Everton fans flock to Goodison Park with blue flares to welcome their players ahead of their big game against Newcastle… as the Toffees aim to break out of the Premier League relegation zone
- Everton players have been coming to Goodison Park individually lately
- However, Sean Dyche chose to have his team arrive by coach for tonight’s game
- He hopes Everton fans can make a difference just like last season
Everton players arrived at Goodison Park in a raucous mood ahead of their crucial Premier League clash with Newcastle.
Since the appointment of Sean Dyche, the Toffees have typically arrived individually at the stadium ahead of their matches.
However, Dyche decided that the players would arrive through the team coach for tonight’s game, following the positive impact it had as Everton struggled to survive the fall under Frank Lampard last season.
Everton arrive two points outside the relegation zone in their game against Newcastle, but their players should be feeling pumped up for the tough game against the high-flying Magpies after witnessing the scenes outside their home ground.
The team coach arrived in a sea of blue smoke, with fans lining up to cheer on their players – with fans beating the team bus as it drove past chanting ‘Everton’.
Everton players arrived by bus at Goodison Park on Thursday in a raucous atmosphere
The Toffees have recently arrived individually at Goodison Park, but Sean Dyche opted to arrive as a collective ahead of tonight’s massive game against Newcastle.
Dyche made the switch, realizing that Everton fans played a part in keeping them in the Premier League last season
An Everton fan page posted a video of the coach’s arrival with the caption: ‘The best fans in the world and there’s no doubt about it.’
It was reminiscent of Everton’s last three home games of last season, where thousands of fans arrived early and took to the streets to produce incredible scenes as Lampard and his team arrived.
The supporters’ work was one of the main reasons why Everton survived last season and finished four points above the relegation zone.
Like last season, tonight’s scenes saw Everton fans set off smoke flares, with some flags waving as they cheered on the players.
A win for Everton tonight would take them out of the drop zone at the expense of Leeds United.
Asked about the change yesterday, Dyche said: ‘All Evertonians, not just those who come into the stadium, know how important this series of games is.
“They are all important games, but of course this last series of games is important because of what it means.
Everton could move out of the relegation zone if they beat high-flying Newcastle tonight
A man plays the bagpipes outside the Winslow Hotel pub as Toffees fans blow smoke flares
“It (the coach’s welcome) was well documented last season and a number of fan groups have spoken about it this season and I have a huge amount of respect for them from what I’ve seen and heard from the fans since I’ve been here.
“They wanted to play their part, if it can make a difference, and we want the team to play their part and make a difference.
“I think it helps to create an atmosphere, but the focus remains on the whistle blowing, because that alone can’t win the game, because you have to make sure you’re in the right frame of mind anyway.”