Everton

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

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I had an interesting weekend. On Saturday night I was at my old stomping ground Stamford Bridge, where I was MC for a night celebrating the legacy of Roberto di Matteo – and what a lovely man he is. The Italian scored in three Cup finals for Chelsea and as manager brought the FA Cup to the club before delivering their first Champions League trophy in 2012. It was quite emotional as the fans were able to show their appreciation at last.

Twelve hours later I was 200 miles north at another old stomping ground, this time for the last time. Many of us former Everton players were invited back for the final men's game at Goodison Park and it was an incredibly emotional day.

From Neville Southall, the finest keeper in the world on his day, to Duncan Ferguson and Wayne Rooney, most of the greatest names in the club's history who are still living, were on the pitch at the end. It was an honour to be among them, but even more of an honour to be in front of those fans one last time.

I have rarely if ever heard a noise as loud as the one at the beginning of the game. It was a visceral celebration and outcry that no one who was there will ever forget. Everton won and Iliman Ndiaye scored a couple but the game and the result didn't matter.

Many fans talked to me about their memories - friends made and family moments cherished. They recalled precious moments with other Everton fans who are no longer with us. Fathers and sons hugging on the terraces after a goal, when they could never hug anywhere else.

The atmosphere was charged with positive emotions and, yes, plenty of sentiment. It was like so many other places around football at the moment, the end of a season as well as the end of an era can have those effects. Those who do not love the game can never fully understand and share our passions.

I feel a little sorry for those people today, they don't know what they are missing.

'Goodbye to Goodison' is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer, where you can hear from fans, players past and present, and David Moyes on what Goodison Park means to Everton Football Club.

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Mike Richards
Fan writer

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On this day 30 years ago, Saturday 20th May 1995, events will be forever etched in my memory.

This was my first (and only) taste of Everton success - as I'd been unlucky to miss the glory of the mid-eighties.

The memories from that day still remain incredibly vivid.

Prior to arriving at Wembley, it was a memorable occasion for all the wrong reasons.

With the promise of a luxurious journey on an executive coach, my mum and I arrived at Goodison Park to be greeted by the most basic of elongated tin cans to carry us down south.

Not the greatest start to proceedings, and it set the tone for what was to happen next.

With lunch at Lords Cricket Ground all part of the package we'd booked, the excitement soon dissipated once it became apparent that the coach driver was lost, meandering through the streets of London.

Our eventual arrival coincided with dessert being dished out. Strike two for the day and as we know, things always happen in threes! It's fair to say we couldn't envisage what materialised a short few hours later.

A slither of cake and hastily painting of my face later, we approached the Twin Towers to scenes of blue and white. I'll never forget the immense ferocity of our club colours as far as the eye could see.

After the start to the day, to witness Paul Rideout's winner, Neville Southall's heroics and the Dogs of War mentality against the much fancied Manchester United, felt nothing short of miraculous.

Even at the age of 10, I always remember wondering if it was always going to be this way.

I never left Wembley that day contemplating this would be the only time I'd see an Everton captain raise a piece of meaningful silverware above their head.

The unthinkable has sadly been our reality since that day.

Sporadic false dawns and unfounded hope have littered our history since.

The move to our new stadium, under the ownership of The Friedkin Group, gives us a fabulous opportunity to become competitive once again.

It feels like we've been given a second, and potentially final opportunity to get it right. We simply have to take it.

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Mike Hughes
BBC Radio Merseyside reporter

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Under Joe Royle, Everton had slowly but surely got themselves out of trouble in the league with some high-octane victories against teams who were much higher in the table. He'd brought in a style of play that suited the players he had in his squad. Barry Horne, Joe Parkinson and John Ebrell were key figures in a midfield "Dogs of War". Everton had become very difficult to beat, but that incredible 4-1 victory against Tottenham in the semi-final was evidence that they were capable of so much more.

For the Wembley final Sir Alex Ferguson's team were the 4/7 favourites with the bookmakers and Royle's men were given little chance, seemingly by everyone except their own fans and players.

The key moment of the match came on the half-hour. Barry Horne intercepted a Paul Ince through ball on the edge of his own penalty area. Pacy winger Anders Limpar latched on to his clearance and raced forward at the speed of lightening with the ball at his feet, before slipping the ball into the path of advancing right-back Matt Jackson. He ran into the penalty area and checked back to leave Gary Pallister trailing in his wake before slipping the ball towards the onrushing Graham Stuart, who thumped a right-foot shot goalwards. It cannoned of the underside of the crossbar and Paul Rideout reacted quickest to leap and head the ball into the back of the net from close range.

