Everton, like happiness, is just a state of mind.

The day we’ve all been dreading ended up pretty much perfect. 

A moment of history we were absolutely privileged to be part of. Like those fellas years ago who used to tell everyone they were for the first game when the undersoil heating was installed. 

The weather obliged, as did Southampton – it genuinely felt like the League knew they owed us one and did the honours with the fixtures – and the walk up to the ground at the crack of dawn, past houses with Everton songs already blaring out, never once felt funereal, or indeed anything less than joyous.

For so long, getting up for a big occasion has involved the threat of relegation, so the occasions have always carried that undercurrent of anxiety and menace. This was something altogether different, with so many people surveying the scenes of celebration, shaking their head and murmuring, ‘Fucking hell. Imagine if we actually won something.’

Even the Waiting for Godot with the coach couldn’t dampen the excitement, and there was a spell, at about 10.30am, that will live forever in the memory of everyone who was lucky enough to be there. The intensity of the singing and the smoke and the glitterbombs and fireworks reached a fever pitch that was otherworldly. 

Just berserk.

Even Iliman Ndiaye’s goals were suitably ‘Everton stylish’ to sign off. Alan Ball, Alex Young or Trevor Steven would have been proud of them both. It also seemed fitting that the final one – ever – was a throwback finish missed by loads who were at the bar.

Everton that.

And we wouldn’t have it any other way.

The stuff at the end was good. You couldn’t hear any of the interviews but no one was really arsed. It wasn’t overly mawkish and the music was great. They got the tone spot on. Even the little choke in the trumpet version of Z Cars felt appropriate for the occasion.

And even typing about the violin makes you go wobbly, never mind having it snuck up on you the way it was, like some sort of emotional wedgie.

So it’s not the end. It’s just the start of the next phase and the making of new memories. 

Because as the song says.

We’re Everton.

And we’ll be Everton forever.