by Lewis Royden
It was Jordan Pickford pulling silly faces that first attracted a tiny little Ava to the Toffees, along with family ties of course, while watching the iconic goalkeeper save penalties on telly with her Evertonian grandfather, Gareth.
“He plays for our team!” she learned through fits of giggles at the keepers striker-distracting antics… and with that, she would immerse herself as a proud and passionate Blue, even before her understanding of the game had begun to develop, much to the amazement of parents Jess and Tom.
Family trips to Liverpool’s museums often included discoveries of Toffee memorabilia, and Ava showed a particular excitement whenever our grand old home of Goodison Park would appear amongst her eager learning, her stubborn refusal to sit on any red chairs a small insight into the tribal nature budding inside.
Ava was just six months old when planning approval was granted down at Bramley-Moore Dock, and as she grew, the inevitable arrival of Everton’s new stadium continuously left all fans with a sense of uncertainty around what would be happening to our beloved home once new doors were opened.
By the time our final season at Goodison came around and new keys were being handed over, it was expected that bulldozers would likely be moving in shortly after the final whistle sounded versus Southampton. A thought that now doesn’t bear thinking about, but then, the fear was real.
Match tickets were hard to come by during the men’s final season, with fans understandably desperate to attend the last remaining home fixtures at such a historic ground. But it also seemed rather important that effort was made for a certain little five year old to experience this special place for herself – although at this point being unaware of the looming demolition crew. If she is to grow into a seasoned Evertonian, it’s only fitting that she can one day look back and say “I went to Goodison.”
By this point, Ava had learned that I (family friend, and member of EFCHS) am also just like her – ‘on the Blue team’ -and our relationship grew brilliantly around that, regularly booing anything LFC related, singing ‘sixty grand’ down the street, and my stories about how Goodison is simply my favourite place in the whole world. I even passed down one of my childhood Everton shirts.
So when Everton Women played Liverpool Women at Goodison Park in November 2024, it was a foregone conclusion that this would be a perfect introduction for us to go and support our Toffee ladies together. Along with Grandad Gaff and Uncle Josh, Ava and I marched through Stanley Park, pointing out that the ducks are all Blues (the turtles in the lake are ours as well, of course).
What followed was, for me, one of the most significant moments in my life as an Evertonian, and an occasion I will forever be grateful to Ava’s parents for. Considering I don’t have children myself, what an honour it was to be the person holding her hand and see her beaming smile grow as she laid her widening eyes on our hallowed turf for the very first time.
Her little “Look at that!” coming after a sharp intake of breath, as if showing me something I’d never realised, was so magnificent… the undeniable lump in my throat growing and tears welling up, my deep love for this great place was visible in a child’s eyes.
She gets it, does Ava. She really gets it… another new fan, far from manufactured.
‘Nothing will ever be the same.’
This particular Merseyside derby really isn’t the talking point in this story, but it tee’d up so much of what was to come. Cold and wet, it required an abysmal refereeing decision in our favour (for once!) to spark some excitement – five minutes before half time, Honoka Hayashi was tripped about two yards outside the penalty area, and the ref pointed to the spot in front of the Park End.
Just like so many seasoned Evertonians, Ava’s love of the blues seemingly comes almost as naturally to her as hate for the red team… So as Katja Snoeijs stood over the ball, my little companion stood on her seat beside me, draped in her new pink EFC scarf and bobble hat, fingers crossed beneath her mittens, willing the net to ripple. Snoeijs did her job, as she seemingly always does in this fixture, and our girls ran straight in our direction to celebrate with us in front of the Family Enclosure.
For anyone who knows the look of ecstasy on a child’s face needs no explanation.
This is exactly what we came for.
The second half was spent sharing our packed lunches, and nervously counting down the minutes on the score board as the Reds fired shot after shot over the crossbar.
The whistle blows. It’s full time! 1-0 to the Blues! Ava’s first trip to Goodison Park has seen us keep a clean sheet and win the Merseyside derby – admittedly, the first time I had been there to see us win this fixture too!
