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Sir Philip Carter dies at 87
Everton life president Sir Philip Carter has died at the age of 87, the club have announced. In a statement, Everton said Carter died peacefully at home on Thursday morning after a short illness.
A boyhood Blue, Sir Philip Everton as a director in 1973, eventually becoming chairman in 1978 before going on to preside over the Toffees' golden age in the mid- to late-1980s.
During his time as chairman and under the guidance of Howard Kendall, with whom he famously kept faith in the face of calls for his dismissal, Everton won the League title in 1985 and 1987 and lifted the FA Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup.
Sir Philip also served as president of the Football League, was an FA vice-president and was integral to the formation of the Premier League in 1992 He relinquished his position as the Blues' chairman when Peter Johnson bought Everton but returned to the post in December 1998. He was made life president of the club by current Chairman Bill Kenwright in 2004.
Kenwright was effusive in his tribute to Carter following his passing today.
“Words cannot describe my feelings of loss primarily as a friend but also as an Evertonian," he said.
“Sir Philip was simply a giant... a great man, a great leader and the very best friend and colleague anyone could ask for. I never once met him without calling him Chairman. I never will.
“That title was his by right. He will always have a major place in our great club's history. To his wondrous Lady Rita and his family we send the deepest of condolences together with our undying love and gratitude for his life.”
Everton FC's tribute to Sir Philip Carter
The most successful Chairman in the history of Everton Football Club only goes some way to defining the impact Sir Philip Carter had at Goodison Park. But those trophies he helped deliver to fans of the Blues everywhere are just one aspect of the legacy created by a man who had a profound impact on the city of Liverpool and the game of football nationwide.
A hugely successful businessman before entering the footballing realm, the impact Sir Philip had on the game he loved is almost immeasurable. An understated gentleman who exuded class and dignity, he was never boastful of his achievements. But beyond his tireless endeavour for Everton, he also stands as one of the visionaries who helped transform the image of the game in this country.
Against a grim backdrop of recession, hooliganism, dwindling attendances and a European club ban, Sir Philip was one of the five men who instigated a process that would forever change the complexion of English football - the creation of the Premier League.
Now the world's most lucrative association football competition, without the input, vision and drive of Sir Philip, it may never have come into existence.
By the time the Premier League came into existence in 1992, Sir Philip - in his role as Everton Chairman - had already sealed two league titles, an FA Cup and a European trophy - not to mention defeats in the final of the Milk Cup and the FA Cup twice, plus another near miss in the league during what remains the most consistently successful spell the club had enjoyed since the 1930s.
That was an era when the young Philip Carter made his first visit to Goodison Park as a four year old, and sparked a lifelong love affair with the Toffees.
He was born in Glasgow in 1927 and the family moved to Lancashire when he was two years old. He attended Waterloo Grammar School, served as a pilot during the Second World War and joined Littlewoods as a 21-year-old in 1948. He progressed through the company joining the main board in 1965 and in 1976 he was installed as the Managing Director by Sir John Moores before retiring in 1983.
His first spell with Everton began in the 1970s when he joined the board of directors, becoming Vice-Chairman before being installed as Chairman in 1978.
The loyalty Carter famously showed to Kendall during the early years of his tenure as manager wasn't an isolated incident. It became a tenet of his chairmanship.
Everton broke their transfer record twice under Gordon Lee, Howard Kendall did so three times and Colin Harvey smashed the British transfer record to bring Tony Cottee to Goodison when Arsenal coveted his signature.
Even when Everton were incapable of such spending power, he switched the Club's bankers in 1982 to one that would sanction the £60,000 overdraft needed to purchase Peter Reid.
A diligent and tireless worker, at one stage Sir Philip was President of the Football League, a Vice President of the FA, Chairman of the Merseyside Tourism Board, Chairman of the Croxteth Trust, Chairman of the Empire Theatre Trust, and a member of the Merseyside Development Corporation - in addition to his Chairmanship of Everton.
He relinquished that role during the Peter Johnson era, but was asked to return by Bill Kenwright in December 1998 where he brought a calm assurance to club business following the turbulence of the Johnson era.
In June 2004, at the age of 78, he was made Life President of the club and in August 2008 he returned to the boardroom once again, more than three decades after his first appointment as a director.
It was fitting that in the summer of 2014 he should be presented with the Howard Kendall Award at the Club's end of season's awards evening.
Sir Philip Carter passed away on Thursday 23 April 2015.
Source: BBC Sport
Reader Comments (59)
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2 Posted 23/04/2015 at 14:03:48
3 Posted 23/04/2015 at 14:05:53
4 Posted 23/04/2015 at 14:14:04
5 Posted 23/04/2015 at 14:32:35
Rest in Peace.
