Goodbye Goodison

Summary

The Athletic FC Podcast: "Goodbye Goodison" – Episode Summary

Release Date: May 17, 2025

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Introduction: A Fond Farewell to Goodison Park

In the poignant episode titled "Goodbye Goodison," hosted by Laura Gates, The Athletic FC Podcast takes listeners on an emotional journey through the storied history of Goodison Park, Everton Football Club's iconic stadium. As Everton prepares to bid farewell to their beloved home after 133 years, the episode delves deep into personal memories, the unique charm of Goodison, and the bittersweet emotions surrounding the impending move to a new facility on Liverpool's waterfront.

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Section 1: Personal Connections and Lifelong Memories

Hosted by Laura Gates

Laura Gates opens the episode by inviting listeners to immerse themselves in the sounds and atmosphere of Goodison Park through Binaural Audio, setting the stage for an intimate exploration of the stadium's legacy.

• Childhood Beginnings

  • Laura Gates shares her personal connection, stating, "I've been coming to Goodison ever since I was three. It's always felt like a second home, the key pillar in a ritual experience with friends and family." ([06:32])

• Generational Passions

  • Dave Kelly, chairman of the Everton Fan Advisory Board, reflects on his lifelong dedication: "My first game was in May 1966... this is me 50th consecutive season as a season ticket holder." ([07:56])
  • Stephen Boylant echoes this sentiment, saying, "I've been going to Goodison Park since I was six years old... It's just the most exciting feeling ever." ([07:56])

• Family Traditions

  • Laura Gates emphasizes the familial aspect: "Football has always been a family affair. It's the passing of the baton from generation to generation." ([13:21])
  • Dave Kelly adds, "My granddad had 10 sons and all of them were brought up as Evertonians... my dad was present when Dixie scored his 60th goal." ([13:33], [14:10])

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Section 2: The Unique Charm and Architecture of Goodison Park

Hosted by Laura Gates and Contributors

The podcast highlights what sets Goodison Park apart from modern stadiums, focusing on its architectural uniqueness and the intimate atmosphere it fosters.

• Architectural Significance

  • Laura Gates notes, "It's England's first purpose-built stadium and has hosted the most top-flight matches of any ground." She also praises Archibald Leitch's design: "His signature Leitch work is a thing of beauty." ([10:34])

• Intimate and Immersive Experience

  • Paul McMonies describes Goodison's spatial intimacy: "It just looms, it just comes out of nowhere because obviously it's all tightly packed with houses all around." ([09:03])
  • Alex McMoneys adds, "Goodison Park is a stadium that's almost like no other really... with the archboard leech designs and all the, all the steelwork and all the cracks and little quirks." ([09:39])

• Character and Quirks

  • The podcast lovingly recounts unique features like the view-restricting poles: Laura Gates mentions, "You're going to hear a lot about those poles." ([11:32])
  • Stephen Boylant reminisces about obstructed views: "When I was younger... you could hardly see the pitch." ([11:58])

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Section 3: Iconic Moments and Legendary Matches

Hosted by Laura Gates and Guests

The episode pays homage to unforgettable games and legendary players that have graced Goodison Park, cementing its place in football history.

• Historic Matches

  • Dave Kelly recalls the "famous Brucey Munch and Gladbach game": "The Panathinaikos game in '71... the Bayern Munich game was just something else." ([15:34], [16:11])

• Dixie Dean's Legacy

  • Laura Gates highlights Dixie Dean: "Dixie Dean, the club's top scorer and the record holder for the most goals scored in a single season with 60." ([14:10])
  • Dave Kelly shares family lore: "Your granddad told me that the first game that he brought me to was when I was 18 months old... that set the pattern for the way that we evolved as Blues." ([14:21])

• Memorable Goals and Heroes

  • Paul McMonies recounts Duncan Ferguson's impactful goals: "My first derby goal that I saw was Duncan Ferguson on the turn bottom corner." ([18:22])
  • Alex McMoneys nostalgically describes watching James McFadden: "James McFadden goal against Charlton... It's just a lot of fun." ([18:01])

• Emotional Triumphs

  • The episode reflects on Everton's dramatic victories, such as the memorable 2-0 win against Liverpool: "What an atmosphere there was... I think we won 2:0 like first time I've ever seen us beat Liverpool in the flesh." ([18:38], [19:56])

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Section 4: The Sensory Experience of Goodison Park

Hosted by Laura Gates and Contributors

Beyond the visual spectacle, Goodison Park offers a rich sensory experience that fans hold dear.

