Celebrating the traditions and rituals of fans that congregate around the ground before every home game.
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00:00I think it's one of the joys of English football, is the fan culture that we have.
00:05Focusing on Goodison's final season as the home of the Blues,
00:09Goodbye to Goodison at the Museum of Liverpool celebrates the traditions and rituals of fans
00:15that congregate around the ground before every home game.
00:19So I'm usually a communications and PR officer for the museum,
00:22but we have a staff submission process that we can get involved in.
00:26And I suggested Goodbye to Goodison as an idea, and here we are today.
00:32Through a series of photographs taken by fans,
00:34the display offers an intimate look at the match days around the ground.
00:39Avoiding the cacophony of noise inside the ground,
00:42the focus is instead on the pubs, chippies, streets and fans that give the grand old lady life.
00:49I wanted to make sure we got that local community element of what being an Everton fan is all about.
00:54It's myself and eight other photographers who are documenting the match they experience on a weekly basis, really.
01:00They do it anyway. If we weren't doing this, they'd be taking amazing photos.
01:04So it was just an opportunity to go, like, why aren't we harnessing this and, you know, making the most of it.
01:10We've got people who tell stories through the photos as well.
01:12That's something I'm hoping to capture with it.
01:14Home to Everton Football Club, since 1892, Goodison Park stands as a shining example of footballing tradition and heritage in the UK.
01:24But in 2025, the club embarks on a new chapter in its history as they move from Goodison Park to a state-of-the-art stadium on the banks of the River Mersey.
01:34It's something that has to happen and I think every Everton fan feels the same way in that.
01:38But it's such an amazing ground and so much history is built into it.
01:43And it's not just that it's a special ground as an Everton fan.
01:47I think it's a special ground for football, for English football, for World Football even.
01:53Goodison Park's been the proud home of Everton Football Club for more than 130 years,
01:58playing host to matches during the 1966 World Cup, including the semi-final and welcoming legends such as Pele and Eusebio,
02:08who once said it was the best ground he ever played at during his career.
02:11It's got that heritage and that history that really shines through the ground itself.
02:17And I'd be gutted to leave it, but I think it's something that's got to happen, really.
02:22From Gladys Street to Stanley Park, Goodbye to Goodison celebrates a Toffee's L4 home in its final season.
02:29It's on display at the Museum of Liverpool's Skylight Gallery until Sunday 21st of September.
02:35I think anyone who goes to a football game should get something out of this display.
02:41It's 18 photographs and so we've got one space for the final game, which is great fun.
02:47But I think in the photos we've got up at the moment, it is a traditional English football ground.
02:53If someone's never been to Goodison Park before, hopefully they'll get a feel of what it's like to be in the streets outside it on a match day.