6 Posted 23/04/2015 at 15:05:58
Blue till the end.
7 Posted 23/04/2015 at 15:28:28
8 Posted 23/04/2015 at 15:50:23
As others have said, he kept the faith with Kendall when others would have pulled the trigger, and so led the way to the greatest Everton team ever.
9 Posted 23/04/2015 at 15:56:12
10 Posted 23/04/2015 at 15:50:57
11 Posted 23/04/2015 at 16:41:53
And Nick E (10) grow up and get some perspective.
12 Posted 23/04/2015 at 16:44:59
13 Posted 23/04/2015 at 16:50:19
14 Posted 23/04/2015 at 16:51:17
15 Posted 23/04/2015 at 16:53:47
RIP Sir Philip Carter, a great man and a great Evertonian.
16 Posted 23/04/2015 at 17:34:00
ItÂ’s not an exaggeration to say that the result of him Â’standing by his manÂ’ gave me and many thousands of others blues, the happiest and proudest days of our lives.
His not caving in to ’Kendall out’ pressure, resulted in us seeing the most successful team in our history – a side that won trophies and could go anywhere fearing no-one.
This period of success would have been great for me at any age, but at 25 and earning decent money (and at the peak of my capacity to shift bevvy) the timing of it was perfect (talk about the stars aligning).
RIP
19 Posted 23/04/2015 at 18:05:40
20 Posted 23/04/2015 at 18:14:37
22 Posted 23/04/2015 at 18:22:16
24 Posted 23/04/2015 at 18:49:20
It is a defeatist song I hate but with this man... perhaps right.
Strangely was part of setting up PL. I think he regretted it ... and as an honest man he did say so once as he saw the nonsense it is.
The man is part of EFC and my history.
If ya know... perhaps the time for the song I hate?
26 Posted 23/04/2015 at 18:59:44
28 Posted 23/04/2015 at 19:06:14
But he was ours
29 Posted 23/04/2015 at 19:07:59
He will be missed. But am sure most Evertonians of a certain age will remember him for the good times he brought to the club and for the smiles and laughter he gave the fans.
30 Posted 23/04/2015 at 19:10:35
31 Posted 23/04/2015 at 19:44:25
32 Posted 23/04/2015 at 20:11:27
34 Posted 23/04/2015 at 20:22:26
35 Posted 23/04/2015 at 20:33:58
36 Posted 23/04/2015 at 20:39:23
Sincere sympathy to his family and friends.
RIP Sir....
39 Posted 23/04/2015 at 20:53:03
I remember being away at Preston years ago at a Moyes pre-season and it was baking hot. As usual they had totally underestimated the number of travelling blues so hadnÂ’t had enough outlets open for drinks, and those that were open were now empty.
Sir Philip came across to talk to the fans so I told him there were kids who were suffering in the heat. He simply said, "Oh thatÂ’s not good enough is it?" and appeared to wander off aimlessly.
Five minutes later a load of chilled water bottles came from the dugout for the kids and after 10 minutes the bars opened under the stand to serve drinks. All done with the minimum amount of fuss, which typified his approach to everything.
A good man and a good Evertonian.
40 Posted 23/04/2015 at 20:58:04
NIL SATIS NISI OPTIMUM
41 Posted 23/04/2015 at 21:15:58
I do wish we had more togetherness at times – something that gets slowly eroded when we lose another of the old-school. He typified the Everton family behind the scenes by all accounts.
44 Posted 23/04/2015 at 22:19:13
45 Posted 23/04/2015 at 22:35:38
I knew him quite well through business and you couldnÂ’t ask for a more principled gentleman.
Appointed to the EFC board by Sir John Moores due to his fantastic service for Littlewoods. A Merchant banker by profession who also did a lot for Merseyside and the Dock area development. He was the Brian Labone of his field. He also used to love flying.
A very sad loss. I am really saddened by this news.
46 Posted 23/04/2015 at 22:50:56
47 Posted 23/04/2015 at 21:58:41
48 Posted 23/04/2015 at 23:00:50
I will be always grateful to Sir Philip for what he did for the club I love and for the support he gave me and my family at the time of our most need.
49 Posted 23/04/2015 at 23:28:50
Thank you for all that you did for our club, Sir Phillip Carter.
50 Posted 23/04/2015 at 23:35:54
Sir Phillip was very much integral to our wonderful period of success, and should be remembered with great fondness by all who experienced those heady days.
51 Posted 23/04/2015 at 23:43:08
I donÂ’t know why I mention this, but there you go.
52 Posted 24/04/2015 at 00:40:12
53 Posted 24/04/2015 at 00:59:25
54 Posted 24/04/2015 at 03:31:38
And for any who regret the creation of the Premier League (and I do), the reality is that the alternative would be for English clubs to become irrelevant... just look at Ajax, Anderlecht, Flamenco, Boca Juniors and Rangers.
