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Stadium Concept Design Guardian Dan Meis answers your questions about the project in this exclusive 30-minute podcast.

The latest Official Everton podcast is celebrating the life of our former manager Walter Smith, who would have been 75 years old today. Smith, who managed the Blues between 1998 and 2002, passed away in October 2021. In this podcast, host Darren Griffiths is joined by legendary Kit Manager Jimmy Martin and David Prentice. All three knew Smith personally. Along the way there are contributions from Richard Gough, David Weir and Kevin Campbell, who recall their time with the great man at the various clubs he was associated with as a player and a manager. We also speak to Chick Young, the broadcaster whose attempt to interview Smith at Ibrox after a European defeat for Rangers became an internet sensation! And we feature a lovely story that Ally McCoist told at Smith’s Memorial Service, held in Glasgow Cathedral, when he revealed a ‘special gift’ he arranged for the man he called his second father. Although his time at Goodison didn’t go as well as he wanted, Smith always retained his affection for Everton Football Club, and he thoroughly deserves his place amongst the British greats for his remarkable achievements in Scotland with Rangers.  This podcast is a reflection on his contribution to football with anecdotes that are insightful, poignant, and amusing in equal measure.

Gavin McCann is one of those rare breed of footballers who left Everton and later represented his country. Our latest Bred a Blue guest played 11 times under Howard Kendall during the frenetic 1997/98 season, before leaving for Sunderland where he flourished and was selected by Sven Goran Eriksson for an England international against Spain. McCann speaks about the experience of playing against the likes of Pep Guardiola, Luis Enrique, Iker Casillas and Raul – quipping that "they had an El Classico a week later so I think they were only at 50 per cent." The Blackpool-born midfielder also recalls his early days at Everton when he was under the tutelage of Everton legends like John Hurst and Jimmy Gabriel, and how Neville Southall was especially good to him. McCann’s first-team debut came at Newcastle United in September 1997 when he replaced Tony Grant late in the game, but his abiding memory is that, "Slav (Bilic) got sent-off and had a cigarette in the shower, there was smoke everywhere!" Unable to break through on a regular basis, "Earl Barret did me in training and I cracked my ankle and missed a load of games," McCann signed for Peter Reid at Sunderland and had later spells with Aston Villa and Bolton Wanderers. He can name Kendall, Reid, David O’Leary and Martin O’Neill amongst his managers and he’s currently a coach at Northern Premier League outfit Hyde United, where former Everton Academy and Under-21 player Manasse Mampala is one of his players.

Since 1988, Everton’s official charity, Everton in the Community has been serving the Merseyside community through its life-saving work. During that time, the charity has celebrated a number of notable ‘firsts’ – from being the first Premier League Club to address mental health with a dedicated programme, to being the first Club to host a GP on its premises. As the charity marks 35-years since it first began operating in a converted house close to Goodison Park, Evertonians can enjoy a special edition of the Official Everton Podcast as we celebrate the award-winning Everton in the Community. Hosted by Darren Griffiths and featuring guests, Men's Club Captain, Seamus Coleman, Everton in the Community’s CEO Sue Gregory, and long-serving member of staff, Michael King, the podcast provides listeners with an insight into the charity’s everyday impact in the community. "We’ve been doing it [getting involved in Everton in the Community] for years and I’ve heard stories from numerous Everton in the Community participants, male and female some really tough stories over the years, who are not necessarily over the worst of it but are coping and Everton in the Community is playing a massive part in that," Coleman said on the podcast. "Since I’ve been at the Club, being part of Everton in the Community has always gone hand-in-hand. You’d be asked to do something and slowly but surely you’d understand what it is all about. It’s so important to go out and see who needs help in all different types of ways, and when you’re there you really do realise the difference you make. "I often talk about this and I’m not sure who came up with the slogan, but it doesn’t just change lives, it saves lives." We also hear from a member of staff whose journey started at Everton in the Community 17-years ago, whilst CEO Sue Gregory also explains how a £1 donation to Everton in the Community generates £29.86 of impact to support the local community and economy.

