As Goodison Park prepares to host its last Merseyside derby, Merseysportlive sat down with former Everton stadium announcer Graeme White to discuss his derby day memories.
Graeme White dedicated 29 years of his life to Everton Football Club. A lifelong Blue from the Wirral, Graeme started out in 1995 as the club’s first official commentator for Radio Everton and worked in a variety of roles for the Toffees in the proceeding years.
But Graeme is best known as the voice of Goodison Park.
The 50-year-old was Everton’s stadium announcer between 2015 and 2024 and became well-known amongst the Blues for his distinctive delivery of team sheets, goals and more. Many will have spotted him on matchdays perched on his desk which sits wedged between the two dugouts.
Graeme’s passion for Everton precedes his professional associations with the club and his football journey started like so many others on Merseyside.
“I was born in 1974. My dad was an Everton fan. Obviously, I was influenced by my dad’s passion. He used to go the match and so did I.
“I never ever considered Liverpool. Everton was my team.
“You picked your team and you were either a red or a blue. I think I chose the right colour.”
Graeme’s certainty may seem more surprising when you consider that his earliest memory of a Merseyside derby was so traumatic. Though he struggles to remember his very first game at Goodison Park, he always remembers the 5-0 drubbing to Liverpool in 1982.
“But thanks for reminding me of very bad memories, especially two days before the next one,” Graeme quipped.
It’s one thing to watch these clashes from the terraces but to cover them in a professional capacity can be even more difficult as you try to hide your emotions.
During his spell as stadium announcer, Graeme was like every Evertonian on matchday and Merseyside derbies were no different.
The fear of losing the claim to bragging rights and being forced into hiding after a loss was always in the back of his mind.
“Usually when I announced the teams, I didn’t really suffer with nerves. It was a job which I was privileged to do.
“But when the Derby came along, I used to have shaky legs. Shaky hands. The nerves kicked in. Because I know what it meant.
“It wasn’t Crystal Palace running out of Goodison Park or Wolverhampton Wanderers. It was Liverpool, you know, you had all the bantering, the build up to the game with friends.
“I know what it means to Evertonians. I am one. I have been one and will still be one. So, the most nerve-wracking thing ever was announcing the teams at the Merseyside derby because trust me, you just want your team to win. You don’t want your team to lose.”
Announcing Sadio Mane’s late winner for Liverpool in 2016 was a particularly difficult one for the Evertonian. So difficult in fact that Graeme lists it as his “worst” derby day memory at Goodison Park.
“I think it was about two or three days before Christmas.
“But when I had to announce, ‘goal scorer for Liverpool, Sadio Mane,’ it was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to announce because that ruined my Christmas.”
Fortunately, Graeme did experience one victory over the “old enemy,” as he calls them, during his time at Goodison, and it just so happens to be one of the sweetest.
Everton’s 2-0 victory over the Reds last April all but ended their bitter rivals’ hopes of giving manager Jurgen Klopp the dream send-off after nine successful years at the helm.
Graeme recalls the game like it happened yesterday.
“Last season’s win was really special. I’d finished the London Marathon on the Sunday, so my first ever marathon.
“And then on the Wednesday with sore legs, I sat in the dugout and was able to watch Everton beat Liverpool.
“And doing the Dominic Calvert-Lewin goal announcement was so special because you knew you’d won the game then as it was late on in the second half. It was two nil and you were like, yeah, we’ve beaten Liverpool for the first time in 15 years or whatever it was.”
Finally, Graeme had the opportunity to express more positive emotions on a Merseyside derby night at Goodison Park.
“I did celebrate last year’s win like there was no tomorrow in the dugout where I used to sit. I was behind the Everton badge. So, I punched the air like everyone else did in the ground that night.
“I would say it was an accumulation of many years of being an Evertonian, working for them and actually being the stadium announcer and being able to announce to Goodison Park on the final whistle, Everton two Liverpool nil, was pretty special. Very special in fact.”
The long wait for a win at home in this fixture was just one reason the game stands out as Graeme’s favourite derby at Goodison Park. As a Liverpool fan myself, Graeme takes great satisfaction in singing the other reason to me.
“You lost the league, at Goodison Park. You lost the league, at Goodison Park,” he grinned.
It’s exactly that kind of atmosphere that Graeme will miss the most about derby days at Goodison Park, although he is certain that moving to a bigger home in Bramley Moore will change their fortunes.
He said: “I think the one thing that will stay with me is the atmosphere. The noise – I’ve been to big rugby league games; I’ve been to big football games – I’ve never heard noise like I’ve heard inside Goodison Park on a match day.
“The noise level inside Goodison Park on a Merseyside derby is the loudest I’ve heard and the noise level when you actually beat the old enemy. Wow.
“I’ve got a video on my phone which I took of the whole of Goodison Park singing and it was rocking [after the 2-0 win over Liverpool in April 2024].
“And I mean rocking. You know, it’s an old stadium. And when everyone’s up and moving, singing, you know, jumping around. You can feel the place move.”
Unfortunately for Graeme, that night in April might have been his last chance to hear the Grand Old Lady roar in a Merseyside derby as his 29-year association with Everton came to a close at the end of the 23/24 season.
Although he admits he would have loved to have announced the final line-up in a Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, Graeme is satisfied as someone who has “lived the dream.”
“I’ve lived what thousands of people would love to do and announced the goal scorers and the teams at Goodison and I have been part of so many football fans’ matchday experience.
“When I left, people said you’ve been part of my kid’s life growing up and going to Goodison which is nice.”
The last Merseyside derby at Goodison Park may end up being the first without Graeme in the attendance for thirty years.
Still trying to secure a ticket for the 112th and final Merseyside derby on Wednesday night, Graeme is hopeful of finding one, although time is running out.
Whether he gets to attend or not, Graeme’s voice will forever remain synonymous with derby days at Goodison Park.
Featured image courtesy of Graeme White
