Liverpool, England – “This is my favorite kind of atmosphere,” exclaimed the man next to me as he gleefully rubbed his hands together.
It was Halloween in 2009 and on a dark early winter afternoon, Goodison Park was at its peak.
Everton were facing Aston Villa in a league match that was getting increasingly heated. Two red cards, a poor referee, and the floodlights creating a dramatic effect. It was the perfect recipe for a Goodison Park outburst.
The match ended in a forgettable 1-1 draw, but the pure joy of the man next to me stayed with me. His excitement served as a reminder to cherish those rare moments when the entire crowd at this magnificent football theater is united in emotion.
And nowhere does emotion run as high as at Goodison Park.
Anger, relief, happiness, and sadness – and that’s just from a two-nil loss to Norwich in the League Cup fourth round.
Fans seated in this historic football stadium have experienced it all throughout its long and prestigious history. If awards were given out for booing, Everton would need a separate stadium just to house all the trophies.
But on Sunday, new emotions will be added to the mix – because everything is about to change.
A 133-year chapter in Everton’s history is coming to an end, as Goodison Park hosts the men’s team for the final time.
“Goodison has always been there, no Everton fan has ever watched Everton anywhere else,” said Matt Jones, host of the Blue Room podcast.
Like thousands of other fans, he will spend the weekend grappling with various emotions.
“I feel like a father watching his daughter get married at a wedding and everything is making him cry. As the day approaches, the emotions keep building up,” Jones told Al Jazeera Sport.
Sunday’s match against Southampton is technically game number 2,791 for Everton’s men’s team at Goodison. But for Evertonians, it signifies much more. A part of our identity is about to be lost.
I’ve grown from a boy to a man in various seats in every stand of that historic stadium, learning every curse word in the book along the way.
The highs and lows of the past 30 years have been intertwined with visits to Goodison, where the ground has the ability to block out real-life troubles for 90 precious minutes. Just like the lack of phone signal inside, you leave your worries at the turnstile.
I’ve taken different partners to Goodison (one even said she had “never seen rage quite like it”), with most of those relationships ending in heartbreak similar to an Everton cup run.
But I’ve always felt privileged to sit inside a living museum of football. Surrounded by history, tradition, and passionate middle-aged men shouting at anything that moves.
The next chapter in Everton’s story will see the men’s team move to a new 53,000-capacity stadium at Bramley Moore Dock. The impressive structure on the banks of the River Mersey will be known as the Hill Dickinson Stadium for sponsorship reasons.
Life in such a modern arena will be a major adjustment for one of the oldest teams in English football.
“It feels like leaving your family home. That’s the only way I can describe it,” said Merseyside-based sports reporter Giulia Bould.
“You know you’re going to a house with all the latest amenities and your life will be easier there, but you have to leave your family home. It’s strange,” she added.
This season has been filled with “finals” for Everton, though not the kind played at Wembley with a trophy on the line.
Each match at Goodison has marked another “final” occasion. From the final cup game to the final night match, even the final Saturday 3pm kickoff has been acknowledged.
But on Sunday, it truly will be the end – at least for the men’s team.
Just days before what was supposed to be the final Goodison game ever, Everton announced that the stadium will not be demolished. Instead, the women’s team will move in.
“I think it’s perfect,” said Bould, reflecting on Everton’s decision to pass Goodison over to the women’s team.
“Under the previous owner, the women’s team was neglected and treated poorly. But now it has been elevated to where it should be, setting a new standard for everyone else,” Bould told Al Jazeera Sport.
Goodison Park has a history of setting new standards. It was the first purpose-built football stadium in England and the first to have dugouts and undersoil heating.
The Toffees’ long streak without relegation means it has hosted more English top-flight games than any other stadium.
Goodison was also the site of an FA Cup Final and a World Cup semifinal, with legends like Pele and Eusebio scoring there during the 1966 tournament. Even North Korea has played at Goodison.
The rich history of Everton’s home has impressed some of the greatest names in the sport.
Jose Mourinho called it “the history of English football,” while Arsene Wenger described it as “one of the noisiest” stadiums he’s managed in.
Sir Alex Ferguson once spared Wayne Rooney from playing at Goodison with Manchester United, fearing the abuse he would face.
Visiting Goodison Park today feels like stepping back in time compared to the modern riches of English football. Simply put, the stadium is no longer up to standard. But that’s what makes it magical.
“It’s the closest you can get to time-traveling to watch football,” said photographer and Evertonian Gary Lambert. Waktu perjalanan dimulai sebelum kamu bahkan menginjakkan kaki di stadion itu.
“Secara fisik, Goodison adalah tempat yang mengesankan. Itu muncul tiba-tiba di antara baris rumah bergaya teras,” kata Lambert.
Pemandangan salah satu tribun dari luar stadion [Courtesy: Gary Lambert]
Saat masuk, sejarah stadion terungkap melalui berbagai pemandangan dan suara. Pemandangan yang terhalang biasa terjadi, dengan tiang dan pilar menyebabkan banyak leher yang tegang.
Dan desain unik Archibald Leitch yang bersilangan berjalan di tengah tribun Bullens Road kuno.
“Goodison Park adalah tempat paling biru di bumi. Bata di tiga perempat stadion dicat dengan warna biru kerajaan yang mencolok.
“Tidak peduli nuansa biru yang dimodifikasi oleh produsen kit terbaru di kemeja kandang terbaru, itu biru di luar yang merupakan biru Everton,” kata Lambert kepada Al Jazeera Sport.
Tapi ada satu keunikan tertentu yang menonjol di atas semuanya dan itu terjadi setiap kali Everton menyerang.
“Masih banyak kursi kayu kuno, jadi kursi itu berderak dan berdenting saat semua orang berdiri,” kata Bould.
Korus derakan kayu adalah sesuatu yang akan dia rindukan ketika Everton pindah dari rumah sejarah mereka.
“Suara derakan itu, kamu tidak mendengarnya di mana pun. Itu, bagiku, adalah Goodison.”
Seperti semua penggemar Everton, saya akan merindukan rutinitas pertandingan di sekitar Goodison. Parkir di dekat ruang biliar, minum sebelum pertandingan di Crofts Social Club, antrian tak berujung untuk toilet. Bahkan saya mungkin merindukan kurangnya ruang kaki.
Mengkhawatirkan untuk memahami kehidupan setelah Goodison bagi pria Everton. Keduanya begitu terhubung dan begitu cocok. Everton adalah Goodison dan Goodison adalah Everton. Perceraian setelah 133 tahun selalu akan menyakitkan.
Tapi perubahan diperlukan untuk klub yang masih melekat pada kemegahan masa lalu. Stadion baru Everton bisa menjadi kesempatan untuk awal yang baru. Stadion Hill Dickinson tidak cocok untuk kami, tetapi mewakili dunia baru sepak bola, di mana uang adalah kekuatan.
Dalam banyak hal, pertandingan hari Minggu akan menjadi pergantian generasi saat tim tua yang besar dihempaskan ke era modern.
“Kita berada di ujung perjalanan yang begitu panjang sekarang di Goodison. Dan di awal dan langkah pertama dari yang baru.
“Dan mungkin kita cukup beruntung berada di titik persimpangan ini dan mengalami keduanya,” kata Jones.
Pemandangan di dalam Goodison Park saat permukaan disiram sebelum kedatangan pemain dan penggemar [Dave Thompson/AP]