Howard Kendall, Everton Legend, dies aged 69

So sad, let's do what Howard would have wanted and murder these Mancs today!!

I watched the Everton show on that BayTV last night and the 3rd segment was Howard Kendall being interviewed by Snodin.

It was kind of sad watching to be honest.

He looked small and frail (and sitting in some empty country club bar in Formby didn't help).

However that image won't be the one that will last.

Howard Kendall was a superb footballer and as a manager, he dared us to dream, then..made our dreams come true.

It is not an exaggeration to say he gave me the best days of my life.

Another legend gone. RIP.

I just hope the gobshites who sang through the minute's silence for Phillip Carter aren't here today.

Thoughts with family!

R I P, Howard. God bless you and thank you.

Gutted doesn't come close. The man who made this little kids dreams come true as manager of the best team I ever saw in a blue shirt. Probably the man who truly cemented my adoration and love for Everton Football Club.

Send my love all of you who are at Goodison today, from 6,000 miles away. Gone but never ever forgotten. True Legend in every sense.

Do it for Howard, lads.. and smash the Mancs!!

As a kid, I remember cutting out pictures from the Echo of Howard hammering in a volley, they adorned my bedroom walls. Another leg of the famous trio is lining up in heaven with Alan Ball..

R I P, Howard, Good night and God Bless.. Thank you.

An evening game versus Stoke City, an icy pitch, at 36(?) he was the best and classiest player on the field.

Goodnight, God bless, Howard.

He gave us some of our best memories and put us back where we belong, at the top. Pride of Merseyside.

Thank you and RIP.

He was a great player in the first Everton team I saw in the flesh. As a manager he delivered the first trophy I saw us win and so much more. As someone in his early twenties it was a gift to be able to travel around UK and Europe watching us win games, trophies and friends.

That was all down to Howard. A great manager, motivator and an underrated tactician.

Whenever I discuss Everton managers I always look back to that team of 1985. A balanced team with a mix of skill, graft, craft and sheer bloody – mindedness. All built and maintained by Howard.

Thank you Howard. The best Evertonian of my lifetime. God rest your soul and hope you enjoy a win today from wherever you watch.

God bless you, Howard. RIP.

Give Bally my best regards. It seems so ridiculous, two of the greatest players I ever saw pull on a blue shirt to play in the best midfield I have ever seen in English football and both about the same age as me yet now gone to the Grand Old Lady in the Sky.

Thanks for that, Howard. For Blues of our generation, it was a pivotal part of our lives. RIP.

RIP, Howie.

Friendly, courteous, straight-talking, strong-minded and a person who wasn't publicity hungry or who sought to further his own agenda at the expense of others. If you had to describe Everton FC to those that may not know what or who we are, you could do no better than to offer a portrait of Howard Kendall. That's Everton FC in a nutshell — nobody else in my football watching time comes close to embodying everything that is Everton.

RIP, Howard, you will be sadly missed a true gentleman of the sport and a truly great ambassador for Everton FC. Condolences to all of his family and friends.

Sad sad news.....

And what about the Holy Trinity? I was a youngster back then. The trinity will always be remembered.

Now to the small matter of a football match today. Lets win this one, for Howard Kendall, and for all the Everton family. Let's show the world what this football club is all about. No team talk should be needed today. We need to win this match. RIP, Howard Kendall.

Above all, our heartfelt sympathy to his family. What a truly great man.

I asked them who the first game of the season was against. Howard said Arsenal away. These were pro footballers but they spoke to me like they'd known me for years.

Quality people. The time was just prior to the start of the 69-70 season and I was 11.

A good season for us, that was.

Sorely missed, Howard, sorely missed.

Thanks for the marvellous memories HK.

The 'legend' moniker is meted out almost arbitrarily these days it seems, but there is absolutely no doubt at all that it is a cap that fits when it comes to discussing Kendall (as snugly as an England cap surely would have). As both player and manager, he's one of the most pivotal characters in the history of this football club.

How blessed Everton Football Club are to have had a world class player and manager who lived life for Everton.

God bless you and thank you!

How ironic that we are playing the Mancs.

I remember him being mobbed by ecstatic Evertonians on Saturday night after twatting them 5-0. No arrogance, just utter joy that he was giving us a team we had always dreamed of.

We were Kings.

Gutted I am, a truly sad day for blues everywhere.

And what a gentleman he was. No airs and graces. Just a man passionate about football and most importantly Everton Football Club.

RIP.

