Harvey honoured with Howard Kendall Award

He should have been an England regular (as should Kendall) with Alan Ball. IMO the Holy Trinity was the best midfield combination in the world at the time, even accounting for Brazil's great midfield in the 1970 World Cup.

I always remember the "Basically your talking about Everton being ...my life, really." quote from the history vid.

He was my hero as a kid and, like those of a certain age, I worshipped that 69-70 side – they were a brilliant footballing side. I did attempt, in vain to model my own game after the 'White Pele'.

Many years later, when I began teaching, I was doing the register for the first time at a new school and came across the name Emma Harvey from the register, I lifted my head up to see who she was, saw her and then blurted out "You must be Colin Harvey's daughter, he was my hero" The rest of the class laughed with some red children grunting their displeasure.

The first parents evening was, however, more embarrassing after bumbling on about some nonsense about his daughter's progress in Science, Mr Harvey then said "I'm told you are a Blue" and we had a brief chat about all things Everton. Perhaps it wasn't that brief as the queue to see me grew longer with irate parents tapping their feet.

I met him a few times and he always seemed an incredibly humble person. I know he is an Everton legend and has served the club in many roles but I recall his daughter once saying he was first and foremost a huge Everton fan.

Needless to say, my 3 year old grandson is called Harvey and yes, my Everton mad son told me had it been a baby girl my granddaughter would have been called Kendall!

An honour richly deserved and a career that should have been marked by many caps for his country – not a derisory cap against Malta.

That said, Tommy Wright is cut from exactly the same cloth.

It was a privilege to watch them play.

He really came into his own when Bally signed, everyone seemed to respond to that man, then when Howard Kendall came along we played some of the greatest football ever seen at Goodison, especially in 68-69.

Colin's performances tailed off like so many other players after we won the league in 69-70, he had that eye problem and then various niggling injuries, so in many respects he was only at the top of his game for 3 or 4 years. But what a player he was, and it was a sad day when he was sold.

He was always destined to return and was probably the ideal coach, not suited to the managerial role. He is surely the greatest living Evertonian, and this award is richly deserved.

Also great to see Tommy Wright, a big favourite of mine, honoured – not before time!

I have to echo Martin above, they certainly took their time over Tommy Wright another great Blue. I would like to see the list of "Everton's Hall of Fame".

End of.

Bally had more influence on the team and his sheer arrogance meant that he was always the primary cog in the Trinity but for pure skill Colin shaded it for me.

Without doubt the best player I have seen in a blue shirt albeit my absolute idol will always be Alan.

In the 50+ years that have passed since then, I have gone from innocent(ish) child to cynical adult and there have (naturally) been a zillion changes in my life. But the standing of both these players, in my eyes, remains exactly the same.

Superb intelligent players (in a great side) and undoubted Everton legends. I wish them both good health and the very best of everything.

This bias of mine towards ball players goes back to Harvey. He is Everton, he is the School of Science. For me, I just associate Everton with great ball playing from defence, through midfield to attack. We talk about total football, and what (say) Man City do at the moment. Well, Everton did this over 40 years ago. When other sides were smashing long balls up the pitch, we were taking it through midfield, with great artistry, and Harvey was the centre around which this great football revolved.

Ed @8, I too always remember Harvey's goal in the 2-0 win over WBA that secured the league. I was there with my dad, on the Goodison Road terrace, at the front, about midway between the Park End and the halfway line. I recall Harvey trapping the ball just outside the WBA penalty area, swivelling, and unleashing a thunderous volley into the roof of the net. Such power, balance and style.

When that game finished it was announced that we'd receive the trophy on the Goodison Road stand, above the terrace (the new stand was built in the close season after). This caused the crowd to shuffle forward on the terrace, to see the team getting the trophy, and I remember my dad having to climb over the wall and pull me over as well. That was my one chance to stand on Goodison's turf. Unforgettable.

To my 11-year-old eyes, I couldn't understand why he was subbed; I thought he was playing great. I also somehow knew, and I think he did to, that it would be his last in an Everton shirt. I was gutted. Top bloke. Top blue.

I just looked up the gate on Google, it was over 58,000. I remember Alan Whittle got the other goal.

The Trinity truly where enough to make anyone gush; one game, Colin would stand out... the next, Howie... and the next, Alan. I was so privileged to be around at this time as I am the same age as them.

It still gets me angry that outside of Alan, Colin & Howard got 1 England cap between them (Colin against Malta) at a time when they were recognized by fellow pro footballers as the best midfield trio in the world.

I recall just after we won the league in 1970, we were on MotD, and playing with great style, Ball, Harvey and Kendall like a well-oiled beautiful machine. During one sequence of brilliant passing in midfield, Kenneth Wolstenholme went silent, letting the football speak for itself. Then he said, "They call this the School of Science, great football from Everton". There were so many games like that.

I was arguing with a red in the late 60s, and he finally said to me, "The trouble with you is, you think they're gods". I just said, "That's because they are".

They should have been England's midfield. If they had been, I believe England would have won the 1970 World Cup. Can you imagine the final against Brazil?

I travelled up from the South coast to see Mike Lyons testimonial. I had to leave 10 mins early to get the train back to London and make my connection on the last train from Waterloo.

Anyway, I saw an old guy hurrying away from Goodison under an umbrella, I recognised him as Bill Shankly. He told me that He would have loved Mike in his team, also the incredible regard he had for the Everton Holy Trinity. Slightly off topic, but just shows even the reddest of reds had regard for our legends.

After he retired he realised he'd made a mistake but all the doors at Anfield and Melwood were closed to him and it says a great deal that Everton always made him welcome, a fact that he was grateful for, being quite effusive in his praise for a club he "claimed" to dislike! I seem to recall that Everton even let him coach some of our kids sides for a while. His house backed onto Bellefield.

Anybody else share these recollections? OK, he was a red, but from an era that pre-dates the bitterness that permeates today's Derby games and he was a real football man.

It was great to see him playing on the school fields. Unbelievable skill.

He was in Everton B team early and we used to look out for their result in the pink Echo after reading the first team report.

In about 1961, when I was about 13, we went youth hosteling in Germany at Easter with the school. Colin went along and we ended up playing a team of German kids. I was left back, and late on I wellies the ball up the pitch and the ball went over the head of their keeper for what turned out to be the winner. He bollocked me for not keeping the ball and passing it in a silky manner. Called me a young prick.

What a pleasure watching him play over the years. I always felt he was the most skilful of the Trinity, although accept I may be biased.

We were told to wait on a street corner about ½-mile from the ground at around 6pm. My sister was adamant that he probably couldn't turn up because of his injury but around 5 past 6, an E-Type Jag pulled up and he hobbled out on crutches just to say hello to me and sign a few things. Something I'll always remember.

Surprised he even had an E-Type...

On such a flimsy pretext, my dad took me to see the family in 1967. We just turned up at the door (somewhere in Fazackerley, just off Copplehouse Lane, if I recall correctly after nearly 50 years) and really they should have set the dogs on us.

In fact we were made very welcome, Colin's mum Jessie (?) being especially kind. I remember it was the day after a Muhammad Ali fight, possibly versus Ernie Terrell, and I watched it on TV with my hero Colin.

I somehow doubt that a 9-year-old Blues supporter could have that experience today.

I also remember the TV coverage not because it was particularly poor but I think Alan Mullery was sent off after retaliating for a foul by a Mexican player on Colin. Probably only Colin (or Alan) around who can confirm if I am correct.

Cheers!