It is all eyes on Southampton now, and it is a day I don’t really want to come. I know a better future should await at Everton Stadium but it is going to be so hard to leave the Old Lady.
Having had the privilege of playing for Everton I am lucky enough to be part of the celebrations on the day and it will be emotional. Sunday will be a massive day and the atmosphere will be special. I have been going there since I was four or five years old and I am both nervous and excited.
There is still a game taking place amid all of the fun of the Goodison Park farewell and I hope the players do not get lost in the occasion.
I remember games for Manchester City and PSV Eindhoven when the opposition were marking special events, their focus was elsewhere and we were able to take advantage. I do not want Southampton to be able to do that. The Saints have beaten us twice already this season, so we owe them one and I hope we can finish at Goodison on a high.
There is of course the added value of the three points should we overcome the already relegated side. The weekend results means there is a very real chance of finishing above both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur - if you had offered that before the season I would have taken it with both hands. The players need to be professional amid the spectacle the day will be and do what they can to ensure we end our 133-years at Goodison in the right way.
Abdoulaye Doucoure’s comments attracted a lot of attention last week and I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed. He is now 32 and a lot of football players that are approaching this stage of their career want to finish as high as they can.
Maybe Doucoure is in that situation because, while I am sure he will be able to find another club, realistically I think he will struggle to find one as big as Everton. He has been important and I can, to an extent, see where he is coming from. His comments do not quite sit right with me and some Everton supporters though as this is also a club that has stuck by him.
He has had tough moments at the club - I remember when he was struggling under Frank Lampard. But the manager change that followed was helpful to him and he became like a new player under Sean Dyche and he has produced some big moments.
As a player, it is a strange situation if one of your teammates goes public like that. It is difficult because it is often one of your friends and you want them to do well.
It can be unsettling for everyone though. How it goes down can often depend on where that football club is at the time. What you want to be thinking about is who is coming in - that is what gets players buzzing. For those set to stay at Everton, there should be plenty of that this summer.
Goodbye Goodison Park - Souvenir edition
Everton are soon set to say goodbye to Goodison Park as the Toffees play out their final few matches in their iconic home before moving to their incredible new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
And to celebrate this historic and poignant event, the ECHO has produced this stunning special souvenir edition that no fan can afford to be without as they bid farewell to their iconic and beloved home.
We have delved into the ECHO archives to unearth fascinating stories from the famous ground's past, including how it came to be built in 1892 and where its world-famous name came from.
Buy now and have it delivered directly to your door. Alternatively you can purchase in most supermarkets, high street retailers and independent newsagents on Merseyside from April 2, 2025.
You can also purchase Goodison's Greatest, our celebration of an era when Everton ruled English football. If you love Everton, you’ll just love this - order your copy today, simply click here!
And that's not all, also available is ParkLife, a a high quality, 312 page publication showcasing 133-years of Goodison history in pictures. Available here. Then there's Farewell to Goodison, celebrating 100 of the best moments at the Grand Old Lady, available to purchase now.
I was pleased to see that Angus Kinnear has now started his role as chief executive officer at the club. It is a big appointment and, while we have known it has been coming, hopefully it now allows for some important work to begin.
He has a lot of work to do and I welcome him to the club at the start of what is set to be a massive summer. From the squad overhaul to the move to the new stadium and everything else that will fall under his remit, he will be spinning a lot of plates - hopefully he can help Everton take advantage of the opportunity that faces the club at this historic time.
