20-05-2025
Six times Reading visited Goodison Park as Everton wave goodbye to historic home
After 132 years, Goodison Park hosted its final Everton home match on Saturday as the Toffees beat Southampton in the Premier League.
Moving to their new home at Bramley Moore Docks over the summer, the iconic Liverpool venue will play host to Everton Women, preserving the historic ground for many years to come.
Reading visited Gwladys Street on six occasions, the first coming way back in 1931 for a Division Two meeting, one of the few times the club have been outside of the top-flight.
Beating the Biscuitmen 2-0 at Elm Park, Dixie Dean featured for the hosts in a 3-2 win at Goodison Park in front of nearly 24,000 supporters.
It would be another 40 years before Reading returned to Goodison Park, a League Cup meeting between First Division Everton and Division Four Reading.
A tight contest, Mick Buckley scored the only goal of the game in the second round tie.
Another 34 years passed between meetings two and three, coming in the Royals' inaugural top-flight campaign.
David Moyes' Toffees were among the regular sides competing for Europe for most of the early 2000s, while Steve Coppell's side joined them in competing for Europe in 2006/07.
Taking an early lead through a Joleon Lescott own goal, Andrew Johnson kept up his knack of scoring against the club with an 81st minute equaliser.
It was played in front of a crowd of nearly 35,000, including Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone.
The following season, Reading were relegated and Phil Jagielka scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory for the hosts. They had finished fifth and reached the semi-final of the FA Cup that campaign.
After league meetings and a League Cup tie, the two historic sides finally met in the most prestigious competition, the FA Cup, in 2011.
This was to be Reading's greatest day at the grand old stadium, knocking out the Toffees in their own back yard.
Matt Mills' first half header, and a resolute defence, pushed the Royals over the line for a second successive win on Merseyside, knocking Liverpool out at Anfield in Round Three.
The final meeting between the two sides at Goodison Park came 12 years ago, a Premier League tussle which saw the hosts prevail 3-1.
Marouane Fellaini, Steven Pienaar and Kevin Mirallas scored, as did Hal Robson-Kanu for Brian McDermott's side.
Reading did get the better of Everton in the reverse fixture, the first Premier League win of the season coming in October 2012.
Now the wait continues as ground-hopping Reading fans look forward to an eventual trip to the state-of-the-art new ground in the city.
