Anjishnu Roy 18/05/2025 18comments  |  Jump to last

Tears were out well before the final time a referee’s whistle sounded the end of a Premier League fixture at Goodison Park. For 133 years, the Grand Old Lady has been a site of firsts, but for the 39,201 lucky Evertonians in attendance this afternoon, this was an era-defining last.

5,372 goals have been scored in 2792 games on this ground. Two of those came from Iliman Ndiaye today as the men’s team won 2-0 over Southampton. This was Everton’s 17th Premier League win over the Saints at Goodison - no club has suffered more at this ground.

Seamus Coleman wore the captain’s armband before bringing out his boys in front of several club legends in attendance. For Coleman, joy was short-lived, as he had to be taken off before 20 minutes and received a warm ovation on his way out. The applause continued to ring for his replacement, Ashley Young, after the club announced yesterday that he would be leaving this summer.

Jordan Pickford - Everton’s saviour on so many occasions - led for the remainder of the contest, where match analysis would take a backseat to the wide range of emotions and celebration visible in the stands.

Goodison has hardly been louder than when Ndiaye picked up the ball and drove inside before finishing from outside the box to score a goal worthy of the occasion just after five minutes. 

Despite only arriving last summer, the forward ensured that his name would ring synonymous with the history of this ground. Who was the last to score at Goodison Park? Iliman Ndiaye, with a swivel of the hips to beat Aaron Ramsdale.

The second half came in and went by like a flash as the clock ticked on to an inevitable end.

Pele lost his only FIFA World Cup match here and Eusebio called it the “best stadium” of his life. Dixie Dean hit the top-flight record of 60 goals here 97 years ago, and it was here that Wayne Rooney announced himself to the world two decades ago.

The men’s team will head two miles west next season, where Bramley-Moore Dock awaits. The Hill Dickinson Stadium doesn’t roll off the tongue just yet, but it is the beginning of a new chapter in the club's history. The start of a new era that promises optimism.

Rationale will tell you that Goodison has been a relic of the past for some time. And while the new stadium is bigger and better by just about every metric possible, it isn’t quite home yet. Because is it even possible to put a price on a museum of memories, a place where generations have grown and gone, a house of history?

The good news is that Goodison will live on - in a changed state, for a different team - but still bleeding blue nonetheless. Plans for the wrecking ball have been scrapped and the women’s team will add to its legacy.

For Evertonians, this century-old ground will continue to serve as a reminder of Nil Satis Nisi Optimum. We’ve veered away from the motto of “nothing but the best is good enough” in the last decade, but the spirit of this incredible ground will tell us that excellence is attainable and within reach. I’ll drink to that!

 

Reader Comments (18)

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Ian Linn
1 Posted 18/05/2025 at 15:40:04
Good win, thanks guys.
Ernie Baywood
2 Posted 18/05/2025 at 15:53:24
So this is, as they say, it.

Kind of hard to process. The next time I watch Everton I'll have a 'new' feeling instead of feeling like I'm home.

Onwards and upwards. Goodbye old lady.

Ian Jones
3 Posted 18/05/2025 at 15:58:24
This stat is relevant for those who believe Sky invented football...

'1,653 goals have been scored in 633 Premier League games on this ground.'

What about the period before?

Chris Leyland
4 Posted 18/05/2025 at 16:09:42
I will miss the old lady but in many ways I’m glad to be moving on. I’m lucky enough to have been a teenager in the 80’s and witnessed some of our greatest moments but for too long there has been precious little to cheer about at Goodison. Whilst new grounds aren’t always the magic solution, we’ve got to hope that the new owners, the new ground and the increase revenue that brings along with a refreshed squad and Moyes experience might just be the combination of changes we need.
Joe McMahon
5 Posted 18/05/2025 at 16:29:48
Chris @4, similar to myself. I was 15 in 1985. But unfortunately many of my memories at Goodison have been defeat. Highlight for me was the Andy Gray headers and team performance v Sunderland, happy blues everywherein the sun that day. Robertos first season and the performance v Arsenal. One of the worse lows for me was on the FA Cup 0 3 Wigan. Ive never seen the Goodison crowd so angry.

Looking forward absolutely for a new start.

Paul Kossoff
6 Posted 18/05/2025 at 16:43:06
Good bye Goodison, thanks for all the memories.
Neil Lawson
7 Posted 18/05/2025 at 17:15:46
A little underwhelming but emotional nevertheless. I am 70 and made my first visit in 1962. It was the sight of so many blues in the crowd with tears in their eyes that touched me. So many memories for so many wonderful people. Let's add to them at our new home. Very excited to visit next season with my 2 sons and to have a seat where we can actually see the game and soak up the atmosphere.
Anthony Dove
8 Posted 18/05/2025 at 17:27:17
Until a few days ago we thought today would be
for bidding a find and final farewell to the Old
Lady. She would then be given a peaceful resting
place where her family and friends could visit
and pay their respects.

The Old Lady has after all been the Grand Dame of
the world’s football grounds for many years. She
was born towards the end of the nineteenth century
and has spent all but three of her years in hosting
football at the highest level.

During her life she has helped provide countless
moments of magic and drama.which will live
forever in the minds of those who witnessed them.
She has hosted FA Cup semi finals, and uniquely a
World Cup semi final. Many of football’s greats have
graced her turf. Pele Eusebio Gento Yashin
Matthews Finney Best Charlton and Ronaldo to name
but a few. Not forgetting our own Dean Ball and
Southall.

