A PRECOCIOUSLY talented teenager — figuring as such for Preston North End in the 1964 Wembley FA Cup final lost 3-2 to West Ham — Howard Kendall, whose death was announced yesterday, was arguably the best uncapped English player of his generation.
Born in the Co Durham village of Ryton, he spent another three seasons at Preston after that final before joining Everton. There the sturdily accomplished and constructive wing-half made more than 200 appearances and would form a famous midfield trio with Alan Ball and Colin Harvey. The First Division was won in season 1969-70 with a nine-point advantage over Leeds United.
He also played for Birmingham City, Stoke City and Blackburn Rovers, and would go on to win the league title twice as a resourceful Everton manager, of a team dedicated to good football, in 1984-5 and 1986-7, each time beating their city rivals, Liverpool, into second place, by margins of 13 and nine points respectively.
The bitter irony was that after they had beaten Rapid Vienna in Rotterdam 3-1 in the Cup Winners’ Cup final of 1985, they were denied as English champions the chance to take part in the subsequent European Cup, owing to the five-year ban on English teams playing in Europe after the Heysel disaster.
After his successful years at Everton, Kendall went on to manage Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City, Notts County and Sheffield United.
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“It is with great sadness that the club has learnt of the passing of Howard Kendall,” Everton announced on their website, without disclosing a cause of death. “The most successful manager in the history of the club and one of the greatest players to pull on the Everton jersey. He passed away in hospital in Southport this morning at the age of 69, surrounded by loved ones. The thoughts of everyone associated with the club are with Howard’s family at this difficult time and it would be appreciated if everyone could respect their request for privacy.”
Tributes to Kendall, who also managed Athletic Bilbao and the Greek clubs Xanthi and Ethnikos Piraeus, came from former Everton players such as Gary Lineker, Neville Southall and Kevin Sheedy, and many others in the world of football, reflecting the widespread affection and respect he was accorded.
“Saddened to hear that Howard Kendall has passed away,” Lineker said on Twitter. “Brilliantly managed the best club side I ever played for at Everton. Great bloke.”
Southall, one of Everton's most outstanding goalkeepers, tweeted: “A great manager, an even greater man. Whatever I did was solely down to him. Gentleman, friend, mentor. Will miss him. Gutted.”
Sheedy added: “So privileged to have played for Everton’s most successful manager. Absolutely devastated at this sad news. RIP boss.”
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And midfielder Don Hutchison said: "OMG tragic news that the Best Manager I've ever played for and my 2nd Dad has past away today. RIP Howard."
Peter Reid said simply: "Devastated. RIP Howard."
David Moyes, the former Everton manager, was "really saddened". He said: "He was someone I looked up to because of his achievements at Everton.
“He was a great manager and in my time at Everton he was always ready to give advice when it was needed. My thoughts are with his family. Undoubtedly, Howard will go down in Everton’s history as the finest manager to have worked at the club. He’ll be missed by everyone at Goodison and many throughout the game.”
Moyes, now managing Real Sociedad, added: “After matches I’d bump in to him on the stairs or in the corridor and we’d always have a talk about the game. He was always full of common sense and was someone who didn’t give his opinion in anything other than a supportive way. He never said ‘you should be doing this or doing that’. He knew the manager’s job is hard. That was one of his traits – you could talk to him as a football man.
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“When you bumped into Howard at functions you noted the respect people had for him. He had a great team of players, who played for their manager and respected him and that comes through when you talk to them about those days. He’ll be missed in Spain as well.”
The current Everton manager, Roberto Martinez, said: "When we were leaving pre-match it was really sad news ...Howard was such an iconic footballer of our football club and what he achieved as a manager will always be an inspiration for anyone who manages this football club.”
Tributes came from across the Merseyside football divide, with Liverpool's Kenny Dalglish tweeting: “Very, very sad news about Howard Kendall. Total respect for him as a player, manager and person. Fantastic character. Be sadly missed. A legend.”
Jamie Carragher, the former Liverpool defender, said: “RIP Howard Kendall, the greatest Everton manager there has been. He gave me some of my best football memories, especially in the 84-85 season.” And Robbie Fowler, the ex-Liverpool striker, said: "Terrible news regarding Howard Kendall, by far @Everton's greatest manager ...Top top man , will be missed.. #RIPHowardKendall."
The Labour MP Andy Burnham, who supports Everton, said: “Struggling with awful news that the finest manager in our history, the great Howard Kendall, has passed on. Thanks for the memories, Howard.”