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| Welcome to Goodison! |
Finally, finally, I get to visit Goodison Park, a ground I’d always fancied visiting but never had the chance. And now the season was over for those lower-division no-marks (ie, my team), I could chalk off another ground with little effort. Well, that was the plan. Train tickets and match tickets bought, a mate and his son for company, what could go wrong? Well, I just don’t think me and Euston get on. Last time the ticket machine didn’t print my ticket and I had to argue with staff to let me onto a later train without extra payment, and an earlier jaunt involved me getting on the wrong train. (Note: never get the slow train to Watford. It is very, VERY slow).
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| Goodison's triple-decker, built way back in '71. |
This morning began with a #68 from Camberwell to Euston. No money on my Oystercard. Can I pay cash? No I can’t. (In the heat of battle it never occurred to me I can pay by ‘contactless’). Got off and got credit at the newsagents. Then stood as a couple of #45 buses to Kings X came and went. Coulda got on either and walked to Euston. Chose neither and completely forgot that Kingsway was shut down for roadworks. From setting off in plenty of time, it was now touch and go whether I’d make the 09:07 train. One detour later and I make it to Euston at 09:05. I sprint into the station (I already know what platform) and as I get to the top of the platform those f***ers known as Virgin have closed the gates. Turns out they do this with two minutes to go. Who knew? I leg it down an adjoining platform and cut across to platform 6. ‘YOU CAN’T DO THAT’ shouted a Virgin lackey as I made it to the train as the doors were being closed. Jumped on, jobs a good un.
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| Leitch's double-decker |
Met my mate and his son on the train and got to Liverpool in time to have a couple of beers near the station before the match. 2 pints and a diet coke, £4.40 (!!) Admittedly, the best you can say about the pub itself was that it had seen better days, but still. Spent what we saved on a taxi to the stadium and made it in just after kick-off.
I’d got a ticket in the Lower Gwladys, absolutely perfect. High enough for a decent view, low enough not to be behind supporting pillars. Looking around, it looked busy, despite the lunchtime kick-off (for TV). Not that it was a classic; Sunderland were fighting for their lives at the bottom, while Everton had little to play for beyond continuing their recent good run. As ever, at this stage of the season, effort won out over ability.
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| Where one stand meets another. |
Despite being penned in their own half and ‘enjoying’ 27% possession (yeah, I’ve checked) Sunderland took the lead with a jammy effort. A shot from the edge of the box was deflected in by Danny Graham for his first goal in 29 matches. How does a centre forward go 29 games without a goal? Surely standing in the 6 yard box for corners would bag you a couple in this period – unless you’re really s***. Their second goal was even luckier, a shot so bad it was heading for a throw-in being deflected in off Defoe. The gods were seriously with Sunderland today, and although Everton created little, they did hit the post (Jagielka?). Otherwise, in a subdued (home) atmosphere, the highlight was probably the baiting of their own substitute, Arouna Koné, who steadfastly refused to give the fans a wave, despite their ironic requests. I think he knows they don’t rate him.
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| Corrugated plastic blocking the view of the church. |
After the match, we walked back to the city centre, 3 miles or so, before having a beer in the Albert Dock. And one thing I would say about Liverpool city centre, it’s a hell of a lot better than it was when I was last there. I was almost disappointed.
Attendance: 38,246
The Damage:
£40 train
£34 travel
£3 prog
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| One man shows his colours... |
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| Behind the goal cameraman. |
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| The only Everton player who matters...John Stones. |
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| 'Meet up outside the blue house'. |
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| The lower Gwladys. |
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