A permanent tribute to Michael Jones has been unveiled at Everton’s new stadium.
The 26-year-old from Kirkby died after being caught between a beam and a piece of machinery while working at the construction site of the club’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock. The ventilation engineer, whose middle name was Goodison, suffered severe head injuries during the incident and sadly died in hospital on August 14 last year. His death is being investigated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Michael’s family said he was a ‘lifelong Blue who was so happy to be working on the new stadium’ and Everton, alongside their construction partner, Laing O’Rourke, had vowed to honour his life with a lasting tribute.
In a ceremony making the first anniversary of his passing, Michael’s parents, Mick and Elaine, along with his sisters Gemma, Katie, and Terri, were joined by invited family and friends to visit the stadium on Wednesday (August 14) to see the mooring post erected in his honour
Located on The Plaza, the post is painted in royal blue and features a bronze ring attached bearing Michael’s name. Michael’s family, who helped to paint the post, said his love for Everton ‘was known to all’. Gemma Leary, Michael’s sister, added: “Michael was so proud to work on the development of the new stadium, so it feels right that his memory will live on here.”
Everton’s CEO Colin Chong and Laing O’Rourke Project Director Gareth Jacques were also in attendance to pay their personal tributes to the Evertonian. Colin said Michael’s memory ‘will live on in our new home’, adding: “We felt it was appropriate to have a lasting memorial to Michael here at the stadium he helped to build.”
The CEO said everyone connected with the club had felt Michael’s tragic death and added that the thousands of new Evertonians expected to visit the new stadium will be now be able to pay their own personal tributes.