In a rare moment of cross-Merseyside unity, Everton supporters have found themselves nodding in agreement with Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher.
The pundit sparked the conversation on Sky Sports this week by declaring that while the Hill Dickinson Stadium is fantastic, it is missing one vital component, which is the statue of an important player in their history.
The Premier League club’s new 52,769-capacity waterfront home, built at Bramley-Moore Dock to replace Goodison Park, Hill Dickinson has already become a talking point among fans and pundits alike.
However, the club are still trying to build atmosphere and vibe around the stadium to make it match, even surpass, Goodison Park. Carragher’s point is one move that could help with that, and this has left Everton fans agreeing with a player that played for the arch-rival.
What did Jamie Carragher say about Hill Dickinson Stadium
During a segment on 23 February’s Monday Night Football, Carragher was discussing his top 10 all-time Premier League goalkeepers with Edwin van der Sar.
While ranking “Big Nev,” Carragher identified Neville Southall as one of only four truly world-class players in Everton's history, alongside Dixie Dean, Alan Ball, and Ray Wilson
Carragher placed the former Wales international eighth on his all-time list, two spots behind Edwin van der Sar, he was quick to add a massive caveat.
The pundit explained that the lower ranking was purely a matter of timing, as the Premier League era only began in 1992, during the latter stages of Southall’s career.
Carragher maintained that during his absolute peak between 1985 and 1990, the Everton icon was not just the best in England, he was the best goalkeeper in the world.
“The stadium Everton have got is fantastic. The one thing that is missing from there is a statue for Neville Southall”, Carragher said on Monday Night Football.
Southall won the FWA Footballer of the Year award in 1985, and was nominated for the Ballon d'Or in 1985 and 1987.
The goalkeeper also holds a host of Everton club records, including the most league appearances (578), the most FA Cup appearances (70), the most League Cup appearances (65), and the highest number of clean sheets, with 269 to his name.
FGG Says
A new stadium like the Hill Dickinson Stadium can be gleaming steel and glass, but without reminders of who came before, the legends, leaders and unforgettable moments, it risks feeling a little hollow.
Honouring figures like Southall through statues is a way of saying that Everton’s story matters, not just on the pitch, but in the hearts of the community that supports them.