Everton's Goodison Park Set For Emotional Last Merseyside Derby

Goodison Park, home of Everton since 1892, plays host to the Merseyside derby for the final time on Wednesday as the Toffees aim to derail Liverpool's Premier League title charge. Everton will move to a new state-of-the-art 53,000 capacity ground on Liverpool's Bramley Moore Dock next season when they finally leave behind England's first major football stadium. The origins of Goodison gave birth to the rivalry between the city's two clubs. Everton, formed in 1878, once called Anfield their home before a dispute over rent between their landlord John Houlding and the club's board.

Rather than meet Houlding's demands, Everton moved to new land just across Stanley Park little more than half a mile away.

Left with a stadium but no team, Houlding, a local businessman and politician, decided to form his own -- Liverpool.

Goodison was a ground-breaking development. It twice hosted the FA Cup final in 1894 and 1910 and allowed Everton to become the richest club in England at the time thanks to bumper crowds.

"Behold Goodison Park!" The Out of Doors publication reported in October 1892.

"No single picture could take in the entire scene the ground presents, it is so magnificently large."

A series of developments ensured it remained among England's leading stadia for over a century, playing host to more games than anywhere but Wembley during the Three Lions' World Cup triumph in 1966.

Everton's golden era arrived in the 1980s, winning two league titles, the FA Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup between 1984 and 1987.

They still sit fifth for most English top-flight titles, behind only Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City.

But the last of those came 38 years ago and Everton have not won a trophy since the 1995 FA