Goodison Park
| The Grand Old Lady | |
 |
|
| Former names | Mere Green field |
|---|---|
| Location | Goodison Road, Walton, Liverpool, England |
| Coordinates | 53°26′20″N 2°57′59″W / 53.43889°N 2.96639°WCoordinates: 53°26′20″N 2°57′59″W / 53.43889°N 2.96639°W |
| Public transit | Kirkdale railway station |
| Owner | Goodison Park Stadium, Limited is owned by The Everton Football Club Company, Limited (Everton F.C.) |
| Operator | Everton F.C. |
| Capacity | 39,572 |
| Field size | 100.48 metres (110 yd) by 68 metres (74 yd) |
| Surface | Desso GrassMaster |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 24 August 1892 |
| Construction cost | Initially £3,000 |
| Architect | Kelly Brothers initially, with Henry Hartley and Archibald Leitch later |
| Tenants | |
| Everton F.C. (1892–present) | |
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Premier League club Everton since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's oldest purpose-built football grounds. The stadium is built in a residential area served by regular rail and bus services two miles (3 km) from Liverpool city centre.
Goodison has undergone many changes over the years and it presently has an all-seated capacity of 39,572. Everton fans refer to the stadium as "The Grand Old Lady" and the abridged "Goodison".
It has hosted more top-flight games than any other stadium in England. Goodison has hosted the maximum number of league games since the Premier League was formed in 1992, as Everton have remained in the top tier of English football since 1954. The club has only been outside the top division for four seasons, having only been relegated twice (in 1930 and 1951).
As well as hosting Everton games, the stadium has been the venue for an FA Cup Final and numerous international fixtures, including several in the 1966 FIFA World Cup. The record for the highest attendance in women's football in England was set at Goodison Park in 1920, which stood for 92 years until 31 July 2012.
Everton originally played on an open pitch in the south-east corner of the newly laid out Stanley Park, the same site where Liverpool F.C. planned a stadium, however abandoned the project. The first official match took place in 1879. In 1882, a Mr J. Cruit donated land at Priory Road with the necessary facilities required for professional clubs. Cruit asked the club to leave his land after two years because the crowds became far too large and noisy.
Everton moved to nearby Anfield Road, a site where proper covered stands were built. Everton played at the Anfield ground from 1884 until 1892. During this time the club turned professional and entered teams in the FA Cup. They became founding members of the Football League and won their first championship at the ground in 1890–91. Anfield's capacity grew to over 20,000 and the club hosted an international match between England and Ireland. During their time at Anfield, Everton became the first club to introduce goalnets to professional football.
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