On Saturday morning, the footballing community paid tribute to Everton’s greatest ever manager and one of the greatest players ever to put on the Royal Blue Jersey, Howard Kendall.
Kendall’s love affair started with the Blues back in 1967, when Harry Catterick signed him from Preston North End. The signing by Catterick turned out to be a stroke of genius as he formed a formidable midfield trio that tore apart many a defence.
That trio was called The Holy Trinity. The trio was made up of the redheaded dynamo Alan Ball, Colin Harvey and the man of the moment, Sir Howard. I myself am very thankful for the Holy Trinity becoming a force to be reckoned with as if it wasn’t for them, I would not be an Evertonian.
When my Grandad set foot in Liverpool back in the 60’s from Italy to start a new life, he was asked by a few people if he is going to live here he needed to support a team, so he went to a Derby and was amazed by the football the School of Science provided along with the Holy Trinity, so he chose the blue half of Merseyside (Thankfully).
Kendall’s career at Everton was one of great success where he helped propel the Blues to a league title win in the 1969/70 season and also picked up an FA Cup runners up medal. He made 277 appearances and scored 30 goals.After leaving the Blues in 1974 he played for Birmingham City, Stoke City and Blackburn Rovers, but in 1981, he was offered a route back to Goodison.
Under Kendall his 1st reign in the 80’s for the Blues was one of great success where 2 League titles, 1 FA Cup and 1 European triumph in the way of a European Cup Winners Cup were won. When he took over Everton in 1981 for his first stint, Everton had gone 11 years without a trophy. The first few seasons for Kendall were one of great disappointment and stress as the Blues failed to make a claim for silverware.
That all changed in the 1983/84 season and Howard’s third as Everton boss. It was now 13 going on 14 years since Everton last won a trophy and the pressure was mounting on Kendall, the fans were tired of finishing 7th and 8th and wanted something to shout about. Up stepped Adrian Heath, if it wasn’t for Inchy’s goal in a cup tie against Oxford, Kendall’s head could well have been up for the chop. After that Cup tie there was no looking back, the Blues reached the League Cup and FA Cup final, winning the latter against Watford. It was the Toffees’ first silverware in 14 years, if the fans were on cloud nine already nothing could prepare them for the next season.
The 1984/85 season was undoubtedly Everton’s greatest ever season, not only were they bulldozing every team in their way to win their first League title for 15 years, they won their first ever European trophy in the form of the European Cup Winners Cup. If it wasn’t for a quick 3 day turn around for the FA Cup, the Clubs first treble could’ve been on the cards, alas, it didn’t happen as Manchester United won 1-0 at the Old Wembley. Soon after, disaster struck English football, as English teams weren’t allowed to enter European competitions after the Heysel disaster. This was the killer blow for Kendall, who left for Athletic Bilbao.
After a few seasons at Bilbao and a year at Manchester City, Kendall returned to his spiritual home for the second time in 1990. The 90’s was a completely different decade for the Blues as title challenges were replaced by mid-table finishes and sometimes relegation battles, his second stint wasn’t as successful as his first with nothing really to note apart from the 4-4 Derby game in the Cup, Kendall left the club by mutual consent in 1994.
He came back to Goodison for the third time in the 1997/98 season to help Everton survive relegation by the skin of their teeth. After leaving for the third and final time Everton was always in his heart and he regularly adjourned to Goodison, he was more than just a great manager and player for Everton he was a humble man with good humour, I witnessed his great humour two years ago and it’s something I will never forget.
When the news of his death broke on Saturday morning many Evertonians were heartbroken and shocked to hear the news, the atmosphere at the game on Saturday matched the mood of the fans, dark and bleak but just like the death of Alan Ball let’s hope it spurs the team onto success and hopefully a trophy. Howard Kendall’s Blue and White Army will never be forgotten.