After waving goodbye to our victorious players leaving the pitch Ava called her Mum…
“WE WON! WE WON! WE WON! WE BEAT THEM MUM!!! Please Lewis, please can we come back again?”… more happy tears. Mine, obviously.
“Of course we can mate, definitely.”
I didn’t have the heart to tell her that Everton Women would not be playing here again.
I don’t know how Ava came to learn that Goodison Park was set to be demolished, but what followed this news was enough to cripple even the boldest of men. Consistent bawling tears of heartbreak, sadness of the absolute highest order.
A completely inconsolable Ava would sit crying while watching YouTube videos of the grounds greatest moments (everything from ‘those’ Doucoure and DCL winners to black and white clips of the Holy Trinity, crowds going bonkers). There are emotional videos of this happening on more than one occasion, as mum Jess asked me to help her understand why her beautiful and emotionally intelligent five year old was so soul-destroyed by this news and what on earth could lead to such sadness?! Is this abnormal behaviour?! Is this what being an Everton fan looks like?!
These particular videos won’t see the light of day, but the truth is, there wasn’t a single Evertonian alive who wasn’t feeling exactly the same way as this tiny Toffee lady. Every one of us without exception would relate to those tears and feel it deep within our hearts. None of us wanted to see this great ground torn down, it never deserved such a brutal end.
This was not abnormal behaviour, not for someone with so much love inside them, even for bricks and mortar (and a fair bit of wood, too).
“Mum, I can’t even look at the colour blue without crying”…
Then came the game changer.
The Everton FC Heritage Society was honoured to present 1966 cup winner Derek Temple as the recipient of the 2025 Dixie Dean Award, in one of last season’s final events to be held at Goodison before the move down to the riverside. David Moyes graced us with his attendance on that night to hand over the trophy, and this night is significant to this tale, because this was the night we learned that Everton’s new owners had made some special plans. This was the night we learned that Goodison’s fate was not going to be at all what anyone expected.
News would break the following morning, that this iconic ground would not be demolished at all, and Everton Women were to become the custodians of one of the country’s most historic stadiums, the new owners of the second biggest home stadium in women’s football anywhere in the world, behind only Olympique Lyonnais (although they share their ground with the mens team).
Besides my own sheer elation at hearing my favourite place would remain standing, my thoughts immediately turned to the little girl crying on the sofa, my little buddy jumping into my arms at a derby winning goal, who thought she could never go back, and who had no idea that she had just effectively gone to bed on Christmas Eve.
So, the following day, while sitting in her car seat in the back of Dad’s car, and cuddling a fluffy toy after a long day in school, her Mum softly broached the topic with her…
“Last night, Lewis was at Goodison saying goodbye, and David Moyes was there, and he had a word with him about how upset you were about Goodison getting knocked down…”
Already the tears began to fill Ava’s eyes as she is reminded of her sadness…
“Well they came up with a really good idea – they’re not going to knock it down!”
Ava’s voice squeaked out a wonderfully shocked “What?!?”
“They’re going to let the girls play there! It’s going to be the girl’s ground!!”
The tears of sadness quickly turned to tears of joy. Sobbing through smiles, Ava was left completely speechless by the emotional turmoil as heartbreak turned to elation.
Thankfully, Jess, anticipating her joyful reaction, quietly filmed the moment too – and this is where the real madness began.
I sat at home watching Ava’s secret car-seat video, and just broke into uncontrollable floods of tears. How incredible it was to see my own emotions so purely replicated in a child, that so clearly understood absolutely everything it meant about the preservation of this Blue pillar of the community.
But beyond that, because what Ava represented in that moment, is what football means to people – how the women’s game is so wonderfully capable of inspiring generations and lighting up the dreams of youngsters, allowing them to visualise what is possible for them in their future.
I watched that video a dozen times, maybe more, before I called Jess and tried to express in words what Ava couldn’t – the magnitude of joy and pride and passion that Evertonians have been far too bereft of in recent years.