• Sounds and Chants

  • Laura Gates describes the roar of the crowd: "On its best nights, wooden seats clatter in anticipation. The stadium shakes to its very foundations." ([11:23])
  • Paul McMonies adds, "The crackware... You're gonna have to get yourself a whole new set of mates." ([20:58])

• Aromas and Atmosphere

  • The distinct smells contribute to the unique ambiance: "The aromas from local chip shops spilling out... the smell of fried onions from the nearby cafes." ([11:58])

• Emotional Resonance

  • Laura Gates captures the emotional highs: "Nothing beats that feeling when we score. In these moments, we're in dreamland." ([26:50])
  • Conversely, the lows are equally palpable: "In the Bullens Road, a faint chair. The opposition have scored and now the mood's changed." ([28:05])

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Section 5: Community and Camaraderie

Hosted by Laura Gates and Contributors

Goodison Park isn't just a stadium; it's a community hub where lifelong friendships are forged, and the spirit of togetherness thrives.

• Tight-Knit Community

  • Paul McMonies shares his deep ties: "We've got the tight-knit atmosphere, the people all around you... you've known them for like 20, 30, 40 years." ([20:59])

• Shared Experiences

  • Stephen Boylant reminisces about games with his father: "Me and my dad always used to play this game... thinking about how great of goals we would have had." ([17:29])

• Traditions and Rituals

  • Pre-match rituals and traditions enhance the sense of belonging: Dave Kelly recalls dockers heading to Goodison after collecting their wages, contributing to the vibrant matchday atmosphere. "He'd end up working on the docks... by the time they got to Goodison, they were in good spirits." ([32:30])

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Section 6: The Emotional Toll of the Departure

Hosted by Laura Gates and Contributors

As Everton prepares to leave Goodison Park, the emotional impact on fans and the community is profound and multifaceted.

• Sense of Loss

  • Laura Gates expresses disbelief: "I actually cannot get my head round not being able to come to this place." ([35:26])
  • Stephen Boylant anticipates the heartbreak: "I don't think I'm mentally prepared for it... I want to make sure I soak up as much as possible on that day." ([35:30])

• Memories Overwhelming

  • Alex McMoneys shares the depth of his connection: "I will be sobbing my heart out because Goodison and Everton have given me so much more than just football." ([35:49])

• Preserving the Legacy

  • There's a collective desire to honor and remember: "Reflect on what Goodison means to us and preserve those memories and the history." ([35:49])

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Section 7: The Future and Moving Forward

Hosted by Laura Gates and Contributors

While Goodison Park's closure marks the end of an era, the episode also looks forward to the future of Everton Football Club and its new home.

• New Stadium Prospects

  • Dave Kelly discusses the transition: "When I went to the test events, I felt like I'd betrayed the old Goodison... it's like going to an away game." ([33:40])
  • Paul McMonies remains optimistic: "The fans are still the basis of it. You'll still have the same sirens and the same atmosphere." ([34:00])

• Maintaining Identity

  • Alex McMoneys emphasizes the importance of the fanbase: "They're the heartbeat of the club... Everton as the people's club." ([34:13])

• Hope for the Future

  • Stephen Boylant and other fans express hope for continued success: "They've smashed it in terms of making sure it's really contained... hoping for better football to celebrate." ([34:46])

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Conclusion: A Heartfelt Goodbye

The episode culminates in a heartfelt farewell to Goodison Park, capturing the essence of what made the stadium special and the enduring spirit of Everton fans. As shareholders, players, and supporters look toward the future, "Goodbye Goodison" serves as a tribute to a legacy that has shaped countless lives and memories.

