In the fifth in his series of interviews with some of the unsung heroes working behind the scenes at Goodison Park, Joe Thomas speaks to Everton’s Head of Stadium Safety and Security, Dave Lewis.

There’s one thing guaranteed to cause a stir at Goodison Park in even the quietest break in the game. In fact, when Dave Lewis scans the stands, he often notices strange — and sometimes comical — reactions.

“Exercise Operation Goodison” raises a buzz of intrigue whenever it is announced over the Grand Old Lady’s PA system.

Season ticket holders and other regular match-goers may be familiar with the call to action for the club’s security staff and emergency services on duty, but each test is met with puzzled faces. If the match is shown live on TV, it also leads to a number of online searches for an explanation, judging by the increase in traffic to an overview on the ECHO website.

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For Dave, the twice-a-season ritual is of the utmost importance. As head of security and stadium safety officer, this is the time to assess the strength of Everton’s emergency planning.

“We have to test Exercise Operation Goodison,” he says while sitting with the ECHO in Park End. “The public address system will go off and on standby everyone will start thinking about what’s going to happen. Then we’ll push the button to start the drill and then it’s like, with nobody moving, we’re all doing what we would do in a stadium evacuation.

“All exit doors will open and we will communicate with the stewards. The police and traffic management will go to their positions and we check that everyone is doing what they should be and we close it again.”

Behind the scenes, the pitch is a hive of activity as almost 40,000 people watch the action on the pitch, providing the perfect cover for the training run.

Overseeing it is just one of the many responsibilities Dave has accumulated in the ten years since he moved to Everton from his former role in the police force. His experience leaves him well-placed to work with the myriad agencies involved in keeping supporters safe, including the counter-terror police who he works closely with, as all football clubs do.

Many of his other duties are equally fascinating and range from historic Goodison events to social media to multi-million pound homes. If a player receives abuse or threats on social media – an issue that is a relatively new phenomenon – Dave works with others to assess the extent of the problem and how best to address it.

When Everton travel, he is often there with the team to keep a close eye on events – including at Sligo Rovers during the Blues’ trip to Ireland in the summer. Seamus Coleman’s return to where it all began was an exciting and emotional affair and one that saw Dave rarely off duty as the legend of both clubs was so generous with his time. “You can’t stop him signing autographs,” reflected Dave, “he’s a fantastic ambassador for the club.”

Small things can make a big difference when it comes to safety, whether it’s fans, staff or players. For those who have the honor of wearing royal blue to work, Dave is a figure of sage advice about the real-world dangers that come with being a high-profile, high-paid figure.

He therefore sees it as his duty to work with others to ensure there is no naivety, which means players are regularly briefed on safety at home, which the club also helps with.

Dave, who also works closely with the other Premier League clubs in the North West to share information that might help, explained: “A lot of times it’s just making sure the systems they have in their properties are up to speed, their alarms are working and they know how to use them. We are working with security partners on this. I think it’s part of our mission to make sure that, as high net worth individuals, they have appropriate, state-of-the-art systems in place.”

Looking at the crowds at Goodison as he is now means that Everton’s journey is over. One of his earliest memories of his current job is sitting in the Park End when Colin Harvey sealed the title in a win over West Bromwich Albion in 1970.

He reflected: “We won 2-0 and won the league. That was my first memory – West Brom. I won’t tell you how old I was. How I got a ticket and who took me I don’t know. My uncle used to have a sweet shop at the top of Winslow Street and as I got a bit older and was on Gwladys Street I would sit there for half an hour, get some free sweets and a drink and come down. It was a long association.”

That partnership is now coming to an end and the safety and security measures at Everton’s new waterfront stadium are on Dave’s mind.

For now, he’s doing his best to enjoy life at his current job. Asked what makes Goodison so special, he said: “It’s what it is – it’s in the middle of an established community, it’s got supporters who live for Everton. Whenever I talk to people, their love for the club is off the scale. We have the church in the corner, stalls that have been here for a hundred years, past their sell-by date, but never been another and never will be. I will miss coming here.”