“Please, can I share this online? People need to see it…”.
And people did see it.
One tweet, within a few hours had been seen by hundreds of thousands of people, and rapidly rising. Ava was reposted by Everton fans, by opposition fans, by journalists, then by the manager, and then the players, and then, incredibly, by Everton Football Club themselves.
“The Grand Old Lady is here to stay 💙” appeared across official Everton FC’s social media accounts, accompanied by Ava’s happy sobs.
“The Grand Old Lady is here to stay 💙”
Ava became the focal point of the club’s marketing to broadcast the news of Goodison Park becoming the home of Everton Women. Her happiness inspired people – literally – all over the world, and her family and I were inundated with beautiful messages from every continent.
It takes something very beautiful to unite twitter in positivity, and the outpouring of love was absolutely extraordinary to witness.
I had the pleasure of FaceTiming Ava the next day to tell her all about going viral around the world, and to read messages of support sent to her from America, from Japan, and from Brazil.
“Even from Africa?!” She asked.
“Yes mate, loads from Africa!”
“What about Antarctica?”
“Erm… I’ll have a look for you… maybe…!”
She went to bed that night with more happy tears in her eyes, and told her mum “Please say thank you to Lewis for saving Goodison for me.” Another beautifully sweet moment, but I’m not the hero of this story, honest!
The messages were far from over, too, they continued for the following days in many languages, until Ava received one more very special video message indeed – her favourite player, club captain Megan Finnigan, got in touch to express how touched and inspired the whole Everton team had been to see Ava’s emotional response to the great news, and now, she had some news of her own…
“We’d like to invite you and your family down to Goodison Park…” she could have stopped there and it would have been a perfect message, but the sentences that followed ensured that Ava would go down in Everton history in her own little way…
“…and I would like YOU, to walk out with me and the girls to Z-Cars, to be our first mascot at our first game”
“That’s blowin’ my head off!” was the flawlessly hilarious response from the five year old, head in hands at this point, sitting proudly in her royal blue shirt… a response that sums up her lovable personality so perfectly… and, after holding her mouth open for a moment…
“Am I dreaming?! Am I dreaming mum…?!”
Click here if image does not open
And so, for the second time in a week, a video of Ava was going viral worldwide. Evertonians big and small, men and women, boys and girls, all felt an empathy with this wonderful little girl, who’s love for her team sparked so much joy in football at home and abroad.
It cannot be understated how important representation is in the women’s game today, how as it grows and grows, it continues to become a bigger and better platform of opportunity to women and girls at all levels of sport – whether that is as a player or as a pundit, as someone working to be a coach or a journalist, or literally ANYTHING, even just a fan, it all becomes so much more plausible and acceptable and realistic when you see other people standing tall and making it possible. The element of pride around this story is truly immense.
The next short chapter occurs at Goodison once more, but this time it’s a little different. Everton FC are playing the last ever men’s game there against Southampton. I couldn’t get hold of a ticket, but nothing was going to keep me away.
Off the back of the phenomenal news from Megan, I knew Ava was on a high, and thought she’d like to see the big blue carnival outside the ground, so back came Grandad Gaff, with Uncle Josh, and Dad Tom, with Ava draped in blue, to soak up the magnificent atmosphere on what turned out to be a wonderful final day.
A far cry from the crowds of the women’s game, it’s predicted that over 70,000 people were at the stadium that day, some more pint-sized than others. We played football in the streets, flares were lit, songs were sung, and bagpipes were played… and one tiny fan came to realise what a celebrity she had become, at this place where she felt such a deep connection.
We headed to the Fan Zone, where Giulia Bould had requested to meet the superstar of the moment. Giulia having been one of the first to post Ava’s video to a wider audience, and been the instigator of so much Everton support for her, it was lovely to see Ava taken up onto the stage for a photo, and her story celebrated while the crowds were awaiting the announcement of the final ever team sheet. Enormous cheers went up for Ava, who herself got to cheer extra loud for Pickford and Seamus Coleman as their names were read out here one last time.
