logo
Goodbye Goodison: Everton prepare for emotional farewell to "Grand Old Lady"

Goodbye Goodison: Everton prepare for emotional farewell to "Grand Old Lady"

Straits Times13-05-2025

Dave Bond, the manager of iconic Everton pub The Winslow Hotel, has been a supporter of the Merseyside club since his mum dug out an old long-wave radio from the attic of their home in County Clare, Ireland that broadcast the team's matches.
His interest in Everton had already been sparked by a book on the team and their great 1920s and 30s forward Dixie Dean.
"The signal was ever so faint, but as a nine-year-old boy I could pick up commentary of the games," Bond told Reuters. "And that was the start of my love affair with Everton, I had my ear to that radio for a good few years."
Bond and thousands of other supporters will bid an emotional farewell on Sunday when Everton host already-relegated Southampton in the club's final Premier League game ever to be staged at Goodison Park, their home for more than a century.
It will be a day to celebrate the "Grand Old Lady," but one many fans have been dreading.
"I don't have time to process the emotions, because it's everything," said Bond. "There is no precedent, it's 133 years of match-day history.
"The Winslow is six years older than Goodison (across the road) and was trading when the first ball was kicked in 1892 and will be when the last is kicked this Sunday."
While the men's side are heading for pastures new, Everton announced on Tuesday that the women's team will make Goodison their permanent home from next season.
MEMORY LANE
The old park - inaugurated the same day as Glasgow's Celtic Park when they opened as the world's first purpose-built soccer stadiums -- was a cutting-edge development that set the trend for other English football grounds but it is now something of an anachronism alongside the world's modern venues.
While Everton's glittering new 52,888-capacity stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock comes with all the bells and whistles, it is the decades of memories that are virtually worn into the weathered blue seats of Goodison -- which shakes during booming goal celebrations -- that fans will mourn.
"I can remember my first game like it was yesterday," said Steven Kelly, a member of The 1878s supporters group. "We played Swindon Town (in 1994). We won 6-2. I actually thought Everton were going to be the best team in the world.
"There's no other ground like it in the country, in my opinion, even in the world," he added.
Everton fan and poet Jem Joynson-Cox summed up the stadium's charm in a poem "Goodbye Goodison" which she narrated with a thick Scouse accent on The 1878s Facebook page.
"Your stairs, your turnstiles, your slanty ceilings in the loo, your bellowing steels, your floodlights, and obstructed view, are etched with the deepest memories of our time with you," Joynson-Cox wrote.
"Our little old lady, we're in awe of you. But it's time to move on to pastures new."
The stadium has hosted weddings and funeral services, and the ground below the turf is the final resting place for the ashes of some 800 fans. The club ended the practice in 2004 due to limited space.
Stephen Green has been an Everton season ticket holder for 30 years and while he was permitted to choose his seat in the new stadium due to his longevity, he will miss the fans in his Goodison section with whom he has shared songs and high-fives every weekend for years.
If Everton supporters virtually bleed blue, the 73-year-old believes part of the passion stems from the region's economic hardships.
"The majority of Merseyside is not wealthy, there's an awful lot of social deprivation and lack of wealth, and so it's something for these people to cling on to. They can say 'I might not have much money, but my team has just won this, or are champions of that'," Green said.
When local rivals Liverpool clinched the league title last month, a cheeky Everton fan reportedly sold blue flares to Reds fans, with the labels peeled off. The plumes of blue smoke stood out amid the cloud of red.
"It's an ongoing thing with Merseyside, it's like a religion, it's amazing how much it means to people," Green said. "My wife is a Red and I'm a Blue.
"My eldest son is a Red and some friends of mine said, 'How come you allowed your son to become a Red?' I said 'Just took my eye off the ball for a couple of months when Liverpool were winning everything in the 1980s, and my wife was like 'Yay, Liverpool!'"
With Everton's lack of success in recent years - they have not won a major trophy since the 1995 FA Cup triumph - expectation of glory has turned into nervous, but memorable, great escapes, with the team narrowly avoiding relegation with a 1-0 win over Bournemouth on the last day of the 2022-23 season.
Former players and managers are expected to be among the special guests on Sunday, and The 1878s are planning a coach welcome "to give the players one big last send-off," said Kelly.
The Winslow, from which Bond can hear a goal scored from his top-floor office, might never be the same after the team's departure.
"Obviously we're going to lose a huge chunk of revenue, 80 to 90% of our gross turnover comes from match-day revenue," said Bond. "When you take that away, that footfall of 40,000 people on your doorstep, it's going to be detrimental if we don't do anything."
The pub plans to run coaches to the new stadium for next season's games as the club enters an exciting new era. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Son Heung-min to ‘wait and see' on Tottenham future after Saudi links
Son Heung-min to ‘wait and see' on Tottenham future after Saudi links