He gets some critique regarding his subsequent returns, but his second spell was nowhere near as bad as some would have you believe and we were comfortable before he left on a matter of principle and the subsequent spell of games saw us spiral into That Game v Wimbledon.

His third spell was bad judgement on everyone's part and Johnson's subsequent treatment of him is the reason I have no time for the Hamperman.

It must be remembered that only a Terry Venables's last-minute U-turn prevented him managing Barcelona. He should probably have got the England job and his spells at Man City and Sheffield Utd were successful as well.

Unfortunately, like Catterick, he is never remembered as he should be, probably because of the effect of the European ban.

Howard, you were a legend as a player, manager and a man. God bless.

I wasn't even born when he was gracing the field in the legendary "Holy Trinity" but I was lucky enough to start supporting Everton a few years before the glory days of the eighties and for me he was Everton. Those days have long since gone but even in his third spell at the club I could see he was trying to change the style of play from the "Dogs of war" to a purer brand and still think his sacking was premature.

I always felt confident going into a derby with him in charge. We could've done the double on them that year if Madar hadn't missed a sitter at Anfield.

I never met him but a good friend of mine did in the school summer holidays when we were about eight years old. He was with his family when he bumped into him on a beach in Spain and got talking about all things football. Living in Coventry, they were all Coventry City fans but they couldn't speak highly enough of him and I remember his dad referring to him as a true gentleman.

I'll never forget that first day back at school when my mate said "You'll never guess who we met on holiday"? Me and my brother were the only Everton fans at my school and during that glorious period it was all I ever talked about.

Sadly another true legend has passed. R I P, Howard Kendall.

Then he bossed the game and was fantastic to watch. He didn't run much as he didn't need to, little flick here and a pass there, he kept us going forward. I never got to see him play in his prime but that night was a good consolation.

I don't think Roberto needs a team talk today and I am hoping for lots from the crowd.

Howard Kendall's Blue and White Army!!!

He Labone and Harvey were a truly fantastic trio and always entertained when they played. Tony Kay would have just edged Harvey in my best ever side but Kendall would always be a starter. He played in a cup final at 16 years of age and Shankley was after him but he was just beaten to his signing by Catterick who professed no interest in public.

RIP Howard always an entertainer, my humble condolences to those you left behind.

Or is my memory completely shot?

As a teenager I loved watching Howard's successful team of the '80s and the manager & players of that era will always be the yardstick against which I compare all others. HK is synonymous with the club's success during those glorious years and that will ensure his legacy amongst all Evertonians.

Here's hoping that the team & crowd do him proud at Goodison today.

Howard Kendall — Everton Legend.

Condolences to Howard's family & friends.

Last but not least, what a man. Everton down to his last breath.

Came back as our manager when we were at a low ebb- the rest is history.

Sadly his second and third incarnations were not as glorious, but a true Evertonian.
RIP

I remember well the uncertainty about his arrival @EFC as he missed absoulte sitters at home in his first two games against Soton and Spurs in April 1967.

Then we saw his true potential as he supported Alex Young and Alan Ball's demolition of champions Man Utd on the opening agme of the 67/68 season. He never looked back and just bloomed into an all round, stylish and yet forceful midfielder. Great goals followed, for me most memorably his goal after 15 seconds to drive the Blues onto thrashing Chelsea in the championship decider at a packed out Goodison in 1970.

Then came his return to Goodison and the pattern was repeated, uncertainty followed by success. The eighties team won trophies but more immensely did it the Everton Way, style and panache, grit and determination!

I have just read Neville Southall's comment on the BBC website, "A great manager an even greater man. What ever I did was solely down to him. Gentleman, friend, mentor. Will miss him. Gutted."

It was an absolute privilege to see Howard Kendall in his pomp both as a player and a manager.

A blue hero to the very end!

He brought joy to the club and to the fans.

RIP, HOWARD A REAL TRUE EVERTONIAN.

THANKYOU FOR THE MEMORIES.

What a manager - shrewd, wise, and his players would run through walls for him.

What an Evertonian - possibly the most important person in the history of our club.

Rest in peace Howard, thanks for everything.

Then of course Carra gets in on the act. Souness and Redknapp’ll be there tomorrow....Could you imagine the reaction if an ex-Everton player/s had "lead the tributes" for Shankly or Paisley? What the fuck is the matter with them?

Is it just me or are they trying to wind Everton fans up at this sad time?

RIP Howard you will always be a legend who gave us so much.

