Everton v Brighton & Hove Albion

A Methodist chapel congregation sparked a club that would help found the Football League itself within a decade.

Founded as St Domingo FC in 1878 by the congregation of St Domingo Methodist New Connexion Chapel in the Everton district of Liverpool, the club adopted the name Everton the following year. They became one of the twelve founding members of the Football League in 1888, winning their first league title in 1891. A dispute over rent at Anfield led to a split in 1892; Everton moved across Stanley Park to a new ground at Mere Green Field, soon known as Goodison Park.

Goodison's opening months already featured the country's first two-tiered stand, setting a standard the ground would maintain for decades.

Everton played their first match at Goodison Park on 2 September 1892, a friendly against Bolton Wanderers. The ground quickly became one of the finest in the country. It was the first major football stadium in England to feature a two-tiered stand, and by the early 1900s it had established itself as a venue worthy of hosting international fixtures. Goodison would go on to host matches at the 1966 World Cup, including a legendary quarter-final between Portugal and North Korea.

Eighty years on the sidelines before the Seagulls finally joined Everton's world.

Brighton and Hove Albion were formed on 24 June 1901, initially playing at the County Ground before moving to the Goldstone Ground in Hove. The Seagulls spent their early decades in the Southern League and then the lower tiers of the Football League, a world away from Everton's top-flight existence. It would take the best part of 80 years before the two clubs regularly crossed paths in competitive football.

Brighton's 1979 promotion to the top flight brought early-80s encounters with Everton, a brief stay that peaked at the 1983 FA Cup Final before relegation ended it.

Under Alan Mullery, Brighton won promotion to the First Division in 1979 for the first time in their history. This brought regular fixtures against Everton, and the two sides met in the top flight during the early 1980s. Brighton's stay was brief but memorable; they reached the 1983 FA Cup Final against Manchester United before being relegated that same season. They would not return to the top division for over three decades.

Four trophies between 1984 and 1987 made Goodison Park the undisputed centre of English football.

While Brighton slipped into the lower leagues, Everton were enjoying the finest period in their history. Howard Kendall's side won the First Division title in 1985 and 1987, the FA Cup in 1984, and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1985. The Toffees were the dominant force in English football, with players like Neville Southall, Peter Reid, and Gary Lineker gracing Goodison Park. Nine league titles and five FA Cups form the backbone of a proud trophy cabinet.

Thirty-four years away from the top flight. Brighton were back, and Goodison Park was on the fixture list once more.

Chris Hughton guided Brighton to the Premier League in 2017, ending a 34-year absence from the top division. The Seagulls moved into the Amex Stadium (now the American Express Stadium) in Falmer in 2011, finally giving the club a permanent, modern home after years of ground-sharing and the Withdean Stadium. Their return to the Premier League meant regular trips to Goodison Park once more, and the fixture quickly became a competitive affair between two sides often occupying similar positions in the table.

Brighton reached the Europa League for the first time ever; Everton were fighting off relegation by points deduction.

The 2022-23 season saw the two clubs heading in starkly different directions. Under Roberto De Zerbi, Brighton finished sixth and qualified for the Europa League for the first time in their history. Everton, meanwhile, were deducted points in the 2023-24 season for breaching the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules, narrowly avoiding relegation. The contrast was sharp: Brighton had become one of the most admired clubs in European football for their recruitment and playing style, while Everton fought for survival.

133 years of Goodison history distilled into one final season; the clock is almost up.

The 2024-25 season marks Everton's final campaign at Goodison Park, their home for 133 years. The club will move to the new Everton Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock on Liverpool's waterfront, a 52,888-capacity arena that represents the most significant moment in the club's modern history. Every remaining fixture at Goodison carries added weight. For visiting supporters, this is the last chance to experience one of English football's most atmospheric and storied grounds.