When he asked her to marry him she had no idea how 'unconventional' their wedding day would be

The first couple to get married at Goodison Park are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary this year.

Aly and Del Thornton from Maghull got married in the stadium on June 19, 1999. A few months before the wedding, Blues fan Del spotted an advert "squirreled away in the corner of the the Evertonian magazine" and asked his then-fiancée if she would be up for an unconventional wedding venue.

Aly, 57, who was a Liverpool fan when she was growing up, but has since been converted into a Blue, didn't take too much persuading, according to her husband.

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Speaking to the ECHO, Del, 55, said: "I told Aly about it and she said, okay, let's do it - so long as I can leave all the planning to you!" He added: "It seemed a bit more interesting than doing it in a registry office, so I got in touch with the club about it."

However, it wasn't the lowkey event the couple were expecting. Del said: "Because we were the first couple to get married there, we had a lot of media interest. We had the ECHO come over to take photos and ended up in the paper. So much for a lowkey wedding!"

Del described the wedding ceremony, which was held in the Dixie Dean Platinum Suite, as "absolutely amazing". He said: "Getting married is such a great day anyway, but it was just amazing at Goodison. It was quite surreal really. It's the only time I've been there without tens of thousands of other supporters."

According to Del, the club made a real fuss of the happy couple on the day itself and in the months afterwards. He said: "The club did all the flowers and decorations for the wedding day and we managed to get pitch side for photos.

"Because we were the first couple to get married there, they gave us two home and away shirts signed by the squad and got them framed for us."

At a home game the following season, Everton legend Dave Hickson presented them with the shirts on the pitch and the couple were treated to a hospitality match at the stadium.

25 years on, the couple are still going strong. Asked for the secret to a long and happy marriage, Dave told the ECHO: "It's letting each other be yourselves and making each another laugh, which is what we do every day."

Del is still a hardcore Toffee, of course. He has been attending Everton games since the 1977 season and now goes to home games at Goodison with his family. Del said: "Seven of us sit together in a row at Goodison."

Everton's move from Goodison is going to be a bittersweet moment for Del. He said: "Now we're coming into the last ever season at Goodison, it's all become real. I know something needs to be done and I am excited about us going to Bramley Moore, but there is that sadness there too.

"The place we got married is going to be levelled and won't be there anymore. I'm just glad our 25 year anniversary happened before the move to the new stadium so we could properly celebrate."

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