Tony Hibbert has given the inside story of his goal against AEK Athens and revealed he ended up playing Sunday league football after leaving Everton.
The former right-back came through the club's academy and made his debut for the Blues first team in 2001 under Walter Smith.
The defender became a stalwart in the side after the arrival of David Moyes at Goodison Park, playing in the manager's first game in charge of the club and still being in the squad when the Scot left for Manchester United in 2013.
After famously never scoring a senior goal in his career, however, Hibbert bagged in his testimonial against AEK Athens in August 2012, drilling a low free-kick through the goalkeeper.
The strike sparked a pitch invasion from supporters who had made the defender a cult hero, with the saying "If Hibbert scores, we riot" appearing on a banner.
Speaking about the strike and its aftermath, Hibbert told the Official Everton Podcast that he had warned of a pitch invasion - before he was told to get on the tannoy and ask supporters to go back to their seats!
He said: "I think Moyesie even pulled me and they were saying I'd have to get on the mic...and I was like, 'No chance!'
"I was more or less saying that I told them this would happen, I was convinced and I knew the fans would get on the pitch. I knew they would.
"The t-shirts and the banners...you were saying they were allowed to do it! But people kept saying it would never happen.
"But it was crazy, AEK Athens weren't happy! It was one of those things. If I scored I knew they'd get on the pitch."
Some have speculated over whether the goal was meant to happen, but Hibbert revealed that there was no plans in place to manufacture a strike for him.
In fact, the defender made clear that the Blues manager was keen to use the match as a proper pre-season work out for his side.
"Nothing was planned," Hibbert confirmed.
"Moyesie wanted it as a good pre-season work out to get us fit, and that done my head in to be honest because come on, it's my testimonial and we're treating it as a fitness regime.
"He was going through set pieces and even said to Baines and Ossie to take it seriously. It was just like, 'Come on, give me a chance! The only time I'm going to get is this one now!'.
"It was only when we got the free kick and Baines was looking at me that I thought I might as well, it didn't bother me what Moyes was saying then.
"When it did happen, to be honest I think the ref helped me out a lot because Ossie literally threw one of their players out the way in the wall!
"It was special, but the fans were brilliant."
Hibbert left Everton at the end of the 2015/16 season and didn't play professional football for another club.
However, he did pop up in Sunday league football soon afterwards - revealing that he didn't really miss the Premier League as much as he thought he would initially.
"Not really now, I did a little bit and that's when I started playing for the Hare and Hound up in Skem.
"I started playing for them and I was enjoying it. I liked it, it was something different, it was a run about.
"Actual training and the playing I didn't really miss, I was also going the gym three times a week with Ossie [Leon Osman], Tony Bellew, Stubbsy [Alan Stubbs] - so the banter was there for all that and it was brilliant, absolutely brilliant.
"So I didn't really miss it that much because obviously I had that to look forward to. I thought I would have, but no.
"Ossie said he would as well, I think it was after a night of ale!
"But I thought I'd just do it, playing of a Sunday, and it was ok. It was good seeing the lads and playing, I'd grown up around Saturday and Sunday [League] with my dad so I was no stranger.
"There was a few scary moments, they're obviously a bit slower than I was so I had to jump out of a few challenges!
"I never ever got clobbered, it wasn't like that. It was a good laugh and a good run out every Sunday. And, to be honest, it helped because we were a good football team. I was really surprised, they were really good footballers and they liked to play football.
"So it was good, enjoyable. I think we won the league as well. The whole thing was brilliant, I really enjoyed it."
His usual habit from his Everton days followed him to his new club, however.
When asked if he bagged a goal for the Sunday League club, Hibbert remarked: "No, you're joking aren't you?!"
