Thousands of fans packed onto the streets outside Goodison Park to say goodbye to the ground.
There were emotional scenes at Goodison Park as Everton signed off 133 years of history with a fitting 2-0 win over an abject Southampton.
The 2,791st men’s senior match at the ground was a celebration from beginning to end as fans said farewell to the old in anticipation of the new with the pending move to Bramley-Moore Dock.
Everton's new grounds to be named Hill Dickinson Stadium
Everton’s women have been handed the keys for next season after new owners The Friedkin Group abandoned plans to demolish the first purpose-built football stadium in the country but this was the final time Goodison will be packed to the rafters.
There were 39,201 inside but thousands more turned up with their blue smoke and pyrotechnics to mark the occasion, with pleas for any spares falling on deaf ears of those lucky few with a golden ticket – reportedly selling for over £1,000 on some resale sites.
Supporters on the pitch after the final match at Goodison Park. Credit: PA Images
It resulted in disorganised scenes outside the ground, with the streets flooded hours before kick-off, creating a logjam which blocked roads and meant the planned team coach welcome was aborted.
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Unfortunately few supporters seemed to be aware of the fact, which led to more congestion problems – former world cruiserweight champion and Evertonian Tony Bellew had to beat a path through the crowd to escort one supporter in a wheelchair – and concerns from some they would not get to their seat in time.
But everyone did make it and the volume at kick-off, which had been preceded by a parade around half the pitch by several club greats, was possibly the loudest it had ever been.
Everton’s club colours flew at half-mast above the Bullens Road Stand but inside the ground it was party time.
The game was almost secondary to soaking up the historic surroundings and atmosphere for one last time but the action on the pitch did not disappoint.
Amid an emotional atmosphere, Iliman Ndiaye fire the Toffees ahead just six minutes in. The Senegal international then added what proved to be the team’s last goal there with another finish in first-half stoppage time.