Everton fan, 80, ticks new stadium off bucket list

John Gordon says the visit has given him a "big boost"

An "Everton-mad" fan who has been told he has months to live has said visiting the club's new "out-of-this-world" stadium was one of the best days of his life.

John Gordon, 80, who has advanced lung cancer, said seeing the club's Bramley-Moore Dock ground and "going to heaven" were the only things on his bucket list.

His friend and fellow Toffees fan Gerry O'Brien helped organise the visit to the new waterfront stadium on Thursday.

Mr Gordon, from Billinge in St Helens, said it was a "double whammy" as he also got to return to his beloved Goodison Park, where he was first taken as a toddler by his father.

The former welding foreman at the National Coal Board said: "The new stadium is out of this world."

"It meant everything to me to see it."

Getting to returning to the "holy ground" of Goodison Park to sit in manager David Moyes's seat was a lovely bonus, he said.

"It wasn't just the icing on the cake, it was the cherry on top, too," he said.

Mr Gordon said the visit had given him a "big boost" and "perked him up".

His wife of 53 years, Winfred, said: "He had a lovely day. He couldn't stop talking about it when he got home."

Mr O'Brien, an Everton season ticket holder, said it was an incredible day.

"John was over the moon," the 79-year-old said.

Mr Gordon said he cannot thank his friend or the club enough for organising it.

"Gerry is a real gent and I couldn't ask for a better club.

"It is the best club in the world."

John Gordon says visiting Goodison Park and the new stadium was a "double whammy"

Everton have two more home games to play at Goodison Park, the club's home for 133 years.

The new £750m waterfront stadium can hold 52,888 people at full capacity, about 13,000 more than Goodison, and has already opened for several test events.