Straits Times

time3 hours ago

  • Straits Times

Son Heung-min to ‘wait and see' on Tottenham future after Saudi links

South Korea's Son Heung-min waves to fans after the team's win against Kuwait. PHOTO: AFP Son Heung-min to 'wait and see' on Tottenham future after Saudi links SEOUL – Son Heung-min has cast doubt on his Tottenham Hotspur future after saying he will 'wait and see' what happens amid speculation the skipper could move to Saudi Arabia. The South Korean forward has a year left on his contract and has been linked with an exit after helping Spurs end their 17-year trophy drought. 'Rather than saying anything at this moment, I think we should all wait and see what happens,' the 32-year-old told reporters after South Korea's 4-0 World Cup qualifying win over Kuwait on June 10. 'But no matter where I end up, I will always do the best I can. It will never change.' Son lifted the Europa League trophy in May to claim his first piece of silverware with Tottenham after helping his team beat Manchester United 1-0 in Bilbao. Despite the victory, Spurs have since fired coach Ange Postecoglou following a dismal Premier League campaign that saw them finish one place above the relegation zone. Son came under pressure after a series of underwhelming displays but he vowed to come back stronger next season, wherever he is playing. 'I know people may say I had a disappointing year but personally, this was a special season because you play football to win, and only winners are remembered,' added Son, who joined Tottenham from Germany's Bayer Leverkusen in 2015. 'I wasn't in my best form for most of the season but hopefully I will be in better condition going into the new season.' Meanwhile, Brentford manager Thomas Frank is set to replace Postecoglou, according to multiple reports. Frank, who has been in charge of the Bees since 2018, led Brentford back to the top flight in 2021 after an absence of 74 years and has established the west London club in the Premier League. Hiring the Dane, whose contract runs until 2027, would cost Spurs around £10 million in compensation. South Korea booked their place at next year's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico with 2-0 win over Iraq last week. They finished top of Group B in the Asian third round of qualifiers and were unbeaten in 10 games. 'I know people just assume that we should come out of Asia with ease but nothing has been easy,' said Son, who came on as a 75th-minute substitute against Kuwait. 'I think we were able to finish well here because everyone came together with the same goal of never losing a match.' Off the pitch, two South Koreans have been charged with blackmail or attempted blackmail targeting Son, the prosecution said on June 11, with one of them reportedly his ex-girlfriend. The suspects – a woman in her 20s surnamed Yang and a man in his 40s surnamed Yong – have been in custody since May. The two have now been 'formally charged and will stand trial while in custody', a spokesperson for the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office told AFP. According to the Yonhap news agency and other local media, Yang is Son's ex-girlfriend and allegedly extorted 300 million won from him by sending a foetal ultrasound image and threatening to go public with claims that she was pregnant with his child last year. It remains unclear whether Yang – who local media have speculated terminated the alleged pregnancy – was actually carrying the star footballer's child. Prosecutors believe Yang later attempted to extort an additional 70 million won from Son this year in collaboration with Yong, with whom she was in a romantic relationship, according to Yonhap. The pair allegedly made the threats by saying they would expose the alleged pregnancy and abortion to the media. Son refused to pay the 70 million won and filed a criminal complaint against the two. AFP, REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Man City sign Cherki from Lyon on five-year contract
Man City sign Cherki from Lyon on five-year contract

