. Both stadiums are surrounded by housing with little limit to expand, hence the plans to move. But the day they do it will be sad for the devotees of both teams.