Kendall Award For HarveyEverton legend Colin Harvey became the latest recipient of the Club’s prestigious Howard Kendall Award on Tuesday night. Just a day after the one-year anniversary of Kendall’s passing, the late great’s former teammate, trusted lieutenant and long-time friend accepted the honour at a special event at Liverpool’s District House.
Awarded annually to recognise an individual or group that has been considered to have realised outstanding achievement at the Club, previous winners of the prize include Kendall himself, former chairman Sir Philip Carter and Everton’s title-winning side of 1986/87.
Harvey, who lifted the FA Cup and league title as a player with the Blues, became a key part of Kendall’s backroom staff during the trophy-laden mid-1980s and later had a stint as manager himself, said: "Howard was a great player. I played against him when he was younger and he tackled me a few times and nearly knocked me into the next century. Later, I got to play with him, which was an honour. He also turned out to be one of the greatest men I’ve ever met. It means a lot to me to receive this award."
Born into a passionate Evertonian family in November 1944, Harvey made his senior debut for the Club aged just 18 in a European Cup fixture against Inter Milan at the San Siro.
It was a further two seasons before the youngster could describe himself as a regular under manager Harry Cattrick but, once established, he became a permanent fixture.
After netting the winning goal in the FA Cup semi-final of 1966, he helped the team to a dramatic comeback victory against Sheffield Wednesday in the final at Wembley and was back at the national stadium two years later as part of the Toffees team that were pipped to the same trophy by West Brom in extra time.
The 1969/70 season was a glorious one for Everton as the team stormed to the title, playing some exquisite football along the way, much of it in the middle of the park with the midfield trio of Harvey, Kendall and Alan Ball - The Holy Trinity - proving far too good for most opponents.
Dubbed 'The White Pele' by the adoring Goodison faithful, Harvey would play a total of 388 appearances, scoring 24 goals, before joining Sheffield Wednesday in 1974.
An uneventful stay in Yorkshire ensued and, two years later, he was invited back to his spiritual home by Billy Bingham with a remit to coach the youth team.
He oversaw the emergence of the likes of Kevin Ratcliffe and Steve McMahon and was promoted to reserve coach in 1981. In 1983, with Kendall now at the helm but Everton struggling, Harvey was promoted to the first-team staff and soon helped to oversee an astonishing revival. Indeed, together he and Kendall orchestrated two League Championships, an FA Cup and a European Cup Winners’ Cup during the most glorious period in the Club's history.
After the 1987 title triumph, Kendall was lured to Spain and the responsibility of command was handed to Harvey. It was a position that didn't sit naturally on the shoulders of such a modest and unassuming man but he still led Everton to an FA Cup final and a succession of respectable finishes in the First Division table.
Harvey left Everton again to join Graeme Sharp's regime at Oldham Athletic in 1994, but he was back three years later as youth coach again, this time nurturing the talent of a certain Wayne Rooney as Everton reached the 2002 FA Youth Cup final.
Named an Everton Giant for his services to the Club in 2007, it was announced in October 2015 that a statue of Harvey, Kendall and Ball is to be erected outside Goodison Park as a lasting tribute to their magnificent contribution.
