Thanks David.
Any redheads in your branch?

We have all been critical of the Club many times for many things.

To re-dress the balance a little, I have to say that the transition from the old stadium to the new has been superb.

The final game at Goodison was deeply emotional, a day that could be described by an unusual adjective for a football match - “lovely”.

There was plenty of trepidation around the move. There are still a few issues to be sorted out but on the whole it’s been great. The stadium is magnificent.

A special word for the stewards. There are many of them, I’ve found them to be ultra helpful and very good humoured.

Last Saturday I sat more centrally and closer to the pitch than usual, and the atmosphere was excellent. I’m sure the players can feel it.

Thoroughly enjoyed that, David. Hope to see more from you.

I loved the "These are shite" shout against the Arsenal invincible's. There's nothing like a bit of barbed Scouse humour to make you feel right at home when you've been away.

My all time favourite came from an arl fella at Stamford Bridge. We were getting hammered four or five nil and Phil Neville, who had been benched that day, decided to let the Evertonians know it wasnt his fault by warming up right in front of us.

This arl fella grabbed Neville's attention by shoutng "Hey Phil go back to the dug out and tell that clueless Ginger fucker that its ok to make a substitution".

Neville was about to trot off when the arl fella stopped him in in his tracks again "Oh and Phil ?... For fucks sake. Tell him to make sure its not you"

Cruel, but everyone around me was pissing themselves

Nice piece David. I also worried about the transition to a brand new stadium sanitising or at least diluting crowd humour - I needn’t have.

As an example, at the Spurs game when the 3rd goal went in, a shout from the row behind me in the silence after the Spurs supporters had stopped celebrating shouted:

‘I want me obscured view back!’

The funniest I heard at Goodison was in the 90s at some midweek fixture under the floodlights; turgid would be giving the performance too much credit.

A voice in front of me shouted ‘FFS someone turn the bleedin lights off’

With a reply from the back of the stand ‘Ay…do you mind, I’m trying to read here!’

You can change the building, but the family are still at home.

Someone needs to put all these tales in a book.

My own favourite, was a guy who shouted at an opposition player who decided to pick up a huge turf and stamp it back into place.

Hey Percy Thrower get on with the effin game !

Simply because I have nowhere else I want to post this;

I was at Marine today, to watch them advance in the FA Trophy at the expense of Stocksbridge Park Steels (Sheffield).

On-loan left back from the Blues, Idon Samuels-Smith, continues to play well for the Mariners.

George Newell, son of Mike, is in good form up front, following his excellent mid-week brace.

And a late substitution for the opposition was announced as Zac Jagielka, son of Jags. He is on loan from Hull City.

I’m beginning to feel old.

The new stadium really is impressive but even more so how quickly we’ve adopted it as “ home”. I was dead set against bringing over Z Cars and the siren and all the old songs as they were just another stick to beat us down as “living in the past”. But the new surroundings have brought them back to life and brought the crowd along with them as something familiar to connect the old to the new.

So it’s already “ our home” and will now be for many years to come. Goodison was great and maybe BMD will be too, the start suggests so.

Peter Mills (2). Spot on. I’m certainly with you! Stewards are really good and atmosphere is certainly an improvement. Shudder to think what our first “ memorable memory game” will be like - especially if it’s a night game!! UTFT !!

So pleased for you, Pete, a day to remember!

There been a few funny shouts from the crowd down the years but the one that immediately sprang to mind was when the smoking ban first came in and it came over the tanoy "You are reminded that smoking in all areas of the ground is now illegal. Anyone smoking will be ejected from the stadium" - someone near me in the Park End screamed - "Quick, someone give Hibbert a fag!"

Sid - good to hear from you. We were GUFF alumni at one stage. You’re much missed on The Graun these days.
I still haven’t been to HD yet and it’s really getting to me.

Lovely warm piece of writing David.

I think that I miss County Road and Goodison Road more than I miss The Old Lady, to be honest. That chilly walk up and down the Dock Road and the vicinity is no comparison. Nor am I a fan of being herded inside the walls into the Plaza.

But that must all dissipate after the first step into the ground.

Thanks for the Marine update Peter. Some really nice links there. I miss the magical walk up Coronation Road, not quite County Road but ...

Paul#12, It wasn’t a Marine update as such - I’m trying to comply with Lyndon’s wish to keep everything Everton related!

Chris Keher (10) That certainly gave me a ripe old chuckle…. Splendid fun from the terraces!!

Great article.
I remember a mate telling me years ago at a game v Arsenal, Pat Rice came to touchline and a wag shouted " hey Rice, your a puddin!"