It was not the final league derby at Goodison Park but Everton have ensured the young fan who travelled from Australia for the game did not have a wasted journey after all.
Mackenzie Kinsella, a 15-year-old from Sydney, used his savings to attend the historic Merseyside derby only for the match to be postponed four hours before kick-off on Saturday because of the impact of Storm Darragh. A rearranged date for Everton’s final league meeting with Liverpool at Goodison has yet to be decided.
After hearing of Mackenzie’s misfortune Séamus Coleman, the Everton captain, invited the supporter to the club’s Finch Farm training ground on Monday. Coleman was there to greet the teenager with a signed Everton shirt before he met the rest of Sean Dyche’s squad, including his favourite player Beto, along with the coaching team. The Everton and England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford gave Mackenzie a pair of signed gloves. Dyche invited Mackenzie to join the team huddle before the training session, that he watched, and also join a team photo.
“It’s been truly amazing to be here and I’m well aware that wouldn’t have happened under normal circumstances, so every cloud has a silver lining,” Mackenzie said. “When I checked my phone on Saturday morning and saw the game was off, it didn’t really sink in at first and I couldn’t believe it. I’d saved for two years and raided my university fund to make the trip over and I wasn’t quite sure what to think.
“The next thing I knew, Everton were on the phone and Seamus sent a video message, saying he felt my pain and that the players would love to see me at the training ground. It’s been truly crazy and I think it’s everyone’s dream to come down here and enjoy the day I’ve had.
“It was surreal to meet all the players – and one after another they all came in to show their appreciation. These are the guys I’m cheering on every week on TV, so to see them all in person was amazing.”
The defender James Tarkowski has offered the supporter tickets for Everton’s game at Arsenal on Saturday. Mackenzie, whose mum is from Liverpool and who is staying with an aunt during his two-week stay, did get to see Everton beat Wolves 4-0 at Goodison before the derby postponement.
Everton, meanwhile, donated food that was to cater for the derby to local food banks and other good causes in the city with the help of volunteers from Fans Supporting Foodbanks. Everton In the Community also received items that will be used at their programmes this week.
