While much of Saturday was about looking to the future, there was one final glance at the Hill Dickinson Stadium as an Everton Legends side took on Roma Legends, immediately following the game between the senior teams.

“Legends” is perhaps a loose term, as simply pulling on the shirt a handful of times seemed enough to qualify. But that perhaps reflects Everton’s lack of truly great teams over the past 30 years.

Still, there was a warm feeling of nostalgia as a host of well-known former Toffees pulled on the royal blue shirt one more time. The likes of Tony Hibbert, Leighton Baines, Phil Jagielka, Andy Johnson, Gareth Barry, and Steven Pienaar were named in the starting XI, with Yakubu, Steven Naismith, and Oumar Niasse among the substitutes. Peter Reid was Toffees manager, while former AC Milan, England and Roma boss Fabio Capello was in the opposite dugout.

The pace of the game—played over two 25-minute halves—was understandably slower, and many in the crowd had either made their way home or headed to enjoy the new concourse bars.

One thing that stood out to me was how fit Leighton Baines still looked, especially his connection down the left with Steven Pienaar. His set-piece delivery also remains as deadly as ever. A left-wing corner from Baines found the head of Jagielka, who flicked the ball into the corner before launching into a spectacular (and risky) celebration, considering his age.

A raft of substitutions ensured every player had the chance to run out onto the new pitch, and it was two substitutes who combined for Everton’s second. Jose Baxter—once Everton’s youngest-ever player—squared the ball for Naismith to stab home from close range.

Jan Mucha, who made just 10 senior appearances for Everton, made a late save to preserve the clean sheet. Then came a surprise entrant from the dugout: Reid removed his manager’s tracksuit top to reveal an Everton shirt, bringing himself on at the age of 69—26 years after last wearing the shirt.

There were cheers every time he touched the ball, a show of recognition for perhaps the one player on the pitch who could truly be judged a legend based on his trophy haul.

The final whistle brought warm applause for a match that, while enjoyable, was very much secondary to the day itself—which was all about Everton’s new home and the beginning of a fresh chapter in the club’s 147-year history.