Looking Ahead, Holding On: From the Streets of L4 to Bramley-Moore

As Everton approached their final matches of the 2024–25 season and the end of the 133-year Goodison Park era, David Moyes opened up about the emotion of returning to Merseyside—and the relief of steering the club away from relegation once again.

“I am really fortunate to be in a position to come and do this,” said Moyes before the Ipswich match on 3rd May. “I thought at one point this was never going to happen, and obviously there’s the chance to go to the new stadium as well. So we’re getting near the end [of Goodison] here.”

The brief from January was to make sure the club stayed up, and Moyes managed to do that in some style. Under his guidance, not only did the team secure safety—they did so with a resilience that’s been sorely missed in recent years.

“It feels good, because when I came back I was saying, ‘My goodness, the last thing I want is to be the man who takes the club down.’ I’ve been here a long time before—I didn’t want that on my CV. It would have lost the thing that I had at this club. So thankfully, we got ourselves in a good position.”

Everton currently (as of the beginning of May) sit within reach of 13th place—hardly a headline-grabbing finish, but in context, a significant achievement.

“Thirteenth is about the best we can do. Doesn’t sound great, but given how we started, it’d still be pretty good,” Moyes said. “Over the last few years, the strain and the pressure of having to stay up, and the way the club was—thank God we’ve got those difficult times over and done with.

“I hope those days are behind us. You always hope you’re never going to be in this position, but it’s just been too often for the club here. I’m hoping we can try and climb up the league. The form in the last three months has made us mid-table—maybe a bit above that. It’s a starting point, and it just shows you that the players can do it.”

With new owners, the Friedkin Group, now at the helm, there’s growing optimism that Everton can finally turn a corner—both on and off the pitch. But for David Moyes, the way forward isn’t simply about throwing money at the problem.

“The Friedkins have said that there will be money to spend,” said Moyes, acknowledging the financial backing promised by the new regime. “This club has had money to spend in recent years. In the past, part of it was that we didn’t have a great deal of money—and we actually built probably better and smarter.”

It’s a nod to great eras at Everton—ones Moyes himself contributed to, and of course the legendary Howard Kendall—when unity, hard work, and smart recruitment mattered more than transfer fees. Fans of the People’s Club will appreciate comments like these, which reflect an affinity with football’s more traditional values, in stark contrast to today’s corporate-driven game.

From a financial point of view, there’s no question that the club will benefit enormously from the move to Bramley-Moore Dock. The corporate opportunities are huge — state-of-the-art hospitality suites, modern facilities, and a matchday experience that will rival the best in the Premier League. Increased capacity means more fans can attend, more revenue can be generated, and Everton can start to operate on a level playing field with the giants of the modern game.

All of that makes sense on paper — and it’s exciting in many ways. But ask any true Evertonian, and they’ll tell you: it still hurts. No matter how impressive the new ground may be, part of us still wishes we could carry the essence of Goodison Park with us, brick by brick. That’s why it’s important to remember that — in our hearts — we can. It’s down to us to never forget our roots, and to re-create that raw, tight, thunderous atmosphere at the waterside. The history in the bricks. The memories in every corner. For generations, Goodison wasn’t just a stadium — it was part of our identity.

This move might secure the club’s future, but it’s impossible to leave the past behind without a heavy heart. We move forward — but we never forget where we’re coming from.

 

Tell your friends!

Refer them to this easy-to-remember address: evertontimes.com/goodison. This is an important historical document for future generations who will never know what Goodison Park was like unless we record the memories and pass them on through the generations.

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