On the occasions when United looked dangerous, Everton's goalkeeper Neville Southall was in inspired form, making a series of top drawer saves. The Blues' young centre-back David Unsworth gave a 'coming of age' display and hardly allowed Mark Hughes a kick of the ball. The performance that day was the epitome of the sort of teamwork Royle had introduced. Every individual worked together for the greater good of the whole team. That squad had also become full to the brim with real leaders and much of that stemmed from one of the club's most important post-war signings - Dave Watson. He was an excellent, no nonsense central defender, with a fabulous understanding of the game.

Watson had been signed by Howard Kendall nine years earlier and had been part of some wonderful Everton teams. He'd also played in some very ordinary ones and I'm convinced that Everton would have been relegated without him. When he walked up those famous 39 nine steps to lift the FA Cup, the Blues fans were in raptures. A season that at one point had almost promised relegation, had ended with not only Premier League safety, but also with a major trophy.

There were plenty of heroes that day but the architect of it all was Royle. A man who knew Everton, who understood Everton and who'd transformed the team into something that the fans had not thought was possible. So after one of the most momentous occasions that Goodison has ever witnessed on Sunday, with the most fabulous and fondest farewell, the supporters can remember what happened 30 years ago with much hope that from this day onwards they not going to have to wait that long to see their team lift silverware again.

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Mike Hughes
BBC Radio Merseyside reporter

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Everton fans won't be celebrating the 30th anniversary of their FA cup final success against Manchester United, because in some respects its become a source of sadness.

And disappointment. Not the day itself of course, and more on that shortly, but it's because it's also the last piece of silverware that the team won. Since then there have been some near misses along the way.

The truth hurts sometimes and that's always the case in football, when the metrics of success are taken to their most basic level. What did you win and when ?

As much as they'd like to, Blues supporters can't alter those harsh, realistic facts. Nevertheless what has happened to the club in the last few months points to a new era of positivity is on the way. New owners The Friedkin Group know what's required to make things happen in a sporting sense. The decision to sack Sean Dyche probably wasn't a difficult one to make. Appointing David Moyes as his successor has proved to be an absolute masterstroke. He knows Everton, he understands Everton and in the space of four months he's transformed the team into something even the most ardent Evertonians would not have thought possible in such a short space of time. He deserves a lot of praise for that.

When you look back and reflect on the events of cup final day in 1995, it's worth remembering that the Everton manager Joe Royle's first match in charge was exactly six months earlier. He took over a team that were cast adrift at the foot of the Premier League table. That season under Mike Walker they'd won one game in the previous 16 and had eight points from 14 matches. Yet somehow he'd managed to construct a new look team, that had determination, discipline and defiance at it's very core.

So today when Blues fans think back to Wembley stadium on 20th May 1995, they'll be more optimistic than they've been for a long, long time that maybe they can get back there and win some of the games glittering prizes again.

Come back for part two of Mike's account of the 1995 FA Cup final at 13:00

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Paul Rideout, who scored the only goal of the 1995 FA Cup final on this day 30 years ago, reflected on his emotions leading up to the match.

The forward believes there was more pressure on Manchester United, who had lost the Premier League title to Blackburn just a week prior.

"I just enjoyed the whole day - there was never any nervousness that you would usually associate with a game like that," Rideout told Sky Sports, external in 2020.

"To a certain extent the survival of Everton in the league was more important to us. Once we did that, it was a big relaxing moment to go to Wembley just to enjoy."

Rideout's strike partner Graham Stuart added: "We turned up at Wembley knowing we were the underdogs, but we didn't feel it in our dressing room.

"You're never going to play Manchester United and dominate for 90 minutes. They're too good of a side and there's too many talented players. But when we needed the Neville Southalls and Dave Watsons and the Barry Hornes, they stood up for us."

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

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Everton's 1995 FA Cup Final win over Manchester United at Wembley remains the club's last major trophy - but the manner in which it capped a remarkable transformation under manager Joe Royle remains fresh in the memory of all who witnessed it 30 years ago.

Royle left Oldham Athletic to return to his beloved Goodison Park in November 1994 with Everton rooted to the bottom of the Premier and, in his words, "needing snookers" to survive.

Everton, under his guidance, did not just get the snookers required, they then cleared the table to not only stay in the top flight but crown Royle's stunning renaissance with the most glamorous prize in domestic football.

This was the year of Everton's famous "Dogs Of War", a throwaway phrase Royle used to describe a combative, fiercely competitive style led by the midfield pair of Barry Horne and Joe Parkinson.

It was instantly adopted by Everton supporters, who wore T-shirts bearing the phrase in their thousands, but was also turned back on Royle by those who chose to diminish the dramatic turnaround.