All sorts of fans were making a fuss all day, as our wonderfully vast Blue family really went to great lengths to prove that there really is no club like this one. Not a single ounce of negativity from an Everton crowd who love to boo, and all this following nothing but happiness on social media, this youngster’s influence is quite magical.
Ava and her family headed home on the train around half-time, but not before being stopped for a chat by the Toffee Lady as Z Cars rang out for the final time… we heard the crowds celebrating Ndiaye’s goals and took a long walk around the ground where some kind fans had amazingly brought a brand new scarf with them in the specific hope of bumping into the historic mascot-to-be!!! What a fanbase!!
A long summer followed, counting down the days and checking club announcements – who are we playing?! When!? Do you think we’ll be able to buy 25 tickets all sat together?!
And on the day that Ava opened a packet of Panini stickers to find the one she’d been waiting for (Captain Meg!) we heard it was to be Tottenham Hotspur, on Sunday 14 September, a week after the Anfield derby.
My phone rang rather early on that particular Sunday morning, the voice of now six year old Ava asking me if I knew what day it was. I asked if she was having a lazy day with her teddies in front of the telly, but boy was I wrong!
“NOOO ITS MASCOT DAAAAYYYYYY!!!!”
Almost the entire family were making their way to L4 in the driving rain, absolutely nothing would dampen spirits on this most historic of days.
Unfortunately, an untimely injury to Megan meant that she wouldn’t be appearing as captain, so Ava’s mind that morning was full of curiosity regarding whose hand she might be holding.
She hopped out of the car on Stanley Park, right on the site of Everton’s first pitch, wearing her pristine and perfect full blue kit and crisp white trainers. Together with Mum, Dad, and myself, we strode across the grass, past our first stadium, once again past the lake and the Evertonian turtles, until Goodison Park loomed large in front of us. “The Home Of Everton Women” a striking and powerful message was draped on the prominent banner.
Today is the day.
………………………………………………………………………………………
The Barclays Women’s Super League match between Everton and Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park on 14 September 2025
Ninety minutes before kick off, we arrived at the reception doors, after a brief pit stop at the Winslow, where fuss was made of the celebrity of the day. Nanny Jo and Aunty Lucy spotted Ava all the way down Goodison Road, who ran to greet them with an enormous skip in her step. The final good luck kisses were given, and she was in through the hallowed doors. Into the inner sanctum where so many names have gone before her, from Pele and Eusebio to Ronaldo and Rooney, the Dean’s, the Young’s, and the Kendall’s would attest – these corridors are a place for greatness.
Here began one of the best days of this little girl’s young life so far. Immediately greeted with excitement by Lucy from Everton FC Fan Engagement, she treated our mascot like royalty. Leaving us all behind with a smile and a wave, Ava skipped down the corridor towards the tunnel. New friend Giulia Bould appeared from the media door and spotted her, and was the first to say hello and wish her luck, before the next half an hour was spent greeting all of the Everton players as they arrived into the changing rooms! Ava was recognised by so many of the girls, who had reacted so wonderfully after seeing her videos online.
It’s one thing to see a child meet the stars, but another thing entirely when those stars are so kind and wonderful, making the occasion such a fantastic and memorable experience. Autographs were signed and photos were taken with such pride, as various team members wanted to be in the shots with Goodison mascot number one, including African Cup winner Toni Payne, and Lioness Ruby Mace. Beaming smiles throughout… I’m not sure who was more honoured to be posing together.
While the players got changed, it was chance for Ava to take a look at how some match day broadcasting worked – playing with cameras and microphones in the tunnel, making their own pre-match interviews…
And then… just before the team re-emerged from the dressing room… a very special face emerged from down the tunnel.
Eyes wide and mouth open Ava stared and was, for a moment, as shy as she’s ever been, as hero Megan Finnigan approached with an excited wave before kneeling beside her for a hug.