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Notable Quotes

1. Laura Gates on personal connection:

   "I've been coming to Goodison ever since I was three. It's always felt like a second home." ([06:32])

2. Dave Kelly on lifelong dedication:

   "My first game was in May 1966... this is me 50th consecutive season as a season ticket holder." ([07:56])

3. Paul McMonies on Goodison's intimate atmosphere:

   "It just looms, it just comes out of nowhere because obviously it's all tightly packed with houses all around." ([09:03])

4. Laura Gates on architectural beauty:

   "Archibald Leitch's design is a thing of beauty." ([10:34])

5. Stephen Boylant on the joy of being at Goodison:

   "It's just the most exciting feeling ever." ([07:56])

6. Alex McMoneys on preserving history:

   "Documenting Goodison as I see it... keeping that legacy alive." ([09:39])

7. Laura Gates on emotional highs:

   "Nothing beats that feeling when we score. In these moments, we're in dreamland." ([26:50])

8. Alex McMoneys on personal milestones:

   "Goodison and Everton have given me so much more than just football." ([35:49])

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Final Thoughts

"Goodbye Goodison" is more than just a farewell to a football stadium; it's a celebration of community, history, and the unbreakable bonds forged through shared passion. For anyone who cherishes the rich tapestry of football culture, this episode offers a moving and comprehensive reflection on what Goodison Park has meant to Everton and its fans over more than a century.

Transcript

[Paddy Boyland]

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[Dave Kelly]

FC Podcast Network.

[Laura Gates]

This special podcast has been designed to take you inside Goodison. In part, it uses a technique called Binaural Audio to truly immerse yourself. Please listen on headphones, ideally in a quiet place, and be advised there's some strong language too. So get yourself comfortable and join me at Everton Football Club. That is the unmistakable sound of the Goodison park siren. It's a popular call to arms, a rousing precursor before the noise reaches its crescendo. And this is Egg Cars, Everton's anthem. It's been the soundtrack to Goodison games for as long as I can remember. Just about anyone can remember. And once that's warmed us up, it's time to go through the Goodison song. Everton have called this place home for 133 years, but this season the men's team writes its final chapter in the Goodison history books before moving to a new state of the art facility on Liverpool's waterfront. So join me Paddy Boylan as I take you inside the ground to remember everything from the hopes to the old familiar woes to those eardrum breaking grab the person next to you. Last gasp. Feelings of elation for the Athletic fc. This is goodbye Goodison.

[Paul McMonies]

Get your program while you can.

[Laura Gates]

We've got today's program. We've got the last Derby and Cunison program.

[Alex McMoneys]

Today's amazing won me eight pound.

[Laura Gates]

Thanks mate. I've been coming to Goodison ever since I was three. It's always felt like a second home, the key pillar in a ritual experience with friends and family. And in that I'm not alone.

[Alex McMoneys]

Goodison for me is a place where I've grown up. My name's Laura Gates and I've been going to the match now for 16 years. I normally now sit in the main stand kind of right on the halfway line, but in classic Goodison fashion, I have an obstructed view towards the park and goal would be me and my mum going to the match together, which is obviously kind of against the sort of stereotypical dad and lad, which I quite liked. You know, two women just absolutely loving football and, and loving Everton and going to Goodison every other week.

[Dave Kelly]

I'll probably look upon Goodison as affectionately as I did in the house that I was brought up in. My name's Dave Kelly and I'm the chairman of the Everton Fannard largely board. My first game was in May 1966, long before sky invented football in 1992. So this is me 50th consecutive season as a season ticket holder.

[Stephen Boylant]

I'm Alex McMoneys. I've been going to Goodison park since I was six years old. So coming on to 17 years now and I sit in the park and season ticket holder. It's just always felt like home, like I used to go as I went to my first game when I was 6 years old and just straight away the place just won me over. It's just the most exciting feeling ever. And after a win, the feeling, it's indescribable and it carries you through for the whole weekend.

[Laura Gates]

That's the magic of Goodison. It grabs you, pulls you in and keeps you coming back for more.

[Stephen Boylant]

And, you know, Goodison has just had so many amazing memories to so many people.

[Laura Gates]

Now we're learning to let go, but the memories will never fade.

[Paul McMonies]

My name is Paul McMonies and I'm a member of the Everton Fan Advisory Board. I've been for the last 18 months or so, been really sort of concentrating on the. Literally the sights and sounds and smells of Goodison Road and the fan zone and walking up and down and trying to remember all the times I've been here over the years and all of that and just thinking about, you know, we're not going to be here anymore.

[Laura Gates]

What makes Goodison special compared to, say, the more modern stadiums around the country?

