Neville Southall: My heart will always be at Goodison - but we just have to leave

Nov 29 2007 by Chris Beesley, Liverpool Daily Post

A DECADE on from his final game at Goodison Park, Neville Southall admits with a heavy heart that Everton have to leave their home for the past 115 years if they’re to reclaim their place among English football’s elite.

Everton record-breaker Southall, played and won more games at Goodison than any other player so the famous ground dubbed ‘The Grand Old Lady’ holds many fond memories for him.

But 10 years ago today after he turned out in front of Everton’s fans for the last time, the former Welsh international goalkeeper believes it is now time to move on.

He said: “I would hate to see them leave Goodison but if you take the emotion out of the issue where do people want the club to be?

“The only way that you’re going to get more money in is by moving to a new stadium.

“I hate that because I wish they could expand Goodison and make it a massive stadium.

“My feelings for the club will always remain at Goodison wherever it goes but money and realism say you have to move.”

Everton are currently pressing ahead with plans to build a new 50,000 stadium in Kirkby and although Southall concedes that leaving Goodison is a financial necessity, he would like to see some elements of their long-time home taken with them.

He said: “It’s a shame they have to leave. I’d like it if they could somehow incorporate a part of Goodison into the new stadium.

“Maybe they could keep the Gwladys Street as it is and move it lock, stock and barrel!

“Everybody likes the way Goodison is in that you know where everything is and it’s all really friendly – it’s like going to see your Uncle – everyone is comfortable with how things are.

“People are frightened of change which is natural but at the end of the day Everton are going to move and they have to do because of the cash.”

During the peak of his powers in the mid 1980s, Southall was widely regarded as the world’s best and the British Isles boasted other goalkeeping greats such as Peter Shilton and Pat Jennings.

Everton’s goalkeeping responsibilities currently rest on the shoulders of American Tim Howard after Englishmen Paul Gerrard, Steve Simonsen, Richard Wright and Nigel Martyn filled the number one spot at the club with varying success following the former Welsh international’s departure.

The standard of English goalkeeping is currently seen as being at an all-time low and just six Premier League clubs – Aston Villa (Scott Carson), Derby County (Stephen Bywater), Portsmouth (David James), Tottenham Hotspur (Paul Robinson), West Ham United (Robert Green), Wigan Athletic (Chris Kirkland) – have Englishmen as their regular first-choice keeper.

Southall said: “If you’re English and play in goal for a Premier League club then you’re automatically one of the top six keepers for your country because there isn’t anyone else.

“Scotland have got one with Craig Gordon, Ireland one with Shay Given and Northern Ireland one with Maik Taylor.

“It’s even worse for Wales because we haven’t got one.

“That’s a massive problem for the home nations.