By ALEX HORLOCK

PUBLISHED: 22:09 GMT, 17 September 2012 | UPDATED: 23:43 GMT, 17 September 2012

They were scenes that proved there are far more important things in life than football.

Before a ball had even been kicked between Newcastle and Everton at Goodison Park, the blue side of Liverpool had already shown their class.

In a moving show of solidarity, two mascots, one young girl in Everton blue and one small boy in the red of Liverpool, led the players on to the pitch.

Solidarity: The two mascots' numbers combined to read 96, the number of those who lost their lives in 1989

The Everton team linked arms to pay their respects and show support to the victims' families

As they emerged in front of the teams from the tunnel, the numbers on the back of the shirts became visible, the girl’s was the number 9, and the boy had the number 6.

This neat touch was, of course, implemented for Everton to show their support to the families of the 96 victims of the Hillsborough disaster.

The players and mascots assembled on the centre circle before The Hollies’ He Ain’t Heavy was belted out of the speakers accompanied by a photo collage of the 96 victims of the disaster.

The players, the staff, the officials and the fans inside the stadium, among them Trevor Hicks and Margaret Aspinall, applauded throughout the song as the faces of those who lost their lives in 1989 poignantly lingered on the screen.

Last week, an independent panel revealed that the police had attempted to blame the fans inside the stadium for the tragedy, which cost 96 lives and changed the landscape of football forever.

Rival support: Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson (right) and Mike Phelan were at the game

Everyone in the stadium applauded before the game began

Everton manager David Moyes expressed his support for the victims’ families in the form of strongly-worded, yet emotive, programme notes.

Moyes said: 'I, and everybody at Everton, stand alongside the families who have challenged the authorities over what has been proved a travesty.

‘I'm a football manager, a supporter and a father, and I applauded the families who continued to fight for the ones they loved. I believe everybody in the world of football will have been shocked by the wrongdoings surrounding Hillsborough which were exposed last week.

Solidarity: Last week it was revealed that the police had attempted to incorrectly blame the fans for the incident

Them too: Newcastle's players joined in before the match

‘As part of the football family, I, and everybody at Everton, stand alongside the families who for so long have challenged the authorities over what has now been proved a travesty. I am not only a football manager, I'm a football supporter and a father, and I applaud the families who continued to fight for the ones they loved.

‘The outcome was nothing short of disgraceful. We have all been brought up to believe and trust in authority. The authorities who were responsible for ensuring the safety of supporters that afternoon let themselves down, as have the government parties who have been in power since.
‘Praise must go to Andy Burnham and the families for getting disclosure.'