Everton’s final season at Goodison has been recorded by nine photographers, Evertonians all
Now on display at the Museum of Liverpool until September 21, by which time Everton will have moved to their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, the Goodbye to Goodison exhibition showcases the work of nine photographers whose brief was to capture the atmosphere of match day at the venerable ground before it disappears.
To find out more about the show, on view every day of the Easter holiday weekend, Libero speaks to three contributors, including Goodbye to Goodison curator, Chris Wardle: “I had the initial idea as we have a great group of photographers around Goodison. But I was also keen to not focus on the ground itself, but more on the culture around it”.
“I think the joy of taking photos at the match is less in the bricks and mortar of the ground – although Goodison is still one of the best places for that – and instead in the people”.
“I’m always looking to capture a candid moment between friends at the game. Or those match-day rituals that people have. Queuing at the chippy, waiting for a mate outside the church.”
“As curator of an exhibition about the final season at Goodison, I definitely felt a certain pressure. It’s one of the reasons I brought the eight other photographers in, as I didn’t want it to just be MY match-day experience. It needed to be something that any Everton fan, or any football fan for that matter, can relate to. Hopefully it stirs some emotion in anyone who loves football and feels a little bit sad to lose one of English football’s most iconic grounds.”
“I’d like to thank the other photographers – Michael McAnaulty, Gary Lambert, James Shenton, Ste Currie, Brian Sayle, Laura Gates, Lewis Guy and Sarah Deboe – we’ve pulled together something that I’m really proud of with this display.”
Some of the most striking images come from Gary Lambert: “I’m an Evertonian and a photographer, and honestly these are the two most important things about me”.
“It wouldn’t matter if I was the Prime Minister, I would still be first and foremost an Evertonian and a photographer. Both of these things have contributed so much to my life. I’ve had met people, gained experiences and felt emotions that wouldn’t have been possible without my Dad first taking me to Goodison, or my Mum helping me buy my first DSLR. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to combine those twin loves over the last five years or so.”
“I’ve been watching Everton since I was three years old, so that’s over 40 years of going to games. It’s been a very interesting time with such highs deeply ingrained during my most formative years that it’s impossible to shake them off. We might have had more last-day rescues than titles since I’ve been going, but that won’t stop me being convinced every August that we are going to win the league.”
“My first game was against Stoke City in November 1984,” says Brian Sayle. “My Dad bought me a ticket for my 11th birthday, it was great timing as the side back then was very easy to fall in love with. We won 4-0 and it was life-changing.”
“My plan was to document the way the fan base looked when they went to Goodison, how they congregated, how they dressed, that kind of thing. There’s pressure on you pre-match as you only really have a small window to take photos, it’s not as easy as you might think. Photographing crowds can be a bit intimidating, we also lost a few opportunities because of bad weather. I had an idea of all the types of photos I wanted to get, and with three games left, I still haven’t got them all!”
There are also personal angles to each photographer’s particular approach. “This combination of Everton and photography has been really important to me,” says Gary, “because I am over five years sober. It has meant that I’ve enhanced my match-day routine without losing the elements of the day that I love”.
“I wouldn’t want to stop going to the pub every match because being with those people I’ve known for decades is part of the reason why my bond with Everton is so strong. However, having a wander with my camera every match day breaks up the time I spend sipping Coke.”
“I just started taking my camera to the match when Covid hit, and when we were able to go back to matches I carried on going. For the first one, Wolves at home in May 2021, I think I went through about four rolls of film documenting as much as I could of the day from meeting up with some friends outside my local to walking out into a beautiful setting sun on Gwladys Street after seeing a tear-jerking 1-0 win – thanks to a header from a corner at the Gwladys Street end.”
“I still have a photo from that day pinned up on the corkboard in my living room, which I use as my temporary gallery.”
“When I am snapping at the match, I rarely have anything in particular in mind. Usually my aim is create some art which will somehow generate a connection with Evertonians and make them think of their own relationship with Everton and going to the match. This is often in the form of abstract or more experimental styles of photography because I regularly want to take the time and date out of the equation. I like to create work that gives a sense of Evertonia.”
Chris explains the criteria when, “with a little help from my friends”, he went through the 200-300 images to arrive at a final 60: “It was always about a focus on the fans during the final season at Goodison. The rituals and routines, the places we as fans visit before a game and the people that make the ground special. We only have one photo from inside the stadium in fact! And that’s a lovely image that captures our fan group The 1878s setting up a flag display in the Gwaldys Street end”.
“For me,” says Gary, “there was no pressure with the concept of trying to preserve Goodison for posterity. It’s quite difficult for an artist to admit to the boundaries of their ego. However, there’s no way that I could think that my artwork could even compare to the gargantuan institution that is Everton”.
“Goodison will live on in the hearts and souls of all Evertonians – in tales of matches and moments which fathers pass on to their daughters, mothers pass on to their sons, and in the excited tales told by the first people taking future generations to the new stadium by the river. It is this folklore which will preserve Goodison and ensure that Evertonians have the same passion and beliefs at the new stadium.”
So, what next?
“We’re still working that bit out in all honesty!” admits Chris. “The physical photographs mounted on the Museum of Liverpool walls will be given to the photographers, or to those fans who feature in the images. I think we’ll sit down with all our photographers and look at how we can make sure this key element of Everton’s culture can be captured for the Museum’s collections. I’m also looking at how we can pull at book together, but there’s nothing to announce as yet.”
“I have a season ticket on the upper tier at Bramley-Moore,” says Brian, “but I’m still undecided if I will continue with match-day photography next season. Once this season ends I will be publishing a book with my favourite images from the final few years at Goodison, along with scans of my old tickets and other bits of Goodison-related memorabilia. That will keep me busy over the summer”.
“As an artist I am always creating,” says Gary. “I don’t leave the house without at least two cameras just in case something happens or I feel some kind of inspiration.”
“I have several photo projects on the go. I’m currently working alongside the likes of The Secret Circus and Sexquisite to capture their mind-blowing cabaret events, and Blast! with their wonderful monthly poetry nights at The Excelsior.”
“I’ll also have my own exhibition of Everton photography in Walton, as I did last summer, but for now we have this amazing collection of work in a magnificent building from a variety of Evertonian photographers to celebrate.”
Exhibition curator Chris likes to see the bigger picture: “I’m looking to shift some of my focus to non-league football around Merseyside. I don’t believe in second teams, but I enjoy a trip to see Marine from time to time. I want to capture more grassroots footy in Liverpool, too, because the quality of the amateur game in Liverpool is so high, but we’re losing teams and leagues far too often”.
Chris also sums up everyone’s feelings about next season: “I’ve been an Everton fan since I can remember. My first game was in March 1996. I can still recall that mixture of feelings of my first game. Goodison is a special place to all Evertonians”.
“I’ve got my ticket for the new stadium, so I’ll be there. I can’t wait to see it, but the pangs of sadness about leaving Goodison will remain. I may even stop off on my way to the first game.”
Goodbye to Goodison exhibition, Museum of Liverpool, Pier Head, Liverpool L3 1DG. Open All Easter weekend then Tue-Sun until Sept 21, 10am-5pm. Admission free, donations welcome.
