Declan Rice responds to Jordan Pickford’s ‘lifetime’ Everton message
Jordan Pickford captained Everton to victory over Southampton in their last ever match at Goodison Park on Sunday.
Everton farewelled the Grand Old Lady with a routine 2-0 win over the rock-bottom Saints, to provide Goodison Park with the perfect send-off as 133 years in front of the Gladwys Street End come to a close.
The stadium will continue to be used by the Toffees after they confirmed that Everton Women will call Goodison home from next season onwards, and the final men’s match there provided a bittersweet end.
Iliman Ndiaye quickly put the result beyond doubt for David Moyes‘ side with a goal inside six minutes, and put Southampton to the sword again in first-half stoppage time to score his second in some style.
Jordan Pickford remembers ‘mega moments’ at Goodison Park
Pickford had very little to do in the first half of Everton’s comfortable win, with Southampton forced to wait until the 62nd minute for their first shot on target, and he captained the Blues for much of the game.
Seamus Coleman’s early withdrawal left Everton fans crestfallen as he handed the armband to Pickford within just 18 minutes of kick-off, in what could be the veteran Irishman’s last Everton appearance ever.
England number one Pickford could be Moyes’ choice to succeed Coleman as Toffees captain next term, and the 31-year-old posted on Instagram (19 May) with a message for Goodison and Everton’s fans.
Declan Rice and Everton team-mate Dwight McNeil both liked Pickford’s post, which read: “All the years and all the history. One last time Goodison Park. What a place it’s been for us Toffees!
“Mega moments and memories that will last me a lifetime, thank you everyone of you that has supported us, it’s taken us to places I could’ve never imagined.”
Pickford set for senior Everton role after new stadium move
Everton’s move across the city to the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Liverpool’s waterfront could prove transformational for their fortunes in the future, but so too will be the level of squad churn this summer.
Moyes faces a scenario with eight players out of contract and a further five loanees’ futures also up in the air, with Ashley Young, Asmir Begovic and Joao Virignia’s exits already confirmed by Everton.
Ever-present players when fit like McNeil and Pickford will soon have more responsibility than ever as they become senior players in a new-look squad, and Moyes could do much worse than give his number one the captain’s armband full-time.