[Paul McMonies]

I think it's just that. That fact that it just looms, it just comes out of nowhere because obviously it's all tightly packed in with houses all around and I can still remember coming to a game. I think it was my little brother's first game. And my mum and dad told us that we were going to visit on Antidelia in Liverpool and we literally were just like, we're walking along just, just a terrace street looking for Auntie Delia's house. And then we come around the corner and it's just bang there. And obviously at Bramley Moore you don't get that. You can see it from miles around, you're coming up to it. Whereas Goodison, it's just there, it's just, it just comes out of nowhere. So yeah, it's that tightly part the streets. The fact that you got people literally living on the doorstep over the roads and things like that.

[Alex McMoneys]

Goodison park is a stadium that's almost like no other really with the archbord leech designs and all the, all the steel work and all the cracks and little quirks and the gray concrete and the hand painted kind of numbers on seats and all the steps going up to your seat. As a photographer, I've kind of been going and getting to Goodison around two hours before kickoff with my camera and walking around and kind of documenting Goodison as I see it, you know, whether that's from the people to the local community and even the stadium itself because, you know, wanting to kind of preserve Goodison park and the history that we've kind of created there and just kind of keeping that legacy alive of Goodison from beyond when we move.

[Laura Gates]

For those of you who never got the chance to get here, Goodison really does just appear out of nowhere. You'll be walking through compact streets of terraced houses and then suddenly, wow, there it is. History is everywhere you look. It was England's first purpose built stadium and has hosted the most top flight matches of any ground. It's witnessed title wins and welcomed legends like Pele and Eusebia during the 1966 World Cup. Then there's the design. Old school and iconic. You won't hear anyone talk about Goodison and not mention in the same breath its designer, Archibald Leitch. You just heard Laura say it there. His signature Lasses work is a thing of beauty. And on its best nights, wooden seats clatter in anticipation. The stadium shakes to its very foundations. Gary Neville perhaps summed it up best.

[Paul McMonies]

This gantry is the only one left in the league that shakes when this.

[Stephen Boylant]

Crowd behind us jump and go crazy.

[Laura Gates]

And there's one more thing that Goodison will be remembered for, those beloved view restricting poles. And you're going to hear a lot about those poles.

[Alex McMoneys]

One of my other memories about just supporting Everton and stuff is being at the back of the Gladys when I was younger and like, you could hardly see the pitch. And again, obviously, that's one of the things that makes Goodison so great, is the fact that, you know, you've got all these obstructed views.

[Laura Gates]

You heard Paul mention earlier wanting to soak up the sights, sounds and scents of Goodison. For me, Goodison has always had its own particular scent. The aromas from local chip shops spilling out onto the tight, compact streets of the terraced houses and the smell of fried onions from the nearby cafes. Like so many others, I was first brought here by my dad.

[Dave Kelly]

I'd taken you to a couple of reserve games before the Duncan Ferguson return game and remember the Piper playing him onto the pitch, by the way. It was very theatrical.

[Laura Gates]

That's him. Stephen Boylant.

[Dave Kelly]

It was packed, incidentally, wasn't it? What an atmosphere there was. You. You were kind of lit up by the experience. I can't remember the other reserve games you went to, but you were. You were wholly engaged, I have to have to say. I mean, you know, there was a whole load of encouragement for you to become an Everton addict and you bit very, very early on and very, very fully. You know, you were often the first kid in Egbert to get the new home or away kit. We had a way of Sparta Sports on Egbert, Sparta Sports on Egbert Road. We had a kind of. We had, you know, an unspoken agreement with them that they'd get the kit in more or less on day one and it was coming to us, you know, we'd take you around there, you'd know it was going to happen and you'd be so excited, you know, for.

[Laura Gates]

Us, football has always been a family affair. It's the passing of the baton from generation to generation. As a family. We've seen so many historic Everton moments. My dad and granddad, admittedly, many more than me.

[Dave Kelly]

My granddad had 10 sons and all of them were brought up as Evertonians. Not quite sure, given that they didn't have a lot of money to play around with. I'm not quite sure how they. How they managed to attend the match, but it seems that they were all match goers and they brought their children up as match goers. I therefore was part of kind of a huge clan of Evertonians. The one thing I'm absolutely sure of, because your granddad, my dad, used to talk about it endlessly, was how his dad was present when Dixie scored his 60th goal.

