A tearful farewell to our Grand Old Lady

EVERTON supporters will bid an emotional farewell to Goodison Park tomorrow after 133 years.

- BY PAUL BYRNE

The club's men play their last home match at the "Grand Old Lady" before moving to a £750million arena on the banks of the River Mersey.

When they leave, there will be tears in the surrounding terraced streets, where Everton FC is deeply embedded.

The club, founded in 1878, played early games on fields at the nearby Stanley Park and Priory Road, before moving to Anfield in 1884.

Eight years later, after a rent row, the Blues set up home in Goodison Road, leading to one of the greatest football rivalries when a new team - Liverpool - emerged at Anfield.

Generations of families have stepped through Goodison's turnstiles to watch legends of the game such as Dixie Dean, Alan Ball and Wayne Rooney.

In his book Farewell to Goodison: 100 Memories of a Grand Old Lady, David Prentice has detailed some of the stadium's greatest moments.

David, married to Dixie's grand-daughter Melanie, says the legendary centre forward's record-breaking 60 league goals in 1927-28 is his highlight.

FAMILY

He said: "Everyone talks about Bayern Munich [when Everton won the 1985 Uefa Cup Winners' Cup semi-final 3-1] but for me the greatest moment is Dixie setting that record."

Goodison is unique in having a church, St Luke the Evangelist, nestled between two of its stands.