To suggest Everton were one dimensional that season can be dismissed, as the team contained the mercurial talents of the brilliant Swede Anders Limpar as well as the subtle forward play of Graham Stuart and Paul Rideout.

Duncan Ferguson was the great talisman, scoring his first Everton goal in Royle's opening game in the Merseyside derby against Liverpool, but he was actually sidelined for the latter part of the run to Wembley, missing the semi-final and only appearing as a substitute in the final.

Everton's 4-1 win in the semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road was their finest performance in years and remained so long afterwards, fuelled by two goals from second-half substitute Daniel Amokachi, who entered the pitch by accident as a replacement for Rideout, mistakenly thinking he had been waved on.

Royle later called it: "The greatest substitution I never made."

Everton's demolition of a Spurs side containing Jurgen Klinsmann and Teddy Sheringham wrecked what many regarded as the so-called "dream final" with Manchester United, Royle literally spelling out the colourful phrase he used in the direction of those disappointed at the planned party being spoiled.

And so to Wembley on 20 May 1995, and a meeting with hot favourites United, Sir Alex Ferguson's side without the inspirational Eric Cantona, serving an eight-month suspension for a kung fu kick at a Crystal Palace supporter in January 1995.

United had lost the Premier League to Blackburn Rovers on the final day of the season the previous week, but this was not an Everton side given to sympathy.

They gave no quarter to an opposition midfield containing Paul Ince and Roy Keane, but also utilised the skills of Limpar, an enigmatic figure Royle had boosted before the final by comparing his natural gifts with French great Michel Platini.

Everton held sway in the first half, going ahead after 30 minutes.

Man-of-the-match and Everton captain Dave Watson won a crunching duel with Ince deep in his own half. Limpar broke clear at pace before passing to Matthew Jackson, who fed Stuart. He looked certain to score but hit the bar, Rideout reacting first to head home the rebound.

United pushed in the second half but the great Everton keeper Neville Southall, now 36, rolled back the years with a magnificent display, especially with a double save from Paul Scholes and then from Gary Pallister's header.

The FA Cup, lifted by Watson, went to Goodison Park and remains Everton last success.

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The Toffees lined up with an almost full strength team, except Earl Barrett who was cup-tied. Duncan Ferguson passed a late fitness test for the match, but only made the bench before coming on as a substitute early in the second half.

Manchester United were without forward duo Eric Cantona and Andy Cole, who were suspended and cup-tied respectively. Andrei Kanchelskis, who moved to Goodison Park just a few months later, was injured for the match.

Mike Richards
Fan writer

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Where to even begin?

Thankfully on a win. Iliman Ndiaye saw to that.

The footage and photographs from Sunday's 'End of an Era' celebration at Goodison Park really did speak a thousand words.

The surrounding streets were paved in royal blue. The plumes of blue smoke could be seen for miles. It was quite simply a spectacle like no other.

Supporters began arriving as early as 8am, with standing room at a premium an hour or so later.

Pre-match scenes highlighted both the level of feeling and the size of our football club. Starved of success for so long, I look forward to the scenes when we win silverware in the future.

There were countless times during the day that emotion overcame so many around me.

People walking to their seats with tears streaming down their faces was a common sight.

Others simply stood, reflecting and absorbing our home for one final time.

A reminder of our illustrious history was on show in the form of so many heroes from both the recent and more distant past.

Encapsulating 133 years of memories, moments, family and history was never going to be easy, but the club got it all so right.

From There She Goes being belted round the ground to the sombre string edition of Z-Cars, it all felt so very Everton.

Duncan Ferguson perhaps summed it up best. "This is our life. This is our heart," he bellowed post-match.

If Goodison Park is our heart, then the Hill Dickinson Stadium will become our lungs, as it will allow us to breathe new life into our club.

Goodison Park has my heart. It holds my memories. It will forever remind me of decades of unwavering love and affection.

To the Old Lady - thank you.

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After 133 years, Everton fans said goodbye to Goodison Park on Sunday as they embark on a new journey at Bramley-Moore Dock, or, as it will be known - Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Here are some of the best pictures from a historic day...

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We asked you to tell us how you are feeling after the last match at Goodison Park.

Here are some of your comments:

Mike: It was a great team performance in a day full of mixed emotions. Goodison Park never looked and sounded as good as it did on Sunday. The crowd, team and manager give it the perfect send-off. Here's to a brighter future. COYB.

Martin: Feeling very emotional now that the men's team have finished at Goodison. Thinking of my dad and him taking me to my first game on 3 January 1988 when we beat Nottingham Forest 1-0 thanks to a Wayne Clarke goal. It's the memories and the loved ones no longer with us that make Goodison so special.