[Laura Gates]

Dixie Dean, the club's top scorer and the record holder for the most goals scored in a single season with 60, 19, 27, 28. A true legend of the game.

[Dave Kelly]

Your granddad told me that the first game that he brought me to was when I was 18 months old. That he just wanted in effect, who baptize me as a Blue, and that some of my cousins, some of my contemporaries across the extended family were also baptized that same season. And in fact, that set the pattern for the way that we evolved as Blues.

[Laura Gates]

For any lifelong supporter, it is a quasi religious experience, attending week in, week out. And for Everton fans, these biblical analogies aren't so wild because one of Goodison's unique features is the church on the corner, St. Luke's it's where I'm speaking to my dad and to a few other voices you'll hear across this show. St. Luke's is special in so many ways. It's home to the club's Fan Advisory Board and Heritage Society and it's a treasure trove of everton memorabilia. Outside St. Luke's we have a statue of our own Holy Trinity, Howard Kendall, Alan Ball and Colin Harvey. Widely regarded as the best midfield of the 1960s and pivotal to Everton's title winning campaign in 1970. Surrounded by all this history, me and my dad can't help but take a trip down memory lane.

[Dave Kelly]

There were loads of great games. You know, the Harry Katrick era was strewn with them. You know, championships, two championships, 62, 63. And then, you know, present for the West Brom game when they clinched the championship, 69, 70. That was fantastic. So loads and loads of games. The famous Brucey Munch and Gladbach game and the Panathinaikos game in 71. Plenty to get excited about and loads of memories, but bloody hell, the Bayern Munich game was just something else. It was extraordinary.

[Laura Gates]

April 24, 1985, Everton faced Bayern Munich in the European Cup Winners cup semi final. This was a Bayern team that was chasing the treble and had future Germany captain Lotha Matthias in the team. But this was Howard Kendall's Everton and they would also be league champions that season. The first leg was goalless, so it was winner takes all at Goodison. But Everton were losing at half time.

[Dave Kelly]

Uncle Frank, when I think about him, there's one incident that I think about more than anything else and it happened during half time in that Bayern Munich game and everybody's heads were down, you know. Frank, as was his wont, announced it all on Sundry in the paddock. 3:1, 3:1 to the Blues. When Trevor Stevens scored that third goal. Frank got mobbed by everybody around us. You're a clairvoyant you lads. I wish I'd have met you before the match. I'd have put a few quid on that, you know.

[Paul McMonies]

Gray is onside. Played onside by Nagbai and Trevor Stephen.

[Laura Gates]

It's settled now. Rotterdam.

[Dave Kelly]

Here they come.

[Laura Gates]

You see football and family inextricably linked.

[Stephen Boylant]

Me and my dad always used to play this game where you think about like where I'm sat right now, like think of how great of you you would have had of certain goals throughout history and things like that.

[Laura Gates]

Now a long ball. The lineager to Jason. Just look at his pace.

[Alex McMoneys]

Fancy chances.

[Paddy Boyland]

Oh brillian go. A brilliant goal. Remember the name Wayne Rooney.

[Laura Gates]

The Calvert Lewin goal against Crystal palace like just being there I think I fell down like three or four steps.

[Alex McMoneys]

James McFadden goal against Charlton. I was at the back of the Gladys and I just remember being thrown around by my older cousin and just thinking yeah this is a lot of fun. I want to do this more.

[Laura Gates]

My first season was 69, 70 and I was fortunate enough to watch my uncle play in that side and lift the trophy. Yeah I was 8 years old and.

[Paul McMonies]

It was a special, special time. I think that my first derby goal that I saw was Duncan Ferguson on the turn bottom corner and again me and my brother next to each other in our season tickets and literally just holding onto each other's heads screaming at each other because we thought our heads were going to explode.

[Laura Gates]

It's a brilliant atmosphere.

[Alex McMoneys]

Just imagine what it would be if.

[Paul McMonies]

Everton score and and it's Duncan Ferguson.