RIP, Howie.

Then he became manager and oh my how he managed. He didn’t build a team using oodles of cash but bought unknowns and turned them into world class players, a couple of old crocks who he returned to their very best, an untouchable in Pat who became a top class defender and he engendered a marvellous team spirit.

There is no one around today fit to lace his boots; a great Everton icon has gone and we are so much poorer for it but what a huge privilege to have been an Evertonian at the same time as him.

Respect Howard – total respect!!

R I P, Howard, and thank you for everything you gave to the club and its fans.

R.I.P. Howie.

Cruel how arguably the greatest side our club has ever seen were unable to compete in Europe in the 80s which lead to Howard leaving. I remember by dad telling me that Kendall was going to Bilbao and it was like a death in the family.

Another blue taken too soon but there is a hell of a team assembled up there. RIP Howard and thanks for the memories!

God bless.

You were a legend that played in a legendary team, and also managed one. Today’s result is overshadowed by this sad news. A pity we couldn’t get a result for his memory.

Sadly the club didn’t back him when it needed and his 2nd spell didn’t work out. However the nucleus of his side won the FA Cup in 1995 and I’m amazed he never gets any credit for that (just think of the goal: Watson, Jackson, Stuart and Rideout involved in the build up where all his signings).

He came back in 1997 when no-one else would work for Peter Johnson and sadly it was just one spell too far and the game had moved on. He managed to keep us up though when I doubt anyone else would have. The way he was treated at the end of that spell was a disgrace and sumed up PJ Spudles to a tee.

Howard Kendall, Evertonian, Gentleman and Legend. RIP the greatest player and manager not to represent his country.

He was my favorite of the holy trinity, I can’t remember him ever having a quiet game or a bad one.

When he moved to Birmingham, I was shocked and there he became a fans’ favourite too. Sympathy to all his family.

Top manager, true Evertonian and top man. Pity our current crop couldn't have shown a little more on this sad day.

RIP HK

I only wish I could go back and tell my 9 year old self listening to news of the 1-0 at Norwich that won the league in '87 that this was as good as it was ever going to get for me as an Evertonian...

1) He gave Neil Poynton the nickname Dissa – as in disappointing!

2) I read that Slaven Bilic didn’t like the drinking culture under the leadership of, and sometimes led by (!), Howard Kendall.

No-one in the world of football seems to have a bad word to say about him. RIP.

I was fortunate enough to see our greatest team as a teenager in the '80s; this great man genuinely made my dreams come true. For that, I will always be eternally grateful.

R I P, Howard, a true Everton legend in every sense of the word.

Sincere condolences to all of Howard’s family & friends.

Places I went to watch us, times I had, friends I made, memories of that great time to be Evertonian are all because of this great man. He brought players from obscurity, some last chance saloon, others from lower league, other teams reserves, and gave a chance to the best young players at the club.

A totally class manager who puts the modern lot to shame. I will be reading his book tonight, signed by HK himself, whilst reminiscing about those great days.

RIP Howard, the Gladys Street will continue to suck those goals in!

And then Howard returned as manager in the early 80s and, after a difficult start, gave all Evertonians their pride back with the superb Championship and cup winning footballing sides he produced in the mid-80s including our first and only European trophy. Who knows how many other trophies he could have won but for the European ban in that same year?

Thanks for some special footballing memories and all our sympathies and condolences as Evertonians go to Howard’s wife, family and close friends. RIP to an Everton legend.

I was lucky enough to meet the great man on a train after an away at Derby, so humble and just a very nice man.

So that’s two of our greatest midfield gone but not and will be never forgotten.

Imagine that! The youngest player ever to appear in an FA Cup Final playing for fun with us lot! Even aged 18, he was a proper bloke and I will NEVER EVER get my head round why Alf Ramsey always picked Alan Mullery and then Peter Storey above our Howard.

Rest In Peace.

Apart from the obvious glory days of the mid-eighties, I remember him playing in a night game at Notts County (I was a student there at the time). Kendall was our new manager and his "babes" were trying their best, but off the pace. He came on himself and just ran the show.

Everything he did was simple and appropriate. A perfect example to his young players.

I often thank my lucky stars that I was around when his great team carried all before them.

But as a teenager in the 1980s Howard's Everton gave me some of the best days of my life, well almost...

Such sad news and 69 really is no age to go. That image of Colin Harvey in the stands... jeez.

He was the last great English manager yet his passing hardly made a ripple in the wider media and he barely features on the back pages whereas, if Redknapp was to die tomorrow, he would be front-page news.

