Having written a few pieces on Goodison Park over the course of the season I was delighted to read about Everton's plans for the famous old ground now that their fantastic new stadium is ready to roll.
Some years ago, when one of the previous schemes for a new home for the Toffees seemed to be coming to fruition, I penned an article, for a website called Square Football, hoping that Goodison could somehow be retained, almost as a living museum that would future generations an idea of how football grounds used to be.
It was a distant wish at the time, the reality of Everton's situation back then that the sale of the land was needed to fund the planned move but the idea of making Goodison the permanent home of Everton Women is, I think, one of the most uplifting pieces of football news I have heard in a long time, on so many levels.
First and foremost, with the modifications that are going to be made, it will become a regular, unique and, hopefully, affordable venue to watch top-flight football in, not too small but not too big either and capable of generating a great atmosphere.
Add into that the fact that football supporters can still get a sense of the famous old ground, it's position amongst a warren of streets and with real shops and pubs surrounding it (businesses who will hopefully still benefit) then it seems to be that rarest of things in the game, a commercially sound idea that also has positive community benefits.