RIP Sir Philip. Truly saddened by the news. I never met him but did shout "Sir Philip" when I saw him at Wembley in 2009 after we beat Man Utd in the FA Cup Semi-Final.
55 Posted 24/04/2015 at 10:44:57
56 Posted 24/04/2015 at 11:32:54
I was thinking about what the top flight would have looked like had English football not taking the lead.
It would be something much like the Championship is today. Perhaps the best English players would be abroad and our better teams on par with say the best in Holland or Portugal.
Not every time someone passes is it right only to give messages of condolence. It's a website. The internet is a dispassionate place. Reviewing their time in power is entirely appropriate. Before internet Everton was only something I could follow on MotD or page 302 (Hello kids!) so my knowledge on anything behind scenes pre Kenwright is minimal.
57 Posted 24/04/2015 at 12:09:12
It's easy to forget how positive Johnson was when he first took over. Tranmere were doing quite well at the time and he made lots of noise about what he was going to do for our club. I think that after he basked in the glory of the FA Cup win, he realised how much it would cost to make us really successful, he shit himself and backed off. He hung on to get his price and Kenwright Â’took overÂ’.
In those days, both Merseyside clubs were run like corner shop family businesses. The financial spin-offs of the Premier League werenÂ’t on anyoneÂ’s radar and we got left behind by more modern business-focused clubs.
IÂ’ll remember him as a good man who stood by an under-fire, non-achieving manager and let him flourish into our most successful manager. Another representative of our genuine glory days has gone.
RIP, Sir Philip.
58 Posted 24/04/2015 at 12:22:46
59 Posted 24/04/2015 at 12:47:21
60 Posted 24/04/2015 at 12:31:40
Usual semantics nonsense.
The fact that Â’itÂ’s a websiteÂ’ doesnÂ’t (or shouldnÂ’t) mean decency goes out of the window.
It is obvious that no one was talking about censorship, but rather that on the same day a person dies, itÂ’s simply good taste to either express condolences or (if you feel so strongly you canÂ’t) keep quiet for a few days, then make your Â’pointÂ’ (which as David pointed out, was wrong anyway).
He was Sir Philip Carter, not Pol-Pot or Stalin, even on TW he surely deserves at least 24 hours grace.
61 Posted 24/04/2015 at 13:24:16
But, despite this, Sir Phillip delivered trophy after trophy, and he actually stood down as Chairman in 1991, with Dr. David Marsh taking over, before the club was sold to Peter Johnson in 1994. So no blame for agent Johnson can be laid at CarterÂ’s door.
63 Posted 24/04/2015 at 15:09:01
I asked a very neutral question. Paul #57 filled in the blanks for me and Steve Ferns took it forward a step. If people wish to claim a lack of decency on a thread they wish to keep decent, then celebrate his undoubted record, but referencing Pol Pot or Stalin undermines that very notion.
64 Posted 24/04/2015 at 15:25:38
I think you got Johnson all wrong there, he had to sell us as the FA had brought in the ruling about not being able to own two clubs at the same time. So, as Tranmere was his first love, and possibly because of the stick he was getting from our fans, he sold Everton for a song. Less than half the asking price I think.
Funnily enough heÂ’s just done something similar with Tranmere in an effort to get them much needed investment.
If only our current owners would do the same!
65 Posted 24/04/2015 at 19:34:12
He got lucky with Kendall and also failed to take the club forward commercially when we were the best team in the world, frittering away the most beneficial situation the club had reached after years in the relative doldrums. We are still paying for his lack of foresight today and, indeed, may never reach those heights again.
Commiserations as to the loss of an Evertonian but to suggest he was a great man is way wide of the mark and takes looking back through rose-tinted spectacles to ridiculous new heights.
66 Posted 24/04/2015 at 20:14:35
Johnson was an egomaniac who loved the kudos of the cup win. I think if he thought he had the money to invest to the necessary degree, heÂ’d have done it without thinking. He didnÂ’t so he backed off.
For all his faults, Carter embodied some of the values we like to think Everton FC has. His passing strips away another layer.
67 Posted 24/04/2015 at 22:17:09
RIP, Mr Carter.
68 Posted 25/04/2015 at 05:40:16
BillÂ’s contribution of putting a picture of Martinez up pales into insignificance.
69 Posted 25/04/2015 at 21:59:59
70 Posted 28/04/2015 at 00:14:56
Sir Philip was an old school dignified gentleman, in complete contrast to those morons from Manchester who didnÂ’t have the grace to respect the minuteÂ’s silence on Sunday.
71 Posted 28/04/2015 at 12:14:47
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1 Posted 23/04/2015 at 13:51:10