“It’s so nice to finally meet you!” – words that could have been said by either of them, but on this occasion it was Megan who couldn’t wait to spend a few minutes chatting with Ava, talking about the excitement of the day, and of course signing more autographs – right in the space at the top of the page, which Ava had saved especially for her. Megan had to scamper off for match preparations, but made sure this wasn’t the last the two would see of one another-
“I’ll come and meet you again very soon Ava – I’ve got a present to give you!”
“AND I’VE GOT ONE FOR YOU TOO!” The mascot had been very excited to present the captain with something of her own…
Time for the warm-up.
Back in prime high-five positioning, our little mascot greeted every single one of the starting eleven, the substitutes, and the coaching staff with a beaming smile and the highest of high-fives, probably the most she’s ever dished out in one go in all her life…
Angelically pronouncing “That was a LOT of high fives!” fortunately caught by the Behind the Scenes camera crew. (Their video is at the end of this article)
Now came another moment to remember forever – time to go pitch side for the warm up, which of course, meant that we had to make our way down the tunnel. Ava first ran to me to fetch the presents she had brought for Megan, and warmed my heart as she learned I was allowed to come with her, and then ran down the tunnel, to the 90 degree angle towards the pitch.
“Umbrella please!” She humbly exclaimed, realising the downpour that awaited her.
The moment you dream of as a child. We walked down the tunnel, and up those famous steps under the floodlights. The moment she emerged a big cheer of her name went up from a portion of the crowd – her family and friends who had so eagerly had their eyes trained on the tunnel awaiting her appearance. Her face was a picture, waving like mad at her fans, relishing the moment.
She stood and watched the girls warming up from the touchline, following the ball constantly and shouting the sweetest encouragements from beneath her little umbrella, before confidently returning a ball to the Spurs goalie with an accurate pass I’d have been proud of myself.
It was almost time for the big moment, as a local girl’s football team joined us on the sidelines ready for their own mascot duties.
It was then that our captain re-emerged to say a public hello to Ava, now that the cameras were around, and the crowd could watch them meet.
“Now Ava, I’ve got something for you – close your eyes!”
Eyes were dutifully covered, before Megan presented Ava with a shirt signed by the entire team, another wonderful gesture by the club on a day of consistently overwhelming moments.
“I’ve got something for you too!” Ava said proudly after the sweetest of thank-yous, and handed Megan a gift bag.
First she read the ‘Thank-you’ card hand written by Ava, with an undeniable glint of adoration in her eyes, and asked for some help unwrapping her own present. If the card had been deemed sweet, imagine her reaction when she opened up a small canvas drawing of Ava and Megan together, both in their Everton kits, presented on a wooden easel and signed by the tiny artist herself.
I had hoped for so long that this would be a day Ava would feel proud of herself, and this was the moment I think it shone through the most. She could barely contain herself as Megan gushed over her wonderful new treasure. Of course, there were more inevitable tears from family as their own pride spilled over.
Players left the pitch to even more high-fives, and the young girls lined up in front of the dugout, in preparation for the big moment. Dancing and running on the spot, star jumps, and plenty of giggles keeping themselves warm as the wind and rain hit their bare knees, and they didn’t care one bit.
Suddenly, almost out of nowhere, the deafening drone of our air-raid siren rings out.
Flags were erected, the 6,500 strong crowd stood to attention, cheers already filling their lungs.
Ava has been practicing in her hallway at home. Weeks of asking mum and dad to “Put Z Cars on!” as she walked up and down. It’s an enormous moment, and she knows it.
The siren fades into a marching drum beat. Standing proud at the front of the queue, Ava’s feet couldn’t help but begin to march on the spot as the tune kicked in. She gazed towards the tunnel in anticipation, and as our iconic anthem rose to its crescendo, it was Katja Snoeijs who emerged first – Ava’s derby winner – with her arm outstretched to take her hand.