A sad day made sadder by the lack of recognition and attention given to a brilliant football icon.

R I P. Sincere condolences to the family.

I remember him appearing in the Cup Final for Preston aged only 17, his debut for us against Southampton at home when he skied a sitter over the bar at the Gwladys Street end, a goal more or less straight from the kick off against Chelsea in 1970 on our way to winning the League, a winner in the derby match and hitting the bar from 30 yards at Old Trafford when we drew 0-0 (a midweek match in 1973 during the miners’ strike) when I was trying to remain incognito in the Stretford End. So many memories from the Ball, Harvey, Kendall era!

A great player, a great manager, a true legend and obviously great all round human being. R I P, Howard.

There were a million fans from both clubs lining the streets as Shankley’s funeral cortage went by. Evertonians wearing blue favours and Liverpool fans wearing red.

This should be repeated for Howard’s funeral with the blessing of his family of course.

Let us show our appreciation of Kendall publicly and let all the London and Manchester fans take note.

I was in the players' lounge at Nottm Forest, the day they ended our long unbeaten run. I was waiting for Alan Hill, the former Forest keeper. When he came, he said to me "Cloughie has just given your manager a gentle slap on the cheek and told him not to poach any of his players!"

I asked which player Howard was interested in? He told me it was Peter Davonport, who later went to Man Utd.

So, even though we had won the league that year, Howard was still working on the next season.

No Big Nev, Gary Stevens, Physco, Reidy, Brace (long term) for the opening few months, with some longer; Dave Watson struggling with taking over from crowd favourite Derek Mountfield...

We signed Paul Power, Kevin Langley, Neil Adams, later in the season Wayne Clarke (good pros, but not exactly world beaters) yet we still ended up Campions!!!

That season gave me greater pleasure than the 84-85 season.

R I P, HOWARD KENDALL — LEGEND.

Thanks for everything Howard, you allowed us to hold our heads up with pride.

RIP Mr Kendall, true blue.

A messiah had come to take us back to where we belonged – at the head of English football. Howard Kendall – a fantastic manager of a truly wonderful team in those heady days.

RIP boss – your memory will live on forever at our beloved Goodison and in the bigger world of football.

Living in the Midlands I don't always get up to see all our home games now and this was the case on Saturday. During the morning I was standing at the side of a football pitch somewhere in Solihull watching my 14yr old play and it was at this time that I was informed by one of the other parents who knew I was an Evertonian that Howard Kendall had passed away. As both my lads follow Birmingham City first (it’s a long story) we decided to immediately get tickets and go down to St Andrews for their game against QPR later that day. I have to say that the warmth that their fans showed towards HK before the match was fantastic, even their announcer read out a short piece about Howard and his time at BCFC before a 1 minutes applause through which their fans chanted “There’s only one Howard Kendall”. It was quite moving and I would like to say thanks and “respect” to them for also showing such appreciation towards a great man in every way.

Back in the early summer I had a business meeting with a cardiologist in a Midlands hospital. I spotted the chipped football mug in his office and we got talking about the Kendall - Latchford deal (I was only 7 at the time) many years ago.

What struck me was how the man enthused about Howard Kendall. Apparently, at the time, the BCFC fans thought that HK was probably past it - in the same way that many people view an incoming player who has perhaps played in his prime elsewhere. I was told by the cardiologist that HK shut everyone up pretty quickly, being heads and shoulders above the rest on the past.

"Class," was his final word on Howard Kendall.

Link

He’s getting on now Joe (and didn’t look too well to be honest) but imo, few Everton managers have had his ability to choose the right word or expression.

He talked wonderfully about HK   he was honest, insightful, interesting and reverential without ever being mawkish.

A sad week for the club but listening to these old players who love Everton has given me a boost rather than depressing me.

Personally, I think we could do worse than have Joe give the team-talk before the Arsenal game – there’s something about how he expresses himself that is quiet but... the message really gets through.

Each of us is apprehensive about the future of our club and sometimes ponder which of the players from the modern era, if any, will be able to keep bringing the same pride to the club as our former players have done for so many years.

We can only hope that the young men representing the club at present, will realise that it is a privilege to wear the Royal Blue shirts of Everton Football Club and that they will do their utmost to bring success to the club or at the very least give the proverbial 110% in every game they play - that is all that the legends did; but they had the distinct advantage of being exceptional footballers and, for the most part, exemplary people.