Goodison roar drags Everton players over the finish line once again

W hether winning a title or securing safety, the moment the historic goal hits the back of the net provides the same feeling. Abdoulaye Doucouré thrashed the ball in here to test the foundations of the antiquated Goodison Park. Every second of the past two seasons of Everton struggle was forgotten, replaced with the glorious ecstasy of being a football fan without worries or concerns.

These days of toil are painful for supporters, who endure every emotion, from despair to unparalleled jubilation. For those decked in blue at Goodison, survival means everything; football is their joy, their time away from what life throws at you and they will be thankful to Doucouré for ensuring their summer is not spent mourning a first relegation since 1951. The players did not let down the fans; every single one put everything into the game for Everton, buoyed by unrelenting support.

Football fans are the backbone of the sport, whether certain club hierarchies think so or not. The TV coverage would have been nothing without the vociferous Goodison Park atmosphere or the panning to those biting nails or looking on with fear. Sometimes football can seem sterilised when witnessed through a shiny flatscreen, missing the nuance of what happens in the stands. But there was no chance the support could be glossed over here.

Hours before kick-off, the streets around Goodison Park were a sea of fans and the air was thick with blue smoke from pyrotechnics. The smell of flares masked the apprehension felt by those who entered to celebrate the warmup, cheer Sean Dyche after a TV interview and roar the entire back catalogue of chants in the hope it would inspire a team without a recognised striker.

Few left their seats before half-time for a pint