Our latest Bred a Blue podcast guest, Jake Bidwell, is still the youngest player to ever make a European appearance for Everton. David Moyes handed him a start against BATE Borisov in the UEFA Cup tie at Goodison Park in December 2009 when Bidwell was just 16-years-old and 271 days. Indeed, only Thierry Small, Jose Baxter and - by just 24 hours - James Vaughan have been younger when playing for the senior team in any competition. “I went in the day before the game expecting to train as normal and then got the shout that I was playing,” he told the Official Everton Podcast. “It was a bit of a whirlwind, but I remember going through set-pieces in training. “Leighton Baines and Tony Hibbert told me to just relax and enjoy my game. I was so young that I didn’t really understand the magnitude of it and I just wanted to get out there and do the best I could.” LISTEN TO BRED A BLUE AND COLLECT EVERTON REWARDS POINTS In Bred a Blue Bidwell speaks about he started off at Everton as a goalkeeper, how he played against Danny Welbeck when he was still at school, and how he just wanted to go home to bed after his first senior team training session because he was so tired! After that European night, further senior run-outs proved elusive and, by his own admission, he was never really likely to oust Leighton Baines and so took the decision to go to Brentford on loan when he was 18. “It would have been difficult for anyone to get Bainesy out, let alone me,” said Bidwell. “I agreed to go to Brentford and then I asked ‘where is it’ because I had no idea! I went for six months and ended up playing more than 200 games for them in five years. “There was no role for me at Everton but I had become an important player for Brentford and was playing week-in, week-out so I didn’t want to go back to play reserve team football.” From Brentford, Bidwell moved to Queens Park Rangers, although despite racking up more than 100 appearances for them across three seasons he says ‘that one didn’t work out as well.’ His next port of call, Swansea City, was far more enjoyable. “I loved it there and can’t speak highly enough of the place or the city. It’s a one-club city and everyone wants the team to do well. We had two play-off campaigns but just couldn’t get over the line.” Despite not turning 30 until March of this year, Jake Bidwell, currently in the Championship with Coventry City, is closing in on 500 career appearances. However, he still looks back on that one for Everton with a great deal of affection. “The upbringing I got alongside the likes of Phil Neville, Sylvain Distin, Leighton Baines has stood me in good stead throughout my career.  I only played once but I know there are lots of Evertonians who would give their left arm to make an appearance for the team. “It’s something I’ll always be proud of. If I have a son who is good enough to play football I wouldn’t want him to go anywhere other than Everton.”

Everton Under-21s Head Coach Paul Tait has hailed the excellent attitude from his players over the first half of the season and expects them to reach new heights in 2023. Tait was promoted from his position as Under-18s boss last summer and says he's thoroughly enjoying the new challenge. In an extensive interview, the young Blues boss discusses the positives from the Under-21s' run in the Papa John's Trophy, where they reached the third round, the development of forward Tom Cannon, the recognition his players have received from Frank Lampard, and his eagerness to continue to raise standards.

It’s always one of the most exciting days in the football calendar and the latest Official Everton Podcast looks back over some special memories from the third round of the FA Cup. Which Merseyside football legend scored the only ever ‘golden goal’, which tie was our first ever appearance on Match of the Day, which one was delayed when a chip shop by Goodison caught fire, why did we play 12 cup-ties in 14 games in 1987/88, why was the 1999 tie against Exeter City played in December and what Everton FA Cup record does Leighton Baines hold - even though he tells us that he didn’t know it! Everton legend Kevin Ratcliffe tells us what David Moyes said to him after THAT game at Shrewsbury in 2003, John Connolly speaks about the horror tackle that broke his leg in the 1975 tie against non-league Altrincham and we catch up with former schoolteacher Phil Smith, who played centre-forward for the Northern Premier League outfit when they took the Blues to a replay. And Ian Snodin insists that he’s still peeved that his team-mates didn’t celebrate his goal at Sheffield Wednesday in 1988, although it was the fifth of a 5-0 victory! Host Darren Griffiths is joined by Dave Prentice and Gavin Buckland for a light-hearted stroll down FA Cup third round memory lane.

All key milestones were achieved following a stunning year of development at Everton Stadium. Chief Stadium Development Officer Colin Chong revealed that the project at Bramley-Moore Dock remains on schedule for completion in the 2024/25 season, ahead of a crucial few months. And in an exclusive Club podcast, reflecting on an eventful 2022, he hailed the Everton fans for their input into the final design.

It’s just over 20 years since a 16-year-old boy left school in the summer and smashed his way into Premier League folklore in the autumn! Wayne Rooney was a once-in-a-lifetime talent who came through the Academy ranks at Everton to become England’s greatest ever goalscorer. In this latest Official Everton Podcast, Darren Griffiths, Dave Prentice and Gavin Buckland discuss his famous emergence, his contribution over two spells and his legacy. Contributors include James McFadden, Mark Pembridge, FA Youth Cup team-mate Steven Schumacher, and former Academy Director Ray Hall. We also speak to Paul Whitfield - the first goalkeeper to ever concede a senior goal against Wayne Rooney! He was between the sticks at the Racecourse Ground when the boy-wonder netted twice in a League Cup victory against Wrexham. Rooney was one of our own. A scouser, a prodigy, a world-class performer who conquered the world. But he still divides opinions among Evertonians.

