Everton’s men’s team will play at their historic and iconic Goodison Park for the last time on Sunday. Here, we go through the record books to understand the ground’s significance.
It promises to be an emotional occasion when Everton host Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday, as the Toffees will play at their Goodison Park home for the last time.
There might not be quite as many tears as it once looked like there would be, as it was announced earlier this week that the famous old ground has been saved from demolition. Instead, Everton are going to keep the stadium to be used predominantly by their women’s team.
Therefore, many Everton supporters will still get to attend matches at Goodison for the foreseeable future despite the men’s team moving away.
The men’s first team are preparing to move to their shiny new home at Bramley-Moore Dock on the banks of the River Mersey. Everton Stadium, as it’ll be known initially, will take their capacity from just over 39,000 at Goodison to nearly 53,000 in their new surroundings.
Although the announcement that Goodison Park will become the home of Everton Women was significant in that it preserves the stadium’s 132-year history, the departure of the men’s team still represents the end of an era.
Goodison Park: The Top-Flight Staple
When asked to name the most iconic stadiums in England, Goodison Park might not be the very first that comes to your mind, but it wouldn’t be far off.
It’s not spectacular to look at; parts of it are dated and there are certain quirks that have become infamous among home fans, away fans and even media representatives. But it cannot be argued that it doesn’t have character, and that is contributed to by the history of the ground.
In fact, it could be argued that it’s the most historic football ground in England.
Saturday’s match will be the 2,327th top-flight match played at Goodison Park, 100 more than any other stadium in the history of English football.
Its roots in the game run deep, with Everton first playing at Goodison in September 1892 in a 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest. Queen Victoria was on the throne then, meaning it has hosted football matches played by the men’s team through the reigns of seven monarchs.
It’s also one of only four ever-present Premier League grounds, with its 632 matches held there in the competition level with Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge and nearby Anfield.
Playing the Host
Never has Goodison Park been more vociferous than during its many Merseyside derbies with Liverpool. That, fittingly, is the fixture to have been played most often at the stadium, with there being 120 instances across all competitions.
Whisper it, but that also means Liverpool are the team Everton have lost at home to most often in all competitions, suffering 41 losses to the Reds at Goodison Park over the years – but not in their final one, as a late equaliser earned the Toffees a 2-2 draw.
That game ended in typically fiery fashion, too, with Curtis Jones and Abdoulaye Doucouré sent off for clashing after the final whistle.
The team who’ve lost the most at Goodison Park in all competitions (well, ignoring Everton’s 591 defeats) are Sunderland, who’ve suffered 60 losses on the blue half of Merseyside over the years. Liverpool are just outside the top 10 with their 41 defeats.
Since the beginning of the Premier League era, it’s Southampton and West Ham who’ve endured the most fruitless trips to Goodison Park, each losing 16 times.
Coincidentally, then, if Saints lose at Goodison in Sunday’s final match, they’ll go out in front with a 17th defeat.
In the Dugouts
For many, current Everton manager David Moyes is the coach most synonymous with the Toffees, and that’s not just because he’s there at the moment.
Of course, the Scot spent 11 years in charge at Goodison before briefly moving to Manchester United in 2013 as the ill-fated successor to Sir Alex Ferguson. And having returned to the club in January, Moyes is unsurprisingly up there with the managers to have presided over the most games at Goodison.
But there are a few who’ve had more.
Sunday’s game will be Moyes’ 270th at the famous ground as Everton boss across all competitions, but William Cuff (287), Harry Catterick (295) and Thomas McIntosh (359) all took charge of more.
As for opposition managers, legendary former Aston Villa boss George Ramsay (30) leads the way. Those matches were all in charge of Villa, whom he was manager of for an astonishing 42 (yes, forty-two!) years until retiring in 1926.
Ramsay’s win rate at Goodison wasn’t great, though, as he only recorded eight victories in all comps. Ferguson’s 17 is the benchmark, with no one else bettering 12.
Goals at Goodison
Who’ll be the last player to score at Goodison for Everton’s men’s team, then?
Well, if they ultimately fire a blank on Sunday – which would be a huge disappointment against rock-bottom Southampton – then it would be Dwight McNeil, as he netted Everton’s second in the 2-2 draw with Ipswich at the start of this month.
Even if Everton do score this weekend, there certainly aren’t any notable records in particular danger.
Opta has complete goals data for the Premier League era, and in that time, Romelu Lukaku tops the charts for Everton goals scored at Goodison.
The Belgian scored 40 at home for the Toffees during his four seasons, which comprised one on loan and three as a permanent player.
He’s two clear of Everton legend Duncan Ferguson, who spent two spells at the club either side of a stint at Newcastle United.
The current Everton player with the most Premier League goals at Goodison is Dominic Calvert-Lewin; with 30, he’s in third place behind Lukaku and ‘Big Dunc’.
There are a few opposition players who made a habit of scoring at Goodison, too. No one has netted more there for opponents in the Premier League than Les Ferdinand’s nine, one more than another Tottenham great in Harry Kane.
Mohamed Salah (4) has the most Goodison goals (for the opposition) in the Premier League among players currently active in the English top flight.
Thankfully, the legend of Goodison Park will go on as Everton pledge to keep it in the family, and although the club’s new ground promises to be a fine addition to the top flight, the Premier League is losing an iconic destination and a staple ground of its first 32 years.
It won’t just be Everton fans reminiscing this weekend.
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Top Scorer? Most Away Wins? Everton’s Time at Goodison Park in Numbers Ahead of Premier League Farewell Opta Analyst.
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