Howard Kendall

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Kendall joined Preston North End as an apprentice and turned professional with the club. He was a runner-up in the 1964 FA Cup with Preston, and at 17 years 345 days old was the youngest player to play in a Wembley final. In 1967, he joined Everton, where he played as a midfielder with Alan Ball and Colin Harvey, the trio gaining the nickname 'The Holy Trinity'. With Everton, Kendall won the First Division title, the Charity Shield and was again an FA Cup runner-up. He became Everton club captain for three years, before being sold to Birmingham City in 1974. Kendall joined Stoke City in 1977, where he became a player-coach and helped the club achieve promotion from the Second Division. His managerial career began as a player-manager with Blackburn Rovers in 1979. He returned to Everton in 1981, again as a player-manager, but retired from playing after four games. With Everton, he won two Football League titles, an FA Cup, three Charity Shields, and the 1985 European Cup Winners' Cup, as well as a league runners-up place and reached two further FA Cup finals and a League Cup final. In 1987, Kendall left to manage Spanish club Athletic Bilbao. He was sacked in 1989, but quickly returned to management with Manchester City. After less than a year in Manchester, he returned to Everton but, after three mid-table seasons, he resigned and spent a short time as manager of Greek side Xanthi. After a few months spent as manager of Notts County, Kendall joined Sheffield United, saving the club from relegation and taking them to the 1997 play-off final. He returned to Everton for the third time as manager in June 1997, but left the club by mutual consent a year later, having only managed to avoid relegation on the final day of the season. His final managerial position was a four-month position in Greece, where he took charge of Ethnikos Piraeus, but was sacked with the team last in the league.

In Their Own Story

The 1984–85 season was the pinnacle. Kendall built an almost entirely new team, bringing in younger players like Peter Reid and Trevor Steven from smaller clubs, giving them the chance to prove themselves at the highest level. He also brought in established star Andy Gray, whose goals transformed a struggling side into FA Cup winners, then league champions and European Cup Winners' Cup winners. Everton won the league title, finishing 13 points clear of runners-up Liverpool. They defeated Austrian side Rapid Vienna to win the European Cup-Winners' Cup. They also reached the FA Cup final. The following season, Kendall sold Gray to Aston Villa and brought in Gary Lineker, who scored 38 goals in the 1985–86 season, though Everton narrowly failed to win major trophies, surrendering the title to Liverpool on the final weekend and losing 3–1 in an all-Merseyside FA Cup final. Kendall left in June 1987, frustrated by the ban on English clubs in European competitions, which meant Everton twice missed out on competing in the European Cup.

Reader's Guide

Kendall never played for England at senior level despite being included in several squads. He won caps at Schoolboy, Youth and Under-23 level, captaining the England Youth side to victory in the 1964 Little World Cup Final. He was a complete and combative midfielder who was a good passer of the ball, could tackle, defend and attack.

Did You Know?

• Kendall was the youngest player to appear in a Wembley final at 17 years 345 days, until James Prinsep's record from 1879 was noted.
• He scored the winning goal in the 1970 Charity Shield for Everton.
• Kendall won Stoke City's inaugural player of the year award in the 1977–78 season.
• He is the last English manager to win a UEFA competition with an English club (1985 European Cup Winners' Cup).