My mentor Howard was ahead of his time

PETER REID pays a glowing tribute to his old Everton manager Howard Kendall, who has died aged 69

I AM devastated. I have lost a great friend and a mentor. Howard Kendall was a terrific footballer and an extremely talented manager.

We’ve all shed a tear or two because he was a man who brought us together for a magical time at a magical football club.

My abiding memory will be his beaming face after we won the FA Cup in 1984 against Watford at Wembley. As we came down the steps with the trophy I could see him stood there, smile writ large over his face. It lit up the stadium — you could see the pride.

He had been through a tough time at the club but this was the culmination of that work and faith he put in such a young team. He knew it would be the first of many. The team he had built was ready to go. We were the most successful side in the club’s history and that was because Howard (above) instilled confidence in young players such as Neville Southall, Gary Stevens, Trevor Steven, Kevin Sheedy and Graeme Sharp.

He was ahead of his time, whether in pre-season or on the pitch. We’d switch formations, outwitting the likes of Bayern Munich.

I’ll always be grateful that he put faith in me even though I’d had injuries. I was due to sign for Sheffield Wednesday from Bolton but Howard phoned and convinced me in minutes of what he wanted to achieve.

He wasn’t always conventional but that’s what made him different and special. I came back from the Mexico World Cup in 1986 a stone under weight and he gave me two crates of Guinness to drink.

I was lucky enough to have played against Howard when he was at Stoke and Blackburn Rovers. If you know your football you know of Everton’s ‘Holy Trinity’: Kendall, Colin Harvey and Alan Ball, it is one of the greatest midfields of all time.

Everton won’t be the same without Howard. I’ll miss him immensely.