[Stephen Boylant]

I think favorite game would probably have to be the derby last season when we won 2:0 like first time I've ever seen us beat Liverpool in the flesh and you know I think for a lot of episodians my age it was probably a similar story in that sense. And yeah the atmosphere that night was just incredible. You know when on a night game when it's. When it's really rocking like that and yeah I think I just have to go for the Cal Lewin goal with that as well for that game that header at the Gladys street just that's just a pit mis everson for me.

[Dave Kelly]

That by McNeil up gets car.

[Paddy Boyland]

Everton's number 9 Gladys Street.

[Alex McMoneys]

Well this old ground shaking in recent memory and one that I'll probably carry forward is James T. Hosi's equalizer and I know obviously we didn't win and kind of our rival fans will poke fun at the fact that we celebrated that. But you know, it's the legacy of if Goodison park, like if we'd have gone out on a loss in the final ever Merseyside Derby, that would be hanging over us for, well, forever.

[Paul McMonies]

Beto challenges here at Boonen, it's.

[Stephen Boylant]

Always.

[Paul McMonies]

Remember like that Ray Clemens, Ray Clemens saved the goal and it hit one of your mates, one of your mates. Like I was on the, on the fence and the old fence and it.

[Dave Kelly]

Hit the ball, hit him right in.

[Paul McMonies]

The face and like that, that's another thing that sticks out. To buy this place, you're going to forget all those little ghosts, you know what I mean? Yeah.

[Laura Gates]

Loved it. Love it. Yeah. Those little ghosts will always be a part of the Goodison story. With a glance of the watch, it's time to head to the ground. Past the familiar voices and sounds, up the stairs, pitch coming into view, finding our seats one last time. There's just enough time with the person next to you to reflect on what makes Goodison so special.

[Dave Kelly]

Do you know what I'm going to miss?

[Paul McMonies]

I'm going to miss the restricted views. I really am. Yeah, because it's like, it's part of the heritage of what we've had all this, all these years now, mate.

[Laura Gates]

Gotta love this, guys.

[Paul McMonies]

The tight, the tight knit atmosphere, the people all around you. You have a, you'd have a. The crackware. Week in, week out, you're gonna have to get yourself a whole new set of mates. That's, that's what I, that's what I'm going to miss about it. I like, you know, just like everybody's face. Even when we get beat or when we draw or when it's a rubbish game, everybody's still around and you've known them for like what, like 20, 30, 40 years? Like family arties, you know what I mean?

[Laura Gates]

With kickoff looming, the sirens and songs are queued up. Goodison does the hope. Once again.

[Paddy Boyland]

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[Laura Gates]

To Goodison park satisfaction and nearly 40,000 fans. Sign up for another tumultuous afternoon urging the team on. Anything to help. We can always enjoy a little schadenfreude. Or is it just that a decision has finally gone out of the but so often games turn to frustration.

[Stephen Boylant]

We'Re.

[Laura Gates]

Always quick to let the ref know when he's wrong. There's that famous Goodison. Boo. It's not all bad though. Nothing beats that feeling when we score. In these moments, we're in dreamland. I wish I could bottle it up and store it. It's priceless. And it happens again. You can tell because it's that moment when everyone holds their breath. Told you Goodison was loud. Now we're in full voice. Of course, it doesn't always pan out the way we'd hoped. And in the Bullens Road, a faint chair. The opposition have scored and now the mood's changed. There are times though, where the whole ground comes together as one to pay respect to a legend taken far too soon. Kevin Campbell was one of my childhood heroes. His goals saved Everton from relegation. He was also one of the nicest people you'd ever.

[Paddy Boyland]

Come on.

[Laura Gates]

As the clock ticks down once again, we're praying for a miracle. A super Kev. A goal scorer. Just someone, anyone who could put the ball in the back of the net. Anticipation fills the stadium once more. And then hear it again. That held breath. A last minute goal and Goodison is back to its deafening best. Vocal cords rasp as we savor that late salvation.

[Alex McMoneys]

Sam. Satan.

[Laura Gates]

And that's it. It's full time. It's the last time we're going to hear something like this at Goodison next season. There are plans for the women's team to take up the mantle here. The men's team will move to a new stadium on Liverpool's waterfront. At least for us Boylans, that feels somewhat fitting.