Danish duo Nicoline Sorensen and Katrine Veje are the latest guests on the Official Everton Women Podcast. A decade on from when the pair first met during a spell together in Sweden, they reflect on their moments together both on and off the pitch. Also on the podcast, Sorensen opens up on a difficult year as she recovered from an ACL injury and thanks those at the Club for supporting her on the journey back to full fitness. Veje - who joined Everton in the summer - discusses her dream return to the English top-flight and how winning at Anfield with the Blues was a "dream come true".

Our latest Bred A Blue podcast guest is Shrewsbury Town defender Matthew Pennington. Pennington came through the ranks at Everton to play nine games for the first team – scoring a memorable goal in a Merseyside derby at Anfield. "It was a corner and I was told to block one of their players so Jags could get a run at the ball, but the ball landed inside the six-yard box and I just put it in!" He recalls his early days with the Blues, when he managed to successfully balance his football with his education, and his youth international career when he counted Jordan Pickford, Nathan Redmond and James Ward-Prowse as his England colleagues. It was Roberto Martinez who gave Pennington his Everton debut, but the youngster was substituted at half-time after the Blues made a dreadful start to a League Cup tie at Barnsley! Pennington was impressed by the Spaniard from the day he took charge at Everton. "He said ‘hello Matthew’ to me and I thought to myself, ‘how does he know my name? He’s only just started’ but that showed the class that Martinez had." Pennington reveals that he thought he was in a good position to really push on when he signed a three-year deal under Marco Silva in 2018 but expresses his frustration at not getting another opportunity after putting pen to paper. He also talks about the disappointment of Wembley 2016 when he thought he was going to play some part in the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United. "I was recalled from a loan at Walsall and I was convinced I was going to start," he says. "But Besic started at right-back…and he’s not a right-back! But it might have been a blessing in disguise because Martial was really, really good that day!" After several loan spells, Pennington left Everton in 2021 and he recalls the emotion he felt before and after his final Under-23s match, when he knew his time was up and that he wouldn’t wear the Royal Blue jersey again. Now a regular with League One Shrewsbury, Pennington is enjoying his football and he makes for an articulate and interesting Bred a Blue guest. Have a listen – and learn what Matthew Pennington in 2017 and Joe Blythe in 1900 have done for Everton that no other player in our history has ever managed.

John Lundstram spent 14 years at Everton but left before making a first-team appearance. However, he bounced back from being released to work his way back to the Premier League with Sheffield United and then go on to play in a European final. Lundstram’s story is one of determination not to give up on his dream and in the latest Bred a Blue podcast he tells us all about his incredible journey from getting two buses to Bellefield with his mum, to playing for Rangers in last season’s Europa League final in Seville. Along the way, he learned his trade under the likes of Alan Stubbs and Andy Holden at Everton and made, he freely admits, some poor decisions with regards to his selection of loan clubs. He also once incurred the wrath of David Moyes and recalls that: "I’d been a bit of a naughty boy and he called me into his office and went berserk on me! I am still scared of him when I see him now!" But he also adds: "He was the one manager at Everton who saw something in me and pushed me as hard as he could and when he left, things were never quite the same for me." Lundstram left Everton in to join Oxford United and it was very quickly a perfect fit – he was soon made first-team captain and his consistent performances earned him a move to then Championship outfit Sheffield United. Promotion followed and redemption came in September 2019 when he set up one of the Blades’ goals in a 2-0 Premier League win at Goodison Park against Marco Silva’s Everton. "That was satisfying," he says.  "One of the best footballing days of my career.  I’d lost my identity when I left Everton. I was no longer John Lundstram, the Everton player, I was just John Lundstram."

Everton centre-back James Tarkowski talks us through his fascinating career journey in the latest episode of the official Everton podcast. He opens up on why he swapped Academy football for Non-League as a youngster, the family reasons which led to his departure from Brentford, his England international ambitions, leadership, why he believes good times are ahead for Everton, and much more!

It's been a summer of significant progress for the women's game. England are champions of Europe. Watching on were Izzy Christiansen and Toni Duggan, two legends of the English game who have played a significant role on the journey. That journey hit a significant milestone when the Lionesses, led by Sarina Wiegman, were crowned European champions for the very first time. In our latest episode of the Official Everton Women Podcast, Christiansen and Duggan reflect on the historic tournament, the growing popularity of women's football and the pair's excitement to begin their competitive season under the guidance of new boss Brian Sorensen.

