Fan flies 10,000 miles for derby closed due to storm

A teenage Everton fan who flew from Australia to watch the last Merseyside derby – but it was canceled – has been invited to meet his heroes.

There was a Premier League game between Everton and Liverpool Postponed due to safety concerns due to bad weather caused by Storm Darragh.

McKenzie, from Sydney, had saved up for the game tripWhat was to be the last derby at Goodison before Everton moved to a new ground the following season.

But the BBC can reveal that the teenage Toffees fan has been invited by team captain Seamus Coleman to visit the club’s training ground to meet the players on Monday.

Speaking about the game being postponed, the 15-year-old told BBC Radio Merseyside: “I was a little surprised because canceling games like this is a little unheard of.

“I was a little sad. I wanted to be a part of history.

“It was a last-minute decision. I really wanted to see how it was in the last derby.”

Seamus Coleman sent McKenzie a video message saying he was also “disappointed”.

But the fullback told McKenzie he would “love to see you on the training ground”.

The teen said: “This is amazing news. Every cloud has a silver lining.”

McKenzie’s mother Rita was born in Liverpool and many of her Everton-supporting family still live in the city.

The teenager had asked his mother if he could attend the last Goodison derby game in March, but was told it was too expensive as the family had just returned from England.

McKenzie said he “didn’t know if he would get time off from school” or whether his mother would let him “travel halfway around the world” for games.

Undaunted, he saved his cash and obtained his mother’s blessing for the 10,000-mile journey.

He arrived in England in time to see his team beat Everton Dad’s club Wolves won 4-0 on Wednesday.

Everton have been playing at Goodison Park since 1892, but will move to their new 52,888-capacity stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock for next season.