Two years ago when Southampton played At Everton, we wondered whether both clubs would be around to see the following season in the Premier League and whether this fixture would be our last visit to Goodison Park, a lot of water has gone under the bridge since.

Would Goodison Park still be a Premier League ground for it's final season in 2023/24 ?, that was the question in January 2023, since then Saints have been up and down and now down again in the League and Everton's new ground at Bramley Moore Dock is noy finally ready to go after a delay of two years.

So here we are arriving at Goodison for what will be the final match that Everton will play on the ground that they moved to after leaving Anfield.

It will be the last game for the Everton men's team, but the ground it seems won't be knocked down, but preserved for Everton's woman's team, at least in the short term.

But Sunday will be one big party and here is all the information that you need if you have a ticket and are invited.

There are full details of what Everton have got planned in our article Everton Announce Farewell To Goodison Celebrations

But in simple terms after the game fans will have time to get a drink and then sit back and watch an hour of entertainment, including ex players and music etc.

A word of caution for Southampton supporters here, there are likely to be a lot of ticketless fans around the ground before the game to join in the celebrations, many will be desperate to get in by hook or by crook and some may result to desperate measures.

That for some may be offering a large amount of money for a ticket, but for others it may be more sinister and they may be making offers that can't be refused.

In the vicinity of the Stadium itself there are likely to be road closures, the police will put a cordon around the ground that will be easy to maintain given that Goodison is basically enclosed by streets that can be closed off.

This will not be a fairly sedate affair as was our last ever game at the Dell V Arsenal it will be an atmosphere unmatched by any other final game at a stadium so far in England.

But I would advise Saints fans not to make themselves too obvious before they get inside the perimeter of the cordon, the wearing of colours and replica shirt will mean only one thing to a small minority and that is you have a ticket and they want it.

Everton fans are a passionate lot, this is a very big moment in their lives, a one off day and they want to be in the ground for it, this is not Southampton it is Merseyside and whether you are a red or a blue, it is a religion not a pastime.

So be safe before the game, you wouldn't walk through an empty park at night, so don't walk through crowds of Everton fans waving your ticket.

After the game it will be fine, Evertonian's will be in a party mood and Saints fans will be very welcome to be part of it given they are no longer holding a golden ticket.

So if you are one of the 3,000 Southampton supporters going here is what you need to know.

Tickets

If you are one of those that has to pick up your ticket using photo ID between 9am and kick off, then you will have your instructions, I believe that this will be done from the ticket office next to the away section, so within the cordon, so when you get your ticket you will be near the away turnstiles.

On one hand this could be chaos, allegedly 1,000 tickets to be collected and ID to be shown, if that takes 30 seconds per collection that is still a lot of man hours, 500 minutes in total, nearly 9 hours to be exact.

But the truth is most tickets aren't going to be collected between 9 & 10.30, with the coaches leaving at 4.30am they are not likely to arrive much before 10am and so most will be picking up in the 90 minutes before kick off.

Put bluntly it is going to be chaos, especially since it will also mean congestion at the turnstiles.

Policing

Merseyside Police will mount a big operation to keep supporters safe, so although I have been very serious about the risks, there will be a lot of police around and they will be looking for trouble spots, the potential for violence and ticket stealing is very real, but it will be a minority who will be affected, they will be trying to make sure that the prime targets, ie Southampton supporters get into the ground safely, help them out by being discreet.

The Ground

Everton have played at Goodison Park since moving from Anfield back in 1892 after a dispute with the then owner of the ground, who then promptly formed Liverpool Football Club.

Goodison is very much a ground that combines the old, the new and the not so new, two sides are very much refurbished stands that date back to before the Second World war, hence it's nickname amongst Liverpool supporters as Woodison Park, the main stand was built around 1970 and the Park End stand back in the mid 90's, so it could be said that it has everything for the connoisseur of football stands throughout the ages.

