David Moyes insisted Everton must take the spirit of Goodison Park into their new stadium to build another era of success.
On a raucous and emotional afternoon, the home side gave a full house what they wanted with two goals by Iliman Ndiaye enough for them to beat Southampton in the final men’s game at the old stadium.
Moyes secured Everton’s Premier League status after replacing Sean Dyche in January, but wants the club to move on to bigger and better things when they move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium next season.
‘There is a feeling of a club coming back together after signs there was a real break-up between supporters and owners,’ he said.
‘We are all trying to get back in bed together, if I am allowed to say that! If we can take what he had today in the new stadium, we will all be really pleased. The scenes outside the stadium were incredible. It feels like a club that has needed some big days and can do some big things in the future. Let’s hope this is the start of it.’
The sound that greeted Ndiaye’s opening goal after six minutes was deafening and summed up the party atmosphere.
David Moyes insisted Everton must take the spirit of Goodison Park into their new stadium
Moyes wants to move on to bigger things when they move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium
‘I’d never heard a roar like that. It was amazing.’ said Ndiaye. ‘It is special to score the last goal here. It means a lot.
‘I wanted a hat-trick, but even with two goals I got the match ball from the referee!’
The only disappointment was captain Seamus Coleman limping off with a thigh injury after 18 minutes.
Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford took the armband and kept a clean sheet, saying: ‘We will go down in history as the last team to win at Goodison. That is what the manager asked of us. The fans have been brilliant.’