Amongst all the darkness at Everton, there remains one shred of light, with the Bramley-Moore Dock stadium still slowly progressing in the background.
It is perhaps easy to forget that the Toffees have such a majestic new arena just around the corner, what with all the financial turmoil that continues to envelop the club.
For years now it has felt like they just needed to hang on until its completion, for it would provide the necessary funds needed to offer stability at last.
And now, with less than a year until it is officially done, and just over a year until Everton then move in, the light at the end of the tunnel draws ever closer.
Everton’s latest stadium update reveals progress
This is no greater exhibited than by Everton’s regular updates, with the latest detailing mass progress in one particular area.
Whilst the fanbase has widely accepted that departing Goodison Park is a must for the club to progress, that does not detract from the devastation the eventual move will provoke.
It promises to be a truly sad day not just for Evertonians, but for English football, which will see a great, historic ground replaced.
However, much of its spirit will live on at the Bramley-Moore Dock, with the infamous Archibald Leitch design already clear to see in the brickwork that adorns the outside of the arena.
And now, as Everton’s official website writes, that is nearly ready for completion. They claim: ‘The final brick facades are ready to be lifted into place to complete the external appearance of Everton Stadium.
‘Scaffolding that provided a loading deck and hoist has been removed at the northern end of the east stand, allowing for the last of the 731 panels to be lifted into place, 18 months since the first panel was secured in the north west core, in November 2022.
‘The panels are arranged so they display elements of the historic Goodison Park latticework pioneered by the famous Scottish stadium architect, Archibald Leitch.’
Bramley-Moore Dock stadium could influence Everton takeover
Given the countless commercial opportunities that this stadium is set to present Everton, it is unsurprisingly set to be a huge factor for whoever ends up taking Farhad Moshiri’s spot as the club’s owner.
After all, given the current financial hole they have dug for themselves, the Toffees need something like this to drag them to a position of greater stability and sustainability.
777 Partners have already seen some of their plans reportedly revealed across the last few months, with one particularly grim, but regardless the increased gate receipts and subsequent cash influx this will provide could in turn allow the Everton boss ample funds to actually progress the squad.
But this will not happen overnight, hence why the Miami-based firm were considering making such a dire decision over the stadium.
The Bramley-Moore Dock will provide a key long-term stable return for a club that has been lacking any of those traits for years now.
And the promising financial prospects it will provide could perhaps tempt other potential buyers to emerge in the coming months, should 777 Partners’ takeover continue to falter.