Its sandwiched smack bang in the middle of housing on three sides of the ground, the turnstiles are right on the pavement of the street, bringing back memories of how it used to be at the Dell, many would say that Goodison cant match Anfield for atmosphere due to the Kop, but it has an aura about it that few grounds now have.

With a capacity of just over 40,000 and its mishaped stands its one of the few traditional football grounds left in the Premier league, Everton of course now have the plans in place to move to a new stadium on the Waterfront for the 2023/24 season, but Everton supporters know they have to move sometime given the lack of space to build, but the day they do move will be a sad day for those football fans that appreciate football architecture.

If you notice a bunch of flowers around the perimeter of the ground, this can be because of the fact that nearly 1,000 Everton supporters have had their ashes scattered at the ground.

Getting there.

By Car

Take the M6 north and then take the M62 signposted Liverpool, follow this motorway till its end (beware of the 50 mile speed limit and cameras as you near the end) and then follow the road onto the Queens Drive A5058 and stay on this road for about 3 miles, turn left into Utting Avenue and then right into Priory Road at the corner of Stanley Park, the ground is about half a mile down this road in front of you.

By Train

Mainline trains arrive at Lime Street Station about a 3 mile walk to the ground, there are plenty of buses that run past the ground or you could walk to Central Station about 2 mins from Lime Street and catch a train to Kirkdale Station, about 5 mins by train and a 7 min walk to Goodison, alternatively cabs are cheap, about £10 from the city centre and cost effective if there are 3 or more of you.

Parking

Parking is very limited around the ground, the only big car park is on Stanley Park the entrance is on the aforementioned Priory Road, which was £8 2 years ago and takes a while to get out of, otherwise its street parking or small business's etc that do the usual trick of renting out their car park.

Whilst car crime is much reduced on Merseyside, it still happens so be wary, always pay the kids who "mind your car" whilst your at the match, remember to pay half in advance and the rest when you return to your vehicle.

It is no use taking tour Rottweiler to sit in the car and deter thieves, as any kid around the ground will tell you, dogs can't put out fires !

The Away Section

Saints have been allocated 3,000 seats in the Bullens Road Stand, this away section consists of three levels, the paddock at the front of the stand and the rear Lower Bullens section slightly behind, this section offers a slightly higher elevation and view but there are many pillars etc that can obstruct. Finally there is the Upper Bullens, a separate entity from the former two sections, as it sits above them.

The facilities in the stand are basic, as mentioned earlier its pre ww2 and was built in 1926, it serves the usual pies and pasties etc and beer in plastic bottles as well, but the half time queues are notorious.

Drinking Eating Etc.

There are some great town centre pubs if you are staying over or arriving by train and a visit to the home of the Beatles in Matthew Street is always a lively experience even if you aren't a fan, the North Western formerly the Head of Steam on Lime Street station itself (to the right as you come off the platform) is well worth a visit for it's architecure etc, but is a Wetherspoons. But in the City centre you really cant go wrong it has something for everyone.

At the ground behind the Park Stand is a small outdoor fanzone which serves alcohol, as well as food. Currently visiting supporters are allowed free entry into the fanzone.

Nearer the ground there has to be just about the biggest concentration of pubs than any other ground in England, the Royal Oak and the Brick on County Road are probably the most partisan and best avoided, but those two apart all of the others will usually welcome away supporters as long as you aren't looking for trouble, if your there for a beer and a laugh then you will probably be warmly welcomed.

Wetherspoons and Bradleys Wine Bar on Walton Road being recommended by a number of away fans., County Road and Walton Road run behind the main stand about 100 metres back from the stand.

But as we have mentioned earlier, these will be busy before the game and Saints fans will stand out as definitely having tickets and therefore a target for some.

County Road also has a plethora of eating establishments, chip shops etc so is the place to be if your hungry.

Some away fans also use the Arkles next to Anfield, this is the usual away fans pub when teams play Liverpool and is a 10 - 15 minute walk from Goodison, if you want a quiet pint the pubs up by Anfield are good because few Everton fans will use them.