[Dave Kelly]

As a young child, I grew up in Dingle in the South End, so. Southend, Docklands. Your granddad had been a seaman. When I and my sister happened along, he decided it was time for him to come ashore. He Loved the sea, he loved the river. So he ended up working on the docks. Dockers in Liverpool used to get paid in their own time on Saturday mornings. What was remarkable about that was when Everton were at home. I don't know whether it happened when Liverpool are home. I really didn't pay much attention, but certainly when Everton were at home, I was conscious of this mass of dockers picking their wages up and heading up the dock road towards the north end. Just a sea of Evertons. They'd have a beer or two along the way, so by the time they got to Goodison, they were in good spirits. Shall we. Shall we say? And so there was. For me, there's always been that association between the river and Goodison.

[Laura Gates]

But how do we bring that bit of Goodison with us to the new place?

[Dave Kelly]

When I went to the test events, I actually felt like I'd betrayed the old lazy. I actually felt dirty. And then I thought, no, it's a bit like going to an away game.

[Paul McMonies]

The fans are still the basis of it. They are. You'll still have the same chance, you'll still have the same zed cars, you still have the same sirens and you have all of that. Evertonians will be the thing that make it.

[Alex McMoneys]

It's the people, really. They're. They're kind of the. The heartbeat of the club, especially at Everton, which is, I guess, why Moyes, all those years ago when he was first our manager, kind of coined Everton as the people's club.

[Stephen Boylant]

It's going to take time, I think. I think you can tell from the test events that it doesn't quite feel ready yet. It feels like a day out, really, whereas it's going to have to become routine again, just like Goodison has. But you can tell that the noise will carry around really well. They've absolutely smashed it in terms of making sure it's really contained. And the noise will be very loud and just how compact it is and how much on the pitch. I know it will generate a really amazing atmosphere and hopefully we have some better football to celebrate in there and hopefully that will create some really great memories for us.

[Paul McMonies]

I feel like if they add a.

[Stephen Boylant]

Few poles in in front of us.

[Laura Gates]

Then it'll feel a bit more like Goddison.

[Stephen Boylant]

Is that what you're going to miss about Goodison?

[Laura Gates]

Most of the polls, yeah. Not being able to watch half the match, I probably will miss those polls. On May 18, 2025, Everton will play their final Premier League game at Goodison against Southampton. For the men's team, it'll be home no more.

[Dave Kelly]

This ain't going to end on the Sunday. It's going to be lots and lots and lots of people hanging about and sniffing the very last drop out of the goodness and experience.

[Laura Gates]

I actually cannot get my head round not being able to come to this place.

[Stephen Boylant]

I don't think I'm mentally prepared for it. Yeah, I think at some point, I'm not sure when it will be, but at some point it'll really wash over me and really hit me that, yeah, this is going to be the last time. We're never going to. We're never going to be coming back. So I want to make sure I soak up as much of the routine and all the things I know I'll really miss as much as possible on that day. So make the most of it.

[Alex McMoneys]

I think I will be sobbing my heart out because Goodison and Everton have given me so much more than just football. It's the place where I've met my partner, Connor, and people say it's just football, but actually, at the end of the day, I've created a life because I've supported a football club. But I think we need to embrace the move and the change, but also reflect on what Goodison means to us and preserve those memories and preserve the history of Goodison park, because there is, oh, so much history and it's. It's beautiful.

[Laura Gates]

Goodbye. Goodison was a production for the Athletic fc. It was written and hosted by me, Paddy Boyland, with help from Rodri Cannon, Craig Chisnall and Adie Moorhead. Mixing was by Jay Beale and the executive producer was Abby Patterson.

[Paul McMonies]

Hi, I'm Raj Panjabi from HuffPost.

[Laura Gates]

And I'm Noah Michaelson, also from HuffPost.

[Paul McMonies]

And we're the hosts of Am I Doing It Wrong? A new podcast that explores the all.

[Laura Gates]

Too human anxieties we have about trying to get our lives right.

[Paddy Boyland]

Each week on the podcast, Raj and I pick a new topic that we want to understand better and bring a.

[Laura Gates]

Guest expert on to talk us through.

[Dave Kelly]

How to get it right.

[Paul McMonies]

And we're talking like legit, credible experts, doctors, PhDs all around.

[Laura Gates]

Superheroes from HuffPost and Acast Studios.

[Paddy Boyland]

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