Wayne Rooney was one of the club greats that said on Sunday after the victory against Southampton in Everton's emotional farewell with Goodison Park.

Rooney was accompanied by fellow blue legends Peter Reid, Graeme Sharp and Duncan Ferguson and 60 other former players in a parade on the field that followed the brace of Iliman Ndiaye in a 2-0 win.

After supporters were well appreciated with Rooney's Association with Manchester United, he told them to a huge ovation: 'By the way, I am a scouser-a young boy from Crocky (Croxeth).

'Everton was the club I grew up with. I still love the club. I know we had ups and down. Hopefully we can bring history that we have had at Goodison Pak to the new stadium. '

Rooney was embraced by former teammate Duncan Ferguson and Parade-Gastheer boxer Tony Bellew while he spoke and there were more tears when Tim Cahill added a tribute to deceased chairman Bill Kenwright and said: “Bill will look down.”

Heroes in the 1980s Andy Gray and Peter Reid received some of the biggest cheers as they were announced.

Gray said: 'I thought I had seen everything in football until I came to Everton. The atmosphere here was something extraordinary. We may leave Goodison, but Goodison will never leave us. '

Earlier, thousands of Everton fans had turned out to greet the team's arrival and the players made their bit by cruising with two first half goals against the Bottom team of the Premier League.

Manager David Moyes said: 'The scenes outside the stadium were incredible. I made the point of the player we had to finish to finish the Goodison era.

“Although we were safe in the table, the pressure was still on them because of the occasion and because of all the greats who were looking at them.”

After 133 years at Goodison, the Everton men's team will start next season on a new site of the Waterside of Liverpool, which was called the Hill Dickinson Stadium this week. The ladies team will continue to play at Goodison.

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