Everton unveiled an eye-catching tifo ahead of Saturday’s Premier League home clash against title hopefuls Arsenal. The display read: “on the banks of the Royal Blue Mersey”.
Unfortunately for the home faithful, the players were unable to deliver a positive result on the pitch, with Arsenal leaving the Hill Dickinson Stadium as 1-0 victors following Viktor Gyokeres 27th-minute penalty.
While Everton may have fallen to defeat, there is still a sense of unity around Hill Dickinson Stadium after a combined effort ensured the tifo took place before the game.
The Friedkin Group plays key role in fan display
Everton supporters group, the 1878s, led the effort for the Tifo and launched a fundraising campaign towards its creation. The supporters group has now revealed that The Friedkin Group helped cover the remaining funds needed to cover the costs of the display.
In a statement posted on X, the 1878s group wrote: “Over the past few months, we’ve had discussions with the club about installing a tifo machine in the south stand.
“Due to the size of the stand, this machine could not be a permanent fixture. Our flag last night was the tallest tifo ever used in the Premier League, which requires a specially trained team to pull it up manually.
“This costs tens of thousands of pounds each time, and we didn’t have sufficient funds to complete it before the year ended. After meetings with the engagement team and one with CEO Angus Kinnear, the club learned how much our fans and the group wanted to see this type of display at our new home.
“With support from the club’s owners, TFG helped bridge the gap, enabling us to deliver our first display successfully at the final home game of 2025.
“We want to thank the Friedkin Group and Everton for making this type of display possible last night, as well as all the staff and tech team who helped us to coordinate the lighting, video, and music.
FGG says: Great move by The Friedkin Group
The relationship between the Everton fans and ownership was at a real low in the final few years of Farhad Moshiri's stewardship. That relationship has improved since The Friedkin Group, led by Dan Friedkin, completed a takeover of the Merseyside club in December 2024.
The recent act to help fund the Tifo against Arsenal demonstrates the willingness of the current ownership to listen to Everton fans in a bid to foster a strong relationship. In the scheme of things, it may only be a small gesture, but it will be one that is appreciated by the supporters, especially as it is not something that would have happened under the previous owner.