Red letter Day for Everton FC as new state of the art astro used for the first time by the club

For Everton AFC, last Friday night marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter. 

As the senior team welcomed Cobh Wanderers to Everton Park, the club’s brand-new all-weather pitch hosted its first-ever game – a historic occasion for everyone connected with the club and the culmination of years of hard work, planning and fundraising.

With the official opening still to come, the fixture provided a fitting soft launch for a facility that has been years in the planning, fundraising and development.

For Everton AFC chairman Keith Gahan, seeing players finally take to the pitch represented the realisation of a long-held dream.

“It means absolutely everything to our club to have this new facility,” said Gahan. 

"This is something that has been talked about, planned and worked towards for a long number of years, and to finally see it become a reality is a hugely proud moment for everyone involved with the club.” 

Founded in 1958, Everton AFC has always had strong community roots, providing football opportunities for players of all ages. 

The new FIFA-approved all-weather facility represents a major step forward for a club that has continued to grow over the decades.

“It will be a complete game changer for us, said Gahan.

One of the biggest advantages will be reliability. Like so many grassroots clubs, Everton had traditionally been heavily dependent on grass pitches, leaving training and fixtures vulnerable to the Irish weather.

“Games could be postponed, training sessions cancelled and teams forced to search for alternative arrangements. 

"With so many teams operating within the club, accommodating everyone could prove a major challenge.

The new pitch changes that.

“Weather will no longer have the same impact on our ability to train and play football. That is hugely important for a club of our size.” 

The facility will also provide a platform for the club to expand its academy, develop football programmes, attract new players and improve opportunities for existing members.

For the younger generation in particular, the significance of the new pitch is already clear.

“We have seen how much the facility means to our members, particularly the younger players. 

"They are getting to play on a state-of-the-art pitch, and that is something that will live with them for years to come.” 

But getting to this point has taken an enormous amount of work.

The overall project has cost in excess of €550,000, with the club needing to raise approximately €400,000 towards the development. 

A major part of that fundraising came through the club’s ‘Buy a Square’ campaign, which encouraged members, former members, friends and supporters to get behind the ambitious project.

There was also significant support from businesses and people connected with Everton AFC.

According to Gahan, the project would not have been possible without the dedication of the club’s committee, volunteers and wider Everton community.

He was particularly keen to acknowledge the contribution of two people who played a central role in turning the vision into reality.

“There are so many people who have put in countless hours behind the scenes, often without anyone seeing the work that has gone on, but there are two people in particular that need to be mentioned, Stephen Crowley and Gordon Higgins.

“These two lads have worked tirelessly to get this astro turned from a dream into a reality. 

"We, as a club, are so grateful and lucky to have them involved.” 

The first match against Cobh Wanderers was therefore a significant milestone.

“After years of planning and preparation, finally seeing football being played on the pitch was something that will always be remembered,” Gahan said.

“It was the beginning of a new chapter for the club.” 

Gahan knows the importance of that new chapter better than most. He has been involved with Everton AFC for around 30 years, having previously served the club as a player, manager and schoolboys secretary before taking on the role of chairman.

For him, leading the club is a privilege – but he is quick to stress that Everton’s progress is very much a collective effort.

“From coaches and managers to volunteers, parents, players, sponsors and supporters, everyone has played their part.

Now, the ambition is to build on the foundations that have been laid.

“Everton AFC wants Everton Park to become a place where players can develop, families can enjoy football and the wider community can benefit. "The new facility provides the club with the infrastructure to improve its coaching structures, expand its programmes and continue developing players for years to come.”