The first goal scored at Everton’s new stadium was supposed to be a historic moment. However, Wigan Athletic’s Harrison Rimmer turned it into a memorable occasion for all the wrong reasons, celebrating with a cheeky gesture that left Everton fans less than impressed.
Everton held a test event at their brand-new Bramley Moore Dock Stadium on Monday night, with 10,000 supporters getting a glimpse of the 52,000-seater venue as their under-18s faced Wigan’s youth team.
Things didn’t go as planned for the Merseyside club, as Wigan took an early lead, and one of their young midfielders seized the spotlight in an unexpected way.
Rimmer, 18, was the one to break the deadlock after just 12 minutes at the imposing new arena. The teenager made headlines when television cameras caught him making a bold gesture to the crowd, holding up four fingers and both thumbs to display a ‘six’.
For those familiar with Merseyside football, the gesture seemed to reference the six European trophies won by Everton’s rivals, Liverpool. The celebration was made even more intriguing by the fact that Rimmer once played for Everton during his early years before joining Wigan’s academy in 2017.
This incident comes just days after the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, where Everton snatched a late equalizer to draw 2-2 with Liverpool.
While the details of Rimmer’s departure from Everton remain unclear, he certainly had the last laugh, celebrating like a Liverpool fan in front of his former club.
His goal ensured he became the first player to score at the new stadium, a milestone the youngster will undoubtedly remember for the rest of his life. His audacious celebration in front of thousands of Evertonians quickly went viral on social media, with fans praising his boldness in the home of Liverpool’s rivals.
Wigan’s dream start continued just four minutes later when 17-year-old Cole Simms added a second goal, giving the visitors a commanding 2-0 lead heading into halftime.
