Howard Kendall as EFC player-manager back in 1981/82

BoysInBlue · December 31, 2014

Just found this, a Match of the Day programme from December 1981.

First game is Everton vs Aston Villa. Howard Kendall is playing in midfield as a 35 year old player-manager, Alan Irvine is making his debut, Gary Stevens, Kevin Ratcliffe and Graeme Sharp all playing too, as is Neville Southall (who is wearing trackie bottoms because of the cold)! We win 2-0. Kendall only played 2 more times for us after this, before hanging up his boots for good.

vagant59 · December 31, 2014

BoysInBlue said:
Just found this, a Match of the Day programme from December 1981.

First game is Everton vs Aston Villa. Howard Kendall is playing in midfield as a 35 year old player-manager, Alan Irvine is making his debut, Gary Stevens, Kevin Ratcliffe and Graeme Sharp all playing too, as is Neville Southall (who is wearing trackie bottoms because of the cold)! We win 2-0. Kendall only played 2 more times for us after this, before hanging up his boots for good.

Nice to see a ref with balls

tommye · December 31, 2014

Brings back some long forgotten memories.

Cheers mucker. X

maccavennie · January 23, 2015

Quality video this, weird seeing him playing in the middle of the park as player/manager. Great find @BoysInBlue

Moomin · January 23, 2015

Leon Osman as player manager could bring trophies back to us.

James Patrick · January 23, 2015

Weird how the fans in the Gwladys St are all back behind the first set of crush barriers - presumably H&S at play with all the snow piled up at the front ?

allezlesbleus · January 24, 2015

BoysInBlue said:
Just found this, a Match of the Day programme from December 1981.

First game is Everton vs Aston Villa. Howard Kendall is playing in midfield as a 35 year old player-manager, Alan Irvine is making his debut, Gary Stevens, Kevin Ratcliffe and Graeme Sharp all playing too, as is Neville Southall (who is wearing trackie bottoms because of the cold)! We win 2-0. Kendall only played 2 more times for us after this, before hanging up his boots for good.

Ironically one of those games was a defeat away at West Ham in FA cup 3rd round, lost 2-1 I think. He was our best player by a mile in that game iirc which was rather scary at the time. Dark before the dawn lads.

Tramps_mate · January 24, 2015

allezlesbleus said:
Ironically one of those games was a defeat away at West Ham in FA cup 3rd round, lost 2-1 I think. He was our best player by a mile in that game iirc which was rather scary at the time. Dark before the dawn lads.

So we should have Martinez playing for us?

allezlesbleus · January 24, 2015

Tramps_mate said:
So we should have Martinez playing for us?

Noooooooooooo!
I watched the West Ham game thinking flipping heck the old 35 yr old guy is our best player what does the future hold. Fortunately he brought in enough good players that eventually it all came good just a couple of seasons later. Not without some tough phases on the way though. Where did we finish 1981-82? Was that the season we finished at Wolves away only a bit above drop zone?
Just checked, getting mixed up with league finish before HK came!!

Fresh Prince of Belle Val · January 24, 2015

Moomin said:
Leon Osman as player manager could bring trophies back to us.

Yeah, the Johnstones Paint trophy.

62blue · January 24, 2015

Nice to see a decent corner being taken!

davek · January 24, 2015

What would you give for Sharp playing now, btw? Didn't have a great game there like, but the control and touch were obvious and set him apart. Make him Lukaku's coach instead of the galoot.

Notice Howard's marshalling of the troops at all times too. Jagielka take note...mind you he's beyond help that feller. Interesting to read HKs comments this week regarding Jagielka's latest failure to lead, saying there's no way a Ratcliffe or Watson would have let that nonsense concerning the pen develop.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/spor...howard-kendall-roberto-martinez-hoped-8499158

Walken · January 24, 2015

allezlesbleus said:
Ironically one of those games was a defeat away at West Ham in FA cup 3rd round, lost 2-1 I think. He was our best player by a mile in that game iirc which was rather scary at the time. Dark before the dawn lads.

remember reading colin harveys book, and him saying all the staff tried to convince howard to pick himself more such was his class, also said that he was always the guy people wanted on their team in 5aside sessions as he never gave the ball away, i suppose they might have just been a bunch of massive brown nosers, probably more likely that kendall was just a class act

kithnou · January 24, 2015

BoysInBlue said:
Just found this, a Match of the Day programme from December 1981.

First game is Everton vs Aston Villa. Howard Kendall is playing in midfield as a 35 year old player-manager, Alan Irvine is making his debut, Gary Stevens, Kevin Ratcliffe and Graeme Sharp all playing too, as is Neville Southall (who is wearing trackie bottoms because of the cold)! We win 2-0. Kendall only played 2 more times for us after this, before hanging up his boots for good.

awesome!

dave abrahams · January 24, 2015

Howard was really head and shoulders above everyone else that night on a very icy pitch , just strolled the game
never wasted a ball.Irvine looked a good player as well but never really made an impression overall.

Say what you like about Kendall, as a player he was absolutely brilliant, and to think he never got a cap and loads of
donkeys did, shameful.