It was shortly after 6.30pm when Morgan Feeney allowed himself to relax and reflect on what had been the perfect day.
It could have, however, been anything but perfect. First, there was the small matter of a play-off final at Wembley, and then his boyhood club started their battle to avoid the unthinkable.
Sunday, May 29, was always going to be a date that Feeney would never forget. But whether he would get the perfect outcome was firmly up in the air.
Feeney departed Everton during the summer of 2020 after over 10 years at the club, but his love for the Blues is still as strong now as it was then.
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Born in Litherland into a family of half Evertonians and half Liverpudlians, it was always Royal Blue for the defender, and until recently he had a season ticket in the Gwladys Street.
He now plays for Carlisle United, who, just like Everton, were in their own end-of-season battle. But unlike the Blues, Paul Simpson’s side were in a battle for promotion rather than relegation.
Automatic promotion had been on the minds of Feeney and his team-mates until a defeat to Salford City meant the play-offs beckoned. So now not only was a place in League One on offer, but a trip to Wembley and the chance to play at the home of English football was also on the table.
"It wasn’t until late because we kept it quiet, but we always thought that automatic could be an option," Feeney recalls to the ECHO. "It is what we wanted at the start of the year, but we never said that in public for obvious reasons.
"We still planned up until the Salford game that we could have gone up at Sutton, but we were relying on other results and things like that. It was always going to be tough.
"But once we got to the Salford game and we got beat, we knew that it probably wasn’t going to be an option, but again, when it did become the play-offs, we backed ourselves all the way."
But as his side battled to secure a place in League One, they had to do so without Feeney. A hamstring injury picked up against Leyton Orient brought a premature end to his campaign at the start of April.
After being beaten by Bradford City in the first-leg of their play-off semi-final, Carlisle booked their place at Wembley with a 3-1 extra-time win at Brunton Park.
"We spoke about this afterwards," Feeney recalls to the ECHO. "To be going into the semi-final second-leg one down, we knew we needed a comeback, so it was always going to be more exciting for the fans.
"What a day that was! One of the best days of my football career, even though I wasn’t playing the game. To come back, all the fans on the pitch, it was incredible!"
But that incredible day in Cumbria meant a Bank Holiday Sunday showdown with Stockport County now beckoned. On the same day, the club Feeney grew up supporting would be battling for their Premier League lives.
After Everton’s draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leeds United’s defeat to West Ham United, and Leicester City’s draw with Newcastle United, Sean Dyche’s side knew a win over Bournemouth at Goodison Park would preserve their top-flight status.
But first up was Carlisle's clash against Stockport. With Feeney watching on from the sidelines, the game went all the way to the death. Over 120 minutes of action couldn’t separate the two sides, so penalties were required after the match finished 1-1.
Carlisle took five perfect spot-kicks, while Ryan Rydel's crucial miss with Stockport's second meant it was the Cumbrians who prevailed. Part one of the day was complete.
But no sooner had Feeney climbed the famous steps at Wembley and lifted the League 2 play-off trophy, the action was underway at Goodison.
"I was conscious of the game," he says when asked what he was thinking ahead of Everton's match. "I think as our game finished, it was very close to kick-off, but I made it clear to all the lads that I don’t want to know.
"My family and friends as well. They were all celebrating my achievement with Carlisle, and then the focus turned to Everton.
"I didn’t want anyone to tell me because I just knew I couldn’t get involved with it because my emotions would be all over the place.
"But someone still told me that it was 0-0 at half-time so at that point I said I still don’t want to know because I can’t cope with it."
Level at the break, Everton found themselves heading for the Sky Bet Championship as Leicester were beating West Ham United at the King Power. But just before the hour mark, Goodison erupted.
After Barry Horne in 1994 and Gareth Farrelly four years later, it was another midfielder, Abdoulaye Doucoure, who scored the goal to keep his side in the Premier League. His powerful right-foot finish from 20 yards was enough to secure the three points needed.
The brief moment of joy and relief at full-time did not disguise the ill-feeling some Blues supporters still have about the running of their club. But over on the Carlisle team bus, it was party time.
"We were on the bus going back to the hotel, and it was all singing and going mad, and I just looked at my phone for the first time, and the notification had dropped saying 1-0 full-time," Feeney reveals.
"I just went mental when I saw it. I shushed the bus and told everyone Everton had stayed up, and half the lads weren’t bothered, and half of them cheered. I was elated, and it was a double celebration for me then.
"It was a day of potential double trouble for me and the family. Luckily, though, I won first and foremost, and then luckily, Everton got the win as well, which was massive.
"On paper, I couldn’t have asked for a better day. But it was just absolute relief when I found out the Everton score."
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