Straits Times

time13 hours ago

  • Straits Times

Man City sign Cherki from Lyon on five-year contract

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Europa League - Quarter Final - Second Leg - Manchester United v Olympique Lyonnais - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - April 17, 2025, Manchester United's Andre Onana and Manchester United's Christian Eriksen react after Olympique Lyonnais' Rayan Cherki scores their third goal REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo Manchester City have signed attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki from Olympique Lyonnais on a five-year contract ahead of this month's Club World Cup, the Premier League club said on Tuesday. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed but British media reported that City paid around 40 million euros ($45.70 million) for the 21-year-old Frenchman. Cherki had his best season for Lyon in 2024-25, scoring 12 goals and providing 20 assists in all competitions. "This is a dream for me. Honestly, to be joining a club like Manchester City and have the opportunity to make the next step in my career here is something very, very special," Cherki said in a statement. "I have worked so hard for this all my life. I love this sport and I can't wait to develop further here in Manchester with Pep (Guardiola) and his backroom staff. "I would only leave Lyon for a project I really believe in and everything at City suggests I can develop my game and help the team be successful in the future. I can't wait to show City fans what I can do." The recently capped France international, who can play as an attacking midfielder and right winger, scored in both legs of his team's Europa League quarter-final 7-6 aggregate loss to Manchester United. City will kick off their Club World Cup campaign on June 18 against Moroccan side Wydad AC, followed by matches against Emirati club Al-Ain and Juventus. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

June 11 South Africa (Greyville) form analysis
June 11 South Africa (Greyville) form analysis

New Paper

time13 hours ago

  • New Paper

June 11 South Africa (Greyville) form analysis

Race 1 (1,000m) (4) NOTHING COOLER raced greenly in a fair debut. She is likely to come on from that. (6) FLYING SOUTH was a well-beaten third last run but may just have needed it. (5) RACEWAY disappointed last run after a much-improved previous effort. Watch market. (3) MOSCOW MISS beat Flying South a neck, but the 4kg claimer is replaced by Andrew Fortune. Race 2 (1,200m) (2) TIME WILL TELL has been knocking on the door for some time now. She goes well over this trip and has first-time blinkers. (8) CAPTAIN CLEVER was much improved first-up after a lengthy break. He now gets 4kg relief. (1) GORGEOUS BOMB was a close-up second over course and distance. Big say. (10) K M V RETROFIT has shown up well at her last two. Can feature. Race 3 (1,400m) (6) LEMON THYME was second-best last run but was narrowly beaten at her penultimate start. (4) CHERRY OH BABY had excuses last run but has been costly to follow. Blinkers on. (2) FASCINATION has not been too far back in her two outings. (5) CONCORDIA has modest form to date but gets first-time blinkers and can surprise. Race 4 (1,400m) (3) FRENCH FLAME made a promising start on the Poly last time and has improved in his last two. He gets first-time blinkers. (2) KITCHAKAL is never far back. He is course and distance suited with a plum draw. (5) CHINABERRY improved last run on the Poly and was not far back from a wide gate. (6) SAVANTRIX is back on the Poly over his optimum trip. Race 5 (2,000m) (4) AZALEAS FOR ALL has shown up well in her last two and was a beaten favourite last time. (3) ENGLISH PRIMROSE has a light weight and is back over her optimum trip. (9) QONDANEKUKHANYENI has improved with each outing and was touched off last run. (1) GRAND OCCASION was not far back to stronger last time. Race 6 (1,600m) (7) NUMZAAN has a big weight but Serino Moodley is back. (8) GRIPEN was a beaten favourite in his local debut. He makes his Poly debut but can go close again. (9) DAWN SURPRISE has consistent form over shorter but may now prefer this extended trip. (2) VIVA DE JANEIRO has consistent Highveld form. Switch to Poly could bring out the best. Race 7 (1,600m) (1) UZWANO is lightly raced and possibly still under the handicapper's radar. (5) GURKHA did not get the rub of the green in the last race. He can do better here. (10) SHOEFELLA has drawn wide but has done well against stronger. (4) OUR LADY FATE has good form on the Poly and is lightly raced. Race 8 (1,200m) (7) ULTRA QUICK has been consistent at recent outings on the turf. The rejuvenated Poly should suit. (5) PRIZED PLATINUM has shown up well in KZN and could prove the pick although Kabelo Matsunyane stays with (4) MARIACHI MADNESS. (3) HIPPOCRATES has a big weight but is a Poly specialist and jumps from a plum gate.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store