Everton
Former Everton midfielder Martin Dobson has shared a unique anecdote about the club’s dramatic escape from relegation on the final day of the 2022/23 Premier League season. As Everton faced the possibility of their first relegation in 72 years, Dobson recalled a moment of inspiration from an unlikely source: Bob Marley. The Blues secured their top-flight status with a crucial goal from Abdoulaye Doucoure, despite being in the bottom three at halftime.
Martin Dobson said: “It was a tough game for everybody wasn’t it? Everybody knew what the scenario was, Southampton were down and the last two places were between ourselves, Leicester and Leeds. But we knew if we won the game, nobody could catch us. It was a massive game and a lot of pressure on the manager and the players. I’ve got to be at Goodison three hours before the kick-off and I live in the Horwich area, near Bolton. I was at home, suited and booted, and I was listening to Smooth Radio.”
He continued: “I think I was in the Joe Mercer and the Alex Young lounges for that particular game. I went in and looked at the fans and they were all down. We came back in at half-time and they gave me a rocket because it was still nil-nil and Everton were going down. After the game, I saw Peter Reid and we both had a tear in our eye because we knew that the fans were so important on that day. We’d have not got over the line without them, it was just incredible.”
Dobson’s recollection highlights the tension and pressure that enveloped Goodison Park on that fateful day. With Everton’s Premier League status hanging by a thread, the atmosphere was electric, and the stakes were high. The fans played a pivotal role in lifting the team, providing unwavering support that Dobson believes was crucial to their survival. The full 20-episode series “Goodison Park: My Home,” created by Chris Beesley, captures these moments and is available on YouTube, commemorating Everton’s historic stadium move.
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