Andy: It was a sad, sad day - the men's team leaving Goodison Park. However, we can feel happy in the fact we are going into a state of the art new ground and hopefully become a team competing at the very top again. Love the Toffees - onwards and upwards.

Mac: Very, very sad. I've been a supporter for 60 years and the Grand Old Lady was like a second home. I will miss watching Everton Football Club at this iconic stadium.

Mark: Four generations of Blues in my family have been invested in that stadium. Amazing times - like league and cup titles - and bad times - like relegation struggles. I was reminiscing with my son about the last time we were there with my late father. I'll miss Goodison, the Grand Old Lady. She served us well. COYB.

Timo: Have loved going the game at the Grand Old Lady for 40 years and have loved the happiness and sadness that only Evertonians understand. Goodnight, old girl - look after our ladies next season.

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

Everton must now try to recreate the heart and soul of Goodison Park on the banks of the River Mersey at Bramley Moore Dock.

It will be a tough task.

While the old Leitch architecture gave the Goodison Park structure something unique, it also possesses something bricks and mortar simply cannot provide.

Former Everton striker Andy Gray, who won the top-flight title, FA Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup, said: "We will leave Goodison Park. Goodison Park will never leave us."

A lone trumpeter played a final, mournful version of 'Z Cars' to close the day, thousands of fans remaining in their seats and unable to tear themselves away from the places they have come to call their home.

Tears of joy, despair and relief have all been shed here at Goodison Park. This time it was a mixture of emotions.

Just as Everton labelled this day, it was "the end of an era".

Read more from Phil on Goodison's farewell

Watch Keown and Murphy discuss Goodison on MOTD2

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"We talk about Hollywood scripts and this could not have been written any better," says former Premier League midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker on the final men's game at Goodison Park.

Ex-Everton players returned to bid the Grand Old Lady a final farewell, whilst David Moyes also selected Seamus Coleman to lead his side out for the very last time there.

It was a magnificent send-off to English football's most played-in ground with those that care the most.

"David Moyes has transformed the club since returning and there is a connection with the fan base and he knows the club is moving forward," said Reo-Coker on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"They are leaving Goodison Park, a historic stadium in English football, and now it is up to those fans to make the new stadium just as intimidating.

"It is all going in the right direction and I don't think there is a better man to take them on this next journey than Moyes."

Listen to the Football Daily podcast on BBC Sounds

Highlights and analysis from Sunday's five Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from the rest of the weekend.

If you missed Match of the Day 2, catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

And you can watch Saturday's Match of the Day here.

Listen back to the weekend's full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

Saturday 17th May

FA Cup final: Crystal Palace 1-0 Manchester City - 5 LIVE

Sunday 18th May

West Ham 1-2 Nottingham Forest - 5 LIVE

Brentford 2-3 Fulham – SPORTS EXTRA 2

Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle - 5 LIVE

We asked for your photos and stories from the last day at Goodison Park.

Here are some of your best moments:

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Dwight McNeil spoke to BBC Radio Merseyside after Everton's final match at Goodison Park: "We knew there was only one thing to do today and that was to win. It has been an amazing day. Coming in on the coach, I've never seen anything like it, It was amazing to see it and it is something I will never forget. We are sending Goodison off in the right way.

"I'll always remember getting the last assist at Goodison, it is something I will always treasure. It is a privilege to be at this club, I've loved every minute here and I'm looking forward to what the future holds."

On his favourite Goodison memory: "The one that will stay with me forever is Liverpool at home last season when we won 2-0. That was an incredible night under the lights."

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David Moyes spoke to BBC Sport after Everton's victory against Southampton: "Extraordinary atmosphere. The crowd were amazing, as it was outside before the game. We started the game pretty well and got in front. We played some good bits but not always. The job was to win the game today and see ourselves out at Goodison in a good light.

"The support at Everton is immense. It's needed some form of success. Today is a day they've been waiting on for so long, a new stadium coming.

"I never thought I'd be the one to do it [manage them in the new ground]. I'm really pleased. I'm honoured to be given that opportunity. We all see it as another chance. We need to start rebuilding Everton again. We've done the job [of staying up]. We have to try to build on that next year. If we can get an atmosphere like this in the new stadium it'll give us every chance of winning games.

"I thought it was as if everyone had come together as one club. Today was everyone standing together."

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Since David Moyes' first game back in charge of Everton, only Newcastle (21) and Liverpool (18) have scored more first half Premier League goals than the Toffees (17). Their 17 goals before half-time is one more than they'd scored in the opening 45 minutes of their previous 40 games under Sean Dyche.

Were you at the game today or following from elsewhere?

Everton fans, sum up how you are feeling about Goodison's last dance

Have your say on Southampton's performance here