Farewell to Goodison Park - as a Premier League ground at least.
It is still a bit strange to be fond of a football ground when you’re not a fan of the team that calls it home. After all, when you strip it back, it’s some concrete and metal with some wooden or plastic seats looking at a bit of turf where 22 footballers kick a bag of air around for 90 minutes a few times a month.
But some grounds are sprinkled with magic and something different. Goodison Park is certainly one of those grounds.
As a written journalist, the press box may not be missed. This is coming from someone shorter than the average height but it was still sometimes a gymnastic-esque effort to squeeze into your seat.
Back in the 1966 World Cup, Swedish journalist Torsten Ehrenmark wrote “this is the first report ever written by a journalist in a mousehole.” He continued: “I am wedged firmly between two planks and two cigar-smoking Brazilians in yellow sombreros”.
Everton fans display a banner
Goodison Park will host its final Everton men's game on Sunday (Image: Simon Stacpoole/Offside via Getty Images)
It has barely changed since then, either. As a reporter below 40, I never had to deal with the cigar smoking. Only the occasional bit of cheering from the odd Evertonian reporter but you would forgive them given it hasn’t been a glorious last few decades at the Grand Old Lady.
But when Everton played well, the ground is special. The stands sometimes seem to sway with the emotion. There was plenty of that over the years. The late winners would cause a tremble that would rattle the old foundations. James Tarkowski’s equaliser against Liverpool in the final Merseyside derby there was the perfect example of that.
James Tarkowski of Everton celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC at Goodison Park
James Tarkowski's goal against Liverpool had Goodison Park shaking
But one of my fondest memories in the great old stadium was, as someone who juggles being a Merseyside correspondent with boxing, the night Tony Bellew became world champion out on the pitch his heroes graced. Bellew fought for a world title in a Rocky film but then made it a reality when he knocked out Ilunga Makabu in the third round on a balmy Sunday evening in May 2016 to clinch the WBC cruiserweight title.
Beer flew through the air and gave ringside reporters a brief shower but, after the stickiness had subsided on our laptops, we understood the pure elation had to overflow.
Tony Bellew celebrates knocking out Ilunga Makubu to win the vacant WBC Cruiserweight World Championship contest at Goodison Park
Tony Bellew celebrates knocking out Ilunga Makubu to win the vacant WBC Cruiserweight World Championship contest at Goodison Park (Image: James Maloney/Liverpool Echo)
Now covering Everton men’s team will no longer include the walk down past the Dixie Dean statue and onto Goodison Road where the smell of chips and other pre-match meals would fill the air along with the mumblings of anticipation ahead of the game.
There will be no walk up the concrete steps and through the concourse with the mingling fans before emerging into an old-style football cathedral. No longer pulling off some moves that might get you into medal contention on the pommel horse, either.
Maybe we will miss that still some days.