Dan Meis, Stadium Concept Design Guardian for the Everton Stadium, made another transatlantic trip in August 2022, to view progress on-site. In a new podcast Dan, along with Chief Stadium Development Officer, Colin Chong, discuss the project, from early sketches on a napkin to the astonishing engineering feat that is steadily transforming the skyline of North Liverpool and creating the next chapter in Everton’s illustrious history. Meis said: “I’ve a huge smile on my face because last time I was here the cores were there, so you got a sense of where the stadium was, but now you can feel how the stadium is - and it’s amazing! “When you see how many people come together, the logistics of it and the investment of time and people, it feels like you have lit this fire and it’s out of control. “It’s a giddy feeling that ‘wow, it really is here’. It’s a very unusual site and it was hard to tell, when it was still a dock, what it was going to look like when it was filled in and how the stadium sits on the site. "All those worries go away with a relief that it really does fit, but not just that but it feels so tight and intimate.”

England fast bowler Stuart Broad will be in test match action against South Africa when his beloved Nottingham Forest run out at Goodison Park on Saturday – but he’ll find a way of keeping aware of the score against Everton! “We’re not allowed phones in the dressing room so we have to ask the umpires and they can radio up to the pavilion. So if I’m bowling an over, I’ll just ask one the umpires to let me know the Forest score!” And there’s every chance that the Nottinghamshire veteran isn’t joking! A lifelong Nottingham Forest fan, Broad was ecstatic when the City Ground outfit returned to the Premier League at the end of last season and earlier this week he took a break from training at Lord’s to speak to evertonfc.com. Amongst other topics, Broad spoke about the Steve Cooper, Frank Lampard, watching Forest at strange times around the world whilst on England duty, and who the football fans are in the England dressing room. “The banter is non-stop, particularly with the fantasy football!” he said. “At the end of last year, because my mate Jimmy (Anderson) is a big Burnley fan, and Everton fans won’t want to hear this because they were in the scrap as well, I wanted Burnley to survive because I knew how much it meant to Jimmy. “What blows my mind is that when I’m flying to Australia or New Zealand, I can watch live Premier League football at 35,000 feet but I can’t make a phone call on the M1 because you can’t get a signal! “As an away fan, Everton at Goodison is one that you want to do. It’s one of the best atmospheres in the game. It will be a fascinating game but we know that we’ll come to Goodison with a lot of energy and a lot of away support.”

There’s nothing quite like the first day of a new season! The Toffees welcome Chelsea to Goodison Park tomorrow evening for the Premier League opener and as part of our build up we bring you an Official Everton Podcast looking back at some of our first-day fixtures over the years. Host Darren Griffiths is again in the company of David Prentice and Gavin Buckland and among their memories are Tony Cottee’s hat-trick, Gary Speed’s debut goal, an Andy King winner against Chelsea, John Hurst getting a title-winning season off to a flyer…and Gary Lineker enduring a miserable start to his Everton career at Leicester City! And the afternoon that David Moyes gave debuts to an England goalkeeper, a Brazilian, a Chinese international and a 16-year-old who had just left school! With the usual plethora of facts and figures, some personal reminisces (did Neville Southall speak to Prenno after his opening day, half-time protest?) and some vintage commentary clips, this is a great way to start your new Premier League weekend.

The latest Official Everton Podcast is celebrating the relationship between the Football Club and the United States of America. Darren Griffiths, Dave Prentice and Gavin Buckland take an irreverent look at past tours of the States and discuss the players from across the pond who have played for the Blues. With personal recollections and anecdotes, plus a plethora of stats, facts and figures from Gavin, the USA Special is a perfect way to kill an hour while you wait for the Blues opening game against Arsenal! Men like Roger Kenyon, Dave Clements, Terry Darracott, Preki and Joe-Max Moore all get a mention – as does the ground-breaking tour to USA of 1961. There’s also audio input from Tim Howard, Landon Donavan, Brian McBride, Paul Rideout and the current coach, Gregg Berhalter, who recalls the time he played for Everton reserves.

Sandbanks in leafy Dorset to St Tropez in the south of France sounds like an idyllic summer journey. But not if you complete the entire trip on a bicycle, which is what former Everton defender Sylvain Distin has just done! Big Sylvain biked up to 90 miles every day for 10 days to raise money for families affected by the crisis in war-torn Ukraine. To donate to the ‘Sandbanks to St Tropez’ charity initiative, simply visit the Just Giving page by clicking here. Darren Griffiths caught up with the Frenchman to learn more about his epic journey and to get his views on Frank Lampard, Seamus Coleman, the magnificent Evertonians and plenty more besides.

Ruleteros society member John Shearon provides the latest from Everton's namesake club in South America.