Away fans just down to your right offer some good atmosphere.
I sell hospitality packages for Premier League games, and I recently used the package that I offer for all Everton home games. Here’s a look at what it’s all about.
Pregame on Goodison Road
First of all, Goodison Park is a wonderful place to see a game. Everton’s home since 1892 holds nearly 40,000 people, and it offers a fantastic combination of coziness, history and charm. If you catch it on the right day, it can be proper loud, as well. And since it will probably be replaced in a few years, now is the time to go!
I took a tour of Goodison Park on a previous visit.
The pregame scene outside is always bustling, and before heading in for the game I suggest you pop into one of the pubs right across the street, or into St. Luke’s Church, which is practically inside one corner of the ground. They have tea, coffee and a gift shop inside there, as well.
Your hospitality package will be waiting for you at the main reception — not the ticket office, I am happy to say. It always has long lines, so skip those and head into this door instead:
Hospitality entrance
Once inside, you will pick up your package, which consists of a ticket to the game, a match program, and a voucher for a meal in The People’s Club. (It also includes a copy of my book, The Groundhopper’s Guide to Soccer in England, which I will mail out ahead of time).
The People’s Club Hospitality Package
Here is the entrance to the club and a shot of the interior, where the early games will be on the TV and an emcee will interview someone pregame — in my case, a former referee who told some fun stories.
Related: What Do Hospitality Packages Cost?
Right this way!
Dining area.
When I was there, the food on offer was a choice of roasted chicken or beef and gravy, with chips (fries), peas and rolls. All proper English.
Pregame meal.
The meal is fine, but of course what you’re really there for is the game. Your seats are behind a goal in the Park Stand, but in a 40,000-seat stadium you’re never too far from the pitch.
Here are some shots from the seats:
Wide view from the seats
Teams about to come out.
Away fans just down to your right offer some good atmosphere.
And just to round out your feel for the seats, here is a video of the teams coming out before the game: