With the upcoming move from Goodison Park to the new stadium, 2025 promises to be a pivotal year in Everton’s history as Blues supporters look forward to revolutionary changes in their match-going experience but how are some of the club’s overseas fans viewing the months ahead? Last week was the start of the lunar new year in China, so to mark the occasion, the ECHO reached out to Chinese Evertonians to gauge their thoughts on what lies ahead in the Year of the Snake.

A group of 36 Everton fans in the People’s Republic of China took part in our survey, overseen by Yolanda Zhao, managing director of Thread Sports, who handles Everton’s Chinese social media channels. Given that 83% of them are aged 30 or under (56% 18-25; 19% 26-30 and 8% under 18), few of them will be able to remember the Blues’ last piece of major silverware, when they defeated Manchester United 1-0 in the FA Cup final some three decades ago this May.

However, their thoughts on the future are positive. Here is a selection of the responses on the issues of David Moyes’ return, the move to the new stadium and squad rebuilding this summer.

READ MORE: I worked under David Moyes and know about his passion - he will create a hostile Everton environment

READ MORE: Everton included in 13 VAR mistakes but Premier League won't name nine missed interventions

Return of David Moyes

Everyone surveyed believed that the return of Moyes as manager was a good thing with over 80% of responses saying it was a “very pleasant” appointment and the rest saying “pleasant.”

In response to our question, one Chinese Evertonian wrote the following letter...

Dear Mr Moyes,

How have you been over the past 12 years? I see that you led West Ham United to win the Conference League title, and as an Everton fan, how could I not be moved?

There was a time when we thought Everton couldn’t do without you. After you left, subsequent managers like Martinez, Koeman, and Silva always seemed to lack something. The team’s performance just kept getting worse.

You weren’t exactly having an easy time either. When you took over Manchester United, succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson, you could only manage a 50% win rate and won a Community Shield.

The fans were unhappy, and the phrase “the eternal injustice of Moyes” became something they joked about. Then, at Real Sociedad, you only had a win rate close to 30%, and with Sunderland, you lost your relegation battle.

But then West Ham came looking for you, hoping you could save them. You led them to safety, only for them to let you go once the job was done.

You were always so straightforward. One year later, West Ham came back for you. You made the decision without hesitation, and this time.

Eventually, your perseverance paid off, and you led this strong team to the success they deserved. Seeing you at the trophy parade, with your hair now all grey, I couldn’t help but think back to the time you joined Everton 23 years ago.

Back then, you were so fresh, guiding Everton to finish consistently in the upper half of the league and bringing so many surprises to the fans. I fell in love with Everton when Ancelotti was nearing the end of his tenure.

I thought he might be the new answer for Everton, but I was wrong. He wasn’t the true saviour of the club.

It wasn’t until I saw the ever-changing list of managers that I finally understood – Everton just couldn’t let you go. Everton cannot lose you, just like how I can’t lose Everton.

I have been very tired recently. I couldn’t find any motivation to watch Everton anymore.

Everything was about Sean Dyche and watching the club's precarious league position. I dare not look at the results from before.

I try to numb myself, telling myself, “Everton will get better, we’ll be fine. Dyche will lead us to success.”

But what’s the result? I don’t want to say much more.

Lately, I only dare to watch the first half of an Everton match, because if I watch longer, I am scared that we’ll be losing. If I turn the TV back on again, we’ll have conceded another goal.

If I force myself to check on one more time, it’s a 0-3 loss. I’m exhausted.

A team, this team, living without fighting, feels like a piece of tough meat—neither to be cut nor touched. Maybe only you could turn things around.

Come back home, to where the original beauty begins.

Other replies to the rehiring of Moyes, who guided Everton to nine top eight finishes and a best-ever Premier League placing of fourth in 2004/05 during his first spell in charge between 2002-13, included the following remarks:

I am expecting more and better.

That’s all we want.

We need to be more stable at every level.

I hope he can lead us to a better future.

A new start. A new challenge. It’s time to end our mess, we are so back!

Welcome back home.

I started to watch Everton because of David Moyes.

Excited.

It’s the time to bounce back.

I grew up watching Everton under David Moyes.

Getting sacked at Manchester United was the most ridiculous thing in football history.

I hope Mr Moyes can continue his glory at Everton.

Drag us out of the relegation battle, hopefully we will be winning the derby soon.

Such a relief – no more relegation battles and I’m looking forward to having a stable season or two.

The Everton hero is back, he belongs here, just like Ferguson at Manchester United.

Top!

Welcome back, I am already looking forward to European football.

I am chuffed. Our legend is back. Hopefully he can change every downside of us since Carlo Ancelotti left. I’m expecting more positive actions in transfer windows. Overall, I’m super excited.

In Moyes we trust.

Emotional. I have been longing for hope for so long.

Here we go!

A forever legend.

Be stable at first and go back to the top 10 next season.

I hope it is a long-term build, we need to focus more on the academy too and maybe he could also help with it?

Should have been back a long time ago.

Bring us back to the glory days.

Welcome back, our legend.

The best choice for us now, be the legend who saves us.

Let’s get this party started!

Take your time, don’t rush into everything.

Modern football is changing in many fields such as tactics, meanwhile, the Premier League is getting more competitive than ever. I hope the club and fans would allow some more time for him to get along with the team.

I have been watching Everton since Roberto Martinez. I have never experienced David Moyes’ era which makes me expect even more from him to energise the team that has been suffering for years.

Please give him more time and financial support.

I am very touched and pleased to see him lead us through the final Goodison year, he is the perfect figure to end this. As an Evertonian, I hope to see David Moyes in for a long time, helping us to rebuild, making progress gradually. He deserves time and support.

Good luck! My only wish is to stay in the Premier League and if we can, top 10 for next season.

Move to the new stadium

Although most of them might never get to go there or have even been to Goodison Park, some 80% of Everton’s Chinese fans surveyed are “very excited” by the prospect of moving to the new stadium. Here are their replies...

Our new stadium is our lucky charm.

Please keep Goodison Park, this is where the dream begins.

More income for our club but use it wisely.

Feeling upset. Arsenal moved away from Highbury, I love the vibes of old English stadiums. For non-UK fans, our love is at Goodison Park even though many of us have never had a chance to visit before it’s gone.

European game are the perfect match for our new stadium. Just like tea and biscuits!

Can we inherit the name, Goodison Park for the new stadium?

A new start.

A world-class stadium! However, it still makes me feel sad about leaving Goodison.

100% on board.

Exciting! However, the sign of the female toilets looks odd according to the videos.

Nice.

The new stadium is the symbol of our new history.

A new start, no need to fight for relegation anymore. Playing in the Champions League in 10 years.

Try to keep some characteristics/actual elements of Goodison Park.

Very much looking forward to it. It’s a new era for us.

It’s a new environment with surroundings, I bet the players are excited and can’t wait for the next season.

I have been watching Everton for 10 years, Goodison Park contains so much emotion. For me, perhaps making improvements to Goodison Park would have been a better choice. However, having a big and modern stadium clearly better suits the club’s future purposes. I am expecting the club could increase its income from it and I hope we can get back to European competition soon.

A big step commercially, it is a necessary path for every club to become more competitive at every level by building a strong brand image, and the new stadium fulfils it well.

Nice.

I am happy with the decision. Please keep as much as we can from Goodison Park, like St Lukes and our statues.

I am pleased. A way to a result for healthier finances.

Great. Gives us a stronger Everton.

A new attitude to everything at the same time.

Supreme.

Over the moon.

I will still miss Goodison Park a lot.

I hope it’s a new beginning for the club, an even better one.

Fabulous.

Moving in this year, playing in the European leagues a year after.

I have had so many great memories at Goodison Park. However, life doesn’t allow you to constantly look back and the new stadium looks great too.

I await it with pleasure. I am going to study in the UK later this year and can’t wait to visit!

Benefits for everyone, everything at the club.

Perhaps this is our turning point? Goodison Park is the greatest place on earth with too many memories to share, and too many stories to tell. However, we should be open and excited about new stuff, this is revolutionary for our club, and, in the meantime, the beginning of our club’s new era.

A new stadium with more seats and opportunities, boosting the club’s revenue, is definitely a positive thing overall.

Nothing but I am not watching the Championship at this stadium.

Expecations over summer squad rebuild

With 13 current players out of contract this summer, it could be a very different Everton side playing at the new stadium in 2025/26. Nobody among the Chinese fans had a negative thought on the team rebuilding, with over 60% “very confident.”

Here are their responses...

Be stable, be sustainable.

Listen to what the manager needs and be well-prepared. Slightly ambitiously talking, let’s fight for the European leagues next season.

Stay in the Premier League is my only aim, we should be focusing on this now.

We probably have to change it from inside and out. We should trust David Moyes, and work hard in the transfer windows.

We need a left-back.

Strengthen in midfielders and wing backs.

I can’t take another season of us in the relegation battle, top 10 would be a gift.

Back to top 10.

Making progress, back to top 10.

Progress stably.

Build up our defence.

Discovering young players but almost retired ones, modern management is needed.

A good striker is a must. Solving the problems of too much in salaries for effortless players, balancing our PSR. Good Japanese players would be a steal.

Right wing, left back, right back, all needed.

We are already at the bottom, it’s time to bounce back.

PSR is done, we are coming back.

Build a team that could stay comfortably in the top 10 with a chance to improve to the top six.

I am being conservative about our next two years’ development. According to my knowledge, I don’t know much about our new owner, in fact, they did make some bad decisions at Roma over transfers. However, David Moyes and Leighton Baines have made me feel safe and boosted my confidence in the club.

Be stable, making right and wise decisions over transfers.

We need wing-backs.

No more relegation battles, stay in the top 10.

We need to build up our scouting team, which will help us be more competitive and it also applies to the academy. Meanwhile, a stronger medical team should also be on the list.

Providing more chances for the academy players, letting our academy players go easily is a shame. Hopefully, Harrison Armstrong and Roman Dixon to receive more playing time in the senior team. Keep our key players, fight for European leagues, and stay there as long as we can.

Back to the top 10, building a stronger academy.

Ask the new owner to invest more.

Building and finding potential youngsters from our academy, providing them with chances to play in the first team. The Friedkins are well-off but spending it wisely is the key, step by step. Listen to what the manager wants, not the owners.

Back to the top 10.

Back to the top 10 is the first thing.

Developing young players, building solidarity.

Back to the top 10 and fight for European leagues.

Stabilise the team, have clear tactics, more chances for the academy players.

No more glass players, no more abandoned players, building our academy, make it great again. We need players who truly love the club to play for us.

Planning, make sure we have younger generations to sub the current ones.

As a fan, the only thing I can do is trust the club. We have to find our tactics quickly. Keep it easy but efficient, tough, and inspirational. We are an English football club, I hope to see more English players playing for us, this is part of our culture too. Even though the Premier League is growing internationally, we cannot forget our culture, our English culture, this is where we are from. Hopefully, we could have more top English players by building up our academy, letting them become our symbols. I love every player from Finch Farm deeply, regardless. I don’t expect too much from us shortly, be more stable, healthy, and keep adding to our culture and history, that’s all I want.

Wait and see.

Take your time, back to the top 10.

Other thoughts

The fans were also offered the opportunity to express their general views and with Everton only going as far as Sligo on Ireland’s west coast last summer, there was a significant appetite for the Blues to visit the Far East. Several supporters called for Moyes’ side to play some pre-season friendlies in China and other responses included the following...

Give more attention to the Chinese market, with more merchandise.

Give our fan supporter groups more support. More merchandise, maybe having an online or offline shop.

More activities for Chinese fans especially offsite ones.

Focus more on the Chinese market. More fun content/programmes with players. For example, The Szczesny Show, or learning from F1 and other sports, as all these types of content are interesting.

One fan signed off with: I am feverish about Everton. Even we have been fighting against relegation in the past few seasons. Even we are just keeping ourselves in the Premier League. I am still thrilled. Performance-wise, we can’t rush into it, we should trust David Moyes. Meanwhile, I wish all our players would keep away from injuries, and fight with their best. I will be backing Everton till the day I die. COYB!