She loved the stars but everyone, whatever their ability
was warmly welcomed. Her legion of friends and
admirers extended world wide.

Sadly though the Old Lady is not being laid to rest.
Her present custodians believe there to be some
social and economics benefit in keeping her alive
for a few more years.
In truth she has been in poor health for many years.
only being capable of welcoming half the number of
friends compared to her heyday.
To keep her alive she will now suffer the pain and
indignity of major surgery on her weak and decaying
limbs.

Most of her old friends are unlikely to visit her,
preferring instead to remember her as she was.
She will not know or recognise her new visitors.

I think she deserved better.

Kunal Desai
9 Posted 18/05/2025 at 17:27:55
Post match entertainement was underwhelming, though the violinist playing Z-cars was absolutely superb. That moment was so emotional and touching.

Goodbye Goodison, you'll always be remembered.

Andrew Merrick
10 Posted 18/05/2025 at 17:35:42
Nice words Anthony, you hit on something there...
Kunal, the violin was moving, perhaps more than the last post esque z cars as someone put it.
The end was not managed as such, but this final curtain was for the fans, and largely by the fans, so it was fitting that the fans voices were heard, today was another first in our history.
Ian Bennett
11 Posted 18/05/2025 at 17:37:45
13th place unless Wolves win last 2 games, or can turnaround a minus 10 goal deficit.

£13m of additional league placings, plus the new revenues from Bramley Moore with sponsorship & gate.

Hopefully the start of the transformation starts this summer.

Pete Neilson
12 Posted 18/05/2025 at 17:40:56
I thought it was a good send off. Sound was a bit iffy at times but that didn’t really matter. Got there 9am and not long back. Great to see so many ex-players and focussing predominantly on the crowd making Goodison a special place. Messages from Judi Dench and Sylvester Stallone for a bit of showbiz. I didn’t notice anyone leave, the ground was still pretty well full at the end, quite a few Southampton supporters as well. The streets around Goodison will take some sweeping up tomorrow. An emotional day.

Peter Moore
13 Posted 18/05/2025 at 18:28:17
Just a note about the move to our new ground, with its new name.
I today learnt that the CEO of Hill Dickinson is a season ticket holder of 30 years.
He forwent a corporate box ticket today, in order to take his usual seat at the last dance of the Grand Old Lady.
A big positive that the CEO of Hill Dickinson is one of us I feel.
As Moyes said on the pitch, the owners, TFG, will have seen today and need to back him this summer in the transfer market, to get us upwardly mobile towards where we feel we belong.
Well done Everton and Blues everywhere.
UTFT. 💙

Ian Bennett
14 Posted 18/05/2025 at 18:51:38
Craig is a top blue, and runs a top firm in Hill Dickinson.

Known him for 25 years+ when he started out with Mike Prince at DLA Piper.

Kevin Molloy
15 Posted 18/05/2025 at 19:09:39
I can't understand some fans being disappointed Goodison isn't going to be demolished. I saw when the Boleyn Ground was destroyed, it was horrendous, bulldozers everywhere, Who knows we may end up kicking the girls out for a few months and going back there if we need to add a new stand in the future.
Peter Moore
16 Posted 18/05/2025 at 19:37:28
Thats great Ian (14), so much better than a social ill firm such as gambling, alcohol etc.
Better also than a foreign entity with a foreign name to my mind.
Partnering with a top class company with commercial acumen and local presence and a history even older than ours. It's amazing really I think.
The Hill Dickinson Stadium!
Up the Toffees! NSNO! May that be a motto that is more appropriate in future than it has been for far too long.
Kevin (15). I totally agree. For me, I am pleased I can go to both Goodison Park and Hill Dickinson to watch matches in future.
There is too much history there. Ted Sagar, Dixie Dean etc! Not only did they grace the pitch they are in the pitch.
God bless them and all Toffees everywhere.
Alan McGuffog
17 Posted 18/05/2025 at 19:42:07
Joe...so much of our history is based on bad luck and reverses. It makes us what we are...balanced, strong individuals.
InterMilan in 63
UjpestDozsa a bit later
Clive Thomas
That baldy Italian ref
Losing Neville on international duty
All those people not from Liverpool pushing walls over
Mike Walker
But we get up and we're still here
Keep the faith
Geoff Trenner
18 Posted 18/05/2025 at 20:11:53
Feeling a bit strange this evening, Just got back from the match and feeling a bit teary. I have not been a regular at Goodison, living in the south-east and now in Somerset, as well as some time overseas, visits have been irregular and infrequent.
The ground has however been a major part of my life, from my first visit in 1972 at the age of 15 to my last visit today. I tried to count the number of matches I have seen there and think somewhere around 100 which is dwarfed by the number of times I have seen the boys play away in London and the south of England. Despite this, Goodison is part of me, far more important than the statistics above suggest that if should be. The excitement I felt just approaching her, being amongst ‘friends’ who I didn’t know from Adam. Such cameraderie, such history, so many memories, good and bad. I’m too old now for the new ground to ever mean a fraction of what Goodison means to me. I can only imagine how you local fans feel. COYB wherever you play. UTFT

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