Also is Taggy's bar on Anfield Road, behind Hotel TIA, a Liverpool stronghold, this and the pubs around Anfield are not frequented by Everton fans, so will be safe before the game.

The Accent.

They have a very distinctive dialect in Liverpool and it is different from anywhere else in the country, indeed it is quite strange in that the Scouse accent stops virtually at the sign saying welcome to Liverpool and if you go to a town just outside the City limits it is very much a traditional Lancashire accent.

For you help we have included a few words that you might find useful. With thanks to The Liverpool English Dictionary, written by Tony Crowley and published by Liverpool University Press.

Bizzies - Everyone in Liverpool and the surrounding areas will know that Bizzies refers to the police.
The dictionary suggests this phrase was first recorded from the early 20th Century, and probably came from the word 'busy' or 'busybody'.
Recorded uses include Mclure 1980: "Jesus, look at the busies, police officers are appearing from nowhere."

Beaut - Someone from elsewhere might think being labelled a beaut is a compliment, when it is actually the opposite.
The Liverpool English dictionary says beaut refers to 'something or someone unpleasant' and has been recorded from the late 20th Century. It derives from an 'ironic reversal of beaut -meaning someone or something desirable.'
An example phrase says: "Take care of these beauts that's bothering our Stephen."

Bevvy - If you are recovering from being called a beaut, you might want to go for a bevvy.
This of course refers to an alcoholic drink, the dictionary says it was recorded from late 19th Century onwards, but was popularized in the early 20th Century.
It is of course an abbreviation of the word beverage.,

Bevvy is also in the dictionary as a verb, as in to drink alcohol, with an example stating: "One of your committee members was seen bevvying with the gaffer."

Boss - This means good - or really good.
The Liverpool English Dictionary says this term has been recorded since the mid 19th Century and is an American extension of boss.
A citation provided from 2003 simply states: 'F****** boss it was."

La/Lah/Lar - The dictionary has these different versions down as a way of saying lad or mate.
But the dictionary says that la ranges from 'signalling genuine friendliness to outright hostility or condescension."
Recorded from the early 20th Century, the dictionary reports it as having 'mainly Liverpool use.'

Meff - If you have ever been called a meff, you will know it is certainly not a term of endearment!
According to the dictionary, meff is a term of abuse, but its derivation is unknown.
One recorded example from 1998 states: 'Poelly smacked this big f***** meff, really tw****d him."

Scran - When you are feeling hungry in this part of the world, you need a scran.
The Liverpool English Dictionary says scran in this form was first recorded from the 19th Century and is a nautical extension of 18th Century cant or slang in which scran actually meant 'a reckoning at a boozing-ken (a pub).'
An anonymous quotation from 1917 reads: "A surfeit of nicknames with which to describe the stuff of life. It may have the general name of 'scran' or 'mungy.'

Wool - If you are labelled a wool, you are not considered a true Scouser.
The dictionary says this one is an abbreviated form of 'woolyback' and refers to 'someone who lives outside of Liverpool, eg: St Helens, Skelmersdale, Prescot, Wirral etc.'
It was first recorded from the late 20th Century.

Ground Details

Capacity: 40,569 (all seated)
Address: Goodison Road, Liverpool, L4 4EL
Telephone: 0151 556 1878
Fax: 0151 286 9112
Ticket Office: 0151 556 1878
Pitch Size: 112 x 78 yards
Club Nickname: The Toffees
Year Ground Opened: 1892
Home Kit: Royal Blue & White

All Photos Via Reuters

Colburn added 15:43 - May 14 Damn, there was me looking forward to walking to the ground waving my ticket in the air.. Unfortunately I’ve already decided to wear colours and why the hell not? Easy solution if you’re hassled, just tell them in a frustrated manner that you’ve got to queue up for an hour and collect them from the ticket office.. I’m more concerned if we win and ruin their day, getting back to the car after our youth have taunted them with you’ve seen Southampton, now go home, or words to that effect. I think we won the last game at Maine Road and last to win at White Hsrt Lane, am I correct? Was there another one too?

0

Derby County Polls