Toffee

For the last big trip out during my Easter break I had a rare chance to get across to Liverpool for an Everton home game. 

With our new stadium at Bramley Moor Dock under construction, there may only be 30 or 40 games left at this historic ground. I still find it a bit shameful that this was only my seventh visit since my first game in 1980, so I will try to get to a couple more at least.

As it was Grand National Day all the trains into Liverpool and then out to the ground were rammed. On arrival at Lime Street I fitted in an hour or so at the Walker Gallery across the road including a great Kathryn Maple exhibition. I then headed up early to Goodison to make sure I had plenty of time to walk around. 

I visited the Everton Heritage Society stalls upstairs in St Luke’s Church (the one that famously sits in a corner of the ground) and acquired a few pin badges and programmes for my collection. Then into the ground to soak up the pre-match atmosphere. On this visit I was in the top tier of the main stand which gave me an elevated view into Lancashire, with Winter Hill transmitter on Rivington Moor framing the skyline to the North (extra).

Today’s main image comes from the pre-match banner display in the Gwladys Street End, including a large one for a key piece of our heritage: the Everton Toffee Lady.

I would love to be able to say that the game lived up to the experience, but apart from fifteen minutes at the end of the first half, we were poor and ended up being comfortably beaten 3-1 by visiting Fulham. After the game there was a mood of resignation among the fans - this really does look like it’s going to be the year we get relegated for the first time since 1951.

Two final extras: one setting the context for the views inside and out of the ground, the other revelling in the numbers on the upper tier wooden seats.

For a view from the tier below me, check out @Rathmandu’s  entry.