“We all have to embrace that different feeling” - Seamus Coleman on Everton’s fresh start

Everton captain Seamus Coleman believes that next season’s move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock will be a “fresh start” for the club. After 133 storied years, the men’s side played their final fixture at Goodison Park, which ended in a 2-0 win over Southampton on Sunday.

“It’s a real fresh start,” he told the club’s website. “I think every Evertonian, every member of staff, every player, and everyone associated with the football club – we all have to embrace that different feeling and grab hold of it now.

“Forget these past few years we’ve had and look forward with real positivity. We have the new owners, the manager is back, we’re bringing in new people who can help us, so let’s embrace it and aim for the stars.

“I want us to improve as a football club from every aspect because we have to move on from these past three or four years. We’ve seen recently with other teams how quickly things can change for the better and that must be our goal now to go and be better and be excited for the future.”

The new world-class stadium, built on the banks of the Mersey, will be able to house 52,888 spectators. Everton recently signed a naming rights agreement with commercial law firm Hill Dickinson.

Coleman, who has spent 16 years with the club, is still coming to terms with the finality of moving on from Goodison. Beyond the seats and the stands and the atmosphere and the pitch, the Grand Old Lady had successfully captured the pulse of a football-loving community for generations.

It’s also the little things like the pubs, the chippies, the narrow concourses, the walkways that club captain Coleman will miss dearly.

“I’ve done a few interviews about leaving here recently and most of them have been in an empty Goodison,” he said. “It’s like home away from home, for me. I think it’s easy to feel the atmosphere when you’re there, even when it’s empty – the Saturday three o’clocks, the night-time kick-offs under the lights.

“It’s an amazing place. We all feel that. Every Evertonian has loved Goodison Park.

“Every time I’ve been here speaking about it recently I find myself staring around and thinking less about my own experiences and more about what it means to people and all the stories of the past.

“I think back to all of the success its seen, particularly during times like the mid-1980s, which was a different time, when there were no mobile phones, no distractions and it was just pure football and emotion. You think of the nights we had like against Bayern Munich and the Cup games that led to success which was amazing and something I do envy a bit.

“But Goodison has been amazing to me and just to step on it once is an incredible feeling.”

It has been a tricky season for both the club and its captain. He has been out injured for most of the season and has only made six appearances across all competitions this season, amounting to 282 minutes on the pitch in total.

“The end result, absolutely, was for Everton Football Club to be heading into our new stadium in the Premier League,” he says. “That’s been hanging over our heads for a few years and now it’s done.

“So, yeah, unselfishly, the goal was thankfully achieved but, you know, for my pride and professionalism, I’ve been disappointed with my availability this season – there is absolutely no getting away from that. I’ve had a couple of little niggles, I had an issue with my knee which I got resolved and that helped but I picked up another couple of little ones.

“The flip side to it is I’ve lived every minute of it and more than ever when it wasn’t going well earlier in the season. It ended up me even standing on the sideline as a manager alongside Bainesy, when I was supposed to be on the bench that day.

“The emotions and the stress levels have been through the roof because of the uncertainty. But I must say, since the gaffer [David Moyes] has come in, now I do feel relaxed and that’s the biggest compliment I can give him.

“It’s helped me sleep a bit easier at night having him here again! I’ve been comfortable to step back a little bit because he gets it, and he knows what this is all about.

“We’re in good hands and now we must all move forward, together.”

 

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