THEY'LL HAVE A FIELD DAY

American football star Tillman says Evertonians in for a treat as he compares Hill Dickinson Stadium to Chicago Bears' home

- By CHRIS BEESLEY ECHO Reporter

AMERICAN football star Charles ‘Peanut’ Tillman believes Everton supporters travelling to Soldier Field, the arena where he played in the NFL for Chicago Bears are in for a treat this summer, while comparing it to Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Tillman was shown around both Goodison Park and the Blues’ 52,888 capacity future home by Everton legend Peter Reid when visiting Merseyside for the Chicago Bears’ Mini Monsters clinics designed to provide children aged seven-to-12 with their first experience of American football.

The events were hosted over two days at Leisure United Jeffrey Humble on Long Lane with over 600 children from 14 local schools in attendance. Tillman was blown away though with what he witnessed at Bramley-Moore Dock.

The 44-year-old told the ECHO: “Soldier Field (where Everton will play against West Ham United in the second of their three Premier League Summer Series matches on July 30) is a very historic stadium. I think when people from Everton get there, they'll see a lot of similarities to their new stadium.

“Everton's new stadium has like a flying saucer feel to it with the silver bar on the outside and Soldier Field kind of has the same effect. It’s a newer stadium on the inside but the exterior has the original pillars, these massive Roman-style columns, and it looks like the Colosseum.

“Driving up to Everton's new stadium, it’s on the water (River Mersey) and the Bears’ stadium is on the water (Lake Michigan). The old dock wall around Everton's new stadium gives it character and it just looks really cool and gives it an industrial look. It's a great design. I’m really looking forward to coming back and going to a game.

“I went inside and saw the locker room with the Everton crest up on the ceiling, walked on the pitch, sat in the seats and looked at the restaurants that they're starting to put in. Seeing the inside of the facilities at the new stadium, I'm impressed.”