It's time for your Everton FC morning headlines on Thursday, December 29.
Dwight McNeil makes 'difficult' Everton transfer admission amid rallying cry to team-mates
Dwight McNeil has called on his Everton team-mates to turn their fortunes around after opening up on how he found it 'pretty difficult' to settle in at the club.
McNeil joined Everton on a five-year contract back in July for a fee that could reach £20m. A product of Burnley’s academy, the winger played 134 Premier League games for the Clarets and was twice a top-flight ever present.
The 23-year-old, who joined the Turf Moor club at the age of 14 following time in the academy at Manchester United, made his senior professional debut, aged 18, on the final day of the 2017/18 season. But despite impressing in recent campaigns, the England youth international struggled in front of goal for the Clarets last season, failing to score in 40 outings and producing one assist as the club’s six-year stay in the Premier League came to an end.
McNeil kicked off his Everton career with a brace against Dynamo Kyiv in the club's final pre-season fixture before the start of the season back in July. But since then, McNeil, who admitted in the summer his confidence deteriorated in tandem with Burnley’s toils, has struggled to nail down a place in Frank Lampard’s starting line-up.
“At first I think I struggled a little bit and I found it pretty difficult to settle in,” he told the ECHO when asked about life at the club. “I only knew one or two of the players, but over time I have settled in more now and I’m enjoying it."
Read the full story HERE.
Everton chief makes huge new stadium claim as key fans' request is 'delivered'
Everton stadium development director Colin Chong has hailed supporters for their input into the final design of the club's new ground at Bramley-Moore Dock.
A construction industry specialist with more than 35 years’ experience in the development sector, Chong was appointed to his current role in August 2018 to support the club’s ambition of delivering a new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
Since then, Chong has played a major role in helping the Blues achieve all the key milestones they wanted to in the development to date. And while 2022 has been a year to forget in terms of performances on the pitch, off it, Everton’s new stadium on the banks of the Mersey has started to take shape.
The club’s new home on Liverpool’s north docks is currently the largest single site development under construction in the UK. The skeleton of the stadium is now clearly visible as the steelwork on the north and south stands is erected.
The north stand terracing is now complete on the upper levels, with the first of two full-span roof trusses in place, taking the stadium to its full height of just under 45 metres.
The south stand is also progressing on schedule, with most of the twin-stepped terracing units installed across the width of the 13,000-capacity, one-tiered home end. This stand will eventually support three full-span roof trusses, which the club’s construction partner, Laing O’Rourke, plans to have installed by Easter 2023.
“Two or three years ago, 60,000 supporters commented on our proposals and we took those comments and incorporated them into the design,” Chong explained.
“Some of those requests – things like the number of seats on a row and how compact they are - can be frowned upon in modern construction or stadiums, where people would want them spread out to give people more arm room."
Read the full story HERE.
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