So long, Goodison
Today, Everton play their last ever match at Goodison Park. I tell a few tales about my experiences of the Grand Old Lady.
Everton will wave goodbye to Goodison Park today. Following their match against Southampton on Sunday, it will be strange for every Evertonian to know that their next home match will be on the banks of the Mersey.
I am no different, it has been a strange week knowing there are just a few days left of Goodison Park. From when I was young, it was Everton or nothing. I do not remember when I wasn’t wearing an Everton top.
I was not fully into football until I was about eight when my mum looked at her four boys and thought, ‘someone’s got to like football here.’ The first match I ever remember watching was the Dan Gosling derby in our run to the 2009 FA Cup Final.
Then on, I was stuck - whether that was good or bad, I was in forever.
My first game
It was the season after which my dreams would come true. My school was selling tickets to an Everton match, so I ran home to tell my mum about it and begged her to buy the tickets - I think they were £5 at the time.
My mum played her best poker face for that week, until eventually letting slip that I would be going to my first Everton match, that weekend against Bolton.
I still remember the date - 20th March 2010.
I will never forget walking into the stand and being blown away—I cannot describe how it felt to sit in Goodison Park for the first time.
Thankfully, the day was topped off by Mikel Arteta scoring a trademark free kick past Jussi Jääskeläinen and a late tap-in from Steven Pienaar, for a 2-0 win.
It would be a few years until my next match, unfortunately. In Christmas 2014, I was surprised with my favourite present of all - a half-season ticket.
Which meant I could attend every match post-Christmas, except the Boxing Day match against Stoke City.
Luckily, I was given a separate ticket for the Boxing Day match, and my Christmas was complete - although we did lose the match against Stoke. With my Grandad as well to make it better.
What followed was my first ever Merseyside Derby, and I could hardly sleep the night before. Thinking about scenarios in which Everton could beat Liverpool (which I still do today).
A match that turned out to be Steven Gerrard’s last derby for them, I distinctly remember him nearly scoring an overhead kick. However, my first derby ended in a timid 0-0 draw.
Everton 3-0 Manchester United, April 2015
The sun was scorching over Goodison that day, and Everton certainly gave United a pasting as Roberto Martinez destroyed Louis Van Gaal’s Manchester United.
My first experience of seeing Wayne Rooney in a Manchester United shirt was an interesting but great one, as he was on the receiving end of a James McCarthy, John Stones, and Kevin Mirallas goal as Everton sent me home very happy.
Everton 1-1 Norwich, October 2015
My first ever experience of a live penalty shootout occurred in this match, and I just remember how loud Goodison was during the shootout, it was loud enough to put off Nathan Redmond as he skied his effort into the Gwladys Street to help Everton progress.
Everton 4-0 Hull City, March 2017
There would be a fair gap before my next match against Hull City, in the week Romelu Lukaku rejected a new contract at Everton.
A certain Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored his first Toffees goal, followed by an Enner Valencia goal. Then it became the Romelu Lukaku show, as he scored two at the Gwladys, blew a kiss, but still proceeded to leave the club in the summer.
I remember convincing myself he would stay after this, how wrong I was.
Everton 1-0 Ruzomberok, July 2017
Everton’s season started early as we had Europa League qualifiers against Ruzomberok and Hadjuk Split, but this was my first experience of a European match at Goodison.
A little underwhelming, but we did win against the Slovakian outfit, and we beat Hadjuk Split 2-0 at Goodison in August to confirm our place in the Europa League proper.
Our last European victories at the Grand Old Lady.
Everton 4-0 West Ham, November 2017
A season that had been in turmoil up until this point, as Ronald Koeman lost his job and David Unsworth came in to steady the ship, but could not have the impact he wanted.
However, his final match was overshadowed by the waiting Sam Allardyce in the stands, to take the role. What followed was a Wayne Rooney masterclass.
With two goals in the first half, that no one ever remembers, he completed his Everton hat-trick by smashing the ball, first time from about 60 yards into the Gwladys Street net.
I remember just being in disbelief at what I just watched - the best Everton goal I have seen live by a distance.
Everton 2-1 Southampton, August 2018
My mum rewarded my GCSEs by buying me a season ticket for the 2018/19 season, and it was one of the best surprises I’ve ever had. First home match under Marco Silva, and we won well with Richarlison scoring his first Goodison goal in the process.
I was getting my GCSE results on the following Thursday, so I was wondering if my mum would revoke my season ticket depending on the results - luckily, she did not.
Everton 4-0 Manchester United, April 2019
Another glorious day when we faced Manchester United, towards the back end of the season - our previous two home matches had seen us beat Chelsea and Arsenal, so confidence was high as the wheels had come off Ole’s United train at this point.
What followed was unbelievable; we dismantled Manchester United with a few glorious goals. Particularly Lucas Digne’s volley to make it 3-0, which was later rounded off by Theo Walcott’s finish to complete a massive win.
Everton 1-1 Arsenal, April 2025
This match proved to be my last time attending a match at Goodison Park, with Illiman Ndiaye scoring a penalty equaliser against Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.
The player I first saw score live and the last on the same blade of grass, although one in the opposite dugout, is almost a fitting way to sign off for my last time.
Time moves on, and next season will be a new dawn for the club, but for now, it is time to say goodbye to Everton’s home.
Goodison Forever.