Their combined smiles were enough to light up the stadium, taking the very first steps onto the Goodison Park pitch as the home of Everton Women. History made. Ava’s steps were proud and precise, smile only growing, taking one look back to her family to see their faces beaming back at her, not a dry eye in the house.
The team sheet was then read out over the tannoy by stadium announcer Giulia, but not before a special dedicated announcement was given to draw attention to the six year old, who at this point was waving to the crowd from her position in front of the captain, with a protective hand on Ava’s shoulders. Huge cheers went up at the sound of her name, the Gwladys Street flags waving with extra vigour on this momentous occasion.
The pre-match handshakes and high fives between the two squads were wonderfully light hearted, the Spurs girls beaming at Ava as she made her way down the line, making sure nobody was missed out, following a momentary pirouette to make sure the Blues were following her, with her long blonde pigtails flowing behind her.
We weren’t to know it at the time, but as the game was broadcast live on the BBC, during the handshakes, the commentator also focused on Ava and her special day, meaning the few family members who weren’t in the crowd were able to celebrate properly at home. One can only imagine the cheering as they watched their screens!
Mascot responsibilities weren’t over just yet: the referee handed Ava the match ball to be placed on the centre spot ready for kick off, and the captains approached for the final handshake and the mandatory photographs that will go down in the annals. Whereas you would often see the men’s players stand proud with the mascots in front of them, Katja Snoeijs and her opposite number Bethany England, leaned in level to the youngsters, almost as if it were them wanting a record of their day with the little celebrity.
And with that, it was time for kick off. Ava ran as fast as she could back towards the dugouts, and down the tunnel with a big wave to the crowd.
It was then off to the family enclosure, where everybody was sat eagerly awaiting the star of the day to return, family, extended family, school friends and friends of friends all finally getting their chance to give Ava her cuddles and even MORE high-fives, before insisting on getting their pictures taken – even the undercover Red amongst us couldn’t deny that she’d enjoyed coming to Goodison for once.
The match itself may have been disappointing by the result – a two-nil defeat to Spurs, although we did get to see a goal from the halfway line, and the dense crowd of mascot supporters did their part for the Grealish-fund by consuming a fair amount of Everton Toffee Doughnuts at half time.
With a hint of blue icing on her cheeks, Ava’s day was done. We applauded and gave our final waves to the players as they came over to say their goodbyes to Ava, who by now, was standing on the advertising boards, her blonde hair and full royal blue kit making her a beacon for those leaving the pitch. Katja Snoeijs came over for one more picture, as well as Kelly Gago and Courtney Brosnan who were all full of smiles and warm goodbyes – three more autographs for the growing collection.
After a lovely evening meal in Liverpool it was time to head home – considering this was a school night I can’t think of a single better reason in the world to be allowed to stay up four hours after bedtime. Signed shirts, autographed cards, and priceless photographs with the team, will all undoubtedly be framed and given pride of place, but the memories made on this special day will live with this excitable little Toffee for the rest of her life.
She’s shared gifts with the captain, and her name has gone down in history;
Ava Rose Kench – The first mascot to lead out Everton Women in their permanent home of Goodison Park.
I feel so very lucky to have been a part of Ava’s day, and to have been the one waiting for her at the top of the tunnel as she left the pitch, she ran full speed towards me shouting
“I DID IT! I WAS MASCOT FOR EVERTON!” as she jumped up to give me a big hug.
More happy tears. A truly beautiful moment that I will never forget.
“It’s like a dream to be the mascot, and now I really did it!”
Too right you did, Ava, and how.
Some special moments with Ava can be seen in the Everton FC ‘Behind the Scenes’ footage on YouTube:
Acknowledgements
Lucy Hughes of Everton FC Fan Engagement – huge thanks!
Staff of Goodison Park
Everton Women Social Media Team
Megan Finnigan and the players of Everton Women
Tony McArdle and his team (and Everton FC) for the use of official match day photographs
Ava’s family for personal photographs
