By Sam Bailey
Video from outside Goodison Park where Everton will play host to their last game at the stadium
A stadium full of history, emotion and passion is about to close its last chapter after 133 years.
This Sunday, Everton are at home to Southampton in what is sure to be a highly emotional last home game for the toffees.
After this, Everton will move into their state-of-the-art new stadium at Bramley Moore dock for the start of the 2025-26 season.
Goodison Park, known for its tradition and atmosphere, has served Everton as a great home and the fans will be sad to say goodbye.
The atmosphere is set to be bouncing before and during the game on what will be a special occasion for all generations of Everton supporters who have only ever experienced Goodison park.
History of Goodison park
After originally playing at Anfield between 1884-1892, Everton then moved into their existing home at Goodison park and since then have never looked back.
The toffees have endured rich success at Goodison park, winning nine league titles in their history (eight at Goodison park).
The stadium is rich in history in the city, with Everton competing with Liverpool, Goodison has been a place where Everton have enjoyed many of their glory days.
‘When you look at Goodison park, there really is no place like it, the fans are always up and the stadium is full of history’ said Everton and Liverpool echo correspondent Joe Thomas.
Everton enjoyed a lot of their success in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Their success was mainly down to Everton’s greatest ever player Dixie Dean who transformed Everton and made Goodison park a fortress.
In the 1940s, Goodison park was heavily damaged by the war due to Liverpool suffering heavy damage with it being on the docks. The football club received £5000 for repairs from the war damage commission.
Everton’s highest ever attendance came just after the war ended, as in 1948,78,299 people packed into the park to watch the Merseyside derby against neighbours Liverpool.
During the 1966 world cup, Goodison park hosted five matches including a semi-final between West Germany and the Soviet Union.
After Wembley no English stadium hosted more world cup games.
In the 1980s, the blues were a driving force, competing with rivals Liverpool who were the team to beat at the time.
‘I don’t think many of the younger generation realise how successful Everton used to be due to where they are now as the majority of the younger fan base haven’t endured success,’ said Joe Thomas.
Merseyside was the best place to be for football and most teams feared coming to Goodison park.
After the Hillsborough disaster in 1989, all stadiums in the top two tiers of English had to convert to all seater stadiums.
At the time, Everton’s stadium had three standing terraces, and the club had to spend a lot of money to convert their stands to seated areas.
The capacity at Goodison park stands at 39,572 and the toffees always sell out.
The gates outside Goodison park reflecting the club’s history and memories to famous players
Traditions of the stadium
Goodison Park has and will always be an iconic football ground in England.
As the players walk out onto the pitch, Everton’s Walk out song is theme from z-cars by John Keating and has been a tradition since it was adopted in the early 1960s.
Behind one of the goals is the Gwladys street end which is where the most passionate and vocal Everton fans sit.
‘From reporting on Everton games, you can always hear this end roaring their team on, it really is a special stand that will be sadly missed,’ said Joe Thomas.
On the side where the dugouts are is the main stand, which is a large stand with three tiers and is the stadium’s oldest stand.
Despite being just across from Stanley Park in Liverpool, fans of the blues always create an electric atmosphere for the players.
Overview
Located just north of the city Centre, the stadium sits in the middle of a housing estate and therefore Goodison park is hard to spot from a distance.
Before most games, the fans will often come out to welcome the players into the stadium, including for their final day match at home to Bournemouth. This game was pivotal for the future of Everton football club as they had to win to survive as going down and moving into their new stadium could have caused huge financial problems.
‘This really was a pivotal game for Everton, dropping down to the championship may have put their new stadium plans in doubt and would have had massive financial consequences’ said Joe Thomas.
The blues have struggled in recent years but have had many moments to savor this season including a last minute equiliser by James Tarkowski in the last ever Merseyside derby at Goodison.
‘I am so excited to attend Goodison park for the final time, it will be a special occasion for everyone involved’ said Joe Thomas.
As the air raid siren welcomes the toffees onto the pitch on Sunday, a cauldron of noise will greet the players as Everton moves on from the great Goodison park.
Audio interview outside Goodison Park with lifelong fan Phil
