'It was as if everyone had come together as one club'

BBC News

18-05-2025

The blue smoke could be seen rising around Goodison Park almost four hours before kick-off. This grand old arena was not built for serene farewells, so a day of history and high emotion was never going to pass off quietly.A football match broke out briefly, separating the celebrations marking the end of 133 years of men's senior football here, Everton delivering a fitting farewell as Southampton surrendered to the mood and Iliman Ndiaye's two first-half goals.The familiar sights and sounds of Goodison Park still assaulted the senses as Evertonians made their way to this richly atmospheric place three miles outside the city centre to simply say they were there, whether they had match tickets or not.Ten-minute walk from the car park? Make that nearly an hour.Thousands thronged the streets from 8am, Goodison Road close to impassable, forcing Everton's team to take a different route into the stadium, the coach arriving on Bullens Road hidden behind more blue plumes of smoke rising into the Merseyside sunshine.Everton's fans were drawn to the famous landmarks.'The Holy Trinity' statue, commemorating the 1970 title-winning midfield of Alan Ball, Colin Harvey and Howard Kendall and opposite St Luke the Evangelist church on the corner of Gwladys Street, was swamped, as was that of former striker Dixie Dean, who still holds the record of 60 league goals in 1927-28.They will stay in place while Everton move to the spectacular 53,000-capacity stadium at Bramley Moore Dock, now known as the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The old Everton strongholds such as The Blue House and The Winslow Hotel - with its Howard Kendall Bar - were packed, before those lucky enough to have the golden farewell ticket made their way into Goodison Park. Business was booming like never before at the Blue Dragon fish bar and The Goodison Cafe, traditional gathering places over the years.The old place will live on as home to Everton's women's team, but some rituals were taking place here for the final time as the hordes made their way through the terraced houses that landlock Goodison in Winslow Street, Eton Street, Neston Street and Andrew Street.When they gathered inside, the stadium packed well before kick-off, the air raid siren blared out, tears shed as the familiar drumbeat introduced Everton's famous 'Z Cars' anthem.Goodison Park was literally rocking, with the giant Main Stand, regarded as state of the art when opened in 1970, and the criss-cross designs along the Bullens Road Stand that are the trademark of famous Scottish architect Archibald Leitch, packed in a sea of royal blue.There was a period of almost eerie silence in the second half, with the game won, as Everton supporters geared up for the final celebration. When the board went up for the final four minutes, a wall of sound swept around until referee Michael Oliver's whistle brought the curtain down.This was the start of more celebrations, with video messages from football figures, such as England head coach Thomas Tuchel, recalling his memories of Goodison Park's unique atmosphere.
Old Evertonians, now elsewhere, also paid their tributes, with particularly warm ovations for former captain and Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Carlo Ancelotti, who managed the club for 18 months before returning to Real Madrid.There were more tears as a violinist played a poignant rendition of the 'Z Cars' theme as more than 70 former players gathered before being paraded in front of the fans.They came from around the globe to share the emotions of the occasion.Tim Cahill and Gary Stevens – a two-time title winner who also won the FA Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup – flew in from Australia, while Paul Rideout, matchwinner in the 1995 FA Cup final against Manchester United, came from the United States. Bob Latchford, who won £10,000 from a newspaper for scoring 30 goals in the 1977-78 season, was there from Germany.Graeme Sharp, back in the fold after a period in exile when his spell on the board ended in acrimony, attended too.Wayne Rooney was greeted like the prodigal son, remembered as the 16-year-old who electrified Goodison Park with that famous goal against Arsenal rather than the local boy who left his beloved club to seek success and ending up as Manchester United's all-time record goalscorer. He, of course, then came back to Everton.They were moments that carried the feeling of the club's worldwide family, re-united once more.
Everton manager David Moyes, who will lead the club into the new stadium in his second spell in charge, captured the mood."This was an extraordinary atmosphere," he confessed. "The crowd were amazing inside Goodison Park, as it was outside before the game. Just unbelievable. The job was to win the game and see ourselves out at Goodison in a good light."I thought it was as if everyone had come together as one club. Everyone standing together."The support at Everton is immense. It's needed some form of success. This is a day they've been waiting on for so long, a new stadium coming."The 62-year old Scot added: "I never thought I'd be the one to take Everton into the new stadium."I'm honoured to be given that opportunity. We all see it as another chance. We need to start rebuilding Everton again."We've done the job [of staying up]. We have to try to build on that next year. If we can get an atmosphere like this in the new stadium it'll give us every chance of winning games."The man who christened Everton "The People's Club" on the night he arrived from Preston North End in March 2002, then revisited the old theme."Goodison Park will be remembered for one thing. The people."
Moyes also wants the passion, colour and emotion of this day to provide a template for Everton's new American owners, The Friedkin Group."I hope the owners recognise what they're seeing here," he added. "This should be bottled up, wrapped up and taken to the Mersey. This club needs to get back to where it once was."There's 100 great players here from great teams. We have to make that happen again."Everton must now try to recreate the heart and soul of Goodison Park on the banks of the River Mersey at Bramley Moore Dock.It will be a tough task.While the old Leitch architecture gave the Goodison Park structure something unique, it also possesses something bricks and mortar simply cannot provide.Former Everton striker Andy Gray, who won the top-flight title, FA Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup, said: "We will leave Goodison Park. Goodison Park will never leave us."A lone trumpeter played a final, mournful version of 'Z Cars' to close the day, thousands of fans remaining in their seats and unable to tear themselves away from the places they have come to call their home.Tears of joy, despair and relief have all been shed here at Goodison Park. This time it was a mixture of emotions.Just as Everton labelled this day, it was "the end of an era".